In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a fascinating book, easy to read with wonderful character development. Part of the research is from from letters written by the Dodds, Thorton Wilder, Carl Sandburg and a host of others. Ambassador William Dodd and his daughter, Martha, were prolific writers of letters and diaries of their adventure beginning in 1933 from whence much is gleaned about the Nazi party, the officers, and the German people.

William Dodd was a historian and professor who took the post as U.S. Ambassador in Berlin. He was not President Roosevelt's first choice; Mr. Dodd was about 5th down the list, but was excited to accept the position for several reasons. One, he thought this would offer him a higher stature in his field and he thought he would have time to work on an ambitious history of the South that he had begun.

Ambassador Dodd was a man who believed in living simply and within his means which was a departure from most ambassadors who were independently wealthy and did not mind using their own money to have an opulent lifestyle. Although Dodd was quite different from most ambassadors he spoke German fluently and knew the country rather well as he had studied there as a young man. Martha, on the other hand, was quite taken by the richness of the people around her, of the Nazi officers, and other wealthy people in which she came in contact. She was a notorious flirt and in denial as to the true nature of what was taking place in Germany in 1933.

Dodd was sent to Germany by President F. Roosevelt with the mission of encouraging the German government to repay a large debt owed the United States. He also wanted an ambassador who could negotiate the "Jewish problem or question" with the Germans. Roosevelt was appalled at the Nazi treatment of Jews and was aware of the violence that was taking place in Germany.

The journey of the Dodd family in Germany was interesting to say the very least. The Third Reich came fully into power during Dodd's tenure in Berlin. Ambassador Dodd walked a tightrope while in Germany and Martha traveled and made the rounds with people from other embassies as well as high ranking Nazi officers.

The Garden of Beasts is an amazing look into the early era of Nazi rule and the effect it had on the Dodds and on the friends they made in Germany.



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