Prison Elite

How Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg Survived Nazi Captivity

Erika Rummel

$49.99

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

University of Toronto Press
22 June 2021

Biography: historical, political & military; Autobiography: historical, political & military; Second World War; Political leaders & leadership; Prisoners of war

After the Anschluss (annexation) in 1938, the Nazis forced Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg to resign and kept him imprisoned for seven years, until his rescue by the Allies in 1945. Schuschnigg's privileged position within the concentration camp system allowed him to keep a diary and to write letters which were smuggled out to family members.

Drawing on these records, Prison Elite paints a picture of a little-known aspect of concentration camp history: the life of a VIP prisoner. Schuschnigg, who was a devout Catholic, presents his memoirs as a ""confession,"" expecting absolution for any political missteps and, more specifically, for his dictatorial regime in the 1930s. As Erika Rummel reveals in fascinating detail, his autobiographical writings are frequently unreliable.

Prison Elite describes the strategies Schuschnigg used to survive his captivity emotionally and intellectually. Religion, memory of better days, friendship, books and music, and maintaining a sense of humour allowed him to cope. A comparison with the memoirs of fellow captives reveals these tactics to be universal.

Studying Schuschnigg's writing in the context of contemporary prison memoirs, Prison Elite provides unique insight into the life of a VIP prisoner.

By: Erika Rummel
Imprint: University of Toronto Press
Country of Publication: Canada
Dimensions: Height: 226mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 18mm
Weight: 320g
ISBN: 9781487527587
ISBN 10: 1487527586
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 22 June 2021
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Acknowledgments Introduction 1. In Isolation: Living under the Enemy’s Eye 2. The Sachsenhausen Household: Living en famille 3. The Comfort of Religion 4. The Consolation of Books 5. Music to His Ears 6. The Use of Wit 7. Cherishing Memories 8. Schuschnigg’s Political Reminiscences Conclusion Appendix Bibliography

Erika Rummel is a professor emerita in the Department of History at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Reviews for Prison Elite: How Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg Survived Nazi Captivity

"""Rummel brilliantly describes and analyzes how Schuschnigg attempted to cope psychologically with his personal plight and to explain to himself why he had failed as chancellor."" -- Evan B. Bukey, University of Arkansas, emeritus * <em>Central European History</em> *"