{"product_id":"nazis-at-the-watercooler-war-criminals-in-postwar-german-government-agencies-9781640125698","title":"Nazis at the Watercooler: War Criminals in Postwar German Government Agencies","description":"After World War II, when a new German democracy was born in the western region of the vanquished Third Reich, tens of thousands of civil servants were hired to work for newly formed government agencies to get the new republic quickly on its feet. But there was an enormous flaw in the plan: no serious vetting system was put in place to keep war criminals out of government positions. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Ex-Nazis--people who had been involved in mass murder, drafting antisemitic laws, and the persecution of Hitler's opponents, as well as other depravities--resumed their careers without consequence in the newly created Federal Republic of Germany. Former Nazis who had established an early foothold in postwar government agencies helped each other get government work by writing letters of recommendation called \u003ci\u003ePersilscheine\u003c\/i\u003e. These \"Persil Certificates,\" named after a popular detergent, made an ex-Nazi's recorded past just as clean as fresh laundry, and a whole generation of German government officials with Nazi pasts was never brought to account. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Ex-Nazis were given preference for government jobs even over victims of Nazi policies and anti-Hitler resisters. They swapped Nazi uniforms for suits, Hitler salutes for handshakes. And with help from the highest levels of West German government and even the CIA, they swept their crimes under the carpet and resurrected their careers. \u003ci\u003eNazis at the Watercooler\u003c\/i\u003e illuminates the network of ex-Third Reich loyalists and the U.S. government's complicity that enabled this mass impunity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Terrence Petty\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Potomac Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 11\/01\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 320\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.4lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.50h x 6.10w x 1.40d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781640125698","brand":"Potomac Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43060342489225,"sku":"9781640125698","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0636\/9240\/6921\/files\/img_6a931b37-b622-48f9-a4df-11fe53fdbc4a.jpg?v=1729573260","url":"https:\/\/sonsanddaughtersbooks.com\/products\/nazis-at-the-watercooler-war-criminals-in-postwar-german-government-agencies-9781640125698","provider":"Sons and Daughters Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}