Overview

From the New York Times bestselling historian, the riveting story of the Weimar Republic―a fledgling democracy beset by chaos and extremism―and its dissolution into the Third Reich. Democracies are fragile. Freedoms that seem secure can be lost. Few historical events illustrate this as vividly as the failure of the Weimar Republic. Germany's first democracy endured for fourteen tumultuous years and culminated with the horrific rise of the Third Reich. As one commentator wrote in July 1933: Hitler had ""won the game with little effort. . . . All he had to do was huff and puff―and the edifice of German politics collapsed like a house of cards."" But this tragedy was not inevitable. In Fateful Hours, award-winning historian Volker Ullrich chronicles the captivating story of the Republic, capturing a nation and its people teetering on the abyss. Drawing on letters, memoirs, newspaper articles, and other sources, Ullrich charts the many failed alternatives and missed opportunities that contributed to German democracy's collapse. In an immersive style that takes us to the heart of political power, Ullrich argues that, right up until January 1933, history was open. There was no shortage of opportunities to stop the slide into fascism. Just as in the present, it is up to us whether democracy lives or dies.

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Volker Ullrich is a German historian and the bestselling, award-winning author of Hitler: Ascent, 1889-1939; Hitler: Downfall, 1939-1945; Eight Day in May; and Germany 1923. He lives in Germany. Jefferson Chase is the translator of some forty books from German to English, including works by Thomas Mann, Volker Ullrich, and Wolfgang Schivelbusch. He lives in Berlin. Russ Bain is an award-winning Scottish voice actor and narrator whose rich, versatile delivery has made him one of the most sought-after voices on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2024, he won the MADIO Award for Best Leading Voice Actor for his powerful performance in Victory by Joseph Conrad. His work has also earned him multiple prestigious nominations, including the Audio Production Awards for Best Narrator for Poor Things by Alasdair Gray, a Music and Sound Award for Best Vocal Performance in a Video Game for Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, and a British Book Award (NIBBIE) nomination for Best Narrator. Russ's distinctive voice has brought life to a wide range of roles. He stars as Red Mac Raith in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden and voices Craic Brother in DC's upcoming animated series Creature Commandos alongside Viola Davis, David Harbour, and Indira Varma. He also voices a central role in the highly anticipated Game of Thrones video game, adding to an impressive gaming portfolio that includes Senna's Saga: Hellblade II, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Titan Quest 2. As an audiobook narrator, Russ has built an acclaimed body of work, narrating Poor Things by Alasdair Gray as well as Chris Brookmyre's The Cracked Mirror, Carys Davies's Clear, and Alan McGee's How to Run an Indie Label, among many others. His narration is known for its warmth, authority, and emotional range, drawing listeners deep into the story world. On screen, Russ recently appeared in Netflix's Lift with Kevin Hart and has featured in acclaimed television series including Shetland, Peaky Blinders, Bodyguard, Trigger Point, Castle, and the upcoming Mint. A natural storyteller with a pitch-perfect ear for accents, Russ moves effortlessly between smokey and sincere to energetic and comedic. His range spans Scottish-Standard, American-Standard, Irish, Mid-Atlantic, RP, Northern, Neutral, London, and American Midwest. His documentary narration includes conversational, crime, dramatic, and light entertainment styles, always rooted in his native Scottish-British voice.

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