The book describes William Richard Russell's experiences between August 31, 1939 to April 10, 1940, dealing with long queues of desperate people seeking emigrant visas, the outbreak of the Second World War, the German invasion of Poland and Phoney War, as well as touching on the beginning of the invasion of Norway. Russell was a clerk on the consular staff of the American Embassy in Berlin. The book consequently reflects his personal experiences of life in Berlin during the early stages of the war through anecdotes, press cutting, rumours and jokes rather than covering the political and diplomatic aspects of his job in any great detail: The bilingual Russell socialized extensively with random Germans in pubs and nightclubs, on trains while conducting business, in rural villages as well as in the capital. Despite this professed objective, the final chapter is devoted to a study of the character of Adolf Hitler.
Main argument
The central argument which Russell attempts to communicate in his work is that, contrary to opinion in America and elsewhere, the majority of Germans were politically apathetic or even anti-Nazi, with only a small minority actually being overtly in favour of the status quo:
"There are, perhaps, 2 million members of the Nazi party. That is not many in a nation of seventy million people."
However, he also argues that a large number of Germans chose to side with the Nazis temporarily for the duration of the war:
"For what exists in Germany today, I have... a simple illustration: ...Imagine thatHerbert Hoover were still president of the United States, and as unpopular as he was at the time he was defeated for the Presidency. Imagine that the United States had been forced into a war under his leadership. He would be supported by every man, woman and child... Many people feel that way in Germany today. They will support Adolf Hitler until the war is won; as soon as it is over, they have the firm intention of getting rid of him."
Russell attempts to highlight the cynical view of many Germans towards the Nazi régime. In particular, he focusses on the popular views of key Nazi figures - including Hermann Göring, Rudolf Hess, Heinrich Himmler, Julius Streicher and Hans Kerrl. Above all, Joseph Goebbels is seen to elicit the most hatred. "In three years spent in Germany," Russell wrote "I have never heard one kind word spoken on his behalf." Jokes of the time are frequently inserted to summarise the contempt of many ordinary Germans to the Nazi leaders.
Other themes
Several factors of the everyday life of Germans during the period which Russell writes about extensively were shortages of food and clothing owing to rationing, the shortage of home heating fuel, breakdowns in train service, and the lack of proper information on current affairs, owing to censorship and propaganda in the German media. This led, in Russell's belief, to over-reliance on both frequently incorrect rumours and the BBC German-language radio service.
Editions
The first edition of Berlin Embassy was published in the United States by E.P. Dutton & Co in 1940/1.
An unedited reprint was produced by Elliott & Thompson in 2003.
Basic Books produced another reprinted version in November 2006.
