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On the 10th of September, 1943, a casual gathering of prominent friends convened in a cozy residence in Berlin’s Charlottenberg. The host was Elisabeth von Thadden, and the nominal reason for the get-together was her younger sister’s 50th birthday. In reality, it served as a pretext for a group of prominent figures gathering to talk about the future course now that the reality was that Hitler was losing the war.

Resistance and Realization

Otto Kiep, an ex-diplomat, spoke optimistically about how Mussolini’s recent toppling signaled Italy’s readiness to seek an armistice with the Allied forces. Meanwhile, political hostess Hanna Solf excitedly imagined Hitler’s downfall: “We’ll put him against a wall.” Von Thadden herself, a committed Christian and former headteacher of a prestigious academy, cautioned about the impending disaster that might ensue after the end of hostilities. To the attendees on that fateful day for tea, sandwiches and an unpleasant wartime treat called “wartime cake,” Germany’s rebirth into a free society seemed within reach that they could almost touch it.

Awakening to Reality

Few among them were innate revolutionaries. A number were from prominent army lineages who were scarred by the outcome of the Great War and the subsequent humiliation of the treaty of Versailles. To these quintessential patriots, the regime’s vow to reestablish German strength, along with financial security, seemed promising early on. The restoration to the timeless principles of cultural icons seemed inevitable.

Such optimism soon faded. As the full horror of their policies for ethnic purification was revealed, no one could to do nothing. Back in 1933, Kiep, serving as consul abroad, risked everything to acknowledge openly Albert Einstein, a leading voice opposed to Hitler. The act resulted in a prompt return to Germany. As for the hostess, the turning point arrived when she saw the regime’s plan envisioned for faith – a Nazi-aligned doctrine in which the Führer superseded the Messiah. As for Lagi, the challenge was assisting those in hiding – Jews in hiding – make it through freezing months, then guiding them to liberation via a network of tunnels and fake identities. Lagi had perfected the art of the silent insult: wherever she traveled, she took care to carry a bag of weighty items in each hand – it was the perfect excuse for failing to give the obligatory “Heil Hitler” salute.

Betrayal and Consequences

Unbeknownst to all before the damage was done was that a spy was present in their midst. This individual came to the event bearing good credentials, but looking back, suspicions arose regarding this person. He listened intently to all statements as if taking mental notes and sought to extract revelations about additional plans. That was because he was typing it all up and delivering it to the notorious Herbert Lange, the infamously brutal the officer. In less than two years, the majority who had been present that day would be either dead or imprisoned.

The Unfolding Tragedy

Across numerous concise sections, every conclusion leaving suspense, the book follows the twists and turns by which these reluctant heroes tried to escape and ultimately confront their fate. At first a tense calm prevailed, but then came a knock at the door or a physical apprehension. Since they were high-profile detainees with reputations or wealth linked to Germany’s prewar elite, it was certain that they would be exploited for propaganda purposes. There were show trials, featuring expensive barristers and relatives begging for mercy. It didn’t do any good. Kiep faced execution by hanging, Elisabeth was decapitated. Another member, a high official at the finance ministry, briefly got free from those holding him and jump to his death, those remaining were condemned to years behind bars.

A Thrilling yet Thought-Provoking Work

This book represents a rare achievement – a fact-based narrative that reads as propulsively as an airport thriller. But it is equally a profoundly serious work, making readers ponder: Who today could muster the strength to take a stand, voice opposition and confront the grim outcomes?