Nazism was an alternative to royal rule; they could never coexist side by side, as Hitler well knew. The removal of the German and Austrian monarchs in 1918 paved the way for Hitler's rise to power. Their successors then contributed to his defeat in 1945. The role played by the European royal families in defeating Hitler is often overlooked. Frank Millard's book brings to light the stories of monarchs and their involvement in the resistance against Nazism, which were overshadowed by more famous political and military actions that captured media attention. The book Royal Families Against Hitler shows how deeply Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia was involved in the German anti-Nazi resistance movement. It highlights the fates of Otto von Habsburg, who was sentenced to death but managed to escape and coordinate efforts to liberate his homeland, and Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria, who had to flee from the persecution of the SS while his wife and children ended up in concentration camps. Whether the monarchs were in Allied countries, hiding, in concentration camps, or prisons, they all sought to engage in the fight against Nazism. Their coordinated efforts, though discreet, significantly contributed to...
