Copyright Helena P. Schrader

Helena P. Schrader

Non-Fiction sources about the German Resistance to Hitler recommended by Helena P. Schrader:

Traitors for the sake of humanity:

A Novel of the German Resistance to Hitler

They opposed Hitler's diabolical regime on moral grounds. They sought to defend human dignity and restore the rule of law -- at the risk of their own lives. Traitors to Hitler, they were heroes to the oppressed. They remain an inspiration to anyone fighting against immoral and corrupt governments anywhere in the world. (53 w)

Adolf Hitler seems to have captivated all of Germany, yet even as one Nazi victory follows another, individuals with integrity and compassion remain opposed to his regime and all it stands for. People like Philip, Alexandra, and Marianne. They feel isolated and hopeless until they discover each other -- and learn that their concerns are shared by men in the very highest places in the German High Command....

Review Excerpts


"... the importance of this book cannot be underestimated. Traitors for the Sake of Humanity rises as a critical, provocative, and timely book that perhaps we would all benefit from reading." Chanticleer Reviews.


"Anyone who would understand, on more than a factual level, the emotions and motivations of resisters and believers alike will find this powerful history captured in a story that is, yes, complex...but also thoroughly engrossing and thought-provoking. Traitors for the Sake of Humanity serves as a strong reminder of the price of loyalty and allegiance. It ... represents new lessons from old history, for modern times." Diane Donovan for Midwest Book Review


"The novel is a deeply researched window into the wartime lives of Germans at odds with Hitler’s regime, and while the story of Operation Valkyrie may be well known, Schrader offers the larger context for the German resistance with admirable depth and detail." Kirkus Review


"Helena P. Schrader has a wonderful gift for character ... The exploration of these characters as they navigated a dangerous and treacherous environment is wonderful and the author captures their emotions, their fears, and hopes in a way that conveys their humanity brilliantly. Traitors for the Sake of Humanity takes readers from Altdorf to Berlin, to West Prussia, to Crepon, France, to Yulov, and many other places. This is a novel with compelling historical elements and characters who communicate the message that evil does not triumph over the goodness of the human heart. The characters are nuanced, the writing is superb, and the plot is so well written that it forces the reader to keep on turning the pages. This is one of the best books I have read about the Nazi era." Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorites


"I was riveted by each character’s story. Your heart and soul hurt for the people who worked so hard to save their brethren, while they wished for their country to become great once again by pulling it out from under the heathenistic brutality that defined Hitler and the Nazis. And even if you are not a WWII aficionado, this gifted historian makes the history coincide with pure excitement as she ties fiction in with nonfiction perfectly.... Truly inspiring, these awesome ‘traitors’ keep you on the edge of your seat. Schrader has done it yet again: 5-Stars!" Feathered Quill


"Traitors for the Sake of Humanity is an outstanding read, partly because it gives such a fascinating insight into the psyche of the German soldier and the German population during World War II that so often we view from an Allied perspective. ... Author Helena P. Schrader has done a masterful job of putting together real-life drama, overlaid with fictional characters ... highlighting the immense moral struggle many of the German officers were fighting with as they weighed their consciences and their strict Army traditions against the extreme excesses of the Nazi regime. In Philip and Alix, she has produced two superb characters that embody the principles of equity and equality that were so ruthlessly repressed by the regime, with their emphasis on racial stereotypes and the concept of Aryan superiority. ... I particularly enjoyed the breakdown of familial relationships explored by the author where competing emotions between love of country and adoration of the Fuhrer sat at the same dinner table as family members who condemned the excesses, the lack of humanity, and the power-crazed Nazi regime. ... If you love historical novels laced with reality and if you like a story that makes you think and question your perceptions and beliefs about a period of history, then this is the book for you. I call it a thinking man's novel and I can highly recommend it." Grant Leischman for Readers Favorites


“Helena P. Schrader has produced a brilliant view of this history through the eyes of the German people who lived it, agonized over its evil, and suffered its consequences. Tra .... A meticulously detailed history is interwoven with touching personal interactions amid the eternal struggle for survival and self-worth while under the yoke of evil. ... Helena P. Schrader guides us through a tense and vivid conclusion as the Traitors for the Sake of Humanity crash through fear, face horror, and make the final sacrifices in the name of all that is decent. Some survive, many do not. My recommendations for this brilliant work cannot be higher. I offer personal thanks to Helena P. Schrader for her poignant and sensitive treatment of the human side of the vanquished.” Tom Gauthier for Readers’ Favorites




Earlier Editions

Traitors for the Sake of Humanity was named a FINALIST for the 2021 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award and received a BRAG Medallion