This work by Joachim Fest is far less readable, informative, comprehensive, authoritative, and riveting than "The Bunker" by James P. O'Donnell, written some 24 years before. In fact, Fest does not even credit O'Donnell's 1978 book in his extensive bibliography -- perhaps a tacit attempt to keep readers from discovering a superior work. One example of the careless scholarship in Fest's book is his reference to Wilhelm Mohnke as SS Gruppenfuhrer (Major General) on page 45, and as SS Brigadefuhrer (Brigadier General)on page 66. Mohnke was indeed a Brigadefuhrer.