Blowing Up Hitler: A Life Of Johann Georg Elser, Would-Be Assassin

Killing Adolf: Hitler’s Would-Be Assassin

By Gerald Williams

Blowing Up Hitler: A Life of Johann Georg Elser, Would-Be Assassin is the story, told in poetic fashion, of a man who dedicated himself to killing Adolf Hitler and who came within 10 minutes of doing so.  What is now merely a footnote in history could have changed the course of the 20th century. For that he lost his life and the world missed the chance to have spared millions of people the horror of World War II and all that came with it. Gerald Williams’ masterfully-crafted story traces the short of life Johann Georg Elser up through his death as the war came to a close.

Hotmetal typeset, letterpress printed

Blowing Up Hitler was typeset on a Model 31 Linotype and printed on a platen press at Superior Letterpress Company’s St. Paul, Minnesota shop in 1986.  Blowing Up Hitler continues one of the missions of Michael Coughlin’s publishing efforts: to celebrate the role individuals have played and can play in changing history.  It is one in a string of publications which sets out to sing the praises of those who dare to be different, who challenge accepted norms, who are willing to risk their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to follow their principles.  These people are not as rare as we might imagine, but their stories all too often remain buried in obscurity, lost to succeeding generations who will never be inspired by their courage if someone doesn’t make the effort to record their lives.  Mr. Elser was just such a person and Blowing Up Hitler is just such an effort.

This book by Gerald Williams is the third of the publications I have printed.  The other two are A Damoclean Drama and The Astounding Power of Penmanship.

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