Le commandant d'Auschwitz parle

"The Commandant of Auschwitz Speaks" is an autobiographical work by Rudolf Hoess, the former commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Originally published in 1959, the book provides insight into the thoughts and justifications of one of the main perpetrators of Nazi crimes. Hoess wrote this work during his imprisonment in Krakow, at the suggestion of his lawyers and Polish figures involved in the investigations of war crimes. The book is not only an attempt at self-justification but also a document that sheds light on the origins and development of the "Final Solution" as well as the concentration camp system. The foreword and afterword by Geneviève Decrop offer additional perspectives and contextualize the historical and historiographical developments that shape the understanding of the Holocaust. This work is of central importance for the study of the history of the Holocaust and Nazi crimes.