ABSTRACT
The "Hitler Myth" represents the beginning of Ian Kershaw's long-standing interest in Adolf Hitler's power and charisma, providing a springboard for his later bestselling Hitler biographies, and other works on the Third Reich. The book was Kershaw's first work of modern history; previously, his research had focused on the medieval history of British monasteries. The "Hitler Myth" established Kershaw as a respected scholar in his new field of modern German history, both in the English-speaking world and in Germany. When questioned about his life's work, Kershaw tends not to dwell on The "Hitler Myth", focusing instead on books such as The Nazi Dictatorship: Problems and Perspectives of Interpretation, or the Hitler biographies. Meanwhile, as an academic at the very beginning of his modern historical career, it was The "Hitler Myth" that first made Kershaw's name as an expert to be reckoned with in both the English-speaking and German scholarly communities.
