My only true friend here in the prison among the defendants is Albert Speer. He is a great architect and has a great genius for organization. When I came to Berlin in 1943 to take charge of the navy, there was a housing shortage. The navy assigned me a poor-looking house in Dahlem. I phoned my friend Speer and told him I needed a house. He said he would do his best. Next day he phoned and said my wife should come over to inspect the house he had for me. It was a beautiful manor house, on a hill, with two wide windows on either side and great gardens all around it. It was two stories high, with a fine broad staircase connecting the two floors. Often in the evenings Speer and his wife would visit me and my wife, and we would return the visits. Speer would bring along pianists and violinists, who were perfect. We would spend many a musical evening together.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A personal memory highlighting camaraderie, patronage, and aesthetic appreciation in confinement.
- In plain terms
- The writer shares a friendly story about Speer helping him get a nice house.
- What can you take from it?
- Friendship and favors can exist even in harsh environments.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does kindness lose meaning in oppressive systems?
- What does friendship look like in extreme situations?
Another view
It highlights elite privileges while obscuring the broader cruelty of the setting.
More from Albert Speer
Hitler was basically an artist.
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