Out of the NightA bestseller in 1941, selected by the Book of the Month Club for a special edition and described by Book of the Month Club News as: “...full of sensational revelations and interspersed with episodes of daring, of desperate conflict, of torture, and of ruthless conspiracy...It is, first of all, an autobiography the like of which has seldom been.” The son of a seafaring father, Richard Julius Herman Krebs, a.k.a. Jan Valtin, came of age as a bicycle messenger during a maritime rebellion. His life as an intimate insider account of the dramatic events of 1920’s and 1930s, where he rose both within the ranks of the Communist Party and on the Gestapo hit list. Known for his honesty and incredible memory, Krebs dedicated his life to the Communist Party, rising to a position as head of maritime, organizing worldwide for the Comintern, only to flee the Party and Europe to evade his own comrade’s attempts to kill him. As a professional revolutionary, agitator, spy and would-be assassin, Krebs traveled the globe from Germany to China, India to Sierra Leon, Moscow to the United States where a botched assassination attempt landed him a stint in San Quentin. From his spellbinding account of artful deception to gain release from a Nazi prison and his work as a double-agent within the Gestapo, to his vivid depiction of a Communist Party fraught with intrigue and subterfuge, Krebs gives an unflinching portrayal of the internal machinations of both parties. |
From inside the book
Results 6-10 of 81
Page
shipping files contained detailed data on practically every ship in the merchant service, permitting Albert Walter and his aides to obtain at any time an accurate picture of available forces before deciding on any major action.
shipping files contained detailed data on practically every ship in the merchant service, permitting Albert Walter and his aides to obtain at any time an accurate picture of available forces before deciding on any major action.
Page
We were prepared to go ahead with a blind religious élan. Came the day when all the action committees of the waterfront met in a secret session. Ernst Thaelmann, who was then the chief of the Hamburg organization, spoke: “Let.
We were prepared to go ahead with a blind religious élan. Came the day when all the action committees of the waterfront met in a secret session. Ernst Thaelmann, who was then the chief of the Hamburg organization, spoke: “Let.
Page
The actions of a determined minority will rouse the fighting spirit of the masses. ... With the seamen in action, the workers of other industries will follow—the dockers, the shipyard hands, the railwaymen. Above all, we must teach the ...
The actions of a determined minority will rouse the fighting spirit of the masses. ... With the seamen in action, the workers of other industries will follow—the dockers, the shipyard hands, the railwaymen. Above all, we must teach the ...
Page
Even before our wild June action in the harbor of Hamburg had been brought to its conclusion, I was summoned to a secret meeting. The majority of the lesser-known waterfront agitators were present. After we had been pledged to silence, ...
Even before our wild June action in the harbor of Hamburg had been brought to its conclusion, I was summoned to a secret meeting. The majority of the lesser-known waterfront agitators were present. After we had been pledged to silence, ...
Page
... came before loyalty to the proletariat. While the action committees still issued manifestos exhorting the seamen to continue to strike, ships stealthily manned by communists steamed seaward at dawn.
... came before loyalty to the proletariat. While the action committees still issued manifestos exhorting the seamen to continue to strike, ships stealthily manned by communists steamed seaward at dawn.
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Other editions - View all
Out of the Night: The Memoir of Richard Julius Herman Krebs Alias Jan Valtin Jan Valtin Limited preview - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
aboard action agents answer arms arrested arrived asked became Berlin brought called carried cell chief close Comintern command Committee communist Communist Party Comrade Copenhagen courier crew death door eyes face Firelei five followed force four front gave German Gestapo girl give guards Hall Hamburg hands harbor head Hitler hundred Inspector International knew later leaders live looked marched mass meeting months morning Moscow Nazi never night once ordered organization Party passed police political ports prison questions received returned Russian sailors Scotland Yard secret sent ship showed side Soviet station stood stopped storm street strike talk tell thought told took train troopers turned Union units voice waiting walls Walter wanted week window Wollweber workers yard young
Bibliographic information
| Title | Out of the Night |
| Author | Jan Valtin |
| Publisher | Pickle Partners Publishing, 2020 |
| ISBN | 1839742356, 9781839742354 |
| Length | 724 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |