This book takes an in-depth look at the moral and political role of German journalists before, during, and after the Nazi dictatorship, from the late Weimar period through the postwar decades. Illuminating the roles played by journalists in the media metropolis of Hamburg, it focuses on the lives and work of three remarkable individuals: Marion Countess Donhoff, Paul Sethe, and Hans Zehrer. Born before 1914, all witnessed the Weimar Republic's end and opposed Hitler. When Hitler seized power in 1933, they were, like their fellow Germans, confronted with the difficult choice of entering exile, becoming part of the active resistance, or joining the Nazi Party. Instead, they followed a fourth path-inner emigration
-psychologically distancing themselves from the regime, their writing falling into a gray zone between grudging collaboration and active resistance. The book sheds light on the influence of German media in the mid-20th century and raises questions about modern journalism.