Bormann, who was serving as Hitler's private secretary, persuaded Hitler to allow a team of specially picked officers to record in shorthand his private conversations for posterity.[1] The first notes were taken by lawyer Heinrich Heim, starting from 5 July 1941 to mid-March 1942.[1] Taking his place, Henry Picker took notes from 21 March 1942 until 2 August 1942, after which Heim and Bormann continued appending material off and on until 1944.[9]
The talks were recorded at the Führer Headquarters[1] in the company of Hitler's inner circle.[10] The talks dwell on war and foreign affairs but also Hitler's attitudes on religion, culture, philosophy, his aspirations, and feelings towards his enemies and friends.[2][5][11] Although the table talk monologues are generally considered authentic, contentious issues remain over aspects of the published works.
^ abcdTrevor-Roper, H.R. (2000). Hitler's Table Talk 1941–1944. New York: Enigma Books, p. vii.
^ abDomarus, Max (2004). Speeches and proclamations, 1932–1945. Wauconda, IL: Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, p. 2463.
^ abTrevor-Roper, H.R. (1953). Hitler's Table Talk 1941–1944. Trans. Norman Cameron and R.H. Stevens. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. 2nd ed. 1972; 3rd ed. 2000; 4th ed. 2013.
^An Italian translation by Emmerico Guiscardi, based on the German edition, was published by Longanesi (Milan) in 1970 under the title Conversazioni di Hitler a tavola: 1941-1942.