Should I mention my passion for Nazi German history on my resume? Should interests on a resume be specific?

When it comes to the "Interests" section on a resume, the general advice is to just be honest and most argue that it doesn't hold much significance anyway.

In all honesty, if I were to compile a genuine list of my interests aside from finance, Nazi German History would be my number one passion. I want to clarify that my fascination with history extends beyond this particular subset, but the subject of Nazi Germany captivates me like no other. I could spend hours discussing the intricate details of Nazi Germany, delving into topics such as the Holocaust, the Third Reich, and Hitler's life. Over the past two years alone, I have read ~35 books on Nazi Germany. I even took an elective class on the subject in Fall 2022, and despite being a finance and CS major, I found myself possessing knowledge on par with, if not surpassing, my professor who had decades of experience (a fact she herself acknowledged). In fact, I previously posted a comprehensive list of the Nazi-related books I've read on another forum, complete with personal ratings and reviews, and will copy and paste that here: 

  1. Hitler's Vienna (5/5) - It's one of the best books I have ever read.
  2. The Death of Democracy: Hitler's Rise to Power and the Downfall of the Weimar Republic (5/5)
  3. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (5/5)
  4. The Short, Strange Life of Herschel Grynszpan (5/5) - A captivating book about Herschel Grynszpan, whose assassination of a German diplomat sparked Kristallnacht.
  5. Explaining Hitler: The Search for the Origins of His Evil (5/5) - Among the finest ones I've read.
  6. Destined to Witness: Growing up Black in Nazi Germany (4.75/5)
  7. Life in the Third Reich: Daily Life in Nazi Germany, 1933-1945 (4.5/5)
  8. Hitler: A Biography (Ian Kershaw) (4.5/5) - A good read, although somewhat overrated.
  9. Children of Nazis: The Sons and Daughters of Himmler, Göring, Höss, Mengele, and Others - Living with a Father’s Monstrous Legacy (4.5/5)
  10. Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews and Their Spies Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America (4.5/5)
  11. The Young Hitler I Knew (4.5/5)
  12. The Wages of Destruction (4.5/5) - Particularly appealing if you have a combined interest in economics and history like I do.
  13. They Thought They Were Free (4.5/5)
  14. Odessa: The Controversial History of the Mysterious Network that Helped Nazis Escape Germany during World War II (4.5/5)
  15. The Nazis Next Door: How America Became a Safe Haven for Hitler's Men (4.5/5) - This book reveals that not only South America, but also the USA harbored Nazi war criminals.
  16. Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland (4.5/5)
  17. The City Without Jews (4.5/5) - Published in 1924, this extremely prophetic book foresaw Hitler's rise and the Holocaust years in advance. Sadly, its author, Hugo Bettauer, was murdered by a Nazi Party follower shortly after its release in 1925. Due to prevalent anti-Semitism in Austria, the murderer was released after just 20 months. Bettauer's murderer also never showed remorse and proudly boasted about the killing as recently as 1977.
  18. The School That Escaped the Nazis: The True Story of the Schoolteacher Who Defied Hitler (4.5/5)
  19. The Last Jews in Berlin (4.5/5)
  20. Hitler's Pawn (4.5/5)
  21. In the Garden of Beasts (4.5/5) - Engaging, albeit somewhat overrated.
  22. A Village in the Third Reich (4.5/5)
  23. Hitler's Beneficiaries (4.5/5)
  24. Goebbels: A Biography (4.25/5)
  25. Hitler's True Believers: How Ordinary People Became Nazis (4/5) - The author's conviction that Hitler was a socialist may not resonate with all.
  26. Hitler's Willing Executioners (4/5) - Despite the author's propensity for exaggeration, this book effectively illustrates the extent of participation in war crimes by 'ordinary' Germans during WWII.
  27. Defying Hitler (4/5)
  28. 1932: The Rise of Hitler and FDR - Two Tales of Politics, Betrayal, and Unlikely Destiny (4/5)
  29. Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich, 1945-1955 (4/5)
  30. Coffee with Hitler: The Untold Story of the Amateur Spies who Tried to Civilize the Nazis (4/5)
  31. Prisoners of the Castle: The Nazis' Fortress Prison (4/5)
  32. Aftermath (4/5) - A review of Germany's post-WWII recovery and denazification process.
  33. Mein Kampf (1/5, but 3/5 for educational value) - Offers insight into Hitler's twisted views.
  34. Zweites Buch (1/5, but 3/5 for educational value) - This is Hitler's second, secret book, not published until after his death. It provides additional perspective on Hitler's distorted views.
  35. The Ratline: Love, Lies and Justice on the Trail of a Nazi Fugitive - Yet to be finished.

I've come across many stories of interviewees impressing their interviewers with their extensive knowledge about a listed interest, and sometimes, these conversations played a crucial role in receiving job offers.

So, here's my first question. I'm thinking about including "Nazi German History" in my resume under interests in the hopes that it could lead to a fascinating conversation during an interview where I could impress my interviewer. But, I'm worried that they might misconstrue this and think I'm a Nazi or a Nazi sympathizer. I detest Nazism and I study this era largely to learn from history and avoid repeating such mistakes. Could listing this interest give off a wrong impression?

Second of all, is "Nazi German History" too specific? In the interests section, should the items be very vague, e.g. "history," moderately vague, e.g. "20th century history," moderately specific, e.g. "WWII history," or very specific, e.g. "Nazi German History"?

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

Absolutely do not do this. It's not worth the risk. Just write "World War II History."

 

I see no issue listing this on your resume, and in fact, I would put something like this:

Interests___________________________________________________

Nazi German History • Hugo Boss • Driving Volkswagons • Drinking Fanta

 

Bruh absolutely do NOT put that. Just put WWII history then if the interviewer brings it up, talk about a book. Just say you read it recently.

I have WWII History listed in my interests section. Even though you aren’t a Nazi, just having that word on your resume will get it discarded by HR 100% of the time

 

Loled hard at this.

In all reality I hate how in this current environment you can get cancelled for studying nazi history.  Like I'm pretty sure if you write a book on Hitler now you be shunned by academia.

 

Non quasi voluptatem veritatis quasi voluptates nisi quia cupiditate. Vel consectetur qui quia nobis. Fuga facere delectus quis sed itaque laboriosam.

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