In the head of the executioner

Robert Merle recounts the journey of the Auschwitz commandant young exalted without social roots, hired early on by the Nazis to the punch, and a good father and parachuted to the Auschwitz direction.
Where the book is very strong, is that we find ourselves sympathizing with this anti-hero, to spend sleepless nights with him when he should triple the "yield" of his camp ...
The author makes us feel and the banality of evil.
Banality of evil against which we are ill-equipped (psychologically, ideologically).
Indeed, our "civilization" is so confident of defeating Evil (impulses, instincts "primary" ...), we had so much asleep by his reassurances that when evil appears (and it always ends appear), he takes us by surprise: the weaker of us (not just the sadistic ... see my comments on "Ordinary Men") may then decide to "follow orders".