The first german soldier to face allied forces on dday remembers the invasion, surrender and his time as a prisoner of war. But there is another story of mass rapes by soviet soldiers of german women. It was large, modern and wellplanned, which had allowed it to remain less damaged than other german cities, even though it had been heavily bombed. The stories of my grandfathers in the wehrmacht and.
German pows on fighting, killing, and dying neitzel, sonke, welzer, harald on. The battle of stalingrad was one of the most ferocious military campaigns of all time. These true stories from wwii should be made into movies. Allied soldiers including canadians raped thousands of. It was an indication that something unpleasant was coming their way. The letters they would be receiving from soldiers in the wehrmacht must have made for grim reading 1943 onwards. What most of us remember about world war ii from history classes boils down to who fought who, the holocaust, the nazis and how almost all participant countries sacrificed their economies and their peoples lives for winning the war.
Conditions in the soviet union were often deplorable by german standards. I also learned to appreciate the fighting skill of the german soldiers. May 01, 2015 the ussrs role in the defeat of nazi germany world war two is seen as the nations most glorious moment. Exnazi soldier tells his story first speaker at new world war ii oral history club here offers regrets and a warning before rapt audience. The stories of my grandfathers in the wehrmacht and waffen ss. The german soldiers of world war ii have often been portrayed, both during the war and in the decades since, as simpleminded, unimaginative and brutish. Facing stalingrad features portraits of german and soviet veterans who were interviewed in their homes in 2009. Koschorrek in the series of articles, great ww2 books, we shall suggest some books. The battle for italy was the longest sustained campaign of the war. That rule was taken seriously during the lead up to world war ii and the conflict itself. It is a myth that german and waffen ss soldiers committed no rape during here is how they raped women in occupied countries.
One of the central mysteries of the war is how so many educated, civilised, cultured people could be bent to the will of hitler. The following narrative first appeared in german in the columns of the new yorker volkszeitung, the principal organ of the german speaking socialists in the united states. I was able for the first time to understand why the russians were able to defeat the german army. Unbelievable stories about real soldiers of world war ii. When the nazis invaded the soviet union in june 1941, they encountered a propaganda windfall. Sep 29, 2016 best book i have ever read about the war was a higher call. May 07, 2018 canadian soldiers display a nazi flag removed from a building in xanten, germany as the second world war was coming to an end in 1945. The mass gang rape of german fraus and fraulein when the country lost the war remains one of the most. The battle of the bulge is considered one of the bloodiest battles of world war ii. Soviet woman being questioned by the germans photos of german soldiers with russian civilians uncensored history. Professor sonke neitzel used secret transcripts of german prisoners of war to create a unique portrait of the mindset of soldiers during wwii. Stories of men who left the front lines in his new book, journalist charles glass explores the littleknown history of thousands of american and british soldiers who deserted. Nov 12, 2012 they are vivid, sometimes chilling descriptions of the life of german soldiers during world war ii.
The obvious choice would be stalingrad but at that time, nazi germany still occupied a huge swathes of territory. Books about ww2 from a german perspective the fedora lounge. Jun 07, 2014 the first german soldier to face allied forces on dday remembers the invasion, surrender and his time as a prisoner of war. Wehrmacht observer in a trench on the eastern front 1942. War japanese soldiers finally tell their story hell in. He knows the world war ii soldier suffered a broken upper jaw and was missing teeth from battle injuries sustained during a hardfought clash against heavy german resistance in a. Recent research has revealed thousands of german women were. A large number of the victims were prostitutes who.
The memoirs of a german soldier on the eastern front by gunter k. Feb 17, 2012 can anyone recommend a good book, or books, about ww2 told from a german perspective. The landsers view of the british could still be well summed up by a decades old german officers quip that they were lions led by donkeys. What did the german soldiers of wwii think of british, us. What are some good books of world war 2 from a german. Lasting six years, 19391945, its not considered a lengthy war in the annals of history, but to the men and women in the thick of it, it seemed to last forever. Interview with world war ii german officer siegfried knappe. At what point did the german people realise that the tide of the war was turning against them. The purpose of this article is to examine what type of sustenance german soldiers ate while on the front lines in wwii. Dvids news wwii german soldiers account of surviving. The following article on the german army ww2 is an excerpt from barrett tillman dday encyclopedia. Amongst the millions of german men serving on the eastern there were plenty of reflective, sensitive souls caught up in the maelstrom. Jan, 2006 wittmanns tiger was destroyed by a rocket fired from a royal air force hawker typhoon mkib attack aircraft. These words were uttered by wild looking tough battlehardened red army soldiers who had learnt that smattering of german.
From the ski troops of the 10th mountain division to the army nurse. Archive of 60 world war ii collections of german soldiers. The author gives a good account of the fighting and life of the german soldiers. Through hell for hitler the story of german soldier henry. Facing stalingrad portraits of german and soviet survivors. Wehrmacht german cavalry troops ford stream during advance in poland 1939. Unsurprisingly, there are lots of amazing stories from the conflict, though some are more well known than others. Jun 18, 2016 timewatch documentary of henry metelmann, henry metelmann, who has died aged 88, fought with the german army during the second world war, but later became a communist and peace activist in britain.
Walter warda, a soldier in the german army during world war ii, was captured by the russians and held in a soviet pow camp until 1950, surviving typhoid fever and years of unspeakable brutality. I learned a great deal about the eastern front warfare in russia. A german soldier on the eastern front reflects on life. Henry metelmann, who has died aged 88, fought with the german army during the second world war, but later became a communist and peace activist. Nonetheless, they pushed hard toward the german homeland, liberating paris and much of france along the way. Jun 04, 2009 this ugly carnival became the pattern soon after dday. World war ii was full of soldiers, all ordinary people, performing extraordinary feats of bravery, luck, and skill. A german soldier s story written by the late derek davids it is somewhat ironic that my train of thought has taken me and like that of so many of us back in time to places of interest. British enlisted personnel were regarded as professional, disciplined, welltrained in basic skills, and. Club will hear from marine veteran at next meeting on.
These words were feared by all german women in 1945. Ending with the rout of an entire german army, it marked a turning point in world war ii. Wehrmacht german army soldiers, ww2 troops world war photos. Allied soldiers including canadians raped thousands of german women after second world war. My dad was a tail gunner on lancasters and im particularly interested in the bombing campaign from the german point of view. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Growing up in germany in the 1930s, gert schmitz was drafted into the hitler youth, witnessed the start of world war ii, and joined the luftwaffe by the time he was 17 years old. The german army was often misidentified in angloamerican reports as the wehrmacht, which in fact referred to the armed forces as a whole. An incredible true story of combat and chivalry in the wartorn skies of world war ii if i could only own one book about the war it would be that one. World war ii was one of the bloodiest wars in human history. German soldiers in a night attack in the snow, eastern front, early 1944. Oct 15, 2018 the soldiers exchanged makeshift gifts such as cigarettes, chocolates, sausages, liquor and plum puddings and likely swapped stories about the miseries of war. Instead of giving a broad picture of what combat rations soldiers were supposed to be issued, this article will describe, in the words of soldaten, what they actually ate to sustain themselves.
Sep 15, 2015 you can add drug abuse to the long list of nazi exploits, according to author norman ohler, who claims adolf hitlers soldiers were as high as a kite during world war ii. From north africa to sicily to normandy to the heart of germany, bow gunner. Interview with world war ii german officer siegfried knappe berlin was a stout place for a fight. This campaign account from a soldier, who tells his story of survival in italy, is unique because it does not come from the memories of an allied soldier but from the recollections of a german panzer grenadier named joseph hoettel. J j j from dday on, the allies had swept quickly across europesometimes getting too far ahead of their supply line and grinding to a halt. For many decades after the end of world war ii wwii, a broad popular narrativereinforced through thousands of films and bookscast the german. Rudel was the most decorated german serviceman of world war ii, being the sole recipient of the knights cross with golden oak leaves, swords, and diamonds in january 1945. Why german soldiers dont have to obey orders history. Millions took part in the fighting, and sadly, millions died.
He knows the world war ii soldier suffered a broken upper jaw and was missing teeth from battle injuries sustained during a hardfought clash against heavy german resistance in a night raid to. A german soldier on the eastern front reflects on life german soldiers in a night attack in the snow, eastern front, early 1944. Mar 17, 2002 war japanese soldiers finally tell their story hell in the pacific from vivisection to cannibalism richard james havis published 4. As we remember ve day, remember too the german women who were. Understanding world war ii through the eyes of german soldiers. Waffen ss soldiers testimonies of german ss soldiers world war 2, ww2, wwii, german soldiers was bright colored and of course has pictures on there. First person accounts for decades after the second world war ended german soldiers from the heer, luftwaffe, and the kriegsmarine have maintained that during the war they acted in the best traditions of a soldier and that they did not have anything to do with the horrors that the nazis committed. Koschorrek, personal narrative german soldiers ww2 eastern front. D day through german eyes the hidden story of june 6th 1944 kindle edition. Diary entries of a german solider during the battle. Family of wwii soldier discovers haunting story but. All brought to life in secretly recorded transcripts of german pows. Henry metelmann, who has died aged 88, fought with the german army during the second world war, but later became a communist and peace activist in britain.
The archive of 60 world war ii collections of german soldiers is composed of correspondences including handwritten and typed letters with envelopes, post cards from different places in europe, diaries, brochures, and photographs including photographic albums, newspaper clippings, and drawings. Nearly gunned down by a german tank in wwii i had very good grades in high school, he remarked, so they put me in what they called artillery survey, which is how to. War stories of the german tiger tank in wwii spacebattles. Hansulrich rudel 2 july 1916 18 december 1982 was a german groundattack pilot during world war ii. In january 1942, the nazis published a 60page booklet titled german soldiers in the soviet union. Im looking for something readable covering a fairly wide perspective and more homefront based than millitary. Im pretty sure they dont tell kids in any school in the world about these 5 unbelievable true stories. Waffen ss soldiers testimonies of german ss soldiers world war 2, ww2, wwii, german soldiers has many kinds or style. German army veteran of world war ii remembers the eastern.
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