Subtitled "The Memoirs of Sepp Allerberger Knights Cross" and written by Albrecht Wacker, translated by Geoffrey Brooks.
This book, only 146 pages long, came about after 15 years of negotiation by the author with the protagonist, Josef "Sepp" Allerberger. The author wrote it in the first person but the translation is in a narrative form.
The book is the story of 18 year old Sepp Allerberger, who was an apprentice carpenter when conscripted, and his service in the Wehrmacht. He had his basic training then was sent to the Eastern Front as a qualifed machine gunner. After being there a while he was injured and when recovering picked up a Russian sniper rifle and started working with it. He became a very good shot. This was noticed by his officers and he subsequently became the marksman for the group. Interestingly snipers were not respected at that time, but that changed as the combat intensified and later everyone wanted one with them.
The brutality of the Eastern Front is described in painful detail. Russians eating their own--literally-- was encountered and the torture of enemy by the Russians and of civilians by the Russians was described. The evil of the SS is mentioned and the Wehrmacht soldiers were disgusted by it. Ultimately retreat through Rumania, Czechoslvakia, Poland, Czechoslovakia again and Austria was accomplished.
One known, but still disturbing, fact is described where the Americans turned over German pow's to the Russians.
This is a very interesting book.
I have met two men who fought in the Eastern front. One for each side. They said it was very bad. This book would confirm that.
