Introduction

The following is taken from the Pen and Sword website:

In June 1944, in Belarus on the Eastern Front, the Red Army launched Operation Bagration, the massive offensive that crushed Hitler’s Army Group Centre. German soldiers who weren’t encircled and captured had to fight their way back towards their own lines across hundreds of miles of enemy territory. This is the story of one of them, Claus Neuber, a young artillery officer who describes in graphic detail his experiences during that great retreat.

His gripping account carries the reader through the desperate defensive battles and rearguard actions fought to stem the relentless Soviet advance and to breakout from the cauldrons between Minsk and the Beresina river. After almost seventy days as a fugitive, living in the open, depending on the kindness of villagers, enduring extremes of cold, wet and hunger, and living each day with the ever-present threat of betrayal and imprisonment, he found his way back to the German lines.

This unforgettable personal narrative, translated for the first time from the original German, gives a dramatic insight into the impact of the Soviet offensive and the disintegration of an entire German army. It is also compelling reading because it records in day-to-day detail what such a bitter defeat was like and shows how individual soldiers somehow survived through their bravery, ingenuity and endurance – and the companionship of a few loyal comrades.

Review

This offering from Pen and Sword, tells the story of a German soldier who after knowing nothing but success, learnt that the Red Army was not defeated. This is the story of Klaus Neuber translated by Tony Le Tissier. And his head long retreat through enemy occupied areas in his attempt to reach his own forces after Operation Bagration. The book consists of 191 pages of good quality matte paper, bound in a hard back cover which presents the book well. The book is not really split into sections, but does have an introduction and an epilogue. The rest covers the life of Klaus, from 26th June 1944 to the 6th August and shortly after.

This book is more the story of the dark side of conflict, and the importance of comradeship when it comes to surviving adversity. The text within the book is presented in a diary like format. However, the writing is not presented as bullet points and is presented as a story that flows and is a very easy to read publication due to that. In many ways it is one of those stories that regardless of whether you feel for or against what occurred in Russia, you can feel for the person concerned. There is no photographic content in the title, which is not really a surprise, as when you are fighting for your life, stopping to take a picture is a low priority!!

Conclusion

This offering from Pen and Sword tells the story of a German soldier and his struggle, plus his loses to escape encirclement, during Operation Bagration. Anyone who has an interest in World War II should take the time to read this book, as unlike books that tell you about the conflict, this tells you about the men. That fought and died doing their duty as they saw it. The result of all this is a truly engaging read that brings you closer to the men who were there.