|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
|
Product Description
From Library Journal
This memoir is the first-person account of a German soldier who served on the eastern front during World War II. The author is not concerned with examining the reasons for the war or the tactics used to fight it. Rather, he sets out to present the day-to-day realities of the German soldiers by naming them and then relating their fates, which too often was violent death. Many of Koschorrek's compatriots were run over by Soviet tanks or blown to pieces by Soviet shells. This memoir by a former German soldier is reminiscent of accounts by American GIs, such as Charles Reis Felix's recent Crossing the Sauer. For capturing so unsparingly the banality and horror of war, this book is highly recommended for large public and academic libraries. Robert J. Andrews, Duluth P.L., MN
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Book Description
Gunther Koschorrek wrote his illicit diary on any scraps of paper he could lay his hands on. As keeping a diary was strictly forbidden, he sewed the pages into the lining of his thick winter coat and deposited them with his mother on infrequent trips home on leave. The diary went missing and it was when he was reunited with his daughter in America some forty years later that it came to light and became "Blood Red Snow." The horror and confusion of fighting in the streets of Stalingrad are brought to life by his descriptions of the others in his unit: their differing manners and techniques for dealing with the squalor and death. This harrowing book takes the reader to the front line and paints a very human picture of what life was like under relentless Russian attacks in freezing conditions. As Koschorrek says in his introduction, the book stands as a memorial to the huge numbers on both sides who did not survive and is, over five decades later, the fulfillment of a responsibility he feels to honor the memory of those who perished.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellant eastern front history,
By
This review is from: Blood Red Snow: The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front (Paperback)
if you are interested in indepth first person accounts of the eastern front then this book is a must have. this book is equal to "the forgotten soldier" and if you know military books that is saying alot.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
an excellent and honest account,
By DaveTheRed "timone312" (las vegas, NV, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Blood Red Snow: The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front (Hardcover)
I couldnt put this book down...while "The Forgotten Soldier" remains the most moving ostfront memoir i have read, Blood Red Snow ranks a very close second, without any of the controversy about it's authenticity (i personally believe TFS to be completely factual as well)...sad that american children are led to believe that germans were evil or 'fanatical'...they should all read a book like this to learn that they were people just like us. I count America fortunate our boys never had to fight against the Red Army 'meat grinder' in WWII or any time during the cold war.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A very good book about life on the Eastern front,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Blood Red Snow: The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front (Paperback)
When I read a WW2 soldier's memoir, I'm looking for four things:1- Tactics: This book does a good job of describing small-unit tactics. The author definitely gets up close and personal to the action at a variety of times. Although it would have been interesting had he gained some experience in Italy fighting the Allies, he certainly shows how chaotic the Eastern front was in the front trenches. His own grasp of tactics were quite sound and grew noticeably as he gained experience. The book definitely does not lack for action! 2- Strategy: This book is light on overall strategy, although it does offer a company-battalion level glimpse now and again. Naturally, an enlisted solider wouldn't be privy to the larger picture, so that's fine. 3- The Little Picture: Details of the author's travails are the strongest point of this book. It really hits home as you read all of his daily struggles, hopes, and victories. My absolute favorite had to be with the ponies. You'll know it when you read it! Overall, the author does an excellent job conveying the feeling of what it was like being there (or at least, it seems that way to me). Basically, it was a horrible, inhuman meat grinder that remains the least understood, but most important theater of the war (probably because the West didn't fight in it). 4- The Big Picture: Again, you'd expect this to be a little weaker in a book of this nature. I was happy to read about the morality of the war, surprised that the author realized at the end how easy it was for good people to follow an evil cause, and disappointed that he didn't try to tackle why he himself followed the cause (well, he sort of did saying it was his duty as a soldier- but why did he enlist?), and most importantly, what his participation in a war of aggression meant to him all those years later. As you can tell, I'm not overly sympathetic to the Germans who started and fully participated in the war. The author does have compassion though, and displays it even to his enemies, so he's certainly not an evil or sadistic man. I don't know if that makes it more frightening, but I guess that's the lesson of World War 2, and the author rightfully emphasizes it- vigilance is the price we must pay, and not by bearing arms, but by standing up for what's right. Overall then, this is an excellent book that does just about everything I could hope for in a book of its kind. If you want to know what the war was like for a German soldier on the Eastern front from late '42 onwards, this book is an excellent choice. Highly recommended.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical
- Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Military
- Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Professionals & Academics > Military & Spies
- Books > History > Americas > United States > 20th Century > World War II > Eastern Front
- Books > History > Asia > Russia
- Books > History > Europe > Former Soviet Republics & Siberia
- Books > History > Europe > Germany
- Books > History > Military > Biographies
- Books > History > Military > World War II > Eastern Front
- Books > History > Russia
- Books > History > United States > 20th Century > World War II > Eastern Front
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
