Reading old Second World War autobiographies

WoodyEngland

I know there's a wide age gap on theses forums so I thought I'd ask about this as its been playing on my mind for all you book worms out there who are interested in the Second World War

I've served in the british army for over 12 years so know some things on modern warfare and have been reading autobiographies and have just read the forgotten soldier by guy Sajer and I have nearly finished black edelweiss by Johann voss, these are autobiographies of a German transport driver who transfers to an armoured infantry division and a soldier who joins the waffen SS.

Now I know the Germans did some unspeakable things in World War Two and murdered millions of innocent women children and men not to mention what they did in the concentration camps which is unforgivable and should never be forgotten this is not why I'm writing this, in the story of the forgotten soldier he doesn't seem to know about the atrocities that are happening he can't really as he's fighting on the Russian front line, the thing is when I read it I kind of felt abit sorry for him as he went litteray though hell while people where been killed all around him. His story is of been a soldier who didn't commit war crimes and simply fought as a soldier, by the end of the book I felt some respect for him and what he had been through but then felt guilty because he was german and for what the German army did it left me with very mixed emotions.
On reading black edelweiss it feels the same but this man was in the waffen ss and that regiment where held responsible for war crimes and where classed as a criminal organisation yet when reading it this young man again simply fought as a soldier and didn't himself participate or witness war crimes he was also fighting on the Russian front and again I kind of feel for him then again feel guilty as he's german and in the waffen ss. In in no way into nazism or anything radical or anything like that but was interested if anyone else had similar experiences of reading autobiographies like these

Regards woody

frogmorton

Woody

I guess a soldier is a soldier whichever side he is on sadly they all see terrible things don't they?

We do have some ex-military on here so you might meet some soon.

I'm trying to think who might have read the type of books you are thinking of and the only person who springs to mind is mellman.

I don't tend to read factual bookd myself though I have read some literature about Hungarians in the Hungarian uprising in 1956 because my Dad was there.

We do have a book club if you look down the page maybe we can tempt you to try some new books?

Love

Toni xx

WoodyEngland

Well when my feet are bad I read as it kind of transports me away from where I am and my pain and I feel like I'm back in uniform again , however I've tried reading fiction but I just have this gremlin on my shoulder whispering in my ear saying that its not true so can't get into any fiction, however reading autobiographys I can't put them down I could talk all day about that kind of stuff old war stories I find fascinating and really interesting, sadly some people cannot talk about there experiences which I can understand as i have lost friends my self in the forces,

I'd love nothing more than to sit down on a nice Sunday afternoon cup of tea and biscuit and listen to an old boys story's from what he did to defend our great land!

frogmorton

Woody

That's how most of us avid readers feel about the distraction it brings to us from pain.

I cope OK with most sorts of books myself - I do prefer evil ones though the only type I tend to avoid is Sci-fi.

Cup of tea and biccy - sounds perfect. Have you got a kindle?

Toni xx

WoodyEngland

No kindle might invest before I move down under