Can someone recommend good resources for researching what it was like for a young conscript in the German Army immediately prior to and during WW II (i.e. training, living conditions, experiences, etc)? I have some Osprey Men at Arms books that are very good for researching equipment, uniforms, etc, but nothing that really paints a picture about what it was like to serve in the Wehrmacht.
First thing: Ask around with the folks in your local model club. I bet one of them actually knows such a person, "in the flesh".
Second: That is really *not* off-topic, as what you are asking for, is a primary source; that would be useful to our hobby. So, you really did not have to add a disclaimer...lol.
Do a search on Amazon. They have a great number of books such as: Frontsoldaten: The German Soldier in World War II; Black Edelweiss: A Memoir of Combat and Conscience by a Soldier of the Waffen-SS; The Forgotten Soldier; Soldat : Reflections of a German Soldier, 1936-1949; etc.
There is also a number of lists of other books people have compiled on the subject. This could be a really good starting point for any research. I've found a great many interesting and informative books this way.
Scott L.
You might find the novels by Hans Hellmut Kirst interesting (also, if you have ever served in any military yourself, you will probably find them more or less amusing. I did.).
The ones I have read were "08/15 in Kaserne" and "08/15 in Kriege" (in Finnish translation) about barracks life of German conscript soldiers just before and during the war.
I presume that the series "Forward Gunner Asch", "Revolt of Gunner Asch", "What became of Gunner Asch" and "Return of Gunner Asch" consists of the same books in English. For some reason Amazon neglects to tell you what the name of the original book is for translated books. (typical American egocentrism, I guess :)
I also recall seeing them as German films in Finnish TV.
Mikko
"Night Over Day Over Night" by Paul Watkins, a very good first-person novel about a German youth in 1944 who leaves school and joins the Waffen SS--the Wehrmacht office was closed that day. It ends in the Ardennes, 1944, amid chaos, just like the real thing.
The Forgotten Soldier by Sajer is a classic.
Lance
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Those were amusing books. I also remember in the '80s seeing an English TV series on US public TV of what I think was based on a Gunner Asch book.
John Hairell ( snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com)
I to recommend this one !!!!!!
One of the few and very good stories about what you to know about.
"Panzer Commander" By Col Hans Luck is an excellent read, though 1/3 is about being in Russian captivity........
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