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joerookery

joerookery

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http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-1917-A-GERMAN-DESERTERS-WAR-EXPERIENCE-WWI_W0QQitemZ270158245983QQihZ017QQcategoryZ29223QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

A book written in English. I did not like it but some people do. Either way it is real cheap.
 
I dont know who would want to hear a story about a deserter, I personally find it un favorable espically froma culture who prides itself on the fighting ability of its men
 
I have thrown a bid at it, I find these period books to be an interesting insight into the time. One must realize that the author is probably not even German, it was very common at the time to write books to further the cause, on both sides, and the truth is usually the first victum in propaganda.
gus
 
It is an interesting propaganda piece considering when it was produced. The American socialists did a lot with this. :lol: What I found to be missing from this book -- or his account -- was any real reference to "unit". This is very much an account of an individual as opposed to a team.
 
It is sad but sometimes book's like this were written to sell . The publisher's knew that they would.
There was one book writtwn by a Canadian officer whoescaped to Holland. He made alot of money from it , but brought alot of attention that only 11 or 12 officer's from Canada escaped captivity as apposed to the 400 or so OR's .
Mark
 
I think it's a very impressive book. It's the only full account of the August 1914 campaign by an enlisted man on the German side I've been able to find. What an epic story. Clearly the author didn't want to be there, but he did his duty. As far as his unit goes, he obviously had friends, but just as obviously despised his officers. Perhaps he was justified, considering the statistic he gives citing the over 100% casualty rate for enlisted personnel in his unit, while none of the officers was scratched. Not exactly leading from the front. I think it was Napoleon who said "there are no bad armies, only bad generals".
I first read this book as a kid 40 years ago, while living in a room at my grandparents, surrounded by relics of WW1 (including a large cardboard box containing 12 or 15 spiked helmets, assorted gas masks, bayonets, and steel helmets of several nations) brought back by various family members. Maybe that influenced me, but I still get a thrill out of reading it.
I've always been fascinated with the opening campaign of WW1, the world we live in today was largely shaped by the events of a 2 month period of time.
Incidentally, for the French view of the same period, I also enjoyed "My
75" By Paul Lintier.

Steve
 
I think Steve is right -- is the only enlisted version I can remember in English. You get more than your fair share of officers stuff and even incredible piece of propaganda by a Swedish journalist in English. This guy clearly was there.

One other thing I don't like is this quote from the translator -- "the following narrative first appeared in German in the columns of the New York Volkzeitung, the principal organ of the German-speaking socialists in the United States. " It seems that the author was very beholding to the American Socialist party -- Germany had the same issue with socialists. So my thought was that this was "flavored".

On a similar note an antiwar book, anti-General, anti-officer, and very anti-British is a book that I absolutely love. Most everybody hates this book. The title is "Back to the Front" written by a Canadian journalist. You can probably buy that at Abe book for next to nothing as most people do not like it at all. He calls himself an accidental historian -- fast read but if you're pro-English you need a thick skin.
 
The book arrived yesterday, and I have to agree with Steve, this is one of the best histories from the German point of view of the opening days/months of the war. I have no doubt that the writer was there, he sites regimental numbers that were not available to the general public until recently, and everything fits.

I think Joe is a bit oversensitive to the officer bashing, but he needs to remember that even today, there are few officiers that are of his quality, and from what I have read, even fewer in European armies of the last centurie. Also, I disagree with Joe's comment about there being no comment about unit, this man was (in my opinion)pretty much an outcast in his unit due to his political beliefs and the fact that he did not want to be there, but he oftens writes of being reunited with his Kompanie mates after engagements, and where it appears that his unit was often broken up to make reinforcements for the infantry, that would make it even more difficult to tie the unit story to his.

I have no problem with the writer's political speaches, although, the last paragraph did cheapen the whole story. As far as shunning a book because it was written by someone who deserted a culture that prides itself if it's fighting ability of it's men, that is not a valid objection. If a tenth of the writer's fighting experiance is true, he was a great fighter.

Best wihses
Gus
 
I am glad gus you got it. I love reading about the early war espiacially the 1914 war in the west . The French and German's bled each other also the learning curve in tactic's. .
Joe. I did not say ut was a good book , glad to see you have the name. but the author put on one man play's and made mney on the book. There was a small note ny the Army that there were few Officer's escaping and that there were alot more or's at the time.
Mark
 
i apologise for condeming dessertion and my "objecion not being valid" for criticizing a man who abandonded his country and unit i personally believe in loyalty and integrity no matter the circumstances as every Man should regardless of political believes. How many American military personnel do not believe in or agree with our government but are yet fighting in Iraq. Not to get political but my objection is totally valid.
 
Muth25 said:
Not to get political but my objection is totally valid.
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I am sorry, but I disagree in that you objection is not valid, as the bulk of the story has nothing to do dessertion, but was a very good narrative of the opening months of the war. I have to agree with you about the dessertion part though, the only thing that redeeems the writer is that to my knowledge, he does not go back to Germany to demand rights as many American desserters have done in the US. But now we get into some strange soil, in the US Benedict Arnold is the synonym for traitor, yet in the Great White North he is a hero. Yet even stranger is the story of an ancestor of our host, it would seem that he fought in the revolutionary war on the side of the victorious founding fathers, and then desserted to the enemy to the north to fight against us in the war of 1812. That is not so bad, but then he returned to the US to get his pension for fighting in the revolutionary War. I hope I did not make any mistakes in the story.
Anyway, back to the book, if you get a chance, read all but the last two chapters, it was definitly worth the six bucks I spent on it.
Best wihses
Gus
 
I think Joe is a bit oversensitive to the officer bashing,
Click to expand...

I don't know maybe so -- if you really want to get sick about officer self-aggrandizement during the first world war German army seek out a copy of "Mother Country Fatherland". This guy was in a dragoon regiment before the war and served from start to finish. He actually thinks he's pretty good but as you read it you quickly realize how much of a terrible officer he really is. Written in English it is really eye-opening. He was captured by the Russians and allowed to take his Batman into captivity. When the Russians attacked his position he sent his adjutant to the front lines while he went far to the rear to "consult" with his commander... so much for communication going from higher to lower. Well worth reading especially about the commissioning process. His performance however will turn your stomach.

"Back to the Front" is a great cheap book -- bashes everyone -- especially the British. I liked it.
 
I got my copy of "Back to the Front" A couple of days ago. I will report as soon as I get it read, but so far, it is not the page turner that the Desserter's book was.
Gus
 
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