Honza
The Art Of Wargames
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2005
- Messages
- 13,911
- Reaction score
- 2,662
- Location
- Oxfordshire
- First name
- Jan
- Country
He was 94. RIP.
I remember reading “The Forgotten Soldier” many years ago. A truly harrowing account of the defeat of the German army on the Eastern Front seen through the eyes of one of the participants at the sharp end of the fighting.He was 94. RIP.
He made military service at the age of 15-18 years old (1942-45).
I made my military service between 15-18 years old (1985-89), the similarities abruptly ends there.
Sure, we are not part of NATO.They have a military in your part of europe?
As far as I know, the matter wasn't solved to date - the general consensus on both sides seems to be that this is a great novel with lots of facts distorted and lots of other facts impossible/difficult to check.Wasn't there a great deal of debate over whether his memoirs were genuine or not? I remember reading some convincing arguments it was fake.
Oh, don't take my post this way, I'm not holding grudges - I know that it's easy to take moral high ground while sitting in a comfortable chair. Like I've said, my thoughts are leaning towards "hesitant", not "thoughtlessly condemning".Don't hold your grudges too close. My Polish grandfather was Wehrmacht (like Sajer a foreigner who spoke German) because it was either accept the "offer" or go back to the labor camp. After the war, that grandfather was best friends with a former Desert Rat, who left one hand behind at Tobruk. My other grandfather, a veteran of combat in the Philippines, didn't mind so much when America fell in love with Japanese cars. Yes, convicted war criminals should serve their time, but soldiers/sailors caught up by global and events and not guilty of crimes, even if hoodwinked by a charlatan, have forgiven each other and need not be judged by us.
Various documentaries where veteran combatants who were once "enemies" come together and talk, hug, cry, salute etc...are some of the most poignant human stories I have ever had the privilege of watching....but soldiers/sailors caught up by global and events and not guilty of crimes, even if hoodwinked by a charlatan, have forgiven each other and need not be judged by us.
Sajer was the german name of his mother he used in trying not to be identified. He failed and was fired from his job when discovered.I think the point is well made that Sajer would have no reason to make a false claim as a Frenchman living in France to have fought with a notorious German military unit.
Because his mother was German, Sajer was subject to the German draft.There is discussion regarding the veracity of the book here:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/26304530?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
I think the point is well made that Sajer would have no reason to make a false claim as a Frenchman living in France to have fought with a notorious German military unit. It is possible to appreciate his insight into the conditions facing German soldiers in Russia when it was clear that the war was lost without sympathising with the motives of the author for joining the German army in the first place.
When I read his book 18 years ago (give or take) I had not yet heard there was controversy surrounding the book. I read it in the good faith that it was a straight up autobiographical nonfiction book.As far as I know, the matter wasn't solved to date - the general consensus on both sides seems to be that this is a great novel with lots of facts distorted and lots of other facts impossible/difficult to check....
that book is one of my all time favorites read it multiple times....really makes you consider the tragedy of warHe was 94. RIP.
there were some points but what I heard is that as a front line soldier his knowlege of the bigger picture... Belgorad etc was murky or lost to faded memories...Wasn't there a great deal of debate over whether his memoirs were genuine or not? I remember reading some convincing arguments it was fake.