Fur Volk and Fuhrer

The Memoir of a Veteran of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

De: Erwin Bartmann, Derik Hammond

Narrado por: James Foster

Like many Germans, Berlin schoolboy Erwin Bartmann fell under the spell of the Zeitgeist cultivated by the Nazis. Convinced he was growing up in the best country in the world, he dreamt of joining the Leibstandarte, Hitler's elite Waffen SS unit. Tall, blond, blue-eyed, and just 17-years-old, Erwin fulfilled his dream on Mayday 1941, when he gave up his apprenticeship at the Glaser bakery in Memeler Strasse and walked into the Lichterfelde barracks in Berlin as a raw, volunteer recruit.

On arrival at the Eastern Front in late summer 1941, Erwin was assigned to a frontline communications squad and soon discovered that survival was a matter of luck - or the protection of a guardian angel. Good fortune finally deserted Erwin on 11 July 1943 when shrapnel sizzled through his lung during the epic Battle of Kursk-Prokhorovka. Following a period of recovery, and promotion to Unterscharführer, Erwin took up a post as machine-gun instructor with the Ausbildung und Ersatz Bataillon.

From the war on the southern sector of the Eastern Front to a bomb-shattered Berlin populated largely by old men and demoralized lonely women, this candid eyewitness account offers a unique and sometimes surprising perspective on the life of a young Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler volunteer.

©2013 Estate of Erwin Bartmann/Derik Hammond (P)2017 Tantor

Reseñas de la Crítica

"This is a valuable memoir, providing both a good account of the nature of the fighting in the East, and the changing attitudes of the author, both towards the Nazi regime and the chances of final victory." ( History of War)

Entertaining listen. unsure of authenticity though

many "facts" mentioned in this book are historicaly inaccurate which unfortunately brings into question the entire authenticity of this book. perhaps at his ripe age he simply mistold parts of his story... but what seems certain to me is that this is a man in denial. For instance he mentions that concentration camp survivor's he met were fat. he does not mention the Nazis guilt until the epilaug.

Interesting story.

I enjoyed this book. A very good account of a soldier in the LSSAH. The narrator had good tone and pacing.

Amazing

This was an amazing memoir of someone who had voluntarily joined the Waffen-SS over originally being placed in a Flak unit. It details his life from being a young kid and seeing SA members marching in the streets to him being a captive in a allied POW camp which was difficult as well seeing by the end of the war, being in the SS could have meant death in the POW camps by your fellow Germans. I was definitely not disappointed with this at all.

view of the war from a field commander

was nice hearing about the war from the view of a German soldier who was in Africa and Russia campaigns

Wow what a ride

These guys had a life not many will experience. Hell on the eastern front with sex strewn about. No doubt there are many men now forgotten whose stories we would die for.

No apologies

It’s pretty clear the author never quite let go or denounced what the Third Reich stood for. Being proud for girls wanting to make babies with him in the final moments of Hitler’s dictatorship or dreaming of the Eagle and other Nazi symbolism still 70 years later tell a story their own. However, he was a product of his time, growing up in that environment I can understand. The story is interesting, well written and not too long. Top 5 German WW2 memoirs.

a must read

this is a must read book. tells the story from other side of the coin.

Very Interesting

good story ant narration, but as with other books from the German perspective I feel that the performance would be better if they used narrators with a German accent.

Very well done.

This is a very good example of why you can not judge people without knowing the people wearing the uniform. While I have always heard the terms associated with the Waffen SS. But after much research into their leadership and ranks, as well as the Wehrmacht leadership and ranks and while there were cruel fanatics in each. The Wehrmacht and Waffen SS were simply military units, one regular and one elite who believed enough in their leaders to swear loyalty, follow orders and had no idea to the Final Solution being carried out while they were on the front lines. For the most part all of the units fought with honor and followed the rules of war. Each nations military Axis and Allied each had soldiers who killed and tortured both military and civilians. The worst of all as is well published were the Russian military in accounts from both sides of the conflicts.

Excellent Perspective From The Other Side

Great read from start to finish. The book gives you an insight into the mindset of German soldiers during WWII. These young men were just like any other young men during their times. They had the same fears, desires, and dreams. We often painted German soldiers as soulless monsters. While the SS and Nazi leadership had plenty of those, the young men in the front lines were often lured by the sense of excitement and devotion to country, just like many of the allied soldiers. Highly recommended!