In Deadly Combat

A German Soldier's Memoir of the Eastern Front

By: Gottlob Herbert Bidermann, Derek S. Zumbro - translator

Narrated by: Paul Woodson

Wounded five times and awarded numerous decorations for valor, Gottlob Herbert Bidermann saw action in the Crimea and siege of Sebastopol, participated in the vicious battles in the forests south of Leningrad, and ended the war in the Courland Pocket.

In his memoir, he shares his impressions of countless Russian POWs seen at the outset of his service, of peasants struggling to survive the hostilities while caught between two ruthless antagonists, and of corpses littering the landscape. He recalls a Christmas gift of gingerbread from home that overcame the stench of battle, an Easter celebrated with a basket of Russian hand grenades for eggs, and his miraculous survival of machine gun fire at close range. In closing, he relives the humiliation of surrender to an enemy whom the Germans had once derided and offers a sobering glimpse into life in the Soviet gulags. Bidermann's account debunks the myth of a highly mechanized German army that rolled over weaker opponents with impunity.

Despite the vast expanses of territory captured by the Germans during the early months of Operation Barbarossa, the war with Russia remained tenuous and unforgiving. His story commits that living hell to the annals of World War II and broadens our understanding of its most deadly combat zone.

©2000 The University Press of Kansas (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Stands head and shoulders above the many other books in this genre. Bidermann's style is crisp, succinct, and lucid and Zumbro has done a great job of translating." (David Glantz, coauthor of The Battle of Kursk)

Great detail of daily life

Great discussions of daily life and battle. Wide experience throughout the eastern front from Leningrad to Sevastopol

Hearing the WWII story from a German soldier is great

After reading many books by former German soldiers, and trying to understand how they could continue fighting a lost war still is impenetrable to me.
We should really be aware that our human mind is self destructive if brought under some conditions, and that killing other humans in high quantity seems to become accepted by us as, paradoxically a way to survive.

In deadly combat.

Whilst the life of the ordinary soldier is well depicted, in all its horror and brutality, I felt there was insufficient introspection about the odious cause Bidermann fought for. He seemed to be an intelligent man, and must have known about the racial policies and genocidal nature of the Nazi regime. Maybe he just couldn’t face up to the awful reality, of which he was a willing part.

Excellent history of a group of German soldiers in WW2

Outstanding history of a German soldier experience during WW2 from the opening days of the war until his release from Soviet prison of war camp. Very interesting story from a German soldiers perspective.

Very detailed...

It is a matter of fact listen for any studious person of the Eastern front...

strong and enduring

a fascinating story that shows the professionalism, dedication and brotherhood of the wermacht during the horrors of war on the Eastern front.

Real story of the eastern front

This is the honest story of what was probably the most prolonged and bitter combat of all time. Riveting and sobering, dovetails well with Stalingrad and The Fall of Berlin.

Excellent combat memoir

I’ll admit it took quite a while for me to get to this memoir despite the amazing reviews. My issue was the narrator. After listening to other more emotionally charged narratives this wasn’t easy on my first go. However after listening to tigers in the mud (same narrator) it was speaking to hear another tale by the same narrator. This memoir is the total package however, the journey begins in southern Russia and the crimea. After their victory over the soviet fortress of Sevastopol he is transferred elsewhere. I don’t want to give the book away so I’ll leave it there. Simply an amazing tale in regard to his weaving together the human suffering of war. A war with all of its insensitive horrors and senseless death. This man was a patriot and I salute him. True the nazi party was evil. But to associate each INDIVIDUAL soldier as the nazi party incarnate is a historical error.

don't hesitate

this book was amazing, from the beginning of the war all the way to the gulags at the end of the Germans Odyssey through World War II. this book offers you a chance to see through the eyes of a common German Soldier and not the extremist regime of Adolf Hitler as most historic references portray. this book gives you the opportunity to see Humanity as equals, controlled by extremist groups and Idol ology

A very moving memoir...

This book gave me a dark, in depth look at the realities of the eastern fronts brutality. The memoir does a great job of showing the human element of that brutal war. I will listen to the well read narration again in the future I'm sure!