Flame Keepers: The True Story Of An American Soldier's Survival Inside Stalag 17

by Edward A. Handy, Kemp Battle (Editor)

"Ned Handy describes the start of the night, in the winter of 1944 when he and a fellow American POW would try to break out of Stalag 17, Germany's notorious prison camp. One of them would become the only POW to escape and fight once more against the Nazis." "Handy was one of the 4,300 American fliers shot down over Germany and dumped into Stalag 17. He and his comrades were young men who, every day, had to seek new and ingenious ways to stay alive and outwit their German captors. By turns suspenseful thriller and tender memoir, The Flame Keepers recounts in vivid detail one of the great untold stories of World War II." Through fellowship, resourcefulness, and sheer grit, these men managed to keep their spirits unbroken and maintain an unwavering devotion to the idea of escape. Handy and the men in his barracks would dig one of the Stalag's most memorable tunnels and find themselves quite unexpectedly at the center of Stalag 17's greatest drama. Sixty years have not dimmed Handy's memory and, with co-author Kemp Battle, he has returned again to those thirteen months in Stalag 17. The Flame Keepers is an inspirational book; it reminds us of the warriors behind the Nazi wire who fought their way to freedom with their greatest weapons: their own hearts and minds.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, World War II, Memoir, Autobiography

Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Miranda]

DNF

[Janet Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book of survival, this time in a POW camp (Stalag 17) during WWII. What I appreciate is the author's reflection on seemingly unrelated memories as he experiences bailing out over enemy territory and his capture and internment that show his struggle to integrate chaos into his known experiences. It's also interesting how much this story correlates with the characters in the movie of Stalag 17. Handy chose to analyze himself and the way fellow captives responded to imprisonment rather than dwell on the lurid details of horrible living conditions. One finishes reading with deep respect for the author and other admirable prisoners, esp. for the resolutions he made for the rest of his life as a result of his camp experiences.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine my surprise when earlier this year, I read the obituary for an old summertime friend of my mother's to discover this gentle Cape Cod sailing family man was also a WWII German POW survivor. I doubt my mother ever knew about this as I'm sure the subject never came up at the cocktail parties she went to on the Cape. Given also the author himself didn't reach out to his military past until about eight years ago, it also seems unlikely. Like many men his generation, he finally opened up about a very hard chapter in his life late in it, and I am certainly glad that he did.
It's a brilliant first hand account.

Naturally, I needed to find a copy of the book. I read an original hardcover edition.
And am I ever glad he wrote it and that I read it. What a gripping first hand look at what it was like to be a POW in a camp where food was a struggle everyday and where only one man ever successfully escaped.

Absolutely recommend.
Have wrapped it up and passed it along to my brother for Christmas.

[Guy · Rating 3 out of 5]

For WWII history buffs, this is a must read. A non-fiction account of an US airman shot down over Germany and his experiences as a German POW. Written is the style of that generation, the book does a terrific job describing conditions within Stalag 17, their attempts to escape, the hierarchy among the prisoners, interaction with their guards and perhaps most importantly, their will to survive.

[Bev]

Didn't finish because there was too much offensive language

[Ilan Valencius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ned Handy was one of the most incredible men in my life. Sometimes the realities of life are more worthwhile than the fascination of fiction.

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

The hit movie _Stalag 17_ fictionalized the experiences of American enlisted airmen incarcerated in a German POW camp in Austria. Ned Handy was actually there, and his account surprisingly confirms the factual roots of many of the film's events. Handy is at his best in describing the moral and character lessons he learned as the impromptu leader of a tunneling team, while learning to function as part of his barracks crew, and on the long march to the West where he went from prisoner to captor, once the formation of POWs and German guards approached American lines. The memoir, written long after his wartime experience, gets a couple of technical details incorrect, but these never affect the credibility of the narrative. Well worth reading.

[David Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ned Handy tells the story of being shot down over Germany and his time in Stalag 17. Reads like a novel, complete with dialog. No index, notes, or bibliography. I enjoyed this story of overcoming adversity. I have a generally poor memory and am always amazed when folks can recount tales of decades ago with such clarity. I don't doubt anything he relates, but couldn't help but notice he got one thing wrong - he says they got news of the Remagen Rhine crossing in autumn of 1944 but this didn't happen until April 1945 - a fairly major error I'm surprised a copy editor didn't flag.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adult book / mature young adult: I read this mornings during silent reading at school ... not one I would have chosen to pick up on my own, but I'm glad I read it - I learned a lot while reading...

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a true story about American WWII prisoners in Stalag 17 a large Nazi prison camp.

[Rick C · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story of life in real Stalag 17

[Daryl Crompton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read.

[Vicky Titcomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing memoir of the real story of Stalag 17 told by the man who dug the tunnel. Insightful, thoughtful and real, this is an extraordinary story of survival.