The Germans in Normandy

by Richard Hargreaves

This account of the D-Day invasion—from the German point of view—includes maps and photos.   The Allied invasion of Northern France was the greatest combined operation in the history of warfare. Up until now, it has been recorded from the attackers’ point of view—whereas the defenders’ angle has been largely ignored.   While the Germans knew an invasion was inevitable, no one knew where or when it would fall. Those manning Hitler’s mighty Atlantic Wall may have felt secure in their bunkers, but they had no conception of the fury and fire that was about to break. After the initial assaults of June established an Allied bridgehead, a state of stalemate prevailed. The Germans fought with great courage—hindered by lack of supplies and overwhelming Allied control of the air. This book describes the catastrophe that followed, in a unique look at the war from the losing side.

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction, Military History, War, Military Fiction, Audiobook

471 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2006

Reviews

[Dimitri · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Wo ist die Luftwaffe ?". The million mark question on the lips of every man from the beach to Falaise. It's sobering to see how the one element from the other side's point of view that every single book on Normandy bothers to include can be so dominant in German memory.

The sensation of being grounded by industrial overkill is paramount, with WWI-style barrages by Montgomery and blood-curling accounts of Jabos grinding up entire convoys. The focus switches deftly from underneath the foliage hiding the vehicles of armoured divisions Das Reich & Panzer Lehr from prying airborne eyes to Hitler's strategic ambivalences and his role in the frequent change of command in the West.

It's a good book to balance out a D-Day collection. It's just short of surprises. Somehow we've heard it all before in U.S.-centric books. Heinrich Severloh is on call to give us Omaha beach from the other side of the machine-gun barrel. Rommel's suicide means that a lot of space will be devoted to the failed Valkyrie plot.

[Boudewijn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagine yourself as a middle-aged German soldier, living the good life in France. Yes, you know it will probably be over when the long awaited invasion, but hey, let’s enjoy it while you can. And besides, the Führer has decided to build an impregnable wall along the Atlantic and Channel Coast. Within this impregnable wall of 15,000 fortifications and bunkers – 10,000 of them in France – you ca eat, sleep and fight. Fight and be protected.

Flash forward a couple of months and you’ll find yourself ducking for cover underneath the foliage with the Jabos destroying anything that moves. Yes, it is the invasion. And yes, unless a miracle occurs the war can no longer be won. In your heart you already know: the war is lost.

Throwing back the invaders would buy at least an additional 2 years for the Germans, which they could have used to keep the Russians off their back, but it was not to be. Already in the first few days, with the Panzers being torn to pieces on the Normandy roads, it was clear that the war was lost. Germany’s great battle plan for the year had been to defeat the invasion in the west, then concentrate on the Eastern Front; the Reich would no longer be fighting a two-front war. Instead, the fronts in the east and west had collapsed and there was little hope of stemming the enemy tide on either.

Richard Hargreaves tells us the German view, but somehow we’ve heard it all before. The Jabos, the not so present Luftwaffe and the Rommel’s “let’s fight them on the beaches”, this book holds no surprises. If you are interested in the personal accounts of various German soldiers, this is a book to choose. If you are looking for the overall picture, you might find it in other books.

If you really want to learn more from the German point of view, I would recommend Countdown to D-Day: The German Perspective which, although only focussing on the German preparations and not the actual fighting, gave me a lot more insights.

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book as it provides a view of Operation Overlord and the subsequent battles in France from a German perspective. Lots of personal recollections fill the pages, from regular soldiers up to some of the highest officers. I think the part about the Falaise Pocket was the most interesting, and probably the most horrific. Some very interesting information about the failed July 20 plot to assassinate Hitler and how that affected the German command structure as well. Truly a wonderful addition to anyone's library on World War II, especially if they like the Western Front.

[Stuart Whitmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Every one of the infantry divisions in France in 1944 relied first and foremost on the horse for transport. The horse pulled field guns, ammunition wagons, anti-tank guns; horse-drawn vehicles in Normandy outnumbered their powered counterparts two to one in the summer of 1944. The poorest divisions in France that year even lacked horses." That they were relying so much on horses, against the machines of the Allied forces, was just one of many eye-openers in this book. As even the Allied forces at the time understood, the outcome might have been very different if Germany had been adequately prepared for the invasion, instead of facing it after being weakened through years of war.

Like other books that deal with the bloody, gritty reality of war, this is a book I wish would be "mandatory reading" for politicians. This book, in particular, should be read by anybody who fails to grasp how awful war is, or dismisses the vital role of air superiority, or ignores the risks of demanding that military forces do more than they are equipped (literally and figuratively) to do.

It takes me a long time to get through books these days because of limited reading time, but this is one where I constantly felt the pull to set aside more time to continue reading. I definitely recommend it, but be prepared to learn, from the losing side's perspective, what all-out war looks like.

[Thiago S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Germans in Normandy superou minhas expectativas. Um trabalho excepcional de pesquisa, muito detalhado, mas sem ser cansativo. O livro coloca o leitor no local de vários personagens do Terceiro Reich, repartindo suas reflexões, angústias, palpites e certezas acerca do front ocidental. Para ser relido e servir de referência. Explica de maneira convincente a derrota alemã na Normandia, e, consequentemente, o fim do Terceiro Reich.

P.S. O autor poderia ter se aprofundado um pouco mais nos motivos que levaram ao desaparecimento da Luftwaffe após a invasão aliada, no entanto isso não desabona em nada a obra.

[Jeff Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent account from the German point of view. One is astounded how the German army was able to hold the line for as long as they did against the numerical superiority of the allies. Every day, Rundstedt, Model, Dietrich, Meyer and Rommel knew it was only matter of time before the Americans, Canadians and British would find a weak spot and exploit it to the fullest. No matter how many communiques were forwarded to OKW and Berchtesgaden, the messages returned were, “hold the line.”
For the average Soldaten, orders meant nothing. They had taken a personal oath to the Fuehrer and were bound to hold their ground and either be victorious or die. There was no in between for them. The horrors these men endured were superhuman. I’m not praising NAZI Germany or the political side of Hitler, but the raw courage of men who knew the war they had embarked on five years was going to end in defeat fought own hoping they could possibly stem the tide and wait for the promised secret weapons and final push of the Luftwaffe to stem the tide.
I cannot imagine the hell the German soldier endured with the countless air raids, artillery shelling and Naval bombardment. The description of the land was more brutal then what I’ve read of the battlefields of WWI.
For the Allies, the Falaise Pocket was a masterful stroke as they attempted to bag and destroy the 7th Army. For the Germans, it was a hellish nightmare.
The only drawback for me was the July 20th bomb plot. It served a critical moment in how Hitler’s trust of his generals evaporated and convinced him he could only trust himself and a few others in his inner circle which clouded his judgement in the prosecution of the war. I felt it went on too long.
A great read for any World War two buff.
Four and-a-half stars.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only thing keeping this from a five star book is the lack of personal accounts. There are plenty of diary entries from young German men who were on the front lines but I would have liked a more personal account like a Studs Terkel interview would give us. This was a great book and had a lot of information that we usually are not given. I have read a lot of WWII books and watched a lot of documentaries but this book revealed fresh information to me because it was told from the German's point of view. Throughout the book we are told what the German public thought of the changing tides of the war, what the generals thought about the commands from Hitler and most importantly, what the common soldier (Landser) thought about it all. This was a really good book that gives you a lot to think about.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The defeat cannot be blamed on the front-line soldiers as this bitter cup was served to them by a gambler at the map table." A great look at the absolute devastation wrought by the Allies on the Germans during Operation Overlord in Normandy. All brought about by the complacency and ill-placed optimism of the German General staff, their blind loyalty to a madman, and Hitler's deranged and faulty endgames. A must-read for any WW2 buff or for those who want to understand the true cost the Allies wrought on the German Army in France.

[Steven Malone · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is promised is delivered.

A fine read for all those who are interested in the genre. The war on the Western Front seen through the eyes of the German "landser." Vivid, detailed prose gives the reader a sense of being on the ground with very human individuals struggling through all the horrors of war, 1944.

[Bruno Di Giandomenico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second world war : Normandy again

A very good book. Recounts the history of the DDay invasion, with a very cose look at the German viewpoint. The Allied viewpoint is not ignored, but it is more in the background. Let us day that 85% of the tale is from the German viewpoint, and we can read what Rommel thought, but also what the common landser thought and wrote in letters, diaries and other.
The tale is gripping and compelling, and you can feel very strongly how the German soldier went very quickly from esilaration ( at least the Allied are invading) to utter desperation seeing that they were fighting against almost impossibile odds. They had some good weapons, such ad the Tiger tanks which scared the Allies in a disproporzionate manner, but were overwhelmed by the total air dominance that the Allies had. And this feeling is very strongly represented through out the book.
The sequence of the actions is nothing new, of course, after all this is history, but it is quite wel written.
Do not look for incredibile details or maps, they are not there, but the words are usually enough.

[Míceál Ó Gealbháin · Rating 4 out of 5]

D-Day from the other side.

[Billy Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book addresses D-day from the other side and gives an interesting perspective on what happened when it was not written by the victor.

[Nancy Gilliam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read from the other side

Reading from both sides of the same war is enlightening. The author did a very good job. So well that I just downloaded another of his books.

[Alex Giovanniello · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

Like it. Very informative of the German point of view. Good action stories and real life diaries of the men who fought there

[Mark Van Deursen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not so often you read a book about the experiences of the 'footsoldier' on the losing side of war. And it makes sense. As Winston Churchill once said: ''History is written by the victors'', and history books are also often written about the victors.

I've read many books about D-Day and the ensuing war in Normandy. Although Beevor, Hastings and Ambrose do a great job in explaining the war, the strategy, the battles, none of them give you the insight into the German Landser's life as Hargreaves does. Hargreaves does an amazing job in compiling the many different diary entries from German soldiers, the official communication and interviews to give you the best information on what it was like to be a German soldier in Normandy.

And horrible it was. At one point, the comparison is made that Normandy was the 'Stalingrad in the West', and I am not surprised. The only thing missing was the cold, but the rest was their: the outmanned armies, the killing, the wounded Germans with no-one to help them. Where General Paulus made the wise decision on the Eastern Front to surrender, the soldiers in the West were forced to keep fighting for France by their 'fearless' (and often naïve) Führer. Even when they were fully encircled in the Pocket of Falaise, disconnected commanders and generals were still trying to form ''Kampfgruppen'' and tried to break out, against the overwhelming might of the Allies.

Hargreaves makes you feel like you are there. Like you are one of the ordinary Germans fighting for his country, misled by the Führer. Like one of the distressed lieutenant that's forced to send more of his soldiers into the maelstrom of Allied artillery and airpower.

I definitely recommend this book if you are interested in experiences of the everyday soldier.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly researched, this book brings to light the battle for Normandy from German perspective. The author begins with preparation of the Atlantic Wall - the concept, the ideal, and the reality. He then takes you to the front lines of the battle, starting at the beaches and step by retreating step as the German troops are pushed back. The author makes a strong point that the key to the German defeat was not the rank and file soldier. It was the lack of support - especially in quality and quantity of materiel - from the command staff, the lack of quality reinforcements, and an overwhelming Allied air superiority.

Having read many accounts from the Allied perspective, I found this book profoundly enlightening. So often I read damning evaluations of the ineffective naval bombardment in the early phase of the D-Day invasion. Yet this book reveals that the bombardment was much more effective than I had been led to believe.

I found myself astounded at the resolve of the German soldiers as they faced impending doom due to the overwhelming materiel and personnel advantage of the Allies. Yet the Germans stymied and stalled the Allied advance again and again. The outcome, however, was inevitable.

Written with a strategist’s eye for detail and nuance, yet presented in a way that will engage even a casual reader of military history, this excellent book will have a profound effect on the reader’s outlook and understanding of this critical campaign. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to understand what transpired in Normandy from early June through early September 1944.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good and vividly graphic account of the German Experience in France, starting with the D-Day Invasion, and ending with the fall of Paris after the Falaise Pocket Disaster. Hargreaves tells the story of all four of the services involved, The Wehrmacht, the Kreigsmarine, the Luftwaffe, and the Waffen-SS as the MaterialSchlacht, the "Material War" of the Anglo-American Alliance is unleashed on them. This is the story of the incomplete beach defenses, weak garrison troops, overwhelming Land and Naval gunfire, the everpresent "Jabos"(allied fighter-bombers), a resistant populace, and the infantile meddling of the Fuhrer. It goes as badly as you'd like it to, and the book is filled with anecdotes of futile German efforts. The Brits grind the bulk of the German forces into dust, while the Americans gtet caught in the Bocage. Then... after a month of seeming checkmate-although the germans are screaming internally for relief- the brilliance of the St. Lo breakthrough by Bradley's Americans is the final straw. We get more anecdotes as many diarists face defeat and captivity in the mayhem. There's good content on the Fall of Paris and the disintegration of the German Occupation. Junior readers may find the details a bit gory, but won't be too challenged by the writing. Gamers/Modellers/Military Enthusiasts will find this a good source, both on background and for the scenario/diorama ideas that are everywhere in the book.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the books I have read on this subject, have mostly been from the American or allied point of view. Recently, I’ve started reading books that look on that piece of history from the opponent’s perspective, which makes a more enlightened regard of the subject. The book is primarily the retelling of the D-Day landing and its aftermath from the German’s perspective. A story that has been captured better in other books. Using quotes from soldier’s letters and historical transcripts of official correspondence, the author tells the story of the retreat from Hitler’s Western Wall to the return to German soil. But the piecing together of this story and the overlapping timelines leaves it more confusing than it had to be for the reader. Though it was certainly reflective of the confusion experienced by the German’s during this period. The books short segments of the stories told by those who experienced this period is never sufficiently to a depth that the reader can come to know them personally. I always felt this was mostly a rehash of collected information from other sources. Page after page of references after each chapter. May work well for those who want a quick and dry account of the battles in Normandy but if you've read anything previously (Antony Beevor, Max Hastings, Stephen E. Ambrose, Ian Kershaw, Hugh Trevor- Roper and even Cornelius Ryan) then 'The Germans in Normandy" fails to satisfy.

[Drew Zagorski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hargreaves provides an outstanding narrative that tells the story from the German side of the Normandy invasion. Think Citizen Soldiers (Stephen Ambrose), but from the German perspective. The story begins with the German military preparations for the invasion through their exit from France. The author brings us into the lives of the soldiers on the front lines, as well as their commanders. Having read deeply on WWII, and especially the European side of the war, I was very interested in this book. Particularly because most of my reading, while it may have had some of the German perspective, has been primarily a view from the Allied side. Mind you, Hargreaves isn't promoting or advocating Nazi politics or mentality, but telling a story from the view of the people on the front lines. Many of whom were like many of the Allied front line soldiers - just young men who believed in their country, without a full handle on or knowledge of the political motivations, or specifically on the Nazi end, the horrors that were being perpetrated. Anyway, trust that you'll not be getting a promotion of Nazism. What you will get is a well told story of what the soldiers experienced from first hand accounts and letters. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in WWII history.

[Roger Woodbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the years I have read a lot about the war in Europe but relatively few accounts presented the war from the viewpoint of the Germans generally, or especially the common German "grunt", or "Landser".

As I read I was impressed by how well Hargreaves captured the terror that the German troops must have felt nearly continuously once the Allied troops were ashore and their beachhead secure. I think this might well be the first book of its type that really hammered home that the war on the ground was really made winnable by the overpowering allied artillery and air superiority.

And of course well presented was the political rot of the German forces still trying to live in their Hitlerian fantasy world of Aryan superiority while the troops on the ground were trying only to live through the day.

The Germans in Normandy is a fine book on the subject of the German defeat at the hands of the Allies presenting a view not often seen or considered as a main theme in books on the subject.

[Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any student of World War II history has read numerous accounts of how the Allied D-Day invasion progressed from the beaches through the countryside, reaching and liberating Paris. Like most such retellings, they're from the perspective of the victors. In "The Germans in Normandy" Richard Hargreaves turns this inside-out, recounting the experiences from the viewpoint of the German infantry, tank, and general staff soldiers. It makes a riveting tale, as the German occupiers went from a comfortable existence far from battle to being relentlessly hounded by naval and artillery bombardment, and, most of all, attacks from the air. The book goes beyond mere history, quoting extensively from letters sent and war diaries kept by those who fought, and were destroyed or fled in the face of overwhelming Allied manpower and materiel.

[Tim Eiler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear summary of the German perspectives regarding their country during the defeat on the western front from 6 June 1944 to just before the battle of the bulge. It’s possible to feel the human confusion and general suffering of the common soldier, the feelings of hopeless futility amongst the Wehrmacht and SS field leaders, and the relentless and hubris, almost intentionally devoid of any sense of the real situation, of the German high command. Well written. Explanatory and emotion-filled, making the German soldier look heroic, yet without making the German participants look like heroes. Definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to fully understand the battle for France in 1944 in more than a jingoistic way.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four years on the German quiet front allowed Hitler to move most front line units to Russia and Italy. This fine book about the Normandy landings gives a very good perspective from the German viewpoint. No air support or naval support coupled with many untested and untrained units left no doubt in the final result. A good section on the plot to assassinate Hitler included. Recommended for those looking for a view from the German side.

[Randolph Rossi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normandy like Stalingrad was a Massive Graveyard for the Germany Army

The myth that if the German Armor was utilized at the start of the invasion would have enabled the German Army to repel the invasion was dispelled completely. The overwhelming Air and Naval Superiority insured an Allied victory regardless of whatever the Germans did. In the first 24 hours Allied Planes conducted 14,000 sorties to 139 German Flights.

[Thanasis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Μέσα από προσωπικά ημερολόγια, γράμματα και διηγήσεις συμμετεχόντων το βιβλίο δίνει την οπτική από την πλευρά των Γερμανών, από την απόβαση των συμμάχων στην Νορμανδία έως και την απελευθέρωση του Παρισιού.

Από την αισιοδοξία ότι θα συντρίψουν την απόβαση στην ακτή, μετά την συντριπτική ήττα που υπέστησαν οι απλοί στρατιώτες εναπόθεταν τις ελπίδες τους στα κρυφά υπερόπλα που είχε υποσχεθεί η ηγεσία τους ότι θα έμπαιναν σύντομα στην μάχη και θα άλλαζαν την πορεία του πολέμου υπέρ τους.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

The D-Day invasion and the battle for France from the German perspective. Despite the devastating losses in France, the Germany army fought on, sometimes it was Hitler's will that carried the day, but the army leadership even fearing the war was lost were determined to defend Germany. The allies may have hoped for a quick end to the war, but the German resolve remained strong throughout the battle for France.

[Iain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Much more coverage of the Western Front outside of Normandy and much less first person accounts than I'd hoped. I understand that some framework is necessary to structure the narrative, but next to other account f the Normandy campaign this one pales. It lost my interest with the 20 page chapter on the Hitler assassination plot and it's aftermath ... none of which was in Normandy.

[Jack Provine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating read

Well researched and well written. We always see the battles of the war from the perspective of the Allies while this book explains how the Germans lost so decisively and so quickly. It makes no excuses for the Germans and is not sympathetic to them or their ethos. But if you want to really understand Normandy and the German defeat read this book.

[Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary account of the "Falaise Pocket"

Most topics about D-Day stop shortly after the invasion. This author continues with the liberation of Paris and the destruction of two German Armies in the "Failaise Pocket" . Very descriptive account of this battle through letters written by German soldiers who endured it.

[Ed Eldridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

The same German troops who had no problem, gloating as they blitzkrieged and jackbooted their way through ill equipped armies with little or no air support, have a different point of view as the worm turned in Normandy. There aren't any heros when your goal is subjugation of other countries and genocide conducted as policy.