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Wir waren keine Menschen mehr: Erinnerungen eines Wehrmachtssoldaten an die Ostfront (Memoria Erinnerungen an das 20. Jahrhundert 4)
Luis Raffeiner wuchs in Karthaus im Südtiroler Schnalstal in der Zeit des Faschismus auf. Ende 1939 optierte der damals 22-Jährige für Deutschland und wurde in die Wehrmacht überstellt. Als Panzerwart einer Sturmgeschützabteilung zog er 1941 in den Krieg gegen Russland. Dort erlebte er, wie er selbst sagt, "Krieg in seiner brutalen und grausamen Wirklichkeit". Eindrücke davon hielt er mit seiner Fotokamera fest, Jahrzehnte später erzählte er sie einer jungen Bekannten. Anschaulich und prägnant schildert Raffeiner Kindheit und Jugendzeit und vor allem die dramatischen Kriegserlebnisse. Dabei bricht er mit dem Mythos der sauberen Wehrmacht und nennt die deutschen Unrechtstaten beim Namen, zum Teil auch solche, an denen er selbst beteiligt war. Der Vernichtungskrieg an der Ostfront ließ ihn gleichzeitig zu Opfer und Täter werden. Seine Erinnerungen sind keine üblichen Landsergeschichten, sondern der Beitrag eines einfachen Mannes, die Schrecken des Krieges und sein Bemühen um Anständigkeit darzustellen. E-Book jetzt neu mit vielen Originalfotos des Autors.
295 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 1, 2021
A telling memoir where a lack of individual responsibility accompanies non-admission of guilt.
The Third Reich, as any empire before it, consisted of ordinary people with their desires, families, and objectives. The book 'Eyewitness to Wehrmacht Atrocities on the Eastern Front' starts with childhood years like any other autobiography or biography. Luis Raffeiner was born into a low-income, burdened with many children family in South Tyrol in 1917. From the early years, he knew poverty and hunger and, after a fire that destroyed their village, a longing for home. Without him being aware, his life would soon dramatically change under the influence of Mussolini's fascism and Hitler's nationalism.
A brief (sometimes with considerable gaps in the narrative) chronicle focuses on the military training before 1941, the Eastern front of WWII, and the survival in the Russian POW camp after the war. Through the eyes of a mechanic of assault guns, a reader sees a story of contradicting emotions: joy from taking photographs with the Ukrainian peasants; disdain when a captured Russian soldier eats insides of a long-dead horse; casual cruelty toward civilians in the name of self-preservation. In opposition to the terrifying details of the German advance, numerous pictures taken by the author show life behind the German lines as nothing out of the ordinary. The story doesn't contain outlines of campaigns or provide a general picture - the view is limited to the personal perception of the war.
The book shows no admission of guilt from the author's side. Perhaps, it is due to how the book was created: Luise Ruatti, an author's friend, recorded Luis Raffeiner's confession on tape and then transcribed it. Thus, a text doesn't convey emotions (shows them by explicitly naming them). The language is simple, with no hyperboles, metaphors, or dialogues. The clarity of the story and blatant excuses to do evil spotlight the horrors of WWII. The author formulates his thinking of that time as follows:
'But I had no feelings of guilt. In this world, it was normal, it was not a crime, even if that is not understood in today's world. That was war, that was part of it, it was about survival.'
The afterword by historian Hannes Heer that should have delivered a critical analysis looks unnecessary: it retells the book's content with short remarks and then shows after-WWII philosophers' thoughts on what constitutes guilt. Correction of wrong dates/places unintentionally made by the author is the only positive side of this chapter.
I'd recommend the book as a prelude before serious diving into WWII. The pictured atrocities are horrendous, yet they are not new to the readers with previous knowledge in the field.
I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Third Reich, as any empire before it, consisted of ordinary people with their desires, families, and objectives. The book 'Eyewitness to Wehrmacht Atrocities on the Eastern Front' starts with childhood years like any other autobiography or biography. Luis Raffeiner was born into a low-income, burdened with many children family in South Tyrol in 1917. From the early years, he knew poverty and hunger and, after a fire that destroyed their village, a longing for home. Without him being aware, his life would soon dramatically change under the influence of Mussolini's fascism and Hitler's nationalism.
A brief (sometimes with considerable gaps in the narrative) chronicle focuses on the military training before 1941, the Eastern front of WWII, and the survival in the Russian POW camp after the war. Through the eyes of a mechanic of assault guns, a reader sees a story of contradicting emotions: joy from taking photographs with the Ukrainian peasants; disdain when a captured Russian soldier eats insides of a long-dead horse; casual cruelty toward civilians in the name of self-preservation. In opposition to the terrifying details of the German advance, numerous pictures taken by the author show life behind the German lines as nothing out of the ordinary. The story doesn't contain outlines of campaigns or provide a general picture - the view is limited to the personal perception of the war.
The book shows no admission of guilt from the author's side. Perhaps, it is due to how the book was created: Luise Ruatti, an author's friend, recorded Luis Raffeiner's confession on tape and then transcribed it. Thus, a text doesn't convey emotions (shows them by explicitly naming them). The language is simple, with no hyperboles, metaphors, or dialogues. The clarity of the story and blatant excuses to do evil spotlight the horrors of WWII. The author formulates his thinking of that time as follows:
'But I had no feelings of guilt. In this world, it was normal, it was not a crime, even if that is not understood in today's world. That was war, that was part of it, it was about survival.'
The afterword by historian Hannes Heer that should have delivered a critical analysis looks unnecessary: it retells the book's content with short remarks and then shows after-WWII philosophers' thoughts on what constitutes guilt. Correction of wrong dates/places unintentionally made by the author is the only positive side of this chapter.
I'd recommend the book as a prelude before serious diving into WWII. The pictured atrocities are horrendous, yet they are not new to the readers with previous knowledge in the field.
I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 15, 2021
..šķiet, nebiju lasījis Otrā pasaules kara atmiņu grāmatas, kuras stāsta vācu puse, protams, ja neskaita mūsu pašu karā bijušos, kuri piespiedu kārtā vai brīvprātīgi gājuši vai nu pie vieniem, vai pie otriem, vai devušies mežā un bijuši partizāni. šis ir kāda vācu karavīra stāsts. literāri ļoti saistoši uzrakstīts.
December 11, 2023
Serving in a genocidal army isn't patriotic, it's just helping to murder innocent people.
November 17, 2021
Words are not adequate to capture my emotions when reading this powerful book. I have been reading many excellent books on WWII but this one is outstanding. It moved me to the point of taking my breath away. The words of soldier Luis Raffeiner are simple but potent, poignant, brutal, compelling, informative and descriptive. Oh, so effective. My mind practically clung to the book, as horrendous as some descriptions are, as so much of the information is new to me and very important to know.
Luis Raffeiner describes his tragic upbringing in Tyrol, his training on assault guns to Wehrmacht and life (and death) as a soldier (on the German side...he had to choose) through Poland to the Soviet Union. The atrocities committed by his fellow soldiers and sometimes himself are impossible to fathom but he does not gloss over facts. He is truthful and honest about what happened which makes the reading experience all the more emotionally gripping. During this time he took about 200 photographs and gave them to his staunch Nazi cousin for safekeeping but most disappeared. Still, several survived. And what photographs they are! Highly personal and often unsettling, though some are lighthearted. He even includes travel documents!
The stories are beyond riveting and memorable. He tells of his father's watch, fascism in school, traveling through Poland (those photos!), the first soldier killed, dreadful treatment of Jews, lice stories, taking over homes and killing livestock to survive, "restacking", desperation for food (and sometimes it wasn't even food), his mechanical inclinations (fashioning padlocks whilst in a camp) and the research hospital. But two of the most tragic include the exploding horse and warm ashes. Raffeiner saw war as a "moral catastrophe" and obeyed orders. He found himself "no longer human". However, what he experienced made him physically sick.
He himself suffered deplorable conditions including -40C in Moscow. It is impossible to imagine putting myself in his shoes for even one day, let alone years.
The last portion of the book details his life after the war and afterword. But war, of course, affected his entire self. Most people did not/do not wish to talk about it. They could not. I am extremely grateful his story was recorded. It should be required reading.
My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword for the honour of reading this heartbreaking and crushing book. It is difficult to read yet important. Thank you to Mr. Raffeiner who told his story. It will always stay with me.
Luis Raffeiner describes his tragic upbringing in Tyrol, his training on assault guns to Wehrmacht and life (and death) as a soldier (on the German side...he had to choose) through Poland to the Soviet Union. The atrocities committed by his fellow soldiers and sometimes himself are impossible to fathom but he does not gloss over facts. He is truthful and honest about what happened which makes the reading experience all the more emotionally gripping. During this time he took about 200 photographs and gave them to his staunch Nazi cousin for safekeeping but most disappeared. Still, several survived. And what photographs they are! Highly personal and often unsettling, though some are lighthearted. He even includes travel documents!
The stories are beyond riveting and memorable. He tells of his father's watch, fascism in school, traveling through Poland (those photos!), the first soldier killed, dreadful treatment of Jews, lice stories, taking over homes and killing livestock to survive, "restacking", desperation for food (and sometimes it wasn't even food), his mechanical inclinations (fashioning padlocks whilst in a camp) and the research hospital. But two of the most tragic include the exploding horse and warm ashes. Raffeiner saw war as a "moral catastrophe" and obeyed orders. He found himself "no longer human". However, what he experienced made him physically sick.
He himself suffered deplorable conditions including -40C in Moscow. It is impossible to imagine putting myself in his shoes for even one day, let alone years.
The last portion of the book details his life after the war and afterword. But war, of course, affected his entire self. Most people did not/do not wish to talk about it. They could not. I am extremely grateful his story was recorded. It should be required reading.
My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword for the honour of reading this heartbreaking and crushing book. It is difficult to read yet important. Thank you to Mr. Raffeiner who told his story. It will always stay with me.
July 26, 2022
Most Informative
This story of the Wehrmacht from the German point of view is nicely written and draws you in to Raffeiner’s life. He has an easy style and does not shirk from mentioning war crimes committed by the “clean Wehrmacht”. But, like the sight of a cockroach in a clean kitchen, rest assured and be confident there are plenty more hidden in the walls. What makes this download superior are the photos and the supplementary commentaries. The pics are high resolution and the commentaries at the end fill in the loose ends. I am glad I chose this title.
This story of the Wehrmacht from the German point of view is nicely written and draws you in to Raffeiner’s life. He has an easy style and does not shirk from mentioning war crimes committed by the “clean Wehrmacht”. But, like the sight of a cockroach in a clean kitchen, rest assured and be confident there are plenty more hidden in the walls. What makes this download superior are the photos and the supplementary commentaries. The pics are high resolution and the commentaries at the end fill in the loose ends. I am glad I chose this title.
April 5, 2024
Important But Sanitized Recollection
This memoir recalls the wartime experiences of a German/Austrian soldier in WW II. While it is quite valuable for what it presents it is also clear that much has been consciously excluded or unconsciously repressed by the author. Where it succeeds is with the telling of one man’s struggles to survive and to find a life afterwards. It certainly is not in any way a full accounting of the atrocities of the war as the title indicates. Nevertheless it serves to show how the war was seen through German eyes.
This memoir recalls the wartime experiences of a German/Austrian soldier in WW II. While it is quite valuable for what it presents it is also clear that much has been consciously excluded or unconsciously repressed by the author. Where it succeeds is with the telling of one man’s struggles to survive and to find a life afterwards. It certainly is not in any way a full accounting of the atrocities of the war as the title indicates. Nevertheless it serves to show how the war was seen through German eyes.
March 9, 2025
Excellent memoir of a soldier who served on the Eastern Front. Perhaps not 100 per cent candid regarding the extent of his participation in war crimes, but he does state clearly what he saw, sometimes "up close and personal." Further explodes the myth of the "clean Wehrmacht." Interesting afterword by Hannes Heer.
November 17, 2022
But wrenching and enlightening in what mans behaviour becomes.
How ones consciousness accepts his actions during war and justifies ones behavior. A very good read. Highly recommend this book.
How ones consciousness accepts his actions during war and justifies ones behavior. A very good read. Highly recommend this book.
June 20, 2024
A different perspective
Wanted to see this conflict from a normal combatant on the other side. At that level the majority were victims though with all the humanitarian crimes its hard to really think of them as victims. Maybe of their own doing..
Wanted to see this conflict from a normal combatant on the other side. At that level the majority were victims though with all the humanitarian crimes its hard to really think of them as victims. Maybe of their own doing..
April 18, 2024
Das ist schwer auszuhalten.
December 15, 2021
Author Luis Raffeiner published the book “Eyewitness to Wehrmacht Atrocities on the Eastern Front: A German Soldier’s Memoir of War and Captivity” at the end of November.
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘R’ due to scenes of violence. This book is the author’s memoir.
The book begins with a brief history of Raffeiner’s early life. He was born and grew up in the South Tyrol region of Northern Italy. He was called up for the Alpini, the Italian Mountain Infantry, in 1938. He goes on to describe his early days in the military and the training he went through.
South Tyrol borders Austria in Northern Italy. Many in the region are of German extraction. In 1939 shortly after the beginning of the war, those from South Tyrol were given the option of becoming Germans. Raffeiner chose this option and left the Italian Army for the Wehrmacht. The book goes on to cover his service with the German Army on the Eastern Front.
Raffeiner was trained as a mechanic and served in an Assault Gun unit. He participated in the invasion of Russia in 1941 and was eventually captured by the Russians. He mentions atrocities carried out by both the German and Russian military. After serving time as a POW, he eventually returned to South Tyrol. Many photos Raffeiner took are included in the book.
I enjoyed the 5 hours I spent reading this 198-page WWII history. I enjoy reading first-hand accounts such as this. I am more interested in the Western Front of the European Theater, but it is enlightening to read about the war in the East. I like the chosen cover art. I rate this book as a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘R’ due to scenes of violence. This book is the author’s memoir.
The book begins with a brief history of Raffeiner’s early life. He was born and grew up in the South Tyrol region of Northern Italy. He was called up for the Alpini, the Italian Mountain Infantry, in 1938. He goes on to describe his early days in the military and the training he went through.
South Tyrol borders Austria in Northern Italy. Many in the region are of German extraction. In 1939 shortly after the beginning of the war, those from South Tyrol were given the option of becoming Germans. Raffeiner chose this option and left the Italian Army for the Wehrmacht. The book goes on to cover his service with the German Army on the Eastern Front.
Raffeiner was trained as a mechanic and served in an Assault Gun unit. He participated in the invasion of Russia in 1941 and was eventually captured by the Russians. He mentions atrocities carried out by both the German and Russian military. After serving time as a POW, he eventually returned to South Tyrol. Many photos Raffeiner took are included in the book.
I enjoyed the 5 hours I spent reading this 198-page WWII history. I enjoy reading first-hand accounts such as this. I am more interested in the Western Front of the European Theater, but it is enlightening to read about the war in the East. I like the chosen cover art. I rate this book as a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
November 28, 2021
Reading Stuff 'n' Things
I haven't read anything before about World War II from the German perspective and therefore was very interested to see how this is portrayed from that angle and whilst I found this book definitely provided insight of what it was like from Raffeiner's eyes, from what I have read in other books and seen in documentary's, I'm not sure how much was "missed", "forgotten" or "locked away" as the memories are too painful or too awful to talk about.
This is however a valuable read if you want to get some idea of what it was like for a "simple" German soldier; the vivid descriptions of the hardships of being on the Eastern frontline and how luck played a huge part in his life are well documented and it also gives a really good account of Raffeiner's tough early years growing up and the choices he had to make.
Whilst this isn't what I feel a comprehensive book on this subject, it is an important individual and personal story that is captivating and I need to thank Pen & Sword Books and NetGalley for a copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
I haven't read anything before about World War II from the German perspective and therefore was very interested to see how this is portrayed from that angle and whilst I found this book definitely provided insight of what it was like from Raffeiner's eyes, from what I have read in other books and seen in documentary's, I'm not sure how much was "missed", "forgotten" or "locked away" as the memories are too painful or too awful to talk about.
This is however a valuable read if you want to get some idea of what it was like for a "simple" German soldier; the vivid descriptions of the hardships of being on the Eastern frontline and how luck played a huge part in his life are well documented and it also gives a really good account of Raffeiner's tough early years growing up and the choices he had to make.
Whilst this isn't what I feel a comprehensive book on this subject, it is an important individual and personal story that is captivating and I need to thank Pen & Sword Books and NetGalley for a copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
February 9, 2016
A chilling first hand account of the horrors of the Eastern Front as recalled by soldier Luis Raffeiner. He starts with a description of his youth where his family suffered from poverty in a small village in Austria that for a while was controlled by Italy after WWI. He was recruited into and served in the Italian army then transferred to the German army.
What makes this book so remarkable are the photographs he was able to take while serving in the German Army which were later developed. The smuggled photos show the brutality and humiliation of Jews by the German Einsatz and even regular army units, the rampant destruction of Russian villages by the Wehrmacht, and the harsh treatment of Russian POWs which he observed but was powerless to stop.
What makes this book so remarkable are the photographs he was able to take while serving in the German Army which were later developed. The smuggled photos show the brutality and humiliation of Jews by the German Einsatz and even regular army units, the rampant destruction of Russian villages by the Wehrmacht, and the harsh treatment of Russian POWs which he observed but was powerless to stop.
November 4, 2021
A great novel on the hardships faced by the common German soldier during the war in Russia. His hardships he faced not only during the war, but after surrendering are inspirational. This is an outstanding book.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 18, 2021
I have an ebook copy, which I got ahead of the publication.
I think it’s a well written book. The events of his story are troubling.
More later.
I think it’s a well written book. The events of his story are troubling.
More later.
March 5, 2023
This was a very hard-hitting read, which I find important to read.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews