Gestapo (Sven Hassel t. 5)

by Sven Hassel

C'est comme si tout le terrain allait sauter en l'air. Une longue explosion retentissante secoue les lignes allemandes. C'est alors qu'on entend un cri infernal. Au travers des étincelles de feu, la silhouette de Petit-Frère apparaît avec son casque gris sur la tête. Il est au fond de la tranchée ennemie, avec sa mitraillette colée contre sa hanche. Les projectiles laissent des traces lumineuses lorsqu'ils sont crachés par les canons.
Des silhouettes étourdies fuient avec affolement. – Ils sont comme le diable ! s'exclame le lieutenant russe avec admiration.

Sven Hassel a été envoyé dans un bataillon de marche en tant que simple soldat de l'armée allemande. Avec un réalisme proche et brutal, il relate les atrocités de la guerre, les crimes des nazis et l'humour cynique et grossier des soldats. Des ventes qui dépassent les 50 millions d'exemplaires font de ses livres de guerre les plus vendus au monde. Chicago Sunday Tribune : « Un chef-d'œuvre »

Genres: Fiction

346 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 18, 2013

About the author

Hassel served in the Danish merchant navy till 1937, when he moved to Germany to join the army. He served with the second Panzer Division stationed at Eisenach and in 1939 was a tank driver during the invasion of Poland. A year later he attempted to escape because of being mentally exhausted. He was transferred to a Sonderabteilung, a penal unit manned by criminals and dissidents. He served with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and later the 11th and 27th Panzer Regiments (6th Panzer Division) on all fronts except North Africa and was wounded several times. Eventually he reached the rank of lieutenant and received an Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class. He surrendered to Soviet troops in Berlin in 1945 and spent the following years in various POW camps. He began to write his first book Legion of the Damned while he was interned. He was released in 1949, and was planning to join the French Foreign Legion when he met Dorthe Jensen. They got married in 1951. He went to work in a car factory. In 1957 Sven Hassel suffered from an attack of a sickness caught during the war and was paralyzed for almost two years. After recovery, he began to write more books.

See also Sven Hazel

Reviews

[Razvan Banciu · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the saddest stories from the collection, so I've enjoyed it less than the others.
It is not easy to realize that your enemies are amongst you and the system is rotten to the core...

[Yeray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narra diferentes historias sobre un regimiento del bando alemán durante la segunda guerra mundial, aunque en algunos momentos rezaba porque llegasen ya los americanos y acabasen con este sufrimiento.
El principal problema para mi gusto es que no hay un hilo conductor claro dentro del libro y eso hizo que en muchos momentos me costase seguir el ritmo, por otra parte le apruebo (como gesto de benevolencia, ya tuvieron suficiente con perder la guerra) porque muestra un punto de vista menos habitual y hay historias entretenidas.

[Costin Bejenaru · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy read for a WWII enthusiast. Sometimes it makes some references to the other books and it helps a lot to have read the books before this one. Otherwise really nice war stories and just keeps you deeply into the story and at the same time fascinated. In just few words he is able to portray characters with such a deep personality and so unique, that using the word soldier for anyone of them is so wrong. He was able to take the worst in a person and portray it that way but also the good and put it out of that "soldier shadow".
Very good read and also, all the books in his collection are top.

[Muffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro lo agarré de la estantería por pura curiosidad y no me arrepiento.
Es parte de una serie de libros del mismo autor el primero es "La legión de los condenados". Es algo que debe saberse a la hora de leer esta "saga" ya que, si bien los acontecimientos no son retomados en otras entregas, los personajes tienen recuerdos y anécdotas haciendo referencia a ellos y puede resultar confuso al lector desprevenido que no lo sabía (yo).
Es un libro emocionante y muy bien escrito, con una narrativa que muchas veces hiela la sangre de lo cruda que es.

[Jose Torri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable book if you like war stories

[Ami13F · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like the subject too much, but I got used to read about Porta and his colleagues and it became a pleasure to see what it's going to be with them.

[Loly De Souza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um livro difícil de ler. A história é uma galeria de soldados distribuindo violência. Um retrato que apresenta como a guerra pode despertar a violência em pessoas comuns.