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Das Echolot #1
Das Echolot: Ein kollektives Tagebuch, Januar und Februar 1943
German
3033 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
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About the author
Walter Kempowski
58 books102 followersWalter Kempowski was a German writer. He was known for his series of novels called German Chronicle ("Deutsche Chronik") and the monumental Echolot ("Sonar"), a collage of autobiographical reports, letters and other documents by contemporary witnesses of the Second World War.
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April 26, 2014
Finished volume one through January 17, 1943.
Very detailed collection of letters/diary entries, mostly by Germans (soldiers, family at home, members of the resistance, Nazi leaders) but also from Jews who had to emigrate, allied soldiers and leaders, people in concentration camps etc.
First person view gives detailed and differentiated view into life during war time at that time.
The second half of volume I focused heavily on Russia, especially Stalingrad. Heartbreaking how soldiers are used to fulfill a lunatic's dreams of world domination. And how blindly some of them follow, even when there's no hope left.
On to volume II.
Finished volume II. More despair in Stalingrad.
Finished volume III through Feb. 15, 1943 (Nov. 2010). Since a lot of the time the diary antries and letters from the same people are published I feel like I really get to know them. The diversity of people selected gives a broad overview. There's letters from two daughters to their mothers. One a student who talks about daily life, another one is in an entertainment troup for soldiers in Russia/Eastern Europe who mainly writes about her love life. Yes, that's what I'd choose to write my mother about.
Update: Let's face it, volume 4 has been lying aounr unfinished for years now. Not sure what made me stop, it is an interesting project, if depressing as heck.
Very detailed collection of letters/diary entries, mostly by Germans (soldiers, family at home, members of the resistance, Nazi leaders) but also from Jews who had to emigrate, allied soldiers and leaders, people in concentration camps etc.
First person view gives detailed and differentiated view into life during war time at that time.
The second half of volume I focused heavily on Russia, especially Stalingrad. Heartbreaking how soldiers are used to fulfill a lunatic's dreams of world domination. And how blindly some of them follow, even when there's no hope left.
On to volume II.
Finished volume II. More despair in Stalingrad.
Finished volume III through Feb. 15, 1943 (Nov. 2010). Since a lot of the time the diary antries and letters from the same people are published I feel like I really get to know them. The diversity of people selected gives a broad overview. There's letters from two daughters to their mothers. One a student who talks about daily life, another one is in an entertainment troup for soldiers in Russia/Eastern Europe who mainly writes about her love life. Yes, that's what I'd choose to write my mother about.
Update: Let's face it, volume 4 has been lying aounr unfinished for years now. Not sure what made me stop, it is an interesting project, if depressing as heck.
Displaying 1 of 1 review