Führer, Folk and Fatherland: A Soldier's Story

by Douglas Oskar Gagel

This is a true story -- a rare, first-hand account of one soldier's experiences during the Third Reich. it is also a love story, for amid the strife and devastation of war, Albin Gagel found the love of his life.

By 1943, it had been four long years since he had left his home in a small village in Bavaria to begin what was supposed to be only two years' mandatory military service. Although a seasoned veteran of the Wehrmacht, nothing he had experienced during the Blitzkrieg across France, or even the siege of Leningrad, had prepared him for the horror and desperation that surrounded him during the Battle of Kursk, the biggest tank battle of World War II and the star of Nazi Germany's slow retreat from the Eastern Front.

Now Albin was in the fight of his life. Any dreams he might have harboured about honour and glory had long since vanished. Political rhetoric meant nothing on the battlefield. Medals were just trinkets and would never equal the value of lives lost in their purchase. His world was reduced to the men in his company and the enemy that shadowed their every manoeuvre. Yet there was also Gisela -- his hope, his dream, his future -- if ever he could get out of Russia alive.

Captivating from start to finish, this account offers an uncommon insight into what most Germans really thought about Hitler and his regime -- and it is not quite what the wartime newsreels portrayed.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

480 pages

First published May 18, 2010

Reviews

[Cindy Wiedemer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was very interesting to see WW2 from the perspective of a German soldier. Now granted he likely would have written his anger and frustration at being a forced soldier even if he didn't, however his story tells the tale of someone starting out in the required military service and from then forced to remian despite him knowing the futility of the battle, especially in the front lines of Russia. The author is the son of the soldier who shared his story decades later. The number of times he had narrow escapes or incredible luck on his side is amazing. The reality of how little the German soldiers knew and how they had to blindly follow orders even if they knew better how futile it was. The final paragraphs of the books are so relevant in today's political climate, of being aware of government control, limitations, and restrictions, and how people need to stand up. It is almost scary. Highly recommend this book

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book from the author himself, a wonderful man who caught my eye at a Christmas sale last winter. Although I was very poor at the time, he allowed me to buy his book at a discount based on what little money I had and I thanked him dearly. I just finished reading this and it is a very well written story that moved me. It kept me engaged the whole time, and the story is truly amazing. I had to keep reminding myself it was the story of a German soldier as I was completely emotionally empathizing with Albin Gagel through it all. My father was raised in Scotland during the war and so my idea of the German soldier was quite different that the sympathetic person I was reading about. Engaging, exciting, and enlightening are the words to describe this book. The most eye-opening part was the last chapters regarding the end of WWII. I had no idea the Amis (American soldiers) were so brutal. It makes me feel thankful that my grandparents immigrated to Canada. Thank you Doug for writing this important book. Also, I have the money now to pay you the difference and I will be sending that to you today:)

[Roger Ingle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book for anyone interested in learning what it was like for an ordinary soldier in the German army in World War Two. I found it to be a riveting story of an average man, swept into a horrible war. I met the author and he and I are about the same age. The book is a detailed biography about his father, who eventually became an officer in the German army. My father was an officer in the Canadian army. Anyone who reads this can't help but feel for all soldiers, who take up arms for their country.

[Josh Ruiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book! You don't need to be a WW2 expert to understand. Simple to read.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked this book. Well written, and a good, organized account of a German soldiers experience in WW2.

[Lyle Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read

[Alastair Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

At 466 pages, this is a big book, but at no time did I ever feel overwhelmed by it nor did I lose interest in the story. Because it describes what life was like for a regular soldier "on the other side" in the Second World war, it provides a different perspective on that horrible episode that impacted so many people of the world, and leaves no doubt in the reader's mind as to the futility and barbarism of war.

In the telling of the story, which at its core is a love story about the author's father, Albin, the real horror of war is revealed. Following orders, regular soldiers on both sides did unspeakable acts and inflicted such pain and suffering on one another.

I thoroughly enjoyed the read and can recommend this book to those who like to read memoirs about the Second World War era.

[Mark Edlund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical non-fiction
Written by the son of a German soldier from WWII it chronicles his life just before the outbreak of war and his brutal time on the Eastern Front. The account rings true and is a straight forward, linear account of his time in the army, his marriage and the aftermath of the "peace". One point interested me: I wonder if I would have been as dispassionate about his story if he had been shooting and killing my Canadian relatives instead of the Russian hordes.
Two Canadian references - his brother in the Navy is captured by the Brits and Canadian forces. In the 1950's they immigrate to Canada.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the true story of the experiences of a lieutenant in the German Wehrmacht. Albin was only supposed to do his two year mandatory military service. Unfortunately, World War II intervened. 'We see not only his military experience from his time as a cadet to that on the Eastern Front and in several interment camps both Russian and American, but also his courtship and marriage to girl from outside his tiny Bavarian village.
A very interesting account from the other side.