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Fur Volk and Fuhrer

The Memoir of a Veteran of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

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Fur Volk and Fuhrer

By: Erwin Bartmann, Derik Hammond
Narrated by: James Foster
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About this listen

Like many Germans, Berlin schoolboy Erwin Bartmann fell under the spell of the Zeitgeist cultivated by the Nazis. Convinced he was growing up in the best country in the world, he dreamt of joining the Leibstandarte, Hitler's elite Waffen SS unit. Tall, blond, blue-eyed, and just 17-years-old, Erwin fulfilled his dream on Mayday 1941, when he gave up his apprenticeship at the Glaser bakery in Memeler Strasse and walked into the Lichterfelde barracks in Berlin as a raw, volunteer recruit.

On arrival at the Eastern Front in late summer 1941, Erwin was assigned to a frontline communications squad and soon discovered that survival was a matter of luck - or the protection of a guardian angel. Good fortune finally deserted Erwin on 11 July 1943 when shrapnel sizzled through his lung during the epic Battle of Kursk-Prokhorovka. Following a period of recovery, and promotion to Unterscharführer, Erwin took up a post as machine-gun instructor with the Ausbildung und Ersatz Bataillon.

From the war on the southern sector of the Eastern Front to a bomb-shattered Berlin populated largely by old men and demoralized lonely women, this candid eyewitness account offers a unique and sometimes surprising perspective on the life of a young Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler volunteer.

©2013 Estate of Erwin Bartmann/Derik Hammond (P)2017 Tantor
Europe Military Modern War Memoir German War Memoir

Critic Reviews

"This is a valuable memoir, providing both a good account of the nature of the fighting in the East, and the changing attitudes of the author, both towards the Nazi regime and the chances of final victory." ( History of War)
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Interesting life and he remained true to himself and his honour. Wish he’d have detailed his post war life more.

Guardian angel on his shoulder

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An honest and reliable portrayal of life in the waffen-ss. I enjoyed it a great deal.

An excellent book

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The level of detail in this memoir is extraordinary - and therein lays the problem. German soldiers were not allowed to keep a diary, so the author's vivid descriptions of locations, foliage, and in depth conversations serve only to make the listener doubt the accuracy of the depicted events. Excellent narration though.

Dubious levels of detail

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I really liked this book well written and well read , it gives a great insight into that section of the German armed forces during ww2

awesome

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Stunned by the realism of a german soldier. What a journey. Thank you for your story.

Amazing

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sad tale of futility of war, and strong friendship on a black spot of history

enthralling

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this book took me over from beginning to end. emotional and action packed with an ironic twist.a must read for all interested in the German fighting soldier.

Best book I've read on ww2

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enjoyed story very much. enjoy the read. story takes you from his impressionable years as a 10 old boy in Hitler's Germany to school, apprenticeship and his motives for joining The 1st SS Adolf Hitler Leibstandarte. Follows his training, war on the eastern front to the end of the 3rd Reich. The book then details his capture and time in captivity and finishes with a brief summary of what happened after and his thoughts on his life.

great story

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We hear so much about the exploits of the American war hero during World War 2, yet pretty much silence on the Axis side. This is an interesting account of the war experience from the view of the enemy. I liked being able to hear how the enemy saw the war. But I also liked hearing about the eastern front as this is not really talked about apart from Stalingrad.

A different perspective

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Very interesting to hear an account of the war from the German side. Great narration

Interesting account well read

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