Heaven and Hell: The War Diary of a German Paratrooper

by Martin Pöppel, Louise Willmot Dr.

A unique wartime memoir describes how an eager Hitler Youth became a German paratrooper and a war-weary veteran of Holland, Norway, Crete, Russia, Italy, Normandy, and the Rhine
 Following a short description of the author's Hitler Youth membership from 1933, this extraordinary narrative describes his training for the paratroops in Stendal in 1938—they all knew the war was coming—revealing his own rebellious streak as well as the uncritical fervor with which he and his comrades welcomed that war. This is a deeply personal book from a man who was there from beginning to end: Poland 1939, Holland and Narvik 1940, Crete 1941, Russia 1941–1943, Sicily and Southern Italy 1943, Normandy 1944, Holland and the lower Rhine 1945, and then a POW. Not only is it amazing that he survived all that, it is also remarkable that Martin Pöppel was capable of producing such a compelling and honest narrative. Captured by the 6th Airborne Division on the Rhine, Company Commander Pöppel returned home in 1945.

Genres: World War II, History, Military Fiction, War, Biography, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm being a little generous with a 3 Star rating, it wasn't great history but it does put you in the shoes of a young, gung-ho, often rebellious fallschirmjaeger. Poppel joins the paratroopers right at the beginning of the war but just misses the Poland campaign. He jumps into Holland in May 1940, then Narvik, then the bloodbath in Crete, multiple tours on the eastern front, Sicily, Italy, posted to Carentan, France just in time to be in the middle of D-Day, Holland and the Lower Rhine and captured in March 1945 by the British. Along the way, he lets you see the boredom, the excitement, the terror, the frustration, the waste, the brave mates, competent leaders and incompetent staff; wounded several times, you see him hailed in his hometown as a hero in the early days as he recuperates but his countrymen barely acknowledge him later in the war. Good pictures of his comrades accompany the story at every stage. The last chapters are sparse as the lines collapse. A good account of his time as a POW in the UK finishes the story.

Reading original sources is always a toss up, some are good, some are not. These are good, as long as you realize this is a 19-24 year old paratrooper, proud of his men, unit and country. If it were not for the names, ranks and weapons mentioned, you could mistake this for the diary of any elite airborne soldier in any professional army.

[Capsguy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Editing far from the best, but an important firsthand account from the German perspective. Given that he served as a paratrooper I was expecting him to be an ardent Nazi (at least during the third Reich). Early on that is dispelled. Insane to think he came out of the war in one piece. Here’s a list of where Poppel saw action.

Poland, Netherlands, Narvik, the brutal airborne assault on Crete, Eastern Front in Russia, Italy, Normandy, Holland, and the Lower Rhine.

It begs the question as to why this book isn’t more well-known, given how scant firsthand accounts are in English.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Martin Poppel was a regular young lad, growing up in Hitler's Germany and looking for the shortest term of Military or Work Corps service available in the Reich. The Air Force Paratroopers- what would become the legendary Luftwaffe FallSchirmJager- was sold as only a Two Year stint- so Poppel went for it. But of course he signed up for the then almost unique unit in 1938.... From then on the book is a roller coaster of Training, Poland, Norway, Holland, Crete, Russia for two stays- and then Sicily, Italy , Normandy after a Wound, and Back to Holland and the lower Rhine until Capture and POW life until 1946. We see inside the mind of a young man always on the lookout for girls and beer or schnaps, a young soldier growing into a fine tactical officer, and an political naif, growing through the grim realities of a total war to accept the horrors perpetrated in his name by the Nazis. At wars end, a much wiser fellow, but still with a hint of mischief.

There are a ton of great B/W pics- unique to the Paras, and the sense of personality is really fun to mine. He takes ownership of some of his Nazi misbehavior- and breaks in to laugh at his own early naivete. One often has to force oneself to remember the wise "old man" vet- is 26 when he returns to the Allied Zones in PostWar Germany. He gets wounded three times- each time setting off one really interesting voyages through Occupied Europe- as we feel the Germans losing the war through his inner voice. His sociopolitical journey- from "Black" (Staunch Nazi POW) to "White'- (one who accepted the Nazi crimes and wanted to rebuild without Nazism) makes the later pages some of the best of the book- so don't stop reading after the bullets stop.

Several adult themes and graphic injury descriptions make this book best for the Junior reader over 12. For the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast- sheerest GOLD. Here it's all laid out for you- what it was like to be one of "Hitler's Eagles" - from training to almost every campaign the units ever fought in. One thing you can't help noticing, for instance is that his units HAVE NO INTEGRAL TRANSPORT- so a good deal of his efforts as an officer is always scrounging adequate vehicles/HORSE CARTS for his Platoon/company/BATTALION (!!!) - just think about that as a constant tactical challenge. There are just so many nuggets for Scenario/Diorama development that I'll just say -read it. A great addition to any Paratroop, WWII, Blitzkrieg, or Military Memoir shelves in the library.

[Eric Olsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had potential but lacked due to poor translation, poor editing and publishing, and maps and pictures that lacked context and pictures context.

[untitled lullaby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needs a better editor as there’s quite a few mistakes in this book. You can really feel the difference between when he started and when he ended. It’s always hard to read a book from another side and it’s harder to read from the nazis side. At first it could be of either side really but that changes. Anyway he left quite a bit out I think (only a thought) and I don’t know how to word it better but he still sounds like a Nazi at the end of it.

[Edward Zitvogel · Rating 3 out of 5]

P-28.00/0.00 (030426)

[Kaks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read.I was surprised with this book,I guess i expected a hard core Nazi view point of WW2, being from an elite unit,but Mr.Poppel is a typical Paratrooper (havin been one myself),He crosses the line between troublemaker & professional soldier.He lives for the thrill of the combat jump & the camaraderie that comes with each campaign.My copy has a few personnel pictures and Maps.The only disappointment for me,The Forward wasnt translated into English.