WN62: Mémoires à Omaha Beach Normandie, 6 juin 1944

by Hein Severloh

French Text In his moving autobiography, Heinrich Severloh recounts the largest amphibious landing operation in history. Severloh describes when the Allies, on D-Day, June 6, 1944, launched their dawn offensive on the Normandy coast against the Atlantic Wall with 7,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft. Severloh was positioned in his battle station on the fulcrum of 62 WN (Widerstandsnest 62), and for nine hours he fired his gun on the GI's who were on the beach –over 2,000 of them will not return. In a ruthless and vividly told account, Severloh describes these dramatic hours during which 34,000 GIs landed in the sector called "Bloody Omaha,” and who collided with only 350 German soldiers, defending their posts defended fiercely. Severloh survived the deluge of fire during these events that were both terrifying and chaotic; memories of which would remain with him for the rest of his life. A large number of publications, as well as articles and television programs, have appeared throughout the years thanks to war historians, and have been immortalized under the name of Hein Severloh. Until the publication of this sad confession, the Americans did not know the name of the person who transformed their landing at Normandy into the horrific disaster that it was. In collaboration with Helmut Freiherr von Keusgen , a specialist in military history, WN62 provides not only an exciting and highly detailed description of the Normandy landing and events, but also a new perspective about the events of that tragic day. The relationship between the Germans and French are thus presented in a different light. Heinrich Severloh tells the unvarnished truth with poignancy, clearing the slate of once held prejudices.

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

150 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[JD · Rating 2 out of 5]

I heard about this book and ordered it from Europe just to able to read it... And it turned out to be a big disappointment! I really enjoyed the first 96 pages of the book about Severloh's wartime experiences and getting a glimpse of life on the Eastern Front and the months before D-Day in Normandy. Then I thought he would go into much more detail about his D-Day in WN62, but it is only a few pages and not very detailed (which was the selling point of this book). Then his time as an Allied POW is also interesting but not very detailed. The details of the last part of the book and his life of fame and all the interviews he has done and stories written about him is exhausting though and I struggled through the last part of the book. He goes on too much about all the interest in him and all the interviews he had to give after the war. Overall a real disappointing book. If you are looking for a great D-Day story, then this is not it...

[Anthony Whitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book for most American readers. The subject matter may be too objectionable for a patriot, but the story does help explain some of the tragedy waiting for American soldiers that landed on Omaha Beach on June 6th, 1944. Martin Severlon was a German soldier that earned his nickname "Beast of Omaha" on that historic day. He manned a German MG42 machine gun in a ruthless defense of his area of the beach for approximately 9 hours. It is estimated that he fired over 12,000 rounds and killed countless Americans in a number that I would prefer not to quote. He admitted in the book that the opening scene in "Saving Private Ryan" was accurately portrayed for his section of the beach. His story is a personal examination of the costs of war. Little time is devoted to the actual time spent behind the machine gun, but focuses on the buildup up to D-Day and post war events as he seeks peace for the immensity of what he has experienced. Ultimately, it is a story of the struggle of men trying to understand things that are out of their control and bigger than they should be expected to handle. Can enemies become friends that can share a beer?

[James S · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're interested in what Omaha Beach looked like from the German side, this is a great book.

Detailed, hour by hour account of the action from a German machine gunner above Omaha Beach, and the hours after the beach assault leading into the next day when he surrendered. Also follows his time as a POW. I learned a lot about this section. Did you know we kept POW's into 1947?

Also discusses how he dealt with the war's trauma over the years.

Severloh was a soldier and a farmer, not an author. So the book isn't a polished, care-free read. It's also translated from German which probably introduces some roughness.

But if you're interested in a German foot soldier's view of that terrible day, this is an excellent book and an important story.

[Peter Locke · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not often you read a memoir of someone who fired upon Americans. Nonetheless at Omaha Beach. Really wild how much damage one man inflicted on thousands of US soldiers. Enjoyed reading this after The Dead and Those About to Die.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book about the "other" side of the D-day invasion. I read the English version, and it was translated well. Half the book was about the author's time in the German Army during WWII, the other half is post war, including his trips back to Normandy, and his interactions with other survivors of the epic Omaha Beach battle.

Having recently visited Normandy, its was very interesting to read a first hand account of the German's stronghold defenses. We have all seen countless versions from the American side, but he was one of the only Germans that didn't get killed during the battle. I recommend this book to history buffs, as it is short, and to the point.

[C. James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a copy of the English version. War is certainly hell and Severloh did his part to make it so. The author was one of 300 German soldiers defending Omaha Beach against 34,000 American troops. He killed around 1500 to 2000 from his machine gun post. Had the Germans won he would have undoubtedly been a hero to the Third Reich. His account is matter-of-fact from his service on the Russian Front to his surrender shortly after the D-day landings. Can't say I really liked this, but it was certainly one to make you think.

[Craig Strachan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought what looked like a self-published edition (eg no isbn barcode) at a gift shop in Normandy. I read the whole book in one sitting. What a profound story showing how wasteful war is and how the soldiers are simply doing what they’re told with almost no understanding of what’s really going on. A profound book that anybody interested in history should read.

[George Foord · Rating 3 out of 5]

i found the bits about ww2 very interesting but most of the book is about him after the war which I found pretty boring

[NalasBuchBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

In diesem Buch schildert Hein Severloh die Ereignisse vor dem D-Day, den D-Day selbst und wie diese Erfahrung sein ganzes Leben verändert hat.

Zu diesem Zeitpunkt ist Hein gerade mal Anfang 20. Ein Alter, wo das Erwachsenwerden gerade erst beginnt. Wo viele von uns in der heutigen Zeit ihr erstes Auto haben. Das erste Mal weg von zu Hause sind, Geld verdienen und evtl. die erste eigene Wohnung haben.
Bei seinen Schilderungen wird schnell klar, dass auch Hein an dieser Schwelle steht. Es wird darüber berichtet, wie er Eier aus dem angrenzenden Hof stiehlt oder welche Schelmereien er sich einfallen lässt, um frei zu bekommen und im See baden zu können.

Doch plötzlich hört diese Kindheit auf und er wird an die Front geschickt.
Um einen Feind zu bekämpfen, der nur in den Köpfen existiert.
Um gegen andere Menschen zu kämpfen, ohne ersichtlichen Grund.

Nicht nur ein Mal ist es mir beim Lesen des Buches kalt über den Rücken gelaufen.
Gerade wenn darüber berichtet wird, wie die Verteidigung in Omaha Beach aufgebaut ist. Wie viele Waffen und Munition dort stationiert sind.
Und…Viel erschreckender….Der Einmarsch der amerikanischen Truppen und wie sich dieser Ort in kurzer Zeit zum blutigen Omaha entwickelt.

Doch das Buch schildert auch sein Leben danach.
Was diese Erfahrung aus ihm gemacht hat. Wie viel Zeit er gebraucht hat, um darüber zu reden. Wie lange es gedauert hat, diese Gräueltaten zu verarbeiten – nämlich nie.
Ebenfalls ist darüber zu lesen, dass er manche früheren „Feinde“ aufgesucht hat und sich dadurch tiefe Freundschaften entwickelt haben.
Oder welche Arbeit betrieben wurde, die Hintergründe zu erarbeiten und welche seltsamen Vereinigungen sich nach dem Krieg gebildet haben, die bis in die heutige Zeit standhalten.

Alles in allem ein sehr gutes Buch, wenn man mehr über den D-Day aus deutscher Sicht erfahren möchte.

[Feiraco · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d recommend this book for anyone who is interested in the Second World War, and in D-Day specifically. That does not mean that it’s a great book by itself. I am not judging this soldier for what he did during the war. Soldiers are there to go after another, and Severloh had on a specific time on a specific date the opportunity to shoot at a lot of Americans landing on Omaha Beach (without much/any cover). But the size of his actions might have been overblown. There is talk of shooting 12.000 rounds, killing maybe 2.000 soldiers, and continuing until the late afternoon. Historians have questioned those remarks, and that seems fair. His MG-42 at WN-62 covered just a part of the 10 km beach which was called ‘Omaha’, which itself was one of the five beaches. Besides, there were thousands of paratroopers who fought (and died). It’s estimated that there were 5.000 – 12.000 allied casualties on the full D-Day battlegrounds, so it’s an extreme claim that 2.000 fell by the hands of Severloh. Besides, even the difficult parts of the full Omaha Beach were overrun after a few hours, so the intense shooting couldn’t have continued until 15:00. You might question if Severloh didn’t run off much earlier. Overall, it’s a short book on which most pages tell about the days before and after D-Day. There are some nice maps and photos, but all in all this book cannot cope (at all) with the big books on D-Day. Of course, it’s interesting to read about a German experience. Not many of them who actually fought hard survived that day. What the book does is bringing the reader to that specific beach quite vividly, and to hear first-hand experience from someone who definitely was there. Judge for yourself.

[Gerek Tupy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I would have given four and a half stars, but you can't give half stars on GoodReads. With held in this novel is the compelling story of a man that had to cope with killing about 2,000 people for 60 years. Not all Germans in World War II were "evil" like most people think. In fact, most were just regular people thrust into a war they did not understand. Now Hein Severloh is not a bad man, he just did what he had to do to defend himself. Would you do what he did if your life depended on it? The first half of the story was the most entertaining telling his story of his time in the war. The second half was interesting, but at times a bit boring. The emotional conflict however can be felt throughout the whole story. Someone should really make a movie about Hein's story. I know documentaries already exist, but a really Hollywood movie based of this book would be interesting. Especially because the movie would be told from the German point of view, not American. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I think anyone with an open mind will too.

[Mark Blane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was going to give the book 4 out of 5 stars because I felt that up until page 82, the book turned to Severloh's later years too much. I was yearning for more information of the D-day battle itself. However, the book arcs back to D-day a bit, and pulls together the struggles of this man and how he resolved himself as a soldier and a human being.

You sense the humanity in Severloh's writing - he was not the "Beast of Omaha" in the sense of a beast, but rather a boy following orders in a military politic greater than himself. This book is a fine addition to get into the german perspective of D-day, as well as the french, as he tells his relationship with the french family that knew him as a boy soldier before that fateful day.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book was okay. I have heard from several sources that Severloh exaggerated the number of men he killed on Omaha Beach. Interesting read but hard to decipher what is truth.

[哲 洪]

a

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting memoir

Used Google Translate on sections I wanted to read in English as I don’t speak German. English versions are out of print or too expensive on secondary sources.

[Alsweider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im Unterricht und in Dokumentarfilmen wird oft vieles ausgelassen und einseitig dargestellt. Wer die Geschichte verstehen will, sollte daher auch die Zeitzeugen lesen und sich nicht bloß auf die Geschichten der Siegerstaaten verlassen.
Severloh empfindet sich nicht als Held, was auf viele Helden zutrifft. Sein Motiv für sein außergewöhnliches Durchhaltevermögen im Angesicht der amerikanischen Übermacht war allerdings nicht der reine Selbsterhalt, sondern auch die Loyalität zu seinen Kameraden, die er nicht feige im Stich lassen wollte. Er hielt den rückwärtigen Zugang zum Widerstandsnest 62 zunächst für abgeriegelt und von innen aus Sicherheitsgründen vermint, dabei war dieser zwischenzeitlich bereits von amerikanischen Bombern geöffnet und umgegraben worden und damit auch für eine schnelle Flucht passierbar. Ein schwerer Messingring eines Granaten-Aufschlagzünders schlägt auf seinem Helm ein, dreimal wurde ihm durch Granaten das MG 42 weggeschleudert und ein Splitter des abgeschossenen Korns seines Maschinengewehres trifft ihn im Gesicht, sodass sein Auge zuschwillt. Nachdem er aus Munitionsmangel auf Leuchtspurmunition umstellen musste, schießt sich der US-Zerstörer "Frankford" auf ihn ein, der seine Position nun deutlich erkennen konnte. Trotzdem feuert er weiter, bis er sich nach insgesamt 9 Stunden und 12.500 Schuss (mit Pausen zwischen den Landungswellen und einem Ersatzlauf für das glühende MG, unterstützt durch einen unbekannten Feldwebel, der Munition anlieferte) mit seinen wenigen verbliebenen Kameraden aus dem Bunker zum Rückzug entscheidet. Er hat nicht nur sein eigenes Leben gerettet, sondern sicherlich auch vielen anderen wertvolle Zeit verschafft. Die Amerikaner hatten sich an diesem Abschnitt von "Omaha Beach", wie die Alliierten den Strand vor Colleville und Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer tauften, verkalkuliert und ihre Bomber, die die Invasion vorbereiten sollten, hatten ihr Ziel überflogen und knapp verfehlt. Warum sie dennoch Welle um Welle von GIs genau dort abluden, im offensichtlichen Verderben, ist schwer verständlich.

"Später hatte ich erfahren, daß die amerikanischen Bootsführer (in meinem Feuerbereich “Easy Red”) den ausdrücklichen Befehl bekommen hatten, die Soldaten direkt und so schnell wie möglich an den Strand zu bringen, egal was immer auch passierte; so lautete der Befehl:
“Ihr seid Sturmboote und keine Rettungsboote!”"

Ein weiterer der Gründe war wohl die Strömung, die einige Landungsboote, die auf einen anderen Bereich vorbereitet waren, in den falschen Sektor, nämlich Easy Red vor WN 62, geschickt hatte. Auch das Wetter hatte sich gegen sie verschworen.
Die damalige Politik der verschiedenen Kriegsteilnehmer hat fremde Menschen zu Feinden gemacht, die nachher oft zu Freunden wurden. Und auf beiden Seiten gab es unter den Soldaten Licht und Schatten, was selbstverständlich ist, aber selten so objektiv wie in diesem Buch vermittelt wird.

[Paul Hedeen]

Fascinating autobiography of the simple German soldier who quite possibly was most responsible for the American debacle on Omaha Beach during the D-day invasion. This is a chastening account of the effect of determined resistance and the effect upon the defender himself, as he could never quite overcome the psychological trauma of June 6, 1944. Only a small portion of the book covers his fighting a WN 62, where he served an an artillery spotter's helper and protector. In fact, his division (the 352nd) was providing artillery support for that section of the beach. It was his job to protect his officer and that put a machine gun in his hands, which he used with great skill from early morning to mid-afternoon when he ran out of ammunition. Before dying himself, his officer sent Severloh to the rear where he was captured the next day. The story takes him through his time as a POW in England and the US and then focuses on his own attempts to address the trauma of Omaha Beach. He stayed in contact with other veterans on both sides and traveled to Normandy many times until his own death in old age.

[Hakan Alpan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aufwühlend, beeindruckend, erschütternd. Ein Zeitzeugenbericht wie ich gerne öfter gelesen hätte im Geschichtsunterricht. Ein Deutscher erzählt von einem schwarzen Tag in der Weltgeschichte. Ein Pandämonium menschlicher Abgründe Stück für Stück geschildert und gemischt mit den Lehren eines alten, netten und weisen Herrn.