What do you think?
Rate this book
Черный марш
This is the story of Peter Neumann who enlists in the SS, along with some boyhood friends from his hometown. The account begins in 1937 where a 17 year-old Neumann describes growing up in the Nazi era with all the propaganda and Hitler Youth activities preparing the nation for war, especially the young. Neumann joins the 5th SS “Viking” Division and fights on the Eastern Front, starting a few days after the start of Operation Barbarossa. The narrative covers the long fight to the edge of the Caucasus Mts., the seesaw battles of ’41 and ‘42 up through the failed attempt to rescue the encircled Sixth Army at Stalingrad. Neumann sees ferocious fighting and survives the long retreat in Russia to see his final battle in Vienna.
315 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1956
5 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 15, 2015
I’m giving the The Black March: The Personal Story of an S.S. Man 3 Stars for an interesting account of a young man growing up in Nazi Germany, joining the SS and fighting on the Eastern Front. Neumann is a true believer in the cause. The process of Gleichschaltung/Selbstgleichschaltung (coordination/self-coordination) is on full display as Neumann describes the activities of the Hitler Youth Organizations and the massive time spent on “racial theory” in the education system. Neumann’s 10 year-old brother is celebrated for his “ability” to spot people with Jewish characteristics. So chilling to read about shaping the young mind. Here is a math problem (for the 10 year-old) in the common curriculum introduced nationwide by Streicher:
A Stuka on take-off carries twelve dozen bombs, each weighing ten kilos. The aircraft makes for Warsaw, the center of international Jewry. It bombs the town. On take-off with all bombs on board and a fuel tank containing 1,500 kilos of fuel, the aircraft weighs about eight tons. When it returns from the crusade, there are still 230 kilos of fuel left. What is the weight of the aircraft when empty?
Neumann joins the 5th SS “Viking” Division just in time to get into Russia in Operation Barbarossa from the start. He relates episodes over the next three years. The heady rush of success, the seesaw battles of the middle and the long, bloody retreat back to the west. He has several episodes against the growing partisan threat and is actually happy when his unit is sent to the front. Massacres and atrocities are part of situation. He calls the partisans “terrorists” even as he acknowledges they are fighting in a valid cause. He is horrified and terrified at the mass attacks by the Russians while mowing the human waves down. This book had maps at the beginning of every major phase, great!
There is some debate on whether the book is fiction or fact. I found it believable but there is no follow-on account after the Battle of Vienna. We don’t know if he survived his capture. Frankly, if it were fiction, I think it would have been better written. A good account of a soldier on the Eastern Front for the entire war.
A Stuka on take-off carries twelve dozen bombs, each weighing ten kilos. The aircraft makes for Warsaw, the center of international Jewry. It bombs the town. On take-off with all bombs on board and a fuel tank containing 1,500 kilos of fuel, the aircraft weighs about eight tons. When it returns from the crusade, there are still 230 kilos of fuel left. What is the weight of the aircraft when empty?
Neumann joins the 5th SS “Viking” Division just in time to get into Russia in Operation Barbarossa from the start. He relates episodes over the next three years. The heady rush of success, the seesaw battles of the middle and the long, bloody retreat back to the west. He has several episodes against the growing partisan threat and is actually happy when his unit is sent to the front. Massacres and atrocities are part of situation. He calls the partisans “terrorists” even as he acknowledges they are fighting in a valid cause. He is horrified and terrified at the mass attacks by the Russians while mowing the human waves down. This book had maps at the beginning of every major phase, great!
There is some debate on whether the book is fiction or fact. I found it believable but there is no follow-on account after the Battle of Vienna. We don’t know if he survived his capture. Frankly, if it were fiction, I think it would have been better written. A good account of a soldier on the Eastern Front for the entire war.
August 2, 2011
A Truly Engrossing Read ..., April 6, 2011
I purchased THE BLACK MARCH in an effort to read (and in some cases, re-read) the volumes that comprised the wonderful Bantam War Books collection I consumed so eagerly in my youth. Although I have heard of rumblings as to the veracity of THE BLACK MARCH's truthfulness and that the author (Peter Neumann) is actually the "nom de plume" of another writer (much like the claims against the classic memoir, THE FORGOTTEN SOLDIER), I'm taking the perspective that, until proven otherwise, THE BLACK MARCH is a work of non-fiction. Regardless, while some actions in the book do appear dubious, I found this account of a Waffen SS officer's experience on the Eastern Front to be a fascinating read.
While the premise of THE BLACK MARCH is about fighting on the Eastern Front, the reader may find that it takes a while before the "action" (combat) really starts. The first third of the book provides a colorful background of the author's life prior to joining the ranks of the Waffen SS, giving us a glimpse of what life was like growing-up in Nazi Germany prior to the war. Joining the Hitler Youth as a child was no different in many ways than joining the Boy Scouts in other countries, as Neumann portrays a childhood focused on adventure, sports and friends. As innocent as it appears, the subtleties of indoctrination are evident by Neumann's general acceptance of the Nazi world view ... to the point where joining the Waffen SS seems natural as a future endeavor. While his life as an average adolescent German male seemed ideal, Neumann's account of the divisive impact Nazism had on his politically-divided family reveals another side of German life under Hitler's reign. An argument between his father and his sister's boyfriend (an officer within the SS) leads to the father's arrest and imprisonment for political dissent. I found the casual manner in which Neumann relays this rather serious occurrence somewhat odd and while the father eventually returns to the family, we never are told of what happened thereafter other than the sister leaves the family with the SS officer. There are two other instances in this pre-war phase of Neumann's life that I thought were odd, if not dubious, especially in regards to the casual manner in which they were told: 1) Neumann is already a member of the Waffen SS when he discovers that a girl he has fallen in love with is Jewish. 2) Neumann is chosen to participate in a program where he impregnates a German girl (also chosen) for the sole purpose of producing "pure" German offspring (Lebensborn program). Both of these events, like the father's arrest, frustrated me in that the author never provides any real closure. Other than mentioning a letter from the mother of his child and a brief furlough visit to his Jewish girlfriend, the reader is left clueless as to the outcome of these interesting and significant events in the author's life.
As an officer in the 5th SS Panzer Division (Viking), Neumann's account of combat on the Eastern Front is fast, furious and bloody. The author explicitly conveys the gruesome results of the fighting and the reader get a clear and concise idea of what is being described. It does not take long before we are exposed to German atrocities as the men in Neumann's unit capture partisans they hold accountable for a young comrade's death. While the author does not stop his comrades from torturing and killing the group of partisans (which includes women), he expresses disapproval and disgust toward their actions. There are other times where Neumann witnesses similar executions and one particular instance where he, himself, is the executioner. While not excusing himself from the actions of his unit, it appears that he understood the difference between being a soldier and a brutal thug. What separates this account of war from most is that the combat action is constant, indicative of the SS divisions' role as a "fire brigade". As the war turns against Germany and the casualties begin to mount, Neumann loses most of all of his closest friends. Near the end of the war, Neumann is deployed to Vienna to prepare for the Soviet onslaught. The final chapter has the author holed up in a building among German corpses and trying to escape the Soviets that have surrounded the building. The final chapter is as riveting and compelling a read as any other combat memoir I've read.
I found THE BLACK MARCH to be a totally absorbing and quick read ... never boring. My main knock against the book, however, is that I feel too many stories were left unfinished and the reader is left to assume outcomes (like his experience in captivity). While there are segments of the author's story that deserve scrutiny (such as why the unit's participation in the almost disastrous Cherkassy Pocket escape barely gets mentioned), I take the author at his word for an honest attempt to write what he saw and experienced. Overall, I found the book fascinating and on par with the much lauded THE FORGOTTEN SOLDIER.
I purchased THE BLACK MARCH in an effort to read (and in some cases, re-read) the volumes that comprised the wonderful Bantam War Books collection I consumed so eagerly in my youth. Although I have heard of rumblings as to the veracity of THE BLACK MARCH's truthfulness and that the author (Peter Neumann) is actually the "nom de plume" of another writer (much like the claims against the classic memoir, THE FORGOTTEN SOLDIER), I'm taking the perspective that, until proven otherwise, THE BLACK MARCH is a work of non-fiction. Regardless, while some actions in the book do appear dubious, I found this account of a Waffen SS officer's experience on the Eastern Front to be a fascinating read.
While the premise of THE BLACK MARCH is about fighting on the Eastern Front, the reader may find that it takes a while before the "action" (combat) really starts. The first third of the book provides a colorful background of the author's life prior to joining the ranks of the Waffen SS, giving us a glimpse of what life was like growing-up in Nazi Germany prior to the war. Joining the Hitler Youth as a child was no different in many ways than joining the Boy Scouts in other countries, as Neumann portrays a childhood focused on adventure, sports and friends. As innocent as it appears, the subtleties of indoctrination are evident by Neumann's general acceptance of the Nazi world view ... to the point where joining the Waffen SS seems natural as a future endeavor. While his life as an average adolescent German male seemed ideal, Neumann's account of the divisive impact Nazism had on his politically-divided family reveals another side of German life under Hitler's reign. An argument between his father and his sister's boyfriend (an officer within the SS) leads to the father's arrest and imprisonment for political dissent. I found the casual manner in which Neumann relays this rather serious occurrence somewhat odd and while the father eventually returns to the family, we never are told of what happened thereafter other than the sister leaves the family with the SS officer. There are two other instances in this pre-war phase of Neumann's life that I thought were odd, if not dubious, especially in regards to the casual manner in which they were told: 1) Neumann is already a member of the Waffen SS when he discovers that a girl he has fallen in love with is Jewish. 2) Neumann is chosen to participate in a program where he impregnates a German girl (also chosen) for the sole purpose of producing "pure" German offspring (Lebensborn program). Both of these events, like the father's arrest, frustrated me in that the author never provides any real closure. Other than mentioning a letter from the mother of his child and a brief furlough visit to his Jewish girlfriend, the reader is left clueless as to the outcome of these interesting and significant events in the author's life.
As an officer in the 5th SS Panzer Division (Viking), Neumann's account of combat on the Eastern Front is fast, furious and bloody. The author explicitly conveys the gruesome results of the fighting and the reader get a clear and concise idea of what is being described. It does not take long before we are exposed to German atrocities as the men in Neumann's unit capture partisans they hold accountable for a young comrade's death. While the author does not stop his comrades from torturing and killing the group of partisans (which includes women), he expresses disapproval and disgust toward their actions. There are other times where Neumann witnesses similar executions and one particular instance where he, himself, is the executioner. While not excusing himself from the actions of his unit, it appears that he understood the difference between being a soldier and a brutal thug. What separates this account of war from most is that the combat action is constant, indicative of the SS divisions' role as a "fire brigade". As the war turns against Germany and the casualties begin to mount, Neumann loses most of all of his closest friends. Near the end of the war, Neumann is deployed to Vienna to prepare for the Soviet onslaught. The final chapter has the author holed up in a building among German corpses and trying to escape the Soviets that have surrounded the building. The final chapter is as riveting and compelling a read as any other combat memoir I've read.
I found THE BLACK MARCH to be a totally absorbing and quick read ... never boring. My main knock against the book, however, is that I feel too many stories were left unfinished and the reader is left to assume outcomes (like his experience in captivity). While there are segments of the author's story that deserve scrutiny (such as why the unit's participation in the almost disastrous Cherkassy Pocket escape barely gets mentioned), I take the author at his word for an honest attempt to write what he saw and experienced. Overall, I found the book fascinating and on par with the much lauded THE FORGOTTEN SOLDIER.
July 25, 2023
This book exceeded all my expectations, taking me on an unexpected journey from the moment I stumbled upon it at a charming flea market. Its weathered pages and intriguing title immediately caught my attention, and as I delved into its contents, I was captivated by the remarkable writing style of a seventeen-year-old author. The eloquence and maturity displayed in the prose left me in awe, wondering if it was a reflection of the era or a testament to the author's education.
While it is no surprise that books about the Nazis and the SS often depict them as villains, this particular book offers a unique perspective. It allows us to delve into the depths of history, witnessing the evolution of this dark chapter from within. It forces us to confront the uncomfortable truth that these so-called 'monsters' were, in fact, human beings. Many were coerced into following orders under the threat of execution, or driven by fear of national shame.
As someone deeply fascinated by the Second World War and the Holocaust, this journal has found a cherished place in my private collection. Its ability to captivate and shed light on a complex period of history is truly commendable. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone seeking a fresh perspective on this significant era.
While it is no surprise that books about the Nazis and the SS often depict them as villains, this particular book offers a unique perspective. It allows us to delve into the depths of history, witnessing the evolution of this dark chapter from within. It forces us to confront the uncomfortable truth that these so-called 'monsters' were, in fact, human beings. Many were coerced into following orders under the threat of execution, or driven by fear of national shame.
As someone deeply fascinated by the Second World War and the Holocaust, this journal has found a cherished place in my private collection. Its ability to captivate and shed light on a complex period of history is truly commendable. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone seeking a fresh perspective on this significant era.
December 23, 2021
This book was sold as a real account of a young boy who enlist himself in SS and become soldier of SS Viking division in the eastern front.
The accounts are very real, vivid and raw.
On the other hand are hard to believe.
The storyline is solid and the events and battles are well described.
Honestly i don't know if is a real account or a very good novel, all along the reading had a doubt.
The accounts are very real, vivid and raw.
On the other hand are hard to believe.
The storyline is solid and the events and battles are well described.
Honestly i don't know if is a real account or a very good novel, all along the reading had a doubt.
July 23, 2019
Interesting to have the vision as seen from the bad side of a conflict. However, it should be noted that some have disputed the autheticity of the text.
August 10, 2021
1958 autobiography of an SS officer on the Eastern Front. Very interesting . . . but not sure it's all true.
September 21, 2023
Well written and disturbing story of atrocity; the training and employment of SS troops, chronicled by a first person account.
June 13, 2015
This book was translated into English the year I was born. Neumann, fresh out of the Hitler youth, joins the SS (waffen, not totenkopf) just in time to attack the Soviet Union in June, 1941. He kept a diary, and I believe that's what the book is drawn from: an editor or Neumann himself has excerpted interesting entries. For that reason, there's no cohesion to the book at all: sometimes the next chapter takes place a day later, sometimes a single chapter covers three unrelated incidents spread across a year. Time in the army is mostly time spent waiting; it's a good thing we didn't have to read what must have been hundreds of diary entries of the nature: 'got up. ate slop. stood at attention. four hours of guard duty. it rained. And so on.
I think it's the translator's duty to create a literary translation, and this book would get very low marks. The writing is weak, stilted, and fraught with clumsiness. Perhaps Neumann's writing is this poor and the translation is accurate; we'll never know. Even so, the book is fascinating for its content, not the writing.
Intentionally or accidentally, Neumann gives an unobstructed view into the Nazi mentality. The international Jewish-Communist conspiracy plans to destroy Germany: therefore, Germany must destroy them first. Originally published auf Deutsch, this book was intended to resonate with millions of Germans who, though they regretted having their country destroyed in the war, recognized the threat the Soviet Union still posed to western Europe and so had sense of having done the right thing in attacking Stalin, albeit with some poor strategy and inadequate resources.
Neumann has obviously, on the advice of counsel or editors, altered his reaction to SS atrocities. When it's time to torture and kill captured partisans, he is horrified, protests, then is forced to remain silent on penalty of his own arrest. Ha-ha. Bullshit. I'm sure he was in the front line, mowing down the unfortunate freedom fighters. We can't expect him to write a book confessing to what would be a serious war crime. (At the time, the doctrine of every army in the world, including the U.S. and based on the Geneva Convention, is that partisans and combatants out of uniform can and should be executed. Because Neumann was on the losing side, however, his action rises to the level of a war-crime.)
Near the end of the war, he begins to disbelieve the propaganda coming from Berlin. Whether this is post-facto hindsight or true, I don't know, but it's interesting in either form.
Neumann shares a lot of honesty. His rage at losing comrades to the partisans. His racist reaction to Asiatic Soviet troops. And his anger and disgust, near the end, as the gigantic, well armored Soviet army crushes Austrian and German towns, heedless of the deaths and suffering of civilians. This is particularly poignant, as Neumann and his Viking SS division (composed of Nordic volunteers from western and northern Europe) have spent three years doing the same thing to Soviet and Russian towns and cities. But, since Germany's cause was just, he reasons, what the Nazis did was necessary for a greater good.
I'm an amateur historian, particularly interested in WW II. This book gave me a fascinating view into the waffen SS at a soldier's level, something I'd never seen before. (There are any number of books written about Himmler, Heydrich, Dietrich, etc., all interesting to learn what the killers in charge did and said.)
Because Neumann spent the entire war on the eastern front, the book could be translated and sold in the U.S. Neumann claims to have some empathy for the Soviet soldiers he and his men kill, but I think that's manufactured to make him seem less of a monster. Had he been with the SS Panzer divisions in France or at the Battle of the Bulge, engaged in killing Americans, British, Canadians, and French, the book would have been unpalatable for the U.S. market. I'll guess it has not been translated into Russian.
I think it's the translator's duty to create a literary translation, and this book would get very low marks. The writing is weak, stilted, and fraught with clumsiness. Perhaps Neumann's writing is this poor and the translation is accurate; we'll never know. Even so, the book is fascinating for its content, not the writing.
Intentionally or accidentally, Neumann gives an unobstructed view into the Nazi mentality. The international Jewish-Communist conspiracy plans to destroy Germany: therefore, Germany must destroy them first. Originally published auf Deutsch, this book was intended to resonate with millions of Germans who, though they regretted having their country destroyed in the war, recognized the threat the Soviet Union still posed to western Europe and so had sense of having done the right thing in attacking Stalin, albeit with some poor strategy and inadequate resources.
Neumann has obviously, on the advice of counsel or editors, altered his reaction to SS atrocities. When it's time to torture and kill captured partisans, he is horrified, protests, then is forced to remain silent on penalty of his own arrest. Ha-ha. Bullshit. I'm sure he was in the front line, mowing down the unfortunate freedom fighters. We can't expect him to write a book confessing to what would be a serious war crime. (At the time, the doctrine of every army in the world, including the U.S. and based on the Geneva Convention, is that partisans and combatants out of uniform can and should be executed. Because Neumann was on the losing side, however, his action rises to the level of a war-crime.)
Near the end of the war, he begins to disbelieve the propaganda coming from Berlin. Whether this is post-facto hindsight or true, I don't know, but it's interesting in either form.
Neumann shares a lot of honesty. His rage at losing comrades to the partisans. His racist reaction to Asiatic Soviet troops. And his anger and disgust, near the end, as the gigantic, well armored Soviet army crushes Austrian and German towns, heedless of the deaths and suffering of civilians. This is particularly poignant, as Neumann and his Viking SS division (composed of Nordic volunteers from western and northern Europe) have spent three years doing the same thing to Soviet and Russian towns and cities. But, since Germany's cause was just, he reasons, what the Nazis did was necessary for a greater good.
I'm an amateur historian, particularly interested in WW II. This book gave me a fascinating view into the waffen SS at a soldier's level, something I'd never seen before. (There are any number of books written about Himmler, Heydrich, Dietrich, etc., all interesting to learn what the killers in charge did and said.)
Because Neumann spent the entire war on the eastern front, the book could be translated and sold in the U.S. Neumann claims to have some empathy for the Soviet soldiers he and his men kill, but I think that's manufactured to make him seem less of a monster. Had he been with the SS Panzer divisions in France or at the Battle of the Bulge, engaged in killing Americans, British, Canadians, and French, the book would have been unpalatable for the U.S. market. I'll guess it has not been translated into Russian.
December 11, 2015
I first read The Black March many, many years ago when I received a copy of Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd's English translation by Constantine Fitz Gibbon's "Other Men's Graves: Diary of an SS Man" from a dear friend and history professor in college. Like many who've expressed their opinions here, The Black March stunned me in such a way that it became an intregal part of my life from that moment on. Now--many years later--I frequently refer to it whenever I ponder the Second World War, particularly from the German perspective. It's been one of those rare books that changed my life for the better by its very existence and has made me (I hope) a better and more empathetic person for having discovered it.
Is it real? Or is it a fake? Was Peter Neumann a real, living, breathing Waffen SS soldier who took the time to record his experiences with Hitler's war machine from his youth up until his capture by the Russians in Berlin in 1945 or was he just a good writer of historical fiction? Opinions seem to vary but as for me, I hold no doubt that the diary/record is genuine. Do I (or anyone, for that matter) have irrefutable evidence that The Black March is a legitimate record and not an elaborate, but bogus creation? No. Similarly, do those here on this forum (or elsewhere) who insist that The Black March is a fabrication have indisputable proof that it isn't real? I think it is important to point out that no, they do not. Obviously, until more research is done which provides indisisputable proof one way or the other we will not know for sure.
Having said that, Wikipedia's page for The Black March yields a few interesting pieces of information. For example, witn regard to The Black March's publishing history, Wikipedia indicates the following:
1956 - Editions French-Empire; first published edition, in French; Title: SS!
1958 - Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd; English translation by Constantine Fitz Gibbon; Title: Other Men's Graves: Diary of an SS Man
1959 - William Sloane Associates; First US printing; Title: The Black March: The Personal Story of an SS Man
1960, 1967 - Bantam; Title: The Black March: The Personal Story of an SS Man
Likewise, the Additional Notes section on Wikipedia states:
"Some have disputed the authenticity of Neumann’s journal since its publication; some claiming it to have been the work of a ghost writer and therefore not autobiographical, and others claiming it to be a work of fiction. Peter Neumann’s extraordinary tale has, nevertheless, held up very well under extensive examination in terms of historical accuracy by a number of sources since its publication.
"It is also reported that French publisher Éditions France-Empire claimed that Peter Neumann's family (from whom they received the journal) specifically wanted the work kept intact—as he wrote it during the war—and that it was not revised or altered."
Regardless of your opinion as to whether you believe this exemplary work is a legitimate record of truth or one of fiction, one fact remains: The Black March is well worth your time to read and will leave its own indelible mark on your mind and heart. It remains one of the finest books on the subject in existence. It is a unique and powerful book. Don't pass it up because of squabbles about its veracity; do yourself a favor and read it for yourself. It is a magnificent story, it pulls no punches and it gives unique and a highly personal insight into one of the darkest chapters in human history.
Is it real? Or is it a fake? Was Peter Neumann a real, living, breathing Waffen SS soldier who took the time to record his experiences with Hitler's war machine from his youth up until his capture by the Russians in Berlin in 1945 or was he just a good writer of historical fiction? Opinions seem to vary but as for me, I hold no doubt that the diary/record is genuine. Do I (or anyone, for that matter) have irrefutable evidence that The Black March is a legitimate record and not an elaborate, but bogus creation? No. Similarly, do those here on this forum (or elsewhere) who insist that The Black March is a fabrication have indisputable proof that it isn't real? I think it is important to point out that no, they do not. Obviously, until more research is done which provides indisisputable proof one way or the other we will not know for sure.
Having said that, Wikipedia's page for The Black March yields a few interesting pieces of information. For example, witn regard to The Black March's publishing history, Wikipedia indicates the following:
1956 - Editions French-Empire; first published edition, in French; Title: SS!
1958 - Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd; English translation by Constantine Fitz Gibbon; Title: Other Men's Graves: Diary of an SS Man
1959 - William Sloane Associates; First US printing; Title: The Black March: The Personal Story of an SS Man
1960, 1967 - Bantam; Title: The Black March: The Personal Story of an SS Man
Likewise, the Additional Notes section on Wikipedia states:
"Some have disputed the authenticity of Neumann’s journal since its publication; some claiming it to have been the work of a ghost writer and therefore not autobiographical, and others claiming it to be a work of fiction. Peter Neumann’s extraordinary tale has, nevertheless, held up very well under extensive examination in terms of historical accuracy by a number of sources since its publication.
"It is also reported that French publisher Éditions France-Empire claimed that Peter Neumann's family (from whom they received the journal) specifically wanted the work kept intact—as he wrote it during the war—and that it was not revised or altered."
Regardless of your opinion as to whether you believe this exemplary work is a legitimate record of truth or one of fiction, one fact remains: The Black March is well worth your time to read and will leave its own indelible mark on your mind and heart. It remains one of the finest books on the subject in existence. It is a unique and powerful book. Don't pass it up because of squabbles about its veracity; do yourself a favor and read it for yourself. It is a magnificent story, it pulls no punches and it gives unique and a highly personal insight into one of the darkest chapters in human history.
December 23, 2023
1967 by Peter Newmann. ISBN 0-553-20125-5. History. Autobiography. Collection of key entries in the journal of Peter Neumann, a boy inducted from the Hitler Youth into the SS - Schutzstaffel.
Presented in chronological order: it begins in 1939 with various entries of his activities in the Hitler youth and discussing plans with his friends to enter the SS. Peter's early entries are more jubilant and optimistic. He recounts his cruel training involving many life-or-death exercises, e.g., outrunning attack dogs, having to dig a fox hole before a tank rolls over him and the other men in training. He tells of how a few men died in such exercises. Peter's girlfriend reveals that she is a Jew; this, however, does not affect Peter negatively.
During the middle of his entries, he regards his duties with admiration and disdain for his commanding officers. Peter is, in one entry, awarded the Iron Cross second class for saving the lives of several battalions from a sniper's nest (who were also armed with RPGs). In later entries, he tells of fierce combat in Russia, the most notable being a tale from a Russian civilian, in an occupied town, telling Peter and his fellow soldiers of the partisans of Odessa and the Russian genocide at the hands of the Nazis.
Towards the end, Peter returns home on leave where he informs his friend's parents of their son's death, and on a visit to his home Peter is informed that his girlfriend has been moved to a ghetto. On visiting her he expresses sympathy for her condition but writes that he couldn't care less about other Jews in the same situation. He also talks with two concentration camp technicians at a bar, who tell him of their grisly job fixing incinerators.
At the end, Peter and his unit are on the retreat. Peter, at this point, has been promoted to captain and expresses extreme discontent with both the SS and with the many civilians who are blaming the SS for aggravating the Russian troops. He hears many tales of Russian cruelty. At the end, Peter is trapped, alone and wounded, and surrounded by Russian troops. He hides in a small room filled with dead German soldiers and fires a damaged gun at a Russian 'clean-up' squad. The bullet he intends for himself does not do the job. His last words are "Why couldn't they have killed me?"
The book does not state explicitly whether Peter Neumann was captured, killed, or if he escaped. His last entry is somewhat long given the amount of time he had before the Russian troops could have reached him, and he could have disguised himself as a dead soldier. However, the final page of the book references being captured by the Soviet Army and being sent to Warsaw and working as a camp prisoner helping in the clean-up of the ruins left by the war. The final page mentions the "sneering brutality of the Soviet Guards".
Some have disputed the authenticity of Neumann’s journal since its publication; some claiming it to have been the work of a ghost writer and therefore not autobiographical, and others claiming it to be a work of fiction. Peter Neumann’s extraordinary tale has, nevertheless, held up very well under extensive examination in terms of historical accuracy by a number of sources since its publication.
Presented in chronological order: it begins in 1939 with various entries of his activities in the Hitler youth and discussing plans with his friends to enter the SS. Peter's early entries are more jubilant and optimistic. He recounts his cruel training involving many life-or-death exercises, e.g., outrunning attack dogs, having to dig a fox hole before a tank rolls over him and the other men in training. He tells of how a few men died in such exercises. Peter's girlfriend reveals that she is a Jew; this, however, does not affect Peter negatively.
During the middle of his entries, he regards his duties with admiration and disdain for his commanding officers. Peter is, in one entry, awarded the Iron Cross second class for saving the lives of several battalions from a sniper's nest (who were also armed with RPGs). In later entries, he tells of fierce combat in Russia, the most notable being a tale from a Russian civilian, in an occupied town, telling Peter and his fellow soldiers of the partisans of Odessa and the Russian genocide at the hands of the Nazis.
Towards the end, Peter returns home on leave where he informs his friend's parents of their son's death, and on a visit to his home Peter is informed that his girlfriend has been moved to a ghetto. On visiting her he expresses sympathy for her condition but writes that he couldn't care less about other Jews in the same situation. He also talks with two concentration camp technicians at a bar, who tell him of their grisly job fixing incinerators.
At the end, Peter and his unit are on the retreat. Peter, at this point, has been promoted to captain and expresses extreme discontent with both the SS and with the many civilians who are blaming the SS for aggravating the Russian troops. He hears many tales of Russian cruelty. At the end, Peter is trapped, alone and wounded, and surrounded by Russian troops. He hides in a small room filled with dead German soldiers and fires a damaged gun at a Russian 'clean-up' squad. The bullet he intends for himself does not do the job. His last words are "Why couldn't they have killed me?"
The book does not state explicitly whether Peter Neumann was captured, killed, or if he escaped. His last entry is somewhat long given the amount of time he had before the Russian troops could have reached him, and he could have disguised himself as a dead soldier. However, the final page of the book references being captured by the Soviet Army and being sent to Warsaw and working as a camp prisoner helping in the clean-up of the ruins left by the war. The final page mentions the "sneering brutality of the Soviet Guards".
Some have disputed the authenticity of Neumann’s journal since its publication; some claiming it to have been the work of a ghost writer and therefore not autobiographical, and others claiming it to be a work of fiction. Peter Neumann’s extraordinary tale has, nevertheless, held up very well under extensive examination in terms of historical accuracy by a number of sources since its publication.
July 7, 2008
This is the story of a kid who enthusiastically joins the Waffen SS in Nazi Germany. The book starts out in the town of Wittenberge as Peter Neumann decides that he is going to join up with the SS. He goes through a grueling basic training and then is sent to a stud farm to breed a little blonde hero with a woman he meets there. From there he is assigned to the SS Viking Division in time for the invasion of The Soviet Union in 1941. The book then follows his experiences through the war. Although Neumann seems blithely unaware of the nature of the regime he wholeheartedly is fighting for some of the scenes during anti-partisan sweeps and ad-hoc executions of communists and jews are pretty brutal. At one point, during the chaotic retreat of Army Group Center in 1944 Neumann's platoon is employed arresting and executing 'deserters', soldiers whose units had been destroyed and who were fleeing for their lives.
The book ends with the last-gasp battle for Vienna, where Neumann is wounded and captured.
If you like war books this is one of the best. The narrative flows without any of the stupid apologies and rationalizations you get from other German soldiers' memoirs. This is the real thing.
The book ends with the last-gasp battle for Vienna, where Neumann is wounded and captured.
If you like war books this is one of the best. The narrative flows without any of the stupid apologies and rationalizations you get from other German soldiers' memoirs. This is the real thing.
September 3, 2011
This is a book I REALLY looked forward to as when my father found out I was joining the reserves, he gave it to me, claiming it was one of his favourites. He being a military man with two tours served under the United Nations, and Desert Storm under his belt, gave this book credentials to understanding my father and military life in my eyes.
Although it is about a Nazi on the eastern front, (something I thankfully will never experience), I could use his description of war, (albeit very over-the-top some times with the drama), to try a little better what I am possibly getting myself into.
This is not the best book on war in my opinion, although for it's time when it was written, (1958), I am positive it was and I am sure you will greatly appreciate it too if you can get over the cheesy dramatics.
Although it is about a Nazi on the eastern front, (something I thankfully will never experience), I could use his description of war, (albeit very over-the-top some times with the drama), to try a little better what I am possibly getting myself into.
This is not the best book on war in my opinion, although for it's time when it was written, (1958), I am positive it was and I am sure you will greatly appreciate it too if you can get over the cheesy dramatics.
March 10, 2025
Peter Neumann was a young German who became an SS officer in the second World War. This is his story and Germany's story - well written and sometimes gruesome. It is a rare record of a soldier's story, mainly set on the Eastern Front of Hitler's Southern push into the Soviet Union - from optimism and excitement to the reality of killing and ultimate defeat and the witnessing of the death of comrades and the savagery on both sides. The experience of this one soldier is described in a compelling way and we see his initial and tentative horror at the treatment of his enemies, including the camps, gradually leading to acceptance of this and his unthinking hatred of them. This is as vivid and important a window into the origins and actuality of the second War as 'All Quiet on the Western Front' was to the first World War.
March 10, 2013
Very strange. I've been thinking about recent historical perspectives on WWII and recalled, as I often do, a book I read while still a teenager in the 1970s - The Black March. It was 40 years ago when I read this book, and it left a powerful imprint. It would be fair to say that over the course of the past four decades, it has influenced and shaped my thinking about war and politics in very fundamental ways. So I did a quick seach on the title and ended up here. My reading of it was through the eyes of a teenage boy - who had to sign up for the Viet Nam draft while there was still a draft - so you can consider and filter my recommendation accordingly. But there is no doubting the powerful response this book elicted in me.
March 28, 2014
According to Wikipedia (LOL) this book and "Other Men's Graves" are the same book published under different titles. I read it long ago as "Other Men's Graves". Apparently it is not certain whether it's fiction or memoir. I can testify that it was a disturbing book. If you're interested in the topic I would recommend Gunther Grass's "Peeling the Onion" for the tale of a young boy in the SS. For what it was like to fight in the Nazi-USSR war I would recommend Vasily Grossman's accounts. I am not criticizing Neumann, but the other two are great writers whose personal experiences were similar to his.
June 24, 2016
If it's true it is an astonishing account of a traumatic period in one young man's life. Torn from an otherwise promising life and career he joins the military, but not just the army, the much vaunted SS. And even worse the monstrous fighting of Operation Barbarossa and beyond.
This was the second run through this old book for me and somehow it was not so shocking as when I read it as a teenager. It is bad enough but what has come down the pike since has blunted the impact of what this young man endured. Maybe we can thank the likes of Sven Hassel and Leo Kessler for that.
This was the second run through this old book for me and somehow it was not so shocking as when I read it as a teenager. It is bad enough but what has come down the pike since has blunted the impact of what this young man endured. Maybe we can thank the likes of Sven Hassel and Leo Kessler for that.
May 18, 2016
The what-I-did-in-WW2 format is quite popular these days,
this book was way ahead of its time first published in 1958,
particularly as it is from a non-American perspective.
As kids we found the cover blurbs quite exciting,
'Hitler Youth Bred as Monsters',
'stud at a Nazi breeding farm',
how much more compelling can you get?
this book was way ahead of its time first published in 1958,
particularly as it is from a non-American perspective.
As kids we found the cover blurbs quite exciting,
'Hitler Youth Bred as Monsters',
'stud at a Nazi breeding farm',
how much more compelling can you get?
November 12, 2013
un livre qui merite qu'on le lit
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews