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Berlin Dance of Death
This is one of the most vivid accounts of destruction and hopelessness we have ever seen. It is a 17-year-old German conscript's experiences in the defense of Berlin during the spring of 1945 - the last desperate days of Berlin - annotated and illustrated to show his part in the overall picture.
Altner’s account covers in detail recruit training on the front line after only ten days in barracks, the execution of deserters and action against the Red Army and turncoat German 'Seydlitz' Troops.
He tells of the retreat back to Berlin with full kit, escaping capture time after time and the annihilation of nearly all his company in just one action.
He gives detailed descriptions of house to house fighting in the Spandau sector of Berlin, the battle for the Olympic Stadium, the sacrifice of Hitler Youths, fighting in the city's subway tunnels and the disastrous attempt at a breakout to the west, culminating in his final capture.
This is an account of war at its most basic and brutal level, of the collapse of everything familiar and the hopelessness of imminent defeat.
Altner’s account covers in detail recruit training on the front line after only ten days in barracks, the execution of deserters and action against the Red Army and turncoat German 'Seydlitz' Troops.
He tells of the retreat back to Berlin with full kit, escaping capture time after time and the annihilation of nearly all his company in just one action.
He gives detailed descriptions of house to house fighting in the Spandau sector of Berlin, the battle for the Olympic Stadium, the sacrifice of Hitler Youths, fighting in the city's subway tunnels and the disastrous attempt at a breakout to the west, culminating in his final capture.
This is an account of war at its most basic and brutal level, of the collapse of everything familiar and the hopelessness of imminent defeat.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1947
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 5, 2019
Imagine being 17 and your country calls you to stave off the invaders. You are inducted, sent to one week of training, without weapons and sent to the Eastern Front to stave off the Bolshevik hordes. Sound like fun? No.
Helmut Altner’s recollections of those final days of desperation are terrifying. For the first two weeks, being in the army doesn’t appear to be that difficult. Hitler has promised reinforcements and a host of new wonder weapons. Morale is high and many of his comrades actually believe victory is only a few days away. All of that changes on April 16 when Zhukov and Konev launch their last battle to encircle, crush and capture Berlin.
From this point on, a boy, who has dreamed of medals and parades finds himself embroiled in fight for survival, not for the Fatherland. Realizing he has been lied to, he does his best or defend himself, and his comrades from the impending defeat.
What he see and witnesses will have you cringing.
An excellent addition to any World War Two library.
Five Stars
Helmut Altner’s recollections of those final days of desperation are terrifying. For the first two weeks, being in the army doesn’t appear to be that difficult. Hitler has promised reinforcements and a host of new wonder weapons. Morale is high and many of his comrades actually believe victory is only a few days away. All of that changes on April 16 when Zhukov and Konev launch their last battle to encircle, crush and capture Berlin.
From this point on, a boy, who has dreamed of medals and parades finds himself embroiled in fight for survival, not for the Fatherland. Realizing he has been lied to, he does his best or defend himself, and his comrades from the impending defeat.
What he see and witnesses will have you cringing.
An excellent addition to any World War Two library.
Five Stars
December 11, 2021
My first gripe is with all the listings on Goodreads, Amazon and elsewhere which have the subtitle 'The explosive memoirs of a 12-year old German boy...' while the actual subtitle is 'The explosive memoir of a 17-year old German boy called up to fight in the last weeks of the Second World War' which, when you read it makes clear the boy was Shanghaied rather then called up, but is a much more accurate description then 'An eye witness account of the fall of Berlin' - though obviously this German boy did fight in Berlin before it fell to the Germans but neither his rank nor experience would justify expecting any useful insight on 'The Fall of Berlin'. My second gripe is that paperback edition I read (which had a different photograph to any of the alternate Kindle and ebook editions) is not listed on goodreads, a not unfamiliar experience, but annoying so I am having to mark as read the is wrongly subtitled edition.
As for the book itself it is a fascinating and moving account of WWII from a German boy's experience - and honestly by the end of the War Germany was being defended by boys, the youngest only 14, which makes Helmut Altner almost an adult. There is something heartbreaking when he described arriving at the depot to report for induction into the army and how, like almost all the other boys he was clutching a cardboard detergent box (brand name Persil - how many of you out there knew that Persil was originally German?) with which to send his civilian clothes back to his mother once he was kitted out with a uniform. Who knew that just weeks before the whole apparatus of government and daily life collapsed in Germany that he, and other recruits, could count on the post to deliver their clothes safely? With the shortages of everything it was important that they could count on its promptness and efficiency - something we in the UK and probably not even those living in Germany today could depend on now.
It is a small but telling detail and brings home the reality that by this stage of the war the German people were as much the victims of Hitler's and the Nazi's idiotic hubris as the rest of the Europe. It doesn't excuse what went before but reminds us that there were humans behind those marching blond legions in the newsreels and they, like most ordinary people elsewhere and always, were not really active 'players' but bystanders swept up in events. Not always guilty of direct deeds but more often of guilt by omission - and honestly aren't we all guilty of that when dealing with big political issues?
This memoir is but a micro picture of the battle for Berlin, the collapse of the Third Reich, the end of World War II but within its small remit it says many things of importance and gives insights including how far German agriculture had fallen behind countries like the USA due to the Nazi's autarky policies.
A really fine book and I recommend it to anyone interested in WWII.
As for the book itself it is a fascinating and moving account of WWII from a German boy's experience - and honestly by the end of the War Germany was being defended by boys, the youngest only 14, which makes Helmut Altner almost an adult. There is something heartbreaking when he described arriving at the depot to report for induction into the army and how, like almost all the other boys he was clutching a cardboard detergent box (brand name Persil - how many of you out there knew that Persil was originally German?) with which to send his civilian clothes back to his mother once he was kitted out with a uniform. Who knew that just weeks before the whole apparatus of government and daily life collapsed in Germany that he, and other recruits, could count on the post to deliver their clothes safely? With the shortages of everything it was important that they could count on its promptness and efficiency - something we in the UK and probably not even those living in Germany today could depend on now.
It is a small but telling detail and brings home the reality that by this stage of the war the German people were as much the victims of Hitler's and the Nazi's idiotic hubris as the rest of the Europe. It doesn't excuse what went before but reminds us that there were humans behind those marching blond legions in the newsreels and they, like most ordinary people elsewhere and always, were not really active 'players' but bystanders swept up in events. Not always guilty of direct deeds but more often of guilt by omission - and honestly aren't we all guilty of that when dealing with big political issues?
This memoir is but a micro picture of the battle for Berlin, the collapse of the Third Reich, the end of World War II but within its small remit it says many things of importance and gives insights including how far German agriculture had fallen behind countries like the USA due to the Nazi's autarky policies.
A really fine book and I recommend it to anyone interested in WWII.
August 31, 2017
A great read from start to finish i was a little disappointed that we didnt find out what happened to him after he was captured Looking back on it i think god must have been protecting him because he surely went through some bad stuff all in the space of a month one of the best books on berlin survivour storys 1945 recommended
August 26, 2011
Harrowing account of the Battle for Berlin in the closing days of WW2 by a 17 year old German soldier. War in all its awful futility and barbarism is laid bare, difficult to read at times but well worth doing so.
November 4, 2017
Galima skaityti, viskas kaip ir įsivaizduojate - pasimetę jaunuoliai volksšturmistai, drebantys civiliai, yranti struktūra besiblaškanti agonijoje, švilpiančios kulkos, griuvėsiai ir ugnis.
May 13, 2024
This was a difficult book to read. There was so much death and destruction during the fall of Berlin that it bordered on fantasy. I couldn't imagine going through what these young soldiers had to do. The numbers killed on both sides during the last days of the Reich is mind boggling.. And so unnecessary as there was nothing gained for continued fighting.
The author's account was so detailed that it would leave nightmares to invade the minds of the readers.
This book also delves into the psychology of the people of that era. They swore an oath, regardless if forced or not, to a man and that drove them to continue to fight an unwinnable war. It wasn't until Hitler was dead that the oath was fulfilled. Of course, this is the thoughts of the young author, filled with high ideals of duty. Not old soldiers who knew better.
Of course, the veterans from the eastern front knew of the death and destruction they wreaked on Russia and now it was time to pay the piper. There was no quarter given therefore no quarter taken.
In the end, the fall of Berlin was such a waste of life. Hundreds of thousands of lives lost for nothing.
The author's account was so detailed that it would leave nightmares to invade the minds of the readers.
This book also delves into the psychology of the people of that era. They swore an oath, regardless if forced or not, to a man and that drove them to continue to fight an unwinnable war. It wasn't until Hitler was dead that the oath was fulfilled. Of course, this is the thoughts of the young author, filled with high ideals of duty. Not old soldiers who knew better.
Of course, the veterans from the eastern front knew of the death and destruction they wreaked on Russia and now it was time to pay the piper. There was no quarter given therefore no quarter taken.
In the end, the fall of Berlin was such a waste of life. Hundreds of thousands of lives lost for nothing.
September 19, 2026
Leste denne på norsk og jeg synes den gir et troverdig bilde av Berlins sluttkamp sett gjennom en 17-årings øyne. Språklig synes jeg ikke boken flyter så lett da den tar for seg mange detaljer som bryter opp hendelsesforløpet, men så er jo dette ikke en roman, men mer et vitnesbyrd. Så språklig er boka 3 stjerner, mens det er 5 stjerner for opplevelsene.
Som historisk vitnesbyrd kommer detaljene til sin rett, bla at folk mot slutten blir kledd opp i Waffen-SS kamuflasjeuniformer før de sendes inn i kamp, at Waffen-SS bruker flammekasterstridsvogner i forsvaret av Berlin, menn som ikke vil kjempe (eller ikke har papiren i orden) blir hengt på gatehjørner, mens sivile bistår med kaffe og brød til de kronisk utmattede og sultne soldatene på evig marsj og alle dør som fluer, og pga av disse fremtidsutsiktene kaster folk seg ut i seksuelle utskeielser iblandet alkohol.
At en 17-åring klarte å komme fra alt dette såpass intakt og kunne skrive om alle de som ikke gjorde det, gjør at man bør lese denne boken. Kan godt leses samtidig som en Kvinne i Berlin om man ønsker å se hendelsene i et kvinnelig og sivilt perspektiv.
Som historisk vitnesbyrd kommer detaljene til sin rett, bla at folk mot slutten blir kledd opp i Waffen-SS kamuflasjeuniformer før de sendes inn i kamp, at Waffen-SS bruker flammekasterstridsvogner i forsvaret av Berlin, menn som ikke vil kjempe (eller ikke har papiren i orden) blir hengt på gatehjørner, mens sivile bistår med kaffe og brød til de kronisk utmattede og sultne soldatene på evig marsj og alle dør som fluer, og pga av disse fremtidsutsiktene kaster folk seg ut i seksuelle utskeielser iblandet alkohol.
At en 17-åring klarte å komme fra alt dette såpass intakt og kunne skrive om alle de som ikke gjorde det, gjør at man bør lese denne boken. Kan godt leses samtidig som en Kvinne i Berlin om man ønsker å se hendelsene i et kvinnelig og sivilt perspektiv.
September 14, 2026
Read it 20 years ago , My copy is titled “Berlin dance of death “ by Helmut Altner. They went straight to the front , did their training in the trenches , caught the subway to the front line. Some breathing space while the Russian steamroller recalibrates, before crossing the Oder river .After that , hell on earth started for them ,the women , the elderly, the damned …
March 16, 2023
i really liked it!!
January 25, 2026
Interesting and horrific in equal measure, grimly fascinating. How the third Reich kept on going, sending its citizens, young and old to their deaths when its demise must have been plain. Harrowing
January 15, 2023
Interesting and very detailed memoir describing the experiences of a teenager conscripted into the German army during the last days of the war. The book is primarily about his role in the fight for Berlin and his efforts to escape the Soviet encirclement of the city. In all candor, the book is so detailed that it becomes tedious at times, but one does get a real sense of the horror, chaos, and brutality of the last days of the Third Reich.
June 3, 2023
As others have noted, this narrative of how one young German conscript survived the fall of Berlin becomes a bit tiresome, partly because the conclusion is already well known. But, then, that reflects his experience, and likely that of the other few who survived: a long slog to survival of the fortunate few.
March 5, 2011
The complete breakdown of society there was horrid. A must read. The complete breakdown of their class system was beyond belief. Maybe something apathetic Americans should read. Personally Id rather not feel blessed w/ some horse meat.
October 7, 2011
Very good and gritty personal account of the battle for Berlin.
September 2, 2019
Excellent account of one mans actions during the fall of Berlin.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews