Rating: 
Summary: A Gripping View of the Human Side of War
Review: Soldat is one of the best books I've ever read about the human side of WWII. Knappe takes us from his graduation from gymnasium (high school?) where we meet several of his friends. He describes his entry into the workers corps, and from there, his entry into the army. We see that Knappe is simply a soldier who is proud of his country and is excited to do his duty. Knappe describes his first taste of battle and the death that comes with battle. He is no longer a carefree young man, but now a battle-proven soldier. We follow Knappe through the invasions of France, and later, his descent into the frozen steppes of Russia. Soldat describes the horror and the futility of fighting in Russia. As the war nears the end, Knappe then feels the futility of war - the loss of his brother; the fear of dying; his realization that German refugees are now a reality. Finally, he describes his years as a prisoner of war - held by the Russians for 4 years. At the end of the book, you ask yourself, "What was the whole point of war?" The human loss - the suffering. This is a fantastic book, and it would make one heck of a movie!
Rating:
Summary: Berlin Bleibt Deutsch!
Review: The captivating story of a German officer and his struggles during the second world war. Wounded several times in combat, witness to the failures of Barbarossa, and witness to the destruction and desolation of Berlin, Knappe ends his wartime exploits as a Russian prisoner of war. The only thing I didn't particuarly like about this novel was the sentimental predictions about Germanys' looming destruction while on vacation before Knappe's military service. It struck me as being added for dramatic effect and somewhat silly. Asside from this insignificant complaint, "Soldat" is a wonderful addition to any WWII library.
Rating: 
Summary: UNIQUE
Review: This is the story of a german officer during world war 2.
He served on almost all the major front's during the war and managed to survive. I thought the best part's of this book were, the battle for Berlin and his time spent in Soviet prison camp's after the war.
Siegfried Knappe {the author} was a decent german who was thrown into a hellish experience.
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