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Summary: "It's the Siberians, there must be a million of them"
Review: I read it 7 years ago when I moved to DC. I finished it on the Metro. There were tears running down my face. I have read it 3 times since, no more tears but the eyes do water. They could never make this into a movie and do it justice. Thank God I was born 30 years to late. A great read, the best I have ever had, I have reccomended it to non history friends and they love it. Also, Sajer has been accused of making a lot of this up, dont forget that the original text was in French and was translated so I am sure some details have been lost. I believe Sajer is still alive, in Paris, and as far as I know is an illistrater for a Paris Newspaper. If you like this book I suggest an account of the Battle for Stalingrad called "Enemey at the Gates".
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Summary: You do not want to stop reading it
Review: The author makes a fantastic effort to indicate that he was only a soldier without any particular knowledge of politics. Nevertheless, it is absurd to a large degree that he is surprised of the animosity of the Russian Civilian population and the determination that russian soldiers used to get rid of the army he was serving (Actually he French with a German mother). During the whole book he does not seem to notice that his army was in invading the territory of another country and killing people without any acceptable justification.
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Summary: finest in print on this subject
Review: A must read!! Finest book in print on this subject. Remembers the soldier, not the deed.
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Summary: The Forgotten Soldier is what it is....
Review: Quite simply....a screaming, howling, haunting masterpiece beyond the reach of time. You think this an overstatement? Read it.
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Summary: The best book I ever read.
Review: OH-MY-GOD!!!!! Intense and gripping. It's almost more like a horror story than a WWII story. Parts of it make you envision that of a monster movie. This book is for anyone that is interested in WWII history or survival and the human spirit.
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Summary: Sajer shows the reader that war really is hell.
Review: I enjoyed this book immensely. As an amateur WWII historian, I like to get all sorts of perspectives on the war. Sajer's work provides a viewpoint that is rarely explored in the literature about WWII. I have heard much criticism of the historical accuracy of the book, with some "experts" even calling it work of pure fiction. Apparently there are a number of references to uniforms, equipment, etc. which no "real" German infantryman would have mistaken. I'm not one of those self-styled "experts", and therefore have not noticed the alleged inaccuracies. In any case, even if Sajer fashioned his tale from whole cloth, it's still a great read. It will give you a look inside the head of a scared, exhausted and demoralized human being who is fighting for his continued existence. Powerful stuff, indeed!If you like this one, I would also recommend "Roll Me Over: An Infantryman's World War II", by Raymond Gantter. It's along the same lines as Sajer, but from the American perspective. Not quite as gripping, but still very insightful.
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Summary: Highly recomended for anyone who is interested in WWII
Review: This book is one of the most interesting books that I have ever read. It gives a unique perspective into the mind of the common foot soldier. So often all we get to hear about is the side that won. The image of the German soldier is highly movtivated, highly trained and supplied ith the latest in technologically advanced equipment. However after reading this book the image of the German soldier changes drastically. They get scared and run to save their lives, they cry when the stress of battle overcomes them, they fight fiercely when called upon to do so. All in all they are not too much different than their allied counterparts. If I knew nothing about WWII afetr reading this book it would become apparent to me that Germany had no chance to win the war after the winter of 42-43. From this point on it seems as if the army is in a steady declaine and at points in total freefall. For those who admire the german army for it's prowess in battle this book will open their eyes to a whole new world.
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Summary: The reality of war encapsulated
Review: Guy Sajer presents a masterpiece, while describing the trauma and horror of the Eastern front during W.W.II. Though I am an American, born and raised in Los Angeles, my mother is German and has since remarried a former Whermacht soldier, they now reside in Germany. I have heard tragic stories before but this brought it home. Mr. Sajer has given me insight into the heroic and tragic struggle the German Infantry experienced in there quest for Russian domination. Going beyond the political rhetoric and ideology of the National Socialist Party line, Sajer concentrates his efforts on the descriptions of the appalling conditions (weather, filth, hunger, sleep deprivation) that haunted these soldiers as much as their fear of death. One also can understand why the Germans were regarded as such a formidable fighting force. They were subjected to intense training and discipline. This enabled the Whermacht to fight, often against numerically superior forces, and emerge victorious. The true lesson of war is not of the gallant hero however. Leave this to John Wayne propaganda reels. Mr. Sajer honestly describes himself and others as frighten human beings placed into conditions that would test the most well-feed, well-rested solider. They endured however, and this is a testament to the Camaraderie and mental toughness developed within the German military. If you want to vicariously glimpse the reality of W.W.II in terms of the German foot soldier, during the Russian campaign . This is THE book to read.
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Summary: A masterpiece -
Review: This is one of the greatest books that I have ever read. The chapter entitled "Paula" and the ending is so haunting! The book is unforgettable, a masterpiece. To compare Steven Spielberg's version of the war with this true tale is to compare Mickey Mouse with Dostoyevsky!
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Summary: BEST WORLD WAR II BOOK EVER
Review: I first read The Forgotten Soldier when in high school--approximately the same age Sajer was when be entered the German army. I have read it numerous times since. It is the standard by which I judge all other war books. None have yet equalled it in my mind. More so than any other book I have read, it portrays the horror--physical, psychological, spiritual--of warfare for the ordinary combat soldier in vivid and real terms. Its vivid descriptions have stuck in my mind all these years, particularly the counter offensive at the battle of Belgorod. Also sticking in my mind is the account of when Sajer, deathly sick and lying at the bottom of a foxhole and wishing to die, promises his friend Hals that he will live, because his friend needs him. Powerful stuff! My father, by fortune of his emigration to the U.S. from Germany, missed serving in the Germany army during the war. I thank God that he was spared this fate. (It is unlikely I would be here.) That anyone can experience what Sajer did and still maintain his humanity is a testament to the human will. I was thrilled to see this book on the Amazon list, since I was afraid that I was one of only a few to experience the book. I wonder whether Sajer's friend Wollers was his real name or a psuedonym. This is not a common German name. I would be interested in knowing whether any of my relatives might have fought on the Russian front. Bravo to Amazon for bringing this masterpiece to a larger audience. Now if they could only make a movie of this book of the quality found in Private Ryan.
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