I love stories from “the other side”… stories you don’t often hear. We’ve seen Band of Brothers and The Pacific, great works of art that show the US solider’s experience through WWII. But the German side, at least for American audiences, goes largely untapped. To truly understand a conflict like WWII, it’s crucial to understand, even if you don’t support, all sides involved.

I recently read (although devoured is probably the better word), a book called Soldat: Reflections of a German Soldier, 1936-1949. This book followed a German soldier through his graduation from high school, enlistment in the military, service throughout the war, defense of Berlin, capture, and eventual placement in and release from a Soviet prison camp.

This book is an amazing read. I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.