At Leningrad's Gates

[Roy Queen]

I've just got through reading William Lubbeck's book, "At Leningrad's Gates". I really enjoyed reading this book. Lubbeck writes about his childhood life on his family farm in Puggen, and how life changed for his family when the Nazis took power.

Lubbeck was drafted in the German Army in 1939, and throughout his service, except for a stint in officer candidate school, served with the 58th Infantry Div, 154th Infantry Regiment. He talks about serving with the communications section, and then serving as a forward observer for his company. After officer candidate school, he returns back to his unit as a 2nd Lt. Lubbeck avoids being captured by the Soviets, unlike his comrades by being ordered back to Germany to form a new 58th Division. During this time, he boards a German destroyer, and while enroute back, learns of the surrender of Germany.

After the war, he talks about the difficulties he and his wife had to endure, especially his immediate family in the Soviet zone in Puggen. Lubbeck, and his wife immigrates to Canada, and shortly after, to the US, eventually to settle in North Carolina.

If I were to find fault with this book, it is that the chapters are almost brief narratives. Overall though, I enjoyed reading it.

[Mike Pinkus]

i found it a great/fast read....combat officer with many interesting and unique experiences....his division was in the thick of all the major operations of army group North...
personal side of the war is written about as well...especially interesting was the post war sitiuation in Gerrmany and what the division of germany did to his extended family...reccomended...

[wmmyers]

Army Group North

I only recently found this book in Barnes and Noble. It revealed many things to me about the rank and file German soldier. I took note of the fact that he removed the firing pin from his luger before surrendering it. He also had an Astra 600 that he kept through his processing at the POW camp.
I know that Germans had horses but I did not know how prevalent horse drawn artillery was.
While at the edge of Lenningrad he states that German snipers stated that the Russian sniper rifles were superior to German issue and some Germans preferred to use captured Russian rifles to snipe.
This book contained many insights. I enjoyed this book very much.

[FloridaLancer]

I recently read it myself.. A great perspective of the average German soldier before, during, and after the war. He goes into detail about how the normal German farmer felt about the Nazis coming to power, and also what life was like in post war Germany after the iron curtain went up.. Very good read..

[Terry OToole]

i too thought this a good read , as an aside brings back sad emotions to see that "Mike Pinkus " had also posted on this thread ---- sadly missed

[OttoKK]

I found this book a great read, full of interesting little moments and true life in those times.

[Sathukles]

I found this book a great read, full of interesting little moments and true life in those times.

I had the occasion to speak to the author. He was a good soldier.