The identity of Sepp Allenberger
Gents
Interesting discussion...I personally would put "Sniper on the Eastern Front" in the same catergory as books like "Bravo Two Zero", that is largelly accurate, but with some episodes enhanced (perhaps by publishers or editors rather than the individual themselves) or "reconstructed" due to the vagaries of memory, old age, etc. I enjoyed the book very much, although it did seem that some episodes -which I don't for one minute dispute actually happened- had been sexed-up to read like a passage from Leo Kessler or Sven Hassell....
The question of Allenberger's identity is an interesting one....in Martin Pegler's history of sniping "Out of Nowhere" there are quotations and passages which are clearly attributible to Allenberger being credited against a memoir of a German sniper named F**** K***** (I've protected his identity on this open forum in case he's still around and this is actually his real name) entitled "Im Auge Des Jaegers" which coincidentally was also edited by Albrecht Wacker.
Confusingly, Pegler also makes reference to Allenberger in the same book as though Allenberger and K***** are indeed two different people. The possibilities are:
Allenberger was the real name and K***** is a pseudonym.
K***** is real, and used the pseudonym Allenberger.
Allenberger and K***** were in fact two different men.
Wacker's work is a composite of the memories of several German snipers, and both names are ficticious.
To underline how sensitive a subject this is even today, the plate showing a German sniper's qualification certificate in Pegler's book (the illustration courtesy of Wacker) has the recipient's name blacked out as he was still alive at time of publication.
The plot thickens.....
All the best
Paul.
Gents
Interesting discussion...I personally would put "Sniper on the Eastern Front" in the same catergory as books like "Bravo Two Zero", that is largelly accurate, but with some episodes enhanced (perhaps by publishers or editors rather than the individual themselves) or "reconstructed" due to the vagaries of memory, old age, etc. I enjoyed the book very much, although it did seem that some episodes -which I don't for one minute dispute actually happened- had been sexed-up to read like a passage from Leo Kessler or Sven Hassell....
The question of Allenberger's identity is an interesting one....in Martin Pegler's history of sniping "Out of Nowhere" there are quotations and passages which are clearly attributible to Allenberger being credited against a memoir of a German sniper named F**** K***** (I've protected his identity on this open forum in case he's still around and this is actually his real name) entitled "Im Auge Des Jaegers" which coincidentally was also edited by Albrecht Wacker.
Confusingly, Pegler also makes reference to Allenberger in the same book as though Allenberger and K***** are indeed two different people. The possibilities are:
Allenberger was the real name and K***** is a pseudonym.
K***** is real, and used the pseudonym Allenberger.
Allenberger and K***** were in fact two different men.
Wacker's work is a composite of the memories of several German snipers, and both names are ficticious.
To underline how sensitive a subject this is even today, the plate showing a German sniper's qualification certificate in Pegler's book (the illustration courtesy of Wacker) has the recipient's name blacked out as he was still alive at time of publication.
The plot thickens.....
All the best
Paul.
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