Sniper on the Eastern Front

[Michael Root]

I just read this finally last week... I have to say I was a little dissapointed.

It felt like the author made much of it up... and the only thing the russians can say are "Die fascist pig"

[MrSmith]

what makes you think or feel it was made up?

I just read this finally last week... I have to say I was a little dissapointed.

It felt like the author made much of it up... and the only thing the russians can say are "Die fascist pig"

[MauserKar98k]

This book is on my "to read" list along with Black Edelweiss and Forgotten Soldier. I am reading In Deadly Combat right now.

[Michael Root]

what makes you think or feel it was made up?

I think most of it's legit, but in parts it reads like the author is a fanboy. Personally I think the author had to in order to get a decent page count for the book.

It was alright, I've read worse.

Just my opinion.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Cannibalism

My favorites are the Flare Gun Scene and the Cannibal Cave, but hey that's just me.

[MrSmith]

ok yes, I thought it was quite barbaric the Bolshevik cannibals, but have heard it happened in Stalingrad too with some Germans,

Also he portrays the Russians as cruel creatures, maybe dramatized a bit, I guess you need that to sell books, like in movies.

I think most of it's legit, but in parts it reads like the author is a fanboy. Personally I think the author had to in order to get a decent page count for the book.

It was alright, I've read worse.

Just my opinion.

[Norman LaBarge]

I read the book a few months ago and loved it. I have a multitude of books written by soldiers who served on the eastern front. It would not shock me if some of the stories are enhanced. Editors sometimes feel the need to upgrade (in their eyes) a story or to lengthen the book.
I was fortunate to serve with the 2 sons of an eastern front veteran. Both sons became officers in the U.S. army. Many times I was over at Zeeg's house with his son Roy and/or other friends playing skat. Zeeg was a school trained mechanic and related numerous stories. He was a great human being.

[Zeller]

I've read the book a while ago. It is a mixture of a real diary and a sven hassel's fictional book. Definitely a good book to read!

PS - as far as I know Joseph Sepp Allerberger is a real name

[jum1801]

ok yes, I thought it was quite barbaric the Bolshevik cannibals, but have heard it happened in Stalingrad too with some Germans,

Also he portrays the Russians as cruel creatures, maybe dramatized a bit, I guess you need that to sell books, like in movies.

ok yes, I thought it was quite barbaric the Bolshevik cannibals, but have heard it happened in Stalingrad too with some Germans,

Also he portrays the Russians as cruel creatures, maybe dramatized a bit, I guess you need that to sell books, like in movies.

I am quite familiar with Sniper On The eastern Front, and unlike Guy Sajer'sThe Forgotten Soldier, I am absolutely convinced of the 100% truthfulness of the memoir. "Allerberger's" recounting of sniper training and the actual practice of sniping by an expert who survived scores upon scores of sniping missions rang true. His descriptions of particular events of Soviet cruelties and war crimes (as well as German ones) are consistent with the reports of hundreds of other witnesses to similar such events.

Nor was it unusual for soldiers of every army fighting in the brutal winters in the East to be driven by starvation to cannibalism. There are more than a few documented cases of such "survival cannibalism" not only in the Russian campaign, but also by the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific Theater in World War II, and in virtually every war throughout history in which starvation threatened. It has nothing to do with the Russian "character", and everything to do with the innate human drive to survive by whatever means necessary.

As to Allerberger's identity, bobcam1 is spot on about the clear admission in the book's prologue that "Sepp Allerberger" is indeed a pseudonym. But I am still confused, becasue that is indeed the name which seems to have been used in German records. Here is a "shorthand" interview with three top German snipers of WWII, including Allerberger, using that name. http://www.snipersparadise.com/history/german.htm

And then here is a breakdown of "Josef 'Sepp' Allerberger's" military history - http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=10324

As to the possibility that Allerberger is "Franz Kramer", I wonder whether in fact Kramer might be the pseudonym. Also I am unsure whether Albrecht Wacker' s "Im Auge des Jäger" (In the Eye of The Hunter) is the original, and Sniper On The Eastern Front is merely the English translation. So I don't know what to make of Allerberger/Kramer except to say that the person identified as Sepp Allerberger obviously existed, was a highly skilled German sniper, and SOTEF is an accurate retelling of the events which he witnessed and was involved in.

Bottom line, an excellent and well-written book which, along with Blood Red Snow, by machine gunner Gunther Koschorrek http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Red-Snow...7735618&sr=8-2 , is mandatory for anyone interested in the experience of soldiers on the Eastern Front.

[Michael Root]

...and it's fanboy.

Bottom line, an excellent and well-written book which

I've read dozens of German memoirs that were better and didn't have the "fanboy" feel to them.

along with Blood Red Snow, by machine gunner Gunther Koschorrek

Don't embarass Gunther by mentioning these books in the same sentence.
It's like comparing U-571 to Das Boot.

His descriptions of particular events of Soviet cruelties and war crimes (as well as German ones) are consistent with the reports of hundreds of other witnesses to similar such events.

Die Fascist pig die! is the only German the Russians were familiar with.

but also by the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific Theater in World War II

The Japs knew that the meat wouldn't spoil as fast in the heat if you kept the prisoner alive for as long as possible while eating him. A hand, then the other hand, an arm... those Australian prisoners look tastier and tastier when your supply ships keep ending up on the bottom.