- Summary
- First hand account of the battles and experiences of a German Panzer NCO radio operator on the Eastern Front. Taken from the diaries of Erich Hagar one reads of the events, battles and everyday life in a frontline tank regiment. I found the diaries captivating and literally could'nt put the book down reading it in its entirety over two evenings! The book is liberally littered with Erichs photos and bring the diary visually to life. Many photos clearly detail German tanks and vehicles, also his fellow crew members of his tank, and his comrades in his regiment, many of whom are killed in action giving the book an added poignancy. This book is a valuable addition to the military history of the Eastern Front and as a personal diary account of a combatant brings a freshness to the subject. Many historians in this area get bogged down with the stategic arguments and history of these campaigns. That is natural and relevent of course but quite often removes the human element and one becomes embroiled in numbers and statistics thus forgetting that those numbers are flesh and blood. Erichs diary makes one feel for and remember that these were real people who fought and died in a war of great brutality, but also that there were moments of laughter and happiness. As the decades pass and veterans fade away diaries like Erichs are an important testament to those young men who endured and suffered in the crucible of war. I have read a number of diaries from Napoleonic to ww2 and can certainly say that is one of the most engaging and interesting. I would highly recommend this book to any student of the Eastern Front and indeed WW2, and essential reading for those interested in the Panzer formations. (Amazon).
- Variant Title
- Erich Hager with the 17th Panzer Division on the Russian front 1941-1945
- Series
- Schiffer military history book
Schiffer military history book.
- Format
- Book
- Author/Creator
- Hager, Erich, 1922-2003.
- Published
- Atglen, PA : Schiffer Military History, [2010]
©2010
- Locale
- Austria
Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War (1939-1945))
- Contents
-
Pre-war and Reichsarbeitsdienst service
Army service pre-Barbarossa
The S?tterlin Diary, 5 June to 18 July 1941
The S?tterlin Diary. 18 July to 18 December 1941
The S?tterlin Diary, 19 December 1941 to 29 January 1942
The S?tterlin Diary, 30 January 1942 to 16 March 1942
Diary, 17 March to 9 June 1942
Diary, 10 June to 11 August 1942
Diary, 11 August to 26 December 1942
Diary, 27 December 1942 to 31 December 1943
Diary, 12 April to 9 June 1944
Diary, 2 July to 13 September 1944
Diary, 14 September to 30 November 1944
Diary, 1 December 1944 to 28 January 1945
Erich's ladies and post war
War record of 17. Panzer Division.
- Other Authors/Editors
- Andrew, Kenneth.
Garden, David.
- Notes
-
Includes bibliographical references (page 224).
Pre-war and Reichsarbeitsdienst service -- Army service pre-Barbarossa -- The S?tterlin Diary, 5 June to 18 July 1941 -- The S?tterlin Diary. 18 July to 18 December 1941 -- The S?tterlin Diary, 19 December 1941 to 29 January 1942 -- The S?tterlin Diary, 30 January 1942 to 16 March 1942 -- Diary, 17 March to 9 June 1942 -- Diary, 10 June to 11 August 1942 -- Diary, 11 August to 26 December 1942 -- Diary, 27 December 1942 to 31 December 1943 -- Diary, 12 April to 9 June 1944 -- Diary, 2 July to 13 September 1944 -- Diary, 14 September to 30 November 1944 -- Diary, 1 December 1944 to 28 January 1945 -- Erich's ladies and post war -- War record of 17. Panzer Division.
