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D DAY Through German Eyes - The Hidden Story of June 6th 1944 Paperback – November 4, 2016

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,871 ratings

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This new paperback edition contains Book One and Book Two of this series, revealing the hidden side of D Day which has fascinated readers around the world.

Almost all accounts of D Day are told from the Allied perspective. But what was it like to be a German soldier in the bunkers of the Normandy coast, facing the onslaught of the mightiest invasion in history? What motivated the German defenders, what were their thought processes - and how did they fight from one strong point to another, among the dunes and fields, on that first cataclysmic day?

This book sheds fascinating light on these questions, bringing together statements made by German survivors after the war, when time had allowed them to reflect on their state of mind, their actions and their choices of June 6th. We see a perspective of D Day which deserves to be added to the historical record, in which ordinary German troops struggled to make sense of what was facing them, and emerged stunned at the weaponry and sheer determination of the Allied troops. Above all, we now have the unheard human voices of the individual German soldiers - the men who are so often portrayed as a faceless mass.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

'D Day Through German Eyes' presents the transcripts of interviews which my grandfather carried out with German veterans in 1954, on the tenth anniversary of D Day. These were German soldiers, engineers and Luftwaffe men who had experienced the opening hours of the Normandy beach landings, and they were able to recall those cataclysmic events in detail.

My grandfather had been a German propaganda journalist in 1944, and had visited the Atlantic Wall under construction. He was also a veteran of the German Army in World War One, and so his background enabled him to build a strong rapport with the interviewees, many of whom had not spoken of their experiences even with their own families.

The result is a series of interviews which reveal not only the desperate reactions of German soldiers to the Allied onslaught, but also the surprising mix of motivations which drove them.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 4, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 438 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1539586391
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1539586395
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.99 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,871 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
1,871 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book interesting, engrossing, and exceptional. They say it provides an absolutely fascinating insight into how human beings face challenges. Readers describe the writing style as well-written, easy to read, and informative. They appreciate the candid, sensational first-person accounts. Opinions differ on the narrative quality, with some finding it dramatic and good, while others say it's not very exciting and not a continuous story.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

189 customers mention "Readability"186 positive3 negative

Customers find the book interesting, exceptional, and highly engrossing. They say the stories are unbelievable, entertaining, and rewarding for WWII enthusiasts. Readers also mention it's informative and a splendid job by the grandson of the man who took the original notes.

"...These stories did just that and was as entertaining as it was enlightening." Read more

"This is a genuinely remarkable book. Very incredible. It seems to me to be an essential document for fully understanding D Day." Read more

"...machine," I found this unique, intriguing, fascinating book totally awesome...." Read more

"...It's very well presented, and a great read...." Read more

151 customers mention "Insight"151 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating, eye-opening, and interesting. They say it provides a remarkably human perspective from the German side and a tremendous understanding of D-Day from a German perspective. Readers also mention the book does a great job at describing the motivation of the German forces.

"...This book was very helpful to me." Read more

"...era, this is still a "Must Buy" book as it provides an absolutely fascinating insight into how human beings face being in combat...." Read more

"...This brief book offers valuable insight into those now nearly gone solider stories...." Read more

"Very interesting to see a description from the other side and what was coming at them." Read more

30 customers mention "Writing style"26 positive4 negative

Customers find the writing style well-written, easy to read, and informative. They also say it's good from the other side.

"...A quick read, well written. Regardless of the Allied books you've read, you will get a new perspective." Read more

"...Excellent format and superb writing.Thanks,Mark" Read more

"...Very easy to read" Read more

"Well written clear account of what it was like to be a defender of the Atlantic Wall on D-Day...." Read more

25 customers mention "Interview quality"18 positive7 negative

Customers find the interviews in the book good, candid, and sensational. They also say the writing is incredible and the book provides a good insight into the average Joe.

"...one who was stationed in Germany during the Cold War, it was interesting to read frank and honest rendition of these soldiers' experiences...." Read more

"...The details were at times very graphic, and brutally honest in a sense...." Read more

"...The "interviews" are largely vague but the hoax is undone by the author's incorporation of details that can be checked...." Read more

"...The truly thought provoking interviews that the had with men both before and after the sad events that took place on June 6, 1944 in northwestern..." Read more

17 customers mention "Account quality"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the accounts in the book great, descriptive, and unflinching. They say it provides an unflinching account of the German response to the Allied invasion. Readers also mention the book is the only collection of complete first-person accounts from the German side.

"...Autobiographical accounts are being published now, and support the largely ignored historical accounts. ‘The victor writes the history.’" Read more

"...from Commie aggression. The entire book is filled with detailed accounts of personal level encounters...." Read more

"...I enjoy history and military history. This is one of the best first person accounts I have read...." Read more

"Wow! what a great front line personal account from the Germans perspective...." Read more

33 customers mention "Narrative quality"20 positive13 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the narrative quality of the book. Some mention it's dramatic, gripping, and realistic. Others say the stories are not very exciting, not continuous, and there is significant repetition in descriptions of events.

"...The attitude of ordinary German soldiers during this pivotal fighting is also quite remarkable." Read more

"...Many of the stories simply didnt ring true to me. On one hand it was flooded with too many details, yet almost completely void of real information...." Read more

"...The details were at times very graphic, and brutally honest in a sense...." Read more

"...The stories told are enlightening, unbelievable and sometimes just straight up terrifying! I would recommend this book to any history buff...." Read more

The most fascinating first person account book you'll EVER read about - and by - the German soldier in Normandy in 1944
5 out of 5 stars
The most fascinating first person account book you'll EVER read about - and by - the German soldier in Normandy in 1944
As a longtime travel journalist, and someone who was born in London back in the days when Great Britain was fighting for her life (WW2!) and because I've always been, well, "mesmerized" by various aspects of the Nazi "military machine," I found this unique, intriguing, fascinating book totally awesome. I have countless books about WW2, and almost 98% of them are written from the British, American and Canadian point of view. Few are written about the German/Nazi view. To have a book like this in one's collection is a goldmine. The fact that these ARE first hand, unvarnished words from soldiers who were ACTUALLY there, is priceless. A cliché phrase for sure, but this riveting book is a "page turner." I read it cover to cover in 3 days. As it encompasses mostly the events in Normandy, it was for me as mesmerizing as a flickering neon sign, because as a journalist I've been to Normandy 5 times. There's another aspect to this brilliant book that makes it even more compelling - the words and thoughts comes from military men TEN years AFTER the event. Why is that important? Well, it gives the person relating his experiences, 10 years to think about and in many cases VIVIDLY remember, how awful, terrible and beyond comprehension, the fight was. How "mentally disturbing" it is to come face-to-face with the enemy, and know it is either you or him. Even if you are not interested in WW2, and even if you don't like the German military of that era, this is still a "Must Buy" book as it provides an absolutely fascinating insight into how human beings face being in combat. I wish there were many more books like this. My photo shows French schoolchildren visiting the famous Pointe du Hoc - June, 2004
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2024
My father was a WWII Veteran and served nearly five years in the 29th Infantry. He would never speak about that war with the family, and I have always desired to know and to understand what he went through over there. This book was very helpful to me.
Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2024
I was always curious what the German army experienced on DDay and the war in general. These stories did just that and was as entertaining as it was enlightening.
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2024
I liked reading about the invasion on D-Day from the experiences of the average German soldier. If you love WW2 history this book is for you.
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2024
This is a genuinely remarkable book. Very incredible. It seems to me to be an essential document for fully understanding D Day.
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2017
As a longtime travel journalist, and someone who was born in London back in the days when Great Britain was fighting for her life (WW2!) and because I've always been, well, "mesmerized" by various aspects of the Nazi "military machine," I found this unique, intriguing, fascinating book totally awesome. I have countless books about WW2, and almost 98% of them are written from the British, American and Canadian point of view. Few are written about the German/Nazi view. To have a book like this in one's collection is a goldmine. The fact that these ARE first hand, unvarnished words from soldiers who were ACTUALLY there, is priceless. A cliché phrase for sure, but this riveting book is a "page turner." I read it cover to cover in 3 days. As it encompasses mostly the events in Normandy, it was for me as mesmerizing as a flickering neon sign, because as a journalist I've been to Normandy 5 times. There's another aspect to this brilliant book that makes it even more compelling - the words and thoughts comes from military men TEN years AFTER the event. Why is that important? Well, it gives the person relating his experiences, 10 years to think about and in many cases VIVIDLY remember, how awful, terrible and beyond comprehension, the fight was. How "mentally disturbing" it is to come face-to-face with the enemy, and know it is either you or him. Even if you are not interested in WW2, and even if you don't like the German military of that era, this is still a "Must Buy" book as it provides an absolutely fascinating insight into how human beings face being in combat. I wish there were many more books like this. My photo shows French schoolchildren visiting the famous Pointe du Hoc - June, 2004
Customer image
5.0 out of 5 stars The most fascinating first person account book you'll EVER read about - and by - the German soldier in Normandy in 1944
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2017
As a longtime travel journalist, and someone who was born in London back in the days when Great Britain was fighting for her life (WW2!) and because I've always been, well, "mesmerized" by various aspects of the Nazi "military machine," I found this unique, intriguing, fascinating book totally awesome. I have countless books about WW2, and almost 98% of them are written from the British, American and Canadian point of view. Few are written about the German/Nazi view. To have a book like this in one's collection is a goldmine. The fact that these ARE first hand, unvarnished words from soldiers who were ACTUALLY there, is priceless. A cliché phrase for sure, but this riveting book is a "page turner." I read it cover to cover in 3 days. As it encompasses mostly the events in Normandy, it was for me as mesmerizing as a flickering neon sign, because as a journalist I've been to Normandy 5 times. There's another aspect to this brilliant book that makes it even more compelling - the words and thoughts comes from military men TEN years AFTER the event. Why is that important? Well, it gives the person relating his experiences, 10 years to think about and in many cases VIVIDLY remember, how awful, terrible and beyond comprehension, the fight was. How "mentally disturbing" it is to come face-to-face with the enemy, and know it is either you or him. Even if you are not interested in WW2, and even if you don't like the German military of that era, this is still a "Must Buy" book as it provides an absolutely fascinating insight into how human beings face being in combat. I wish there were many more books like this. My photo shows French schoolchildren visiting the famous Pointe du Hoc - June, 2004
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Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2019
Considering the time (1950’s) when these second interviews were collected, and the earlier contact of the original author and the German Veterans, I find the content totally helpful at understanding just how I’ll prepared the Germans were. I suspect there are people who might find the fact that the Germans were rather depleted and unstaffed with former WW1 veterans, and those wounded and disfigured by the Eastern Front an affront to the horrors experienced at the Western Wall. And the fact that many Russian POWs switch sides to defend the WesternnWall. Even Rommel wondered what skin they really had in such a fight, yet their capture appears to have led to their deaths in Russia. However, clearly the war for Germany was lost on the Eastern Front, and readers should now look at the many books that have recently been written on that topic. The US clearly supplied Russia (USSR) (lend-lease) with material that helped the Russians before and after Stalingrad. The real Russian losses far eclipse the US and the allies. Russians had a ten to one German ratio much of the war following Stalingrad. Millions died or were lost to the cold and poor supplies. The Clash of Tetons, offers numerical support for the comparison of German and Russian KIAs, wounded, POWs, and generally lost in action statistics. Accounting was not important to the Russians, yet they paid the biggest price of WW2.
This brief book offers valuable insight into those now nearly gone solider stories. Autobiographical accounts are being published now, and support the largely ignored historical accounts. ‘The victor writes the history.’
3 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2024
German primary narratives of the history of D Day defenders are fairly rare. This book tracks accounts of German D Day defenders collected post war- in the late 40's early 50's. They are diverse in description, with a few little known details and a couple of unsolved mysteries. It's very well presented, and a great read. As a historian I will keep this with other American and British and Canadian primary accounts of individuals in the assault of Fortress Europe. You'll find the German attitudes about the 'invasion' to be quite revealing.
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2024
Very interesting to see a description from the other side and what was coming at them.

Top reviews from other countries

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Guillermo Bosch Canto
5.0 out of 5 stars Otra mirada
Reviewed in Mexico on July 30, 2024
excelente libro
Sergio de Oliveira
5.0 out of 5 stars How is was from the other side,
Reviewed in Brazil on February 13, 2021
This book shows the life of German soldiers durin D-Day. and also there is one very interesting enterview were one German Veteran explain a kind of secret weapon, that was by a luck shot destroied before used.
Good reading
B. Preuschoff
4.0 out of 5 stars Interessanter Blickwinkel, der vieles offenbart...
Reviewed in Germany on July 14, 2019
...was man sonst nicht oft liest - aber auch oftmals den Leser nachdenklich zurücklässt.

In der Tat kommt es eher selten vor, daß man deutsche Zeugen zur Landung in der Normandie liest. Der Autor hat hier mit viel Kleinarbeit eine Zusammenfassung geschaffen, welche Zeitzeugen unterschiedlichster Herkunft und Waffengattungen zu Wort kommen lässt. Dies ergibt verschiedene klare Linien durch alle Berichte hinweg, aber auch verblüffende Einzelschicksale treten auf - und manche Sichtweise lässt den Leser doch fragend zurück, wenn erkennbar ist, wie unterschiedlich doch die Erlebnisse im Nachinein verarbeitet und vor allem bewertet wurden.

FAZIT:
Für alle Interessierten am Thema eine gute Ergänzung zu anderen Werken, die einen eher unbekannten Blickwinkel eröffnet.
A. Horner
5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 29, 2019
I’m a bit of a war buff, particularly WW2. I think it stems from my military background – 26 years in the Royal Artillery. I’ve read many books but this puts a whole new slant on it. Everything I’ve ever read or seen is from the British or Allies perspective and to read about the German point of view is nothing short of extraordinary.

This work was actually created by Dieter Eckhertz, who was a military journalist during the war, and after his death his grandson, Holger, has completed the book. Book one is a series of five interviews, one from each beach, of a German soldier who was in a key position on D Day. That does not mean an officer, or key person, but someone who was in the thick of the fighting. Eckhertz also must have sought out articulate, clear thinking people. Book two is a series of eight interviews of personnel in specific jobs, not necessarily about precise beaches. All interviews for both books were completed a few years after the event so the subjects needed to recall their experiences clearly. I think that had I experienced what these men went through I’d never forget it either.

Two things struck me about the testimonies. First was the absolute belief that these men were protecting not just the Reich, but the whole of Europe, from American and English aggression. (The word “English” is used throughout but refers to anything “British”). Indeed, one of those interviewed talks of the St Nazaire raid in terms of the massacre of a large number of unarmed German officers and French civilians. He thought it was a war crime while the British perspective was that it was a Commando success and had the desired effect. The same man, when asked if he had any feelings for the group of soldiers he had just machine-gunned says “I felt numb, but at the same time, let us remind ourselves, we the Germans were not attacking England! We were not invading America! It was the Allies attacking France, and we were there to defend the country against their assault.” It’s all a matter of perspective.

The second thing is the absolute ferocity of the attacks. These Germans, in well prepared defences, certainly managed to inflict heavy casualties on the Allies, but they were totally overwhelmed by the bombardment from ships, the total air power and the tenacity of the ground troops. Each describes in vivid detail the effect on their own comrades, the type of wounds inflicted and the destruction of many of their colleagues who were virtually vaporised. They also talk about the mental state of the defending forces during the attack which ranged from the die-hard to those who wanted to surrender immediately. The defenders were in awe of some of the weaponry deployed by the Allies and they speak highly of the absolute power thrown against them. The use of flame throwers, particularly the Cromwell “Crocodile” tank, and the effect it had on the German defenders, is described in vivid detail.

An interesting comment was made by one German about the lack of horses. He says “We found it astonishing. This huge army had brought with it not a single horse or pack-mule. All their transport was mechanical and this impressed us greatly. It showed that the Allies had no need of horses anymore because they had such huge oil reserves and production capacity.”

I found this book to be a mine of information and a must-read for any serious WW2 student. It’s also terrifying and eloquently demonstrates that war is nothing like you see in the cinema or on TV.
José Manuel
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in Spain on December 6, 2018
Easy reading. I have read a lot about the matter but I enjoyed this book.