The Forgotten Soldier

Gentlemen and Ladies,

Has anyone here read this book? If so can you please leave the impression the book left you with. I'd like to see what other members of these hallowed halls thought of it.


Thank you,

Bill

 

Slip, Dear Lad,

Have you read the Forgotten Soldier?

Yours,

Bill

 

S_ _RCH B_TT_N

"I'd like to buy a vowel please Pat"

 

See, I'd read that the publisher allowed some Historian to contact Mr. Sajer about the book(As he is/was somewhat of a Recluse). The Historian in question did meet him and discuss his past and some of the historical inaccuracies of the book. Apparently some of it was lost in translation, and other things of that nature. I'll have to look this article up again, but various member of the Gross Duetschland remember a Sajer too.(According to this historian who interviewed quite a few of them to figure out if Sajer account was fiction or not.)

(If anyone ever proves that it is fiction beyond a doubt, well it was one hell of a story.)

Yours,

Bill

 

If there were a prize for the Most Discussed WWII Book on these forums, there'd be no contest !

Just for the record, I recently re-read 'The Forgotten Soldier' having, like Slipdigit, first read it about 15 years ago. Whether fact ot (part) fiction, it's still a very powerful 'read'......

 

Read and liked it. Don't take it as complete and utterly true history though. Memoirs seldom get everything right.

 

How about merging all the Sajer threads?
Or maybe just replacing them with a single post:

"Rather good book, but serious doubts as to it's complete authenticity that will likely never be fully settled no matter how long the circular Internet discussion on every WW2 forum & website goes on".

That ought to cover it...

~A

 

Bloody outstanding idea Mr. Poop.

Yours,

Bill

 

It is a very powerful book. I've done a fair bit of reading about it and for what's it worth I conclude that Sajer (not his current name) was basically the real deal. It seems clear he did serve in Russia and he states things that indicate he was definately in certain places and at certain times. At other times though there is no documentory evidence to support him being where he said. Some other problems, like getting weapons and badge places wrong, doesn't worry me too much. I can't remember much stuff along these lines either and I served as an adult with an interest in such things. If anything discrepancies on this stuff add to the ring of legitimacy.

Historian Douglas Nash who writes excellent books on the Eastern Front has met and believes him. Sajer himself doesn't claim everything happened exactly as is written. Personally I accept most of it to be as reliable as any other memoir. He doesn't big-note himself and certainly doesn't portray himself as a hero - almost the opposite in fact. Millions of men fought the Russians on the Eastern Front, it isn't hard to accept that Sajer was one of them.