Blood Red Snow

The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front

By: Günter K. Koschorrek

Narrated by: Nigel Patterson

Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Gunter Koschorrek wrote his illicit diary on any scraps of paper he could lay his hands on. As keeping a diary was strictly forbidden, he sewed the pages into the lining of his thick winter coat and deposited them with his mother on infrequent trips home on leave. The diary went missing, and it was when he was reunited with his daughter in America some 40 years later that it came to light and became Blood Red Snow.

The author was a keen recruit at initial training, and his excitement at the first encounter with the enemy in the Russian Steppe is obvious. The horror and confusion of fighting in the streets of Stalingrad are brought to life by his descriptions of the others in his unit; their differing manners and techniques for dealing with the squalor and death. He is also posted to Romania and Italy, assignments he remembers fondly compared to his time on the Eastern Front.

This book stands as a memorial to the huge numbers on both sides who did not survive and is, over five decades later, the fulfillment of a responsibility he feels to honor the memory of those who perished. Gunter K. Koschorrek was a machine-gunner on the Russian front in WWII. He lives in Germany, having retired from his job as managing director of a sales company.

©2002 Greenhill Books (P)2018 Tantor

Great Book

Liked the story from a grunts point of view on the Eastern Front. Narrator was good except the English accent. Thought a German accent would have been more realistic but maybe too hard to understand?

Best Eastern front book I have ever read.

this is the story of the average soldier in a hellish war and his inner dialogue shows he is not a nazi fanatic but rather a foot soldier, a very lucky one at that.

powerful

It was a good book start to finish. An eye opener of the struggles of war.

Wow

Amazing first person account of the Eastern front. As an American I found myself rooting for this German soldier and his friends. Crazy how war can put good people against other good people, while it's the monsters who start the war who are to blame.

well written, good story

one of the few survivors of combat on the russian front...an MG-42 gunner at that! not many survived. very entertaining

Just a great story!

As is listening to a story from your Uncle or, Grandpa. Takes you on a trip to the front. Brings the reader into depths of war and, all of the suffering.

Amazing book

Had an awesome time listenning to this book, the story is very intresting and well told. Highly recommand getting this book.

Perspectives of the conscripted.

The perspective of a normal MG gunner on the eastern front. What a story it is.

Worth the read

True to the title…a soldiers tale of reality in war from the Germans perspective on the eastern front.

A book that shows you that not all German soldiers were radicals

Oh one of the best stories I’ve heard in a long time. my grandfather German soldiers were just like regular American soldiers only the assets and other radical members were the bad people your average foot soldier in the German army care for their comrades fight for their home and showed great patriotism further country just like an American soldier would’ve done