With The German Guns

[andigger]

I was just curious if any of the Pals had read this book. All I know is that was written by a german soldier (maybe officer) who fought all four years with the artillery. It appears that by the time the Second WW came around he had switched sides and fought with the British Army. Seems interesting...... Andy

[paul guthrie]

Swtiched side? He was a Jew. Who switched? It is a good book, certainly not 1 of the classics but worthwhile.

[Robert Dunlop]

I was just curious if any of the Pals had read this book.

Yes Andy. There are a couple of threads on this book in this section.

Robert

[BlackSeptember1918]

I also thought the book was a great read . The first 3/4 seemed very much as a diary , although I wondered if the last 1/4 was much more a mixture of diary and later reflections on the time . The " stab in the back theory " seemed to be present in some forms . The author certainly had the luck of the irish , in some respects . Going throught the war without being " physically " injured , and then escaping the persecusion of jews . My thoughts throughout the whole book and from reading about his life after the war certainly made me think he was a good man

Phil.

[Justin Moretti]

The " stab in the back theory " seemed to be present in some forms.

I guess if you were a front line German soldier whose nation had run up the white flag while you personally felt you could go on, you'd feel entitled to think that way. The fact that he came through unwounded might certainly encourage him to want to fight on... but everyone's luck runs out sometime, and had it all continued into 1919, his might have.

[andigger]

I am reading through the book and came across a quote I had to share.... Not because it was unique, but because across the near century it is great to see that some parts of our human experience have not changed.

18 Jan 1918 "My birthday is of course celebrated in a highly liquid fashion." Herbert Sulzbach

[Guest woodyudet]

Very good book. He won both the Iron Cross in WW1 for the Germans and the MC for the British in WW2.

[egbert]

Swtiched side? He was a Jew. Who switched? .

Of course Herbert Sulzbach switched sides.

Has nothing to do with being a Jew.

I also call the Iraqi officer who fought the US in the first desert war and later fought with the US against Iraqi regime and countrymen a soldier who SWITCHED sides. (He was forced to leave his country because of Saddam- tyranny due to his minority origin).

I also call the German officer who fought the Russians in WW2 and later fought with the Russians against German regime and countrymen a soldier who SWITCHED sides. (He was not forced to leave his country, but being a member of Comintern it was easier to be on the winner’s side than being in a PoW for another14 years).

These individuals had their very own reasons to join another Army - it is an individual decision, but fact is: they were surely not forced to fight for another Army -they switched voluntarily; I do not dispute their individual decision

P.S. Herbert Sulzbach SWITCHED sides 2 times: first from German to British side and after WW2 second time and became a government official in German Attachee service