Eastern Inferno: The Journals of a German Panzerjager on the Eastern Front 1941-43

The book "The Journal of Hans Roth: A German Soldier on the Eastern Front" presents the personal journals of a German soldier who participated in Operation Barbarossa and subsequent battles on the Eastern Front, offering a rare firsthand account of the combat experience of the German-Russian War.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 31 October 2022
Publisher: Casemate Publishers

This remarkable book presents the personal journals of a German soldier who played a significant role in Operation Barbarossa and subsequent battles on the Eastern Front. Hans Roth's experiences during the German-Russian War are vividly captured in his journals, offering a rare glimpse into the combat experiences of the era.

Roth was a member of the anti-tank (Panzerjäger) battalion, 299th Infantry Division, attached to Sixth Army, as the invasion of Russia began in 1941. Writing as events unfolded, he recorded the mystery and tension as the Germans deployed on the Soviet frontier. The invasion soon turned into a fierce firestorm as the Wehrmacht broke across the front. During the Kiev encirclement, Roth's unit faced constant attacks as the Soviets desperately tried to break through the German ring. At one point, a friend serving with the SS led him to a site where he witnessed civilians being massacred, which may have been the infamous Babi Yar.

After enduring a harsh winter against seemingly endless Russian reserves, Roth's division went on the offensive again, this time on the northern wing of Case Gelb, the German drive toward Stalingrad. In his journals, he describes attacks and counterattacks in remarkable detail, as if to keep himself sane and aware that his honest accounts of the horrors in the East would never pass through Wehrmacht censors.

As the Soviet counteroffensive of winter 1942 commenced, Roth's unit was stationed alongside the Italian 8th Army, and his observations of its collapse are particularly fascinating. Roth's journals, including original maps, some of which Roth himself helped compose, were recently discovered by his descendants. They arranged for the translation of their long-lost grandfather's journals, which have now been published for the first time.

Roth was able to bring three of his journals back to his wife during his captivity, and they provide a poignant testament to the human cost of war. His experiences during the German-Russian War serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers on both sides and the devastating impact of conflict on individuals and communities.

Weight: 186g
Dimension: 197 x 128 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781636242200