Breakout At Stalingrad - Heinrich Gerlach

This review has been submitted to British Army Review.

Title: Breakout At Stalingrad

Author: Heinrich Gerlach

ISBN: 978-1-7866-9062-3

Publisher: Apollo

Year: 2018

Hardcover

Pages: 707

The story behind the writing and publication of this novel is in fact a story unto itself. The author, Heinrich Gerlach, was a German soldier captured after the surrender of Stalingrad in February, 1943. He remained in Soviet captivity until 1950. During that time he gathered the stories of a number of fellow Stalingrad survivors including some of the most senior ranking officers. He then drafted his 600 page manuscript in secret between 1943-1945 while in captivity. The novel is not an autobiography but he is represented in the book as Lt Breuer, an Intelligence Officer with an armoured unit.

Gerlach wrote this book as a testament to the German Landser (soldier) and their experiences in the Stalingrad pocket. It is an intimate and raw narrative. Every aspect of their lives and trials is articulated through the books characters. This is not about strategy, tactics or the good or bad elements of the war; it is a story about men trapped in a tightening noose and their reactions to that environment. He is able to accurately relate, to those who may only appreciate the reflection of the horrors of Stalingrad, the agony of the 6^th Army as it gradually but inexorably deteriorated from a professional fighting force into a starving mob, scrabbling for survival. Gerlach is able to relate the best and worst of the human condition, stressed beyond imagination.

The author drafted his manuscript as a means of dealing with the nightmare that he and hundreds of thousands of his comrades had endured; that he was able to undertake this task so soon after the event further enhances the poignancy of the account. While the characters may be amalgamations of numerous people, the environment is accurate and horrific.

The story itself follows a section of soldiers, each with their own perspective on the war and the Nazi regime. Each character is well developed within the context of the Stalingrad environs and the struggle each has internally and externally; as the battle unfolds and becomes more desperate, this struggle is both realistic and thought provoking. The reader can easily find themselves psychologically embedded with the characters in the book.

This was fascinating book to read, coming from an author who personally experienced the narrative he created. It flows well and it is easy to lose track of time as one becomes drawn into the story. The addition of the addendum explaining the background of the novel and its transition from Soviet hands back into German in 2011 is very unique. This is a strong story with an affecting narrative that reminds one of Guy Sajer’s: The Forgotten Soldier. It is well worth an in-depth read.