Book Review on Blood Red Snow
Blood Red Snow, by Gunter K. Koschorrek is a graphic rendition of the German War in the Eastern front, which began in 1942. Koschorrek is a former German soldier who kept a frequent account of his experience in the steppes of Russia and the advancement of the German battalion in Stalingrad. Written as a memoir, Koschorrek’s writing serves as a first hand account of the tank and cavalry warfare in the Eastern front. Rather than glorifying the heroic aspects of death and destruction in war, Koschorrek’s strives to give a realistic account of the bitter struggle and retreat of the German army during World War II. His documentation of his experiences in Blood Red Snow serves as a tribute to the survivors as well as the fallen soldiers of the war. Koschorreck’s detailed report on the routine of his and his compatriots’ daily lives demonstrate his purpose in conveying the true struggles of the German army which became primarily concerned with survival rather than glory mongering for the nation. Gunter K. Koschorrek’s memoir Blood Red Snow, serves as a perfect example of how soldiers become disassociated with the strategies and reasoning for a war but continue to fight in order to survive and in order to protect the troops they fought along with. Gunter K. Koschorrek began his journey on a train to Stalingrad, on October of 1942 as an optimistic new recruit specializing in machine gun operation and part of the 1st Battalion, 21st Panzergrenadier Regiment that belonged to the 24th Panzer Tank Division. From the fervor and initial excitement of the troops, one can assume that the German soldiers were especially eager to go to war and fight for the pure sake of demonstrating their skills. Spurred by German propaganda and motivated by impassioned speeches of victory and success in battle, the replacement soldiers began their journey to war as delusional and often hard headed warriors, bent on proving their capabilities. After repeated attacks from Soviet aircrafts known