In his latest novel, "Beneath the Snows of Stalingrad", Mr. Irgang tells the story of World War II from the German point of view. Told through the experiences of three young Germans, this novel is particularly effective in drawing the reader into the inner workings of his characters. By the time the novel ends, the reader has lived their lives and seen the horrors of war through these three young people. The characters are wonderfully drawn, with great depth. The situations are plausible and emotionally taut. Mr. Irgang tells of their daily lives, their hopes and fears, not just about the days when the bullets fly, and so the reader gets the feel for the rhythms of their lives. This only serves to heighten the drama near the end of the book, when they are participating in, and witnessing, the final collapse of Hitler's Reich. Mr. Irgang traveled to the sites in his novel, and conducted a great deal of research. As such, it has a great deal of importance as a historical novel. He writes of war as only a man who has seen a lot of it can. His meticulous details of battlefields and patrols and death put the reader there as very few books can.
The theme, that an entire generation of young men and women are betrayed by fate and robbed of their futures, is one we would do well to heed today. How many vibrant young souls still lie under the snows of Stalingrad today, in unmarked mass graves, because of the madness of the Nazi regime? I recommend this book very highly. More now than ever, it is important for people to read about the human consequences of war, and to pray for peace.
After the war, Dr. Irgang (the author) travelled extensively through Eastern Europe and the USSR (Russia) to become well acquainted and informed about the Germans battle for Stalingrad. His personal experiences in combat gave him an advantage over other would be authors who might have tackled the story of the greatest military disaster in our time
Not only does Irgang tell a wonderful story but he tells it with a touch of warmth in relating the human side of the Germans and true grit when discussing the Russian tactics and concerns. His command of the English language makes it possible for one to read and understand a completely foreign story.
For a great book for either personal use or as a gift to any veteran of WWII I strongly recommend "Beneath the Snows of Stalingrad".
Erich Stecker is an aspiring doctor from the small Bavarian village of Holzheim; he is engaged to nursing student Maria Juergens. However, their personal plans are interrupted by Hitler?s invasion of Poland. Because of the tide of nationalism and egotistical ambitions of a despotic dictator, fate ultimately overcomes the future Erich has planned for himself, Maria, and their families in peaceful, pastoral Holzheim.
Maria becomes a member of the Army Nurse Corps. Erich is selected for Hitler?s Special Forces, the Deathhead Brigade. The soldiers are ordered to assist the German Sixth Army in capturing Stalingrad, a contest between the egos of two tyrannical dictators which proves to be one of the worst warfare experiences in history.