D DAY Through German Eyes

The Hidden Story of June 6th 1944

By: Holger Eckhertz

Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan

Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

This is the hidden side of D-Day which has fascinated readers/listeners around the world.

Almost all accounts of D-Day are told from the Allied perspective, with the emphasis on how German resistance was overcome on June 6, 1944. But what was it like to be a German soldier in the bunkers and gun emplacements of the Normandy coast, facing the onslaught of the mightiest seaborne invasion in history? What motivated the German defenders, what were their thought processes - and how did they fight from one strong point to another, among the dunes and fields, on that first cataclysmic day? What were their experiences on facing the tanks, the flamethrowers and the devastating air superiority of the Allies?

This book sheds fascinating light on these questions, bringing together statements made by German survivors after the war, when time had allowed them to reflect on their state of mind, their actions and their choices of June 6. We see a perspective of D-Day which deserves to be added to the historical record, in which ordinary German troops struggled to make sense of the onslaught that was facing them, and emerged stunned at the weaponry and sheer determination of the Allied soldiers. We see, too, how the Germans fought in the great coastal bunkers, perceived as impregnable fortresses, but in reality often becoming tombs for their crews. Above all, we now have the unheard human voices of the individual German soldiers - the men who are so often portrayed as a faceless mass.

©2015 Holger Eckhertz (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Great story, but the accent...

How silly to narrate the book with a german accent. If the story wasn't so good, I would have given up.

A great account from German eyes!

I have seen and read so many accounts of D-Day through the allied perspective, and often wondered what it was like being on the other side. This book illustrates that exact thing from the POV of a few German soldiers on various beaches throughout Normandy. I wish there were more accounts in the book, which is the only negative I have to say. Overall, a great book!

A different lens through which to see D-Day

I loved this book. My father was there. I heard his stories. I have been there as a tourist.
This is a set of fascinating interviews for anyone interested in this topic.
Very well done.

Great book

A well documented oral history of WWII that provides more than an eye witness account. It touches on the individual perspective of a few soldiers and their reasons to believe in Germany’s cause.

So important to remember

This book is so important because it reminds us how horrible war is. The German accent was a little distracting. Still very worth listening to. Very thought-provoking.

new voices on an old story

really enjoyed this narrative, very interesting to hear from the other side, the things the Germans found interesting really interested me.

What a difference a (D) day makes.

I found these accounts incredibly informative as to a mindset I previously had not understood. Part of the German propaganda in World War II was convincing their population and fighting forces that at least one of the reasons they were involved with this war was to unify and protect Europe against outside non-european aggressors. From these accounts it appears that that propaganda was very successful and to many of these soldiers it sounds as if they were convinced they were involved in a virtuous act. The other thing I found interesting was were several of the German soldiers mentioned how they were surprised by the determination and hatred of the troops opposing them. One German Soldier in particular questions why another man of similar background and same race would have such hatred towards the Germans. I find this German perspective surprising and informative. Surprising because after the toll of the Blitz in London and many other horrors wrought on the world by the German army during the first several years of World War II that this sort of aggressive hatred by the Allied troops would be a surprise. I think it speaks to again the self-image of the German soldiers at this time and their belief that they were on the right side of history. That viewpoint point and mindset is anathema and hardly understandable too many of us who view the war much differently.

a very detailed very from a different prospective.

a very detailed very from a different prospective. more details of individual accounts of combat.

Awesome!

This was an awesome story. I have listened to many ww2 books, but never one from the German point of view. I highly recommend this book.

Other point of view

My father and a number of relatives fought in the Normandy campaign in the US Army and Army Air Force in 1944. Thus it was interesting to hear from the German point of view that they, the Wehrmacht, were fighting for Europe. The author, a German journalist during the war, interviewed five veterans who defended their respective areas ( known to the allies as Juno, Gold, Sword, Utah and Omaha beaches). Ten years had passed since the end of the war, so their memories were still very fresh, and their narrations are full of details. Their stories are fascinating to hear, and I recommend this book.