In Deadly Combat

A German Soldier's Memoir of the Eastern Front

By: Gottlob Herbert Bidermann, Derek S. Zumbro - translator

Narrated by: Paul Woodson

Length: 13 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Wounded five times and awarded numerous decorations for valor, Gottlob Herbert Bidermann saw action in the Crimea and siege of Sebastopol, participated in the vicious battles in the forests south of Leningrad, and ended the war in the Courland Pocket.

In his memoir, he shares his impressions of countless Russian POWs seen at the outset of his service, of peasants struggling to survive the hostilities while caught between two ruthless antagonists, and of corpses littering the landscape. He recalls a Christmas gift of gingerbread from home that overcame the stench of battle, an Easter celebrated with a basket of Russian hand grenades for eggs, and his miraculous survival of machine gun fire at close range. In closing, he relives the humiliation of surrender to an enemy whom the Germans had once derided and offers a sobering glimpse into life in the Soviet gulags. Bidermann's account debunks the myth of a highly mechanized German army that rolled over weaker opponents with impunity.

Despite the vast expanses of territory captured by the Germans during the early months of Operation Barbarossa, the war with Russia remained tenuous and unforgiving. His story commits that living hell to the annals of World War II and broadens our understanding of its most deadly combat zone.

©2000 The University Press of Kansas (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Stands head and shoulders above the many other books in this genre. Bidermann's style is crisp, succinct, and lucid and Zumbro has done a great job of translating." (David Glantz, coauthor of The Battle of Kursk)

Hearing the WWII story from a German soldier is great

After reading many books by former German soldiers, and trying to understand how they could continue fighting a lost war still is impenetrable to me.
We should really be aware that our human mind is self destructive if brought under some conditions, and that killing other humans in high quantity seems to become accepted by us as, paradoxically a way to survive.

In deadly combat.

Whilst the life of the ordinary soldier is well depicted, in all its horror and brutality, I felt there was insufficient introspection about the odious cause Bidermann fought for. He seemed to be an intelligent man, and must have known about the racial policies and genocidal nature of the Nazi regime. Maybe he just couldn’t face up to the awful reality, of which he was a willing part.

Excellent history of a group of German soldiers in WW2

Outstanding history of a German soldier experience during WW2 from the opening days of the war until his release from Soviet prison of war camp. Very interesting story from a German soldiers perspective.

Very detailed...

It is a matter of fact listen for any studious person of the Eastern front...

strong and enduring

a fascinating story that shows the professionalism, dedication and brotherhood of the wermacht during the horrors of war on the Eastern front.

Real story of the eastern front

This is the honest story of what was probably the most prolonged and bitter combat of all time. Riveting and sobering, dovetails well with Stalingrad and The Fall of Berlin.

Excellent combat memoir

I’ll admit it took quite a while for me to get to this memoir despite the amazing reviews. My issue was the narrator. After listening to other more emotionally charged narratives this wasn’t easy on my first go. However after listening to tigers in the mud (same narrator) it was speaking to hear another tale by the same narrator. This memoir is the total package however, the journey begins in southern Russia and the crimea. After their victory over the soviet fortress of Sevastopol he is transferred elsewhere. I don’t want to give the book away so I’ll leave it there. Simply an amazing tale in regard to his weaving together the human suffering of war. A war with all of its insensitive horrors and senseless death. This man was a patriot and I salute him. True the nazi party was evil. But to associate each INDIVIDUAL soldier as the nazi party incarnate is a historical error.

An epic story

A richly detailed and comprehensive memoir, well narrated. What an epic struggle it must have been

Excellent stpry from the Eastern Front

A gripping story from the German perspective. I found it difficult to hit the pause button from want of more

Excellent Narration

Would you listen to In Deadly Combat again? Why?

This book is very well narrated. There is plenty of detail regarding dates, times, and locations placed into this story to help the reader understand the overall picture while still leaving the majority of the book to be focused on the authors experiences and the war as he saw it. Good research seems to have been done into all the German military units during the authors time on the Russian front to accurately recount events in nearby areas and events of adjacent units which help clarify the overall picture. The author doesn't get political, place blame, or try to determine reasons why Germany or Hitler made the decisions they did. I believe it is important for people like the author to tell their story so others may learn.