Mortar Gunner on the Eastern Front Volume I: From the Moscow Winter Offensive to Operation Zitadelle Kindle Edition

This was an Easy, Enjoyable Read of Certainly Horrific Times for all involved - the German & Red Army soldiers; and certainly the civilians, who if they aided or favorably interacted with the German soldiers, faced painful retribution from the Red Army after Germans were driven out!

This is a great book for anyone interested in the history of the Eastern Front of World War Two. Personal account from a frontline soldier.

I've literally read dozens of books which are first-hand German and Russian accounts of the war on the Eastern Front. So far, this is one of the best. Unlike some memoirs "Mortar Gunner on the Eastern Front", is written without any ideological judgments. The author's experiences come strictly from his diary and have a ring of unadulterated authenticity to them. Following the exact locations he was at were usually (but not always) a simple task using Google Search and Google Maps. I will say that Rehfeldt was an extraordinarily lucky soldier to have lived through all the battles he participated in largely unscathed. I've only gone through part 1 of the book and he has already survived several engagements in which the great majority of his comrades have fallen. The one criticism I will make about the book is that it didn't need to be published in two volumes. It just isn't that long. With so many pages devoted to photos, I got through Part 1 in 3-4 hours. Having the pay a hefty amount to download the rest of the book on my kindle is something I'm not willing to do right now, in spite of the excellence of the material.

As a history buff, this book provided some very good insight to the perspectives and experiences of a pro-NAZI German soldier on the Eastern front.

Great first person account. While not an adventure a day type book. The book does have some crude author drawn maps. He does show the mundane side of war fare, as well as, the battle. While Guy Sajer’s book The Forgotten Soldier is probably one of the best reads, mortarmen trail the panzer grenadiers. If you notice the perspectives of both books are from 18 year old frontline soldiers. Too many readers think the Eastern Front War was one massive atrocity laden war, that all Germans committed. The reality of the situation from there perspectives is a little different. They billeted with the locals, most Ukrainians, and treated them indifferent most of the time. Most frontline troops are conscripts and young men, just as every country had and has.Yet I digress. The book does a great job on seeing the misery of the common soldier in warfare. The depredations the lack of food, cold, and dangers faced to stay well stocked with ammunition. A good read to glean more insight intro the life of a common foot soldier on the Eastern Front. A recommended read.

Motor gutters aren’t front line infantry but they see just about the same events because they are so close to the infantry. Rehfel’s descriptions are very detailed and fascinating. It’s amazing he survived when so many many fell beside him. This is their memoir.

Well written memoir of a young German soldier, 19-, 20- 21-years old. Later promoted to an NCO. Lots of action, a little bit of commentary. In diary format. Worth the read.

If you like diaries, this is a good one. I'd give it high marks to begin with, with lots of frontline action (and practically nothing else), but one diary entry is almost interchangeable with another, so I got bored well before the end.

Vol 1 of this German soldiers WWII experience. Well written, day by day as in a diary. Talks about battles from his personal and unit point of view. I have just started Vol 2.

Really good read

Un peu du même ordre que le témoignage de mon propre père (Sous uniforme allemand)... emprunt de non apologies, racontant simplement, avec parfois une émotion intense les événements qu'ils ont vécus alors qu'ils n'étaient que de simple très jeunes hommes. Je recommande à quiconque s'intéresse à l'histoire (Bien plus vraies que celle des livres, surtout plus vraie que la propagande qui nous est servie depuis notre plus tendre jeunesse, par Fernand Nathan, au travers de ses livres de "fausse" histoire), ce témoignage simple, vrai et intense.Je vais de ce pas acheter le deuxième tome.The same sort of account as the one written by my own dad (Sous uniforme allemand, unfortunately, only in french for the time being), non apologetical and telling very simply, as only the ones who went trought such expériences can tell.Very informative for anyone who has interest in true history (not the one, for instance, we find in our history books, which are impregnated with so much faulsehood)... I am on my way to buy the second volume of that rare testimony.

The Vol 1 & 2 are really interesting. I've read numerous veterans books about the conflict on the Eastern Front....this to me is one of the best reads. He gives a good impression of his experiences. It would be nice to know more about his training before heading to the front and also a bit about his life after.

Absolutely entralling book. The 1st half of a diary by a young mortarman in the elite Gross Deutshland division.No false heroics, just brutal honesty and give you an idea of the carnage and chaos.