L0810 In November 1944, the Third Army was grinding through the Lorraine campaign in France. The conditions were cold, wet, and brutal. The 761st Tank Battalion, an all-black unit, had been fighting alongside Patton's forces for three weeks. They had proven themselves in combat at Morville, at Guebling, and at a dozen other places most people … Read more
In April 1945, in Erfurt, Germany, three weeks remained before the end of the war in Europe. General George S. Patton was doing what he had always done: moving between his own lines without announcement, without the noise of a staff entourage, and without a prepared schedule, so that he could see the truth as … Read more
In May 1945, three days after the war in Europe ended, Munich was the site of a formal surrender. General George S. Patton was processing the last German units in his sector, one officer at a time. Weapons were surrendered and documents signed. Rank was acknowledged. Then Colonel Ernst Vogel stepped forward. Vogel had commanded … Read more
Najgorsze pożegnanie to to, którego nigdy nie wypowiedziano na głos. Tomek przez piętnaście lat wmawiał sobie, że zdarzyło się coś złego, że to musi mieć jakieś wytłumaczenie, ale właściwie dawno przestał szukać tej dziury w pamięci, przez którą wyciekało mu całe szczęście. Miał trzydzieści pięć lat, sukcesy, które mógłby mierzyć w milionach, i serce, które … Read more
Zum fünften Mal in Folge sollte ich Heiligabend allein verbringen. Nicht allein im Sinne von einsam in meiner Wohnung, sondern allein auf der Party, die meine Tochter Sabrina jedes Jahr in ihrem Haus in München schmiss und zu der ich einfach nicht eingeladen wurde. Sie lud Nachbarn ein, Freunde, die halbe Straße, sogar entfernte Bekannte. … Read more
Det första jag lade märke till var inte uppfarten. Det var inte ens huset, inte från början. Det var tystnaden i rummet när jag kom in. Den där speciella typen av tystnad som uppstår när människor har pratat om dig och inte riktigt hunnit byta ansiktsuttryck innan du öppnar dörren. Min son satt vid köksbordet, … Read more
In April 1945, near the German city of Muhlhausen, an American column rolled into a partially cleared subcamp whose perimeter had been secured less than an hour earlier. Some guards had fled, and others had been captured. One SS officer had gone undiscovered until the vehicles entered the central yard. He was standing near the … Read more
In January 1945, in the Ardennes, the temperature had dropped below freezing four days earlier and had not risen since. Captain Friedrich Weil of the Wehrmacht had been cut off from his unit during fighting east of Bastogne, and he remained responsible for 38 men, 11 of them wounded badly enough that they could not … Read more
Hon trodde aldrig att jag skulle komma hem tidigt. Inte för att jag hade svikit henne, utan för att hon efter trettioåtta år kände till mitt mönster, visste hur jag tänkte, kunde förutsäga mina rörelser innan jag ens hann göra dem. Så den enda riktiga överraskningen som fanns kvar var att dyka upp när hon … Read more
Am Morgen des 14. Oktober 1944 ist der Krieg für Deutschland verloren. Das weiß inzwischen jeder in dem Haus auf dem Hügel über dem kleinen Ort Herrlingen im Südwesten Deutschlands. Doch niemand spricht es laut aus. Am Frühstückstisch sitzt einer der mächtigsten Soldaten des Dritten Reiches: Erwin Rommel, 52 Jahre alt, Generalfeldmarschall, der „Wüstenfuchs". Seit … Read more