THEEASTERNFRONT

MEMOIRSOFAWAFFENSSVOLUNTEER,1941–1945

LEONDEGRELLE

INSTITUTEFORHISTORICALREVIEW

TranslatedfromtheFrenchoriginalFrontdel’est,1941-1945English-languageedition

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FirstEnglish-languageedition,hardcover,publishedbytheIHRinJuly1985underthetitleCampaigninRussia:TheWaffenSSontheEasternFront.

Secondprinting,hardcover,July1986Thirdprinting,hardcover,July1989Fourthprinting,hardcover,May1993

Thiseditedandresetelectronicedition,titledTheEasternFront,

PublishedJanuary2015

ISBNs:HardcoverEdition:978-0-939484-76-8PaperbackEdition:978-0-939484-77-5ElectronicEdition:978-0-939484-78-2

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Degrelle,Léon,1906-1994.

[Frontdel’est,1941-1945.English]

TheEasternFront:memoirsofaWaffenSSvolunteer,1941-1945/LeonDegrelle.—SecondEnglish-languageedition.

1onlineresource.

“TranslatedfromtheFrenchoriginalFrontdel’est,1941-1945”—Titlepageverso.

“FirstEnglish-languageedition,hardcover,publishedbytheIHRinJuly1985underthetitleCampaigninRussia:theWaffenSSontheEasternFront”—Titlepageverso.

DescriptionbasedonprintversionrecordandCIPdataprovidedbypublisher;resourcenotviewed.

ISBN978-0-939484-78-2(epub)—ISBN978-0-939484-76-8(hardcover:alkalinepaper)

1. Degrelle, Léon, 1906-1994. 2. WorldWar, 1939-1945—Campaigns—Soviet Union. 3. WorldWar, 1939-1945—Personal narratives,Belgian.4.Soldiers—Belgium—Biography.5.Waffen-SS—Biography.6.Waffen-SS—History.7.Waffen-SS.Freiwillige-Panzer-Grenadier-Division “Wallonien”. 8. WorldWar, 1939-1945—Regimental histories—Germany. I.Degrelle,Leon, 1906-1994.Campaign inRussia. II.Title.

D764

940.54‘1343—dc23

2014028687

CONTENTS

AbouttheAuthor

Preface

1.RushtotheUkraine

2.WinterintheDonets

3.TheBattleofKharkov

4.TotheCaucasusonFoot

5.DuginontheDnieper

6.SurroundedatCherkassy

7.TheEpicofEstonia

8.TheSafetyValveoftheArdennes

9.FighttotheDeathinPomerania

10.TheAgonyoftheBaltic

11.TheDieisCast

ABOUTTHEAUTHOR

LEONDEGRELLE—legendarycombatherooftheSecondWorldWar,charismaticpoliticalleader and prolific author— was born on June 15, 1906, into a well-to-do family ofFrench origin in the town of Bouillon in the Belgian Ardennes. After study of law,philosophyandliteratureattheUniversityofLouvain,thisgiftedpublicistandenergeticpublicspeakerturnedtojournalismandpolitics.

In eloquent addresses to large rallies, several books and numerous booklets, andthroughhisnewspaper,hequicklymadeamarkonhiscountry’spoliticallife.Attheageof29hisupstartCatholic“Rex”movementcaptured11.5percentofthevoteinBelgium’s1936 parliamentary elections. During this period he met with Mussolini in Rome,ChurchillinLondon,andHitlerinBerlin.In1939,hestrovetohaltEurope’scatastrophicdrifttowar.

In the wake of Germany’s June 1941 attack against the Soviet Union, Degrelleenthusiastically joinedwhatheandmanymillionsofothersregardedasapan-Europeancrusade to crush Communism. His proposal to raise a volunteer battalion of fellowFrench-speakingWalloonstoensureaplaceofhonorforBelgiuminHitler’snewEuropewasquicklyacceptedbytheGermans.

Turningdownaninvitationtobeginasanofficerinthenewlyformedcombatunit,he

insteadchosetostartasaprivate,sharingall theburdensofhiscomrades.WhenhelefthishomelandinAugust1941tobeginmilitaryserviceattheageof35,hehadneverfiredagun.Butherosethroughtherankstobecomecommanderoftheunitthatfinallycametobeknownasthe28thSSDivision“Wallonie.”Alltold,some2,500WalloonsfellagainsttheSoviets.

Duringthecourseofhisthreeandahalfyearsofcombat,Degrellewaswoundedseventimes and earned 22 military decorations. As a result of the exemplarily courage andleadershipheshowedontheNarvafrontinEstonia,hebecamethefirstnon-GermantobeawardedthecovetedOakLeavestotheKnight’sCrossoftheIronCross.HitlerpersonallybestowedthehonoronAugust27,1944.Degrelle’sproudestmoment,helaterrelated,waswhenHitlersaidtohim:“IfIhadason,Iwouldwishhimtobelikeyou.”

AttheendofthewarDegrelleescapeddeathbymakingadaringfifteenhundredmileflightinasmallplanefromNorwayacrossEuropetoSpain,crashlandingnearthebeachat San Sebastian. Critically wounded, he survived to build a new and successful life.AuthoritiesinBelgiumsentencedhimtodeathandimprisonedhiswife,parentsandotherrelatives. During nearly half-a-century in exile in Spain, which granted him refuge, hewrotemorethanadozenbooks.LeonDegrellediedonMarch31,1994,inMalaga,Spain,attheageof87.

PREFACE

In 1936 Iwas the youngest political leader in Europe.At the age of 29, I’d alreadyshakenmycountry to itsverycore.Hundredsof thousandsofmen,women,andyoungpeople followedmewith total faith and passion.Ourmovement had elected dozens ofdeputies and senators to the Belgian parliament. I could have been a minister in thegovernment:Ihadonlytosayonewordtoenterintothegameofpolitics.

I preferred to pursue, outside the official quagmire, the hard struggle for order andjustice,andagainstcorruption,becauseIwaspossessedbyanideal thatallowedneitherforcompromisesnorforadivisionofthespoils.

Iwanted to freemycountry from thedictatorialdominationof themoneyed intereststhat corrupted power, undermined our institutions, tainted our consciences, and ruinedindustryandlabor.Fortheanarchicalregimeoftheoldparties,allofthemdiscreditedbyleprouspolitical-financialscandals,Iwantedtosubstitute,legally,astrongandfreeState,wellordered,responsible,andrepresentativeofthetrueenergiesofourpeople.

Thiswasnotaquestionoftyrannyorof“fascism.”Itwasaquestionofgoodsense.Acountrycannotliveindisorder,incompetence,irresponsibility,uncertainty,andcorruption.

I called for authority in the State, competence in public offices, continuity in theenterprisesofthenation,areal, livingcontractbetweenthemassesandthegovernment,an intelligent and productive harmony among the citizens who were separated andopposed to one another only by artificial struggles: class struggles, religious struggles,linguistic struggles, allmanufactured and fedwith scrupulous care since theywere theverylifeof therivalparties that,withanequalhypocrisy,disputedtheatricallywithoneanotherwhilesharingtheadvantagesofpower.

Iswoopeddown,broominhand,undertheeyesofthecorruptgangsthatdrainedawaythevigorofmycountry.Ifloggedandflagellatedthem.Idestroyed,beforetheeyesofthepeople, the whited sepulchers under which they hid their depravities, their plundering,theirlucrativecollusions.Icausedabreathofyouthandidealismtopassovermycountry;I exalted the spiritual forces and the lofty recollections of struggle and glory of adetermined,hard-workingpeoplewithapassionforlife.

The Rexist movement was a reaction against the corruption of an era. It was amovementforpoliticalrenewalandforsocialjustice.Itwasespeciallyaferventimpetustowardgreatness,anoutpouringofthousandsofsoulswhowishedtobreathe,toshine,toraisethemselvesabovethebasenessofaregimeandanera.

SuchwasthestruggleupuntilMay1940.

TheSecondWorldWar—whichIhadcondemned—changedeverything,inBelgiumaselsewhere.Old institutions,olddoctrines collapsed likecastlesmadeof rottenwood,worm-eatenforalongtime.

TheRexistmovementwasnottiedinanymannertothetriumphantThirdReich:nottoits leader, not to its party, not to any one of its leaders or propagandists. The Rexist

movement was fundamentally an intensely national movement with absoluteindependence.AllthearchivesoftheThirdReichhavebeenseized:noonehasbeenabletofindthetiniesttraceofanyattachmentwhatever,directorindirect,betweenRexismandHitlerbeforetheinvasionin1940.Ourhandswereclean,ourheartswerepure,ourloveforourcountry,brightandburning,wasfreeofallcompromise.

TheGermanonrushoverwhelmedourcountry.

Forninety-ninepercentoftheBelgiansortheFrench,thewarwasoverbyJuly1940;the predominance of the Reichwas a fact towhich,moreover, the old democratic andfinancialregimeardentlywantedtoadaptitselfasquicklyaspossible.

AmongthosewhohadinsultedHitlerin1939weremanywhowouldbethemosteagertothrowthemselvesatthefeetoftheconquerorin1940—theheadsofthegreatpartiesof the Left, the financialmagnates, the owners of the largest newspapers, theMasonicministers of state, the former government — all of them wanted, sought, desired anopportunityforcollaboration.

Wasitnecessarytosurrenderthefieldtothediscreditedghostsoftheoldparties,tothegangstersof a financial systemwhoseonlyallegiancewas togold,or to sinisterpirateslackingbothtalentanddignity,eagerforthemeanesttasksofavalettosatisfytheirgreedandambition?

The problem was not only sad: it was urgent. To nearly all observers the Germansappearedtobefinalvictors.Itwasnecessarytomakeupone’smind.Couldwe,outoffearoftakingresponsibility,justletourcountrydrift?

For several weeks, I considered the problem. It was only after having asked andobtained from the Royal Palace a completely favorable decision that I decided to letreappearthenewspaperoftheRexistmovement,LePaysRéel(`TheRealCountry’).

Belgiancollaboration,whichbeganat theendof1940, took,however,anunfortunatedirection.Fromalltheevidence,theGermanauthoritieswereverymuchmoreinterestedinthecapitalistforcesthanintheidealistforces.NoonesucceededinfindingoutexactlywhatGermanywascontemplating.

TheKingoftheBelgians,LeopoldIII,wantedtoseethingsmoreclearlyandtoobtainsomeprecisedetails.HeaskedHitlertoreceivehim.Theaudiencewasgranted.ButKingLeopold came back fromBerchtesgadenwithout having succeeded andwithout havinglearnedanythingnew.

Itwasclearthatourcountrywasgoingtobemadetowaituntilpeacereturned.Bythattimeitwouldbetoolate.Wehadtowin,beforethewarended,therighttonegotiatewithGermanyonaneffectivebasis.Howwerewetoachievethis?

Collaboration within the country was nothing other than an operation of slowencirclement,ofnibbling inbitsandbites,ofendless struggles for influencecarriedoutagainst obscure secondary personages.Not onlywould thatwork confer no prestige towhoeverundertookit,itcouldonlydiscredithim.

ThatwasatrapIdidn’twanttofallinto.Iwatchedandwaitedforadifferentapproach.Suddenly, in June1941, Ihadmychance:Germanyhadgone towaragainst theSoviet

Union.

Herewastheuniqueopportunity,theopportunitytocommandtherespectoftheReichbymeansofcombat,suffering,andglory.In1940,wehadbeentheconquered,ourkingaprisonerking.

Allatonce,in1941,wewereofferedthechancetobecomethecomradesandequalsofourconquerors.Everythingdependedonourcourage.Wehad,finally,thechancetowinthepositionofprestigethatwouldallowus,onthedayofthereorganizationofEurope,tospeakwithourheadsheldhigh,inthenameofourheroes,inthenameofourdead,inthenameofthenationthathadoffereditsblood.

ThroughourstruggleontheendlessEasternsteppes,wewantedindeedtodoourdutyas Europeans and asChristians. But,we say this openly—we proclaimed it loud andclear from the first day— we had above all given this gift of our youth in order toguaranteethefutureofournationinthemidstofarescuedEurope.Itwasforthat,firstofall, that several thousands of our comrades fell. It was for that that thousands of menstruggled,struggledforfouryears,sufferedforfouryears,sustainedbythathope,drivenonby thatdesire, strengthenedby thecertainty that theyweregoing to succeed in theirpurpose.

TheReich lost thewar, but it could just aswell havewon it.Until 1945,victory forHitlerremainedpossible.

Hitlerasvictorwould,Iamcertain,haverecognizedtherightofournationtoliveandtobegreat, a right that ithadacquired for itself slowly,withdifficulty,by thebloodofthousandsofBelgianvolunteers.

ThesemenenduredtwoyearsofepicstrugglebeforeforcingtheattentionoftheReich.In 1941, the Belgian anti-Bolshevik Wallonian1 Legion [Légion Wallonie] had goneunnoticed.Oursoldiershadtomultiplytheiractsofbravery,torisktheirlivesahundredtimesbeforeraisingthenameoftheircountrytotheleveloflegend.In1943,ourlegionofvolunteers had become celebrated all along the Eastern Front for its idealism and itsfearlessness. In 1944, it reached the height of its fame, at the time of the odyssey ofCherkassy.TheGermanpeople,morethananyotherpeople,aresensitivetothegloryofarmedcombat.OurmoralclaimontheGermanReichwasuniqueinEurope,farsuperiortothatofanyotheroccupiedcountry.

I sawHitler at length on two occasions in that year, a soldier’s visit, but a visit thatshowedmeclearlythatwehadwonourcountry.Shakingmyhandfirmlyinhistwohandsat themomentofmydeparture,Hitler toldmewithstirringaffection:“If Ihada son, Iwouldwanthimtobelikeyou.”How,afterallourbattles,couldherefusemetherightofmycountrytoliveinhonor?Ourvolunteershadwontheirdream:theyhad,intheeventofGermanvictory,resoundinglyassuredtherebirthandthegreatnessofourpeople.

TheAlliedvictorytemporarilyrendereduselessthatterribleeffortoffouryearscombat,thesacrificeofourdead,theCalvaryofthesurvivors.

Afterthedefeat, theworldworkedunceasinglytomockthevanquished.Oursoldiers,ourwounded,ourmaimedwerecondemned todeathor thrown intounspeakablecamps

andprisons.Nothingwasrespected,neitherthehonorofthewarrior,norourparents,norourhomes.

Butgreatnessisneverinvain.Thevirtueswoninsorrowandsacrificearestrongerthanhatredanddeath.Likethesunspringingfromthedarknight,theywillshineforthsoonerorlater.

Thefuturewillgowellbeyondthatrehabilitation.ItwillnotonlyrenderhomagetotheheroismofthesoldiersoftheEasternFrontintheSecondWorldWar,butitwillalsosaythat theywereright: that theywereright inanegativesense,becauseBolshevismis theendofallvalues;andthattheywererightinapositivesense,becauseaunitedEurope,forwhich they strove, was the only — perhaps the last — possibility of survival for amarvelousoldcontinent,ahavenofhumanjoyandfervor,butmangledandmutilatedtothepointofdeath.

Adaywillcome,perhaps,whenpeoplewillregretthedefeatin1945ofthedefendersandbuildersofEurope.

Whileawaiting thatday, letus tell truthfully theirepic tale—howtheyfought,whattrialstheysuffered,howtheygavetheirheartstothestruggle.

ThroughtheepicoftheBelgianvolunteers—oneunitamongahundredothers—theentire Russian front will come into view oncemore, with the sunny days of the greatvictories,withthestillmoremovingdaysofthegreatdefeats,defeatsthatwereimposedbyphysicalcircumstances,butthatthewilldidnotaccept.

Outthere,ontheendlesssteppes,livedmen.

You, reader, friendorenemy—watch themcomeback to life; forweare living inaperiodwhenonemust lookveryhard to find realmen, and theywere that, to the verymarrowoftheirbones,asyouwillsee.

L.D.

ChapterOne

RUSHTOTHEUKRAINE

The22ndofJune1941beganlikeall thebeautifulSundaysofsummer.Iwasabsent-mindedlyturningthedialofmyradio,whensuddenlysomewordsbroughtmeupshort:thetroopsoftheThirdReichhadcrossedtheEuropeanborderoftheUSSR!

The campaign in Poland in 1939, the campaign in Norway, the campaign in theNetherlands,inBelgiumandFrancein1940,thecampaigninYugoslaviaandinGreeceinthe spring of 1941, had only been preliminary operations or blunders. The realwar, inwhichthefutureofEuropeandoftheworldwouldbedecided,hadjustbegun.Thiswasno longer a war over frontiers or interests. This was a war of religions. And, like allreligiouswars,itwouldbeunrelenting.

Before engaging its tanks in the steppes, the Reich had resorted to evasion, like awatchfulcat.

In1939NationalSocialistGermanywascarryingoutaprogramwithoutprecedent.Ithad rebuilt itself in the midst of such lightning bolts, in the thundering and blindingflashes of such cataclysms, that all Europe and all theworld felt the tremors. If all hisenemies to theWest swoopeddownon theRhinelandand theRuhr, and if, at the sametime, the Soviets expanded toward East Prussia and Berlin, Hitler seriously riskedstrangulation.He liked to say, over and over, thatKaiserWilhelm II had lost the FirstWorldWarbynothavingsucceededinavoidingawarontwofronts.Hewasgoingtodobetter. But we were to see, one day, side by side, gawking at the ruins of the ReichChancelleryinBerlin,notonlyScotsandmuzhiks,2butBlacksfromHarlemandKirghiztribesmenfromthedesertsofAsia…

InAugustof1939,ontheeveofthePolishconflagration,Hitleratthelastminutehadavoidedbeingstrangled.

Stalin had old accounts to settle with National Socialism; his collaboration with the“democracies” therefore appeared assured in advance. London and Paris, with greatfanfare,hadsentmilitarymissionstotheSoviettsar.Duringthatsameperiod,incompletesecrecy,Hitlerhadsucceededinlooseningthenoose.

Stalin had, like Hitler, played very skillfully. He had every interest in letting theplutocraticdemocraciesandNationalSocialismexhausteachother,forhewastheenemyof both. Themore virulently they sapped each other’s strength, the better Communismcould in the final account facilitate its task. Stalin carried out his game with Asiaticcunning, the leaderof an international gang, sureofhismen.He could evenostensiblyally himself with the Third Reich: over the entire world, Communist discipline wasabsolute.

Theeffectsofthatextraordinarysolidaritypromptlymadethemselvesfelt.Britainand

Francehadmade it aworldwar afterHitler invadedPoland.WhenStalindid the samethingfifteendayslater,nooneintheAlliedchancelleriestooktheriskofreacting.

ThustheSovietleaderwasabletostabavacillatingPolandinthebackwithcompleteimpunity, and annexmore than a third of that unhappy country.Britain and France, sosolicitousofPoland’sterritorialintegritybefore,neglectedtodeclarewarontheUSSR.

ThatmoralandmilitaryabdicationgaveanunshakeableconfidencetotheCommunistbands spread throughout Europe. The democracies were afraid of Stalin! They hadrecoiled before him.What had been intolerable fromHitler had been tolerated comingfromtheSoviets.

The “democracies” dispensedwithmorality, principle, and their own self-respect forfearof consolidatingStalin’s alliancewithGermany.They fearedalso the sabotage thattheCommunistparties throughoutEuropewerepreparingorhadalreadycarriedout.Asalwaysashort-sightedself-interesthadprevailedoverallotherconsiderations.

Inreality,thealleged“justwar”hadlastedonlyfifteendays.FromSeptemberof1939,theAllieshadonlyoneidea:nottooffendtheUSSR,tobeginareconciliationwithStalin,inspiteofhisaggressionagainsttheirPolishallies.

Stalinwasabletomultiplyhisdemands,toputanendtotheindependenceofEstonia,Latvia, and Lithuania, to snatchBessarabia from theRomanians.One single thingwasimportanttotheAllies:toenabletheRussianstochangesides.Inlessthantwoyears,thatwouldbeachieved.

Germanyhad,in1939andin1940,wonthebattlesofPoland,Norway,andtheWesternFront.Butithadstruggledformorethanfivehundreddayswithouthavingachievedtheessentialthing:avictoriouslandingonEnglishsoil.

England, for its part, was likewise unable to set foot on the European continent:Churchillwastalkingaboutapreparationlastingseveralyears.

Stalin,therefore,hadacleartrack.ClearinthedirectionoftheReich.ClearespeciallyintheBalkans.

Thegamebecamemoreandmorecautious.

The Germans had skillfully advanced their pawns toward Bucharest, Sofia, andBelgrade. InMarch of 1941Yugoslavia’s impulsive act in breaking a treaty, concludedeightdaysearlier,withtheReich,ledtothedecisiveevent.TheSoviets,secretinstigatorsof thataction,whosawfurther thanthatplaythingofBritishespionage, theyoungKingPeter,publiclywiredtheirsympathytotheYugoslaviangovernment.

Tobesure, in twoweeksGermanarmorswept throughBelgrade,Sarajevo,Salonika,and Athens; the paratroopers ofMarshal Göring occupied the island of Crete. But theGerman-Sovietbreakhadbeenclean.Thusfar,thealliancewiththeReichhadserveditspurpose.IthadbroughttotheSovietsall thatStalincouldhaveexpected:averybloodypiece of Poland, the three Baltic countries, some important positions in Finland, andmagnificentBessarabia.

TheNazilemonhadbeensqueezeddry.Thehourhadcometosqueezeasecondlemon:

thedemocraticlemon.WeknowwhatkindofjuicethatlemonfinallygavetotheSovietsin 1945: the occupation of territories inhabited by two hundredmillion Europeans andAsians, theRedArmy established inThuringia, on theElbe, at the gates ofLübeck, atPetsamo,inManchuria,inKorea,intheKurileIslands.

TheYugoslavturnabout,thestatedclaimsofMolotovagainsttheBalkans,themilitarypreparations of the Soviets during the spring of 1941: all these left Hitler in no doubtabout the ambitions of the USSR. The longer he waited, themore likely he would beattacked.InordertoconcentratehisforcesintheEast,hetemporarilyabandonedhisplantoinvadeEngland.Hetried,byvariousmeans,tofindapeacefulsettlementtotheconflictbetweenGermanyandtheUnitedKingdom.Itwastoolateforthat.TheBritishwerenolongerdisposedtocancelthematch;oncebegun,itcouldnolongerbestopped.

For two years, each country had calculated coldly, according to the age-old law ofnational egoism and self-interest. In the end, each had arrived at exactly the sameconclusions.

The Russians, skillfully pushed by the English and spurred on by new attractions,soonerorlaterweregoingtopounce.TheGermans,sensingthatthediewascast,hadtobow to necessity. On June 22, 1941, began a battle to the death between the NationalSocialistReichandSovietRussia: twoimperialisms, tworeligions, twoworldsgrappledacrossthesteppesinthesandsoftheEast.

England, isolated fromEuropeby the sea andwith its principal riches scatteredoverdistant lands, couldnot sense exactly the importanceof theduel. It reactedby thinkingmoreaboutitsimmediateinterest—thereliefofitsisland—thanaboutwhatthefateofEuropewouldbeiftheSovietswereonedayvictorious.

By contrast, for us— the peoples of the European continent— that strugglewas adecisivestruggle.

If National Socialist Germany triumphed, it would be the master, in the East, of atremendousareaforexpansion,rightonitsborder,tiedtoitdirectlybymeansofrailroads,riversandcanals,opentoitsgeniusfororganizationandproduction.TheGreaterGermanReich,incompleterebirth,endowedwitharemarkablesocialstructure,enrichedbythosefabulouslands,extendinginoneblocfromtheNorthSeatotheVolga,wouldhavesuchpower,wouldhave such forceof attraction,wouldoffer to the twentypeoples crowdedontotheoldcontinentsuchpossibilitiesforprogress,thatthoseterritorieswouldconstitutethepointofdeparturefortheindispensableEuropeanfederation,wishedforbyNapoleon,contemplatedbyRenan,sungofbyVictorHugo.

If, on the contrary, the Soviets prevailed,who inEuropewould resist them once theenormous German bastion was dismantled? Poland, drained of its blood? The chaoticBalkans, submerged, decayed, occupied, tamed? A depopulated France, having onlyspeechestoopposetwohundredmillionmuzhiksandtheBolshevikideology,swollenwithitsvictory?Greece,Italy,talkativeandcharming,withtheirpoorpeoples,squattinginthesun like lizards? The jigsaw puzzle of the small European nations, the residues of athousandyearsofcivilwar,eachincapableofpayingformorethanahundredtanks?TheSovietsdefeatingtheReich—thatwouldbeStalinmountingthebodyofaEuropethat,itspowersofresistanceexhausted,wasreadytoberaped.

Naturally they would attempt, late in the day, to save that three-quarter SovietizedEurope.TheAlliesofyesterdaywouldtremble,because,theSecondWorldWarscarcelyended,theUSSRnolongercontenteditselfwithpreycloseathand,butnowextendeditsgreedyhands toward thePacificOcean,China, thePersianGulf, theMediterranean, theSuezCanal,menacingthecolonies,therawmaterials,thegreatmultinationaltrusts.

But even then the Anglo-Americans did not seek to save Europe for Europe: quitesimply, theystrove to retain in theWestaspringboard thatwouldallowthemtoprotecttheirimperialismandtoreactagainstSovietimperialism—free,ifnecessary,totransformthatspringboard,withatomicweapons,intoanincrediblefieldofruins.

We, the sonsofEurope,were thinkingof the lifeofEurope.Whateverour judgmentabout the manner in which the war had started, whatever our regrets about the past,whateverbitternesstheremighthavebeenattheforeignoccupationofourcountries,eachof us understood that well beyond the pleasant or unpleasant things experienced from1939to1941byourvariouscountries,thefateofallofEuropewasinthebalance.

This explains the extraordinary, spontaneous movement that aroused innumerableyoung men, from Oslo to Seville, from Antwerp to Budapest. They didn’t leave theirbelovedhomesinJutlandorinBeauce,intheArdennesorinthePuszta,inLimburgorinAndalusia to serve the special interests of Germany. They left to defend two thousandyearsofthehighestcivilization.TheywereinspiredbythebaptistryinFlorenceandthecathedral atRheims, by theAlcazar inToledo and the belfry inBruges. They died outthere, in countless numbers, not for government officials in Berlin, but for their oldcountries,gildedbythecenturies,andfortheircommonfatherland,Europe,theEuropeofVirgil and Ronsard, the Europe of Erasmus and Nietzsche, of Raphael and Dürer, theEuropeofSt. IgnatiusandSt.Theresa, theEuropeofFredericktheGreatandNapoleonBonaparte.

Between that age-old Europe and the Soviet onslaught, its horrible leveling, theoverflowofitsswarminglittletribes, theymadetheirchoiceatonce.Anewgeneration,alloverEurope, took its stand.Blondgiants fromScandinaviaand theBalticcountries,Hungariandreamerswithlongmoustaches,stocky,swarthyRomanians,enormousCroatswithvioletgreatcoats;Italians,whimsicalandsentimental;Spaniardswithjetblackeyes;banteringFrenchmen;Danes,Dutch,Swiss:allhastenedtothebattleforEurope.Allthenations were there.We even saw some Englishmen volunteer, a dozen in all, a dozennonetheless.

ThousandsofBelgiansenlisted,accordingtotheirlanguages,inaFlemishlegionandaWallonianlegion.Atfirsttheyformedtwobattalions,then,in1943,twobrigades,lastly,in1944,twodivisions:theWallonianDivisionandtheFlemishLangemarckDivision.

Foraperiodof46monthsIwouldbeoneofthosevolunteersforEuropeandwouldlivetogetherwithmycomrades,themostterribleandgrandestofepics;wouldadvanceonfootfor two years to the threshold ofAsia, then fall back unendingly from theCaucasus toNorway;would pass from the ecstasy of the offensives of 1941 and 1942 to the bittergloryofdefeatandexile,while,overhalfofananemicEurope,therestreamedtheyellow

tideoftheSovietconquerors.

THECONQUEREDUKRAINE

In October of 1941 two to three weeks were required to complete the trip from thefrontieroftheReichtotheRussianfront.

WepassedthroughLemberg,3wherethestreetcarsweredeckedoutwithsmallblueandwhiteUkrainianflagswavinginthebreeze.Scarcelyhadweenteredthecountrysidetothesouthwestwhenwewere able to judge forourselves the extentof themilitarydisastersthathadbeen inflictedon theSoviets.Hundredsofarmoredcarswere strewnalong theroad.Everycrossroadwasagraveyardofmetal.

Thespectaclewentonforahalfhour,thenmosttracesofcombatdisappeared.WehadarrivedinthemidstoftheUkraine,anundamagedUkrainewithhundredsofgigantichaystacksaslongaszeppelinsstandingonitsimmensemuddyplains.

Peacefulvillagesscatteredtheirisbas,4whiteorpaleblue,withroofsthickwithstraw.Eachtinycottagewasisolatedamonggroupsofyoungcherrytrees.

The walls were made of mud, but the local artists had carved primitive woodensculpturesoflovebirds,flowers,arrows,andshellsthatframedthesmallwindows.Thesewooden carvings were painted, like the shutters, in vivid colors. The windows weredouble windows, hermetically sealed, separated by a board as wide as your hand, onwhich rested, in cotton wool, small glass wares, oranges or tomatoes made of coloredcement.

Biggirlswithhighcheekboneshurriedaboutinfrontofsmallfarms.Theirblondhairwastiedupinblueorredscarves.Theyweredressedindressesofroughcloththatgavethem the appearance of Laplanders. In high boots of the Cossack type they splashedmerrilyinthemudamongthenoisypigs.

Thetrainwouldstopforafewhoursinthemiddleofthefieldsorinfrontofaruinedvillage.Weboughtchickensthatwecookedinboilingwaterfromthelocomotive.SomeUkrainian youngsters showed uswith pride their exercises in theGerman language. Intheirnotebookswereadonthefirstpages:“Stalinis thegreatestmanintheworld”andthen,onthelastpages,thephrasereviewedandcorrectedbytheprudentteacher:“Hitleristhegreatestmanintheworld.”Thechildrendidnotappearparticularlytroubledbythis.

Certain encounters gave us an idea of the scale of the victories of September andOctober1941:thesewerewiththetrainsthattransportedfantastichordesofprisonersofwartowardtheReich.

Ateachstop,werantolookattherailwaycars.Westoodastoundedinfrontofthosehairygiants,saffroncolored,withsmall,gleaming,felineeyes.ManywereAsiatics.Theywerestanding,eightyorevenahundredtoacar.

Duringastationstopoveronenight,wewereawakenedbyterriblecries.Wehurriedtoopenthedoorsofacarfullofprisoners:Asiatics,ashungryaspiranhas,foughteachother

while snatchingpiecesofmeat.Thatprizedmeatwashuman flesh!Theprisonerswerefightingover the remainsof a deadMongol,whohadbeen cut apartwithpieces of tinfrom food cans.Certain prisoners had felt cheated by being left out of the distribution,whichresultedinthebrawl.Gnawedboneshadbeentossedoutsidethroughthebars.Theywerescattered,bloody,alongsidetherailwaycaronthemuddyground.

We learned later on that hundredsof thousandsofmen, packed together in thatway,remainedstandingsometimes for threeweeks, fedwhen therewas foodnear the tracks.ManyoftheseAsiatics,recruitedfromtheirwildsteppes,preferredtognawaKalmukorTatar rib rather than to run the riskofdyingofhunger. Inone station, I saw severalofthemdiggingintheground.Theyextractedsomered,wrigglingworms,agoodsixincheslong, which they gulped down as they might have gulped down an egg. The Adam’sapplesoftheseworm-eatersroseandfellwithgusto.

Onemorningwearrivedat theBugRiver, the largemetalbridgeofwhich layat thebottom of the river. We had to unload all of our baggage and camp in the city ofPervomaisk.

Wewere able oncemore to receive news from the front. The advances were not asstupendousaswehadbeentoldbytheonlookersalongtherailwayline.Onthecontrary,the German thrust was slowing down: Moscow had not fallen, nor Leningrad; on theRostovfrontthesituationwasnotclear.Optimismwasstillverygreat,butonenotedthatcertain things were passed over in silence. The Germans in Pervomaisk made discreetreferencestothedifficultiesofdivisionshurledforwardathousandkilometersbeyondthebordersoftheReich.

Lookingatthemud,wethoughtabouttheseaofmudthatseparatedthearmiesontheoffensive from their former bases.One road left Pervomaisk toward theDnieperRiver.Sometruckswerestucktheremiredtoaxlelevel.Themudwasblackandthickastar.Thestrongestenginesfailed,powerless.

Therailwaylineswerethemselveshardlymorepassable.Thetracksmustnothavebeentouched since the times of the tsars. The trains advanced with a torturous slowness;nevertheless, the rails rose and fell like seesaws. The traffic was light, although thewidening of the tracks had been carried out with an extraordinary haste. The transfersfromonetraintoanothermadeeverythingworse.AfterreachingtheBug,itwasnecessarytodescendonfoot to thebottomof thevalley, thenclimbupagainbywayofamuddydetourofseveralkilometers.Thetrailwasariver:menmarchedinwateruptotheirknees.Withthebridgesdown,allaidtothearmiesofthesouthhadtobesentforwardinsimilarfashion.

Driving eastward, the German armies hadmade a daring gamble. Had Hitler’s boldundertakingachievedaspeedyvictory,thesituationontheEasternFrontcouldhavebeenconsolidated very quickly. The Germans, with their genius for organizing, could havedeployed troops to restore communicationswith the rear, to repair and improve the raillines, and to rebuild the bridges, all within a fewmonths: that would have forestalleddisaster.

UnfortunatelyfortheReich,thewardidnotendasquicklyastheHighCommandhad

foreseen. The divisions tried to slog forward, but the autumn floods made the steppestotally impassable. Themunitions, the gasoline, the indispensable reinforcements toiledforweeksacrossdislocatedRussia.

Abogged-downarmyisaliability.Andwinterwasapproaching.In1812,atexactlythesame time of year, Napoleon had had tomake the anguishing decision to retreat fromMoscow.

Thearmiesof theReich,however,weregoing to remain inRussia.Here itwasnotacaseofremainingatanadvancedpointasithadbeenfortheFrenchEmperor,butratherofmaintainingathreethousandkilometerfrontrunningfromtheWhiteSeatotheBlackSea.

Aswelookedattheemptystations,thedestroyedbridges,thetruckssunkinthemud,we couldn’t avoid thinking about the hundreds of thousands ofmen, committed to thedepthsofRussia,whoweregoingtotrywhatNapoleonhadnotdaredtotry:tomaintainthemselvesinspiteofeverythinginthemidstof thesteppes,withtheenemyinfrontofthem,thedeserttotheirbacks,thesnowfallingfromthesky,andtheicegnawingawayattheirbodiesandtheirmorale.

Nevertheless, we all had such confidence in the infallibility of the German HighCommandthatwedidn’tindulgeinsuchthoughtsforverylong.Thewarcouldstillendbeforetheverycoldestweatherbegan.Ifnot,everythinghadbeenforeseen,thistimeasalways…

WeboardedanothertrainaftercrossingthefloodedvalleyoftheBug.Thecountrysideremainedcalmduring theday,butatnight the trainswere firedupon.OnemorningwenotedthebodiesofSovietsoldiersalongthetrack.Theyhadtriedanisolatedattack.Nowtheirtwistedbodieslaythereinlongvioletcoats.

Thewaterbegantofreezesolid,andwehadtobreaktheiceintheditchesinordertowashinthemorningafterthetrainstopped.

Wehadbeenpackedin,fortysoldierstoacar,forseventeendays.OnNovember2nd,veryearly,wepassedlargeanti-tanktrenchescutintothereddish-brownhills.

Thetrainbegantodescendpasttheendlesswallsofcharredfactories.Thenawonderfulsight:amightybluestream,abrilliantblue,bathedinthesun,suddenlyappearedbeforeoureyes:theDnieperRiver,morethanakilometerwide.

DNIEPROPETROVSK

TherehadbeenscarcelyanybattlesbetweenGaliciaandtheDnieper.OncethecityofLembergwasseized,thebattletosurroundBaltahaddeterminedthefateofthemarvelousUkrainianplain,coveredwithcornandwheat,scatteredwithlargeblueandwhitevillages,deckedoutwiththousandsofcherrytrees.ThearmoroftheReichhadpushedon,withoutanyotherincidentsuptoDniepropetrovsk.

The battles outside the city had been bitterly fought.One cemetery, near the station,heldmore thansixhundredGermangraves.Entirestreetshadbeenburned.Yet thecityretaineditsbeautifulappearance.KarlMarxProspect,immediatelyrenamedAdolfHitler

Avenue,wentonwithoutend,aswideastheChamps-Elysées.

The war now crossed the river. The appearance it had presented when the Germantroopswentintotheheavilyinhabitedsectionsoftownwasmorecomicalthanterrifying.Longrowsofmenstretchedout,deaddrunk,alongsideguttersthroughwhichthereflowedin torrents three hundred liters of vodka, escaping frombarrels that theBolsheviks hadsmashedintheirretreat.Thedrunkshadlappedupthealcoholevenfromthemud;then,overcomewithbliss,theyhadawaited,belliesexposed,thearrivaloftheconqueror.

AtDniepropetrovsktheStalinregimehadmadegreateffortsinconstruction.Wewereat first impressed aswe approached the suburbsof the city,wherewe sawoutlined thelargemasonryblocksof theproletarianhousingerectedbytheSoviets.Their linesweremodern. The buildings were huge, and there were many of them. Undeniably, theCommunistsystemhaddonesomethingforthepeople.Ifthemiseryofthepeasantswasgreat,atleasttheworkerseemedtohavebenefitedfromthenewtimes.

Still,itwasnecessarytovisitandexaminethebuildings.WelivedforsixmonthsintheDonetscoalbasin.WehadplentyoftimetotesttheconclusionsthatwehadreachedatthetimeofourentranceintoDniepropetrovsk.Thebuildings,soimpressivefromadistance,were just a gigantic hoax, intended to fool sightseers shepherded by Intourist [Soviettourismagency]andtheviewersofdocumentaryfilms.

Approaching those housing blocks you were sickened by the stench of mud andexcrementthatrosefromthequagmiressurroundingeachofthebuildings.Aroundthemwereneithersidewalksnorgravelnorpavingstones.TheRussianmudwaseverywhere,andeverywherethewallspeeledandcrumbled.Thequalityoftheconstructionmaterialswas of the lowest order. All the balconies had come loose, and already the cementstairwayswerewornandgrooved,althoughthebuildingswereonlyafewyearsold.

Each floor had a certain number of apartments that werewhitewashed and providedwith a minuscule kitchen for the use of several families. The electric wires hung inclusters.Thewallsweremadeofmudandcrackedassoonasyoudaredtopoundanailintothem.

Generally there was no running water. The proletarian dwellers, not able to use thesanitaryfacilities,relievedthemselvesallaroundthebuildings,convertedasaresultintoavast latrine. Cold weather froze the droppings that, with each thaw, caused a terriblestench. Altogether those apartments turned out to be more uncomfortable than themiserable isbas in which, on the richest soil in Europe, millions of Russian peasantsvegetatedinthemidstofasordidmisery,onlytatteredclothesontheirbacks,eatingfromacommonbowl,usingspoonscrudelycarvedfrombitsofwood.

Seventy-fivepercentofoursoldiersweremanuallaborers.Manyamongthemhadbeensusceptible,once, toSovietpropaganda.Theystoodwith theirmouthsagapewhen theysaw in what conditions of decay and exhaustion the Russian proletariat existed. Theyshooktheirheads,havingtolooktwiceatthescenebeforebelievingit.

Hitlerhadtriedadangerousexperiment.ThehundredsofthousandsofGermanworkersmobilized and sent to theEasternFront couldhavemadedangerous comparisons if theSovietshadactuallyachievedgreatthingsfortheworkingclass.

Onthecontrary,everyGermanthoughtbackto thedelightfulworkers’housingin theReich, to itscomfort, to thefamilygarden, to theclinicsandmaternityhospitals for thepeople, the leisure time, thepaidvacations, themagnificentcruises toScandinaviaor totheMediterranean.They remembered theirwives, their children, happy, ingoodhealth,well clothed. Looking at the ragged Russian people, the miserable isbas, the workers’apartments,gloomyandrickety,theydrewclearconclusions.

Neverhadaworkers’groupmadesuchastudytrip.

Fouryears later, thecomparisonworked in theoppositedirection:afterhaving lootedthe watches, the jewelry, the clothes from all of Eastern Europe, the Soviet soldierreturned grumbling to the USSR, astonished at the comfort of the non-Communistcountries and disgusted with his “paradise” of wooden spoons, tattered dresses, andmuddyexcrementstretchingaroundhishouse-barracks.

Attheendofthreedays,wereceivedournewmarchingorders:inthelasthoursofthenight,wewouldcrossovertotheleftbankoftheDnieper,thusenteringthecombatzone.

At six in the evening our legion gathered on a terrace overlooking the river. As thewater’sgreatroarroseuptous,IlefttherankstorepeatoncemoretomycomradestheirdutiesasEuropeans,aspatriots,andas revolutionaries.Astrangeemotionovercameus.Whoamonguswouldrecrossthatriver?

Atmidnightweformedincolumns.

Therewas only onemeans of crossing theDnieper, across awooden bridge thirteenhundredmeterslong.IthadbeencutonseveraloccasionsbySovietartilleryandaircraft.A heavy barrage of flak protected our narrow footbridge, the only link to the southernfront.Theblackmassoftheriverwasdottedwithhundredsofenormouswhiteicefloes,likethelegendarylotuses.Theskeletonsofsunkenshipsroseabovethewater.

Wehastenedacrossinsilence,movedtohavearrivedatourrendezvouswithwar.

THEMUDFRONT

Whoeverdoesnotunderstand the importanceofmud in theRussianproblemcannotunderstandwhat tookplace for fouryearson theEasternFront inEurope.TheRussianmudisnotonly thewealth throughwhich thesteppereturns to life: itconstitutesalsoaterritorialdefensemoreeffectivethanevensnowandice.

Itisstillpossibletotriumphoverthecold,tomoveaheadinminus40degree[Celsius]cold. The Russian mud is sure of its sway. Nothing prevails over it, neither man normatter. Itdominates thesteppes forseveralmonthsoutof theyear.Theautumnand thespringbelongtoit.Andeveninthesummermonths,whenthefierysunflattensoutandcracks open the fields, cloudbursts flood them every three weeks. The mud isextraordinarilystickybecausethesoilispermeatedwithoilyresidues.Theentireregionisswimminginoil.Thewaterdoesnotflow,itstagnates;thedirtclingstothefeetofmanandbeast.

DisembarkingattheBugRiverinthemonthofOctoberwehadalreadybeenastonished

atthesightoftrucksswallowedupbythatblackishmire,butwecouldn’treallygaugethesituationuntilweourselvesenteredthequagmireofthesouthernUkraine.

FromDniepropetrovskon,thetrainsnolongerran.Thebridgeshadbeencut;therailshadbeenblownup.

InthemonthofOctober1941,theGermantroopshadracedatfullspeedtotheDonetsBasin,leavinganimmenseregiontotheirrear:withthebeginningoftherainyseason,thishadbeenconvertedintoadeadzone,virtually inaccessible.Theunits thathadtakenofflikea shothad to fight for somemonths separated fromDniepropetrovskby that three-hundred-kilometer-longswamp.

Stalinescapeddisasterbyaboutfifteendays.Givenfifteenmoredaysofsun,thesupplytrainsoftheconquerorscouldhavereachedthefront.ButStalin,totteringatthebrinkofdefeat,wassavedbythatall-powerfulglue,whichbroughtaboutwhathistroopsandhisgunshadnotbeenabletoaccomplish.

Hitler had routed millions of Soviet soldiers, had wiped out their air force, theirartillery,andtheirtanks,buthecoulddonothingagainsttheblowsthatfellfromthesky,soakingthehugeoilyspongethatsuckedatthefeetofhissoldiers,thetiresofhistrucks,the treadsofhis tanks.Thegreatest and themost rapidmilitaryvictoryof all timewasstoppedinitsfinalstagebythemud;nothingbutthemud,theprimalmud,asoldastheearth,impassable,morepowerfulthanstrategies,thangold,thanthemindsandtheprideofmen.

OurlegionhadarrivedintheUkrainejustintimetofight—ormoreexactlytostruggle—againstthatenemy.

Astrugglewithoutglory;anexhaustingstruggle;astrugglebewilderinganddisgusting,butonethatgavecouragetothousandsofSovietsoldiers,throwninalldirectionsbythewavesofGermantanksthathadroaredthroughtwoorthreeweeksearlier.

At first they, like theFrench in June1940,hadbelieved that allwas lost.Everythingindicated it.Theywereafraid, so theywent intohiding.Then the rainscame.From thepoplar groves and the thatched roofs of the isbas inwhich they’d hidden, the partisanscouldobservethatthosemarveloustroopsoftheReich,whohadsomuchimpressedthem,werenolonger invincible: their truckswerebeaten, their tankswerebeaten.Theyheardthe drivers, powerless, swear at their engines. Motorcycle drivers unable to free theirtrapped machines, wept with rage. Little by little, the fugitive Soviets regained theirconfidence.

Thusitwasthattheresistancesprangfromtherespitegivenbythemud,reinforcedbythespectacleoftheGermanarmy’svulnerability,unthinkableonlyweeksbefore,whenitslongarmoredcolumnsgleamedinthesun.Themudwasaweapon.Thesnowwouldbeanother.Stalincouldcounton theseunexpectedallies.Nothingelsedecisivewould takeplaceforsixmonths.Sixmonthsofreprieve,afterhisshouldershadalmostbeenpinnedtothemat…Itwouldbeenough,untilMayof1942,tocontaintheforcesoftheReichthat,overwhelmedbytheelements,wantednomorethantohibernateinpeace.Thepartisans

werealreadyorganizingbehindtheGermandivisions,harassingthemlikemosquitoesinaswamp,strikingquickly,leavingquickly,immediatelyafterthesting.

Wehaddreamedofdazzlingbattles.Nowweweretoknowtherealwar,thewaragainstweariness, the war of the treacherous, suckingmire, of sickening living conditions, ofendlessmarches,ofnightsofdrivingrainandhowlingwinds.

We arrived at the front after the summer offensive had ended; whenHitler’s armiesstruggledinmonstrousswamps;whenpartisansappearedfromeverygroveofhazeltreesandsettheirtrapseverywhere.

Itwasthepartisanswefought, justafter leavingDniepropetrovsk.In theory, thefrontwaslocatedtwo-hundredkilometerseastoftheDnieper.Infact,itwasamerefiftymetersfromtheroad.OnlyafewkilometersfromtheDnieper,thousandsofpartisanshadsettledinagroveoffirsstraddlingarivercalledtheSamara.Bynightthebridgesinthevicinitywereblownup,isolatedsoldierswerekilled,tenmysteriousfireshadbrokenout.OntheeveningofourarrivalinthebiglaborcenterofNovomoskovsk,thegaragewhereninetyofourWehrmachttruckswereshelteredwasburned,lightinguptheentireregion.

Thesecunningassailantshadtobecaughtandwipedout.Ourlegionreceivedtheordertoproceedtotheareaswest,southwest,andsouthofthatforest,thethicklywoodedlairoftheenemy.

Crossingthebeltofmudthatseparatedusfromthewoodswasadevilishordeal;everymeterofmudwasanobstacle,exactingeffortandsuffering.

The entire countryside was pitch black, with water everywhere. Not one farm lampflickered.Wefellintomudholes,droppingourweapons,thengropingforthem.Thewaterrosetomid-thighlevel.Theholesweresodangerousthatwehadtotieourselvestogetheringroupsofthreesothatwecouldquicklypulloutanyonewhostumbledin.

Wespentnearly twentyhourscrossing thosehellishkilometers.After fallingwe rosesoaked from head to toe. All our equipment and baggage had to be abandoned in thewater.Atlastwefinallycollapsedinsomeabandonedisbas.Wemademakeshiftfiresoutofstrawandplanksfromthewalls.Allourclotheshadtocomeoff.Wewerestickyfromaputridslimethatcoveredourentirebodies;ourskinwasthegraycolorofseals.

We rubbed ourselves down for a long timewith hay and, in a disgusting stench, asnakedasjaybirds;wewaitedforthereturnofdaylight,amidstthebillowsofacridsmoke.

So itwas thathundredsof thousandsof soldiers struggled, likehuman frogs, alongathreethousandmilefrontofmuckandslime.

Withmindstroubled,bodiesdrainedofstrength,wehadtoconfrontanenemyinfrontofus,behindus,onourflanks.Themudsquelchedourspirits.Ourweakestbrokedown,exhausted.

Duringthisfirstphaseofcombat,oneofourmencollapsedinthemire,hisheadblownopen.Hiscourageatanend,hehadshothimselfinthemouthwithhisrifle.

Thelandalsohasitsdefenses.TheoldRussianearth,troduponbyforeigners,useditseternalweapons;itdefendeditself,avengeditself.

Ithadtakenitsfirstrevenge,inthedrippingautumnof1941,whenwesawthatpuddleofredbloodintheblackmud,slippery,impervious.

AVILLAGE

ThevillageofKarabinovska,wherewespentnearlythreeweekskeepingthepartisansunder control, was, like all Russian villages, crossed by an endless country road, fiftymeterswide,linedwithisbas,hedgerows,plankfences,andcherryorchards.

Thescatteredstrawhuts,weigheddownbytheirheavyroofsofreeds,werenearlyallthe same, except for the color of the paint. They were entered through a dark littlevestibule,ordirectlyintothecommonroom.Astiflingheatwelcomedus,asmellofdirt,of tomatoes, of breathing, and of urine from the young animals that, during thewinter,sleptscatteredamongthepeople.

Throughoutwinter, theRussians hardly left the small bench and the ricketywoodenstoolsofthe isba.Forthemostpart, theadultsgotuponlytogototheotherendofthehousetotakecareofthepig,thecoworanox.Theywouldreturnwithaloadofcornorsunflowerstalksthattheyusedtofeedthefire.

The fireplace fulfilled all functions: cooking, central heating, and bed for the entirefamily.Animposingcubeofbricksandmud,itoccupiedathirdorahalfoftheroomandrose,intwostages,uptohalfameterfromtheceiling.Twoorthreetimesadaysomeonethrewabunchofreedsoralittleunderbrushintothefireplace.Intheeveningtheentirefamily climbed up to the upper level of the stove. Father, mother, children, tangledtogether, curledup, slept righton the lukewarmmud,coveredwithcheapclothesandafewredquilts,fromwhichemergedalineofbarefeet,flatanddirty.Likemonkeysontopofabarrelorgan, theyoungstersspentsixorsevenmonthsof thewinterontopof theirfireplace. Their sole piece of clothing was a waist-length shirt. They were dirty andsqualid;theirnosesran.InRussia,infantmortalitywasenormous:selectiontookplaceintheearlyyears,withoutmercy.

Anentire cornerof the isbawas reserved for the icons.Certain of them, particularlybeautiful,datedfromthe15thor16thcenturies.Thebackgroundsoftheseminiatureswereravishing:castlesingreenandwhite,gracefullyleapingwildbeasts.OftentheydepictedSt.Georgeslaying thedragon,or thegood-natured,beardedSt.Nicholas,or theVirgin,dark-complected,withalmond-shapedeyes,holdingaChristchildpaintedinthestyleoftheItalianPrimitives.

Theiconswereenthronedamonggarlandsofgreenorpinkpaper.Thepeasantsmadethesignofthecrosstwentytimesadayastheypassedinfrontofthem.Sometimestheystillhadaveryold,dirty,dog-earedprayerbook,severalpagesofwhichtheyreadwithinspiringfervorintheevening,bytheglimmerofaflickeringoillamp.

Thosepeopleneverquarreledwithoneanother,butlookedoffintothedistance,blueorgray-greeneyesfullofdreams.

Winterplantscrowdedtheisba.Theyhadlargeoilyleaves,androsetotwometersin

height,almosttotheceiling,lendingajungleatmospheretothestinkinghovels.

The isbas generally had a shed for the animals, built on as an annex. The better-offpeasants,thekulaks,hadleftforSiberiabythemillionssometimeago,theretolearntoscornthegoodsofthisworld.Thosewhohadescapeddeportationcontentedthemselveswithonebrowncow,oneortwopigs,adozenhens,andafewpigeons.5

Thiswasallthepropertytheyhad.Theybroodedoveritwithzealouscare.Thecalvesandthepigletsweretakenintothewarmthofthesinglefamilyroomatthetimeofthefirstfrost.

Thekolkhoz,6whereeveryonehadtoservetheregime,shippedoutalmostallthewheat,corn, and oil of the region. Thanks to that plundering, Stalin was able tomanufacturearmored vehicles and cannons to prepare the world revolution. For the peasant, afterhaving sadly devoured his supper of potato casseroles or his onion dishes, all thatremainedwastopraybeforehisicons,fatalistic,hiseyespure,hiswillempty.

Theautumnpassed.Theairlostitshumidity;theeveningsweredry.Afterafewdays,themudhardened.Thenitsnowed.Itfroze.SobeganthegreatRussianwinter.Theshrub-liketreesglistened,speckledwithathousandsnowflakes.Theskywaspaintedblue,whiteandpalegold.Thesunwassoftabovethewillowsthatborderedthelakes.Onemorning,theentirepopulationofthevillagewentdowntothesenearbylakes.

Thelakeswerechokedwiththousandsofrushes,likespears,threemeterstall,toppedwithbrownandpinkplumes.Theicehadembracedthegraystalks.Thepeasants testedthe strength of the dark ice, powderedwith snow. Finding it solid, they allwent off tosearchfortheirbasketsandscythes.

Itwasastrangeharvest.UnderthecoldNovembersun,thevillagerscutthetallrushesas theycut thewheat inJuly.The rushesweredestined tocover the roofsof theochre-coloredisbas.

Theharvestfellinmagnificentwaves.Thousandsofsmall,plumpsparrowschirpedandrolled over and over on the shore. In three days, the ice ponds were swept bare. Thevillagersthenwenthomeandclosedtheirdoorsforthewinter.

Nowwasthetimeforburrowingin,forhibernation.Hailfell,encrustingthemudwallsoftheisbas,shatteringthebranchesofthecherrytrees.

ChapterTwo

WINTERINTHEDONETS

TheSoviet“partisans”formedmilitaryunitsofaspecialsort.Theywerenowhere,yettheywereeverywhere.Duringtheday,crouchinginathicket, lurkinginsideahaystack,peeking from the attic window beneath the skylight of an isba, their lookouts silentlyobservedtheenemy’severystep.Theynotedoursupplyshedsandequipment,learnedourtrailsandpathways,spiedontheadvanceworkoftheengineers.

Onenight theydynamited a bridge and set some trucks on fire. Strongbursts of firecame from a slope. We ran, but were too late. In the vicinity we found an old linedshapska,7sometracksoffeltboots.Nothingelse.Theforesthadnoiselesslyabsorbedthefugitives.

With only one company, we had to cover several kilometers of the highway fromDniepropetrovsk to Stalino,8 as well as a few kilometers on the edge of the forest,separatedfromourvillagebytwokilometersofhillylandwheregrovesofshrubsrustledinthewind.

Our postswere located three hundredmeters beyond the isbas.Wemounted a guardthere,ournoseswhitewithsnow,ourhandschapped.Thecoldhadbecomebiting,andwelackedtheleastbitofwinterequipment.

Itwasnotenoughtolieinwaitinourfoxholes.TheRussiansslunklikecatsbetweenourpostsatnight.Oncetheyhadgottenpastthem,theycouldcarryouttheirevilworkatease.Halfofourforcesthushadtopatrolconstantlyinthepasture,fromthevillageuptotheforest.

Wewent forth tocamouflageourselves in the snowy trenches,on the lookout for theleastsignoflife,ourearstothewind.

We stumbled into holes coveredwith snow.Our teeth chattered, tormented by thoseinterminable hours of playing hide and seek.We returned frozen to the bone. Our icyweaponssteamedforalongtimenearthesunflower-stalkfires.

Fromdaytoday,ourgriparoundthepinegrovetightened.

On two occasions, we made deep incursions into the woods. The snow squeakedbeneathourfeet.Everywherewediscoveredtracksoffelt-coveredboots.Butnotabranchmoved,notashotwasfired.Thewarthepartisansfoughtwasawarofcunningblows,ofavoidingsetbattles.

Germantroopsonourrightwouldmakecontactwiththeenemyduringthesedry,star-spangled nights. Then the black frames of the burning isbas would stand in silhouetteagainstthegoldenflames,andtheRedswouldtrytofleeinourdirection.

Onenighttheycamearoundeleven.Lyinginthesnow,wefiredourmachineguns.Thetracerbullets’pathsbloomed like abouquetof flowers.For anhour, the steppe seemed

streakedbyblazingarrows.Atlast,sensingthedensityofourbarrage,theRedsreturnedtotheirlairs.

Atthenorthwestedgeoftheforest,ontherightbankoftheSamara,theRedshadbuiltsolidbunkers.

Ourmenwereorderedtoattacktheenemypositionsacrossthefrozenriver.Theycameunderheavyfireassoonas theyreached thenearbank.Ourunithad toadvanceacrosstwenty-fivemetersofglassyice,withoutcover,throughthewitheringfire.Wetooksomebloodylossesthatday,butthebunkersweretaken,andtheRedsfellinthesnowortooktotheirheels.

TheRussianearthreceivedourdead.Howmanyothersweregoingtofall,intheice,inthemud,orunder thegolden sun, in theDonetsoron theDon, in theCaucasusand inEstonia?Thosefirstcrimsondrops,scatteredlikepetalsonthesnowoftheSamara,hadtheunforgettablepurityofthefirstgifts,thefirstlilacs,thefirsttears.

Itwasnecessaryforustoleavetheirgravesbehind,fornowwehadtojoinadivisionwhichhadrushedtoasalientonthefrontline,inthedepthsoftheDonetsBasin.AttheendofNovember,withoutgloves,withoutwinterhats,withoutfurcoats,astheicyblastsofwintersweptthroughourthinuniforms,webeganatwohundredkilometeradvance.

ROADSOFICE

Attheendoftheautumnof1941,theicehadcompletelytransformedeveryroadintheDonets.Theriverofmudwasnowariverofbumpylava.Themudhadsolidifiedasourhundreds of trucks continued to slash it and grind it. It had hardened like stone into anetworkof rockyridges,ahalfmeterhigh, likeblackmarble,which, fiftyorahundredfeetwide,dippedandheaved,gashedbylongruts.

Itwasuselesstotrytosendordinaryautosintothoseruts.Apassengercar’sgastankwould be smashed after the first few kilometers. Only heavy trucks and cross-countryvehicles,withparticularlyhighaxles,couldtakeachanceonthatglazedfrost.Theyalonecouldstraddlethecrevasses.

Fortheinfantrymenthemarchwasmiserable.Wealmostdidn’tdaretopickupourfeet.Wecouldonlyslidethem.Fallswerepainful,sincetheicewasashardasiron.

Wehadtokeepourweaponsreadyforcombatattheslightestwarning.Atthattimearifleman’s equipment consistedofmore than thirtykilosofmetal, not tomention somethreedaysofrationsforthemarchandalloftheusualpack.Theeffortneededtostayonourfeetinflamedourtendons.Wehadtosplitthebacksofourheavy,hardbootswithourknives inorder tomake thema little looser.Eachofusclenchedhis teeth toendure thepain.Sometimesamanfell,hisnervesbrokenbytheeffort.Gasping,hisfaceagainsttheice, he was hoisted into the first truck that passed, onto a pile of bread or someammunition cases. Then the columnwould resume itswobbling path across the black-glazedfrost.

Nevertheless, thecountrywas still pleasant to see.Thegreatwhite steppewascross-hatchedwith hundreds of thousands of gray sunflower stalks. Clouds of sparrows, likelittleballsoffleece,flutteredmadlyaloft.Thesky,especially,wasadmirable,aspureascrystal,paleblue,soclearthateachtree’sbarebrancheswereoutlinedagainstthehorizonwithasharpnessworthyoftheAcropolisinAthens.

Thepeasantssometimesshowedusaplanetreeorarowofoldbirches,thelastvestigesofa lord’sdomain.Fromthebuildingsofformertimes, thereremainednotaboardorastone,noteventhetraceoftheformerfoundations.Everythingwasrazedtotheground,leveled,coveredoncemorewithvegetation.

Ithadbeenthesamewithmostofthechurches.Someofthemwerestillinexistence,desecrated long ago, now used as garages, storage places, meeting halls, stables, orpowerhouses, the beautiful green and gold onion dome still gleaming above the whitewalls.Sometimeswediscoveredthesmashedwainscotingoroneortwopaintingsthatthewhitewasher hadnot been able to reach at thepeakof the ceiling.Apart from that, thefloorswerestrewnwithcornorhorsemanure.Thosechurch-stables, thosechurches forcars, for sunflowers, or formeetingsof the localSovietwere, however, extremely rare.Overaperiodoftwoyearswetraveledmorethantwothousandkilometersonfoot,fromDniepropetrovsktothethresholdofAsia:wewereabletocountonourfingersthenumberofchurchesencounteredenroute,alldesecrated.

AtthebeginningofDecemberwepassedthroughPavlograd.Thenwesettleddowninsomecompletelyemptyhamlets.Thestormraged.Departurestookplaceatfourorfiveinthemorning, as the blasts of snowhowled aroundour faces, lashed us, blinded us.Wespenthoursbringingourlargemetalcarts,loadedwithsupplies,uptotheroad.Thehorsesfellontheglazedfrost,breakingtheirhooves.Thepoorbeastswouldsnortvainlyinthewhistlingsnow,pant,gethalfwayup,thenfallagain,thrownintoafrenzy.

Thesnowfellsoheavilythatthepathandthesteppewerecompletelyindistinguishablefromoneanother.TherewasnotyetanystrawcoveringthehighstakesbetweenwhichtheRussians,familiarwiththeircountry,markout theirroadswhenwinter levelsthosevastspaces.

Thearrowspointingoutdirectionswerecoveredwithpilesof snow.The troopssoonbecamelost.

Tocompoundthedifficulty,theplaceswewerelookingforhadgenerallychangedtheirnamestwoorthreetimesduringthepast25years:theoldmapsshowedatsaristname;the1925mapsshowedanameasRedasthebloodofabull,theresultoftheRevolution;themapsof1935showed thenameofaSovietboss, in imitationofStalingradandStalino.Sometimes,however,thebossinquestionhad,inthemeantime,gottenabulletinthenapeofhisneck,deepinthecellarsoftheGPU:9thus,afourth,newname!Ontheotherhand,fiftyorahundredvillagesontheRussiansteppewouldbearthesamenames,thenamesofwivesordaughtersofthetsars,adoptedoutofsloth,preservedbysloth.

During the leg of ourmarchwhichwas to lead us toGrichino,wewent around and

around, for a whole day, in the blizzard: we reached the settlement only after havingtraveledfifty-threekilometers.Evenso,thatGrichinowasnotourGrichino.Notonlyhadthe place received three different names in twenty-five years, but there were twoGrichinos:Grichino Station andGrichinoVillage, seven kilometers apart!All typicallyRussiancomplications!Wedidn’tarriveattherightGrichinountilmorning,afterwadingthroughsnowalmostwaistdeep.

Our company was the first there. It was forty-eight hours before the others arrivedexceptforonewhichremainedlost,wanderedaboutforfifteendays,sawallitshorsesdieandrejoinedusatthefrontitself,onChristmasDay,escortingamedieval-lookingcolumnoflargewhiteoxenhitchedtoitsgraytrucks.

Unfortunately,theodysseywasnotjustamatterofdailychangesintransport.

ThecountrysidethroughwhichthestormsbuffetedusbristledwithSovietmines.Thesnowhadblanketedthem,justas ithadthewarningstakesplacedhereandtherebythefirstcrewofGermanscouts.

Lostamongblastsofwindwhichdriftedthesnowasmuchasthreemetershigh,oneofour companies blundered into a Soviet mine field. The young commander, a formercaptain in theBelgianarmywhobore thelovelycountrynameDupré,wasridingaheadwhen his horse stepped on one of those terrible devices. The horse shot two metersstraightupintheairandlanded,hisgutsscattered,whiletheriderlayhelplessintheredsnow,hislegstorntoshreds.

Thehowlingsteppeshrieked itsvictory.Oursoldiershad tobracehisshattered limbswith two pieces of wood and then transport their ill-fated captain on some fir treebranches.Afterseveralkilometerstheyreachedadesertedisba.

Ittooktwenty-sixhoursbeforeanall-weatherambulancecouldcometotheaidofthedyingcaptain.Hehadelevenfractures.Smokingacigaretteinquick,avidpuffs,hesaidhis good-byes to his men. Great beads of sweat poured down his face as he silentlyenduredhis agony.Hediedwithout awordof regret,while takingone last dragonhiscigarette.

After the Grichinos there came the Aleksandrovskas. There are one or two hundredAleksandrovskasintheUSSR,ofwhichwewanderedthroughallthoseintheDonets.

At last we reached the industrial cities. We had reached our goal. A sudden thawbrought us a last stretch of mud. At the end of the muddy fields, we saw shining themushyglazed frostofCherbinovka, a coal centerwith forty-thousand inhabitants.Theystoodmotionless,silent,alongthewalls.Manyofthemgazedatusintently,sharp-eyed,scowling.

TheBolsheviktroopshadwithdrawnintothesteppe,threekilometersfarthereast,butwesensedthat,behindus,communistoperativeswouldbelyinginwait.

CHRISTMASATCHERBINOVKA

The Eastern Front in December 1941 was constantly shifting, like the outlines of a

beach. Each army of theReich had brought itswave as far as possible. Each unit hadfounditselfboggeddown,attheendofOctober,inatreacherousmire,flanksunguardedleftandright,ableonlyvaguelytogaugethesituationandintentionsofanenemywhichhadfledbeforetheGermansattopspeed,inadisorderoftenreminiscentofvaudeville.

Withthehelpofthemud,theRedshadshownacertainabilitytocounter-attack;theyhadreconqueredRostov,which, lacking fuel, theGermanshadhad toabandon,burninghundredsoftrucksthere.

Emboldenedbythislocalsuccess,theSovietshadresumednibblingawaytotheeastoftheDonets,ontheleftwingofoursector.FromSlavyansktoArtemovsk,theycarriedoutviolentattacks.

TheSovietpressuremadeitselffeltprincipallyabouttwentykilometerstothenortheastofourbunkers.InfrontofourpositionsatCherbinovka,theenemyrousedhimselflittle,atfirst.Hewastrapped,justaswewere,inaterrainwhichmeltedasifithadbeendippedinahotspring.

Ourresupplytookfiftyhoursormoretonegotiatethetwentykilometersthatseparatedus from the storehouses in Constantinovska. No more motorcyclists could cross. Thehorsesdiedenroute,exhausted,theirmuzzlessunkinthemud.

Cherbinovka had become absolutely filthy. Everywhere thawed excrement fouled theairwithaterriblestench.

ThedirtinessandthemiseryofthecityillustratedtragicallytheSovietregime’sfailuresinthegreatproletariancenters.Thecoalinstallationsstillusedtheequipmentof1900or1905, acquired at the time of easy French loans. The mine shafts, dynamited by theretreatingBolsheviks,werenolongerusable.

SoitwaswithalloftheindustrialequipmentofoccupiedRussia.Systematically,withdiabolical skill, teams of Soviet specialists had destroyed the factories, the mines, thewarehousesofeveryindustrialcenter,largeorsmall.

Scorchedearth!Scorchedunderground!

They had killed even the horses, down in the coal pits. The nauseating smell of therotting animals spread throughout the entire area, since the air ducts of the coalminesventeddirectlyontothestreets.Theseairshaftsweresloppilysealedwithlooseplanking,throughwhich carbon dioxide gas and the asphyxiating stench of the rotting carcasseswaftedcontinuously.

TheSovietshadcarriedawayordestroyedalloftheprovisionsinthecity.Thepeopleateanythingtheycouldfind.Thechoicestdisheswerescrapsfromthedeadanimalswhichlayinthemud.Thepopulationquarreledoverthemviolently,bitterly.

Wehad had to kill one incurable horse, horrible to look at, completely coveredwithdisgustingpustules.Wehadn’tevenhadtimetogotolookforacarttotakeitscarcassoutofthecity.Twentypeoplehadthrownthemselvesontheunspeakableremains,tearingattheskin,grabbingatthestillsteamingflesh.

Intheend,thereremainedonlytheintestines,stillmoredisgustingthanalltherest.Twooldwomen had thrown themselves on the stomach and on the bowels, each pulling inoppositedirections.Thebellyburst,coveringthetwowomenwithayellow-greenpuree.Thewinnerofthelioness’sharefledwithoutevenwipingherface,fiercelyclaspingherpreytoherbreast.

The billeting of our troops was of in the same spirit. When we returned from ourpositions, it was to huddle together in the school buildings recently built by the State:three long buildings, called modern, exactly in the style of all we had seen sinceDniepropetrovsk.Thefirstsoldierwhotriedtodriveanail tohanguphisweaponssplitthewallwith one blow of his hammer. The floorwas constructed of disjointed boardsbetweenwhich theair rushed in.Under themakeshift floor therewasnothing,since thebuildingrestedonlyonpilings.

Between the threebuildings therewasanopenspace, somuddy thatwehad tobuildwooden-plankwalkways,supportedbyheavytrunks,whichranfromonebuildingtotheother.Aroundtheschoolthesmellofcarbondioxideroseconstantly,inducingheadachesandnausea.

OnaboutDecember20th,thesnowandicereturned.Wesuddenlyfoundourselvesoncemoreat-20°C.Weshiveredonourdisjointedboardfloor,eachcurledupunderasingleblanket.

Theholidaysarrived—holidaysforothermen.

On Christmas Eve we attended midnight Mass at a church reconsecrated by ourchaplain.ARussianchoirsanginshrill,heart-rendingtones.Outsidethesnowfellinlargeflakes.Lyingbehindtheirmachineguns,severalofoursoldiersoccupiedcombatpositionsatthefourcornersofthebuilding.

Butourspiritswerechilledfromhavinglazedthroughthosedrabweeks,inasilenceinthedepthsofwhichourdreamsfloatedaimlessly.

TheEuropeanlegions,popularinthenewspapersoftheReich,hadbeengreetedwithskepticismatthefrontin1941.CertainGermangeneralsfearedanintrusion,amongtheirelitedivisions,oftroopssenttotheEastsolelytomakepropaganda.Theydidnotalwaystake into account the amount of enthusiasm and good will which our volunteer unitsembodied.

Suchmisunderstandingsweighedonus.

Weeagerlyawaited thearrivalofanopportunity,evenacrisis, thatwouldenableouridealismtobevaluedatitstrueworth.Thathourwasslowtocome.Meanwhile,unknownandmisunderstood,wesquanderedourtalentsinpetty,gallingduties.

We spent Christmas and the New Year joylessly, holed up in our smoky rooms. Amangerscene,drawnincharcoalonthemudmall,recalledforusDecemberinourownhomes.Afewpoorvotivelampssmoked.Stretchedoutonthestraw,westaredintospace.At the topof thehill,onwoodencrosses, thesteelhelmetsofourdeadworeclumpsofsnow,likechrysanthemumsfallenfromheaven.

ITALIANSINTHEDONETS

Non-Germanunitswereverynumerousontheanti-Sovietfront.

To the south were ranged the legions from Central Europe and from the Balkans.Singularlegions,consumedbyrivalries.TheHungariansandtheRomanianswerealwaysreadytoteareachother’seyesoutforthesakeofagroveofbeechtreesintheCarpathiansor for ten meters of lucerne field in the Puszta.10 The Croats, more Slavic than theUkrainians,weredividedbetweenMuslimsandCatholics.

In 1941 the Italians were the largest foreign unit on all the Eastern Front. Sixty-thousandofthemhadcome,dividedintothreedivisionsandintonumerousdetachmentsofspecialists.Onesawthemeverywhere,fromtheDniepertotheDonets,small,swarthy,funny-looking in their two-pointed forage caps, or looking like birds of paradise undertheirbersaglierehelmets fromwhichprojected, amidst thegustsof the steppe, a statelycropofroosterandpheasantfeathers!

The Italians’ rifles looked like toys. They used them with great skill to kill all thechickensintheregion.

Wehadmade their acquaintance as soon aswe arrived inDniepropetrovsk.We soonformedaveryhighopinionof their spirit of initiative andof their craftiness.Theyhadgatheredroundanenormouscaskwhichsat,unguarded,onarailwaycar.ItwasbrimfulwithChiantiwine.InthesideofthismightycasktheItalianshaddrilledatinyholefromwhichthewinegushedthroughahollowstraw.

Theinventionprovedquiteasuccesswithourtroopers,whowentbacktimeandtimeagaintothatwondrousfount,worthyoftheBurgundianweddingsofCharlestheBoldorofPhiliptheGood!TheItalians,sureoftheirsupply—itwasatwothousandlitercask—amicably traded places with us. From that moment on, the Walloon volunteers wereextremelyenamoredwith Italyandweredelightedwith thecollaboration itprovidedontheEasternFront!

Thefrontwasnotasingle,continuousline,butaseriesofstrongpoints.OurpostsinCherbinovka had only snow to their left and right. To reach the closest Italians,whosesector extended to the south toward Stalino,we had tomarch for two hours across thesteppe.

Weused togo tochatwith themduring lulls in the fighting.Obviously, their lemonsandtheirChiantiwereofsomeimportance.Buttheircharmalsodrewus.

ThecomplicationwasthattheydetestedtheGermans.Thelatter,inturn,couldn’tabidethe Italians’ light fingers or their ardent amours in the ruined isbas.Neither could theytolerate the Italians’ whimsical demeanor and quaint Latin carefreeness, so full ofirreverence,indolence,persiflage,andnaturalgrace,sodifferentfromPrussianstiffness.

Bycontrast, theItaliansbridledwhenevertheysawaGermansnaptoattentionorcryoutorders.Thatdidn’tfitinwithhavingtheirhandsintheirpockets,wearingtheirrussetplumes,andperformingtheirmerryescapades.

Their brand of nationalismwas also different.The Italians lovedMussolini and overandovercriedout“Du-ce!Du-ce!Du-ce!”until theywerehoarse.Suchoutburstswereonly of a sentimental kind, however. Mussolini’s dreams of imperial grandeur did notreachthem.Theywereasproudaspeacocks,butwithoutambition.

One day when they insisted on their desire to have peace again at any cost, I hadretorted:

“Butifyoudonotstruggletotheveryend,youaregoingtoloseyourcolonies!”

“Bah!,” they answered, “what good is it to kill yourself for some colonies?We arehappyathome.Wedon’tneedanything.Wehavethesun.Wehaveourfruits.Wehavelove…”

Asaphilosophyithaditscounterparts.Horacehadsaidthesamething,butlessfrankly.

Likewise, theyfound itabsolutelyuseless towork toohard.Our ideaofhuman laborleft thembored.Whyworksomuch?Andagain theywould takeup theirsoft,alluring,sing-songlitany:thesun,thefruits,love…

“Afterall,”Icontinued,“workisajoy!Don’tyouothernationslovetowork?”

ThenanItalianfromtheSouth,withprincelygrace,offeredmethisreply,magnificentinitsartlessnessanditssolemnity:

“Butsir,whatgoodiswork?”

Whatgoodisit?WhentheGermansheardsuchanswers,theychokedforaweekandverynearlyhadattacksofapoplexy.

FortheItalians,totheirmisfortune,thedayandnightwatchesprovidedsome“good,”asdidthethanklessdutyinthesnowandice.

Oftentheirgregarioussentrieslefttheirpoststobaskinthewarmthofanisba,wherethey chattered, jested, mooched, and studied very closely the attributes of the localbeauties.

TheRussiansfinallytooktheirmeasurewithalowblow.OurpleasantcomradesfromacrosstheAlpspaiddearlyfortheirLatinnonchalance.

Onenight,inthesouthernpartofthesector,strongdetachmentsofCossacksglidedontheirhigh-strunghorsesacrossthedeepsnow.Atdawn,theywereeasilyabletoencirclethree villages occupied by the Italians, but unprotected by the guards, who were busysleepingormakinglove.Theyweretakencompletelybysurprise.

TheSovietsparticularlydetestedtheItalians.TheyhatedthemevenmorethantheydidtheGermans, and on theEastern Front they always treated themwith an extraordinarycruelty.Inthetwinklingofaneyetheyseizedthethreevillages.Noonehadthetimetoreact.TheItalianswerethendraggedtothecoalpits,wheretheywerecompletelystrippedoftheirclothes.Thenthetorturebegan.TheCossacksbroughtlargebucketsoficywater.Roaringwith laughter, they emptied them on the bodies of their victims in coldwhichhovered-30°to-35°C.Thepoorwretchesinthethreevillagesalldied,frozenalive.

No one escaped, not even the doctors. Not even the chaplain, who, stripped like aRomanmarble,alsosufferedthetortureofwaterandice.Twodayslater,thethreevillageswererecaptured.Nakedbodieslayeverywhereinthesnow,twisted,contorted,asiftheyhaddiedinafire.

Fromthattimeon,theItaliantroopsoftheDonetswerereinforcedbyGermanarmor.All along their lines heavy German tanks, painted entirely white, engines throbbing,lurkedinthedeepsnow.

Thatwasanecessity.

TheRedsbecamemoreandmoreactive.Toourleft,toourright,theystruckviolently.Dayandnight,thesteppeshookwithgunfire.Sovietairplanesappeared.Theirbombsduglargegraycratersaroundus.

The cold became evermore penetrating. Inmid-January, the temperature dropped to-38°C.

Our little horses’ snoutswere allwhitewith ice. From their nostrils,wetwith blood,spattered,dropafterdrop,onthetrail,hundredsofspots,likepinkcarnations.

THEHOWLINGSTEPPE

LifehadbecomeunbearableinourlairsatCherbinovka.

Usingstraw,wehadmoreorlessfilleduptheholesinthewindows,halfthepanesofwhichhadbeenbrokenbytheRedtroopswhentheymadetheirretreat.Buttheicyblastsofwinterpersisted,rushingin,whistlingbetweenthefloorboards.Forsleepingweputonall of the poor equipment that we had, then thrust our feet into the sleeves of ourovercoats.Butwhatgoodwereovercoats, lightblankets,andafewbitsofstrawagainstthewindsthathowledthroughourhutsfromthecursedsteppe?

Webroke themargarine, thesausages,and thebread,hardasrocks,withanaxe.Thefeweggsthatourresupplyoperationdeliveredreachedusfrozen,nearlygray.

Suchwereourhoursofrelaxation.

OuradvancedpositionswerelocatedthreekilometersfromCherbinovka.Wewentthereinsquads,acrosssnowthatwasgenerallyfortytofiftycentimetersdeep,intemperaturesvaryingfrom-25°to-35°.

Certaincompanieshaddug theirsmallbunkers into thesidesof theslagheapsof thecoalfields.Theotherswerepositionedoutinthemiddleofthesteppe.

Thesnowwasnothing.Itwasthestormthatwasatrocious.Itbarked;itmeowedwithlong sharpwhistles, throwing into our faces thousands of little darts that tore us like astreamofpebbles.

Wefinallyreceivedsomewintercapsthatcoveredournecksandears,andsomeverythinknittedgloves,whichhardlyprotectedusatall.Butwestillhadneitherfurcoatsnorfeltboots.

Anyonewhotookoffhisglovesforamomentimmediatelyhadhisfingersfrozen.Weworeourwintercapspulleduptoournoses;ourbreath,passingthroughthem,wasfrozenintolargetuftsofice,atthelevelofourmouths,andintolongwhitemoustachesfastenedtooureyebrows.Ourtearsthemselvesfroze,becominglargepearlsthatpainfullyweldedoureyelashestogether.Weseparatedthemonlywithgreatpain.Atanymomentanoseoracheekmightbecomepaleyellow,liketheskinofadrum.Inordertoavoidfrostbite,wehadtorubthefleshvigorouslywithsnow.Often,itwasalreadytoolate.

ThedizzyingstormsgavetheSovietshocktroopsanobvioussuperiority.

TheRussianswereusedtothatweather.Theirskis,theirdogs,theirsleighs,theirhigh-strungponieshelped them.Theyweredressed to resist thecold,padded incotton-wooljackets, shod with felt boots that resisted the snow, as dry as crystal powder. Theyinevitably benefited from the unspeakable suffering of thousands of European soldiersthrownbyaboldoffensive into thesnows, thewinterwind,and the ice,withoutproperequipmentandwithoutadequatetraining.

TheRedsinfiltratedeverywhere.Theirspies,disguisedascivilians,creptbetweenourposts,reachedtheworkercenters,andfoundaccomplicesthere.Thegreatmajorityofthepeasantpopulationwascompletely ignorantaboutCommunism,except for itsdemands;butintheindustrialcentersSovietpropagandahadreachedtheyoungworkers.Itwastothem that the spies of the Red Army, dedicated and courageous leaders, addressedthemselves.

Iwas part of an execution squad chargedwith shooting two of them,who had fullyconfessedbeforethemilitarytribunal.

Whenwereachedthemiddleofthesteppe,welinedupinarow.Thetwocondemnedmen, their hands in their pockets, did not say aword.Our volley knocked themdown.There was an extraordinarymoment of silence in which the shudder of the rifle shotsfloatedskyward.Oneofthetwocommunistsmoved,asifhewantedtosummonupalastremnant of life.His right hand left his pocket and rose, fist clenched tightly, above thesnow.Andweheardacry,alastcry,shoutedinGermansothatitwouldbeunderstoodbyall:“HeilStalin!”

Thedeadman’sclenchedfistfellbacktohisside.

Thosepeoplealsohadtheiridealists.

Generally,theRussianswhohadbeencondemnedtocapitalpunishmentacceptedtheirfatewithfatalism,theirarmsattheirsides,theirfacesblank.

Toavoidupsettingtheirtroopsandtostrikethepopularimagination,theGermanshaddecided to hang captured spies. The condemned Russians approached, depressed, eyesvacant,thenclimbeduponachair,whichitselfwasperchedonatable.Theywaitedthere,withoutprotesting,withoutaskinganything.Abovethemhungtherope.Itwastiedaroundtheirnecks.Thusitwas,thusitwas.Theyletithappen.Akickupsetthechairandendedthetragedy.

Oneday,theGermanshadtocarryoutthesentencesoffivecondemnedmenallatthesame time. One of the hanged men broke his rope and fell to the ground. He picked

himselfupwithoututteringaword,putthechairbackonthetable,gotbackuponitandwaited,withthegreatestnaturalness,whileanewropewasinstalled.

Inthedepthsofthoseheartstherewasanorientalfatalism,achildlikeinnocenceand,also,a longhabitof takingblowsandsuffering.Theydidnot rebelagainstdeath.Theypassivelyaccepteddeathastheyhadacceptedeverythingelse:thefilthyisba,theknoutofthearistocrats,andtheslaveryofCommunism.

ThesecondhalfofJanuary1942wasmuchbusier.LargenumbersofSoviettroopswereonthemove.Sovietairplanesattackedthreeorfourtimesperday.

Wewerestillunawareofwhathadtakenplace.

Sovieteliteunits,broughtinfromSiberia,hadcrossedthefrozenDonetsRiver,tothenorth of our industrial basin. They had flanked the German defenses and reachedimportant railway lines, notably the Kiev-Poltava-Slavyansk line. They had pillaged anumber of supply depots and then moved westward. The Russians and SiberianssubsequentlymadeaverydeepthrustinthedirectionoftheDnieper.Theythreatenedtocutoff thewholeArmyof theSouth.Theyhadalreadypassed theSamaraRiver.SomespearheadsofCossackshadevengottenasfarastwelvekilometersfromDniepropetrovsk.

TheGermancommanderhastilygatheredhisavailableforcesforacounter-offensive.

Acounter-offensivewhenthethermometerreadbetween-35°and-40°C!

Wehad little doubt aboutwhat awaited uswhen an urgent order put us in a state ofalert.

Thatverynightwewererelieved.Atfourinthemorning,wetrudgedbehindourcartsinthemidstofastupendousstormthatroiledthesnowinfury,leavingusutterlyblind.

Wewerecompletelyunawareofourdestination.However,thehourforbloodandgloryhadarrived.

COSSACKS

IfIremembercorrectly,itwasJanuary26,1942.

We did not know exactly howmuch progress had beenmade, either by the Siberiantroops, gliding on their dog sleds, or by the Cossacks, mounted on high-spirited littlehorseswhichstooduptoeverything.

Theenemycouldnotbefaraway.Thatwasallthatwehadbeenabletolearn.We,thesimple soldiers of the line, knew few things, nor did I know anything more than mycomrades, since Iwas then anordinary soldier, living strictly the life of the troops andhavingnocontactwiththeupperechelonofmycompany.

Ourknownobjectivewas,forthesecondtime,theareaaroundGrichino,locatedsixtykilometerstothenorthwestofCherbinovka.Doubtlesswewouldbeneartheenemyforcesthroughouttheentiremarch.Forthefirststage,wehadorderstooccasionallytakesomeshortcuts.

Ittookfourhoursforourcolumntogetreadytomoveoffintothesnowstorm.Wecouldseenomorethantenmetersinfrontofus.Whenwearrivedinthecountryside,thestormtormentedusfromallsides.Theroadroseandfellacrossthelow,steephills.WedraggedalongwithussomeStahlwagen,metalwagonsweighinghundredsofkilos,excellentforthepavedorasphalt roadsofEurope,butcompletely impractical in thesnowandiceofthe steppe.TheRussian peasants themselves used only sleds orwoodenvehicles, light,with narrow, very high wheels. Our enormous hearses came clattering down at a madspeed on the downgrades, in spite of their brakes. Some horses tumbled over; somewagonsturnedover.Ontheupgrades,wehadtopushthevehicles,twentymenatatime.At the endof a fewhours, severalStahlwagenwere boggeddownor overturned in thesnowalongthesteeppaths.

Although the first leg of themarchwas only twelve kilometers long,we had to toilthroughout the night. Itwas not until six o’clock the next evening that all our suppliesarrived.Reaching a village,we encountered four Siberian troops,whomwe killed in abriefskirmish.

Atfiveo’clockinthemorningweresumedouradvance.Thewhirlwindsofsnowhadceased,buttheicehadbecomeevenfiercer.Overnightithadhardenedonthehillypath,whichwasasslipperyasaskatingrinkunderneaththesnow.Thehorsescouldnotmoveforward. Several broke their hooves. By noon, we had covered little more than onekilometer.

Ahead of us lay a secluded valley, which the storm had filled with phenomenalquantitiesofsnow.Ourentirebattalionhadtosettoworkdiggingacorridorfiftymeterslong and three meters deep. Pulling our Stahlwagen up the steep slope was a terribleoperation.Notuntilnineo’clock thatnightdidwereach themountain topwith thefirstone.Insixteenhourswehadmadeonlythreekilometers!

Westabledour teamsofhorses inashed.Onlya fewmencouldfindaplacenext tothem.Apeasantinformedustheexistenceofahamletaboutfourkilometersaway,ononesideof a small valley.Wegot backon the roadbymoonlight. In its deepest points thesnowcameuptoourwaists.Atlastwereachedsomeisbas,moremiserablethananywehadeverseen.

Atteno’clockwesettleddownonthehard,packedearth,inthesingleroomofoneofthe huts, filled with civilians who undoubtedly had been hiding and waiting for theSiberians.Apregnantgirl,asredasalobster,wentaroundfrommuzhiktomuzhik,bythelightofanoillamp.Shewasdressedsolelyinalongshirtwhichwentdowntoherwaist.She chattered vulgarly, constantly, continuing her housework until her rounds werecompleted.

Thenshewaddledbackuptothetopofherovenandmadesomeloudremarks,butthemen,theirworkdone,werealreadysnoring.Someoftheanimalsstirred.Thestenchwassickening.

Atsixinthemorning,returningtoourcarts,weplungedintothesnowagain.Fromthetop of the plateau we could see the company that had bogged down the night before,wearingitselfoutpushingitsmetalvehicles.Theclimbcertainlywouldlastuntilnightfall.

Iwassentonpatrol,insearchofbilletingspace,inthedirectionofasovkhoz11thathadbeenpointedouttous,somefourorfivekilometerstotheeast.Weleftatthreeo’clock,usingatroikawehadfoundinashed.

Thesovkhozwasthereallright,swarmingwithmuzhiks.Thelivingquarters,withtheever-presentearthenfloor,wereoverrunbyyoungcalves,whichshelterednearthefamilystove,awayfromthecold.Sincethefamiliarpanalwaysarrivedtoolate,theycontinuallydousedtheground.Thatmadeforyetanothersmell.

Oneofmycompanionsleftagainwiththesled,inordertoguidethetroops.ThesquadmemberwhostayedwithmewasamineworkerfromtheBorinage,12withathick,sing-song accent, and a first and last name reminiscent of epic poetry:AchilleRoland. Thecivilians kept cool heads. A few Soviet airplanes flew over the sovkhoz, droppinghandbills announcing the imminent arrival of the Red Army. Our natives scanned theridge-lineandthesky.

Atabouttwointheafternoon, thesilhouettesofseveralhorsemencouldbeseen.Themuzhiks gaveeachotherbrief,knowing looks.They lookedusover, sneakily, squintingthroughalmond-shapedeyes.

Atfourintheafternoon,noneofourcomradeshadarrived.

WeexpectedtoseetheCossacksboltfromcoverattheedgeofthefarm.Ihadsetupmymachinegunintheentryway.Theweaponwoulddosomedamage.Weworestringsof grenades at our belts, with which we could quickly restore calm behind us if themuzhiksofthesovkhoztriedtoattackus.

They kept quiet, verymuch impressed.A beautiful youngUkrainian girl,who knewsomewordsofGerman,hadsidedwithus.Shewassixteenyearsold,withbeautifulhairwithglintsofbrownandgoldinit.Shehadwatchedthedoingsofoursquadandsecretlygiven us some supportive glances. She had generously put us on the same level of theovenas the family’s small calvesand servedus, like them,a thickmilk, smoothasherskin.

Outside,thestormhadbegunhowlingoncemore.FromtimetotimeIwenttoinspectthearea,grenadeinhand.Itseemedclearthatourcomradeswouldnolongerbeabletomake their way to our positions. Besides, wherewere they?Had they been put out ofcommissionbyanattackof theCossacksor theSiberian infantry,on theplateauwheretheywerelaboriouslydragginguptheirmetalvehicles?

Nightfell.Seveno’clock.Eighto’clock.Noonecame.Themuzhikswerestillwaiting.Obviously,theywouldhaveverymuchlikedtoslitourthroats,butthebeltsofcartridges,feeding into ourmachine gun, discouraged them.They finally lay down on the groundamongtheyoungcattle,thepanwithintheirreach.

Thewind howled, andwith a crash it threwopen thewooden doorwhich led to thecorridor, throwingclumpsofsnowonus.Weaskedourselveswhatwouldhappenwhenwegotup.

Asalastresort,mycompaniondecidedtoreconnoiterinthedirectionofourcompany.

Inthedarkness,mywatchseemedtoshow5:00a.m.TheintrepidAchillevanishedintothestorm.

He reappeared in an hour, transformed into a Santa Claus beneath a cubic meter ofsnow. Straying in the storm, he had floundered helplessly through the snow. “Are youquitesureofthetime,”heasked.“It’sstillsodarkoutthere!”

We looked. Itwasonly1:30 in themorning!Wehad confused5:00 and12:25.PoorAchillesnorted,thenwenttowarmhimselfalittlebitagainstthedried-mudstove.There,stretchedoutnearthemachinegun,wewaitedfortherealbreakofday.

Itcame,butthatwasallthatcame.Thestormwassofantasticthatwecouldnolongerimaginethattheinfantrymenwouldstillbeabletocatchupwithus.Onedaypassed,twodays passed. When the fury of the steppe calmed, the Cossacks could cut the road.Suddenly, at eleven in themorning, a sled turned sharply in front of the door, kickingsnowuptothethatchedroof.AWalloonnon-commissionedofficer,myformergardenerinBrussels,hadchargedthroughthestormbehindfourhorseswhichhehadwhippedtothepointofdeath.Onehorseexpirednosoonerthanithadreachedthefarm.

Readjustingthereins,westartedtheteamoffatagallop.TheRussians,inspiteofthewhistling snow,had runup to the thresholdof the sovkhoz, their eyes flashing.But theprettylittleUkrainiangirl,behindthebacksofthosewretches,blushinglythrewusakiss.Thatwouldhavebeenworthtensuchadventures.

Onehourlater,werejoinedoursquad,stillblockedatthetopofthehill.Whenamantriedtonegotiatethatbareridge,hefoundhimselfhurledtothegroundbythestorm.Themenhadallcrowdedtogetherinthebarnupagainstthehorses,oneaschilledastheother.Therewas nothing else to do.Wehad towait.The steppewasmore powerful thanwewere.

Wewaited.

Nextmorningthewindsubsided,andwesentseveralplatoonsouttotheroad.Ameterofsnowcoveredtheground,butwecouldn’tstaywherewewereanylonger.

Our column was forming for the departure when some gray dots appeared on thehorizon. A half-hour later, we were approached by an extraordinary procession: ourcommander, coming tomeet us, had, since the previous night, driven one hundred andeightyRussians before him.Using their shovels they had cut a passageway in the vastoceanof the steppe.By thatmeanswewereable tocover twentykilometers,usingourbayonetstobreaktheclumpsofsnowthatcontinuallyformedunderourboots.Bydawnwehadtraversedacorridorfourmetersdeep,toaplacecalledEkonomiskoye.

Therewehadhardlyany rest: atmidnight, threehundredCossackswere spotted.Wehad to takeupourpositions in thesnow,at thefootofawonderfulmill, its largeblackvanesglimmeringinthemoonlight.Thesteppewasablueandwhiteexpanseofsparklingcrystals.Millionsofstarslitupthenight.Theyformedasmoothliningundulatingacrossthesky.Itwassobeautifulthatwenearlyforgotthecoldthatpiercedourbodieswithitsdarts.

Atnoon,afterhavingcoveredaboutfifteenkilometers,weenteredGrichino.

ForseveraldaysthecityhadundergoneaerialbombingofakindthattheRussianshadneverbeforecarriedout.Allof thesquaresweresmashed tosmithereens.CossacksandSiberianswereatthegatesofthecity.Iftheyseizedit,oneofthelargestroadandrailwayjunctionsoftheDonetswouldbelost.

Wehad to prepare for the impendingbattle.Wemadeour billets in a school hall, ofwhichonlyonewindowremainedintact.Thetwothinblanketseachofuscarriedaffordedlittleprotectionagainstthe-40°Ctemperatures.

Onecannotimaginewhatitislike,insuchcold,torestinacompletelyopenbuilding.Itwasimpossibleforustosleepforamoment.Itwasnotevenpossibletoremainseated.

Nevertheless,wewereleftwithlittletimetophilosophizeaboutourmisfortunes.Atoneo’clock in the morning, they formed us in companies: we were rising to thecounteroffensive.

ROSALUXEMBURG

Thewinterof1941-1942wasthemostterrifyingwinterthatRussiahadexperiencedinonehundredandfiftyyears.

A certain number of German units, billeted in relatively calm sectors, adaptedthemselves,asbesttheycould,tothosefrightfullycoldtemperaturesandtothelackoffurclothes.Other units received violent shockswhen they found themselves in the path ofattemptedbreakthroughs.Theylivedthroughsomeextraordinaryodysseys,oftencutoff,resistinginsmallgroups,leadingheroiccounter-attacksthatlastedforweeks.

The Donets sector was one of the most bitterly contested. There the Soviets threwmagnificent troopsatus,makingadeeppenetration. Itwaschecked, thenpushedback,onlyatthecostofexhaustingefforts.ButonelargeSovietpocketremainedinthemidstoftheDonets. Itwouldbemoppeduponly at the endofMayof1942, at the timeof thebattleofKharkov.

At the beginning of February of 1942, the crisis reached a peak. The Russians hadadvancedtowithinafewkilometersoftheDnieper.TheGermancounteroffensivehadtobecarriedoutwithafierceenergy.Itwas.

TheHighCommandrusheditstroopstotheassaultbyeverymeansoftransportatitsdisposal.

TherewerefewenoughwaystotravelthatFebruary,however.

Thusitwasthat,onFebruary3,weleftforcombatinseveralrailwaycarspulledbyasnow-plow.Thesnowwassodeepthatitsloweddownouradvance.Theraillinehadnotbeendemolishedafterall.Weweregoingaftertheenemy,pulledalongincattlecars!

Forprovisionsweweregiveneachalarge,roundloafofbreadthatwetied,asbestwecould,toourpacksoragainstourchests.Wehadtocarryallourworldlygoods,includingweaponsandammunition,onourbacks.Nohorsesorcartscouldaccompanyus,norcouldwelookforwardtohotmeals.Webroughtnothingmorethanwecouldcarryonourown

backs.Foramachine-gunnerlikeme,thatmeantaloadofmorethanfortykilograms,ofwhichthirtywasforthemachinegunandthecartridgeboxes.

Getting the snow-plow started and then advancing twenty kilometers took fourteenhours. The cars, of course, were unheated. The floor was as bare as a rock. The coldintensified;thatmorningitwas-42°.Forty-twodegrees!Soasnottosuccumbtothecold,wewereobligedtoruncontinuously,onebehindtheother,insidethecar.

Everyonewasclose to exhaustion fromhavingdone this ridiculousdance for severalhours;however,ourlivesdependedonit.Oneofourcomrades,exhausted,droppedoutoftherace.Hestretchedout inacorner.Thinking thathewassleeping,weshookhim;hewasfrozen.Atastop,wewereabletogatherupsomesnow.Werubbedhimwithitfromhead to toe, for fiftyminutes. Then he came back to life a little, letting out a frightfulmoan,likeacowbeingslaughtered.Hewasconfinedtoahospitalforayearandahalf,astoothlessasanarmadillo.

The locomotive thrust aside masses of snow more than two meters deep. At last itstoppedinfrontofaveritablewallofice,impassable.Besides,theBolshevikswereonlythreekilometersaway.

Whenwe leapedoutonto the steppe,webelieved thatwewereallgoing todie.Thewhirlwindsslappedusintheface,knockedusover.Officersandmenfellinthesnow.

The facesof severalofourmenwerehideous:mottled, empurpled,eyesbloodshot. Icouldn’t slap my cheek, which froze instantly, for my hands were full gripping mymachinegun,cartridgecases,andammobelts.Otherssufferedfrostbittenfeet,whichlaterdecomposed into long, blackish strips. Some men’s ears froze, soon resembling largeapricots,fromwhichoozedanorangepus.

Themostunfortunateofourcomradeswerethosewhohadtheirsexualorgansfrozen.Unspeakablesufferingforthosepoorboys.Theyweredraggedfromhospital tohospitalthroughout the entire war, all in vain. The flesh, frightfully swollen, had been burneddeeplyduringthatterribleafternoon.

The village to be occupied lay in front of us. It bore the name of the famousBerlinJewishpolitical figure,RosaLuxemburg.13TheRussiansmust havebeen as cold aswewerebecause from themomentwecamenear they trussedup theirpossessionswithoutaskingusforlongexplanations.Wesufferedonlyonedead,ouryoungestvolunteer,agedsixteen,whotookamachinegunblastinthemiddleofhisstomach.Atfiveo’clock,weoccupiedthefirstisbas,whileastupendoussun,brightred,appearedsuddenlyinthewestandsankimmediatelyintotheswirlingsteppe.

Itwasnecessarytopitchcampasbestwecould.

Mygroupoccupiedtwoisbas,whichwereonlyhuts.Oneofthemwasinhabitedbytwowomenandsevenchildren.Theyoungstersdefecatedinthemiddleoftheroom,rightontheground.Themotherswould casuallypush thedroppings against themudwall, thenscoopupsomehandfulsofsunflowerseedsfromtheoven,chewingandspittingthemouttirelessly.

Wespentthesecondhalfofthenightonthesteppe,atourlookoutposts.Areturntotheoffensive by the Russians was possible. How would we react? My machine gun wascompletely jammedwith the icewhichformedat-40°.Therewasnolongeranywaytomakeanyofour firearmswork.Theonlypossibledefense remainingwasclosecombatwithknivesandgrenades.

Atsixo’clock in themorning,adazzlingdawnarose,spreadingacross thesky:gold,orange, purple, reddish purplewith some softmauves, borderedwith clear silver. As Ilookedattheskywithrapturouseyesatthatbreathtakingtableau,Aurora’svioletbountyfestooned above the empty steppe, I cast aside my sufferings and felt love! The mostimportant thing isbeauty, at anycost! I saw, aboveme, themostbeautiful lights in theworld.IhadoncecontemplatedtheskyinAthens;myemotion,myjoywereevengreaterasIlookedatthesumptuousnessandclarityofthatRussiansky.Mynosewasfrozen.Mycheekwasfrozen.Mymachinegunwasallice.Butallofmyfeelingswereonfire.Inthatmulti-coloreddawnatRosaLuxemburg,IwashappierthanAlcibiadeslookingatthewinedarksea,fromtheheightoftheterracesoftheAcropolis.

Twodayslater,anewspringtowardtheeast.

Thecoldwasrelented,butareddishpusranfromourfaces,whichwerechappedbytheice.

The troops advanced along two hills, very distant from one another, deployed in themanner of the armies ofLouisXV. Itwas a beautiful sight. In front of us, the panzersbrokethroughthepositionsoftheSoviets.Progresswaseasy.

Wemadeastopinavillageasdirtyastheothers,butinhabitedbyatribeofGypsies.Thewomen, perchedon theoven in the isba, their legs crossed in theTurkishmanner,puffedsilentlyon largepipes.Theyhadblackhair,almostblue,wore raggedpetticoats,andspatwithavengeance.

Onthenextday,wearrivedat thecityofBlagodach,whereafuriousvanguardbattlehadjustended.Justinfrontofus,theammunitionsupplyofaSovietcannonhadtakenadirecthit.Anakedbodylaythere,headless.Inplaceofitsnecktherewasanenormous,blackish,crackedhole.Thefatofthethighshadburned,openinglongwhitecracks.

I looked around for the torso’s head. Suddenly I saw, stuck to a metal plate, anextraordinaryhumanmask.Theexplosionhadscalpedthepoorwretch,strippingtheskin,theeyes,andashockofhairfromhisface.Theterriblecoldhadimmediatelyfrozenthegrislymask,whichhadkept itsexactshapeandcolor: theeyes,veryblue,werestaringstraight ahead.The tuft of blondhair fluttered in thewind. Itwas so real that I almostcriedoutinfright.

AfewGermanshadbeenable toforce theirway,firingheavymachineguns, into thevillage.TheRussianshadfoughtback,launchingacounter-attackonthreesidesatonce,likechildren.SomewonderfulCossackshadchargedfromoneside,dressed insplendidblueuniforms,waving theireagle-hiltedsabers.Theygalloped in,seatedproudlyon thealuminumandwillowsaddlesof their agilehorses.Allof themweremercilessly sweptaside.Thehorsesfelldead, their forelegs twistedbeneath them; thehandsomeCossacksrolled in the snow, in all directions, or were frozen solid by the cold on their saddles,unitedindeathwiththeirmounts.

The Siberian infantry had rushed to the attack as naively as the Cossacks, stormingdowntwohillsandthenacrossthesteppe.Nonehadbeenabletocomecloserthanthirtymetersfromthehouses.ThebodiesofseveralhundredSiberianslayscatteredinthesnow.All of themweremagnificently equipped, dressed in thick flannels of Americanmakeunderathinuniform,whichinturnwascoveredwithaheavycottonuniform,acloakandawhitegreatcoat.

Theyhadbeenwellarmedagainstthecold,atleast.

TheywerenearlyallAsiatics,withhairasstrongasthebristlesofawildboar.Theicehadpreservedthemattheverymomenttheyfell.Oneofthemhadhadaneyeputoutofits socket by a bullet that had entered the center of his forehead. The eye had frozeninstantly.Ithadmovedforward,aslongasafinger,underthearchoftheeyebrow,likeaterrifying optical instrument. The pupil stared at us, as lifelike as if the Mongol stillbreathed.Theeyesofthedead,inthose-40°freezes,retainedanextraordinarysharpness.

The village was in a pitiful state. We spent the night among young cattle that hadescapedthemassacre.Inourrooms,alongwithasmallcalfandsomechickens,therewereadozengentlepigeonsthatcooed,indifferenttothepassionsofhumankind.

Whenwe got up, a new surprise awaited us: the thaw! Complete thaw! The villagesplashedaboutintwentycentimetersofwater.

The foot-soldier fights in all kinds of weather. We set out again toward the enemyamidstbodiesthatfloatedontheroads,likeboatssetadrift.

THAWINGANDFREEZING

TheRussian thawstakeplacewithextraordinaryspeed.At thebeginningofFebruary1942,itwas-42°.Fourdayslater,theroadswererivers30centimetersdeep.

We climbed, with great difficulty, a corpse-littered hill over which the road out ofBlagodach led east.Behind us trailed some sledswe had found in the isbas, drawn byseveral old horses that we had found wandering in the snowy fields. We had neitherharnesses,nor traces,norhalters;wehitchedup theanimalsbymeansof red telephonewireswhichbrokeahundredtimesandwererepairedasoften.

We passed a Soviet sledge whose horses and driver had been killed in the sameexplosion:thesoldier,astockyMongol,nutbrownincomplexion,quitestiff,staredattheroad fromeyeless sockets.Besidehim sat an enormousgreenbottle, filledwith agoodtwenty pounds of tomato juice. The horses and theMongol were dead, the bottle wasintact.

Aswemarcheddownhillagain,wefoundourselvesinthemidstofaflood.Thefieldsweremelting,thewaterrunningoutthroughathousandlittlechannelsthatdrainedintotheroad.Theicerefusedtomelt,sowaterrosehigherandhigher.Wemarchedthroughthoseicyrivers,soakedtoourknees.

Westoppedtospendthenightinatinyhamlet,consistingofexactlytwoisbas.EightyCroatianvolunteerswerejammedintothesingleroomofeachisba,shouldertoshoulder,

withnoroomtositdown.

Itwasimpossibleforonemorepersontogetintothosetwohumanrabbithutches.Thetwosmallpigstieslikewisewerecrammedwithamassofchilledsoldiers,unabletodryout.

Allwecoulddowastoclimbupintothehayloft,tothesmallspacethatseparatedtheceilingandthethatchedroof.Atthepeakoftheroofthatspacewasonemeterhigh.Wehadtoinchforwardfrombeamtobeam,insomedangeroffallingthroughthedriedmudceilingontothebacksoftheeightyCroatsbelow.Morethanahundredofuscrawledoverto the corners of the roof and then settled downhelter-skelter on perches in those darkholes.Itwasnecessarytostaycurleduporcroucheddown.Thatpositionwasexhausting.Our feetwerechilled,ourheavyboots filledwith icywater.Since themorningwehadeatennothingmorethanahunkofouroldarmybread,ifthat.Manynolongerhadevenacrust.

Atnineo’clockthatnight,anelectriclightshonethroughthetrapdoorfromthetopofasmallladder.“Getup!We’releaving!”

Leaving! In the middle of the night, along roads streaming with icy water!We hadorderstofollowrightontheheelsoftheretreatingRedsandtooccupy,beforedaybreak,alargekolkhozfarthertotheeast.

Noneofuscouldsomuchasmakeout thepersonnext tohim.Weadvancedblindlythroughthewater.Thefickleweatherhadmadetheroadarealtrap.Beneathwaterfromthemeltedsnowlayasheetoficeonwhichourmenfellconstantly.Ihadmyturnasdidtheothers,sprawlingfacedownwithmymachinegun.ThenIslippedonmyheels,andfell backward, gulping downmouthfuls of the road. Soaked to our skins,we struggledthrough such damp and gloom that we stumbled across the Samara River, meanderingover the ice and spreading out over twenty-five meters wide, without a single soldiernoticingthathehadcrossedastream!About1:30inthemorning,wefinallyarrivedattheentrancetothekolkhoz.Adozenlargedeadhorseslayinpilesofmeltingsnow.Therenolonger remained a single inhabitable resting place, except for three stables,whichwereverysmallandfilledwithhorsemanure.

Westationedourselves,agroupoffortymen,inoneofthose.

Fromtheremainsofanoldflourchest,wemadeafire.Whentheflamesrosefromit,Ihastenedtoholdouttowarditmyunderwearandmyshirt,usingapoker.WithmyusualclumsinessIdidthingssowell thatmyclothesburst intoflames, illuminatingthestablemagnificently!Withonlyajacketandathreadbarepairofoldtrousers,Iwasthroughwithcombatuntiltheendofthewinteroffensive.

Wehadnonourishmentbutthesmellofhorsemanureuntiltheeveningofthenextdayinthatevilkolkhoz.Itwastherethat,inspectingtheslopethatwentdownwardtowardtheSamara,IbelievedthatIcouldmakeoutabodyinthemeltingsnow.Iwentdowntohavealook.Tomyhorror, IdiscoveredayoungGermanwhoselegs theRussians,especiallysadistic, had sawed off at the knees. The job had been done with a butcher’s saw,

unquestionablybyanexpert.TheunfortunateGermanhadbeenpartofareconnaissancepatrolthathaddisappearedtwodaysearlier.Itwasobviousthatafterhismutilationhehadstill draggedhimself fifteenmeters,with thedesperatewill of ayoungmanwhodidn’twanttodie.

The ice returned as quickly as the thaw had come. In one night, the temperatureplummetedto-20°.Onthenextday,theSamarawasagaincompletelyfrozen.

The road along the valleywas transformed into a horrifying skating rink, horrifyingbecausethebodiesoftheRussiansthathadbeenfloatinginthewatertwodaysbeforehadbeenfrozeninplace.Outoftheicetherewouldemergeahand,oraboot,orahead.

The sleds slowly eliminated those obstacles, grinding downnoses and cheeks,whichcrumbledlikesawdust.Attheendofafewdays,everythingwasleveled,exceptforsomehalf-handsandsomehalf-facesthatremainedlevelwiththewhiteice,likemonstrousfishneartheglassofanaquariumtank.

Assoonastheicewashardenough,wecontinuedouradvance.

Russianairplanesmachine-gunnedusheavily.Aftertwokilometers,wefoundourselvesclose to theSamara.Thecrossingwasslow.Meanwhile,a squadronofSovietairplanesswoopeddownonusasrelentlesslyaswasps.

Theydove,turned,camebackagain.TogetherwithsomecomradesIrantofreeaheavymunitionswagonstuckinthemiddleoftheroad,aneasytargetwhichcouldgoupatanymoment. I pushed with all of my strength to move it up to the protection of anembankment. The planes swooped down again, and the vehicle tipped, pinning me.Everythingwentblack.

I awoke again a half hour later, lying in a hut.My eyes could distinguish only greatswirlsofmauve,likeorchids.Myleftfoothadbeenfracturedintwoplaces.

Iunderstoodthat theywantedtosendmetoahospital.Thatwokemeupcompletely.Theambulancemenwhohadbroughtme inhadat theirdisposal ahorseandanarrowsled. Ihad themlaymeouton that.Thenacross thedeadbodiesencrusted in the ice, Istartedtheanimaloutinthedirectionoftheeast.

AfteranhourIcaughtupwiththecompany.Stretchedoutacrossthreeplanks,IenteredNovo-Andrievska,wheretheRussianfighterplanesstillharassedus.Theykilledonemanand wounded several others. Despite the strafing, theWallonians held the village thatnight.

Wehadtogofurther.Myfootlookedlikeablackcalf’shead.Searchinginthesnow,acomradehadfoundoneoftheenormousfeltbootsthatthetankdriverspulledovertheirusualfootgear.Itwasevenabootfortheleftfoot.Theyputitonmywoundedfoot,whichfitintoitperfectly.Lyingstretchedoutonmysmallsled,Isetoutagainwithmycompany.

For the third time,we had to cross the ice covering thewinding SamaraRiver. TheSovietairplaneshadalreadyresumedthehuntforus.Aswecrossedthefrozenriver,they

skimmedover us,machineguns chattering, thendropped three large bombsonus.Thebombs fell from so low that they did not have time to assume a vertical position andskiddedintoourrankslikethreelargegraydogs.

Wereachedtheeastbank,butnotbeforeseveralWalloonsfell.

Wehadorders to seize theheightsoverlooking thevalley,which formed the region’swatershed.WhoheldthathighgroundcommandedtheSamaraValley.

On February 17, at 11:00 a.m., we reached the plateau. There a village scattered itsisbasalongbothsidesoflong,icyponds.Aswecrossedthefrozenponds,theRussians,totheeast,openeduponuswithanextremelyfierceartillerybarrage.

The troopshadbeen able to runup to the isbas to get a little cover.Flattened at thebottom ofmy sled, incapable of taking a step, I heard the shrapnel ricocheting on thesides,againsttheplanks.ACroatwhoranup,hisarmsextended,hadjustfallenonme;hehadamonstrousredhole,aslargeastwofists,wherehiseyeshadoncebeen.

SoitwasthatweenteredthevillageofGromovaya-Balka,whereweweretolosehalfofourlegionnaires,killedorwounded.

DAYSOFHELL

AtGromovaya-Balka, as everywhere else, therewas no continuous front.Toour leftextendedanopenspaceofsevenkilometers.Onourrightfriendlyforces—WaffenSSoftheVikingDivision—occupiedasmallvillagethreekilometersaway.

TheRussianshadmassedthebulkoftheirtroopsafewkilometerstotheeast,buttheiradvance posts were positioned quite close to us, inside the haystacks that raisedwhitehumpsonthesteppe.

Since thevillageofGromovaya-Balkawasbuilt ina slightdepression,wesetupourpositionsontheridge.Weweren’tabletodigin—thesoilwashardasgranite—soweconstructedourdefensesfromlargeblocksoffrozensnow,hewnwithaxes.

Secondarypositionswereconstructedfartherback,nearsomeisbas.Bypreference,ourvolunteershadcutthemintothestrawymanureheaps,whichwereeasiertochopthrough.Thatwonus someunexpectedcomforts,becauseour soldiers foundamid thedung twomagnificentcasesofFrenchcognac,buriedhastilybytheretreatingRussians.

Unfortunately,thatwastheonlyconsolation,forourmenweregoingtospendtendaysofhellatGromovaya-Balka.

For suitable lodgings we had at our disposal only two or three isbas per company.Nearlyallofthewindowshadbeenbrokenbythetimeofourarrival.TheBolsheviks,asusual, had massacred the animals. Their bodies lay inside or at the thresholds of thecottages.Onehorsehaddiedwhilelyingacrossoneofourtwolittlewindows;heblockedthreequartersofit.Twootherdeadhorseswerestretchedoutinthecattleshed.

Sincetheenemyprobedusdayandnight,onehalfofourmenhadtoconstantlyoccupypositionsinthesnow.Becauseofthecold,thecompaniesweresplitintwotorelieveeach

othereverytwohours.

Throughoutthosetendaysoursoldierswereneverabletosleepmorethananhourandahalfata time. Itwasnecessaryfor themtowakeupaquarterhourbefore theirguardduty.Ontheir return, it took themanotherquarterhour tosettledownagain.Besides, ifmore than half of themen had been able to rest at the same time, itwould have beenimpossibletogetthemintothesingle-roomhuts,sotinywerethey.Thetwenty-fivemenwhoreturnedfortheirtwohourrestcouldn’tevenstretchoutontheground.Theyhadtoremainstandingorsquatontheground.Thecoldrushedin,unabated,throughthebrokenwindows,whichwewereunabletosealcompletely.

Imyself,withmybrokenfoot,wasabletoremainstretchedoutonlyonakindofbenchattachedtothewall,onemeterabovethefloor.ItwasonthatperchthatI,dayandnight,frozen and powerless inmy plaster cast, witnessed the departure and the return ofmyunfortunatecomrades.

Theresupplyoffoodwasassimpleaspossible.Thesleds tookforty tofiftyhours toreach us. The enemy artillery implacably carried out their evil work on the whitefoundationoftheroadforthelastkilometersifthesupplypeopleriskedthetripduringtheday.Iftheytriedtoreachusatnight,theygotlostinthesteppeandwouldstumbleontooneoftheSovietposts.

Wereceivedonlyjustenoughsothatwedidnotlosestrength:somebread,whichwecut with our bayonets, and some cans of meat, frozen at the factory and refrozen inmasterlyfashiononthetroikas.

The lack of sleepwas killing to themen.Cold is terribly exhausting, and requires astrugglebytheentirebody.Ourcompanieshadtostayinholesintheice,twelvehoursoutofeverytwenty-four,withoutmovingameter.Themenstoodonice.Iftheytriedtoleanonsomething,theyleanedonice.Itwas-20°to-25°atalltimes.Theshortrestintheisbaallowedthemneithertowarmthemselvesupagain—itwasnearlyascoldthereasitwasoutside—nortoregaintheirstrength.Theywereunabletostretchoutontheground,noreventohavetheirmindsatpeace,since,ateveryinstant,avolleyofshellsfell,damagingthecottages,flatteningsomeofthewalls.

In the space of a few days, the Soviet artillery lobbed several thousand shells at us.Some isbascaught fire.Others,hiton theroofs,had their thatchstrewnoveranareaoftwentymeters.Ourcasualtieswereheavy.

Oneofourheavymachineguns,hitdirectly,wasthrownfourmetersintotheairalongwiththegunner;hefellbackuntouched,stillholdingthehandleoftheweapon;theothertwomembersofthecrewweremangled.

One shell came right through thewindowof an isbawhereadozenofour comradeswereresting.Itwasasceneoutofaslaughterhouse.Onesoldierwasmissingamongtheheapof thedeadandwoundedwhoweredraggedoutof thedestroyedcottage; thenextdaytheyfoundsomefragmentsoffleshandbones, theconsistencyofporridge,stucktotherubble,allthatremainedofourcompanion.Hehadtakentheshellinthemiddleofhischest.

Ourtelephonelineswerecontinuallycut.

The40menwhomaintainedcommunicationsbetweenthecompaniesandthebattalioncommandpost,andthenbetweenthebattalionandthedivision,hadsufferedterriblysincethebeginningoftheoffensive.Eachnightduringouradvance,inweatherascoldas-40°,across veritable rivers created by the thaw, they had to unreel kilometers of telephonewire.Theycamebackfromthesteppewithseverefrostbiteontheirhands,theircheeks,theirnoses,theirears.

AtGromovaya-Balka,theyspenttheirdaysandnightscrawlingonthesnowandice,inthemidstofmachinegun fire, along theirdamnablewires,which theRedscut threeorfourtimesanhour.

Maintainingcommunicationswasabsolutelyvital, for thosewireswerethearteriesofthebattalion.Manyofourlittletelephonemendiedforthosewires.

Therewasamong themanoldman,withwhitehair, always the firstonduty.He toowashit.HestillhadthestrengthtotakealittleBiblefromhispocketandtorecitetwoorthreeshortlinesfromapsalmbeforehedied.

The state of utter misery in which we found ourselves was aggravated by otherafflictionsofamoreintimatekind.MostofuswerecoveredwithmysterioussoresthatthesoldiersoftheEasternFrontcalled“theRussianplague.”

The illness began with incredible itching on the feet and the calves. It was almostimpossiblenottoscratchthem.But,ifyoubeganscratching,thecomplicationswerenotlongincoming.Bluishsoresformed,asirritatingasiftheywerebeingeatenbysaltandpepper. They bled and most of all ran with pus. This was disgusting to see. It wasnecessarynottoscratch,butmen’snervessnappedasaresultofbeingheldback.Ifduringthedayyouhadtheenergytoresistthebitingofthatvenom,atnight,whilesleeping,yourhands unconsciouslywent to your feet and calves, and your fingernails dug into thosecorrosivespots,goingdeep,bleeding.Wehadtokeepourbootson,whileasleep,soasnottobeovercomebythatterribleitching.

Thousands,tensofthousandsofsoldiersontheEasternFrontwereremovedfromthelinebecausethoseflowingwoundsprovedsostubborn.AtGromovaya-Balka,someofourcomrades were affected down to the bone itself. Three quarters of the troops, at least,coveredtheirbloodycalveswithdirtyrags.But,inspiteofthebandages,thevioletholesofthewounds,eatenbyunknownacids,temptedtheirfingers,luredtheirnails,nightandday.

Swarmsoffleasdevouredus.WehadwagedtheentirecounteroffensiveintheDonetswithout a single change of underwear. Each of the unspeakable huts where we werequartered had sheltered, before us, hordes ofMongols, Tatars, Siberians, teeming withvermin. Our straitened circumstances, with forty or fifty men crammed together insqualor,madeuseasypreyforthegreedy,mercilessvermin.

Anumberofsoldiers,runningoutofstrength,didnotwanttoloseyetanotherhouroftheirscantsleepbyindulginginuselessfleahunts.Evenifyoueliminatedyourfleas,your

neighbordidnotkillhis.At themomenthewokeup,halfofhis supplymoved toyourterritory. And how could we organize a general delousing amidst those crowdedconditionswithsoldierscurledup,incapableofevenstretchingoutormoving?

Wehadonlytothrustourhandsunderourarmsorbetweenourthighs;webroughtbackhandfulsofhideous fleas.Somewere small, livelyandwhitish; some long,withbodieslike darts; some round, with red stomachs the size of a pinhead. Their colors wereamazinglyadaptedtothecolorofourclothes.

Thefleastookpleasureinsuckingatwounds.Theyfoundtheirwayinlargenumbersbeneath dressings. I felt them swarming constantly alongmywounded foot.Therewasnothingtodo,justletthemeatyoualive,yournervesheldsternlyincheck.

EachdaytheSovietsbecamemoreaggressive.

Formorethanaweek,wehardlysleptatall.Evenwhenthemencamebackfortheirtwohoursofrestintheisba,grenadesandshellscameclatteringdowninsuchabundancethat everyone threw himself to the ground, confused, expecting a shell to land in themiddleoftheroomatanymoment.

Therewerenocellars,norhadweanyothershelters.

BeginningonFebruary25,theSoviettankscameatnightfall.Theywouldapproachtowithinseveralhundredmetersofus;eachtime,theyfiredafewrounds,thendisappearedintothedarkness.

Our patrols engaged in some bloody hand-to-hand battles with the Russian forwardposts.

TheSoviet troops carriedout a plan of elementary simplicity: they set themselves toeliminatingallobstacles,onebyone.FirsttheystruckinfullstrengthatthevillageheldbytheSStoourright.Ifthatredoubtfell,wewouldbeisolated,thesoledefendersofthepath to theSamara, theobjective towardwhich theSovietshadchosen todrivewithallavailableforces.

TheSSwerearound twohundred innumber.Theywere realheavyweights.Ourmenwhokept contactwith their commandpost couldnotgetover their coolnessunder fire.TheRussianswerewithin thirtymetersmachine-gunning them fromhouse tohouse. Inoneday theSSwithstood tenassaultsbyanenemy twenty timesmorenumerous.Theyresisted,immovable,playingcardsateachrespite.

At the end of a week they held only a narrow passageway, a hundredmeters wide,leadingtothewest.Three-fourthsofthosecourageousmenhadfalleninthestruggle.

OnFebruary28,1942,at five in themorning, several thousandRedspouncedon thefifty or so survivors. The Germans suffered an hour’s savage massacre. Only a fewmanagedtoescape.Wesawthemrunningtowardusacrossthesnow,followedcloselybytheBolsheviks.

Theycamejustintimetohelpus,for,evenastheViking’svillagewasbeingoverrun,hordes of Soviet troops, which had massed to the east of Gromovaya-Balka the nightbefore,floodedtowardsus.

Atsixo’clockinthemorning,tworegiments,consistingoffourthousandmen,attackedus,supportedbyfourteentanks.

Therewerebarelyfivehundredofus.Wehadasingletank.

GROMOVAYA-BALKA

Throughoutthatnight,ourbattalionhadbeeninastateofalert.Ourpatrolshadspottedimportantenemymovements.Wecouldtellthattheattackwasimminent.

The fallof thevillageheldby theSShad isolatedus in themiddleofanopenspacefifteenkilometerssquare.TheRedswereeagerforrevengeandtheylongedtopourdownintothevalleyoftheSamara,fromwhichourforceshadchasedthemtwoweeksbefore.

They spared no effort to make their success decisive. Their artillery, massed on theheights,loomedaboveus,andtheirobserversrelayedoureverymovementinthevillage,alreadyreducedtoaheapofrubble.

Oursoldierslookedlikeghosts.

Atmidnight,afirstalerthadbeensounded.Atsixinthemorning,anewalertsentourcompaniestocombatpositions.Almostimmediatelyahailofmachinegunfirebegantofallonallsides.

Iwasstretchedoutontwoplanksinourisba,fortymetersbehindouriceforts,whichfaced east. I listened anxiously to the din of battle. Suddenly the roof crackled withflames:thethatchwasonfire.

Hopping on one foot, I reached the window: a tremendous mass of infantry wasadvancingincloseorder.

I thoughtat first that theywere theCroatianvolunteers: theyhadonnearly the samepurplish-blue cloaks. Shells fell all around them; the German artillery, which wasreinforcingus,wasfiringnearlypointblankatthosethousandsofmen.

Theyhademergedfromaravineandweremarching toward thecenterof thevillage,taking the positions of our companies from behind. Onewould have thought that theywere takingpart ina trainingexercise,sounconcernedwere they.Theyspreadoutonlywhentheyhadadvancedtoaboutonehundredmetersfrommy isba, the firstone to thenortheast.IthencaughtsightofthefourteenSoviettanksthatroaredstraightahead.

Mycompany,overwhelmed,fellbacktothesecondisba.

Icouldn’tholdbackanylonger.Mymetatarsalshadhadtwoweekstomend.Kickingoffthesplintthatencasedmyfoot,Ilimpedforward,withmyrifleasacrutch,acrosstheopengroundtojoinmysquad.

Mypainforgotten,Itookmypostatmymachinegunonceagain.Thereweretwelveofus,pinneddowntwentymetersinfrontofthesecondhouse.Iwedgedmyselfbetweentwolarge,deadhorses,hardasrocks,againstwhichthebulletssmackedwithanoddsound.

Theenemyhadfannedoutfromtheeasttothenortheast,facingthetwolinesofisbasinthe village. At the same time they attacked us they fell on our comrades in the 2ndCompany,whoweredefendingthehutsontheothersideofthepond.

Themen of the 2nd performed incredible feats of bravery in their defense, but theirforwardpostfellbeforetheonslaught.TogetherwiththeirsuperbNCO’stheyfellalmosttothelastman,bluntingtheRedpack’smomentumwiththeirstand.

Tothenortheast,Soviettroops,RussianandAsiatic,penetratedbeyondthefirstisbas.Our brave soldiers and the savageReds slaughtered one another in brutal hand-to-handcombat.

OneofouroldRexistsongswaftedabovethebattle.Atthattime,earlyinthewar,ourtroopsretainedafewcustomsfromabygoneage:theysangastheyleapedtotheattack.The survivors from the 2nd Company counter-attacked, probing the Russians. Theircommander, First Lieutenant Buyds, a manufacturer from Brussels, rushed forward, amachine gun in his hands. His re-formed company, behind him, at the corners of thehouses,reacheditsformerpositionsinthesnow.

ButeachofourmenhadtodealwithabunchofReds.TheSoviettanksflattenedallthefocalpointsofthestruggle.LieutenantBuydscontinuedfiringhismachinegun,untiltheRussianswerewithinafewpaces;thenhecaughtabulletintheupperchestanddied,hisheadslumpedoverhisweapon.

TheReds retook the first thatchedcottages to thenorthwest.Wesaw their tanks roarafterourwounded,catchthem,thencrushthemundertheirirontreads.

Oursituationwasscarcelyanybetter.TheBolsheviksnowoccupiedthesmokingrubbleof the first isba and had overrun several neighboring outbuildings. From the northeast,severaloftheirMaximmachinegunsrakeduswithfire.Anopenshedlyingbetweenusandtheenemyhaditsrooftilessweptoffinthefiring.Theyscatteredlikeafallenhouseofcards.

Ourmenfell,struckbyexplosivebulletsthatmadetremendousholesinthem.Oneofmy comrades fell in front of me, his head nomore than a gruesome doughnut-shapedmass; his eyes, his nose, his cheeks, his mouth had disappeared, blown away by theimpact.

TheRedswereno longeronly in frontofus.The isbasonour left flankhadalreadyfallen;now, theSovietsheldour formerpositionson theeastern ridge.From there theypouredintotheheartofthevillage.

Oursoldierswerebesetbysmall,fierceknotsofReds,whofoughtsavagely,refusingtogiveground.

Wefoughtmainlywithourrifles,usingourammunitioncarefully,fellingaBolshevikwith each shot.The enemyadvancedwithmule-likeunconcern.Abeautiful golden sunhadrisenoverthesnow,behindourattackers.TheRussianswhooccupiedourpositionsinthe ice presented, in silhouette, perfect black targets.Each head that dared to rise for amomentaboveourformericyoutpostscaughtabullet.

Butwe,too,sufferedheavylosses.

After an hour, I was the only one left from my small group, wedged between thecarcassesofthetwofrozenhorses,realrocksofprotection.Bulletsricochetedeverywhere.One of them had cut, near my cheek, a six-inch groove in the butt of my rifle. SomeRussianshadoutflankedmeontheleft,andtherewereatleastthirtyofthemtenmetersinfrontofme.ItwasthenthatIfeltmyselfpulledfrombehindbymygoodfoot.Ayoungcorporal frommysquad,namedHenriBerkmans,seeingmelost,hadcrawledup tomeandthushauledmeawayonmystomach,asifheweredraggingasled.

Aftertwentymetersofthatunexpectedexercise,Ireachedthethresholdofthethatchedcottagewheretherestofourcompanywasdefendingitself.Myheroicrescuer,alas,hadless luck than I: avolleyofgrenadeburstsdeeply slashed the solesofhis feet;hediedaftersufferingterribly.

It was perhaps nine o’clock in the morning. The Soviet tanks that had invaded thenorthwest sectornow found themselves severalhundredmetersbehindus.Theycarriedout amonstrousmanhunt,wheelingaround the isbas, amusing themselves by crushingourcomradesonebyone,whethertheywereunharmedorwoundedordead.Werealizedperfectlywell thatweweregoing tobe surroundedandpulverized inour turnby thosemastodons, all themore since the southeast sectorwasby thenbearing thebruntof theSoviettroopsswarmingfromthevillagewheretheyhadexterminatedthelastpocketsofSSdefenders.

Weweretheobjectoffrenziedgunfire.Theicearoundusflakedoffinhundredsoflittledancingpuffs.Eachofustookcoverashecould,behindsomepeasantsleds,orflushwiththebalustradesofthewindows.

AnoldsoldierfromtheFirstWorldWar,namedSteenbruggen,wasespeciallyeagerforcombat.Hitwithabulletinthenapeoftheneck,hecollapsed,but,hisrighthandraised,criedout:“Goodbye,comrades,Rexwillwin!”Wethoughthehaddied.Fifteenminuteslater, thecorpsesatupagain:“But, in thenameofGod, Iamnotdead!”Itwasouroldsoldier,comebacktolife!Hewasaliveinspiteofthebulletinhishead!Hewasabletodrag himself to a first aid post; having been born with an unusually thick neck, herecoveredfromhiswound.

Ourluckwasshortlived,however.ASoviettank,determinedtosealourfate,rumbledacrosstheice-toppedpond,headedstraightforourisba.

Thetankaimeditscannon.Weonlyhadtimetothrowourselvestotheflooroftheisba.Threeshells,aimedperfectly,completelydestroyedthefrontwall.Wewereburiedbytherubble from the plaster walls. The thatched roof was on fire. Some of the men werestreamingwithblood;oneofthemhadhadhisleftarmcutoff.

Luckily one of the three shells had opened a breach in the wall at the back of thedwelling,onemeterhigh.Wewereabletopullourwoundedthroughthehole,andthencrawloutourselves,oneaftertheother.

Inordertoreachthenexthouse,wehadtocrossaspaceofsomethirtymeters.Themenwhoranitallinonestretchweremercilesslymoweddown.Toconfusetheenemytryingto take aim, it was necessary to cross at most five meters, then throw yourself to the

ground, then run for four or fivemoremeters, and throw yourself to the ground oncemore.Theenemymarksmen,confusedeach timebysuch tactics, then looked fora lessmobiletarget.

One of our young soldiers had taken cover next to a body. Panic-stricken, hewasn’tlooking.Suddenlyhesaw,rightbesidehim,thecorpse’sslate-blueeyes,staringblankly.Thedeadmanwashisfather,abravetailorfromBrussels.

Wetookshelterinaneighboringisba.Inturn,itsroofflamedaboveourheads.Wesetourbacksupagainst the thresholdof thehouse,behindabankof ice,veryyellowwithfrozenurine.

The tanks were overrunning us. Hundreds of Russiansmachine-gunned us at almostpointblank-range.Rightbehindus,thethatchedrooffellinlikeanenormous,fierytorch.

Thetankshadalmostendedtheirsweepbehindus.Wedidnotfireourriflesanymore,since we knew the value of each cartridge. The end was drawing near. Our companycommanderputhishandonmine:“Ifyoudie,”hetoldmesimply,“Iwillnotsurviveyou…”

Neither of us was about to die, however. All at once, we heard the roar of enginesoverhead. Red tanks were blowing up! Isbas were exploding!Whole bunches of Redsweretossedintheairlikeragdolls!

TheStukas14hadarrived!

With incredible precision, they hit the Soviet tanks dead center, and flattened theattackers, stupidlycrowded together inbunchesasusual.Theenemy tanks fled ingreathastetoescapethedivingplanes’cannonfire.Theinfantrytookoffrightbehindthem.

Ourbattalioncommanderimmediatelythrewthelastforcesthathehadintoacounter-attack.Theirwavesurgedpastus.Bynoon,theWallonianLegionhadcompletelyretakenGromovaya-Balka,reconqueringeventhefirst isbas,onbothsidesof thepond.Russianbodies lay everywhere. We took a large number of prisoners, Mongols, as ugly asmonkeys,Kirghiz,Siberians,allastoundedathavingbeenbestedwithsuchspirit.Theyconstantly repeated: “Belgiski, karoch! Belgiski, karoch!” (“Belgians, famous!”) whilesquintingtheirlittleyelloweyes.

Unfortunately,allofourwoundedweredead,deliberatelycrushedbytheSoviettanksorkilledwithbayonetthrusts.

After having carried out their providential attack, the German Stukas had left. TheRussiansregrouped,andtheirtanksstartedtomoveagain.Everythingwasgoingtostartoveragain.

Wewerepowerlessagainsttheirtanks.Atthattime,thePanzerfaust15didnotyetexist,nordidwehaveanyanti-tankguns.Weevenlackedmines.

Fromthebeginningofthisimpossiblestruggle,theGerman100thDivision,onwhichwe depended tactically, had promised to help. A panzer column had been dispatchedtowardourvillage,butitwasinterceptedbyagroupofRedtanks.Theensuingbattleon

thesteppe,whichlastedseveralhours,barredthe100th’sreinforcementsfromcomingtohelp.

Onceagain,ourmenhadtofightadefensivebattle,isbabyisba,barnbybarn,slopebyslope.At three in the afternoon, they stood, their backs to thewalls of the last houses,beforethecherryorchardtothesouthwestofthevillage.Iftheywereforcedoutofthoselast redoubts, theywouldbe thrownoutonto thesteppe, flat,withoutabush,where thedeepsnowextendedformanykilometers.

Wehadtoreactsoasnottobepushedtothatfatalextreme.Ourcommander,CaptainPauly,gatheredtogethertheremainsofallofthecompaniesand,grenadeinhand,wasthefirsttorushtothecounter-attack,shoutingouroldcry:“Rexwillwin!”Everyoneinthebattalionstillfitforservicefollowedhim,includingthearmorers,thecooks,thecouriers,thetruckdrivers.Itwasafrenziedscramble.RedsandWalloonskilledeachother,eveninthehuts,where,firingrevolversthroughcracksinthedoors,theyshatteredoneanother’sskullsatpoint-blankrange.

TheRussiantanks,runningshortofshells,rumbledabouttryingtocrushoursoldiers,who darted from isba to isba. The Soviet infantrymen, panicked and exhausted, firsthesitatedand thenbegan togiveground. In the thickof thehand-to-handcombat,someGerman infantry reinforcements appeared in the snow to thewest.Theenemy routwasthencomplete.Forathirdtime,thevillagewasretaken.

TheRedsagaindevotedthemselves,forsometime,tochasingafterourmen.Butourtanks,winnersinthebattleofthesteppe,showedupintheirturnonthehillside.Ahalf-hour later, the Soviet armor and infantry had disappeared in the blue snows to thenortheast.

Nightwasabouttofall.ThebodiesofsevenhundredRedslayacrossthesnow,ontheiceoftheponds,neartheruinsofthehouses.Buttwohundredandfiftyofourcomradeshadfallen,killedorwounded,duringthosetwelvehoursoffuriousfighting.

TheGermantanksleftagain,onehourlater,foranothersectorthatwasthreatened.OftheisbasofGromovaya-Balka,nothingremainedbutcinders,theirdyingglowdwindlingslowlyintheglacialevening.

FRONTOFICE

OntheeveningofFebruary28,1943,thesmokingremainsofGromovaya-Balkawerein our hands. Itwas necessary, however, to face facts: the positionwas untenable. Thevillagehadbeendemolished.Aboveall,itwaslocatedatthebottomofadepression.Fromtheslopetotheeast,theenemycouldfollowallourmovements.

Fortendays,wehadgottenourbearingsandhadworkedhard.Wehadheldontothevillage, in spite of four thousand Soviet soldiers and fourteen tanks, only because thehonorofourpeoplewasatstake.Allofuspreferreddeathtogivingground.

Aburningpatriotisminspiredoursoldiers:theywererepresentingtheircountry;forit,half of our men had fallen, frozen in death, bathed in blood. Only national pride hadenabledthemiracleofthreecounter-attacksandthereconquest.

Itwouldhavebeenuselesstorepeatasimilarstrugglethenextday.Wisdomdemandedthat we abandon the basin and set up our defense on the western hillside, whichoverlooked Gromovaya-Balka. There we would no longer be easy targets for the Redgunners.

Thecommanderof the100thDivision,GeneralSanne,ordered thatourbattalion takepositionontheridge,undercoverofnight.Ouradvancedpostsweremaintaineduntilthelast minute. The Russians noticed nothing. At dawn, they crushed the ruins ofGromovaya-Balkaunderahellishbarrage,thenattackedtheemptyspace.

Itwas nowour artillery’s turn tomake life impossible for them in the hollowof thevillage. Theywere nomore able thanwewere to keep their forces there.Beaten, theydrewbackafewhundredmeters,upthehilltotheeast.

From then onwe glared at each other andmachine-gunned each other from ridge toridge. The village became a no-man’s landwhere only a few blackened chimneys rosefromtherubbleoftheisbasandthewhitenessofwinter.

Ournewpositions,improvisedinthemiddleofthesteppe,whilethetemperaturestayedat-30°,weredugdeepintothesnowandice.

Several heavyGerman tanks returned, snorting, firing. Squat, likemedieval bastions,they laid claim to the crest, while in themeantime theGerman artillery batterieswereemplacedinavalleytothewest.

We had not the slightest hut at our disposal, not theweakest fire; nothing butwhiteholesinthesnow,whereourtwohundredsurvivors,lackinganywinterequipment,hadtofacetheSovietforces.

Shellsburstinalldirections.Anammunitiondepotblewup.Ourmen’steethchatteredlike castanets, so deeply had the cold gripped them. The faces of some of them werealmostgreen.Sincethepreviousnighttheicehadnumbedthesetwohundredunprotectedmen.Anothernight followed,morebitteryet.Our situation seemedutterlydesperate. Itwas scarcely conceivable that in themiddle of the steppe, in such frigidweather,menexhausted by amonth of combat still lived,motionless for dozens of hours, tormented,exhaustedbytheterriblecold.

Ourbattalion, formedup intoasquare,hadsworn toholdoutuntil theend.Only thedeadwereevacuated.Thenextday, atdawn, theWallonianLegionwas still at itspost.NeithertheRussiansnortheicecouldbluntitsspirit.

Todiminishourownsuffering,wecomparedourtroublestothoseoftheonehundredandfiftywoundedwhomdozensofsledshadtakenawayoverthesteppe.

AtGromovaya-Balkaithadbeennecessarytowaitfornightfalltoevacuatemostofourcomrades,becauseduringthedaymanyofourwoundedhadbeenhitforasecondtimebySovietmachine-gunnersfiringonmedicalconvoys,blackandclearinthebrightsnow.

OursledswerejustbarelyabletotravelthesevenkilometersfromourpositionstothevillageofNovo-Andrievska.Theydepositedtheirbloodyloadsthereandreturnedquickly.

Wehadused,for thefirst transports,suchrarecoversashadescapedbeingburnedin

theisbas.Later,itwasnecessarytomakedowithdryfodderorwiththethatchofthelasthouses in the town.Throughout thewearing night the haplesswounded shivered in thesnow,protectedonlybyraggedclothes,a littlestrawora littlehay.Theirsufferingwasunspeakable.AtNovo-Andrievska,thedoctorsatthefirstaidpostdidnotknowwheretolodgethem.Theylayaboutbythedozensonthebaregroundofthehuts.Thevillagewasonlyarelaystation.Itwasnecessarytoevacuatetheunfortunatesacrossfortykilometersfrom there to Grichino. The storm had returned, stirring the white steppe to a fury ofblindingsnow.

ThesledstooktwoorthreedaystoreachGrichinoandthefieldhospital.Thewounded,theirwoundshastilydressed,theirbrokenboneshastilysplinted,dyingfromthecold,withgrenade fragments and bullets still in their bodies, suffered a horrible martyrdom. Thepile-upofthewoundedatGrichinowasunimaginable.Eleventhousandweretakenthereinfiveweeks.Someofourgravelywoundedmenhadtowaitfivedaysbeforesomeoneremovedtheirtemporarydressings,whichhadbecomeblackandashardasiron.Theyhaddifficultyexplaining theirneeds, sincemostof themspokenoGerman. In theirdistressthey could not receive a word of comfort from anyone. They reached the depths ofphysicalandmentalsuffering.

Manyneversurvivedthefieldhospitals;theyendedtheirsufferinginthelongmilitarycemeterieswhere,belowtheirsteelhelmets,wereblazonedtheblack,yellowandred,thecolorsofthecountryforwhichtheysovaliantlystruggledandsuffered.

BythemorningofMarch2,1942,theWallonianLegionhadbeenreducedtolessthanathirdofitsoriginalstrength.Outoftwenty-sixofficers,thereremainedtwo,oneofwhom,sufferinganervousbreakdown,wasevacuatedashorttimelater.

SomeGermantroopswereonrouteandweregoingtoreplaceus.Ourscoutsdugthemsome underground shelters which would allow them to survive, with a little lessdiscomfort, on that storm-swept ridge. Nevertheless, despite the construction of thoserefuges,thebattalionthatsucceededoursontheplateaulostmorethanthirtypercentofitsmentothefreezingweatherduringthemonthofMarchalone.

Wewererelievedatnoon.

Our boys, emaciated, unshaven, returned from their posts with proud looks on theirfaces. The heroism they had shown in combat was already a watchword all along theDonets front.The commander of the100thDivisionhad just awarded them thirty-threeIronCrosses.16At that time thiswas, foronebattalion, anextraordinarynumber.AstillmorestrikinghonorcameaswewereespeciallycitedintheWehrmachtorderoftheday,inthecommuniquéfromtheHighCommand.

Wesettledintoanareabehindthefrontlines,atBlagodach.

The snowy fields had been cleared of the hundreds of bodies, blue-clad Cossacks,Mongolsinwhitegreatcoats,bywhichwehadpassedamonthbefore,atthetimeoftheoffensive.

Wefoundsomehouses,poortobesure,miserabletobesure,buthouses!Wenolonger

hadinfrontofushordesofAsiaticswithtinyflashingeyes,leapinglikecatsforsavagehand-to-handcombat.

Welookedatoneanother,wesoughtoutoneanother.Ourpoordeadcomrades,brotherswhohadsharedourdreams,seemedtomoveaboutus,dominatingourthoughts.Eachofushadlostverydearfriends.Ourlegionwaslikeabandofbrothers:wewereunitedinallthings.

Ourheartsweretormented,andthesavorofourglorywasasafrozen,bitterfruitinourmouths.

ChapterThree

THEBATTLEOFKHARKOV

ThebattleofGromovaya-Balkahadmarked the lastgreateffortby theSoviets in theDonets during the winter of 1941-1942. Our legion, settled at Blagodach, was held inreserve,readytobecalleduponatthefirstdanger.Butthefrontwasnolongerseriouslyendangered.

Atnightheavymachine-gunfirecouldstillbeheard.Fromthedoorstepsofourhutswecouldwatchthemuzzlesflashandthetracerscrisscrossabovethesteppe.TheblowdealttheRedsonFebruary28hadbeendecisive,however:theiroffensivehadbeenhalted,thenthrownbackforgood.

Blagodachwasstillburiedunderdeepsnowdrifts.Snowfallalternatedwithicestorms.Thewinterseemedtolastforever.Wespentsixmonthsinwhiteness.Weendedupbeinghauntedbythatwhiteness;thewhitesteppe,thewhiteroofs, thewhiteskythatslitheredaboveourheads.

Thevillage, rackedby the fighting,wasextremelypoor.Wesleptonplanksorstraw,evenontheearthfloorsofthecottages.Thesquallingoftheirfamishedbratsassailedourears.Thesepoorpeoplelivedonlyonpotatoes,whichtheyateuncooked,seasonedonlywithsalt.Allthecowshadbeenkilled.Thevillagershadtossedtheirdeadhorses,alongwith the bodies of five hundred Soviet soldiers, pell-mell into a large quarry, a grislyabattoirfromwhichpokedouthorses’hoovesandhumanheads.

Wedrewourwater from thevillagewell.Onedayourbucket fell inandsank to thebottom.Wesentamanarmedwithahookattachedtoaheavyropetosearchthebottomofthewell.Thehooksooncaughtonwhatweallthoughtwasthebucket.Itseemedtohavebecomeawfullyheavy, though,and it took thestrongarmsandbacksofseveralmen tohaulitupagain.Atlastourcatchemerged:aMongol,huge,hideous,half-rotted,hisbelthookedtoourrope.We’dbeendrinkinghimforweeks.

Theisbaswerenothingmorethanfleas’nests.Inourstherewasasupplyofseedgrainforsowing,whichshookwithcontinualrustlings,soabundantweretheverminthere.

Themajorityofussufferedfrom“fleafever”orvolhynianfever,atypeofmalariathatput us in a severe state of listlessness. In the evenings we had fevers of 39°C. Comemorning,thefeverwoulddeclineto35°or35.5°,atmost.Webarelypickedatourfood;wegrewprogressivelyweaker.Theisbas,thesteppespunaroundus.Wewereincapableofworkingorevengoingout.

Thecrisis,eveninitsacutestage,lastedforthreeorfourweeks,attheendofwhichwepainfullygottoourfeetagain,withheadshanginglikethoseofpoor,sad,oldhorses.

Recoverywas rarelypermanent.The flea fever recurred timeafter time, likemalaria.Against thatpandemicof theEasternFrontourdoctorshadnomedicine,except for the

ever-presentaspirin,cure-allofeveryarmyintheworld.

Wetriedtoreturntoournormalhabitsofhygiene.

We confiscated, for an hour, the kneading trough from the house, a sort of shallowcanoe,hewnwithanaxefromablockofwood.Meltingahalf-metercubeofsnowinit,we sat down in that tiny, comic boat. At the first slightly too vigorousmovement, wetippedoveronourbutts!

TheRussiansdidnotwashtheirbodiesduringtheentirewinter.Theyhadpicturesquewaysofcleaningtheirfaces.Fillinguptheirmouthswithwater,theyspatouttheliquid,four or five times, into their hands, then rubbed them over their cheeks. In the samemanner,theysprinkledthefacesoftheirwhiningkids.

Thesessionsforkillingfleaswerevirtualceremonies.

Theneighborwomanwouldcomeby.Squattingdownontheground,she’dunbraidherhaironthekneesofhercrony,whothenspentanhourortworemovinghundredsoflittlebeasts,usingalargewoodencomb.Thenshewouldsitontheground,whiletheotherone,chatteringaway,tookherturnatreturningthefavor.

Duringthesummerthoseoperations tookplaceonthedoorstep.Itwasawfullynice:theykilledeachother’sfleastogether,averydecentsortofcommunism.

Assoonasourlightlywoundedmenrecovered,wereorganizedourcompanies,athalftheirformerstrength.

Acorporalat thestartof thecounteroffensive, IhadbeennamedanoncommissionedofficerinthemiddleofthebattleofGromovaya-Balka.IsupervisedthedismantlingofthemachinegunsandthequalityofthesoupwithasmuchdiligenceasifIweredirectingagatheringoffiftythousandpoliticalfollowers.Ilovedthelifeofasoldier,simpleascouldbe,freeofworldlyconcerns,ambitions,andinterests.

IthadbeenmonthssinceI’dreceivedtheleastbitofnewsofthescufflesoftheForum.The viperous swarm of office seekers, the temptations and dishonesties of the politicalarenasickenedme.Ipreferredmyfilthyisbatotheministerialpalaces,myworntrooper’sjackettothestiflingcomfortofmiddleclassmediocrity.AsI lookedat thepureeyesofmy soldiers, cleansed by sacrifice, I felt rising towardme the wholesome gift of theirideal.Igavethem,frommyside,allthatburnedinmyheart.

Weoftenreceivedvisits fromourGermancomrades.Wewouldevengo tospend theeveningintheirshelters.Forhourswewoulddiscusstheproblemsofthepost-warperiod.

Besidesthedead,whatwouldtherebe?

Thequestionsaboutfrontiers,aboutmaterialaffairsdidn’tinterestusverymuch.Livingceaselessly face to face with death, we came to understand to an intense degree theimportanceofspiritualforces.Thefrontheldonlybecauseat thefront thereweresouls,soulsthatbelieved,thatburnedwithardor,thatradiatedstrength.Ourvictorieswerewonnotonlywithweapons,butwithvirtues.

Theproblemsofthepost-warperiodwouldbeidentical.Economicvictorieswouldnotbe enough. Political reorganizations would not be enough. A great moral redemptionwouldbenecessary,onethatwouldcleanseawaytheblemishesofourtime,andrestoreoursoulswiththefreshairofpassionandofunconditionalservice.

Nationalrevolution,yes.Socialrevolution,yes.Europeanrevolution,yes.Butaboveallelse a spiritual revolution, a thousand times more necessary than external order, thanexternaljustice,thanfraternityinwordsalone.

Theworldemergingfromthekillingandthehatredofthewarwouldneed,first,purehearts, believing in theirmission, dedicating themselves to it, pure hearts inwhom themassescouldbelieveandtowhomtheycoulddevotethemselves.

Ourdiscussionsblazedtolifelikefires.Apaltrylittlegaslampemphasizedthelinesinour faces. Those faces radiated. That winter we offered up our sufferings for thepurification of our dreams.Never hadwe felt in our hearts somuch strength, somuchclarity,somuchjoy.

Once,wehadbeenabletoleadcommonplacelives,soiledbypettyabdicationstodailynecessity.Thefronthadgivenusatasteforprivation.Wewerepurgedofallhatredandofalldesire.Wehadmortifiedourbodies,extinguishedourambition,purifiedandofferedoursacrifice.Deathitselfnolongerfrightenedus.

Thesnowremainedforalongtime.

OnHolyThursdayitfellagain,inenormousflakes,forseveralhours.Thentheairgrewmilder.We looked out over thewhite steppe,where the black stalks of the sunflowersreached higher and higher. The hills had the gray gleam of the end ofwinter. The suncameoutagain.

Thesparrowsfrolickedwildly in thestraw.Eachday thesunbeatdownon theplain.Meltwatertrickledoffinrivulets.Thepeasants,usingtheiraxes,adzes,andpicks,brokeuptheice,thirtyorfortycentimetersdeep,thatsurroundedthecottages.Afterseveraldaysofthis,thetownwastransformedintoanimmensecesspool.Thefieldswerelikeseasofstickymolasses.Wecouldonlygofromoneendofthevillagetotheotheronhorseback,makingavastdetourbywayoftheridges.

A fewof the boldest among us had built surfboards; theywent aroundBlagodach inswimsuits,pulledbymules.Fromisbatoisbawebuiltfootbridges,thrownacrossmudahalfmeterdeep.Thewater, fedbya thousandstreams,rusheddowntheslopeswith thepowerofrivers,fortyorfiftymeterswide,formingrumblingcataracts.Thefirstpeasantcart that tried to cross them was swept away; the woman driving it was carried off,bobbingupandsinkingdownahundredtimesinthecurrent.

After twoweeksofsunshine,wewereable to return to thehaystacksof thepreviousautumn,atthetopoftheridge.Therewelaydown,cheeredup,shirtsremoved,offeringourbodiestothewarmlife-givingspring.

Theplacewherethevillage’spondshadbeenhaddisappeared;largefrozencarpfloated

bythehundredsnearthegratingsofthedikes.

OnedayIrodeonhorsebackfartothewest.Therivercurved.Inoticed,inthedistance,asmallforest.Itwasbeginningtogreen,asoftyellowgreen.Iroseuponmystirrups,andbreathedinthenewspringtimeingreatgulps.Itfeltsogood!

Thesunhadconqueredwinter!

Theroadsdriedout.Thewindmillturnedbeforeacompletelybluesky.

May arrived. On the 10th, we received a secret order. We were changing sectors,movingout thatverynight.Greatmilitaryeventswere imminent. Joyful, rambunctious,weleftourisbas,singingofwar,adventure,glory,andthewarmspringthatfloweredinourhearts.

ACUCKOOCRY

Never during the frightful winter of 1941-1942 had doubt afflicted the spirits of theGerman soldiers or the European volunteers on the Eastern Front. Their sufferings hadbeenextraordinary, but theyknew that thehowlingblastsofwinter, the ice at -42°, thelackofequipmenthadbeentheonlycausesoftheirmisfortunes.Stalinhadnohandinthematter. Now the railway lines were beginning to function properly; the bridges wererebuilt;lettersarrivedspeedily.Furcoatshadevenbeendistributed,voluptuousfemininefursorBavarianherdsmen’soldgoatskins.Wereceived themin themiddleof the thaw.Wehadjustenoughtimetoamuseourselveswiththemandthenreturnthem.

Noseriousnews troubled thespring.America,whichhadofficiallyentered theworldwar in December 1941, had experienced nothing but defeats during the winter. TheEnglish, up until then the undisputed world champions in evacuation by boat, hadevacuatedHongKongandSingaporeafterhavingbetteredthespeedrecordsofcheetahs,panthers, andothercats in the junglesofBurma.Thearmyon theEasternFront firmlybelievedthattheEnglishandtheAmericans,countriesdeeplyinvolvedinAsia,nolongerrepresentedanydangerfortheReich.WhiletheycontinuedtoretreattotheirlastPacificrefuges,GermanycouldcalmlygivethecoupdegrâcetotheUSSR.

ItwastruethatStalinhadfoughtback,thathehadregainedsometerritorythatwinter.But of course the armies of the Reich had thrown caution to the winds the previousautumn.Sometimesthesectorstheyheldhadprovedimpossibletodefend.Therehadbeenperilousmoments,yetdespitetheirregularfront,despitethecold,despitethesnafus,oursituationhadbeenrestoredthatsamewintertooneofimpressivestrength.

TheRussiansin1941hadsufferedenormouslosses.Theirwinteroffensivehadfailed,failedunquestionably.

Thiswouldbethefinalround.Orsowethought,absolutelycertainthatthestruggle’soutcomewasaforegoneconclusion.

NeverhadtheGermanarmybeensopowerful.

TheReichhadmadeaprodigiousefforttorepairthedamageofwinterandtobringits

unitsuptosnuff.Theregimentswereoncemoreatcompletestrength.Thedivisionshadbeen reinforced,moreover, by reserve battalions comprising up to fifteen hundredmeneach, replacements for the losses that would be incurred as the renewed offensiveadvancedacrossthesteppe.

Eachunithadbeenoutfittedwithnewequipment,andbristledwithweaponsinperfectcondition. It was a pleasure to see those divisions, made up of fifteen to seventeenthousandmagnificent,livelyyoungmen,asstraightandstrongastrees,ledbyofficersandnon-commissionedofficersthelikeofwhichnoarmyintheworldhaseverhad.

Thewinterwas forgotten.We spoke about it no longer except to laugh about it.Themoreonesuffersatagivenmomentinlife, themoreonedelightslateroninrecountingmisfortunes overcome.Whichman’s nose had been frozenmost solid, whose isba hadbeen the filthiest, whose bread had been themoldiest, whose fleas had been theworstman-eaters: all that was grist for amusement. Once they got involved in that kind ofconversation,themenwereindefatigable.

A sensational turn of events suddenly took place that allowed theGerman commandoncemoretodemonstrateitssuprememastery.

The higher ranking German officers possessed a coolness and placidity absolutelywithoutparallel.Thegeneralswouldsitdowninfrontoftheirmapsatheadquarterslikechesschampionsattheirboardshunchedovertheirpawns.Theytooktheirtime,andmadeonlymovescarefullycalculatedinadvance.

Onthe10thand11thofMay,1942, theGermanHighCommandset inmotionall itsforcesintheDonets,inordertoattacktotheeast.Whileallthesetroopmovementswereunderway,theSovietMarshalTimoshenko,withaformidablethrust,tooktheoffensiveatthenorthernmostpointofoursector.HebrokefromcoverbelowKharkov,hurlingseveralhundredthousandmentowardPoltavaandtheDnieperRiver.

Timoshenko’s forces opened a deep breach. Stalin published resounding victorybulletins.RadioMoscowandtheBBCannouncedtheimminentarrivaloftheRussiansattheDnieper.Fleeingtroopsfellbackasfarasourlines,spreadingsinisterrumors.

The German High Command had been completely anticipated by the Soviets. Itsuffered themishapwithoutawastedword,withoutawinceofpain.Most important, itdeviatednot at all from itsownplanofattack.Preparationscontinued tobecarriedoutaccording to plan. TheHighCommand allowed theRussians to advance for five days,therebycreatinganenormousbulge, thecenterofwhichwasPoltava.During that time,eachGermanbattalion tookpositionwith thegreatest calm.Not a singleoperationwasadvancedbysomuchasanhour.

Our legionhadnotyetbeenbroughtup to strengthbynew recruits. Ithad,however,beenassignedavastsector,justataneckoftheDonetsfront.

Ourbunkersandtrencheswereinexcellentshape.Theywoundalongthecrestoflargebare hillswhose cliffs plunged down to a river valley and a place namedYablenskaya.Yablenskaya commanded a pass, and theRedshadmadeof it a powerful barrier.Theirartilleryhadtheentirevalleyinrange.Theshellscamepoundingdownonourpositions

likebowlingballstopplingtenpins.

Atnight,volunteersfromourlegionwouldcrawl,litheasweasels,betweentheminesthat covered our sector, in order to prowl around the Russian sector. Their missionsconsistedinhidingthemselvesinthemidstoftheenemyforcesandspendingadayonthelookout.TheystudiedcarefullythecomingsandgoingsoftheRedsandtheemplacementsoftheirmachine-gunnestsandartillery.

Atdaybreakwe’dobservetheSoviethillswithourbinoculars.Fromahaystacktherewouldextendahand,which,justforamoment,shookahandkerchief.Thatwashowourmencamouflagedthemselves.Ourmachinegunswouldsweepthesurroundingareawithfire,tocoverourdaredevilsincaseofaSovietresponse.

Somesquadsriskedtheseexpeditionseverynight,twomenatatime.Onthefollowingnight,wewouldhear soft rustlingsat theappointed rendezvous; thenwe’dcrawl to theedge of the minefield to welcome our comrades back. They always returned safe andsound,furnishedwithdetailedinformationandrisiblestories.

OntheeveningofMay16ordersfortheattackarrived.

Wedidnotknowwheretheattackwouldleadus.Asmustbethecase, theobjectivesare only made known day by day. In the army, it is unnecessary to rack your brainsuselessly,nortotrytoseefartherthantheimmediate.Forusthewar,onMay16,1942,wastheYablenskayaneck.

Theoffensivewouldbeginat2:55a.m.Onour leftwing,onthenortheastsideof theriver,theGermanarmorwouldattackenmasse,rollpastYablenskaya,andthenturnbacktowardthesmallvalley.

Wehad toengageonlypartofourvolunteers.Their jobwas to flushout theRussiandefenders ofYablenskayaby challenging them from the front.But our attackwouldbeonlya feint.While theSoviet troopswerebeingdistractedbyus, the tankswouldcarryout the principal assault against their northeast flank. The rest of our forces wouldtemporarilyholdtheirpositionsontheridge,waitingtoseewhatwouldhappen.

ThenightoftheMay16-17slippedby,dropbydrop,inextraordinarysilence.

At2:30a.m.theveryfirstrustlingsofdawngrewaudible.17Thousandsofmen,readyfor the attack, held their breaths. Not a single rifle report broke the peace thataccompaniedthebirthoftheday.

Green and silver streaks spread slowly above the walls of the valley. Suddenly anunexpectedsongarose,inshort,passionate,joyousbursts:“Cuckoo!Cuckoo!”Acuckoosang!Allforhimself,abovethatvalleywhere,atanymoment,cannonswouldthunderandtheawfulfaceofDeathloomforth!

“Cuckoo!”

Thenthecryfellsilent.Therumbleoftanktreadsreverberatedthroughtheair.May17,1942.Fiveminutesbeforethreeinthemorning.TheDonets-Kharkovoffensivehadbeen

unleashed.

YABLENSKAYA

Thebeginningofanoffensivesuddenlydrivesthousandsofmenintoastupor,as ifahurricanewerebatteringthem.

OnthemorningofMay17,1942,at3:00a.m., theSoviet troopsof theDonetsbasinwereobviouslyexpectingnothing.Theywerealldelightedabout theirKharkov-Poltavaoffensiveandcouldn’t imaginethat thefartherwest theirdivisionsraced, thefaster theywerehurryingtotheirdestruction!

FromthevillageofYablenskaya,attheendofthevalley,notashothadbeenfiredforquitesometime.Anightlikeanyotherwasending.

Assoonas thenoiseof theGermantanksspread,however,wesawa lineofroundedbacksmovingaboutfeverishlyinthetrenchesofthesmallSovietforts.

The tanks’mighty roar echoedoff fieldson theplateau.For about tenminutes, therewasonlythatdramaticdinofirontanktreads,asdawnbroke,quitecool,orangeandgreenincolor.Thentheartillerybegantoboom,hundredsofgunssimultaneously.

Fromourpostsonthehillside,wewatched,amazed,astheshellshithome.TheSovietvillage was blown apart, turned inside out, blasted to smithereens, as if a giant hadsmasheditwithahugepickaxe.

Thereuponourmenrushedforwardintothelittlevalley.

The slopeswere bare and steep.At the bottom, the river flowed close to the enemyflank and skirted fields scattered with old abandoned haystacks. The avenue of attacknarrowed,butthenthefieldswidenedoutalongthewater,forfifteenhundredmeters,uptothefirsthousesofYablenskaya,perchedonaspurofhill.

Accordingtotheplan,ourvolunteerswereonlytokeeptheenemy’shandsfull,topinthem down, while the tanks cleared the plateaus. But our boys were impetuous. Oncethrown into the littlevalley, insteadofstopping in time, takingcover in the ravinesandharassing theRussians from a distance, they continued to charge ahead, crossing aboutelevenhundredmetersinasinglebound.

Wemarveledattheircourage,but,knowingtheimportanceoftheenemyposition,wesensedanimminentcatastrophe.

It was not slow in coming. The small plain across which our men sped was, in aninstant,riddledwithshells.Theunfortunatesscarcelysloweddownintheircharge.Theyhadbecomeentangledinlinesofbarbedwire,buttheydroveontowardYablenskaya.Wesawthat,anysecond,asmallnumberofthemweregoingtoreachthefirsthouses.

Thentheexplosionsaroundthemblockedourview.Everywherethegroundexplodedinlargeshowersofdirt.Ourmenfellbackinalldirections.Wethoughttheyhadbeenwipedout.Nearlyallofthemlayaboutmotionless.Onlyafewwoundedwerecrawling.Wesawthem,throughourbinoculars,curlthemselvesupbehindasmallfoldintheterrainandtrytounrollsomebandages.

Togototheiraidwasimpossible.Theentrancetothepasswasbarredbyabarrageofshellsandgrenadessointensethattoadvancethatfarwouldhavebeenanunpardonablemistake.

Our soldierswere going to extricate themselves on their own,magnificently,withoutbreakingandrunning.Ittookusquiteawhilebeforewediscoveredtheirstratagem.

Ourbinocularswentfromonesmallhaystacktothenext,searchingthesmallvalley;itseemedtousthatcertainofthosehaystackswerenolongerinthesameplace.Wedecidedto focus on one haystack for severalminutes. It wasmoving, beyond question: almostimperceptibly,butitwasmoving.

Someofourmen,underthetorrentoffire,hadthrownthemselvesbehindthosepilesofhay. They had crept under them; now, like tortoises, they were advancing toward theenemyinfurtivemovements.

Itwasaspectaclethatwasasfunnyasitwasexciting.TheRussianscouldnotmachine-gun the valley indefinitely. With each respite, the haystacks moved forward severalmeters. The movements were so cautious that we could only judge the result byestablishingsomepointsofreference.

Oursoldier-tortoisesmustcertainlyhavecalledsoftlytotheircomradeswho,spreadoutinthemiddleoftherollingcountryside,werepretendingtobedead.Certainofthemhad,foranhour,remainedasstillasblocksofstone.But,whenahaystackapproached,aslightmovementletthesupposedcorpseslipunderthehaytojoinhiscomrades!

There were many haystacks; it was almost impossible for the Russians to get theirbearingsanddiscoverwhichwere those thathid theadvanceofourslycompanions.Attheendoftwohours,thetrickhadsucceededcompletely.Mostofourmenhadbeenable,undertheirnovelcamouflage,toreachthefootofthesmallridges,ahundredmetersfromtheenemy.TheirmachinegunsbegantoblasttheRedpositions.

Throughout themorning, ourmen carried out theirmission beyond all expectations,ceaselessly raking theRussianswith fire, forcing them toconcentrate their forcesat theneck,whilealongthehillsideourtankshadmovedforwardseveralkilometers.

The German infantry followed the tanks. We saw them slip along the northeastembankment, with the admirable caution of German units, so different from theimpetuosityofourWalloons,asspontaneousasyoungkids.Afterseveralhours,thethingreenlineoftheWehrmachtextendedfarintotheareatheRussiansheld.TheRussians’situationatYablenskayaseemeddesperate.

They defended themselveswithmarvelous courage.Ourmachine guns battered theirdefenses. The German artillery poured hundreds of shells on them, with incredibleprecision, hitting the enemy bunkers dead center.We saw the shelters blow up and theisbas collapse. The Russians constantly came back, dug themselves into the ruins,reorganizedtheirpositions.ASovietbatteryrushedforwardfromavillagelocatedthreekilometers behind the lines. The German artillery found the range of their guns andcaissons, which they pulverized on the road. In spite of that obstacle, Russian

reinforcementscameupconstantly.

ThentheGermanStukasintervened.

Duringthewinterbattles,wehadonlyrarelybeensupportedbytheReich’sairpower.Itappearedonlyindesperatesituations,onlyafewplanesatatime.

Now,inthesparklingsky,morethansixtyStukaswheeledaboveourheads!Sixty-four,tobeexact,foroursectoralone!Itwasgrand.Thewholeskysangwithman-madepower.The planes glided one behind the other, then swooped down like lead weights, sirenswailing.They pulled up at the last second, as a tremendous columnof earth,men, andsmashed roofs rose tenmeters in the air. They came back, in impeccable order, turnedmagnificently,andoncemorebegantheirdive.

With heroic tenacity, theRussians leaped from their ruins as soon as the Stukas hadpulledaway.Hunkeringdown,theycurledupinnewholesandresumedtheirfire.

Theirincredibleresistanceendedatthreeo’clockthatafternoon.

The tanks, followed by the infantry, came down the slopes behind the town ofYablenskaya.Oursoldiersthenleaptfromtheirhaystacks,loathtoaccordanyoneelsethehonor of entering the burning town first. They threw themselves across the river andrushedthelastRussianpositions.

One of our companies, at the same time, surged down from our own positions andseizedavillageacrossfromYablenskaya,ontheothersideofthewater.

Thevalleywasopen.

Itwasnecessarytoallowtheconqueredenemynorespite.

The fate of Yablenskaya must have spread terror in the Soviet rear echelons. TheGerman command intended to profit from the situation at once.At eight o’clock in theevening,thesecondleapforwardbegan.

Large,burninghaystackslitupthehillsasweslippedthroughtheRussianminefields.Thousands ofmen advanced in this way, crawling along, since the bright flames drewsharpsilhouettes.Fromtimetotimeasoldierhitamineandwasthrownintheair,torntopieces.Inthevalleyartilleryteamswouldbeblownup,fourorsixhorsesatatime,alongwith their cannon. But it was necessary to advance to a new line of heights, eightkilometersfarthereast,beforedawn.

By 4:00 a.m. we had reached our goal, where a dazzling surprise greeted us. Thepreviousnightthetemperaturehadsuddenlysoaredtomorethan40degreesCelsius.Inasinglenight,hundredsofcherrytreeshadburstintobloominthevalley.Itwasthroughamarvelous sea of white, fresh flowers that several thousand of us plunged toward theenemy.

FIFTYDEGREES

ThebattleofYablenskayahadbeenonecomponentofthebattleofKharkov.AllovertheDonetspocket, theSoviet forceshadbeen flushedoutofhiding,overwhelmed, and

pulverized,inexactlythesamemannerasinoursector.Everywherethefront,stabilizedsincethebeginningofMarch,hadbeenpiercedbythetanksandStukas.ThefortificationsoftheRedswere,fromthenon,swampedunderwavesofattack.WhereandhowwouldtheSovietsrecouptheirlosses?

Infact,theywereinfullretreatthroughouttheentireDonetsbasin.OnMay18,1942,atthe time of our morning thrust into the valley, we had only the rear guard and a fewstragglerstoconfront.Wefollowedhardontheheelsoftheenemy,dashingforwardatfullspeedintothedustysteppe.

Anannihilatingsunhadrisen,sendingthetemperaturesoaringyethigher.

Marching briskly through a cloud of dust, three or four meters high, we passedhundredsofwomenandchildreninflight,peasantwomeninblueorredkerchiefs,bare-footedyoungsters,cowsdraggingalongtheirlittlecalvessotheywouldn’tscamperaway.They had piled up theirmeager possessions on their light carts, one or two baskets ofwheat, a wooden kneading-trough, their scarlet quilts, the bucket from the well. Wewinkedattheprettiestgirls.Thethrongdeducedfromthisthatweweren’tcannibals,andthey halted.We sent themmarching in the other direction again, toward the conqueredvillages,whilethesmallcalvessnortedcomicallyattheendsoftheirmother’stails.

Wecrossed twentykilometersat full speed,coveredwithdust, licking lips that stoodout,allred,onourblackfaces.

Acloudevenhigherthanoursroseabovetheroad.Itwasthecavalry,justasinthewarsofthepast!OneoftheSoviets’magnificentCossackdivisionswasinfullflight,andnowtheGermancavalrystreamedpastusatagallop,leadingthechase.

Wehaltedinvillagesredolentwiththeperfumeofthesesoftlyrustlingspringdays.Wetook Communion under the cherry trees, as the sun’s rays peeked playfully through amillionfragileblossoms.Thetemperatureroseto55°.ThatFebruarywehadexperiencedtemperaturesdowntominus42°inthesameregion,arangeofnearly100°Celsius!Allinthesameperiod.

Thefarmhousesgleamedbeneaththebuddingleaves,resplendentwithcolor:thegraysand yellows of the thatch, the shutters in blue, green, or red, carved with doves andwildflowers.Pigs,pinkandblack,scamperedthroughtheyards.Thewomen’seyesshone,gladtofearnomore,gladtoseesomanyyoungmen.

Afterourarrival,westrippeddowntoourshortsandstretchedoutourpalebodiesinthesun.The riverwas ice-cold, butweplunged in anyway, just for the thrill of it.Wehadconqueredwinter;nowwesurgedwithlife!Backsofferedtotheradiantsun,drinkinginitsheat,wetannedourselvesandbrimmedwithanewvigor.Nakedbutforourshorts,weleapedonhorseswehadroundedup,exultinginourspeed,ourstrength,andouryouth,eyesblazing,mastersofthesteppe!

Intheshadowygorgesofthelittlevalleys,thesnowwasstillpiledinwhiteclumps,buttheskywasblue,thevanesofthewindmillsturned,thewarblerschirped,weatethepetalsofthecherryblossoms.Theenemywasinflight.

Wereachedtheforests.

Alongthetrailsnumerouscorpseswererottingaway.Thebattlehadbeenfierceattheedge of these strongly defended forests. Pieces of Mongols and Tatars lay about, halfdecomposed,withyellowishlarvaeswarmingfromeveryorifice.Aswerodeforward,westumbleduponanabandonedSovietcamp.

Thecamp,carefullycamouflagedunderthetrees,wasremarkablylaidoutinpassageslinedwithconicalhuts, like thoseof theLaplanders.Theentrances to thesesimple lairsweretiny.InsidetheRedssleptunderpilesofdeadleaves.Thewintermusthavebeenfarmorebearable there thaninourbattered isbas, theirwindowsblownoutbytheburstingshells.Accommodationsforthehorseswereingeniouslysimple.ItwasnothingmorenorlessthanthecampofasmallSiberiantribe,menwhoknewmuchbetterthanwedidhowtowithstandthedeadlywinter.

The struggle inRussiawasonebetweenbarbarians andcivilizedmen.Thebarbarianwouldbeddownanywhere,wouldeatanything.Thecivilizedmanwasconstrainedbyhishabits,byhisneedforcomfort,byhisignoranceofnature.ApileofleavesisenoughforaTatar,aSamoyed,oraMongol.Butweothers,wecouldn’tdowithout the toothbrushesthattooktwomonthstoreachus!

Thecomplicated trappingsandtheexcessbaggageofcivilizationwould inevitablybebeaten.Andthemanintheleafpiles,afterhavingcrossedthousandsofkilometershavingwonthebattlesofthesavageoverthemanofrefinement,wouldendupmarching,shaggy,overjoyed,underthegloriousquadrigaonBerlin’sUnterdenLinden.

Wesetupoursmallgreententsinasectionoftheforestwheretherewerenotsomanydeadbodies.

Theweatherbecamechillyandrainyonceagain.Weshiveredunderoursoakedcanvas.

Because of the war the forest had resumed the appearance of a jungle. Numeroushorses,escapingtheperilsofcombat,hadrevertedtotheirnaturalstate.Theylivedawildexistence,farfrommenandisbas,inthedarkshadows.

Welayinwaitforthemattheedgeoftheblackponds.Ourmenbecamecowboys,andbroughtoff someveryentertaining lasso tricks.They returned in triumphwithprancinghorseswhoseeyesflashedwithprideandspirit.

Sometimestheycaughtamare.Fromourtents,wewouldseealittletremblingmuzzlethroughthefoliage.Itwouldbeahandsomecolt,perhapseightdaysold,whowaslookingforhismother,stillunsteadyonhislonglegs.

Weadoptedseveralofthem.Weneverhadtotiethemup.Theytrottedandgambolednicely along our line of march, their heads tossing, their eyes affectionate and unruly.Whenwestopped,theywouldsticktheirlargenecksundertheirmother’sstomachs,drinkfora long time, then lookatusmischievously, licking their lips,as if tosay:“Thatwasawfullygood!”

But the jobofbeingacowboywasdangerous.Ourforeststudfarmstill teemedwith

Soviet soldiers, hiding in the thickets. They had seen our riding school and stationedsnipersneartheponds.Severalmenwerekilledorwounded,andwehadtogiveupournewfoundvocationastamersofwildhorses.

ItwasourjobtotametheSoviets.

One night themarch began again, over chalky paths,white and damp.The visewasclosingtighter.TheBolshevikdivisions,corneredatPoltava,hadfallenbacktotheeast,struggling,batteringinvainagainsttheirondefensivewallsoftheWehrmacht.

TheGerman command feared a desperate thrust toward Izyum, on theDonetsRiver,andhadorderedus to takepositionathwart theprojectedlineofSovietattack.Weweresuppliedwithtruckssothatwecouldmoverapidlyalongthesector.

TheSoviettroopswerefirmlysurrounded,however.Afewmentriedtogetthroughandwere mowed down.Marshal Timoshenko’s divisions, almost annihilated, fell back oneaftertheother.

AcrossfromusweretwoCossackcavalrydivisions.TheCossackslovedtheirmounts,high-strunglittlehorses,ferret-eyed,halfwild,withnostrilseveronthealertforthesmellsoftheparchedsteppe.Theyhadn’twantedtheirmountstofallasbootytotheconqueror,so they drove them by the thousands into a small valley, where each man killed hiscompanionoftheroad;intheendthereweremorethantwelvethousandbodiesofhorsespileduponenexttotheother.

TheCossackscamebackalone.

Thestenchoftwelvethousandrottingcarcassessoonbecamesuchthatwehadtostaythreekilometersawayfromthere.

Thebattlewasover.

Thepeasantsreturnedtothefields,thebeautiful,black,warmfields.Theyplantedcornby hand, thrusting the seeds into the soil one by one. They sometimes stopped andlaunchedintoachorusofpassionate,quavering,sadsongs.

New recruits had arrived fromBelgium, hundreds of very young lads who regardedwith curious and laughing eyes these sunny villages, these vividly colored isbas, theserobust,simplewomenandcryingchildren.

AllthesqualorofRussiawaspaintedoverbyspring.

WehadcombedthelastRussianfugitivesfromthebirchstands,when,oneevening,inatorrentialthunderstorm,weascendedthewoodedbankoftheDonets.

THEBANKSOFTHEDONETS

Russianthunderstormsareapocalyptic.

ThedaysofMayandJunearescorching.Theentirecountrystifles inheat.But,afterthreedays,theskycracks,opensupand,inaquarterofanhour,transformsthefieldsand

roadsintopondsandblackswamps.

A large offensive cannot be carried out at times like that. In July, in August, inSeptember,thethunderstormsarelessfrequent,occurringeverythreeweeksorso.Atthattimeonecanrushahead,attheriskofstoppingtemporarilywhenthedownpourcomes.

ThebattleofKharkovinMay1942hadbeenquick;theenemyhadbeenthrownbacktothevalleyoftheDonets,fromeastofKharkovtoIzyum.Onitsnewlineitawaitedthedrymonths.

WeadvancedtotheriverattheendofMay.Wespenthalfthenightfreeingourselvesfromthemudon theroad that led to thehillson therightbank.Theunitstrayed in thewater-flooded woods. Not one ammunition cart could follow; the feet of the animalsbecamemiredincement-likemud.

Atabout1:00a.m.wereachedthetopofthehills.Fromtherewehadtogobackdownto the steep banks of theDonets.To reach its positions, each companyhad to follow alittlefootpathintheforestthatwentupanddownandbackagain,inazig-zagpattern,forthreekilometers.Noonecouldseea thing;wewereguidedonlybya telephonewire,arealAriadne’sthreadthatranthroughtheshadowsandthateachoneheldontofordearlife.

Ourpositionsextendedsevenkilometersdownstreamfromthe townofIzyum,whosepolishedcupolaswesawglisteningatthefootofthehigh,whitishcliffs.

The leftwingofoursectorwascamouflagedbywooded,verysteephills,crossedbyfirebreaksfiftymeterswide.Tocrosstheopenterrain,continuallysweptbyRedfire,wasalmostimpossibleduringtheday.

Ourfoxholesrandowntothegray-greenriver,whichflowedcarelesslybetweenbanksofwhite sand.Thewoods, the steep bank and the path that led therewere strewnwithoverturnedcarts,propagandaleaflets,andbagsofmail.

Theletters,foldedintotriangles,writtenclumsilyinpencil,nearlyallendedwithpiousadviceandappealsfordivineprotection.

Thesoldiers’lettersshowedus—asdideverythinginEuropeanRussia—that,ifthepeasantry had suffered from Communism, it had not in any way been influencedintellectually.Thosesimpleandprimitivefarmerswroteexactlythesamelettersasinthetimeofthepatriarchsandthetsars,blessingtheirfamilies,talkingabouttheirvillagesandtheirisbas.Notoneletter-writermentionedthenameofStalin.

These unfortunates, driven in herds by the politruky,18 did not even knowwhy theywere fighting and asked only to return to their homes. It was only the relentlessdominationof thesecretpoliceinMoscowandthebrutal terrorismthat itssecretagentsexercised at the front that kept themuzhiks in place, drowned them in rivers of semi-savage Asiatics, drove several millions of them to their deaths, and regimented andpoliticallypoisonedthesurvivors.

Nevertheless,in1942theRussianpeasantswerestillthepeasantsof1912.

Thesandonthebankwasstrewnwiththebodiesofmenandhorsesrottinginthesun.The horses lay on their sides, ribcages protruding through grayish hides. Foul rodentsswarmedinandoutofdeadsoldiers’guts.Theblackenedbodiessometimesmoved,asiftheywerestillalive.Atnightallthevermindancedamacabresarabande.

TheRussianswerelyinginwait,astone’sthrowfromus,ontheothersideofthewater.The left bank of the Donets was flat, but covered with a thick forest. Russian headsappearedanddisappeared.Theleastcarelessness,eitherbythemorus,wouldcostalife.Aburstoffirewouldflamethroughthegreenleaves;amanwouldfall,facedown.Theywouldhalfopenhisjacket,streakedwithbloodalreadydrying:toolate.

Theriverflowedmajesticallybeneaththeoverhangingbranchesofthetreesalongthebanks;thewatershone,sparkled,awonderfulstreamofclearandsolemnlife.

Theforesthummedwithvoraciousinsects.Althoughwehadreceivedsomesmallgreenmosquitonetsthatcoveredourfaces,thebugsstungusinspiteofeverything,tremblingwithgreed.Eachmorningweweredisfiguredbydozensofswellings.

Millionsofprettywhiteflowers,wildstrawberries,bloomedintheunderbrush.Beyondthetallplantsoftheclearingssleptinnumerablelittlebluebutterflies,verypaleandsoftincolor.Springthuslavisheditsbeautyanditspoetry,whileatourfeettherapaciousfieldmicerummagedaboutintherottenentrailsoftheSovietcorpses.

We had some noisy neighbors: the Romanians. Their officers came to join ussometimes,wearingcapsthatlookedliketarts.Nearlyallofthemspokeasing-songandlispingFrench.

Theirsoldiersproducedaninfernaldin.Thereweremorethantwentythousandofthemon our left wing. They fired their guns constantly. But we weren’t under attack! Wescornedtheir incessant,carelessfire.ItmerelyprovokedtheRussians,bringingneedlessreaction.Inasinglenight,theRomaniansusedupasmanycartridgesasalltherestofthesector did in twoweeks.Thiswasno longerwar. Itwas a nocturnal disturbanceof thepeace.

TheEuropeanlegionsoughttohavebeenmadeuponlyofvolunteers.Thosewhowere,whethertheywereNorwegians,Swedes,Danes,Dutch,Swiss,Flemish,Walloons,French,or Spaniards, fought magnificently, to the very last day. By contrast, involuntaryparticipationbroughtdisasters.

ThousandsofRomaniansoldiersweresubvertedbycommunistpropaganda.Itcouldbeseenclearlyat thetimeofthetragedyofStalingrad.Itwasagainst themandagainst theItalians—whohadalsocomewithoutenthusiasm—thatStalinveryskillfullylaunchedhisattackinNovember1942.Heroutedthemasifhewerebowlingovertoysoldiers.

TheRomaniansoldiershadunquestionablyperformedmanyexploitssinceJune1941.TheyhadliberatedBessarabiaandconqueredOdessa.Theyhadfoughtgloriouslyin theCrimea and in theDonets.But theyhad a savagenature andmassacred their prisoners,thusbringingaboutreprisalsinwhicheveryonesuffered.

Theirmassacreswerenotonlysavage,theywerestupid.

Many Russians asked only to surrender, disgusted as they were with communism,

demoralizedbyayearofdefeats.Atnight, fromour little lookoutposts,wewouldhearthemmovingasidethebranchesontheothersideoftheDonets.Holdingourbreaths,wewouldhearthesplashofabodyenteringthewater.Asthemandrewnear,wemurmured:“Suda! Suda!” (“Come! Come!”). Nearly naked, the Russian would emerge from thewater. Thenwe’d take him away towarmhimself up.A cigarette, and he regained thehappyeyesofagoodanimalsoothed.Onehourlater,hewouldtellusindetaileverythingthatwas takingplaceon theother side.Hewould leavewitha supply train for the rearthen,delightedathavingseentheendofthewarandofBolshevism!

Onenightwe fishedout ayoungmanwho, inorder to approachusmoreeasily,hadkept only his shorts. He held in his teeth one of the safe conduct passes that Germanplanes dropped on the Red sector. Those little passes guaranteed the deserter’s life,temptingthemuzhiksandresultinginthousandsofdesertions.

The deserter that night had a lively face, with eyes that sparkled, but we couldn’tsucceed inmakingourselvesunderstoodbyhim.Eachofushadused thefourwordsofRussianthatheknew.Nothingworked.Finally,outofpatience,oneofourmenspatoutaresounding,“Merde!”

“Ah,well then, you are French, you people?” exclaimed theRussian, in amatchlessParisianaccent.

HewasininterpreterfromtheIntouristAgency!HehadlivedinMontmartreforseveralyears.Theexpletive“Merde!”hadsuddenlybroughthimto theheightsof lyricism!Hisdelightwasboundless.HehadhadituptoherewithSovietpoverty.Hetoldusathousandpricelessstoriesaboutouropponents.Wegavehimashirtandapairofhobnailedboots.Whistlingtohimself,heinturnleft,carryingthecooks’emptykettles,inthedirectionofthegeneral’scommandpost.

Unfortunately, theRomanians, in spiteofourpleading, continued tomassacre all theRussianswhopresentedthemselvesattheirposts.Thepoordevilswhosplashedaboutinthewater, arms raised,weremowed down before they set foot on the bank; or, if theysucceededingettingthroughtheburstsofgunfire,theywereshotinthemorning,amidstgreatgalesoflaughter.TheDanubianassassinsthrewthebullet-riddledbodiesbackintothewater,onwhichtheyfloatedmournfullydowntheDonets.

TheRussians, squattingbehind their branches, could see thismacabre flotsamgoby.After several days, they lost any taste for crossing the river. They became enraged,embittered,eagerforrevenge.Wewouldbehavingsomebusyweeks.

BLOODANDTRAPS

TheforestpositionsweoccupiedinJune1942wererelativelywellcamouflaged.Therewerewaysofmovingunderthecoverofthetreesifyouwerecareful.Nevertheless, thebulletswhizzedbyatrandom,crashingintoanoakordrillingthebackofanunfortunatesoldierseated,foramoment,attheentrancetoashelter.

Ontheotherhand,thecloserourpositionscametothetownofIzyum,thebarerwastheterrain. Then the front spread out widely, for a kilometer, across marshes dried and

crackinginthesun.Onlyafewclumpsoffilthyrushespopulatedthesedismallowlands.

Ourplatoonofengineerssetupinthecenterofthismuddylagoon,buildingpositionsindepth, fromwhichourmachinegunscommandedthecourseof theDonets.Theseboys,coveredwithmuck,driedbytheheat,hadbecomeasblackasmoles.Theyweredevouredbyswarmsofinsects.

Itwasvirtuallyimpossibletoapproachtheirsmallfortsduringtheday.Isucceededindoingit,onedayatnoon,onlybyrunningamadraceundertheRussians’noses.Ididitonlytogiveconfidencetoourcouriers.Butthefirewassoinfernalthatnooneelsedaredtrying it.We could only maintain liaison at night, after dark. Then several volunteers,loaded with sacks of bread, would venture out to the positions in the swamps. Thepositionswerecontinuallyrakedbyburstsoffire,andconstantlylitupbyflares.

Somemencrumpledtotheirknees.Thedrybreadwasoftensoakedwiththebloodofacouriertheycarriedback,sallow,hiseyeshaggard,clutchinghisstomach.

To the south of the belt formed by themarshes and the hazel trees there was someunusedpastureland,thencultivatedfieldsandavillage.

Atnightourscoutswouldmaketheirwayfromtheedgeofthehamlettotheriver.Theywouldwithdraw justbeforedawn. Itwas thennecessary, for fifteenhours,discreetly toplaydead.Tocrosstwentymeters,fromoneisbatoanother,wastothrowawayyourlife.

Thescoutsreachedthetownbycrossingalongslope,extraordinarilybare.

Despitethefighting,thepeasantwomencontinuedtoworkthesoil.BetweentheDonetsand the small market town, which is to say between the enemy and us, stretched twohundredmetersofrichfields,bountifullyfertile.TheUkrainiansdidnotwanttolosetheirharvest.Weletthemgototheirlandsandtotheirhomes.TheRedstolerated,aswedid,thehumblelaborofthevillage.

Betweentwolinesofmachineguns,fiftywomenbusiedthemselvesintheblackfields.Theywereadistractionforthetroops.Abeautifultallgirlbendingoverandrisingagainisalways a charming spectacle.We followed themovement of their hips, we heard theirvoicessinging,inwardlyrejoicing,butwithourfingersonthetrigger.

Intheevenings,darknessfellat9:00p.m.Itwasnecessarytoprotectoneselffromthelastraysthatoutlinedthesilhouettesonthehillside.At10:00,ourmenwouldsneakouttothe forward posts on the river bank. The trenches leading to the forward posts passedbelow some open sheds and zig-zagged through the rich fields. At the end, it wasnecessarytocrawlforseveraldozenmeters.

The Russians used various means to illuminate the area. They riddled the sky withrockets,adelightfulfireworksdisplay.Theycouldnotlaunchrocketseverythirtysecondsallalongthesector,sotheyadoptedamuchsimplersystem.Theyfiredincendiarybulletsattwoorthreeisbasuntiltheyburstintoflames.Thenthevillageburneduntilmorning,likeamirror.

Thosetorchescompletelylitupthewarm,clearnights.Inordertomove,wehadtodragourselves slowly along the fences, making long pauses while the bullets slapped the

boardsaboveourheadsorthrewclumpsofdirtintoourfaces.

Oursoldierswerepostednear theDonetsembankment, twoor threemenata time,ahundredmetersbeyondtheburninghuts.Theywereatthemercyofsurpriseattacksandsometimes they were cut off. Then I would go from foxhole to foxhole to say hello.Slippinguptotheedgeofthewater,I’dlistenforalongtimetotheslightestsoundsfromtheotherbank.OftenIheardRussianstalkingquietly,twentymetersaway,unawarethatsomeone,stretchedoutonthesand,layinwaitforthem.

Oneeveningachaplaincameatteno’clocktosayMassatourcommandpost.

Thatwasfine.Thetelephonemen,thecook,andthecouriersweredelighted.Theywerenot the ones who had themost need of consolation, however. I suggested to the goodfatherthathefollowmetotheforwardposts.

He spent the night dragging himself on his stomach through the plowed fields. Thebullets which snapped all around us affected him terribly. He tried to burrow into theground.Ihadtocomebacktohim.

“Chaplain,doyouordoyounotbelieveinheaven?”

“Yes…”

“Then,whatworriesyousomuchaboutgoingthere?”

The finemanhad to reaffirmhis passion for celestial voyages and then set out oncemore,crawlingrightbehindme.

Rocketsdancedaboveourheads.Wehadtohitthedirt.Thebulletskickedupclumpsofsoil.Wefinallyarrivedatourlookouts’littlefoxholes.

Itookoverthemachinegunfromourcomrades,whothenwenttoconfessionandtookcommunionbehindme.Itriednottohearanythingwhentheirgravesinsemerged.Thenwedepartedforanothertrench,anotherfoxhole,anotherfilthyhead,secretlytransfiguredby the littlewhiteHost thatwaselevated, foramoment, severaldozenmeters from theBolsheviks.

Theunfortunatechaplaincoulddonomore,becauseoffatigueandemotion.Wewerenearlymoweddownten times.At2:00a.m. I ledhimback to the topof theslope.Theweather was lovely and the daywas already beginning to brighten. The priest cleanedhimself off, and paid his thanks effusively to heaven: “Deo gratias!Deo gratias!” herepeated,tirelessly.

The saintswhowereondutyatnightmusthave smiled sweetly fromonhigh, at thelookoutpostsofheaven.

Twice,patrolsofvolunteersleftourfoxholesatnight,crossedtheDonetsand, loadedwith explosives, penetrated several kilometers behind the Russian bunkers to mine therailwaythatbroughtintheirsupplies.

WeguessedthattheRussiansmadeidenticalexcursionsamongus.

Our postswatchedwithout respite.Theywere too far apart, so the enemy could slipbetweenthem.OnenightIreceivedproofofthat.

Ihadbecome theordinanceofficer andhad tomaintain liaisonbetweenunits. Itwasoneinthemorning.Iwastrying,withoneofmymen,toreachthesouthernextremityofoursector.Wehadtocrossnearlytwokilometersofclearingsandbarehillocksseparatedbya littlevalleyandagroveof trees.TheRedsfiredrocketafter rocket.Asonerocketfinishedburning,Itoldmycompanion:“Waithere.I’mgoingtoruntothetrees.IfImakeit,followmeatfullspeed.”

Leapingout,Iranlikethewindtothewoods.

NosoonerthanIwasatthewoodwhenIcriedoutinvoluntarily.Then,throwingmyselftotheground,Irolledthirtymeterstotheothersideofthehillock.Ihadsensedahumanpresenceattheveryedgeoftheleafyblackness.Everyfiberofmybeingtoldme,assuredmethatIhadbeenwithininchesoftheenemy.

Irejoinedmycomradeagainaftera longdetour.AlthoughIrecountedtheincident tothestaff,theydidn’tbelieveme.Iwascertain,however;I’dsensedthosespieswithallmy“electricity,”moresurelythanifIhadseenortouchedthem.Twodayslater,Iwastobeprovedcorrect,intragicfashion.

On that night, a patrol of fourmen from the 1stCompanymade an identical contactwhilecomingfromtheotherdirection.Ourmenhadunavoidablytopassbythegrove.Atthemomenttheyreachedit,adozenRedsfiredonthemfromambush.Oneofoursoldiers,whom the Russians had grabbed by the hair, succeeded in escaping, but he wrenchedhimselffromthehandsthatheldhimwithsuchforcethathewashorriblyscalped.Heranlikeamadman,fallinginfrontofoneofourposts,wherehelaymotionless,hisskullandfacestickywithblood.Theothers,caught inthetrap,fought invain.TheRedsdraggedthemtotheDonets.

Weheardtheircriesastheystruggledandyelledinthewater.ButtheBolshevikswerethreeorfourtimesmorenumerousandtheywrestledourcomradestothefarbank.

FromtheSoviet-heldwoodsacross theriver,ourunfortunatecomradesstillcriedout.Theymusthavebeenbeatenterribly,buttheycontinuedtocallforhelp.

Thenthevoicesgrewfainter,andatlastdiedout.

Asmall tragedy,amongthemanyothers, fromonenightonthefront.SoonthesilentDonets,itsgleamingwaterstroubledforonlyaninstant,streamedsilentlypastoncemore.

TOWARDASIA

May1942hadseenthebattleofDonets-KharkovunfoldandwitnessedtheannihilationoftheforcesofMarshalTimoshenko.

InJune1942,thesecondgreatblowofthebatteringramthatwastobreaktheRussianfront in two, was struck; the German armies swooped down on the city of Voronezh,seizedit,crossedtheDon,andestablishedabridgeheadontheleftbankoftheriver.

Nearer to us, the Donets was likewise crossed and Kupyansk reached. Our front

advanced to theother sideof thewater. Izyumwas surroundedafter a twodays’marchacross the deep and burning sands.The bases for launching the great autumnoffensivewereready.

Thedivisionsthatweretoadvanceacrossthesteppeweresentbacktotherearareastoenjoyseveraldaysofrest(theonlyweekofrestwewereevertoexperienceontheeasternfront).Abriefmarchledustoourvacationvillage,somethirtykilometerstothenorthwestofSlavyansk.

Ourrelaxationwastotal.WequiteproperlyhadanofficialceremonyfortheawardingofIronCrossestotheheroesofthebattlesintheDonets.GeneralRupphimselfcametopinonthedecorations.Hecommandedacelebrateddivisionofrangers,the97th,madeupofTyroleans,amongwhomweweretospendsomeunforgettablemonths.

Amarvelousreprovisionwasdistributedtous,ingreatprofusion.Themusiciansofthedivisiondiverteduswithbandconcertsinthemornings,whileeacheveningcommodiousbusestookourmentothemovies.

Thevillagewaswealthy,thepeasantspeaceful,theskygolden.Thesteppewasdeckedoutindazzlingcolors.Asthewomenlaidoutthewheatinswaths,theairhummedwiththelaborioussongofmillionsofbees.Aboveus,rapturouslarkssang.

Keyed-upatthethoughtofthecomingoffensive,webreatheddeeplyofthesteppe,likethe mounts of the Cossacks. I myself had received a gigantic brown and white horse,almostunapproachable.Sureofthefuture,IcalledhimCaucasus.Hewouldaccompanymethere,thatbravebeast,anddiethere,riddledwithtwentybullets,duringthebattleofTyeryakov.

Thenewsofthewarwaselectrifying.

MarshalRommelhadswepttwenty-fivethousandEnglishmenintohisnetattheLibyanportofTobruk.HistankshadclearedtheshoresofLibya,penetratingEgyptasfarasElAlamein.Wewaited,crouchedbyourfieldradios,for thebulletinthatwouldheraldthefallofAlexandria.

Nearertous,theGermannoosewastighteningaroundSevastopol.ThelastSovietportintheCrimeasawitsenormousfortificationsannihilated,onebyone,bytheairpowerandtheheavyartilleryoftheReich.

Finallythecityfell.Thesameevening,theskyflashedwithhundredsoflights,whilethe whole region trembled with the roar of motors; a fabulous aerial flotilla, returningfromSevastopol,hadlandedinoursector.

Göring’sStukaswerehere.Theoffensivewasimminent.

SecretordersinformedourcommanderthattheoffensivewouldbeginonJuly9.

Wedidn’thave towait that longbecausea surpriseaccelerated theoperation.On thenightofJuly6-7,Germanpatrols in theSlavyansksector, scoutingout theSoviet lines,

wereastonishedbythelackofactivity.Theyriskedcrawlingfartherforward.Silencewasalways very strange. One man spied out a bunker: it was empty. The entire line wasempty!Stealingsilentlyaway,theRussianshadvanished!

TheRedshadtobepursued,caught,engaged,anddefeatedatallcosts.Otherwisetheycouldsetatrap.

Theordertogoovertotheattackwasimmediatelycommunicatedtoalldivisions.OntheeveningofJuly7,1942theWallonianLegionmovedoffwiththeentirearmyofthesoutheastfront.ItwouldstopagainonlyatthethresholdofAsia,beforeMountElbrus.

ChapterFour

TOTHECAUCASUSONFOOT

Themonthsofthesummeroffensiveof1942werethemostexcitingmonthsoftheanti-Sovietwar.

The South! Its dazzling fruits, its semi-tropical vegetation, its African sun, its greatsparklingrivers!

Eachoneofusbelieved thatvictory layat theendof thatmiraculouscavalcade.TheSovietshadnotevenrisentothechallenge.Theywerefleeing.Atamadpace,hundredsofthousandsofmenrushedoffinpursuitofthem.

BythemorningofJuly8,ourlegionhadpassedSlavyanskandhadreached,totheeastof that city, a parkwhere gigantic plane trees overshadowed the large ruinedbuildings,formerlysumptuous,oftheoldimperialpalaces,inthesalonsofwhichthehorseskilledbytheBolshevikslayaboutamongheapsofdriedhorsemanure.

TheDonetshadalreadybeen reached to the southeastofSlavyansk, and theGermanengineerswerebusyingthemselvesinstallingtowlinesandferries.

The next day we scaled the ridges on the right bank of the river, from which theRussianshadbeenabletobarourpassage.Theirbunkershadbeencutintothewhitechalkhills, the raw color of which dazzled the eyes. The positions were well constructed,commanding all the avenues of access, and were surrounded with dense networks ofbarbedwire.

TheRedshadnoteventakentheirequipment.Theyhadnotblownupasingleshelter.Theyhaddecampedintotalmystery.

At nightfallwe descended to the bankof theDonets, but other units took priority incrossing.

We waited patiently for two days and two nights. The munitions convoys for thearmoredcolumns,sentasanadvanceguard,wentfirst.

Theferrieswereformedbylinkingtogetherahalf-dozenrubberboatsonwhichplankshadbeenfitted.Cablesranfromonebanktotheotherandwereusedtohaulthebarges.

Itwasamusingtowatch.Panic-strickenhorsesandmuleswouldoftenfallbetweenthesmallboats.Thenthetowlineshadtobecut,sincethebeasts,eyesrolling,wouldthrashwildly. Once freed, the animals would swim to the opposite bank, arriving before theboats,snorting,eyesflashingwithtriumph.

Thesandycliffson theothersideof theDonetsmade landingverydifficult.Tractorswereneededtopullthevehiclestothetopoftheridge.

We pitched our little tents on the grass and philosophically waited our turn, while

anglingforfishwithiridescentscalesthatroseunwiselytothesurface.

Attheendoftwodays,however,webecameworried,becauseourdivisionhadhadthechance to take the principal route, several kilometers above theDonets.Timepassed. Iwent toprepare thequarterson theotherbank, sevenkilometers from the ferries. Iwashorrified.Thetrailhadcompletelydisappeared!Hundredsoftanks,trucks,andcartshadchurneduptheburningsand,uptohalfameterorameterindepth.ThetankonwhichIrodetookseveralhourstoadvance:boggingdown,thenlaboriouslyworkingfree,justtocoverashortdistance.Thesandwassofinethat,evenonfoot,yousanktoyourkneesinit.

Weweredraggingheavilyloadedwagonsandnumeroussmallironcarts,withverylowwheelsattachedtothesides,onwhichtheheavymachinegunsandtheammoboxeshadbeenfitted.

Itookcareofthebilleting,thenwaitedattheedgeofavillage,ataforkintheroad.Istayedonthelookoutforexactlyfifty-onehours,deadtired.Iendedupbelievingthatthebattalionhad lost itswayorhad takenanotherdirection.Butno;at theendof fifty-onehours,thefirstcartsappeared.Ithadtakenmorethantwodaysandtwonightstopushthevehicles through the sand, after carrying all the ammunition by hand, box by box, akilometer.

Wefinally regained themain road,covering twentykilometers ina fantasticcloudofdust, threading ourway through thousands of trucks, gas tankers, sections of pontoon-bridges,andwagonsofallkinds.When,wornout,stickywithsweat,wefinallystopped,intheafternoon,wefoundoutthatwewerethreedaysbehind.

Atsixo’clockintheevening,westartedoffagain.

Fortwoweekswechasedafterthedivision.

Wemarchedbynightacrossanundulatingsteppeclothedwithmeter-highblueflowers,as white as camellias in the moonlight. Then we reached several small rivers flowingthroughblastedisbas.TheRussianshadblownup thebridges,soforseveralkilometerswe had to follow the chalky river valleys, through the mud of which men and horsesdancedanexhaustingwaltz.

Thenweplungedintothesandsagain.Themainroutewasoftenblocked.Weoftenhadto make detours on paths that were scarcely marked out, intended only for the high-wheeledandverylightcartsoftheRussianpeasants.

Wedidnotgointothe isbas,unpleasantstuffyplacesbuzzingwithflies.Wesleptonthesmallterracesofhard-packedsoil,curledupinblankets.

Soonwemarchedeverynight,takingarestonlyinthemiddleoftheday,sincethesunthenreached55°C.We’dstretchoutunderatreeattheentrancetothefarms,ourheadsinmosquitonetting,ourhandsinourpockets,surroundedwithcheepingbabychickens.

We passed long rows of worker housing, sinister blocks of apartment-barracks, andParty headquarters strewnwith official papers and broken busts of the grandees of the

regime.

According to their customary tactic, the Bolsheviks had demolished or put out ofcommissionallindustrialinstallations.And,whatespeciallyamazedus,thoseplunderershaddestroyedeverythingsometimebefore.Therailwaytrackshadbeencuteveryeightortenmeters.Fromalltheevidence,theSovietshadundertakenthiscolossalsabotagewellbeforetheGermanthrusttowardVoronezh.

Themostspectaculardestructionswerethefiresinthecoalfields.Enormousdepositsofcoalandslagheapsthirtyorfortymetershighburnedfordays,adarkred,withdeepblueandblackreflections.Beneaththesunthefiresgeneratedastunningheat.

Itwasimpossibletostayawayfromthem,sincealloftheareaaroundtheroadsofsandhadbeenminedbytheenemy;numerousbrokenharnesses,andthemonstrouscarcassesof horses, gray-green, crawling with larvae, gave ample indication that the leastcarelessness would bring death. Our horses, in sand up to their hooves, floundered,struggled, snorted. Certain of them,whipped in vain, died standing upright, their coatssmoking,eyesbulgingfromtheirheads.

Ithadbeen invainforus tosweatbloodandwater, tosleepscarcelyornotatall, tocross the steppe bymoonlight, to pass like a whirlwind through the burning industrialbasins, the chalky rivers and fords! We had covered hundreds of kilometers, left theUkraineandenteredthegreatbendoftheDon,justacrossfromStalingrad.Ourinfantrydivision was always galloping faster then we were! We were now five days’ marchbehind!

Twomessages reachedus simultaneously: first, thedivisionwasbranchingoff to thesouthwest in order to participate in the final attack onRostov; secondly, if we did notrejoinitinaveryshorttime,itwasgoingtoaskthearmycorpstoberelievedofourdeadweight!Weclungtothatdivisionbecauseitwasfamousandbecausewewantedglory.Wemade somewilddashes and arrivedoncemore at theDonets, an imposingDonets, justabouttorejointheDon,atKamensk.

Therestillremainedseventykilometerstocoverinordertoreachthe97thDivision.Wecovereditinasingleday’smarch.

But Rostov had just fallen that very day. The 97th received the order to go backimmediatelyup thecourseof theDon.Wescarcelyhad timetoshave.Wewerealreadyleavingagain,snatcheduponcemorebytheburningsteppe.

CROSSINGTHEDON

The triumphal march of the armies of the Reich toward Stalingrad and toward theCaucasuswasatthecostofsuperhumanfatigue,butevokedanoptimismasblazingasthefirmament.

ThelandsbetweentheDonetsandtheDon,betweentheDonandKuban,unfurledsuchsplendors that from dawn our spirits sang before the green and orange east.Wewouldcross thirty or thirty-five kilometers on foot during the night. The marches wereexhaustingbecauseweweremovingforward in loosesandoronwindingroads, twoorthree columns abreast, which constantly risked bumping up against one another. The

advancewasatthetempoofabicyclerace.Thedarknesscouldn’tpreventthesethousandsofmen fromconverging at narrowbridges, thrownup inhaste.We fell intoholes.Ourcartstippedover.Sometimesatruckoratankwouldsweepupahorsethatwascrushedwhileneighingdesperately.

Butthedawnmadeupforeverythingelse.

Atabout1:30inthemorning,afewpalegreenandpalegoldrays,asdelicateassilk,appearedintheeast.Theyroseinthesky,overranit,expanded,becomingfabuloussheetsofgreen,orange,rose,vividandmarvelouslydelicate.

Wewitnessedtheawakeningoffantasticfieldsofsunflowers.Thesegiantdaisies,twometers high, had golden petals as long as the fingers of your hand and a brown centerswollenwithseveralthousandseeds.Thesamefieldwouldextendforkilometers;millionsofheadsrosetowardtherisingsun,turningatthesametimeitdid,asifdrawnupwardbyitsstrength.Wefeltourbodiesseizedby thatelementarypower that linked thesoil, thesky,and thegreatefflorescence.Theskywasnothingbutagolden field.Theearthwasnothing but a golden field. Everything was life, strength, splendor, grandeur.With ourcollarsopen,breathinginthoseemanations,wehurledouryouthfulsongs,burstingwithdreams,towardthesun!

Sometimes theboundlesssunflowersgavewaytoboundless thistles; thistles toknockyour eyes out, not at all our ridiculous little thistles that stain and sting, but thistlesadorned like prickly pears, as tall as the ponies of the steppe, crowned, brimmingwithpinkorvioletflowers,thesweetandfragileplumesofwhichwoundalmosttotheground.

Crossing the sunflowers, the thistles, the corn, as straight and strong as lances, wearrived,atabout9:00a.m.,inavillagethathadglistenedforalongtimebeforeoureyesandwhereourinfantrymenscattered,overwhelmedbythesun.

Thevillagesof theDonwerewealthy.The isbas,morecomfortable than those in theDonets,includeduptothreeorfourpoorlyfurnishedrooms,sometimesbrightenedupbyadresser,asauce-boat,akneading-troughoranoldcupboard,magnificentlycarved.

Eachfarmhadsomehens,afewcattle,andagoodrationofwheat,allreclaimedfromthe kolkhoz, whose despotic, ramshackle offices, surrounded by plows, haymakers,threshers,andsowingmachines,dominatedeachsmallmarkettown.Thepeasants,takingrevengeontheregime,hademptiedthecowbarnsandthesheds;thepigletsofthestate-owned sows, set free, gamboled and frisked in all directions, delighted with thisunforeseenholiday;everywheregeesehonkedandyoungturkeysgobbled.

Thenativesreceiveduswithobviousjoy.Oftenwewerethefirsttroopstoentertheirhamlet.Thegoodpeopleimmediatelywenttotheoutbuildings,removedtheiriconsfromtheir former hiding places, and hung them once more on their dried mud walls, tearsstreamingdowntheirfaces.

Thegreatestgift thatonecouldconferon themwas togive themaportraitofHitler.Oftentheywouldhangitnexttotheiricons.Theywouldevenputitbetweenthephotosoftheirboys,dressedintheuniformoftheSovietarmy,redstarsontheircaps!

Suchphotographic fraternizationappearedperfectlynatural to them.They loved theirboys verymuch. They lovedHitler verymuch for having liberated their village. They

combinedthetwo.

Very strict orders had been given that the troops be friendlywith the population. In1941, theGermanshadbelieved that theywould find everyRussian to be aBolshevik.Experiencehadtaughtthemthatthemuzhiks,thoughtheyhadbeenplunderedandheldforransombytheSoviets,hadnotbeencontaminatedbythem.

These were the most peaceful people in the world, friendly, very accommodating,asking only towork, to live as a family, to be of service.Germans in high places hadfinallymadeadistinctionbetweenthepeasantmassesofEuropeanRussia,sosimpleandnaive, and theBolshevikMafiososandpoliceofMoscow.The least abuseof themwasstoppedimmediately;theoldpan19andtheoldmamka20werefriendsofthetroops.

Itwaspointless toask thepeasants foranythingatall.They ledus to thehenhouses.They would offer us generous amounts of their chickens, their potatoes, and their fatgeese.Theyhadathickhoney,richwiththestrong,wildperfumesofthegiantflowersontheneighboringsteppe.Asavidfordelicaciesasgourmets,wewhiledawayhoursinthecherryorchards,gorgingonheartcherries,morellos,andwhiteheartcherriesthatranwithcrimsonjuice.

Wesleptforseveralhours;thesunrestoredourlostenergy.Theoldmamkabroughtalargestonewarejugfullofmilkasfreshasspringwater.Leadingustothethresholdofherriches, a storehold, tenmeters from the isba, she unlatched the trap door. Through theopening we went down a ladder into a magnificently cold cellar, a real well whereeverythingperishablekeptaswellasinarefrigerator.

Thestovewaslocatednearthedoor,sothattheisba,withitssmallclosedwindowsanditslowroof,couldstaycool.Weateoutdoorsundertheshelterofthepoplarsortheacaciatrees,encouragedbythepeasantwoman,whocamebacktoustentimes,herarmsloaded,andhelpedustrussupandbrownthepoultry.

Oursoldiers,afterthewearyingnightmarches,recoveredtheirstrengthwithBreughel-likegusto.Theywerenotfornothingthemenofthelandofkermesses.21Theywereableto eat and drink prodigious amounts of food. I knew onewho,when he arrived at thehamlet, regularly ate for breakfast a kilo of fried bacon. I saw two others gulp down ameretwenty-onechickens,fromgizzardtotailfeathersinthreedays.Manywoulddevourawholegoose, just incase,at9:00 in themorning.Oneofmyyoungofficers filledhisbellyonemorning,beforemyveryeyes,withthirtyfriedeggs.

Theywashed down thesemorning hunger chaserswith a pitcher ofmilk, then slept,repleteandunbuttoned,asintheoldFlemishpaintings.

Atdusk,beforeweleft,ourhostsgaveusseveralenormouspansofsautéedpotatoes,bundlesoflargeradishes,andbasketsofvegetables.

Thepeasantsaccompaniedustotheroadoutofthevillage,asimpressedbyourappetiteasbyourkindness.

During our entire offensive, we did not have a single untoward incident. We werereceivedaspartofthefamily.Notknowinghowtosaygood-byetous,thosegoodpeopleoftenblessedus.Protectedbytheblessingsfromtheirpurehearts,wesetoutagain,happy,

acrossthegreatfieldsofsunflowers.

Marchingattopspeed,wesometimescaughtupwithunitsoffleeingReds.Thebattleswereshort.

The advancewas carried out at such a pace that itwas quite impossible to bury theremains of the enemy dead after each rout. The roads were littered with loathsomecorpses.Inthe50°CheatthesoldiersmoweddowninfrontofusbytheStukasrottedandliquefiedintwoorthreedays.Thenthesunbegantobakethem.Thedeadhorsesgaveoffadreadfulsmell.Itwasnecessarytoholdyournoseforahundredmetersbeforeyougottothem.Eachstomachwasamonstrousballoon,oftenburst.Streamsofgreenishlarvaeswarmedinandout.ThedeadBolsheviksshoneblackerthanNegroesastheyputrefied.

Thousands, tensof thousandsofSoviet soldierssurrendered.Theycoulddonomore.Totellthetruth,wecarriedouttheoffensivemuchmorewithourfeetthanwithourrifles.Manyofourmen,theirfeetsore,fellout.Thathardlymattered.Theywouldcatchuptouslater.TheSovietsoldiersjustletthemselvesbecaptured.Theysattherebythethousands,suckingtheirbareandbloodytoes.

MostofthemwereAsiatics.Theyhadthegoodlargeheadsofcannibals,delightednottobeeatenintheirturn.Theyrepeatedtirelessly:“Stalinkaput!Stalinkaput!,”stoppingtheirmonologueonlytosucktheswollencornsontheirfeet.

Wehadn’tthetimeeithertoguardortoescortsuchacaravan.Choosingthetwomostwide-awake fellows from the column, we gave them a rifle. Appointed to guard theircomrades,theyimmediatelythrewouttheirchests.Wepointedouttothemthenameofatownahundredortwohundredkilometerstothewest.Delighted,thesimpletonssetoff,chattering.Theproblemwassolved.TheywereheadingforGermanyallbythemselves!

WewereabouttocrosstheDonRiver.Somedaysbefore,wehadtriedtocross,buttheaccesshadbeenblocked,foradistanceoftwokilometers,bysuchatangleofmaterielandSoviet corpses battered by theLuftwaffe, that the division couldn’t get its vehicles andequipmentacross.

Approaching the legendary riveratabout two in themorning,wescaledahillon therightbank,attheverymomentwhendawnwasbreakingoverthevastgray-greenstream.

Standinginmystirrups,Ifilledmyeyeswithanimposingview.TheroadwasstrewnwithhundredsofSoviet tanksofAmericanmanufacture,overturnedwagons,abandonedequipment.ButIhadeyesonlyfortheDon,vast,tree-lined,glisteningbeneaththegreatgreen,pink,andsilvercurtainsthatbillowedinthesky.

TheDon,likeallthegreatriversofsouthernRussia,hadasteeprightbank,whiletheleftbankwasalmostatwater level.WhentheRedsweredrivenintoavalleyonthefarside,itwasimpossibletoresistwhoeverheldthehighgroundontheright.TheleftbankoftheDonwasthereforeatourmercy.

Russianplanesdroppedtheirbomb-loadsintothered-soiledravinebywhichwemadeourdescent,butinflictedlittledamage.Theburnishedtendrilsofthefirstvineyardsshoneamidtheruinsoftheisbas.Doffinghisclothes,ourcommandinggeneralbecamethefirsttoswim theDon,a submachinegunonhisback.Wecrossedoverahastilyconstructed

pontoonbridge.Ourheartsweresoaring.

Wewerenowapproaching the landof theKalmuks.Asolitarycamelcameup to theroad, droll, his nose huge andwet, his hide as shabby looking as the leather of an oldarmchair.

Weadoptedhim.HesmelledalreadyoftheAsiatowardwhichwehurried.

KUBAN

ThefirstweekofAugustof1942sawthearmiesoftheReichfanningoutfromtheDontoward theCaucasus.Adazzling sunbeatdown.Thevillages, several kilometers away,seemedonegreatsmokingtorch;youwouldhavethoughtthewholeregionwereablaze.Butthedarkcolumnswereonlydust,stirredupbyouradvancingarmor.

Ourfacesweregray-blackmasks,onwhichthewhitesofoureyesshonestrangely,andwhichwerecrossedbyourlargepinklips.Itwasimpossibletoescapethis“make-up”:thedustroseseveralmetersaboveourheads.Ourmotorcyclistslookedlikesomethingoutofa comedy film, their faces completely painted, as they roared out of clouds of dustbringingnewmaps.Ouradvancewassorapidthatweneedednewmapseachday.Indeed,specialtruckshadbeenattachedtoourcolumntoprintmapsasquicklyastheoffensiveunrolled.

Thesmallestdetailswereprovidedforwithsuperbdispatch.

Each unit had its objectives, its villages tomarch through, its resting places to settledown in. Towns and hamlets fell by the thousands without the enemy being able toestablishasinglefocusofresistanceinourrear.Wehadonlytopassthroughthetowns,andwhatever opposition remainedwaswinkled outmethodically,without a hitch or anoversight.

Ourlosseswereinsignificant.ThethousandsofRedsoldierswhomwepassedbyweredeadtiredfromhavingrunforathousandkilometersandfromhavingswallowedsomanykilosofdust.Foraglassofwater,theywouldwillinglyhaveturnedoverStalin,Kalinin,Molotovandtenotherlordsofequallyhighlineage.

Themostseriousproblemwas,infact,thatofdrinkingwater.

We would advance for ten or twenty kilometers without finding a liter of drinkablewater.Afewgreenpoolsstagnated in thesun.To lapup that foulmud,ourmenwouldthrowthemselvesflatontheirstomachs.Wewouldloseourtempersandviolentlyshovethedrinkersaside.Thehorses’longtongueshungdownandquivered.

Ourcolumnaloneconsistedofmorethantwentythousandmen.Everytenkilometersorso,theroadpassedthroughavillage.Therewouldbeawell,orseveralwells,intendedtosupplywaterfor theresidentsandthelivestockofseveraldozen isbas.Thevanguardofthecolumnsoondrankallthewater.Afterawhilethemenhadnothingmorethanmudtoquarrelover.Behind them, thousandsof infantrymenandhundredsofhorses found thatthewellshadbeendrainedtothelastdrop.

Hereandthereamilldrewupwaterinabundance.Buteveryonehadtowaithisturnforfivehours,foreighthours,tenhours,histongueswollenatthebottomofhisthroat.The

animals consumed fabulous quantities of water. My horse Caucasus gulped down fivelargebucketfulsalone,orfortyliterswithoutapause!Themenfilledthemselvesuplikegoatskinbottles,andsprinkledtheirnecks,armsandbacks,soscorchedweretheybythesun.

Thatdidnogood.Thebestthingwastodrinkverylittleandtobecontentedwithhereandthereshakingacherrytree.

Thesearchforwatertookusmoretimethancoveringthekilometersdid.

OnenightwearrivedattheManich,nearthelandoftheKalmuks,ariverthatformsastringofmarvelouslakes,halfwaybetweentheSeaofAzovandtheCaspianSea.

Ourlineofmarchcrossedagreatdambuilttoholdbackthewatersofoneofthelakes.TheRedshaddynamitedit,andwaterpouredthroughatwenty-meter-widebreachacrosswhichtheGermanengineershadbuiltawoodenfootbridgefortheinfantryandthehorses.Theheavyequipmenthadtogoacrossbymotorboat.

Wespentseveralhoursinfrontofthedike,waitingourturn.Thelakewasstuddedwithamarvelous fieldofdaisiessownby themoonon the littlewaves.AfewSovietplanestriedtobreakourmakeshiftbridge,buttheirbombsservedonlytosetfiretothenearbyisbas.Theburninghutslitredandorangetorchesinthenight,whichaddedtheirpatheticsplendortothepoetryofthefloweredlakeandthestarrysky.

Daybreakwasat2:00a.m.Thegreenskywasreflectedbythecountryside,floodedasfarastheeyecouldseebythewatersthathadgushedforthfromthedam.Thewatersborethe pale color of the dawn, a fresh aquamarine, lacedwith gleamsof light gold, nearlytranslucent.

Whocouldhavedwelt, in thepresenceof thatenchantment,on theexhaustionof thenight marches, on the mercilessly scorching days? The columns advanced, singing, inmagnificent order. The officers marched at the front, on foot, to set a good example.Behind them, the stable-attendants led the horses. The mounts were used only formaintaining contact between units, often a very arduous ordeal. To reach a divisionalcommand post, I once crossed a hundred kilometers in one stretch, at breakneck speedacrosstheburningsteppe.Butthenormalmarchesweremadeonfoot,withofficersandsoldiersfraternallyunitedinfatigueasinbattle.

The mosquitoes became more and more numerous. In the evening, they swirled inwhirringclustersaroundtheleastcandlelight.

Othertinybeastsbesetoursoldiers:ferociouslicethatplantedthemselvesintheregionofthegroin.Theyduginincloseranksthere,likestakesplantedintheground.Onecouldsee,justbarely,thebacksofthosegreedysuckers,thesizeofpinheads,allblack.

Theunfortunateswhosustainedthatattacksufferedtorture.Theyhad,inthebargain,tosufferthegibesoftheentirecolumneachtimetheyranoutofpatienceandstoppedatthesideoftheroadtotrytoremove,outintheopen,theirindiscreetparasites!

OnAugust7,1942,inthemorning,wenearedtheKuban.Therestillremainedtwenty

kilometerstocross.Weweregoinglikethewind.Atoneintheafternoon,wecaughtsightofthecliffsabovetherightbank,whichplungedperpendicularlytotheflatsteppes.Thewatersoftheriver,amagnificentgreen,gushedbesidelushwoods.

The Soviet artillery had tried to resist, but after a brief engagement itwas forced toretreat.

Wewere in the heart of theCaucasus!The last great plain before the glaciers shonegleamingintheraysofaroyalsummer!

Atthreeinthemorning,weresumedouradvance,marchingbackupthecourseoftheKubaninordertoreachaforddownstreamfromArmavir.Weadvancedalongledgesthatfellstraightdownfromaheightoftwohundredmeterstothegreenriver.Thousandsofusmarchedalongtheedgeofthosecliffs,jostledbyhundredsandhundredsoflargebrowncowsdrivenbySlovakianherdsmenwithhardandsun-burnedfaces.

Wehad tomark time for thirtyhoursbefore crossing thepontoon footbridge that theengineershadbuiltover the rushing river.Thewaters tossed, throwinggreenandwhitesprayoverthebridge.

Therewasasmallmarket townontheothersideof thewater.Therewediscoveredaprettyyounggirlofseventeenwhohadtakenrefugeinasupplyhole.Shehadwantedtoguardthefamilyisba.Abombhadfallennearher,horriblytearingawayonebreast.Shelaythere,feverish,hereyesblazing.Herslashedbreastwasalreadygrowingblack.Wedidtheimpossibletocareforher.Tearsrandownhercheeks,redwithfever.Thepoorlittlegirlwantedtolive.Lookingatherinjuredchest,weknew,however,thatshewasgoingtodie.

To die,when above the perfumed steppe there gleamed a sky divinely pure,withoutblemish,blueasfarastheeyecouldsee,crossedwithripplesofsilverandgold.

MAIKOP

TheKubanRiver plain is the paradise ofRussia.Agricultural holdings as big as tenthousandhectaresproduce,beneaththefiresofthesun,immensitiesofcorn.Millionsofstalks, two meters high, thrust their marvelously ordered cobs into the burning air,wrappedinglossyhusks,rustlingasifanelectriccurrentwerepassingthroughthem.

In the shadow of these forests of gilded stalks,we saw greenwatermelons ripening,watermelonsaslongasyourarm.Wecutthemopenwithourknives.Rejoicing,wedrankthe fresh juice. Thewatermelons’ skinwas bandedwith green, red, and orange stripes,similar to the mottled dawn on the steppe. We marched on with our faces buried inenormousslicesofthosesublimefruits.

Thesunburnedinaskycleartodistraction.Wegorgedourselvesonitsstrengthanditspoetry.Weweretakingpartinawonderfulexchangeofstrength,warmthandfreshness,ofcolors springing from the soil and falling from the sky.Everythingwas new, primitive,pure, grand: the corn, standing like plumed spears; themelon beds tossed downby thegods like innumerable fountains; the bright, metallic clouds; golden earth, fiery sky,

rainbowofgashedfruits!

Thetorrentsalsogaveusinexpressibledelights.

WereachedtheLabaRiver,whichfallstumultuouslyfromtheslopesoftheElbrus.Wecouldnotyetdiscerntheoutlineofthemountains,buttheyweresendingus,asafirstgift,large streams,greenand ice-cold,which leapedovermillionsof redand reddish-brownpebbles.

What mattered the unending waits before crossing these rivers on our makeshiftbridges!Wethrewourselvesintotheturbulentwaves,irresistiblystrong.Weweresweptaway between the great polished rocks, whipped by a current that splashed us withemeraldspray.Ourbodieslovedtheroughbiteofthosecrystalclearwaters.Theyhuggedus,gaveus life,purifiedourbodies,stirredourblood!Thenweraninthesunlikewildhorses!

Ahlife!Howmagnificent!Wehurledourselvesintoitsluminescence,intoitswarmth,intoitsbrilliance,intoitsspotlesscolors,asifwewereleapingintothefirstdaysoftheworld, when base spirits and corrupt matter had not yet tarnished any element or anyimpulse!

TheflightoftheSovietforceswassuchthatwetookhardlyanyprisoners.Thesteppewasempty,abandonedtothetriumphantsunandtoourvictoriousmarch.

Oneafternoonwereached therailway linefromMaikop.HundredsofRussian trains,abandoned,werelinedupoveradistanceoftwentykilometers,caraftercar,alongthetwotracks.TheStukashadcutthelinerelentlessly,makingitimpossibleforthetrainstrappedin thatgigantic cul-de-sac tomove forwardorbackward.Goods in incredibleprofusionwerepileduponthousandsofcarsonwhichtheSovietshadvainlytriedtoevacuatetheirgoods.Therewereairplaneengines,spareparts,unfinishedtanks,machines,rawmaterialsofallkinds.Linesoftankcarsstretchedoutendlessly,scorchedbyfireorstickyfromthehundredsofthousandsoflitersofgasspilledonthetrack.

But,onthewhole,thisfantasticplunderwasnearlyintact,exceptforthebreachesmadehereand thereby theStukas.TheRedshadnot even taken the time to set fire to theseenormoustrains.

Eachdivision,whenitreachedtherailroad,immediatelystuckonlabelsproclaimingitspropertyrights tothespoils.Thecarsfilledwithalcoholweretheobjectofveryspecialattention.

Weeven founda stockofcaviar jars.Sittingon the railwayembankment, eachofusspreadahalfkiloofthosesplendideggsonourbread!Vodkawasemployedtoeaseourdigestion;wehadcapturedthirtythousandbottlesofit, likemineralwaterinsmartlittlebottles.

ButtherecouldbenoquestionoflingeringattheseCapuanfeasts.22Ourordersweretoreachthemountainsassoonaspossible.Wewereallowedonlyafewhourstosleep,rightontheground.Wewereawakenedat3:00or4:00a.m.bythepoultryoftheneighborhood,greatlyintriguedbyalltheseevents.

Wereachedthefirsthills,verysteep,where,comingdowntheotherside, thewagonsplungedtotheheadofthelinebehindthehorses.

Wegot underway in the cool of the day, at about one in themorning.At dawn,wethoughtweweredreaming.Aslenderdarkbluethread,tothesouth,festoonedthesky.ItwastheCaucasus!

Themountainswere still fifty kilometers distant, but their summits stood out clearlyagainstthesky.Wewerefloodedwithajoythatgoadedusforward.Theretheywere,thepeaksthathadlivedinourimaginationsforweeks!

Wequickenedourstepsthroughthethicksands.

ColumnsofGermantankswereheadingbackinourdirection;theyhadcompletedtheirwork,hadtrackedtheenemyuptotheforests.Itwasforus,theinfantry,tocompletethejob.Atnineo’clockinthemorning,wearrivedatlong,straightstreets:Maikop!

OurtankshadclearedthetownwithouttheRedsevenbeingabletoblowupthebridgethat,inonemagnificentleap,spannedadeepvalleyatthebottomofwhichroaredagreenriver, the Belaya. A few houses were offhandedly perched at the top of the cliff. Wepromptlycrossedover to theotherside inorder immediately tooccupyamountain thatoverlookedtheregion.Fromthere,wecouldpreventaneventualreactionbythedefeatedenemy.

The slope was steep and heavily wooded. At last we saw trees again!Without anyfightingwesetupourmachinegunsontheridges.Tothesouth,therespreadoutbeforeusa grand panorama of streams, small waterfalls, and plum-colored blue mountains. TheCaucasuschainstretchedoutalongtheentirehorizon.

A dense forest surrounded us. Numerous Soviet soldiers were still hidden there,watchingforanopportunitytosurrender.

TheopportunitypresenteditselfinasomewhatRabelaisianfashion.OneofourNCO’shadcreptoffintotheshadowyfoliageinordertogetawaybyhimself,safefrompryingeyes.With apieceof paper inhis handshe set towork, at the same timeadmiring thefoliage. He was not very dangerous, armed with only his quarter page of an oldnewspaper. This was the moment that the Russians had been waiting for. The leavesparted;ourcomradesawa longlineofSovietsoldiersapproachinghim, theirhandsup,sureofsurrenderingonthebestterms.Itonlyremainedforournoncommissionedofficertohastilyreadjustauniformwhoseprestigeriskedbeingseriouslycompromised!

Several minutes later he returned, snickering, followed by a veritable caravan ofmuzhiks,assolemnaspopesinspiteofthecomicalcharacteroftheirsurrender.

ThatwashowwecapturedthelastRussianforcesin theoakgroveatMaikop.Itwasnotverypoetic, tobesure,but theforesthadbeenpurgedat thesame timeasournon-commissionedofficer,a littleembarrassedat first,but soonasproudasArtaban23abouthisadventure.

Inthemeantime,thebulkofthedivisionhadoccupiedMaikop.Weallbelievedthewarwas over. Everything had been cleared, and we were about to cross the range of theCaucasus.Theordersforthedivisionhadarrived.Objective:Adler,thenSukhumi,notfar

fromtheTurkishborder.

Wemadesomebets:TbilisibyChristmas;Babyloninthespring!Onthebanksofthosesacredrivers,theTigrisandEuphrates,wewouldmeetMarshalRommel’sAfrikaKorps,advancingfromtheSuezCanal!Thewarwouldendinthecradleofcivilization!

In order to celebrate August 15 (the Feast of the Ascension), the command haddistributedto thetroopsa localdrinklikewine, inarationoffour litersperperson.Weswiggedit,pouringit intoourmouthsquiteconfidently. Itwasalcoholfromthefruitoftheblackthorntree,whichhadaterriblesmell.Neverthelessthestuffpromptlyevokedanunparalleledenthusiasm.Thepartylasteduntiltheweehoursofthemorning.

Then,staggeringabit,the97thDivisionandtheWallonianLegionmovedoff.August16, 1942.The greatmountains of theCaucasus looked down on us, blue-black at first,thenwhiteandpink,veryhighinthesky.Sukhumi,itscoastlineanditspalmtrees!TbilisianditshousesclingingtothecliffsoftheTranscaucasus!ThelunarlakesofAzerbaijan!ThegreatdeclivityofthecrystallinesandtowardthePersianGulf!Oureyessparkledaswecontemplatedourmightyepic!

Wearrivedatalargegreenriverthatsurgedthroughtherubbleofadynamitedbridge.Asoldieradvanced,straddlingthejaggedplatform.Arifleshotrangoutfromatreeontheotherside,themanfellintotheriver.

Asecondmantried.Thenathird.Theyfell,hitinturn.

Themountainswerestilltwentykilometersaway,butalreadytheCaucasuswassendingusawarning.

We had raced south for 1,150 kilometers. We believed that we had conqueredeverything.ThethreebodiesbobbinginthetorrentsinformedussuddenlythatperhapsthewarintheSouth,ratherthanending,wasjustbeginning.

THETRAP

TheexpectationoftheHighCommandwasthatthetroopstakingpartintheoffensiveon the Caucasus front would not encounter many obstacles. Each division had beenassigned a fantastic area of operations. The 97thDivision, towhichwewere tacticallyattached,wouldcross,withitstworegimentsofinfantryandourlegion,anareatwicethesize of Belgium! The mountains to be crossed rose to a height of thirty-two hundredmeters;theoakforestswerenearlytwohundredkilometersdeep.

One of the two regiments advanced immediately toward thewest, in the direction ofTuapse.Theother, theOtte regiment, towhichwewereattached,advanced through theforests in order to reachAdler on theBlack Sea. The division commander very boldlyadvancedbetweenthosetwothrusts,whichdivergedfromoneanothermoreandmore.Hewascoveredonlybyageneralstaffcompanythathadmorespecialistsinpen-pushingandrubber-stampingthaninmachinegunsandgrenades.

Leap-frogging, thebattalions relievedoneanother.Havingbeen theadvanceguardatthetimeofthefallofMaikop,weweretoformtherearguardduringthefirstdaysoftheadvanceintothemountains.

WeskirmishedwithsomeBolsheviksoldierswhohadreturnedtoamarkettown.Thepeasantsimmediatelyrushedtocallus,andtheRedswerepromptlydisposedof.

OnAugust 18we attacked a village five hundredmeters above uswhere the enemyforces, disregarded by the Otte regiment, had barricaded themselves. Two of ourcompaniessilentlyclimbeduptheheightandengagedtheminhand-to-handcombat.TheRedsofferedlittleresistance.Theysoonfled,leavingbehindalltheirequipment.

Everythingwasgoingwell.

By dint of incredible boldness theOtte regiment had in three days cleared a road ofmorethanahundredfiftykilometersthroughthejungle, theravines,andthepeaks.Thenews was excellent. The spearhead was no more than three kilometers from the roadleadingdowntotheBlackSea.Stupendous!

Thefearsofthefirstdayhaddissipated.Ourturntogotothefrontwascoming.Inoneweek,wewouldbeatthethresholdofGeorgia!

Thatsameeveningeverythingchanged.

Our regimenthadpenetratedverydeeply into themountainsandwasapproaching itsgoal.Totherear,however,wheretheregimentwasstrungoutalongdozensofkilometers,theSovietssuddenlycutofftheroads.

Lurkinginthedarkblackthorntrees,theRedshadlettwothousandmenpass,andthenclosedthenet.Theyhadlaininwait ineveryravine.Tryingtoretreat, theregimentfellintoonesnareafteranother.Nowitriskeddisaster.

In the center, the general staff company that accompanied General Rupp and thatadvancedunescorted,severaldozenkilometersawayfromthetwoinfantryregiments,wascut off in turn. For several hours the general was surrounded in the village ofShirvanskaya. The old orderlies, the secretaries, the veterinarians, the supply sergeantswerefightingaswellastheycould.ButtheapproachestothevillagewerealreadyinthehandsoftheSoviettroops.

TheRedsalsoheldtheroadthatlinkedShirvanskayatotherear.TheretheSovietshadestablishedaformidablepositionatthehighestcrossroads.

We received an urgent radio message ordering our legion to cover, that same night,twenty kilometers of mountains and then hurl itself at the enemy, flushing them fromambushandrelievingthedivisionalcommandpostatShirvanskaya.

Thenightwas as black as a shroud.Therewasn’t a star in the sky.After anhour ofmarching,itwasimpossibletocontinue.Oneofourmenhadbadlyinjuredhisback,andseveralhorseshadfallenintoprecipiceshundredsofmetersdeep.

Attwointhemorningweresumedthemarch.Thedawnambledupoverthemountainsbehindlarge,threateningwhiteclouds.Weskirtedverypicturesqueravines,thenenteredforestsofgiantoaks.Sometreeshadrecentlybeenfelledacrosstheroad.Theenemywasontheprowl.Weadvanced,ourfingersonourtriggers.

Theheatwasstifling.Athunderstormrumbledinthesky.Ataboutteninthemorning,

on the bare side of the mountain opposite us, we caught sight of the white village ofPrusskaya,ourlastrestingplacebeforecontactwiththeenemy.

Then came the deluge, a thunderous torrent from the firmament that fell insledgehammer blows. In an instant,wewere as soaked as ifwehad fallen into a river.Afterwereachedthefirstisbas,aclay-likemud,15centimetersdeep,virtuallybarredanyforwardmovementbyourcolumn.

Wehadtomoveforward,however.Wesloggedonahead.

TwoGermanofficersrushedtowardus,onfoot.Theircars,togetherwithseveralothervehicles,hadblunderedintotheRussianpositionsbeforethethunderstorm.Theyhadbeenabletoescapeonlyafterafurioushand-to-handstruggle.

The rain stopped.The valleys steamedwithmighty vapors swirling from the depths,slowlyreachingcrestswherethesun,hereandthere,gildedthenewlywashedgrass.

Wedidtwomorekilometers,ourfeetencasedinlargeclumpsofmud.Thenwehadtotakecover.WehadarrivedbeforethemountainoccupiedbytheSoviets.Wewatchedtheroadrise,turn,andplungeintotheforest.Theentiresummitwaswooded.Anoakgrovedescendedtothesouth-eastandthenbackuptothesummitofanimpressivemountain.

Ourcommandergavethecombatorderstothethreecolumnsthatwereabouttospringtotheattack.Weknewverylittleabouttheenemy,exceptthathedisposedoftwoinfantrybattalionsandasquadronofcavalry;thathehadartillery,motorizedtransport,andsomecaptured anti-tank guns. He remained absolutely silent. He doubtless thought that,ignorantofthesite,wetooweregoingtothrowourselvesintohistrap.

WhentheRedssawourcompaniesdeploying,however,theygraspedourintentions.

Wewereabletodescendtheslopewithoutdifficulty.Notarifleshotbrokethestrangesilenceofthevalley.Twocarsburningatthetopofthemountainwereallthatspoiledthescene.

Wewantedtoadvanceuptoathicketonasmallknoll.Therewewouldfindtemporarycover.

Icrawledtowardtheknoll,movingforwardthroughatangleofbrushwood,supportingmyselfonmy left elbow,my revolver inmy righthand.Twentymetersbehindme, themenwaited.

I reached the crest of the hillock; one jump away from me, a Russian officer wascrawlingforwardflatonhisstomach,exactlyasIwasdoing!Wefiredsimultaneously.Hisbulletwhistledbymyear.Minehitmylucklessadversaryrightinthemiddleoftheface.ThebattleforPrusskayawason.

PRUSSKAYA

The crossroads that we had to attack, between Prusskaya and Shirvanskaya, on theafternoonofAugust19,1942,wasapproachedbyrollingvaleswithonlyafewtrees.Werushedtowardthebulkof theenemy,descendingtheslopebythrowingourselvestothe

groundeveryfifteenortwentymeters,ateachfoldintheterrainoreveryplumtreeortwo.

Beforeus,thesloperoseagain,nearlybare.WhentheRussianssawwewerereachingthebottomof thevalley, theyhad adiabolical inspiration.Setting fire to someGermanammunition wagons they’d gotten hold of, they pushed them down toward us. Thesemonstersrattleddowntheslopeatamadspeed,whiletheburningammunitionexplodedin all directions. Our noses glued to the ground, wewere pinned down by a thousandblazingfragments.

Thefrontalattackpromisedtobelethal.Therefore,Itookthreevolunteers,allofthemexpertincombat;whilethecompaniesadvancedaswellastheycould,Ithreadedmywayalong the right flank, reaching some holly groves, then the forest, and succeeded incrawlingbetweenthefirstRussianposts.Mythreeladsfollowedmeatadistanceoftenmeters. Iwanted to flank the enemy. I arrived right behind him: I could see theSovietcampthroughthebranches.

Atthatverymoment,ourmenwerescalingtheslopestoattacktheReds.Thiswasit!Ileapedout behind theBolsheviks, raking themwithmachine-gunbursts andunleashingbloodcurdling shouts.My companions stormed right behind me into the middle of thecampwithasimilaruproar.

Panic reigned. TheReds, believing themselves cornered, ran about in circles, finallyfleeinginutterconfusionintotheravinetothesouthwest.Theyhadgonecompletelymad.The four of us alone had chased them from their lair; all their trucks were ours,magnificentFordtrucks,drawnupinasquare,keysstillintheignition!Thecannonsthathadshelleduswerealsoinourhands,aswellastenmachineguns!Supplies,equipment,ammunition,helmetsoverflowingwithfruit,nothingwaslacking!Ourcriesandourburstsof fire, exploding suddenlybehind them,hadbeen enough to convince several hundredRedsofdisasterandtodrivethemacrosstheplateau!

Wespedafterthem,howlingallthelouderandshootingoffallourmachine-gunclips.Shortlyafterwards,oneofourcompanies,arrivingonthedouble,metusatthecrossroads.

Wecouldn’tlettheSoviettroopstumblingdownthroughtheforestgetaway.Wewereorderedtohuntthemdownanddestroythem.

Atfirsttheydidussomedamage,killingoneofourmostbrilliantcomrades,ayoungdoctorofphilology,whotookfivebulletsthroughhischest.Butourélanwasirresistible.Tossinggrenades,wecapturedananti-tankguntheRussiansweretryingtopullintotheoak grove, along the muddy path. We reached the bottom of the valley, a veritableequatorial jungle. Itwas floodedby thewatersof themorning thunderstormandcutbysteepravines,tenorfifteenmetersdeep,asstraightastrees.

Wehadtoslidedownonourheels.Togobackuptheotherslopewehungontostumpsand roots. The thick vegetation gave off intoxicating aromas.Hundreds of bees,whoseswarmshadbeenputtoflightinthecourseofthebattle,buzzedaround,madwithrage.Ihadexhaustedallofmymachinegun’sammunition.Forhand-to-handfighting,Ihadonlymyrevolverandtwentycartridges.Weranfromtreetotree,overwhelmingtheenemyinthemudandthebrambles.Wechasedthebulkofhisforcesbackuptheothersideofthe

mountain,whichwasverysteep,completelybare, andsplitbyawidemuddy trail.TheRedsrushedthereindisorder.

In the meantime, the German artillery that supported us had reached the capturedcrossroads.ItsetupitsgunsjustacrossfromtheReds’road.TheRussiancavalry,unabletofightintheunderbrushandthethickwoods,triedtosavetheiranimals,sliding,fallingin the slipperymud.One couldn’t havedreamedof a clearer target.TheGerman shellstore into them, ripping the fleeing troops and the tumbling animals to shreds. TheBolsheviks were running away in all directions, relentlessly plastered by hundreds ofshells.

Our rocket launcherschimed in.TheSovietcolumnwaspracticallywipedout.ManyRussianshowever,whomwepassedby,remainedinthethicketsandinthedarkrecessesofthelittlevalleys.

We had raced too far, caught up in the frenzy of pursuit. Now, almost out ofammunition,thefugitivesannihilated,wewantedtoreturntoourunit.

But we found ourselves in the middle of a jungle.We had thrown ourselves at theenemywithoutpayingmuchattentiontothedirectionofthebattle.Scarcelyhadwegonebackahundredmeterswhenaburstofmachine-gunfirecutourpath;theBolshevikswerein thebushes!We ran into them repeatedly.They fired, thinking theywere surrounded.Each time, we scattered into the thick groves of blackberry bushes, where we werehamperedbythespongyground.

Myclotheswerecuttoshreds.Ofmyridingbreeches,splitfromthetoptothebottomofthecrotch,thereremainedonlytwomuddyskirts.This,however,wastheonlycomicaspectofthesituation.Duskhadfallenandwecouldnolongermakeoutathing.Crossingthe ravines, which ran perpendicularly, was a terrifying operation. We could see themoment when we would be overtaken by night in the labyrinthine holly groves,surroundedbyRussianambushes.

We must have been about two kilometers from the rest of the battalion. I gatheredtogethereveryonewithmeand,attheriskofdrawingalltheenemiesscatteredthroughthewoods,Igaveout,inathunderingvoice,greatshoutsthroughwoodsfullofdarknessandwater.Welistenedanxiously.Weheardvoicesanswer,fromadistance,almostinaudible.Weadvancedtowardsthem.

The Russians, badly burned,mustn’t have been in any better position that wewere.Theyhadalsobeencutoff.Fromtimetotimewestoppedtotakeabreatherandtocryoutagain.Wewere answeredmore clearly.The directionwas right. From ravine to ravine,frommire tomire,wegotcloser.Mixedvoiceshailedus. Itwasoneofourpatrols:weweresaved.

Were-formedinthedarkofnight.

Theenemynolongerofferedtheleastresistance.Undoubtedly,thegroupsscatteredintheforest,orinthemudholesofthelittlevalleywerefleeingtowardthesouthwest,tryingtorejointheirbattalions,decimatedbyourattack.Weadvanceddirectlysouth,marchingthrough muddy water. At one o’clock in the morning, our lead column enteredShirvanskayawithoutanydifficulties.

On the next day we buried our dead. We heaped their grave mounds with goldensunflowers,flowersofgreatnessandglory.

Themudwassobadthatnoonewasanylongerabletomove,unlessbyhorse.FortwodaysIrodenearlynakedonmyhorse,while theytriedtocleanandsewupmyclothes,torn topiecesduring thehand-to-handcombat.Our soldiers stoodguardwithout shoes,barefoot in twenty centimeters ofwater.Not onemotorcyclist couldmove about in theregion.

OntheafternoonofAugust20thesunbeatdownmercilessly.Atduskitignitedgreatconflagrationsofpurpleandgold.Goodweathermeantcombat;newbattleswereathand.

TYERYAKOV

Ourmarch across the Caucasus resumed onAugust 21, 1942, early in themorning.Overasmallbridgethathadbeenhastilybuiltbytheengineerswecrossedaleapingriver,thenwe entered the forest.After several kilometers of climbingwe saw a clearing andsomeisbas.AfewSovietsoldiersfledwithoutfiringarifleshot.ThevillagewascalledPaparotni.Beautifulvines,appleorchards,andblackthorngrovesspreadoutinthesun.

WehadtoadvanceadozenkilometerstothevillageofTyeryakov.AtPaparotni,aradiotelegramreported thesituation toourcommander:“Tyeryakovstronglyoccupiedby theenemy.” Leaving our supply train and our heavy equipment in a clearing, we startedcautiouslythroughthegiantoaksandthebrushwood.

Fromthetopofaridgewecouldsee,throughagaptoourright,alongvillageheldbytheRussians.Wefollowedafaintpath,overgrownwithgrassandweeds.AccordingtoourmapsTyeryakovwasn’tmuch farther.We left the trail andmoved forward through thefoliage,followingourcompass,fortwentyminutes.

Wethenheardacockcrow.

ItwasTyeryakov.

Apatrolwas sent out to reconnoiter.Creeping under the trees and between the largebrowncrags,itnearedtheedgeoftheforest.Situatedonabroadhillock,Tyeryakovshoneover themountainpass.Thevillagewas spacious,butentirely surroundedbycorn that,twoorthreemetershigh,cameuptothethatchedroofs.Awhiteschoolwasperchedonamountainspur.Rightbelowthevillage,attheedgeofourforest,laythekolkhoz.

Themenofourpatroldidn’tmissadetailofthescene.Twentymetersinfrontofthem,threeRussiansweremovingbackand fortharounda fieldkitchen.Theywere laughingloudly, telling each other jokes, hardly suspecting what was awaiting them. Our mencrawled up to the tree line, approached without being seen and, suddenly, thrust theirrevolversunderthenosesofthecooks!

Notoneof the threedared toutter a soundormakeamove.Ourpatrol immediatelypushedthecooksinfrontofthemasfarastheoakgroveandfromthereledthemtouswithoutasingleshotbeingfired.

OneoftheRussianshadinhispockettherosterofthementobefedthatevening:304men. We could not have had better intelligence! We learned also that the enemy hadartilleryandanti-tankguns.

Wehad finished interrogatingour threeStalinistVatels24whenanoutburst ofgunfireeruptedthirtymetersfromus.TheRussianshadreturnedourcourtesy.

Unquestionably, one of their men, passing by the roasting spits, had found theabandonedkitchen.Thealerthadbeengiven.SomeRedshadsilentlymovedforwardinsearch of us at the edge of the woods, in order to catch us napping. One of our non-commissionedofficersnoticedthemjustintime.Firinghismachinegun,hewasriddledwithSovietbullets.Hislungspunctured,vomitinglargeamountsofblood,heneverthelesscontinuedtofire.Therehadbeenamomentofpanicamongus.TheheroismofthatNCOallowedthementoregroup.Thewoundedmancollapsedonlyafterweleapedoverhimintoahand-to-handstruggle.

The two companies who had been chargedwith attacking the villagewere sent intocombatwithout further delay. Sincewe’d been spotted itwas better to get it overwithimmediately.

Asaide-de-camp,itwasmyjobtogiveencouragementintheplaceswheretheattackwasheavyorwherethemenwerewavering.

Onepart of our troopswas to attack thevillage through thekolkhoz,while the otherwould take the longwayaroundsoas tooverrunTyeryakovfromtheheights.Themenwereinatightspot.Formanyofthenewrecruits,thiswastheirbaptismoffire.Wesawthattheyhesitatedtomoveawayfromtherocksandthetrees.

Sixmoredeterminedsoldiers,armedwithsubmachineguns,hadreachedthecornerofashed in thekolkhoz.Withamachinegun inmyhands, I ranupclose to them. Ina fewminutes,alternatingourfire,wegotahundredmetersinsideofTyeryakovitself.Ouranti-tankgun,unfortunately,wasfiringshort,anditsshellswereexplodingaboveourheads.

TheRedshadoccupiedan isba fromwhich theyheld thestreetunder fire.Whilemycomradesfiredtheirweaponsatthehut,Ileapedthroughthecorn,reachingthewestsideoftheisba.Jumpinguptothesidewindowoftheisba,IbrokeitcompletelyasIstuckmymachinegunthroughit.Myburstoffireintothemiddleoftheroomhadanoverwhelmingeffect. I roundedup thesurvivors,whosurrendered.OnewomanwhowasfightingwiththeRedswasrollingontheground,inthemiddleofanattackofhysteria.

Standing,firingmymachinegun,IhadstormedintothevillageinpursuitoftheSovietsoldiers.SoonIhadaveritablemobofprisonersaroundme.Notknowingwhattodowiththem, I distributed to each of them a piece of a Brussels newspaper for which I hadprosaicallydevisedusesotherthanthenourishmentofthemind.“Dokument!Dokument!”Iyelled to eachofmycaptives.Thoseheavy-jowledassesbelieved in themagicof theDokument.Withtheirhandsraised,brandishingtheirpapers,theyallrantotherear,wherepeoplewereatfirstalittlesurprisedtodiscoversomanyMongolianreadersoftheBelgianpress, but where they finally understood that they must have first been met by someingeniousandefficientWalloons.

Inclosecombat,it’sbesttoruninshort,speedybursts.Irantotheendofthevillage,

firing into each window as I went. I stopped only beyond the town, while my sixdaredevilsflushedout theBolshevikswhohadtakenrefugeinthe isbasandthestables.Manyothersemergedfromthefieldsandthecornoftheirownaccord.

My machine gun was well positioned. At the end of the twenty minutes, an entireWallooncompanywasabletoreachme.Ourcomradesattackingfromtheheightsjoinedusinturn.

Not only were we able to gather up a long line of prisoners, but we captured theRussians’ cannons and anti-tank weapons in perfect condition, supplied with abundantammunition.

Wisecracking, we visited the kolkhoz. The mobile kitchens of the Soviets were stillthere,stockedwithamagnificentsoup,readytoeat,andanenormousvatofporridge.Acarthadbeenleftbehind,filledwithhundredsoflargepancakes.Wereturnedthecookstotheirovensandtotheirladles.Theyweredelightedtoresumetheirjobs.Neverhadtheymadetheirsoupinsuchlivelycircumstances!Bolsheviksatonemoment, thenprisonersbeing slapped around, then promoted to honoraryWalloons! All in less than an hour!Theirsouphadnotevenhad time toburn.Their little teethshonewithpleasure in theirwidesaffron-coloredfaces.Howcomiclifewas!

Wewerealloverjoyed.Thevillagehadbeenconqueredmerrily,easily,colorfully,withamaximum of profit.We drank soup and porridge seasoned by our latest exploit.Weourselveswereastonishedthatallhadgonesoquicklyandsowell.

Tooquickly!And toowell!Because the bullets began towhine again, a fewat first,thenhundreds.

Webarelyhadtimetohitthedirt,behindsometreetrunks,amongtheoverturnedmess-kits.Whatwasgoingon?

Welookedateachother,bewildered.

Dusk was falling. Large black eagles circled, screaming ominously above the smallvalley.Aharassingfirewasnowspringingupallalong theforest thatplungedfromthesouthtothecornfieldsofTyeryakov.

BLOODYGORGE

Fortwohundredmentofindthemselvesatnightfallatthebottomofagorge,tosensethemselvesboxedinonallsidesbythehighCaucasianmountains,blackandviolettotheeast,edgedwithreddishgoldtothewest,allequallyinhumanandtreacherous,beingshotatbyathousandinvisibleenemiescrouchedinthethicklywoodedcountry,allofthatwashardlycomfortingtousonAugust21,1942,ateighto’clockintheevening.

Fortunately,assoonaswetookTyeryakovwehadestablishedaperimeterattheedgeofthecornfields,allalongthethicket.Thereourpicketsvaliantlyabsorbedthefirstblow.

Weorganizedourselvespromptlyforbattle,buttheenemywasthereinforce.Weweremachine-gunnedbyattackerswhodominated theheights. In the twinklingofaneyewebroughtupouranti-tankgunsandfiredthempointblankat theRussiansfanningoutenmasse,fiftymetersinfrontofus,attheedgeofthewoods.Ourshellscamecrashingdown

onthetreelinelikebrightredfireballs.Theweaponswecapturedfromtheenemyjoinedin.That rainof ironblunted theSovietattack.Asavagebattle, foughtatclosequarters,raged for the next five hours. Only one of our posts fell; there, our comrades weremassacredattheirweapons.Therestheldout.

Finally, at about midnight, the enemy fire tapered off, then stopped. We sent somepatrols into the trees.Ourmensteppedovernumerousbodies,but theSoviet forceshadpulledback,haddisappeared.

Atone in themorning, another firefight broke out, this time to the north beyond thekolkhoz, in the forest under the cover of which we had approached Tyeryakov in theafternoon.ThereanextremelyviolentstrugglewastakingplaceinthevicinityofthecrudeforestroadcomingfromPaparotni.

Weexperiencedrealmentaltorture.Therestofthelegion,includingallourequipment,hadbeenorderedtojoinus.Itwastheywhowerefighting,withoutadoubt.

Acoupleof couriers reachedus,wide-eyed.The columnhad suddenlybeen attackedfrombehindbyhundredsofRussians attempting to cut the long lineof transport.Bothsidesmachine-gunned each other at point-blank range, but on thewhole it seemed ourpeoplewereholding.

Werushedeverythingwehadinthedirectionofthebrawl.Atabout3:00a.m.thebattleended,justasourmenandourtrucksarrivedinagrandprocession.

Itwasaquestionofwhocouldrecountthemoreextraordinaryexploits.Thewoundedwere the most voluble, tossing on their blood-red straw, adding a thousand more wrylaughable details to the stories of the troops. No one understood what could havehappened, where the Russians had come from, why they had thrown themselves sodesperatelyagainstourconvoy.

It took the interrogations of the prisoners to enlighten us. They had been part of areinforced regiment that was in retreat. Tyeryakov had been pointed out to them as afriendlyposition.Atdusk,withnospecial care, theyhadapproached thevillageahalf-hourafterwehadfinishedcapturing it.Theyhad tried for fivehours to force theirwaythrough, all in vain. Their losses had been heavy. Their regimental command post hadbeenhit,pointblank,byoneofouranti-tankshells.Finally,notabletogetthrough,theyhaddisengagedand tried togoaround thevillage to thenorth.Their streakofbad luckcontinued: they blundered right in to the middle of our column of reinforcements andsupplies.

Atfirst,theyputitingreatdanger,buttherealsothetenaciousnessofourmenblockedtheirpassage.Notknowinghowlargeourforcewas,disorientedandexhausted,theyfellbackasecondtimeingreatdisorder.

During the restof thenight,wehearda column joltingalong far to the south.Thosewere the remnants of the Soviet regimentmoving awaywith their carts over the forestpaths.

Atdaybreakwewenttorepairandputbackintoactionvehiclesofwhichtheanimalshad been killed. The scene bespoke the savage violence of the melee. Two Russian

officers, killed on our horses and riddledwith a dozen bullets, still heldmachine gunsclaspedintheiryellowishhands.

We buried our dead near the school. The piled up earthwas coveredwith the usualbrightsunflowers.Notoneshell-bursttroubledthepeaceofthevalley.

ItwasSunday.Themountainscenerywasspectacular.Wespentthedaydrinkinginthesunlight and the color. An incredible sunset, with long gleams of red, gold, and violetbeamscrossedbypinkcloudsspreadforalongtimeabovetheridgeswhile,atthebottomofthegorge,wewerealreadysunkintheblueandvelvetyshadowsofevening.

Thenightdidnotlastlong.

Itwasperhaps3:30 a.m.Noonehadheard somuchas apieceofdeadwoodbreak.However, gliding on their light sandals made of pig-skin, hundreds of Bolsheviks hadarrivedquitenearthecornbelowthetown.Aterribleyellingwrenchedusoutofourhalf-sleep:“Ourra!Pobyeda!”(“Hurray!Victory!”)criedthetwoSovietbattalionsthatthrewthemselvesatourposts.Hundredsofsnarlingenemiesranthroughthecornandreachedthe isbas.A terrible fray, illuminatedby the tracer rounds, lockedoursoldiers inmortalcombat with the attackers. They exchanged bursts of machine gun fire in the stables,wherethehorsesfellasifpole-axed.

Ah!Whataterriblehour!Whenwouldthedawnbreaksowecouldregroup?Wouldwenotbeoverwhelmedbeforethen?

Firingaway,wewatchedthedamnablecrests.Theyfinallybegantobrightenandcastpalegleamsintothelittlevalley.Theenemywaseverywhere,yetnoessentialpositionhadgivenway.Evenattheedgeoftheforestourpostswereresistingfuriously.

The Red forces trying to throttle the German units engaged in the forests of theCaucasusweremadeupofshockbattalionsconsistingof themost fanaticalBolsheviks,whohadfallenbackfromtheDonetstotheCaucasus.Theywerereinforcedbyhundredsofcut-throats,commoncriminalsfreedfromthepenitentiaries.Thesewerefollowedbyawaveofhalf-savageshastilyscrapedtogetherbytheSovietauthoritiesinAzerbaijanandamongtheKirghiz.Thetwobattalionsthatattackedusthatnightoughttohavepulverizedus.Theysucceededonlyincapturingafewisbas.Fromtheretheyhadtoclamberupfiftymeters if theywanted to reach the ledgeonwhichwewereperched.Ourmachinegunssweptawayeachoftheirattacks.

AthirdSovietbattalionsettleddownaboutnoonontheotherslope,totheeast,intheoakgrovesthatcompletelydominatedthevillageandourpositions.Thatbattalionhadaveryspecialarmament:onlymortars,nolargerthanawoman’sumbrella.Butahundredsuchmortarswereacatastropheforthefightingmenwhofoundthemselvesattheirmercy.

ThroughoutMondaytheRussiansmultipliedtheirattacks.

Weheldoutagainstthemonlywithgreatdifficulty.Dozensofmenhadtoleaveustodragthemselvestothefirst-aidpost.Weweresurroundedbythebodiesofourcomrades,disfiguredbytheabominableexplosivebulletsoftheSoviets,whichtoreoffhalfthehead,orblewitoffentirely.

Wewere almost encircled. In the little valley there remained in our hands only thekolkhozandagorgetothenorththroughwhich,atcertainmomentsoflullinthebattle,wecouldsendourwoundedtotherear.

TheRedshadcapturedthelowerpartofthevillage.Theyoccupiedallthewoodsthatran down towards us from the south, the east and the west. To hem us in for good itremainedonlyforthemtoseizethekolkhozandthegorgetothenorth.Atfiveo’clockintheafternoon,severalhundredof thempouredoutof theforestandthrewthemselvesatthekolkhozofficeslocatedfortymetersbelowourledge.

Weshotoffourmachinegunslikemadmen.ButwewerenotabletopreventthemassoftheRedsfromburstingintothebuilding.Nightwasfalling.Ifthekolkhozremainedinenemy hands, the night would see the Soviet convicts and the hordes from Kirghizcompleteourencirclement.

It was necessary to drive them out, at all costs, before darkness came. We hastilydraggedtwoanti-tankweaponstotheveryedgeoftheparapetand,inspiteofthehailofbulletsandgrenadesfromtheRussians,weunleashedahailstormoffire,almoststraightdown, right onto the roofs of the kolkhoz. Ten, twenty, fifty shells flew, blasting in theroof,andthrowingupenormousswirlsofdustandflames.

TheRedssavedthemselvesbyleapingintothecornandfleeingtowardsthewoods.Thekolkhoz was once more in our hands. Our men settled down there again, in anextraordinarytangleofBolshevikbodies,disemboweledhorses,andfallenbeams.

ONEHUNDREDANDTWENTY-SIXHOURS

Ourbattle forTyeryakov lasted for 126hours, 126 hours duringwhich hand-to-handcombatwas almost ceaseless, except for the several hourswhen the night raised to theverytopofthemountainsanextraordinaryorangemoon.Itsreddishgleamsanimatedthenight with fairy-like life. The clouds had the grace of flowers and the softness of silkdraperies.

The lights floatedbetween thesummitsandbarely reachedourslope,boxed inat thebottom of our narrow valley.We benefited from that short calm to hastily dig up thechalkysoil.Welaidtherethestiffbodiesofdozensofourcomradeswhosearmswehadcrossed, like the stone tomb figures in our old cathedrals.Wewere tornbygrief aswethrewtheshovelfulsofdirtthatcoveredfirsttheirlegs,thentheirchests;atlastthefacehadtodisappear.Wediditquickly,foreachofthedeadwasabrother,acompanioninoursuffering,ourglory,andourfaith.

Weused therestof thenight tocutdownthecornbetweenourpostsand thewoods.TheheavyhuskswereahalfmetertallerthanourheadsandallowedtheRedstoapproachuswithoutbeingseenandtosurpriseusatanymoment.Wecrawledthroughthedarkness,armedwithpruningknives.Inseveralnightsweclearedthewholearea,meterbymeter.

Itwasadisagreeablejob,becausetheRedswerealsomovingaround.Afewmeetingstook place, disturbing the entire surrounding area. From 4:00 a.m., however, it wasnecessarytogotogroundinourlittlebunkers.Thefirstgreenriftsinthenightappearedbetween the notches in the mountains and began to caress the golden heads of the

sunflowersstrewnonthenewlyduggravesfromthenightbefore.Atthathourtherewasgenerallyafullbrawlalreadyinprogress.

Our plight in Tyeryakov became ever more desperate. Our positions had contractedterribly,leavingusnoplacetofallbackfurther.Wehadtoprepareanattempttobreakthestranglehold.Wedecidedtostrikeaheavyblowtothesouthwest,belowthevillagewheretheenemyhadshownhimselfmostaggressive.Thekolkhozwasstillwithinreachofhisattacks,andeachnightweriskedbeingoverwhelmed,thenwipedoutonourknoll.

Tocounter-attacktheRedsbyplungingstraightdownonthemwastoresignourselvesto losing half of the battalion.The resultwould beminimal, aswell: a hundredmetersfrom the isbas, at the end of the cornfield, therewas a river, beyondwhich thewoodsslopedup.Wecouldneverhavecrossed thewater,norcouldwehaveevercleared thatheightbyafrontalassault.

Wemade an appeal for volunteers to sew the skinof the fox to that of the lion.Thecommanderof the legionand Ihad formulatedaveryboldsolution: to slip through thelittledefiletothenorth,thenadvancefartothewest,acrossthewoods,behindtheReds,finallytocatchthemunawaresanddrivethemagainstourlinesinTyeryakov.

The impossible strokes are those that always succeed, because no one thinks ofprotecting oneself against them. Some lads from the company of the Rexist Youthdescendedintotheravine,penetratingtheReds’sectorundercoverofthetrees.Twohourspassedduringwhichweawaitedtheirattack.

Itdidn’ttakeplace.Atthebeginningoftheafternoon,ourladsreappeared,exhausted.Theterrainwasveryuneven;Sovietpatrolsinfestedtheforest.Theirofficerthoughtthatourplanwasunrealizable.Aswashisright,heorderedthewithdrawaloftheexpedition.

Theoperation,however,absolutelyhadtotakeplace.

Theenemyhadmoreandmoreroomtomaneuver.Ifwedidnotstrikeadecisiveblow,wewouldsufferone.Wehadtochoose:toriskeverythingortoloseeverything.Iaskedoncemoreforvolunteers;theexpedition,atfullstrength,wasabouttosetoutoncemore.Theofficer,convincedofthenecessityoftheboldblow,tookhismeninhandagain.InasubduedvoiceIlecturedthematthebottomofthegorge.

Theeyesofthoseboysflashedwithmagnificentsparks.SomeofthemhadreceivedtheIronCrossthatverymorningandwereanxioustodohonortoit.Theysetoutagain.Wefollowedthemthroughourbinocularsforafleetingmoment.

Twohourspassedoncemore.Itwasfiveo’clockintheafternoon.TheReds,eagertoseizethekolkhozasecondtime,leapedtotheassaultwiththeusualcries.

Another cry, shrill, the cry ofweaker voices, answered them.TheReds had scarcelycomeintoviewwhenouryoungmen,who,hiddenbehindthem,hadbeenwaitingforjustthismoment,pounced!Theyleapedintothewaterandcameonlikelions!

TheBolsheviksbelievedthemselvessurrounded.Mostofthem,notknowingwheretorun, fled intoourmachine-gun fireorhugged thegroundbeneath the thickets.Manyof

them surrendered, giants with slit eyes, like gorillas, whom our tender-skinned ladsbroughttoheelwithblowsoftheirriflebutts.

Alas!Halfofthesechild-gladiatorshadbeenstruckdowncomingoutofthethicketorcrossing thewater.Their thin bodies floated under thewaterfalls.Wehadwon, but thepriceofthevictoryhadbeenthefreshestandpurestblood.

Eachoneofouryoungheroeswasworthmore than the rag-bagof shaggyprisoners,theirflatyellowheadscoveredwithbristlesashardasneedles,whocrouchedtremblinginthecellarsof the school.Thisbrutal contrast establishedexactly the implicationsof theduel:wasittobeEurope,refinedbytwentycenturiesofcivilization,orthesavagehordesofAsia,bestialandgrimacingbehindtheredemblemsoftheSoviets?Ourlittlevolunteershadchosen.Theyhaddiedasbravelyasanyvieuxgrognards25fortheidealthatshoneintheiryoungeyes.

The Reds, bloodied by this clash, withdrew back into the forest to the west andsouthwest. They risked no more hand-to-hand fighting in this sector, littered with thebodiesoftheircompatriots.

SeveraldisgustingpigspatrolledinfrontoftheSovietposts,eatingwithoutscruplethenauseating corpses that rotted rapidly in the sun. The Reds enviously watched theseporcine flesh-eatersas theywallowed, twentymetersaway, in thegreening intestinesoftheircompatriots.Obviouslytheyburnedwithdesiretolurethedisgustingbeastsbehindtheirlines.Finallytheymanagedtoseizeoneofthem.Weheardtheirshoutsofjoy.Thuswas,atTyeryakov,Sovietanthropophagypracticedthroughtheintermediaryofananimal.

Wewereabletoobtainallthedetailswewantedonthesituationofthesedelicateloversofpigmeat.

Oneofourmedicalorderlies,acertainBrohet,hadbeentakenprisonerwhiletryingtosaveawoundedmanwhohadbeenhitattheedgeofthewater.TheRedsconductedhimfromposttopost.

LikeagreatnumberofsoldiershehadlearnedtheRussianlanguage.Hewasamazinglyresourceful.Hechattedgliblywiththemuntilatlasthewastakentotherear.Hehadhadenoughtimetolocatetheenemypositionsandjudgetheirstrength.Darknessfellduringthemarch.Thepathfollowedadeepravine.Ourmedicalorderly leapedandrolled intotheprecipice.LettheRussiansblazeawayastheywould,Brohetwasinflight!

Helosthiswaytentimes.Atthefirstlightofmorningwesawaheademergefromaswampfiftymetersinfrontofus.Itwasourbravefellow.

Heslitheredalongandgottoussafely,asmuddyandgreenasahippopotamusoftheNiger.FromthatmomentontheRedswerecompletelycounteredinthewest,poundedbyourPak[anti-tankgun]allthewaytotheirforesthideouts.

ThereremainedtheoakgrovesthatloomedoverusonthesoutheastandfromwhichtheSovietmortarbattalionmenacedus formidably.Fromdawn toduskwehad toentrenchourselvesinshelterscutinthechalkysoilorundertheisbas.Ourcommander,attemptingabriefinspection,hadnarrowlyescapedthreeshell-bursts.

We had to clean up the heights and dislodge the devilish “potato launchers,” as thetroops called them,without fail.One of our companies deftly encircled the enemy andhammeredtheRussianbattalionwithallitsmight.

Butwepaiddearlyforthiscounter-attack.AshellhadkilledthenationalleaderoftheRexistYouth,ProvostJohnHagemans,formerlyacommuniststudentattheUniversityofBrusselswho,convertedtoourideal,hadbecometheheraldofthegreatestofourancientLowCountriesandanepicguideandenchanterpassionatelylovedbythenewgeneration.

Tyeryakovhadbeenonlypartially freed.Eachdayour sortiesdroveback theenemy,but our soldierswould scarcely return to the isbas before the shootingwould resume ahundredmetersbehindthem.Theyhadbarelyenoughtimetodashfor thebunkers.Theadversaryfolded inonhimself, thensprangbackagain likeanaccordionofdeath.EliteSovietmarksmen climbed in the trees like jaguars. Sometimeswewouldmake one ofthem out, then take careful aim. The body would topple to the earth or dangle in thebranches.

ButmostoftheseBolshevikclimberswereinvisible.Adozenofthemwouldinterdictall movement. It was impossible to make ten meters in partially wooded terrain.Tyeryakov was surrounded by marksmen, sparing of their cartridges and astoundinglyskillful.

Allthesame,theirharassmentcouldnotalterthefact:Tyeryakovwassaved.TheRedshadnotbeenabletoretakethepass,whichwasindispensabletotheircounter-attacks.

WehadbeentheonlyonestoretainanadvancedpositionintheCaucasianforestsofthesouthwest.Everywhere else our forces hadwithdrawn.Tyeryakov remained, a batteringramagainsttheSovietsector.ItwasfromtherethatwemountedthelastoffensiveoftheWestCaucasusinOctober.

Ourdivisionslippedfurthertothesouth.AfterhavingbeenrelievedbyforcesoftheSSVikingDivision,we tookpart in thismovement.Ona luminousafternoonat theendofAugust,weleftthegravesofourdeadandsetoutcautiously,acrosstheoakforestsofthewest,wheretheenemystillpatrolled.OurgroupalmostcrossedthepathofalonglineofSovietsoldiers.Theyweresevenoreighttimesmorenumerousthanwe.Theypassedoveracrestseveralmetersaboveourheadswithoutguessingourpresenceamongthebusheswherewewaited,fingersonourtriggers.

Aftera two-hourmarchwecametoa littlevillagelikeafleckofgoldamongthetallbluepeaks.ItwasKubano-Armyansky,ahamletestablishedintheCaucasusbyatribeofArmenianrefugeesinTsaristdays.Strangeprune-coloredyoungsterswithlittleowl-headsperchedonwoodenpostsinfrontofthehuts,asimmobileasfetishes.

ARMENIA

The month of September, 1942, was a month of rest for the divisions in the WestCaucasus.TheGermanassaultofthesecondhalfofAugusthadfailedforwantofenoughtroopstoopenthewayandassurecontrolofthezonesconqueredintheforests.Theforcessent ahead would perhaps have sufficed if they could have, as in July, mounted an

offensiveintheopenspaces.Thiseasycourse,however,wasnolongeropen.Theenemyhadpatientlywaiteduntilwehad traversedalmost twelvehundredkilometers andwereentangledinthejungle.Whenwewerewellboggeddowninthepassesandtheravines,cutoff fromour rearbykilometersof shadowy forests, then theguerrillaunleashedhisattacks,violent,ofteninvisible,alwaysmurderous.

In many places we had to retreat. Furthermore, we had to await the arrival ofreinforcements.Withoutnewdivisions,anyfurtheradvancewouldbeimpossible.

Sowewaited.

The Armenian village of Kubano-Armyansky had been conquered by one of ourcompanies the very day that we had taken Tyeryakov by assault. The enemy hadn’tresponded,haddrawnbackbeyondtheopenspaces.Thefrontstabilizedneartheoutskirtsofthewoods.

Wehadneverseenavillagelikethisone.Nolongerweretheisbasbuiltontheground,as in the steppe.On the contrary, theywere raised up on strong poles, for fear ofwildbeaststhatwouldleavetheforestinwinterandcometoprowlandfeedinthelittlevalley.AtopthesepilingstheArmeniansweresafe.Thestablesperchedfourorfivemetershigh.The people tookmore precautions for the livestock than for theirwomen and children.Withgreat effort theywouldhoist the cattle to these roosts,where theywouldpass themonthsofsnowinpeace,whilepacksoffamishedwolveshowledbelowthem.

The inhabitantshadcarefullypreserved the customsof the tribesofAsiaMinor.Thewomenhadthelongeyes,coal-blackandslantedlikealmonds,oneseesonCretanpottery.Theylivedamongmillionsofflies,stirringforhoursandhourswiththeirtoesadelicate,slender cask full of milk, which hung from the ceiling by a cord. After half a day’schurning,theywoulddrawoffasemi-liquidbutter.Themilkwasbuffalomilk,fromtheslowconsortsofthegreatblackbullswhosedewlapshunglikeboas,righttotheground.

The village grew the inevitable corn, the shiny kernels ofwhich the peasantwomendriedonthegroundbeforefreeingthemfromtheirsilkyenvelope.

The countrysidewas evenmore awe-inspiring than at Tyeryakov.Whenwe returnedfrom patrol at the end of the day, we had to stop twenty times, so gripping was thesplendor of the sky and the peaks. Themountains rose in ranges, each one a differentshade,flowingfromgoldandredintopurpleandviolet.Thegreatrockfaces,lightedfrombehind,wouldalreadybedark,asoftblack-likevelvet.Kubano-Armyansky,inthetroughofthevalley,wouldbesunkinadeepbluetwilight, thewhitescarvesofafeweveningfiresstillfloatingabovethechimneytops.

Wewouldgoslowlydown,neverceasingtowatch,throughthetreetrunks,thestunningcolorsthatfestoonedtherocksandthevillagedrowningintheglowingblueshadow.

To reach the command post of the 97th Division we had to cross about fifteenkilometersalongthesummitofthemountains.IrodealittleRussianhorsethatclunglikeachamoistothenarrowestridgesaboveabyssescarvedoutbyfantasticcliffs.Atlastanunbelievable panorama spread before us, a great lagoon framed by crags a thousandmetershigh.Attheverybottomshoneasquareofyellowlight.Itwastherethevillagelay.

It took an hour to reach it.The horsewould dig his hooves in like claws among thecrumblingrocks.Thenwe’dreachapalegreentorrent,icecold,tumultuous.

Soonliaisonbecameimpossible.TheReds,seeingourmomentumblunted,passedfromthedefensiveto theattack.Theydidn’trushus inentirebattalions,asatTyeryakov,butinfiltrated in little groups, all across wild forests where age-old oaks, storm-blasted,tangled their blackened trunks, where a thousand gloomy thickets lent themselves toambush.

Ourpatrolsmovedwithdifficultythroughthisdense,tracklessjungle,whosesecretsnomapsdisclosed.

Luckily,thepopulationsoftheclearingswereferociouslyanti-Bolshevik.SomeofourArmenianpeasantswentoffaboutfifteenortwentykilometersfromKubano-Armyansky.Twodayslatertheyreappeared,bringingusalonglingofRedArmysoldiers.

The hatred that these peasants felt for the Soviet regime amazed us. Poor, evenmiserable,theyoughttohavebeentemptedbyBolshevism.Insteadtheyhadsuchahorrorofitthattheyriskedtheirliveseverydaytohelpusfightit.Agrizzledoldpeasant,whomthe Reds had condemned tomany years of forced labor, borewitness to a particularlyfanatical devotion. Shod in light pigskin sandals, stealing about everywhere, he led ourdailypatrols.

Several of our Armenian guides fell into the hands of the Bolsheviks and weremassacred.Theardorofthevillagediminishednotatall.

Neverthelessoursituationgrewevermoreprecarious.Theenemywasnowhere,yethewaseverywhere.Wemadereconnaissancesthatlastedentiredays.Pushingdeepintotheenemysector,wewouldn’tseesomuchasafleetingshadow.Thenextday,atthegatesofourvillage,ahailofgunfirefromahollythicketwouldcutdownseveralofourmen.

Intheendwewerecompletelysurroundedbytheseinvisibleenemies,wholairedunderthetrees,wherevertheycould,likewildboars,andwholivedoncrabapplesandpillage.

Wecouldnolongercommunicatewiththedivisionexceptbyradio.Ourliaisonswiththe rear required carefully organized expeditions to which we had to commit half thebattalioneachtime.WewereabouttolearntoourcostthemeaningofguerrillawarfareintheAsiaticmanner.

ONWATCH

Thenumberofsoldierswasoflittleimportanceinthiswarofboobytrapswageddeepin the forests of theCaucasus.Three ambushers crouched among the bushy thorns at apropitiouslocationcouldmassacreapatrolinafewseconds.Theywouldfleeassoonastheystruck,andthenextdaymountanotherambushsomewhereelse.

WehadtobringsuppliesfromthebaseatShirvanskaya,adozenkilometersfromourpositionsatKubano-Armyansky.Twiceaweek,severalcarts,pulledbygreatoxen,wouldadvanceasfarasthevillageofPaparotni,thencrossthethickoakforest,adistanceoffiveor sixkilometers.Thepathwasnarrowandchokedbyweeds.Coming toa little steep-

bankedstreamwhosewoodenbridgehadbeendestroyed, theconvoywoulddescend tothepebblyriverbed.Afterfollowingitforaboutahundredmeters,thesupplytrainwouldre-enterthemajesticoaksandtheholly.

OnedaytheRussians,wholayinambush,lettheoxenapproachtowithintwometersof their bush.Their volleymoweddownmenandoxen.Only twoof our soldierswereable to take cover in a thicket. The rest of the escort had been slaughtered before theycouldsomuchasmoveamuscle.

From then on, we had to send half our men, twice a week, to meet the convoy atPaparotni.Themenwouldmethodicallycombtheforestonbothsidesofthepath.

We would wait anxiously. The convoy generally arrived toward six o’clock in theevening.Oureyeswouldn’tleavetheclearingfromwhichtheforestpathemergedrightatthetopoftheslope.

We’dhearthecrackleofmachine-gunfireandtheblastofgrenadesresoundingrighttotheendofthevalley.Thenwe’dseeacartemerge,thenothers,trundlingdowntheslope.Panting,ourmenwouldbringthewoundedtotheinfirmary.

ThenextdaywewouldhavetopatrolagaintowardPaparotni.Tostopusingthepathwould have been to capitulate. Themenwere disheartened by the ambushes, so I tookcommandof the soldierswhomaintained liaison. Inorder to avoidageneral carnage, Iwould walk twentymeters ahead of them.We’d heave a great sigh of relief when wefinally reached the apple and plum orchards of Paparotni, frontier of abundance andtranquility.

TheBolshevikswould comeand lie inwait forhours, like felinesonwatch for theirprey,onlyseveraldozenmetersfromourisbas.Wecouldn’trestexceptfullydressed,ourmachine guns beside us. Our smokers, no matter how desperate they became, wouldhesitatebeforewormingtheirwaytothefieldsofArmeniantobacco.Oneafternoononeofourcookswantedtodigupafewpotatoesfromaslopingfieldthatborderedthewoods.TheRedswerelyingflatinabramblethicket.Theylethimcomeveryclose.Aburstofgunfire,andthecookfell,shotintheleg.TheBolsheviksleapedonhimanddraggedhimintothefoliage.

With twomen, I dashed in pursuit.We could hear the cries of the unluckywoundedmanashisexecutionersdraggedhimoverpebblesandroots.TheRedshadtolethimgojustasIwasonthepointofcatchingthem.WhenIbentoverourpoorcomrade,helookedatmewithhiskindeyesfulloftears.Outofhismouthcameafrothofbloodybubbles.TheSovietpatrol, before abandoninghim,hadpuncturedhis chestwith some tenknifethrusts.Hegasped,hiswoundspalpitatingasiftheywerelivingthings.

Hestruggledagainstdeathforhalfanhour.Wehadtocoverhisfacewithamosquitonet,thefliesbuzzedsoaroundhisblood-coveredmouth.Thenetquiveredonelasttime.“Mama!Mama!” he repeated with that child’s voice that men have at the moment ofdying.

We buried him near the others at the top of a slope. We had surrounded the littlegraveyardwithsolidwoodenstakestoprotectitfromwildbeastsinwinter.Butwhowere

the more ferocious, the beasts of the woods, or the Bolsheviks who, disdaining faircombat,wouldgotogroundlikeassassins,towaylayandknifetheirvictims?

The preparations for the new German offensive were drawing to a close. Each day,shortly before nightfall, the Soviet planes would come, three at a time, to survey thesector.Theyneverstayedmorethanafewminutes.Oneortwomachines,hitbytheflak,wouldspiraldowninflames,whileparachutistsdancedabovetheforest.

Onemorning in earlyOctober dozens of German Stukas passed over our heads anddovestraightdowninfrontofTyeryakov.Theyreturnedfromhourtohour.Themountainsrumbled.Theautumnoffensivehadbegun.

OnOctober8,1942,towardtheday’sendwetoobegantomarch.Welookeddownatthevalleyonelasttime,towhereKubano-Armyanskylayblueinthefirstshadows.Downthereourdeadrestedbehindthegreatblackstakesaroundwhich,intheimpendingsnows,would stalk the famishedmuzzles and the nervous paws ofwolves.Here and there thegreenmountainsunfurledredandbrownflags,bannersofautumnthatshoneinthegoldenfiresofdusk.

Thennightfell.Weadvancedsilentlyuntilmorning,beneathacanopyofmajesticoaks,piercedbythesilveryanddancingfiresofmillionsofstars.

JUNGLESANDMOUNTAINS

TheOctober1942offensiveontheCaucasianfronthadbeenlongawaited.Itbeganinanatmosphereofmalaise.

ThepreviousAugust theGermanHighCommandhadattacked theformidablemassifon two flanks: in the southeast along the Terek River in the direction of the Baku oilfields;inthesouthwest,oursector,inthedirectionofBatumiandtheTurkishfrontier.

The battle of Terek had been very arduous, without yielding decisive results. TheGermanarmoreddivisionshadbeenstoppednearGrozny.InOctobertheydidn’tadvancemuchfarther.OurdrivetowardAdlerhadalsofailed.

TheOctoberpushnolongerhadthegoalofreachingGeorgiaandtheTranscaucasus.IttookasitsobjectiveTuapseontheBlackSea,andthecontrolofthepipelinethatendedatthisport.Thepipelinewasnothickerthanthebodyofachild.Forthisblacktubewetobattleforweeksandweeks.

Theonlyoil fieldswe tookbefore theRedscouldburn themwere theMaikopfields.Theseoil-bearingstratawereinfactsituatedatNeftegorsk,betweenMaikopandTuapse.TheinstallationshadbeendynamitedbytheReds.Theoilcontinuedtospread,pervadingall the riverswith its thick flood,browning thebulrushesand thevegetation.With theirgenius fororganization theGermanssetabout returning these fields touse.Theoilwasextraordinarily rich, and especially suitable for aviation fuel. When we arrived atNeftegorskonthemorningofOctober9,wewereabsolutelyamazedtoseewhat,inoneand a half months, the German engineers had accomplished. Great buildings of brick,brandnew,stoodcompletelyfinished.

WehadtofinishourworkbyconqueringthepipelineasfarasTuapse,sothatitcould

pourmillionsoflitersofthispreciousliquidintotheBlackSeaoiltankers.Thatwasourbusinessassoldiers.Theautumnoffensivewouldbeasmuchaneconomicoperationasamilitary one. This wouldn’t be the first time, nor doubtless the last, that thousands ofsoldierswouldfallforoilfields.

Thehighwayandtherailroad linefromMaikoptoTuapsewerestronglydefendedbytheReds,whoknewaswellaswedidtheimportanceofthisardentlycovetedpipeline.InAugust the tanksof theReichhadstormed theSovietbarrierswithoutputtingadent inthem.At the beginning ofOctober 1942, theGermanHighCommand threw its assaultdivisions,towhichwewereattached,intoaverywell-plannedoperation.Acrosswoodedmountains rising to altitudesof a thousandmeters ormore, devoidof anypath, tensofthousands of foot-soldiers coming from the east and south would hew themselves apassagewithaxes.Advancingstagebystage,theywouldflanktheenemylinesjoiningtohis rear, on the Tuapse road, at twenty, then at forty, then at fifty kilometers beyondNeftegorsk.

Our rangerdivisions, specialists inmountainoperations, led theway.We left theoil-bearing basin in a driving rain. After two days of marching through quagmires weconfrontedthegreatmountains,freshlygildedbythesun.

Thewoods,fantasticallytangled,bristledwithgiganticoaksthathadneverfelttheax,andthousandsofcrabappletreesthatexudedawonderful,tartperfume.

Weclimbedtothesummit,wheretheRedshadoccupiedagreatcampstillstrewnwithspoils.Throughbreaksinthecloudswesawamightypanoramaofoakforests,stillgreen,dottedwiththegoldenleavesofcrabappletreesalreadyvanquishedbyautumn.

Werusheddowntheslopes.Thehorseswouldslideontheirhoovesfor tenorfifteenmeters; we checked ourselves by grabbing at roots. We camped under the stars in aminiscule town, drolly namedTravalera.More than a hundred soldiers had fallen in anattackonthesefewwretchedstrawhuts.

Thiswasthelasthamlet.Afterwardstheforestrose,dozensofkilometersdeep,aswildastheCongolesejungle.

The army fought above allwith the ax, the saw, and the pick. The spearheadwouldtrack the enemy, drive him away, kilometer by kilometer. Behind them, hundreds ofengineerswereopeninga routechoppedbitbybit through terribleobstacles, across theverymountains. Itdefiedbelief.Thispathwascrownedwith tensof thousandsof logs,fastened to projections in the rockperched abovevertiginous ravines and reinforcedbywallsofstakes.Themostpowerfultractorscouldusethesetrailsperfectlywellformanykilometers,enablingthemtoreachthesummits.Everytwoorthreemeterstheearthworkscurvedofftopermitcrossings.

As we advanced, passage for vehicles becamemore difficult, and we stopped usingthem. We replaced the tractors with thousands of prisoners of war, transformed intoporters.Wemighthavebelievedourselvesintheequatorialbrush.Eachmancarriedonhis

shoulders a most cleverly contrived wooden container, to which would be fastenedperhapsanammobox,perhapsacanteen,possiblyabagof food.Everything, includingdrink,had tobeback-packed.The linesofportersadvanced,oneafteranother,dayandnight.

Our division had brought along innumerable mules, magnificently packed. WeWalloons had kept several horses, but there wasn’t a single mountain pasture at theseheights.We no longer possessed somuch as an armful of fodder, nor a grain of oats.Unabletopasturetheiranimals,thedriversfedthemonbirchbranches.Ceaselesslytheiraxes hammered the trunks, felling the beautiful trees by the hundreds, solely for theirbranches.Thebeasts browsed avidly onbundles of the greenbranches, but their flanksgrewgauntereveryday.

While the engineers carved this access route toward the Tuapse road, thousands ofmountaintroopsandmuleteerswaited,campedincabinsbuiltbythetroopsthemselves.

Veritableforestcitiessprangup.EveryGermanhasinhissoulamountainchalet.Someoftheselittlebuildingsweremasterpiecesofgrace,comfort,andsolidity.Eachonehadaname.Themostinsignificantwasentitled,withgoodhumor,“HouseofGermanArt.”

Theautumnwasbeautiful.Wewoulddine in frontofourboskyhutsamong therockplants.Wehadbuilt tablesoutofwhitewoodandinstalledrusticbenches.Onlythesunpierced the boughs. The enemy airplanes searched in vain for our campsites. In theeveningwecouldsee, faroff in thevalleys, theblazingrailwaystationsof theMaikop-Tuapse line.Burning trainsglowed fifteenkilometers away.Throughourbinocularswecould make out perfectly the blackened skeletons and the vivid red squares of thecompartments.OurStukasweremakinglifeuntenablefortheforcesoftheUSSR.

Atthefarendoftheforest,theforwardtroopsandtheengineershadfinallyreachedaforest path that joined, threekilometers farther on, the famousBlackSeahighway.TheRedsdefended it furiously.We took thehighest rocksonly after dramatic hand-to-handfighting.Numerousbodies,half-charredbythefiresamongthetrees,werestrewnonthescorchedearth.

Ourwholedivisionsetofftodeliverthefinishingblow.Wemarcheduptheingeniouslyconstructed roadway.At each curvewitty placards, paintedwith no small talent,wouldsignal the dangers, for that matter quite evident without the signs! Refractory mules,loadedwithammoboxesorkitchenstewpots,wouldtoppleandfallwithaninfernaldin,smashingthemselvesonrocksahundredmetersbeneathourfeet.

Wereachedthevalleyandaloggingroadthatranstraightasarulerbetweentworockyhills.TheRedshadswept thispathmercilessly for thepastweek.EveryGermanpatrolthathadcomeneartheSovietpositionshadbeenannihilated.

The Stukas pounded the Russian bunkers ceaselessly. On one particular day theyinflicted so much damage that we were able to seize the enemy trenches, which hadbecomeafrightfulcharnelhouse.

ThateveninganotherofficerandIcameacrossheapsofcorpsesaccumulatedduringthelast week. They were in a monstrous state of putrefaction. I was especially moved at

seeingalineofRedsfelledbyaburstofmachine-gunfire.Theyhadcollapsedoneatoptheotherlikeahouseofcards.EachstillheldhisTommy-guninhisrottingfingers.

At6:00a.m.Ibegantophotographthismacabrescene.

Just as I looked through the viewfinder, I thought I saw one of the corpses moveslightly.Eventhoughtheywerecrawlingwiththousandsofdisgustingyellowishmaggots,Iwanted toputmymindat ease.Thebody that seemed tohavequiveredhadhishoodpulled over his head. I approached, revolver in hand, and suddenly yanked back theclothing. Two eyes, frightening in their fury, fixed on me like carbuncles. It was aBolshevik leader.He had lain amid this rot since the evening before, letting the larvaecoverhimover.Hehadonhispersonalastwillinwhichhehadswornthat,asaJew,hewasresolvedtodoeverythingtoavengetheJews.

Men’sfanaticismhasnolimits.

TheStukashadutterlyannihilatedthejunctionoftheforestpathwiththehighwayfromthesea.HundredsofSovietcorpsesfilledthefox-holes.Somestillgrasped,inblackenedfingers,bandagesunrolledtoolate.Anofficerwoundedinthelegshadbarelyhadthetimetopulldownhispantswhenhefelldeadintoanestofmachineguns,headfirst.Hispalebottom,crawlingwithhundredsofstickycaterpillars,shonefromtheground.

Three young Germans on patrol had managed, at the beginning of the operation—whichistosaysometendaysearlier—towormtheirwaydowntotherockystreambedbetween the Russian forts. Their bodies lay on the stones, their eyes wide open, theirbeardsredandfine.Theirdesiccatedribshadalreadypuncturedtheirgreenjackets.

We reached the famous Tuapse highway. The village at the crossing was no longeranything but a series of fabulous craters. Beneath the railway line the little tunnelsdestined for the run-off of the mountain waters had been converted by the Reds intonarrow hospital rooms. The wounded, abandoned for the last two days in these icycorridors,hadallperishedontheirstretchersforlackofcare.

A beautiful river spread out above a dam. I began to take a bath there, but quicklyjumped back out: putrefied bodies, floating at waist height, were everywhere. Youcouldn’tmoveanarmwithoutbumpingintoone.

Wepassedthenightbeddeddownonthegroundamidthestinkoftheseslimycharnelhouses,whichtaughtus,betterthananysermon,thevanityofourmortalflesh.

STORMSANDRAVINES

Theconquestduring themonthofOctober1942,ofa largesectionof the route fromMaikop toTuapse had been an important victory.Wehad nomore than a good twentykilometerstocrosstoreachthegreatBlackSeaoilport.Wewereapproachingourgoal.

Wehadonlyonenight’srest.Thenextmorningweagain left thehighwaytobeginasecondflankingoperationthroughthewoods.Weadvancedseveralkilometersacrossthebottom of a valley, then re-entered thewild oak forest. It rained in torrents. The earth,sown with rotted corpses, had become horribly viscous. We possessed none of the

magnificentequipmentoftheAlpinedivisions,neithershortjacketsnoriron-shodshoes.Ourlonggreatcoatsdraggedmiserablyinthemud.Weskiddedonthesmoothearth.Theadvancemeant,forus,inthischaoticanddrippingjungle,nothingbutconstantsuffering.Mentumbledintotheravines.

Reachingthetopofamountain,wesawthefamouspipeline.Itpassed,half-waydowntheslope,fromonehilltoanother,audaciouslyspanningthevalley.OntheoppositeridgetheRussianshadbuiltfortifications.Theirtrenchlinessweptdownfromonhighintothevalley.Whileonegroupofourmenadvancedalongabendinthevalley,Iclimbed,astridethefatblackpipe,Tommy-guninmyhands.InfitsandstartsIrodeabovethepass,while,fiftymeters belowme, precipices yawned one after another. I arrived safely on the farslopefollowedbyawholecavalryofvolunteersgladdenedbythisunforeseenexerciseon“horseback.”

A little before evening we succeeded in climbing to the summit of the enemymountains, which had just been overrun by the advance guard of the German Alpinetroops. The Reds had been massacred in place, killed in long rows, standing in theirnarrowtrenches.

Wehadbarelythetimetosetupourminisculetentsonthecrestbeforethefirstgreattempestofautumnbrokeloose.

Our tents were made of little triangular canvases, slit in the middle, which servedindividualtroopsasponchos.Toerectatent,onehadtocombinefourofthesecanvases,stakingthemoveranareaofabouttwobytwometers.Butfourcanvasesmeantfourmen,sowehadtosleepfourinatentinatinyspace,aswellasshelterafullkitthere.

To complicatematters further, the tent had to be taken down during the day so thateveryonecouldhavehisponchobacktocoverhimself.

Wehadneitherstrawnordryleavestostretchouton,nothingexceptthedrenchedsoil.The storm howled thewhole night.Wewere right at the summit of themountain. Thetorrentsofrain,hail,andsnowcouldcarryoffourfragilehabitationsatanyinstant.Thewaterstreamedin,penetratingholespuncturedatadozenplacesincanvasesthathadseenayearandahalfofservice,drenchingourfaces.Mencriedoutagainstthetempest.Theirtent-sheltersbowledover,soakedtotheskin,theystruggledandswore.

AnumberofSovietsoldiershadbeencapturedonthemountaintowardtheendoftheafternoon.Theyhadbeensenttousduringthenight.

Theyformedalamentableflockaroundourbivouac.TheywereforthemostpartpunyurchinsfromKrasnodar,aboutsixteenyearsofage,dragoonedtoTuapsewheretheyhadbeenquarteredexactlyfourdays,justthetimeittooktolearntouseaTommy-gun.Theiroutsized infantry boots had tortured their feet. Most of them had thrown away theirfootgearandhadgoneon,barefoot,inthemud.Withoutsomuchasahuttosleepin,theyhuddledinthestorm,oneagainstanother,half-drownedandexhausted.

Inbroaddaylight,withthestolidfatalismoftheSlav,theybegantopickoverthebodiesofcompatriotswhohadbeenkilledinthearea.Afteranhour,thebodieswere,everyone

ofthem,starknaked.Theprisonersputonnotonlythegreatcoatsandjacketsofthedead,buttheirsocksandeventheirdrawers.Whenthecolumnofprisonersmovedofftowardtherear, theyleftus in thecompanyof longlinesofwhitecorpses,glisteningunder theheavyrain.

Thetempestlastedthreedays.Mingledsnowandrainsweptdowningusts.Wetriedtolight firesunderour little tents,but thewoodwassoaked.Allwecouldachievewasanacridsmokethattoreatoureyesandthroats.

All day, all night, without an instant’s truce, the tempest raged, flattening tents,drenchinguniforms.Afewsoldiershadn’tevenanycanvases,andseveralwouldhavetosqueezetogetherinonehole.

Thefirsteveningwehadmanagedtohoistourlasthorsesclearupontothemountaintops.Lashedbytherain,theygazedatusdespairingly.Drawingasidemyawningonthefinalmorning,Isawthemcollapsedontheirforelegs,deadofexhaustionandsuffering.

TheRussiancorpsesgrewevermore livid.Theirbellieshadbegun togreenwith thetender green of young shoots. The continual presence of naked corpses all around usfinallymaddenedus.Withkickswepushed them,oneafteranother to splatter from theheightoftheparapetsfivehundredmetersbelowinthemudandwateroftheravines.

Our exhausting climb, the days and nights of suffering on these storm-swept crests,wereofabsolutelynoavail.WereceivedorderstowithdrawtotheTuapserouteandreturntothesouthernforestsbyanotherpath.Dazedwithfatigue,wecrossedthepipelineagainandsetupcampinavalleyfacingbacktheotherway.

Thehighway from the seawas strewnwith theblackened remainsofRussianwagonteams. Everywhere, dead horses had been flattened by hundreds of German tanks andcannons. Nothing remained of them but pools with floating skins. The artillery firedsteadily; Soviet planes dived at us, dropping their bombs without skill. A powerfulwatercourse, called the Pshish, flowed on our left across great red and grey rocks.Wecrossed it in dinghies fastened to a line stretched across the river, which bore us, likeacrobats,tothemouthoftheTuapserailroadtunnel.

Thetunnelwasaboutonekilometerlong.TheRedshadnotonlyblownupthebridgespanning the riverat theentrance to the tunnel; theyhadcreated, inside, awreckageofmonumentalproportions.Entiretrainshadbeencrashedoneontopofanother.Atleastahundredcarshadbeenjunkedinthisdarkcorridor.

The infantry succeeded in slithering into the wreckage with extreme caution. For aquarter of an hour, they had to advance in themost total darkness, keeping their righthandsflatagainsttherock.Thentheyhadtocrawlundertwotelescopedrailwaycarstoreach theotherwallof the tunnel,beginning the sameprocess in theblacknessalloveragain,theirlefthandsgluedtothedamprock.Themenwouldshouttolettheothersknowwheretheywere.Afterahalfhour’smarchwecouldmakeoutapaleglimmer.TheRedshaddynamitedthemouthofthetunnel,openinganimmensecraterthatwescaledattheendofthisDantesquecorridor.

Theconvoyclimbedtothesummitofthemountain,thendescendedbyapath,hastily

cut by the engineers, flanking the muddy forest. It took the animals an entire day tomanageit,atanyratethosewhichdidn’tdieinthemuckorfallintoaravine.

AtthemouthofthetunnelwedidanotherbalancingactacrossthedebrisofasecondbridgeoverthePshish,andthensetoutalongtherailwayline.Webeddeddownforthenightinawallowoffetidmud.

In theend,wecountedthemudablessing,for theenemyhadopenedfire.Shellsfellendlessly,lodgingharmlesslyintheclaywithadullplop.

Thenextdaywehadtocrossavalley.ThegreatbridgeoftheTuapserailroaddangledover the void. TheRed artillerywasmethodically pounding the village thatwe had tocross to reach the southwestern oak forests.All around us isbas were being blown tenmetersintheair.Anyattempttocrosswouldhavebeenfolly.

We waited for nightfall, then, passing through swampy bottomlands thick withcadavers, crouched at the foot of an enormous mountain, as sticky with mud aseverywhereelse.Alittlebeforemidnight,webegantheclimb,loadedwithfullkitsandallourweapons,lightandheavy.

Theslopeofthesummitwehadtoclimbwasassteepasaladder,risingtoanaltitudeof nine hundredmeters. The earth was as slippery as shoe polish.We skidded on ourworn-out andun-nailed shoes.Wehadonly a telephonewire that the guide unrolled toguideusthroughthedarkness.AtanymomentweriskedbumpingintotheRussians.Hadtheguidegone the leastbitastray, thewholecolumnwouldhavefoundered.Ouryoungsoldiers were half dead with exhaustion. The strongest among us had had to loadthemselves downwith the arms of the weakest in order to relieve them. I carried oneTommy-gunaroundmyneck,anotheronmyshoulder.Anervousman’swhisperedoathcouldhavedoomedusall.

Thelastfewhundredmeterswereunspeakablyhard.Manycollapsed,nolongerabletoclimb. They would cling to tree trunks to keep from rolling into the abyss. The dampdarknesswassothickthatwecouldseeneitherstumpsnorrocks,northebodiesoffallenmen.

It was four o’clock in themorning whenwe reached the crest of themountain.Wehurriedlysetupmachine-gunnestsandputautomaticriflemenon the largestcrags.Thefirst gleams of a flat and glaucous daylight broke the shadows. We watched, withconsternation,thetreesrustlinginthewindabovethegrayravines.

THEINDJUC

Days passed. The sun returned. Although the crests of the Caucasus were anuncomfortableroostforsoldiers,naturestilldisplayedherselfwithsuchmajestyfromtheheight of thesemountains that she consoledus for our labors andour sufferingson theslopes.Russets,sumptuousreds,thecolorsdescendedforkilometerstothewhitewatersleapingacrosstheravinesbetweenthegreenrocks.Atfiveo’clockinthemorning,dawnreached the top of the passes. For a long time the fog continued to clasp the sinuousvalleys.Denseandmilky,itspreadfromonetoanother,ascleanasthewaterofarosaryoflakes.Overthiswhitesheetthemountainsroselikegoldandrustcoloredislands.For

an hourwe lived a fairy dream. From the depths of the lakes of fog, new isletswouldemerge, ever lowerpeaks rising forth in their turn, like legendaryworldsengulfed longagobydeepwaters.

With the daylight began the artillery duels. Germans and Russians bombarded eachother with determination. Our mountain rose between the guns, our combat positionsfastenedlikestorks’neststoitssummit.

DuringthenightbothweandtheSovietinfantrymenmadesurreptitiousforays.Duringthe day both kept silent. Then the spoilsport artillerymen would again hammer at oneanother.Theprotractedwailoftheshells,sometimesfiredatamadcadence,woulddeafenus forhours.Theprojectiles,wherever theycame from,wouldgrazeourmountain, justover our heads.Wewould hear the shellswhistle one behind the other in the treetops.Oftenpiecesofbrancheswouldfall.

Wewereatthemercyofanylazyorhaphazardshell.Ourtroublesbeganimmediately:oneofourpostswasblownup.Another shell—120mmandparticularlywhimsical—fell80centimeters fromme, tossingme through theaironawhirlwindof fire.When Iregainedconsciousness,Ifoundmyselfamidheapsofwreckage.Aroundme,everythinghad been slashed or razed for 20 meters. The right side of my steel helmet had beencompletelycavedinandsplintered,uptomyear.Mycanteenhadblossomedlikeaflower.Mymachinegun,setdownwithinarm’sreach,hadbeenblowntobits.

Everyone thought I’d been vaporized. I had, all in all, a shell splinter in my rightforearm, a perforated eardrum, and a long tear inmy stomach. This lastwoundwouldproveseriouslateronandmarforalongtimemylifeinexile.

AfterseveraldaystheGermantroopspreparedforthefinalassault.Westolefurthertothe south, always along the crest of the same chain of mountains. Across from us theimpressivemassofMountIndjucrosethirteenhundredmetershigh,aboveaformidableoak forest as dense as a thicket, where nothing but a few gray rock faces could bedistinguishedhereandthere.Fromuphere,theprisonerstoldus,theseacouldbeseen.

Whenthemountainwasconqueredwewouldhaveonly todescendtowards thepalmtreesandtheblueshoresofTuapse.

Aboutonethousandmetersbeneathourmachineguns,betweenMountIndjucandourmountain,flowedtheriverPshish.Oursectorwascutintwobyaravineseveralhundredmeters deep, accessible only with great difficulty. In the trough of this gorge a torrentstreamedovergiganticrocks.

Ourpositionswentuptheothersidewithoutinterruption,followedthecrestforseveralkilometers, then plunged precipitously toward the main river. There we occupied anadvancedpost,rightatthebottomofthevalley,severalmetersfromtheroaringwater.

According to the combatplan, theGermanAlpine rangerswould carry the assault toIndjuc,startingfromthesouthernextremityof thesector.Tobegin, theywould take thefirstSovietpositionsfromtherear,belowtherocksontheothersideofthePshish.Asforus,perchedinoureagles’eyries,wehadonlytoreconnoitertheenemyandwaitfornew

orders.

Wedidn’tmissadetailofthelastgreatbattleoftheCaucasus.

TheStukasopenedthedance,justatdaybreak.Theywouldplungeprecipitouslytowardthegoldenseaofthevalley.Theirskillwasincredible.Theyneverpulledback,intheverydepthsofthepass,untiltheywereonthepointofcrashingintothetrees.

WecouldonlyseeafewSovietsoldiersfleeingandrunningtowardsomerockycrests.TheStukassawnomorethanwedid.Theoakforestwaslikearoof.ItwasimpossibletotellwheretheReds’bunkerswere.TheStukassoughtmoretofrightenthantodestroy.

ThentheGermanAlpinetroopschargedintothethickets.

Wecouldhearthefirefight,andwereabletofollowcloselytheprogressofouralliesbythewhiteflaresthatroseregularlyabovethetrees.Itwasamovingsight.Theiradvancewasrapid.Theflaresreachedourheight,thenrosecloserandclosertothesummitofthepasses.Attheendoftwohours,flareswereburstingfromthefoliagetoalmostaboveMt.Indjuc.We thought, all aquiver, of the first fighters who would reach the summit.Weremembered the “Thalassa!Thalassa!” of theAnabasis. Like the ten thousand ancientheroesof the retreatnarratedbyXenophon,our soldierswereabout to shout,“Thesea!Thesea!”

Alas, theynevershouted it.Theprogressof the flaresstopped.Themachine-gunandTommy-gun reports came further apart. The Stukas stopped diving between the twomountains.Eventheartilleryfellsilentforlongstretches.

The indecision lasted fora long time.Severalgreen flares threwup their flowersandtheir spangles,nowmuch lower.Wehearda fewmore frenziedsplutters,but itwas theend.Therangercompanieshadnotbeenabletoconquertheenormousforest.Theirattackunraveledasitwentforward,swallowedupbytheforest.

Theassaulthadfailed.Intheevening,MountIndjucseemedtousmorewildandproudthenever,inthevioletfiresofdusk.Ithaddefinitivelybarredtheroutetous.

Autumn blew on themountains, disheveled them, littered the earth withmillions ofshriveledleaves,lightanddry.

Wewatchedtheforestdie.

Our little posts were balconies poised over the valley. The mountainside fell awaybeneaththem,terriblysteepforhundredsofmeters.AtnighttheRussianscameonpatrolonthissheerflank.Wehadhungsteelwirestherefromwhichdangledhundredsofoldtincans.They rattledagainstoneanotheroncontactwithprowlers.Ourgunswouldcrack.Thenextdaywewouldseeseveralbrownheapsatthefootofthetinshop.

The German rangers whom we had relieved had dug themselves little individualshelters ameterunder theearth inorder to rest thereby turns.We tookour turn, alongwiththeothers.Wewouldletourselvesdownthroughthemouthofholesjustthesizeofabody.At the bottom, you had to roll into a ball, then crawl into a pit no larger than acoffin.

Thereweretoofewholes.Wehadtowriggleintothemandbeddownbytwos,crushed

one against the other, noses scraping the ground.We had the horrible feeling of beingburied alive, and had to master ourselves to remain thus, stretched out like dead menburied abit too soon.Somepreferred to roll themselvesup inblanketsunder the trees,despite the bursting shells and the fog, so terribly did fear grasp them by the throat inthoseicyblacktombs.

Onenight theweatherchanged.Thewindshiftedtothenorth.Thetempestshookthetopsofthegreatoaks,growingintoahurricane.Itdrownedourtomb-shelters,intowhichthewatergushedalongthebranchingroots,risingtotheleveloftheholes.

Wetriedfranticallytobailoutthepitswithourmesstins,butsoonwehadtodeclareourselvesbeaten.

Themountainside,sweptbythewindandrain,lostitsfoliageinafewdays.ThePshishswelled, rolling into thevalley in tumultuous torrents, carryingoff thewoodenbridges,cuttingoffbehindusallpossibilityofresupply,ofrationsaswellasmunitions.

THELAST

Thegreat autumn tempests,mastering themountainsof theCaucasus at once,put anendtoanynotionofanoffensive.

Wehadtodigininthemud,whereverthefateofbattlehaddepositedus.AtthefootofourmountaintheRussiansflounderedlikeusinsheltersinvadedbywater.Wecouldhearthemyellinginthenight.

Thesoldiersgropedinthedarkness,bucketsinhand,tryingvainlytoemptytheirholes.Acrossbothlines,itwasaninternationalswearingcontest.TheGermansshoutedcriesof“Sacrament!”TheRussians spewed forth“Satana!”We letoff steamwitha lotof“ForGod’ssake!”

TheBolshevikswereluckierthanwe,forthewintersavedthem.Thankstoit,theforcesof theReichwere stoppedwith only a few kilometers ofmountains and forests left toconquerbetweenthemandtheBlackSeaatTuapse.

Thishalt,withintenkilometersofvictory,wascrushing.

Therewasnothingwecoulddoaboutit,however,exceptstabilizethefrontonthebarecrestswherewehadspentthreemonthsoffightingandeffort.

The most urgent problem was shelter. All our old foxholes were overflowing withmuddywater.We had neither axes nor saws, nor any of the supplies of the engineers.Patrolsweresent todig throughtheruinsof thenearestvillage inorder topullnails, tosearchforhatchets.

Withourinfantrymen’sspadeswehaddugsitesforhutsafewmetersbelowtheridgeofthemountain,cuttingditchesforwaterdrainage.Wemanagedtosinkpostsandtohangthreerowsoftreetrunksoverthem,whichwecoveredwithanothermeterofearth.Thismakeshift roof could muffle the shock of a blast, but the rainwater kept infiltrating

betweenthebeams.

Inside these hermit’s cabins we planted stakes a half meter high and spread barebrancheson topof themtoserveusasmattresses.Allduring thenight thewaterwouldriseintheroom.Bymorningitreachedaheightoftwentyorthirtycentimeters.Weusedittodrownourlice.Wecouldfindhandfulsofthemanytimeunderourjacketsandbetweenourlegs.Resignedlywethrewthemintothewaterthatlappedagainsttheboughs.

Forthelasttwomonthswehadnotbeenchangingourunderwear.Verminwereeatingusalive.OnemorningIundressedmyselfoutdoorsandkilledmore thansevenhundredliceinasinglesession.

Our woolens were completely riddled with them. They were squashed together likekernelsofcorn, interlockedonewithanother.Wesucceededindislodging themonlybychanging our sweaters over a wood fire. Then we would see hundreds of enormouswhitishliceclimbingtowardtheupperpartofthegarment.

Wewouldshakethemoutontoasheetofred-hotmetal.Theywouldsputterandburstinalldirectionslikefire-crackers.Finallythesheetwouldbeshinywiththeirmeltedgrease.

ThePshishinfloodlookedlikeamajorriver.Ithadinonenightreachedthefootofourmountainandconvertedthemeadowsintoamuddygulf,absolutelyunfordable,inwhichfloatedtheswollencorpsesofBolsheviks,washedalongatrandombythecurrents.

Ourkitchenswerecutoff at the footof the sheerbanks.Thewater submerged them.Thenextdaywecouldnolongerseeanythingbutthemetaltubesofthechimneysandtheheadsofafewhorsesstillstrugglinghereandthere.Wesavedthem,buttheydiedoftheirprivationsinthefoothills.

Theirnauseatingcarrionwassoonthestapleofourdiet.

Nothingmorecamefromoursupplybases,sincetheengineers’bridgeshadbeensweptofflikestrawsbythewater,whichattainedaheightoftwoorthreemeters.Foraweekwelived by chewing pieces of the muddy meat that we carved with our knives from theskinnyhaunchesofthedeadmares.Wehackedoutthisunspeakablemeatasbestwecouldandswalloweditrawwithoutsalt.

Wehadsavedseveralbowlfulsofflour,andsucceededinkneadingafewpancakeswithrainwater.

The tiniest fire would put the whole sector in danger, however. The crest had beendenudedofalmostallfoliage.TheRussianswereonthelookoutforus.Athinthreadofsmoke, wafting above the mountain, would instantly get us thirty or forty grenades.Besides, the smokemade life unbearable in our rude huts.Our eyeswouldwaterwithhugetears,andwehadtoextinguishthefireinstantly.

Drenched,gnawedbyhunger,lyingindisgustingwaterydens,weweresoonpreytoallsortsofdiseases.Anepidemicofjaundicehadinvadedoursector.Everymorninglinesofsoldierswouldleavetheirholes,feverishanddazed,facesyellow.Assoonasatemporarybridge could be built we evacuated them in frightening numbers. More than twelvethousandsicklefttheCaucasusinafewweeks.

Withjaundice,pneumonia,andtenotherdiseaseslyinginwaitforeveryoneofus,ourmanpowermeltedaway.Werapidlylosthalfourmen.

Neverthelesswehadtosoldieronandweartheyokeofsufferingrighttotheend.Wespentinterminablehourskeepingwatchontheenemy,mowingdownwithmachinegunsandTommygunsanyRussianwhosneakednearorbetweenourposts,spacedfiftyorahundredmetersapart.

Every night our patrols would go down toward the Russian foxholes, an exhaustingtask.Oursoldiers,nevertheless,tooktheseimpossiblemissionsintheirstride.

Onesuchpatrol,surprisedatdaybreakbytheSoviets,andsweptbytheirfire,returnedwithoutitsleader,whosenamewasDubois.HehadfallennearthePshish.Theybelievedhimdead.

Thatnight,amongthesheerrocksthatseparatedusfromtheenemy,weheardcallsforhelp, shouted in French. Two volunteerswent down into the ravines and brought backDubois’“dead”body.

Totellthetruth,hewasalmostdead.Hisshouldersmashedbyabullet,hehadcometolongafterthebattle.Itwouldhavebeenimpossibletoclimbbackupthemountainsideinbroaddaylight.Besides,hedidn’twanttomissthechancetocarryoutinanexceptionalmanner, the orders he had received to locate theSoviet positions.He crossed the river,slipped between twobunkers, and spent several hours studying the layout of thewholeenemysector.

Hediditalltoowell.DiscoveringthetelephonelineoftheRussiancommandpost,hemanaged,withgreatdifficulty,forhecouldnolongeruseonehand,tocutthecablewithhisknife.

TheReds,puzzled,cameouttoreconnoiter.Dubois,trackedbythem,hadtodiveintothe river again, this time under frenzied firing.Hewas hit several times.An explosivebulletsmashedaholeinhislegthesizeofagrapefruit.Hedraggedhimselfintothebrush,somehoworothermadeatourniquet,and,whennightcame,crawleduptowardourrocksperchedninehundredmetersabovehim.Hedraggedhimselfhalfway,withtheenergyofamanwhoisgamblingforhislife.

Hewasbroughtinhavingbledalot.Themedicswouldhavetotakehimbackdowntheothersideofthemountainagainthroughmudanddarkness.

Beforebeingchloroformedbythesurgeon,heaskedforapencilandpaper.InfrontoftheGermancolonelwhocommandedthesector,hesketched,fortwentyminutes,amapofthe Soviet position, gulping a little cognac every time he felt faint. After he’d laideverythingoutclearly,thenandonlythendidheliedown.

Hewasajuniorofficerliketheothers,oneofmany.Butourboyshadfaith.Theyknewwhereforetheyofferedtheirlives.

Theidealalonecouldstillsustainourcomrades,evenintheskeletalstatetowhichtheywerereduced.

On our icy peak we lived in an atmosphere of madness. Several hundred Russiancorpsesrottedandgrimacedseveralmetersfromus.

OnenightinOctober, theRussianshadtriedtore-takethecrest.Ateleveno’clockintheeveningtheyhadclimbedtotheverytopof themountain.Theythoughtnoonehadheard them,buteverymachine-gunnerwasathisweapon.When theBolshevikswereafewmetersfromourguns,arakingfireroaredout.TheSovietbattalionwascuttopieces.

TheRedshadbeensurprisedwiththeirfingersclawingattherootsofthetrees,atthevery end of their ascent. They died clinging to the soil. Some rolled among the rocks.Othershadbeenabletogetseveralmetersfartheralonganddiedontheplateau.Butthemosthorriblecorpseswerethosegrimacingunderourverynoses,stillclutchingthetrunksoftheoaks.

Itwas impossible to reach these corpseswithout being swept by the Sovietmachineguns andmortars,which, from theother side,watched for the tiniestmovementonourbarepeak.

Forseveralweekswehadtowitnesstheslowdecompositionofthecorpsesstackedupunderourveryeyes.Finallytheheadscameloose,felloff,oneafteranother,andtoppledin among the rocks. Nothing was left above the shoulders except the off-white neckvertebrae,spookilysuper-imposedlikeAfricannecklaces.

Atthree-thirtyintheafternoonshadowsalreadyclungtothemountain.Byfouro’clockitwascompletelydark.Wehadtoburrowintoblackdugoutsfullofwater,stretchingoutonslatsmadeofbranches,tormentedbytheinnumerablevermin.Byelevenatnight,wecouldstanditnolonger.Shivering,wewouldwaitoutthehoursforthefirstpalegleamtopiercethesoddendawn.

Theenemygrewmoreandmoresurly.TheAmericanshadjustlandedinMoroccoandAlgeria. The Bolsheviks hadn’t believed in the Yankees until this surprise. The fall ofNorthAfricachangedeverything.

Before, numerousprisonerswould comeand surrender.Often, for thatmatter, just astheygottous,thepoordevilswouldbeblownuponourminesinthenight.Thepanickysurvivorswouldracebacktotheirpositionswheretheyimmediatelygotthemselvesshot.FromthedayafterthelandingatRabatandAlgiers,theRussianscamenomore.Theyhadregainedtheirconfidence.

Wehad to beon the lookout constantly.Our soldiers relievedone another every twohours. These reliefs were ghastly. We kept tumbling into our former shelters, nowoverflowingwithwater.Menwoulddisappearintothemcompletely.Wewouldpullthemoutdrenchedrighttothebone.Somewouldburstintotearslikechildren.

Wewerehorrifiedby thedreadfulRussiancorpses liquefyingbetweenourpostsevenmorethanbytheholesfullofwater.Feelingourwayinthedark,wewouldskidontheseputrid sacks, sinking an entire foot into an oozingbelly.Thenwewouldbe grippedbydespair,atalosstocleanseourselvesofthisfrightfulhumancorruptionthatclungtoourskinandsickenedustothepointofvomiting.

Wewereattheend.Theend!

Theendofourphysicalstrength.

Theendofourspiritualresources.

We struggled on only because our honor as soldierswas on the line.Volunteers,wewantedtoremainsountilthebitterend,untilthelastbeatofourexhaustedhearts.

Wenolongerhopedforanything.

Onemorning,readingtheorders,westaredwithvacanteyesataparagraphthatnamedthehourandconditionsforourrelief.

It took us a long time to understand.Nevertheless, itwas really true. TheWallonianLegionwastoreturntoBelgium.Itwouldreceivethreeweekshomeleave,andtherebereinforcedbyseveral thousandBelgianvolunteers.WewentbackdownthelongmuddymountainsidewehadclimbedsopainfullyonenightinOctober.Whathadbecomeofourwretchedcompanionswho, thatnight,had toiledand sufferedwhilehauling themselvessilentlytothesummitofthemountain?Ofourlegion,decimatedbythefirstwinterintheDonets, completely rebuilt in June 1942, before the great southern offensive, there stillremained, inall,exactly,187menwhenwecameagaintothelittlewoodenbridgeoverthePshish.

Wemadeourwayslowlybacktowardsthecrestwherewehadsufferedsomuch.Farabove us floated the golden banner of the few trees that the oncomingwinter couldn’tconquer. Like them, our ideal, proud and tormented, still fluttered grimly against thehostilesky.

ChapterFive

DUGINONTHEDNIEPER

One evening inDecember 1942, our train, packedwith soldiers on leave, passed theriverKuban.Atthattime,Germanengineerswerebusybuildinganenormoussteelbridgeacrossthegreenwaters,abridgewithtwolanes,theultimate.

YetthefrontwasshowingsinistercrackstothenorthandnorthwestofStalingrad.

The Germans, methodical as always, impervious to the slightest doubt, continued tobringtothework-sitemassivegirdersthatwouldreplacethewoodenbridgesthrownupinhasteatthetimeoftheprecedingAugust’svictories.

Withequalserenitytheyhadamassed,atMaikopandatKrasnodar,stocksoffur-linedboots, padded garments, pairs of skis, cigarettes and chocolates.Onemonth later thesestoreswouldbescatteredovertheroofswiththehelpofplentyofdynamite.

TheGermanslistenedonlytotheGermanradio.We,moreindiscreet,hadlearnedthattheRussianswerehasteningupfromtheeastandplanned tocutoffcommunications totheCaucasusatRostov.Weknewtheywerecoming.

Theregionremainedperfectlycalm.Afewsentinelswatchedtheroadsalongthepalegreenice-boundlagoons.Weheardnothing.Wesawnothing.Onlyafewcrowsanimatedthecloudysky.

Onemorningwe arrived at the bridges of Rostov, protected against the ice floes byhugecutwaters.

Sincetheunionof theUkrainewithEuropeall thishinterlandhadbecomeafabulousconstruction yard. Where one year earlier we had found nothing but railroad lines,corrodedthanks to theSoviethabitof lettingeverythinggo,andbuildingsblackenedbysystematicSovietarson,wenowsawmodernrailwaystationswithfifteenortwentylines,dottedwithhugenewbuildingsofconcreteandbrick.

Wegazedwide-eyedat thisincredibletransformationthroughthehalfopeneddoorofour car.Hundreds of billboards bearing the names of the principalGerman firmswereposted proudly on the factories and hangars, an honors list of the conquerors in thisindustrialwar.

We,thesoldiers,hadconqueredawastelandthattheSovietshadtotallyannihilatedorwrecked piece by piece before retreating toward the east.German industry had neededonlyfourteenmonthstorebuild,create,establishorder,totransformeverythingfromthegroundup.

OntheDnieperitwasthesameasintheDonetsbasin.Atwo-storybridge,onestoryforthetrains,anotherformotorvehicles,hadbeenbuiltinafewmonthsacrossthismightyriver,morethanakilometerwide.Thecitysparkledwithlightsasfarastheeyecouldsee:

atnightthelightsofmightyfactoriescouldbeseeneverywhere.Immenseandblack,theriver flowed toward the sea, sprinkled with innumerable reflections that shifted in thecurrentlikewill-o’-the-wisps.

Beneath the snow stretched the Ukraine, its vast horizons dotted with ice and withcopperygroves,embroideredwiththeblueandgreenshuttersofwhiteisbas.Everywherenewstations,warehouses,hugesugarrefinerieshadbeenbuilt.Weunloadedhundredsofagriculturalmachines,greenandred,assmartasNurembergtoys.InoneyearGermanyhadcreatedinRussiatherichestcolonyintheworld.

Magnificentwork!

But alsomagnificent illusion, for theReich squandered prematurely on thiswork ofEuropeanpeacethestrengththat,accordingtothejunglelawofhatredandself-interest,should have been turned exclusively towards warlike works of carnage, of killing, ofextermination.

In1943thewardraggedon.Morethaneverbravespiritswerecalledfor.In1941wehad left on the Eastern crusade because our consciences demanded it. As the causeremainedthesamein1943,sothesacrificehadtoremainthesame.Whatevermayhavebeen the risks and torments of the struggle, the pain of separation, the lack ofunderstandingwithwhichweoftenfeltourselvessurrounded,wehadtoholdfirmintheserviceofourduty.

Lifeisworthwhileonlytotheextentitisilluminatedbygenerousgiving.

Everyone wanted to experience the epic. At the end of January 1943, our legionreassembledforaseconddepartureattheSportsPalaceinBrussels.TensofthousandsofBelgiansweretheretocheeroursoldiers.ThenthetraintookustowardRussia.

Neverthelessweweren’timmediatelygoingtojointheanti-Sovietfront.Westilllackedsome of our combat groups, who, during the intervening months, had reinforced theGermantroopsfallingbackfromtheCaucasus.

FromMaikoptheyhadretreatedasfarastheKubandelta,theIsthmusofPerekop,andfinallytheCrimea.BywayofSimferopolandKherson,ontheDnieper,theyjoinedusatthePolishfrontierafteralengthyroundtripofnearlyfourmonths.

Ourhardbattlesof1941and1942,farfromintimidatingtheyouthofourcountry,haddrawn them to the call en masse. Almost two thousand Belgian volunteers were intraining. Our first task was to form a cohesive unit. Most of the recruits were mine-workers.Somehadcomeoutofdistastefortheirlaborinthecoalmines.Manyhadbeenattractedbyouridealofsocialjusticeanddreamedoffairnessanddecency.AnumberofofficersandsoldiersoftheoldBelgianarmywhohadbeenprisonersintheReichcampshadaskedtoenlist.Theycametous,severalhundredofthem,inthegloriousolduniformsinwhichtheytriedtochecktheGermanadvanceinMay1940.

Thusthetwoarmiesjoinedtogetherfraternally,theonethathadheroicallydefendedtheintegrity of our country in 1940, and the one that, overcoming past resentments, hadstriven, since August 1941, to help save the essential: Europe and our fatherlands allacrossEurope.

Theworking-classconstitutedthree-fourthsofthestrengthofourlegion,butthelegionalso included numerous young people from the aristocracy and the Belgian bourgeoisclass, gold medalists from Jesuit colleges, sons of well-known diplomats, jurists, civilservants,businessmen.

Anidenticalpurposeunitedusall:torepresentourpeoplebrilliantlyamongthetwentynationsthathadjoinedthestruggle;tofulfill,withoutservility,ourdutyasEuropeans,byfighting against themortal enemyofEurope; to obtain for ourmother country a strongvoiceinthecontinentalcommunitythatwouldbebornoutofthewar;andfinally,togirdtheshocktroopswhosemightwouldguaranteesocialjusticeuponourpermanentreturntoourcountryafterthehostilities.

Forthisidealweofferedourlives.

Thisofferingwasnotmererhetoric.OfthesixthousandBelgianvolunteerswhojoinedtheWallonianLegionbetweenautumnof1941andspringof1945,2,500diedasheroes.Eighty-three percent of our soldiers received one ormorewounds in the course of thismightyepic.Ofthefirsteighthundredvolunteers,threealoneofthosewhohadtakenpartinall thebattles reached theendof thewaralive:asimplesoldier,a juniorofficerwhobecameacaptain,woundedthreetimes,andtheauthoroftheselines,himselfwoundedonfiveoccasions.

THERETURNTOTHEDNIEPER

ByNovember1943ourlegion,now,astheAssaultBrigade“Wallonia,”apowerfulunitof the Waffen SS, disposed of two thousand combat-ready men and 354 trucks andarmoredvehicles.

Our convoys followed the rivers, the avenues ofwillows, the yellowing poplars, andthencrossedtheleaflesswoodsofSilesia.In1943thisindustrialbasinwasstillintact;thecoalminesand thesyntheticoil refinerieswereworkingat fullcapacity.Thevillages inthesmallvalleyswereneatandpeaceful.

Butalreadytherumblingsofdistantthunder,harbingerofgreatstorms,couldbeheardgrowlinginSouthernEurope.TheAnglo-AmericantroopshadcrossedtheMediterraneaninthemonthofAugust1943,acrossingdefinitelyhelpedbythedoubledealingandthedefectionofItaly,butalsobyfirst-classshipsandplanes.Sicilyhadbeentakenbystorm.Thecontinentitself,Calabriaononehand,Naplesontheother,founditselfinvaded.TheAlliescouldnotbepushedback,orevencontained,nomoreattheStraitsofMessinathanatSyracuseorunderthepalmsofTunisia.

Amassivelanding,backedbyseveralthousandairplanes,hadbeenquicklyandtotallysuccessful.Thatwasclear.Couldthisformula,repeatedontheshoresoftheAtlantic,failwhenithadbeenshowntobeirresistibleintheMediterranean?

A second test of strength had taken place on theUkrainian front, towardswhich ourthreehundredtrucksrolled.

Untilthesummerof1943wehadallbelievedinthepossibilityofaGermanresurgenceintheEast.Stalingradhadindisputablybeenapainfulblow.Butthecounter-attackwouldsurelycome,asinthespringof1942.

The counter-attack came. Germany hurled all available forces in the direction ofVoronezh on the Don. The assault failed after tragic battles in which several thousandtankshadbeendestroyed.TheSoviets,pressingtheiradvantage,haddriventheGermantroopsasfarasKharkovandthenconqueredthecity.

ItsfallwasinfinitelymoreseriousthanthatofStalingrad,althoughlessspectacular.Wecouldnolongerchalkituptoaccident.Whatcountryhasn’thadanaccidentinwartime?Butthiswastoosystematic.Wehadn’tbeenabletodrivetheSovietsteamrollerback,noreventoblockit.FromKharkov,theforcesoftheUSSRhaddriveneventotheDnieper,crossedit,advancingbeyondKievandDniepropetrovsk.

But in any case, our own group, anti-Bolshevik volunteers, was committed.We hadresolved to fight to the very last second against the Soviets.We knew that each blowstruckwouldonedayhaveitseffect.

Moreover,inwar,aslongaseverythingisnotlost,nothingislost.Germanystillhadaverylargemarginofsecurity,fromMinsktoBordeaux,fromAthenstoNarvik.Shestilldisposed of immense material resources, and her ingenious inventors might suddenlyprovide brilliant and terrifying surprises against an adversary too sure of himself.Numerousconvoysofsplendidshocktroopswerejoiningupwithus,notablythefamous“Adolf Hitler” and “Death’s Head” divisions. “In onemonthwe’ll retakeKiev!” theseelitesoldiersshoutedtousastheypassed.

OurtrainsskirtedthesouthofPoland,underaclearskyofpaleblueandrose.ItwasSunday.Thewomenindark-coloreddresses,coiffedingreenbonnets,lefttheirlittlemud-walledisbas,walkingdowndirtpathstoreachthepaintedwoodenchurches.

Webreathedtheicysoil’saroma.

ThenextdayatdawnwemadeashortstopatLemberg[Lviv],wherewereceivedanenormous amount of winter gear: clothing lined completely with down, padded boots,whitegreatcoats,fur-linedhoods.

Under theweight of these clotheswe felt huge and clumsy, not knowing any longerhowtototeallourequipment.Werememberedtheterriblewinterof1941ontheDonets,with our threadbare jackets cut right through by the howling northwind.This time thecommanderhadtakeneveryprecaution.Itwasalmosttoomuchofagoodthing,andwiserheadsamonguswereaskingthemselveshowtheycouldkeepsuchaphenomenalamountofluggagewhenthedaycamethattheywouldhavetomovewithouttrucks.

But in general our soldiers took a childish pleasure in their padded clothing. EachbaggagecarsooncontainedafullplatoonofSantaClauses.

We set out again acrossGalicia, drenched by the autumn rains. Then the long trainsturned toward the south. Blue mountains shone far to the west. A great muddy river,

borderedbythousandsofdrybulrushes,slippedbeneaththecars.CrossingtheDniester,weenteredintoBessarabia.

Fromthenonthelinesofcommunicationweresoencumberedthatittookusfifteenortwentydaystomakeourway,bythedirectroute,fromLembergtothefront.Massesofsoldiersonleavewhowerenotoverlyenthusiastictoreturntobattlelookedforwaystoavoid duty. Dazzling sleeping coaches and restaurant cars still glided with clockworkregularityinthedirectionofOdessa.Fromtheplatformsofthestationswherewetwiddledour thumbsduringfortyorfiftyhourwaits,wewouldsuddenlysee longluxuriouscars,withtheirorangelamps,paradeby.

Butthegeneraltrafficbecamemoreandmoreparalyzed.Thebarmenwentthrough,asalways,without a hitch, but the army didn’tmove at all anymore except by dribs anddrabs.OurtrainswereshuntedacrossRomaniaonaone-trackline.

WehadbeenledtobelievethatweweregoingtotheCrimea.

TheCrimeanPeninsulahadjustbeencutofffromthemainlandbytheSovietoffensive,but German reinforcements had been sent to Odessa by sea. Thus we saw withoutastonishment onemorning the red ramparts of the old fortress of Tiraspol, high on therightbankoftheDniester.

Fromtheothersideoftheriverwerecognizedtheuniformisbas,thewellswithlong,black,woodhandles,themillionsofsunflowerstalks,grayandbeheaded,strickenbythenascentwinter.WewouldbeatOdessabyevening!

Butthetrainstoppedinagloomystation,thenclearlyswitchedovertowardstheeast.The trip to the Crimea was over. For two days we ascended interminably. Northeast,northeast,northeast.ThehugeUkrainianstationspassedinsuccession,coveredwithsnow.Happy-looking women, strong and buxom in their padded clothing, chewed and spatsunflowerseedsastheyworkedasstevedoresontheloadingdocks.

We were approaching closer and closer to the Dnieper, far to the north ofDniepropetrovsk.Wecouldheartheartilleryalready.

Thelasteveningwenoticedsheavesofbrilliantflarestoourright,thenequallybrilliantones to our left. The train advanced for several hours, cutting theseweird fireworks inhalf.Weweregettingdeeperanddeeperintoabottleneck.Airplanescamedowntostrafetheroad.Beforeuswesawbuildingsinflames.ItwasKorsun.26

Wedetrainedthereinthemiddleofthenight.

THEOLSHANKA

WeweretotakeupourpositionsaboutthirtykilometerstotheeastofKorsun.

Ittookour354motorvehiclesthreedaystocompletethisstageofthejourney,whichnormallywouldhavetakentwohours.

Anenormousriverofmud,theawfulRussianmud,asthickasmeltedrubber,miredallthe roads. It was up to forty or fifty centimeters deep across the bottom lands in the

hamlets.

Our new drivers had to make their way through this viscous muck, chopping downcherryorchardstoimprovisenewpassages.Justbeforeaforestoffirswecametosomelargemarshes.Therewehadtouseatrackmadeofthousandsoflogs,rivetedtogether.Wedancedacrossthemasthoughwewereatthefair.

Thetrackthatcrossedthepineforestwasitselfshoredwiththousandsoftreetrunks,nolongerbecauseofthemud,butbecauseofthefinesand,intowhichourcarswouldsinkuptotheirengines.

The Bolsheviks knew the difficulties of this passage. Consequently the forest wasinfested by prowling partisanswho skillfully setmines at night. In themorning two orthreecarswouldbeblownup.Itwasourdailytollfee.

Every five hundred meters, enormous wooden redoubts had been built, like Africanforts.Surveillanceteamslivedthere,shelteredbyimpressivestockades.

TotheeastofthispineforestopenedouttheDnieperplain.

ThestaffoftherenownedSSVikingDivisionwasinstalledinBelozerye,alargevillagestretching out over a radius of several kilometers. We would be with them until thesummerof1944.

Marvelously armed, completely motorized, comprising thousands of extraordinaryyoungmen,barrel-chestedandas strongas lumberjacks, theVikinghadbeengiven themissionof defending theDnieper, already flankedon the northeast and to the south byStalin’sdivisions.

Soviettroopshadparachutedontotherightbankoftheriver,intheregionofBelozerye,at themomentwhen the retreatingGerman divisionswere ebbing back toward the leftbankandwereawaitingenmassetheirturntocrossthefewbridgesthatwerepassable.

Theenemyparachutistshadbeenpromptlypursued.Manyhadperishedduringquickskirmishes; the survivors had let themselves be swallowed up in the great forest ofCherkassy.Theretheyhadlinkedupwiththenumerouspartisans.

Thezonethathadbeenassignedtous,atthesouthoftheViking’ssector,wasborderedbythewesternedgeoftheforest.TheparatroopsandUkrainianpartisanshadflourishedforseveralweeksinthiswoodedenclaveontherightbankoftheDnieper.TheyendedupestablishingliaisonwiththemainSovietarmy,whichhadcrossedtheriverdownstream.

Theforestwashemmedat thewestbyariver, theOlshanka,fifteento twentymeterswide.Flowingfromthesouth,thestreamcametoavillagecalledStaroselye,veeredforashorttimetowardsthenorthwest,thenreturnedalongthewoodsanddescendedeastward.ItpassedavillagefetchinglynamedBaibusy,perchedonahillon the leftbank.On theothersideoftheriver,hardagainsttheveryedgeoftheforestandoccupiedbytheenemy,wasahamlet,Sakrevka.

The Olshanka twisted and turned between the cliffs. After five or six kilometers it

reachedafourthvillage,Moshny.TheretheOlshankafinallylefttheforestcompletely.Ithadgrownwider,andherea longwoodenbridgecrossed it.Every isbahadwicker fishtraps, hoop nets, seines, square nets, in bizarre shapes. An admirable church with anorientaldomeembellishedtheentirehorizon.

FromMoshnytheOlshankaflowedtowardstheeastforseveralkilometersmore.Atthefarendofa reedysteppe,a last town,with thecavernousnameofLosovok, spreadoutunderthedappledNovembersky.HighwhitedunesoverlookedtheriverasitflowedintothemuddyDnieper,betweentheislandsofgoldensandsandtheblackfirs.

Thusourwarlikelandscapeandvillages.

WeweretooccupyfirstthelocalitiesofMoshnyandBaibusy.

The largerpartofourbrigadewentdown toMoshny, its fishermenand itsblackenedbridge.

AscommanderofthethirdcompanyIhadtodefendBaibusy.ThecompanywasmadeupingreatpartoffutureheadsofourYouthMovement,whohadbeencarefullyscreenedand had completed a long course of training in leadership. These boys of sixteen andseventeenyearsoldwereofacrystallinepurityandidealism.

IarrivedwiththematBaibusy.Twolonglinesofisbasmarkedthecrest.Atthefootofthesethatchedcottages,theterrainslopedgentlytowardtheOlshankaforakilometer.Theforest,mysterious,watchedus.

TheRussianshadfortifiedthemselvesattheentrancetothewoods,orsoitwouldseem,since they didn’t make their existence known. We set up our grenade-launchers, ourartillery,ouranti-aircraftflakguns,andourPaks.27Ourinfantrytookupposition.

Thevillagewascalm.Thewoodswerecalm.Notonebackwasseencrawlingamongthe grey sunflower stalks. I established my command post at the first isba on thesouthwest.

Ateighto’clockaburstofgunfire,asingleone,rippedthroughthedarkness.

Five minutes later my command post, riddled with incendiary bullets, exploded inflamesatthetopofthehill,agoldentorchwithmillionsofsparklingspangles.

Thewholecrestwasilluminated.

Nonetheless,weheardnothingmoreaftertheblast,althoughseveralbrownformsmusthavecreptbyastheystoleslylybacktotherushesontheriverbank.Downthereinthethicket,shiningeyeswatchedthefire.

Thebattlebetweenusandtheforesthadbegun.

THESILENTFOREST

WesettledinatournewsectoroftheUkrainianfrontonNovember21,1943.Severaldays later, in order to testmy recruits and to feel out the terrain, I crossed over to theSovietbankatthefirstglimmeringsofdawn.

The wooden Baibusy-Sakrevka Bridge was still standing, a narrow span that theRussianscouldhaveblownupjustaswellaswe,buteachofuswassavingagainstsuddenreversal.

We turned off toward the south. A dozenmen strong, we slithered across a field ofsunflowerstalksandreachedtheriverOlshanka.Thewaterwasicyanditcameuptoourwaists. I placed a machine-gunner on the other bank to cover our passage. Then wecrawledforalongtimethroughabogbeforewereachedtheforest.

Thetallfirsweresilent;thegoldensandwasunmarred.Inaclearingwefoundaflockandtwoshepherds.Thatwasall.

JusttoreturntheBolsheviks’complimentsofthefirstevening,wesetfire,onthewayback,tothreehaystacksthatborderedtheenemysector.

Wereturnedempty-handed.Theforestkeptitssecret.

Whenourtrenchesandbarbettes28werefirmlyinplaceontheeasternandsoutheasternoutskirtsofthevillageofBaibusy,thegeneralcommandingthearmycorpsgave,asmighthavebeenexpected,theordertochangeallthepositionsandtomovethemforward,rightuptothebankoftheOlshanka.

Thetroopsnowhadtobivouacintheopencountry.What’smore,winterwascomingon.AboveBaibusywewouldtakeshelterbyturnsintheisbas,miserableshacksbuiltonthe bare earth, their mud walls oozing water. At least we had a roof and two smallwindows.Below,itwasthebarrenplain,themud,orthewetsandoftheopenriverbanks.

Wespacedoutourfiringpointsoversevenkilometers,alongthecliffsornearthelittlebridgeofSakrevka.TwohundredmetersfromtheOlshankatherewasaknollsurmountedbyabirchgrove.Wemadeitthepivotofourdefense.Ouranti-aircraftgunswerehauledthere during the night. A network of trenches fronted by barbed wire ran above thecontravallations.29

Attheendoftwoweeksourbrigadehadtoexpandoperationstowardthesouth,tothevillageofStaroselye.Thenewsector,droppingdowninasteepslopeontoavillagecalledIrdyn, was in the hands of the Soviets. Between this town and our bunkers lay a vastspreadofmud.Entangledinthismorasswerestragglyhazels,brambles,andbulrushes.

It had snowed. Rabbits would run wiggling their bobtails, poking lines of blue andgreenholesintothecrunchysteppe.Rosyeveningsfellupontheforest.

Ourboyshadahardlife.Oftenwhenpatrolsventuredintothebog,theicycrustwouldbreak.Wehadlotsoffrostbittenfeet.

These inconveniences didn’t keep ourmorale frombeing aswarlike as possible. Foreachpatrolofsixmen,eightyswashbucklingsoldierswouldblusterandshoveinhopesofbeingchosen.

At the other end of the sector, our comrades atMoshny had dug in along theRiverOlshanka.

A trackskirted the steep riverbank. In theenemyzone,below themauveandpurple

forest, the ruins of a monastery could be seen, and the yellowed foliage of the oldenclosure.Ourmen dug and shored up the trencheswhile the guards scanned the rightbank,stripedwithcornstalks.

TheSovietscameintheeveningtofeelouttheterrainhaphazardly.

Oursoldiers,too,stoleintothedarknessacrosstheothersideofthewater.

Thefields,stickywithblackmudorcoveredbythefirstsnowswerethickwithmines.Wewouldwait for noises in the night.A flash, a boom, cries, and thosewho escapedwouldbringbackthewounded,warmwithblood.

Oneofthem,asmallmine-workerfromCharleroi,seventeenyearsold,asslenderasagirl,hadhadbothfeetandahandtorntoshredsinthecourseofoneoftheseraids.

Heheldonforamonthonhiscot in thefieldhospitalatKorsun.Everydayhegrewfrailer,buthesmiledateveryvisit.HefoundhappinessinhisIronCross.Hediedholdingitsscarletribboninhishandsasifhehadbeenstrokingabirdofparadise.

Theforestwasasmysteriousasever.

Nevertheless,everynightmenwouldslipthroughourposts,ascautiousasleopards.Wewould hear soft hooting in the darkness. From far off, another hoot would reply. Weunderstoodthesigns,wefeltthepresences.Sometimesoursentinelswouldshoot.Butinthemorningwewoulddiscovernotraceofbloodoroffootprints.

Wecouldincreaseourpatrolsallweliked.Iwentoutmyselfandspenthoursduringthenights, crouched with one of my men near the water.We didn’t catch a thing. It wasenoughtodriveustodespair,foreverymorning,five,ten,orfifteenkilometersbehindus,ourtruckswouldblowuponnewmines.

Thevillagecamealiveatdark.Signalswereexchanged;partisanswereharbored.TheRedsglidedintheshadowsintheirpigskinsandals.Theykneweveryinchoftheterrain.Theywereuncatchable.

Attheendofamonth,neitherwenortheVikingDivisionhadtakenasingleprisoner.

BLOODINTHETHICKETS

Wehadtoknow,atanycost,whatwasgoingoninthatpurpleandwhiteforest.

Thepeasantswouldwhisper.WeendeduplearningfromthemthatabouttenthousandmenwerehidingoutinthiswoodedmassifofCherkassy.

Butwhere?

Theywerereceivingequipment.Wesaw,thankstoourforwardobservationposts,theBolsheviks construct numerous bunkers and bring up antitank guns,which theymovedfrequently.

Butwe sawonly the first hundredmeters.What laybeyond, under the immensity ofpinesanddarkoaksstretchingclear to theDnieperon theeastand toCherkassyon thesouthwest?

Everyisbawasamystery.

Ourvillagerswere friendly, aswere almost all the country-folkof theUkraine.TheycursedtheCommunismthathadsubjugatedthem,ruinedthem,andsealedtheirchurches.But theyhadsometimesbeen treated tactlesslyby theGermanadministrators.Acertainnumberoffamilieshad,sincethen,afatherorsoninthelairsoftheneighboringwoods.

IcarefullymadesurethatmyvillageofBaibusywouldbeahappyvillageinspiteofthewar. The Walloon is amiable by nature. He would quickly make himself one of thehousehold,dofavors,winthemoverwithsmallpresents.

I re-establishedworshipservices.Amarvelouspriest, returned fromthewoodswherehehadbeenhidingfortwenty-threeyears,officiatedonSundays,fromdawnuntilmidday,dressed in purple and gold. The entire village attended the ceremonies, prostratingthemselves a hundred times, kissing the earth a hundred times, intoning for hoursmelancholyandpassionatechorales thatwouldbreakyourheart.Dozensof iconsshonebycandlelightintheircopperandsilvershrines.Theyellow-beardedpriestwouldbaptizethe week’s babies. He made them kiss the icons interminably, one by one. Then heparaded each one of the newborns across the chapel, howling their heads off. He heldthemupatarm’slengthtowardsthecongregation,sothatthewholevillagecouldseeandcontemplatethearrivalofnewparishioners.Hewouldfinallyreturnthem,deadtired,totheirflat-cheekedmothers,modest,yetglowing,dressed,likeallthewomenofBaibusy,inlongmonasticcapes,brown,decoratedwithafewrufflesabovethewaist,woveninthevillage.

Nomatterwhatthecombatsofthenight,IregularlyattendedtheOrthodoxworshiponSundaymornings,amongelderlypeasantswithbushybeards,besidehonestmamkasandlouse-ridden brats. After hours and hours of prayers by the priest, our chaplain wouldchanttheCatholicMass.NotasinglememberoftheUkrainiancongregationwouldleave.Thesepeoplewerestarvedforreligiouslife,andtheywouldkneel,deeplymoved,duringourCommunion.

Whilehelpingtheelderlygentlemanofmy isba,whohadlosthisright leg in the lastwar, I returned tomycommandpostcoveredwithvermin,butmovedby theadmirablesimplicityofmannersandthefaithofthesepeasants.

Nevertheless, fromthesamelittlehouses,everynight, thehootingsofowlswouldgoforth,directedatthepartisans.

We couldn’t be angry with our villagers for having paternal hearts, but we watchedthemvigilantly.

Theirnaivegoodnessquitenaturallyovercameallourwesterncomplexities.Theylovedtheircompatriotswhowereshootingatusfromtheneighboringoutskirtsoftheforest.Buttheyalsoborewitnesstouspersonally,wholivedintheirtownandundertheirroofs,ofanequalaffection,simple,strong,andsincere.

In the evenings,when I put onmywhite coat and crossedmy cartridge clips in theCossackmanner,theoldmamkawouldkneelbeforetheicons.Atdawn,whenIreturnedfromcombat, the old folkswerewaiting forme. Iwould put downmy arms, steamingwiththecold.Theoldmamawouldcrossherself,cry,touchmygarments.Iwasn’tdead!

Poorpeople,gentleandgood,whohadtoprayatthesametimeforus,takeninassonsofthehouse,andfortheirownchildrenhidingoutacrosstheway.

We received the order to go deep into thewoods.We absolutely had to hunt out theenemyandtakesomeprisoners.

TwiceaplatoonofmycompanycrossedtheOlshankaRiverinthedarkness.Isent50skirmishers.TheyreachedthewoodedhillsbeyondSakrevkaatdaybreak.

Theforestwasnothingbutaseriesofcrestswhereitwasimpossibletotakeupcombatpositions.Nowherewouldoursoldiershavebeenabletomakethemselvesmastersoftheterrain.Newcrests,coveredwithbushes,keptloomingup,fromwhichtheenemycouldannihilateacompanyinafewminutes.Themenadvancedtwokilometersintotheforest.They discovered trails, wagon ruts and footprints. But no pistol shot resounded. Theenemy was staying away, playing dead, or had gone to ground. Our expeditionsdiscovered,inall,twocowardswhofledimmediately,afterhavingshedtheirshabbycoatstorunfaster.

Theseweretheonlyspoilsofwarthatmycompanybroughtback.

The1stCompanyreceivedordersinitsturntoprobetheterrain.Atfouro’clockinthemorningfifteenvolunteers,ledbyayoungofficerwithatemperamentlikeburningcoals,enteredsilentlyintotheicywateroftheOlshankaanddisappearedacrossthedarkness.

They reached the old cloister. At that point, the first Soviet watch posts had beenpassed,butnowarninghootshadtroubledthedemiseofthenight.

Glimmeringsoflighttouchedthetopsofthebranches.Adove-coloreddawnwasrisingabovetheDnieper.Thelieutenantandhisfifteenpatrollerskeptadvancing.

Theyheardthecattlelowing,sawtracks.Crawlingfromthickettothicket,theyreachedthetopofacrest.Justafewmetersaway, twoSovietsoldiersstoodguard!Thesought-afterprisonerswereattheirmercy!

Inthetwinklingofaneye,theythrewthemselvesuponthetwosentinels,broughtthemdown,andgaggedthem.Everythinghappenedwithoutacry.Ourmenwentthirtymetersout of theirway in order to regain the bottomof the little valley on thewest and thenreturn.

Therewereseveralicyponds.Oneofthetwocaptivessuddenlytrippedhisguardandbolted. The fatal gunshot that dropped him gave the alert. In a few seconds anunbelievablearmyfelluponthem,anarmysuchasourmenhadneverevenimagined.

Whencapturing the two sentinelsour comradeshad reached,withoutknowing it, theentrance to a large encampment of partisans, sheltered behind the hill. Hundreds ofcivilianfightersrushedupandsurroundedthem.

Andwhowerethesefighters?Notonlymen,bronzedbylifeinthewoods,buthowlingbands of disheveledwomen and packs of grimy boys of thirteen or fourteen years old,armedwithseventy-tworoundsubmachineguns.

Our patrollers immediately formed a circle. But more than four hundred Soviet

partisanswereblazingawayatthem.

Ouryounglieutenantwasamongthefirststruckdown,abulletinhishead.Theothershadtogetoutofthetrapatallcosts,withoutfurtherdelay.Itwasvaintotrytogoback.Retreathadbeencutoff.Asubmachinegunspatitsribbonoffirefrombehindeverytree.

Theonlypossibility of escapewas tomake a dash straight through theSoviet camp,thentrytoescapelaterwithacircularmovement.Throughthecows,thesheep,thefires,thehuts,oursoldiersdodgedfrantically,spreadingmadpanicamongthehordesofraggedoldwomen.

Onlytwoofourcomradesescapedthemassacre.Theywanderedforalongtimeintheforest.Duringthenightoneofourforwardpostspickedthemup,halfdead.

Themost powerful divisions of the Reich had, at the beginning of December 1943,begunagreatcounteroffensivetoreconquerKiev.Atfirsttheyweresuccessful,breakingthrough the front at Zhitomir and penetrating eighty kilometers beyond the Sovietbridgehead.

Onceagaintheywerestoppedbythemudandpushedback,withhugelosses.

Insteadof reverting to thestatusquo, thesituationhadgreatlyworsened.This time itwaswewhoweredirectlymenaced in thenorthandnorthwest.Elsewhere, in thesouthand southeast, the divisions of the Russian general Konev were hammering hard,expandingtheirthrustwellbeyondtheDnieperinthedirectionofKirovogradandUman.Wewouldseethegreatredfiresthatmarkedtheprogressoftheenemyagainstanopalinehorizon.

ThegeneralstaffofthearmycorpswasabsolutelydeterminedtolearntheintentionsoftheSovietsinthecenterofthesector.

Thenorthfrontwascracking;thesouthfrontwascracking.Opposite,intheeast,intheaccursedforestofCherkassy,whatwasbeingprepared?

Orders came through to undertake an operation on a larger scale, to take place atdaybreakonthethirdofDecember.Theplanwasextremelyaudacious.Threehundredofourmenwould cross secretly, during thenight, the threekilometersof deepmarsh thatseparatedtheforestofCherkassyfromthesouthwestofStaroselye.

The column would infiltrate between the Soviet guard posts, then enter the forestbehindtheenemypositions.ThenitwouldadvancelaterallyforseveralkilometersfromthesoutheasttothenorthasfarastheheightsnearIrdyn.

AtH-hour, three hundredmenwould rush to the assault, falling on theSoviets frombehindandannihilatingthem.

Iwastocommandtheoperation.Ontheeveningofthe22ndIleftmywillonthelittlewhitewoodentableofmyisbaandsetoffonthisnewescapade.

IRDYN

WeweresupposedtobeatStaroselyeatmidnight.Itwassnowing.

Our trucks took four hours to cross, on a log road, the fifteen kilometers thatwouldbringusacrossthepinewoodsofthesouthwesttothestagingarea.Wehadtomakethisdetourbehindthefrontsothattheenemywouldnotbeabletodiscoverourplans.

FromStaroselyewe descended towards themarshes.We had to approach them fromsouth of the positions to be destroyed, so that the Reds of Irdyn, too, would suspectnothing.

The2ndand3rdCompaniesof infantryof theWallonianBrigadeworked in tandem.German engineer detachments, well-supplied with mines and flame throwers,accompaniedus.TheirmissionwouldbetodestroyeveryfortifiedbuildinginIrdyninthewakeofourassault.Our infantrycompanies,oncesuccessfullybehind theenemy lines,woulddeploythemselvesinthewoodstotheeastofIrdyn,acrosstheentirewidthofthetown;then,thrustingbehindtheRussians,theywouldtakepossessionoftheareaandholdtheterrainaslongasnecessaryfortheworkofannihilation.Whenthisprobablejumping-offplaceforaSovietattackagainstthecenterofourlinewascompletelyannihilatedbymines and by fire,wewould have to regain our own lines as bestwe could across thebogs.

Weclimbed a steeppath in total silence.Themarchof the columnpackeddown thesnow. From time to time amanwould tumble from the heights of the path, losing hismachinegunandhishelmetandfallingtothebottomoftheravine.

Thecolumncametoahaltneartheswamps.Itwasalmostfouro’clock.Thefullmoonhadjustbeenswallowedupbyapropitiousfog.

Theblackmarshesspreadmysteriously,morethanthreekilometersdeep,fullofpitfalls,fulloftraps.

Ascoutwentonahead.Thenightbeforehehadattemptedthecrossingaloneandknew,moreorless,theway.Isetoffbehindhim,followedbythreehundredmeninsinglefile,silent,fearfuloftheleastnoise.

Almosteverywherethesnowhadmeltedintowaterandslime.

My soldiers, swathed in their voluminous winter gear, were suffocating. Their faceswerestickywithsweatundertheir thickfurhoods.Sometimeswehadtocrossastreamoveralogbridge.Theirlegswouldtremble.Intheprofounddarkness,soldierswouldslipandfallwaist-deepintothewater.

It was then that the dismal wail of a siren resounded from the southeast. I thoughteverythingwas lost. Everyone threw himself down into themud, but the siren kept onwailing.

Nothinghappened.Weneverfoundoutanythingatallaboutthisincident.Perhapstherewasanalarmelsewhere.Thewailingdraggedonfortwentyminutes.

Weresumedourmarch.

Wecouldmakeouttheindistinctmassofsomelargebushesinthedarkness.Therelaythebank.Buttheenemypostshadtobethereaswell.

Wewalkedwithextremecaution,soastogivenottheleastsignofourpresence.What

atragedyifsuddenlySovietshotsrangoutamongexhaustedtroopswhohadonlywaterymarshestoretreatto.

Ireachedalittlethicket.Amanjoinedme,thenanother.Ourthreehundredsmugglerspassed,asfurtiveasbats.Theforestenvelopedus.Inaghostlysilencethetroopsrestedforafewminutes,hiddeninthesnow.

Wehadtakentherightapproach.TheSovietpoststoourleftandrightmusthavebeenfar enoughaway,or else theRussians sentinelshad slept too soundly, confident thatnoenemytroopswouldevercrossthreekilometersofunknownquicksandsinforce.

Here we were, a party of several hundred men, behind the Soviet combat line. Itremainedforus tocontinuecautiouslyalongforfourkilometers, towherewewouldbedueeastoftheRussianbaseatIrdyn.

Intotalsilencewemadeanocturnalmarch,deepintheenemysector,alongaloggingroad through the Cherkassy forest. Scouts and engineers equipped withmine detectorsadvancedfiftymetersinfrontofourcolumn.

Fingersonourtriggers,wefollowedthemalongtheshouldersoftheroad,readytofallbackintothewoodsincaseofanattack.

Butitwasbetternoteventothinkaboutanattackinsuchasituation,intheveryheartoftheSovietsector,withoutasinglepossibilityofhelporescape.Hadtheenemyguessedthat threehundredmenwere strollingbehind their lines at fiveo’clock in themorning,theywouldhavesprungthetraponus.Soonerorlaterwewouldhavebeenwipedoutnomatterwhatourresistance.

Theskywaslighteningfaintly.

Wewerenearingourgoal. I sent the infantry,guidedbycompass, to the edgeof thewoodsnearIrdyn.The2ndCompanyhadtheordertoassumepositionforanattackfromthesoutheast.Itmovedoutquickly.The3rdCompanywouldattackdrivingfromeasttowest. Under cover of the trees, it had to recircle the entire outskirts of the town,interminable,likemostRussianvillages.

Thesnowfellheavilyamongthedenselypackedyoungfirtrees.Ispreadmymenout,for Iknewnothingof the locationof theenemy’s lookoutposts.Atanysecondthefraymighterupt.Iwantedtodelayituntiltheverylastmoment.Ifnot,howwouldweevergeteastofIrdyn?Weabsolutelyhadtosucceedingettingtherewithoutraisingthealarm.

Wecrawled for a long time in the snow,ahundredmeters from theedgeof thepinewoods.WecouldseetheroofsofIrdynbelowus,afewwispsofsmoke,somefences.

Wehadbeenadvancing for twentyminuteswhenInoticed twoSoviet soldiers.Theymust have heard something. They were wearing their thick, brown, coarsely paddedchapskas.Theylookedinourdirection,worried.

Mymenwereshroudedinsnow.Raisingmyselfslightly,Isurveyedtheterrain.OtherRussiansloomed,twenty,thenthirty,assilentaswe,Tommy-gunsintheirhands.

We began crawling again. The Reds advanced in a line parallel with ours, clearly

comprehendingnothingofwhatwasgoingoninthewoods,sincetheGermanfrontwasintheotherdirection,tothewest,nottotheeast.Asfarastheywereconcerned,thedirectioninwhichwewere to be foundwas behind them.Why, then, did the deadwood crack?Whydidthefirbranchestremble?

Flanked on our left by this strange escort, wewere able to cross another fifty or someters.Thetargetwastempting:afewburstsandthirtyRedswouldhavebeencutdown.Imadedesperatemotionsformymentorestraintheirimpatience.Weweren’ttheretokillthirtymen,buttotakeIrdyn.Theonlythingthatcountedforthemomentwastogetasfaraspossibletotheeast.

Onourleftthecenterofthetowncameintoview.

Suddenlytheblowcame.ThereweretwoSovietbunkerstwentymetersinfrontofus,right intheforest.Theyopenedfire.Howling,wethrewourselvesagainst thematclosequarters.TheRussians,hirsutegiants,defendedthemselvesbitterly.IhadmyTommy-gunbrokenintworightinmyhands.Iseizedawoundedman’ssubmachinegunandjumpedrightintothemiddleoftheSovietfortifications.OurmenmowedtheRedsdown.Thoseamongthemwhosurvivedourassaultfellbacktowardthevillage.Weleapedafterthem.

After taking the bunkers we had to confront the entire Soviet garrison, temporarilyconfounded,butstillpowerful.TothesouthIcouldhearthenoiseofthefightbegunbythe2ndCompany.Frombunkertobunkeraterriblecombatraged.Dozensofhouseswereinflames,proofthattheengineerswereatwork.Whilewaitingforthe2ndCompanytojoinus,wehadtoholdfirm,toconquer.

TheRedsstruckbackatuswith theirmachineguns, theirmortars,and theirartillery.Shellsandgrenadesraineddownallaroundus,starringthewhitesnowwithgrayscars.

I was wounded in the right hand. Men were falling everywhere. The terrain wasabsolutelybare,rightuptotheoutskirtsofthehouses.Afewofusjustmadeittothefirstisbawhenwehadtorolllikebarrelsbackdownthesnowyslope,machinegunspinnedtoourbodies.Thesoilwasspangledwithsmallcherry-red flowerssown in thesnowwiththebloodofthewounded.

Our tanks, on the opposite slope, had seen our flares.Theymoved in to support ouradvance.Theirshellsopenedbreachesforus,andweoccupiedthecrestofthetown,fromwhere our machine guns hammered the enemy. Just a few scuffles more, savage butdecisive, and the Soviets were driven from the whole sector, pushed back toward thewoodsinthenortheast.

The 2ndCompany had demonstrated its prowess, and itsmost audacious combatantsjoineduswithloudenthusiasm.Irdynwastaken.MorethaneightySovietcorpses,fallenin the hand-to-hand fighting, were littered about, legs apart, hands sticky with blood.Numerous wounded men were crawling in the snow. One Russian, a single one, hadsurrenderedintact.

The German engineers proceeded slowly and methodically, as always. Luckily thevillagewasemptyofcivilians.Thefortifiedbunkers,blastedbymines,flewintotheair,then fell backdownas flat as boards.The entirekolkhozwaved the great gold and red

flagsofconflagrationagainst thecrystallineskyofdawn.OnemorehourandtheReds’entireinstallationwouldbeannihilated.

Wesoonsawthatthishourwouldbeanhourofhell.

The noise of combat had promptly alerted the whole forest. Soviet reinforcementsarrivedfromallsides.Theenemy,thrownbackintothesteepwoods,pouredfireonthevillage. SelectedRussian snipers had scaled the trees.Wehad formed a line just at theedgeofthewoods,butwewereenduringawitheringfire.

TheGermanengineershurried:theystillhadtocarrytheirtaskthroughtotheend.Theenemy swirled aroundus, hemmedus in.Whatwouldwedowhen itwas time for ourcolumn to retreat, to re-enter the sticky mire of the marshes and cross those threekilometersoutintheopen?

Iorderedthreequartersofthetrooptobeginretreating.Meanwhilewewouldcarryoutcounter-attackaftercounter-attack.

At the end of an hour, the greater part of the columnwas out of firing range of theSovietmachineguns.Wecouldseemenstrugglinglikeflies in theglueof themarshes.They,inanycase,weresaved.

Theengineersfinishedtheirtitanicworkcompletely.Theydrewbackinturn.Nothingwasleftforusbuttogetaway.

Itwouldnotbeeasy.

Ittookusthreehourstocrossthethreekilometersofmuddybottomland.

Ihadsetuppositionswithseveralmachinegunsoutsidethevillagealongarail trackusedbeforethewartotransportpeatfromthemarshes.Fromthisrampartwedidasmuchshootingaswecouldtokeeptheenemypinneddownoutsidethewoods.

Thegreaterpartofmyrearguardplatoonhadenteredthemarshes,carryingthelastofthe wounded. Some among them knew that they were done for. A young Parisianmetallurgist (wehadaboutahundredFrenchvolunteers inourbrigade)hadhadanarmtornoffandhisbellyopened.Mangledashewas,heinsistedthatweprophimupagainstahaystack.“Iwanttodiestandingupwatchingmybuddiesfight,”hesaidsimply.

Most of the wounded could no longer walk. One ofmy “boys” had had both lungspunctured.Lying,torsonaked,againstthesnowwithtwolittlepinkholesquiveringinhissallowskin,hisfacewasabsolutelygreen.Wefeltwemustsavethesepoorboysatanyprice.The strongest amonguscarried themonourbacks,but themudkeptgivingwayunderfoot.Whenwecrosseddeepstreams,thewoundedmenwouldfall,disappearingintotheicywater,fromwhichwepulledthemoutonlywithgreatdifficulty.

Wetookturnscoveringthislastretreatintwosmallteams.Aswefired,theotherteamwouldtakepositionahundredmetersbehindus.Whentheywerereadytoopenfirewewouldrunroundtheflankstotakepositionahundredmetersfurtheron.

Oneofmylastcompanionshadbeenhorriblywoundedinthebelly.Eachofuscarriedhim in turn as bestwe could.Our backswere completely drenchedwith his blood.We

wereabletodraghimalongwithusuntiltheendofthefight,buthediedtwodayslater,inpain,butfree.

AtnoonwefinallyreachedStaroselye’shillattheendofthemarshes,withouthavingabandonedasinglewoundedmanandwithoutlosingourSovietprisoner,soimportanttotheHighCommand.

WerejoinedourPanzersalongsteeppaths,carryingourbleedingcompanionsonlittersofbranches.

Oursuccesshadbeencomplete.Irdynwasannihilated.Butourfaceswerestrained;ourthoughtswere elsewhere.We climbed up into our trucks, surprised and dispirited at somuchroom.

FESTIVITIES

ForChristmasof1943eachhuthadsetupaChristmastree,whitenedwithcottonwooltakenfromthemedics.

At the front Ihadnever seenChristmasbeanythingbut sad.Menwoulddrink, sing,joke. For an hour everythingwas fine. Then eachwould recallChristmas at home: theblushingcheeks,thedazzledchildren,thetenderwife,thesweetsongs.Eyeswouldgazeintothedistancewithafar-awaylook,seeinghamletsandroomsoncefilledwithjoy.Asoldierwouldleave,andwewouldfindhimcryingallalonebeneaththemoon.

Thateveningtherewerefifteensuicidesinthedivision,heartsbrokenfromthestrainofsomanymonthsofseparationandsuffering.

I hadwanted to visit all our volunteers’ bunkers.Amid the snowand the darkness, Imade some ten kilometers, entering each smoky shelter. Some squads, the youngespecially,were putting a good face on things andwhooping it up, but I found a greatmany more grave faces than smiling ones. One soldier who could contain himself nolongerhadthrownhimselftotheearthandlaysobbingagainstthegroundcallingforhisparents.

Atexactlymidnight,atthemomentwhenthosewhowerestillbrazeningitouthadjuststartedtointone“OHolyNight,”theskyburstintoflames:itwasn’ttheHeraldAngels,northetrumpetsofBethlehem.Itwasanattack!TheReds,thinkingthatbythistimeourmenwouldbeunderthetable,hadopenedfirewithalltheirartilleryandwerehasteningtothecombat.

Infactthiswasarelief.Weleapedup.Andinthesnowilluminatedbyshells,bytracerbullets,bytheflashofcannonfire,bythered,green,andwhiteflaresofthesignalers,wespentourChristmasEvepreventingaragingenemyfromcrossingtheOlshankaRiver.

Atdawnthefiring letup.OurchaplaingaveCommunion to the troops,whowentupfrom their positions, squad by squad, to theOrthodox chapelwhere ourWalloon priestdressedinFeldgraujoinedinatrulyChristianfashionwiththeoldRussianvillagepriestinhispurplemiter.

There sad and bitter heartswere soothed. Their parents,wives, and beloved childrenhadheardthesameMassbackhomeandreceivedthesameEucharist.Thesoldierswent

back down with simple souls, pure as the great white steppe that glistened in theChristmasafternoon.

AroundthelittleisbathatIusedasanobservationandcommandpost,thegrenadesandshellshadgashedorblownupallthebuildings.Mylittlehouse,withitsthreebarecherrytrees and its iced-up well, was somehow still standing after the blitz. The old peasantwomanwould lookwithhorror at the jaggedholes in thewalls, and thenquickly retireintotheblacknessofhershanty,crossingherselfseveraltimes.

ThetwoneighborwomenhadbeentorntoshredsonChristmasDay,justastheyweredrinkingtheirborscht.Theshellhadcomestraightinthroughalittlewindow.

Atthefrontdeathiseverywhere.Onehasonlytoloseone’sheadforaninstant,orstepbackwards,tobestruckdown.

Incombat,afrightenedmanisadeadman.Couragemakesamanpowerful,ratherthanvulnerable.Deathcanbeintimidated,butitmustbelookedrightintheface.

NewYear’s,1944,arrived.

WewantedittobethethirdorfourthofJanuary,fortheyeartofinallybeunderway,forthedays tobecome justordinarydaysagain,whenyoudon’t think,or thinkas little aspossible.

Butwehadtoanticipateanewstrikefromtherascalsacrosstheway.Wouldn’ttheybelikelytoreplaythesuddenthrustofChristmasEveatthestrokeofmidnight?

We received orders to anticipate the enemy. It was we who would attack this NewYear’sEve.

Two platoons of my company entered the darkness of the snowy plain, crossed thewater,andspreadoutintothetangledbushes.

MythirdplatoonhadcrossedtheOlshankaonekilometertoourright.Itsmissionwaspurelyprovocative,togobehindthebramblesseveralhundredmeterstothesouthofthevillageofSakrevkaandopenheavyfiresothattheenemywouldhastenenmasseinthatdirection.Thenmy twootherplatoonswouldstorm the redoubts facingourpositionsatBaibusy.

Oursoldierscharged.Theythrewtheenemyintototalconfusion.

We returned at dawn. I carried onmyback a young volunteerwho, first to charge aSovietbunker,hadrunrightintoasubmachine-gunblast.

Althoughbothhiskneeswerecrushed,hedidn’tsomuchasmoan.Hishair,fineasachild’s,wasstuckinlittlecurlstohismoistbrow.Poorkid,tosufferatrociousmutilationandmartyrdomattheveryhourwhenallovertheworldmillionsofhumanbeingswerefinishinganightofcarousing.

FirstofJanuary,fiveo’clockinthemorning.Asoftredsunwasrisingabovethewhiteand rust-colored forest. The steppewas no longer blue. In the valley, theweapons hadgrownstill.Everywhere in theworldat thismoment,peopleweredancing;peopleweredrinking;womenwerelaughing;andthefacesofdrunkenmenborethestigmataofallthe

vices thatburdened them.And in theday slowly risingover thewhite steppe, abrokenyoungsterwasgoingtodiebecausehehadbelievedinsomethinggreat,becauseanidealpureandstronghadbroughthimtothesacrifice.

ThatmorningnearmyisbaIsadlylaiduponthediamond-likesnowthischildwithhisfrozencurls.Hiseyeshadceasedtolookuponaworldwhosebasenesshehadbeenabletomeasureandforwhosesalvationhehaddied.

SAKREVKA

1944beganbadly.

TheSoviettroopswerethrustingpowerfullytothenortheastaswellastothesoutheastofoursector.Theiradvancewas impressiveandundeniable.Nonetheless,nota traceofanxiety appeared in the orders that we received. We were deemed installed at theconfluenceoftheOlshankaandtheDnieperuntiltheendoftheworld.

Some actresses fromBerlin had even arrived a fewkilometers behind our lines. Themotorcycledispatchriders,whohadnomorethansplashedthesewar-likeloveliesastheypassed,describedtheircharmswithfeverisheloquence.

Nevertheless, every day the huge jaws of the Soviet pincerwere drawing closer andcloserbehindus.

But itwasn’tup tous toworryaboutsuchcontingencies.Forasoldier thewar ishissector.Therestisthebusinessofgeneralsandjournalists.

The Assault Brigade Wallonia received orders to proceed, just before the dawn ofJanuary 4, to an operation that would include our tanks. Our goal was the village ofSakrevka,whichwehadalreadyoverrunduringthenightofJanuary1.Thistimeweweresupposedtoblowupfortificationsconstructeddeepintheforestbeyondthehamlet.

Aboveall,theytoldus,bringbacksomeprisoners.

In 1941 and 1942we didn’t knowwhere to put them all. Now, however, the Sovietsoldiers were fighting to the death or slipping between our fingers like grass snakes.General Gille, commandant of the Viking, wanted at least five prisoners so thatverificationofourintelligencewouldbepossible.

The1stCompanywouldcrosstheOlshankaatthreeo’clockinthemorningandhideinthe enemy-held forest northeast of Sakrevka to prevent Soviet reinforcements fromarrivingduringthebattle.Mycompanywouldcrosstheriveroninflatableboatsat2:00a.m.andslipuptothewesternentrancetoSakrevkatoawaitthehourofassault.The2ndCompanywouldattackfromthesouth,comingfromStaroselyebytheforestroute.

Duringthenighttheengineerswoulddiscreetlydetectanyminesinthisroad.At5:00a.m.thetankswouldstart,carryingthemassofourmenontheirarmor.TheywouldspeedtowardSakrevka.Theinfantrywouldthenattack,deployedbetweenthePanzers.

Itwasachancyoperation.

Ourtankscouldhitminesandblowupenroute,andatthefrontweaponsareofprimary

importance.

MycompanywasconcealednotfarfromtheOlshankaataboutthreehundredmeterstothenorthof theenemy’s lookouts.Our longwhitegreatcoatsblendedperfectlywith thesnow.Imovedrightdowntothewaterlineinthedensedarknessandstayedthereformorethan an hour,my ear glued to the ground.Not a step sounded on the frozen earth.Nosplashdisturbedthewater’sflow.

Theengineershadfinishedinflatingourdinghies.Theylaunchedthemquietlyontotheblackwater.

Wehadtostretchacable,forthecurrentwasstrong.Onehundredmenpassed,boatbyboat,totherightbank.

Westillhadtocrossaboutathousandmetersbeforereachingtheforest.Frommylittlecommand post, just in front of Sakrevka, I listened to thewhistling of thewind, everynervestraining.Thewindwasblowingonthesteppe,butitbroughtnoothernoise,neitherthewailingofavampire(eitherrealorfalse)northeclickofatrigger.

Mymenhadreachedthewoodedhills.

Timepassed.Soonweheardthefar-offrumbleofourtanksenteringtheforestbythesouthernroute.Alreadyourengineershadpenetrated theSoviet lines, finding theminesand discreetly unearthing them. The forest teemed with mute presences. My stomachknottedasIthoughtofthesecourageousboyswho,withoutdramatics,wereadvancingintheicynight,orworkingorwaitingorcrawlinginthesnowtotransmitorders.

Itwasalmost5:00a.m.Thetanktreadsmadearumbleandaclatterofsteel.TheRedsoccupying the outskirts of the forest to the south hadn’t even had time to wake upproperly.Oursoldiers,leapingfromthetanks,rushedintotheshelters,grenadesinhands.

Dazed, the Russians had hastily seized their submachine guns, but the surprise wascomplete.Everyonewasovercome:killed,wounded,ortakenprisoner.Withoutstopping,ourtankscontinuedtheiradvance,sowingterroracrosstheforest.

Ibeganfiringattackflaresassoonasthe2ndCompany’sflareshadsenttheirdazzlingarcsintothesky.OnepartyofmymenrushedacrossSakrevkafromthenortheastandtheeast,behindtheenemy,tomeetourtankscomingfromthesouth.Theothersflushedandroutedthemenoperatingtheanti-tankweaponsonthewoodedcrests.

The hand-to-hand fighting, in which the Walloons were without peer, decided thebusiness.TheSovietofficerwhocommandedtheartillerybatteriesblewhimselfupwithagrenadewhenhesawthathisgunswerelost.

Dozensof individual combats tookplace at the footof the forest.Menwere runningeach other through in the isbas, in the ravines, around the haystacks. One of ourcommunicationssquadswascorneredattheeasternextremityofthebattlefield.Inafewseconds the five specialists, burdened by their reels and telephones,were overwhelmedanddraggedintothewoods,nevertobeseenagain.

Oneofourtankshadbeenhit,butwewereabletorepairitwithouttoomuchdifficulty.Wemadeanimpressivehaul:everythingtobefoundinSakrevka.

WebroughtbackmorethanthirtySovietprisoners,intattersasalways,butasstrongasbeastsand,forthatmatter,livinglikethem,beddinginanylair,wrappedingrimyrags.

Thesecrudesoldierswouldliveonwhattheyfoundintheisbasorinthewinterfieldsorwhattheycouldtakeoffcorpses:moldyheadsofsunflowers,muddyearsofcorn,stalebread.

They had the brute endurance of cavemen, but they possessed, besides their brutestrength, ultra-modern submachineguns that took clips of seventy rounds. In the stickyknapsacksfastenedtotheirbacksbyacoarsecordtheykeptthewherewithaltofightforaweek,twoweeks,hiddeninthebramblesataforestcrossingorattheentrytoavillage.

Theseshaggygiants,theselop-earedMongolswithmelon-shapedheads,scrubbyblackhair,andcheeksasflatasslicesofporkrind,thesefelineAsiaticswithbright,beadyeyes,unwashed, ragged, indefatigable, looked like prehistoric monsters alongside our youngsoldierswiththeirslenderbodies,theirgreyhoundwaists,andtheirfineskin.

We herded back this rabble as if we had seized wild boars in their wallows. Theircoarse, savage faces laughedbecausewehadn’t killed themandbecausewegave themcigarettes.

Butifwehadtakenthirtysavages,therewerestilltenthousandacrosstheway.Therewerehundredsofthousandstotheeast,tothenortheast,andtothesoutheast.

Theseshaggymasseswereadvancing.

Alreadywecouldfeelthepressureofthehorde.

FIRSTCRACKS

TheSovietarmiespouringdownfromthenorthandtheSovietarmiesunleashedinthesoutheastwere coming closer and closer together. In thewest, eighty kilometers to ourrear, anopeningofnotmore thanahundredand fiftykilometers remainedbetween thetwoSovietwingsclosingthegap.

By January 7 and 8, 1944, we could well believe that everything was lost on theDnieper.Thrustingfromthenortheast, theRedtankshaddashedacross therear linesoftheGermanfront,spikingthroughahundredkilometersintwostages.

TheSoviets’methodsweresimple.Theystuffedsomeoftheirtanksfullofsubmachinegunsandclips.Thentheyinvadedthetownspell-mellwithfive,six,ortentanksatonceand immediately assembled the civilian population. Every available ragamuffin, everybarefoot boy received an automatic weapon. An hour later, without any other combattraining,twohundred,threehundredbashibazouks30inragswouldaccompanythetanksoftheUSSR.

TheSovietarmyreplenisheditselfthuswithoutdifficultyandwithoutinstructionasitsthrustsprogressed.Thesereservesofhuman“materiel”wereinpracticeinexhaustible.

FortunatelytheRedthrustofJanuary7and8,1944,hadbeenonlyaluckybutisolatedstrike,magnificentlyaudacious.Unaided,afewdozenSoviettankshadforcedapassageandwithoutstoppinghadcarriedtheirextraordinaryhullabalooahundredkilometersdeep

behindthefront.

The German tanks, hastily redeployed, ended up boxing them in. The Russian tankcrewmenranoutofgas.Thentheytriedtohidetheirtanksinthecopsesandthickets,buttheywereallspottedwithintwoorthreedaysanddestroyedoneafteranother.

Butthealerthadbeensharp.IftheSovietshadsentastrongerforce,thestrikewouldhavedefinitelysucceeded.

Totellthetruth,ourpositionatthatpointontheDnieperwasuntenable.Weoccupiedthe tipofa long lance.TheVikingDivisionand theAssaultBrigadeWalloniawere theonlysoutheastforcesstillpositionedonthegreatUkrainianriver.Soonerorlaterweweregoingtobecutoff.

Uponourarrival inNovember1943, itwasalreadyevident thatweweredoomed.Atthebeginningof January1944, the truthof thiswasmoreoverwhelming still.Only theeliminationofour salient anda rigorous realignmentof the front could, if itweredonequickly,saveusfromcertainencirclement.

Wethoughtthatthehigher-upshadunderstoodoursituation,forwereceivedorderstodisengage,topullbackandrepositionourselvesonasecondlinedrawntwentykilometersfurthertothesouthwest.

Thiswasn’tbrilliant,butitwasdoubtlessafirststep.

Theretreatwassupposedtotakeplaceatmidnight.Wehadalreadyreconnoiteredthenewpositions.Everythingwasready.

At eleven o’clock in the evening a counter-order from the division canceled all thearrangements. Hitler himself had vehemently insisted that we stay on the Dnieper. ToabandontheDnieperwouldbetoacceptamoraldefeat.Itwouldalsomeanlosingthelastposition on the river that might one day serve as a point of departure for a GermanoffensivetowardsKharkovandtheDonets.Inanycase,thecountermandwasofficial.

Thesoldiers,conservativebynature,andwho,for thatmatter,understoodlittleof thesituation,gotbackdownfromthetrucksandphilosophicallytookuptheirpositionsonceagainon theconfluenceof theOlshankaand theDnieper.Butwewhoheard theSovietcommuniqués on the radio every day andwhoweremarking out on themap the two-pronged advance of the enemy to the north and southeast, we knew that we were inextremedanger.

Formidable blows were rocking the whole sector. The Viking Division had had towithdrawhalfitsstrengthfromtheDniepertosendthemwestofthecityofCherkassy.

Inthissecondsector,theforestofTeclinoformedaformidabletrianglethatjuttedoutlikeawedge.IthadfallenentirelyintoSoviethands,andallcounter-attackshadbeeninvain.

GeneralGilledecidedtosendtheWalloonstoattackthiswoodedmassif.

On theeveningof January13,1944,we left thebankof theOlshanka in thegreatest

secrecy.Onenight’s journey inourheavy trucks tookus throughsnowand ice toafewkilometerswestoftheblueforestofTeclino.

TECLINO

TheassaultofTeclinowastotakeplacetheverynextday,January15,1944.

The officers went to reconnoiter the staging positions before nightfall. For severalkilometerswefollowedthehighwayleadingtoCherkassy.Weturnedofftotheleftontoaruttedpathleadingtoanaspengrove.Fromtherewecouldseethewholeregion.

HugesnowfieldssweptuptowardtheforestofTeclino.Thisone,narrowenoughinthebeginning,broadenedmoreandmoretowardtheeast.

Eachcompanycommanderreceivedhismissionandcomparedhismapsandtheterrain.Dusk fell. The woods were nothing but a huge purple tapestry. Deeply worried, wewatchedthesespotlessfields,theseblueravines,throughwhichourmenwouldclimbatnight to the forest where the enemy lurked, massively fortified, according to Germansurvivorsoffruitlesscounter-attacks.

The division’s artillery regiment was to support us. It had been positioned at fullstrengthbehindthewesterncrests.

Severaldaysearlier Ihadbecomeaide-de-campto thecommanderofourbrigade.Atthreeo’clockinthemorningheandImetwithGeneralGille.

Weinstalledourselvesinalittlecommandpostconnectedbytelephonetoeachofourcompanies.

Sinceoneo’clockinthemorningtheyhadbeenstealingintotheravinesandmountingcat-footedtooccupytheirpositionsfortheassault.LightwhitesledslikeFinnishsleighsweresilentlybringingtheammunitionreservesacrossthethicksnow.Everyquarterhourat the other end of the wire the almost inaudible voices of the company commanderswouldreportontheirprogress.

At four o’clock in themorning the artillery barrage crashed onto the outskirts of theforest.

The guns of the Viking Division were old. They had done one and a half years ofcampaign in Russia without an overhaul. We had to perform incredibly complicatedcalculations to regulate our fire, yet the firewasmagnificently accurate. Four thousandshells swept downonto the enemy, pulverized his trenches one by one, cut the oaks toshredswithincredibleforce.

Oursoldiers,bowedunderthisprodigiousroofofshellfire,theirearsringing,theireyeswide,rushedtotheassaultatthepreciseinstantwhentheartillerylengtheneditsrange.

My old company, the 3rd Company, threw itself into the hand-to-hand fightingwithsuch impetuosity that itpromptly lostcontactwith therestof thebrigade.Afteranepicclimb it seized two terribly steep hills as bare as cliffs, from the heights of which theRussiansdoggedlycontinuedtofightintheoverruntrenchesdespitethebombardment.

Someyoungwomensoldierswereparticularlyferocious,howling,madwithfury.

Oursoldiersweren’tusedtokillingwomen.Andthesewerepretty.Oneespeciallywithaprettilyfreckledfacefought likea tiger.Hersmallwhitebreasthadpoppedoutofherkhakitunicinthefuryofbattle.Shediedthus.Thefrecklesshoneonherfacelikewinterheather,andherbreast,smallandfrozen,glowedsoftly.After thebattlewecoveredherwithsnowsothattheweightofDeathwouldbelightonherremains.

Leaping beyond these positions, so bitterly defended, the 3rdCompany straightawaybegananassaultontheotherbunkersoftheforest.Thesewerescatteredoverabreadthoffour kilometers. At the end of one kilometer our decimated company was holding theterrainwithdifficulty,waitinginvainfortherestofthebrigadetoalignitselfonitsrightwing.

Theothercompanieshadhadahardtimeofit.

Theyhadbeenabletopenetratefivehundredmetersintothehillyforestonlywithgreatdifficulty.Thecombatwasstubborn.TheVikingDivision’sartillerysupportedthetroops’efforts,flatteningtheRedsduginbeneaththetreesatthetopofaseriesofcrests.

Itwasthenthatthecounter-batteriesoftheSovietsintervened.Theyhad,totheeastoftheforest,some“Stalin’sorgans”:astonishingpairedrocketlauncherswiththirty-sixtubesthatcouldriddleawholesectorinaninstantunderafrighteningbarrageofexplosives.Inonehourwehad125killedandwounded.

Fromthecommandpostwesawour little sledscomedown thesnowyhill, eachonecarryingawoundedman.Thefieldambulancewasfull.Dozensofwretches,stretchedoutonthesnowshiveringandhalf-naked,theirbloodcakedbythecold,agonizinglywaitedtheir turnwhile themedicswentbackandforthunendinglywith their reddenedsleds tothebloodyforest.

Then the Soviets counter-attacked, repulsing our brigade. Only the 3rd Companyremained,holdingitsridges,cutofffromeverybodyfromthenon.

We ran, the commander and I, to try to check the retreat. But the Soviet push wasphenomenallyviolent.Wecouldforeseethemomentwhen,apartfromthe3rdCompany,lostinthedepthsofthewoods,theentirebrigadewouldbechasedfromitsoutpostsintheforestandpushedbackintothebarefields,wheretheroutwouldbecomeamassacre.

Atfiveo’clockintheeveningthesituationstabilized,butwasstill tragicnonetheless.Theforesthadnotbeentaken.Thebrigadeheldonlytwohundredmetersatthefringeofthewoods.The3rdCompanywaslost.Wedidn’tknowexactlywhereitwas.Itcouldbewipedoutatanytime.

We held had an impromptu council of war in an isba at the bottom of the valley.Everyonenoddedhisheaddolefully.GeneralGille,aswashishabit,waitedtenminuteswithout saying anything. He had prominent cheekbones, clenched jaws, and hard eyeswhenheliftedhisfaceandstoodup.

“Theattackwillcontinue,”hesaidsimply.Helookedusstraightintheeye,withoutasmile.

“Andyouwilltaketheforest,”headded.

Aglacialnightfell.

Itwasminus20degreesCelsius.

Themen,at theedgeof theoakforest,hadnowhereto liedownandcouldn’tbuildafire.Theywerefreezingtodeathinspiteoftheirwinterequipment.Theywouldhuddleinaheapinthesnowwhilethesentinelskeptwatchinfrontofthem.

Theengineersunrolledtheirbarbedwireandfasteneditfromtreetotree, thenminedthe terrainexceptfornarrowpassages,almost imperceptiblymarked, throughwhichourreconnaissancepatrolscouldslip.

Wetriedtoestablishcontactwiththe3rdCompany.Aplatooncomposedexclusivelyofvolunteers started into the woods towards the northeast. But our information wasinaccurate.Infact,the3rdCompanyhadnotadvancedasfaraswethought.OurplatoonwenttoofartotheeastandranintopowerfulSovietpositions.Therewasamonstermeleeinthenight.Ourplatoonleader,acolossusaswideasahouse,thelifeofthepartyofhiscompany, threw himself with all his weight right into themiddle of an enemy bunker.Theybroughthimback,hisgutsrippedopenbysubmachine-gunfire.Atthefirst-aidposthe panted like a locomotive. They cared for himwithoutmuch hope, but he recoverednonetheless. Eight months later he returned to our garrison at Breslau, as massive asbefore,hisbreastdecoratedwiththeIronCrossFirstClass.

But the frightful wounds in his lower belly, although scarred over, had permanentlyimpairedhishealth.Attheendofafewweeksherealizedthathecouldneveragainliveliketheothers.Sohetookaone-kilogramminefromthearmory,wenttothebankoftheOder,andblewhimselfup.

Ontheriverbankwefoundalungandseveralvertebrae.Thatwasall.Onhislittletableat the barracks he had left these words: “I don’t want to be half a man. Farewell myfriends!VivelaLegion!”

Thenightattackof thisSpartan’splatoonyieldednoresults.Our3rdCompanycouldnotbefound.ThenextmorningItriedtolookforouryoungcomradesalone.

Thearmorofourbrigadewashiddenonthenorthernedgeoftheforest.IlaydownflatonmystomachonthearmorofoneoftheSturmgeschütze31andfollowedthesteppetwokilometers east of our staging attack the previous evening. It was there, headquartersthought,thatthelostcompanymustbe.

Theywerewrong.Itwasonlyhalfwaytothispoint.Ienteredtheoakforestakilometertoofar.Stunnedbutpowerlesstodoanything,ourlostsoldierssawthetankemergefarinfrontofthemandputmedownrightinthemiddleoftheSovietsector.

ThefierywelcomeIreceivednearthefirsttreesquicklyconvincedmetherewerefewfriendstobediscoveredhere.Thetankdriverbroughtmebackwithgreatdifficultyamidtwentyshowersofearthandsnowthrownupbyshellbursts.

Butthatafternoontheengineerswhowerestringingtheirreelsofbarbedwirebetweentheoaks as far as possible towards thenortheast stumbledonto several boysof the3rd

Companywhowereholdingthesoutheasternendoftheirsector.Thepoorladswerebluewithcold.TheywereencampedamidsometwentyRussiancorpses.Wequicklylinkedupwiththem,consolidatingourliaisonwithhundredsofmines.Bynightfall,finally,wehadacontinuousfront.

Butwhatanight!

The3rdCompanywasholdingthecrestsithadtaken.Inthesubsoilbelowthemtheyfounda sortof tombs,dugbefore the frost, intowhich twoor threemenatmostmightslip.Thesemole-holes,realSovietspecialties,wereashighasacoffin.TheSovietswouldspreaddryleavesinthemand,onceinsidetheden,wouldclosetheopeningwithanoldpieceofcanvasorhorsehaircloth.Intheseburrowswherenoonecouldenterexceptbycrawling,Mongols,Tartars,andSiberiansclungtogetheroneagainstanother,makingoneanothercomfortable,likethebeasts,bymeansoftheiranimalwarmthalone.

Ouryoungpeoplehadtakentheplaceofthemuzhiks,whosebodies,shriveledandhardasstone,werescatteredaboutoutside.Onthesetwosheercrestsaloneourvolunteershadcaptured seven Soviet cannons. The German artillery had aided them powerfully. Theterrainwascompletelycutup,everytreemoweddownorsplit,slashedahundredtimes.Clusters of bodieswere all tangled together, deadhands still clutchingbandages, roundandhairyfacesfromKirghizstan,theirbeardsredwithfrozenblood,girlsinkhaki,fallenontheirbacks,theirhairinthesnow.

Forourchild-soldiersthismacabrecohabitationinthefreezingnightwasghastly.LikethefamousWalloon“Greenhorns”of theEmpressMaria-Theresa, theyhadamongthemallbarelytenortwelvewispsofblonddownontheirchins.32

The other companies were camped on ground like concrete. We managed to buildmakeshiftbunkersthereatnightonlybydraggingpilesoftreetrunksacrossthesnowandarranging themasbestwecould.Wehuddled together, feeling thecoldslice throughusrighttothemarrow.

OnJanuary17,1944,GeneralGillecametoascertainthestateofthesector.

A tank followed his reconnaissance vehicle. It was full of chocolate, cigarettes, andcognac.Thesoldiersunderstoodperfectlywhatthisdistributionmeant:weweregoingtoattackagain.

Itwashardlycredible.

Themen’sfacesweresallowandgreenasleeks,justlikethefacesofthedeadSovietstoppledeverywhereinthesnow.

Night,whichwouldcoverourpreparations,camesharpandcrystalline.

SEVENHUNDREDBUNKERS

Tosendourentirebrigade into theattackontheforestofTeclino,ason thefirstday,wouldhavebeentosendittocertaindeath.

Wecouldno longer count on the effect of surprise.TheSovietswereholding all thehigh ground in the heart of the forest. Only the sort of audacious strike at which oursoldiersexcelledmightrenderanewattackpossible.

It was agreed that at midnight five groups of Walloons, armed with machine guns,wouldslip throughthenarrowpassages inourminefields.Theywould infiltratedeeplyintotheenemypositions.Theyhadorderstopenetrateatleasteighthundredmeters.Ifoneof these squads should attract the attention of the Soviets, one man was to sacrificehimselfandpretend to flee, so that theenemywould think theyhad todoonlywithanisolatedscout.

Thegoalwasnottoreconnoitertheterrain,buttohideandremainthere.Undercoverofdarkness our groupswould crouch among or behind the enemy positions at points thatgave themost command of the terrain. From there, at dawn, at themoment when ourbrigadebegantheassault,theywouldunleashthefullforceoftheirgunsinadevastatingfire onto the Bolsheviks, whowould be dazed to find themselves attacked in somanyplacesinsidetheirlinesandevenintheircounter-dikes.

Thefivegroupsallcomprisedhighlymotivatedvolunteers.TwoWalloonswouldstayamong the enemy to man each machine gun. A third would try to regain our lines toinform us of the outcome of this extraordinary mission and give us precise referencepoints.

Highoverhead, crystalline stars trembledhereand there, and theerminedhaloof themoon’sreddiskshimmeredbetweenthemightycrownsofthegreatoaks.Butunderthedomesofthebranchesthedarknesswasthick,piercedonlybytheblueglimmerofafewlunarflowersstrewnwhereafallentreehadtorntheblacklaceofthesky.

Forhourswehadbeenwatchingtheshadows.

TheSoviets,too,wereprobingallaround.ThreetimesRedsoldierswereblownupononeofourmines ingreat red flashes.Our lookouts receiveda shockeach time, for theexplosions tookplacewithina fewmetersofour logposts. “Anotherone!” theywouldmutter,rubbingtheirfrozennoseswithsnow.Thensilencewouldreignonceagaininthegloomyforest.

Finallyitwasmidnight.Ourboys,carryingtheirmachineguns,advancedtothesecretcorridorsthatourengineershadleftfreeofmines.

Twohours,threehoursofwaiting,andtheanxietydiminished.

Thecoldwashorrible;wewerecoldifwewalked,wewerecoldifwedidn’twalk.Thewoodscontinuedtobeshakenfromtimetotimebythefierysprayasamuzhiktouchedthetripwireofoneofourmineswithhispaddedfoot.

Eachofourlookoutsscannedtheforestuntilhiseyesalmostpoppedoutofhishead.Iftheraidshadsucceeded,ourmessengersshouldsoonarriveinfrontofourminedbarbed-wire.Theytoowerebeingstalkedbydeath,justliketheRussians.

Amineblewup.“Help!Help!”criedavoice.Itwasthefirstofourcomrades,whohadsetoffanenemymine.

Hedraggedhimselfthroughtheblackness.Wecouldhearhimcrawlingtowardus,hisbreathlabored.Asecondexplosionshookus,moreterribleeventhanthefirst.Thepoorwretchhadtriggeredoneofourownminesthistime.

Wehadtogoandpickhimup,abundleofmangledfleshlyingthereamidhisscatteredintestines.He still had the strength to tell us that the others had succeeded and that allwouldgowell.

For the sakeof theothermessengerswhohad to chance this trip across themazeofSovietmines,we began calling out from time to time. Four timeswe heard awhisper.“Don’tmove,someoneiscoming!”wewouldmurmur,andabravecomradewouldslipthrough the narrow mine-free passage to guide the messenger and bring him to thecommandpost.

At four o’clock complete success was confirmed. The five groups had postedthemselvesatleastathousandmetersinfrontofouravenuesofattack.Oneofthemwasinstalledthirteenhundredmetersahead,behindthesecondenemyline.

Itwaswonderful.

At fiveo’clock,when thewoodswerebeginning topurplewith the first lightofday,eachofour companies crossed themine-freepassageof its sector,markedby two littlewhiteribbons.

Wenowhadonlytochargetheenemy.

Itwasawell-preparedoperation.Thefieldtelephoneadvancedalongsidethecompanycommanders, so that each one of these knew the general state of progress minute byminute. On the right wing the hilltops were promptly taken. The groups of machine-gunners, astutelyplaced,hadevidentlyworkedmiracles from thebeginningof the fray.HeapsofSovietdeadwerepilingupontheedgeofthehills.

The center had paralleled the movement across easier terrain. As for the left wing,supportedbythetanksthatadvancedalongthelengthofthewoodsandfuriouslybatteredthenorthoftheoakforest,itsadvancewasveryrapid.

ByspecialinvitationIhadoncemoretakencommandofthe3rdCompanyforseveralhours.Iprecededthemainbodyofmycadetsbyaboutthirtymetersinordertoavoidanyunnecessarycasualties.Thegroundwascoveredbyhalfameterofsnow.Theenemy,sureofhistrap,waswaiting.

Therewasahugeexplosion.Thefirst threeboyswhofollowedtwentymetersbehindme,practicallyinthetracksofmyboots,hadjustbeenblownuponaminefield.Ihadgotthrough without touching a single wire among a hundred and fifty explosives strungtogetherineverydirection.Theothershadbeenlesslucky,alas!Theirlegswerehorriblyslashed.Within fiveminutes their bloody feetwere totally frozen, irremediably frozen,ivory-coloredandashardasstone.

TheRussianwinterwaspitiless.Aseriouswoundtoanylimbmeantadeadlimb.Sledstook away the mutilated men while our advance continued. The enemy was stronglybarricaded.Thefightlastedalongtime.Wefoughtuntilevening.Thenextday,veryearly,

weoccupiedtheforesttotally.

Before our assault the German artillery had pulverized the enemy positions one lasttime.Wehadtostepoverahardenedbodyeverymeter,andscatteredontheearthnearit,abrownkepi,asubmachinegun,andsomestalebread.Butpriortothefinalhand-to-handfighting, the Reds had treated their prisoners horribly. One young SS man had beencrucifiedalive.Anotherwaslyingthere,hisbellyandlegsbrownwithcongealedblood:themonstershadcutoffhissexualorgansandstuffedthemintohismouth.

Inspiteofthevictory,thisvisionofsavageryterrifiedus.

Infourdaysofbattlewehadcapturedsevenhundredbunkers.

Latviansinlongwhitejacketscametorelieveus.

Twohundredmetersbelowourtrenches,thevalleyshone.Thegreatforestatourbackwasfree.Onceagainithadtakenonitspeacefulcolors:white,blue,lilac.Thecorpseshadbecomeasstiffastreebranches.Theywerenolongerasfrighteningasonthefirstday.

Ourcompaniesdisengagedonebyone.Thebigtrucksofthebrigadewerewaitingforusbelowthevalley.Weleftbyasnowypaththatfollowedalongtheheights,turningbackoftentolookatthetriangleoftheforestofTeclinointhedistance.

Anever-smallertriangle.Butalreadythefuturewaselsewhere.

THECLOSEDTRAP

Tendayshadyettopassbeforethegreatdrama.

WehadagaintakenupourpositionsalongtheOlshanka.

Descendingfromthenorth, theSovietarmieshadspread irresistiblyacross thewholebreadthoftheUkraine.TheywereevennearingVinnitsa,twohundredkilometerstoourrear,andthelastgreatrivertheGermansstillheldbeforetheRomanianfrontier,theBug.

Thenorthernarmieswerenolongerseekingtothrottleusinarestrictedencirclement,asatthebeginningofJanuary.Fromnowonagiganticoperationwasinprogress.

TheSovietarmiesofthesoutheasthadsweptintoKirovogradfromtheirside.IftheysucceededinlinkingupwiththearmiesofthesouthwestwewouldallbeencircledinagreatKessel.33

To try toward off thismenace, almost all of theVikingDivisionwas posted to thesoutheasternsector,onourrightwing,whereasbeforeithadbeenonourleftwing,tothenortheast,alongtheDnieperforeightykilometersandthencomingbackuptheOlshankaRiverasfarasourpositionsatthevillageofMoshny.

WehadtoextendourselvesfromMoshnycleartoLosovok,thentotheDnieperitself,thussupportingtheburdenofsomehundredkilometersoffrontallbyourselves.

Ifourcomplementofartillery,anti-tankguns,anti-aircraftguns,andengineerswasstillalmostintact,ourinfantrycompanieshadbeengreatlyweakenedbytwomonthsofraids

andbattles,andhadattheirdisposalfewerthanathousandorsofrontlinetroops.Thusinreality we would have to face the very worst threats with our men spaced out on theaverageattwentyperkilometer.

Wespacedoutourstrongpointsmoreandmore,sothateverynighttheyriskedbeingchokedofforoverrun.

To the northeast of the big bridge atMoshny stretched an irregularwilderness: rust-colored scrub, reeds, sand, bogs.After having crossed kilometers of sombermoors,wereachedourpositionsatLosovok.

Therewehadnomorethanahandfulofsoldiers,onecompanyinall,CaptainDerickx’sSecondCompany,whichhadbeentransferredfromStaroselye.Ithadtocovertheentireeastof thesector, inotherwords thesteppe, the townofLosovok,severalkilometersofbasesonthedunes,andtocompletethepicture,asectionoftherightbankoftheDnieper.

Wewerehappytobethereandtoflyproudlythecolorsofourcountry.Buttheseprettysentimentsaside,ourmenfeltuneasyonthebankofthisgreatmuddyriver,beforethesemagnificentislands,amidstacountrysideriddledwithpitilessenemies.

Thedivisionheadquartershadmoved thirtykilometers to the south.Wehad installedthecommandpostofourbrigadeatBelozerye,whichhadbecomeacentralpointforusfrom then on. There, where yesterday the commander of the Viking Division hadconcentrated his telephone installations, his radio vans, his innumerable vehicles, hisAbteilungen34 of all kinds, his Feldgendarmes35 in every corner, our modest signalsplatoonrattledaroundasinaghosttown.

OnFriday,January28,1944,IwasorderedtothedivisionstaffofficeatGorodishche.The countryside, plantedwith thousands of fruit trees, hadmuch charm.On the snowyhillstheblackorreddishsailsoftallwindmillsstoodoutromantically.

General Gille had his headquarters near the green and white Orthodox church in amodernbuildingthattheSovietaircraftcametomachine-guneveryquarterhour.

Thesuperiorofficerskeptmakingjokes,butthereparteehadafalsering.IwasshownconfidentiallythetextoftheradiotelegramthattheDivisionhadjustsenttoHimmler:“Inthreehours,theencirclementoftheVikingwillhavebeenachieved.”

Nevertheless,noonewantedtobelievethatthiswasacertainty.Someonewouldsurelydo something to come to our rescue. General Gille just stared silently. The Sovietairplanesreappearedincessantly,bombardingthewholequarterfuriously.Inthemidstofall this the Feldgendarmes were ransacking the isbas and pulling out clusters ofmalingerers. The atmosphere was bizarre. Despite their assurances, the officers werevisiblyworried,andthesoldiersweredeadtired.

I returned to Belozerye, sniffing the dry air, admiring the brilliant blue of themarvelouslyclearsky,movedinspiteofallourtroubles.

Backatthecommandposttwohourslater,atelephonecallfromthedivisioninformedusinonefatefulsentence,“TheSovietforceshavemadetheirjunctioninthesoutheast.”

ElevenGerman divisions,more or less complete,were surrounded.Exactly one yearafterthetragedyontheVolga,asecondStalingradwasbeginning.

ChapterSix

SURROUNDEDATCHERKASSY

TheknotcompletingtheencirclementoftheelevenGermandivisionsintheCherkassyzonewastiedonJanuary28,1944,eightykilometerstotherearofourlines.

But the enemy had arrived within fifteen kilometers of Korsun, to the west of ourcommandpostofBelozerye.Wecouldhearthetanksroaring.

Day and night, we lived in our boots and clothes and kept submachine guns andgrenadeswithin reachatall times.Theengineerswerebusywithcountlessdemolitions.Thenightswerefilledwithsinisternoises.

Threedayspassed.

Wewere beginning to get used to theKessel36. Survivors of a hundred traps, on theDonets,ontheDon,andintheCaucasus,wefeltthiswasscarcelyourfirstcrisis.Weallwantedtothinkthisencirclementwouldbejustonemoreadventure.Thehighcommandwouldn’tabandonushere.Thecounter-attackwouldbreaktheSovietringforcertain.

Aradio-telegramfromthecelebratedGeneralHubehadintheorysettledthebusiness.Thistelegramwasniceandshort:“I’mcoming.”

Thegeneralcame.

An enormous column of German tanks was coming up from the south. It hadunceremoniouslytakenabiteoutoftheSovietcorridorestablishedinourrear.Avidly,wefollowedtheprogressofourliberatorsonthemap.Dozensofvillageswerefalling.Thecommuniqué announced the destruction of 110Russian tanks.At the end of two days,nothingwasleftbuttobreakthroughalineofenemytrenchesninekilometersacross.

Thosewho returned from that sector told uswith shining eyes that contactwith ourrescuers had already been established by way of the little radio sets in the battalioncommandpost.AnotherblowoftheGermanbatteringram,andthebreakthroughandourextricationwouldbeaccomplished.

Theblowofthebatteringramdidindeedtakeplace.ItwastheSovietswhodeliveredit.Theyhadpromptlybroughtupnewarmoredforces.ThethreehundredGermantanksthathadmanagedtocomesoclosetoushadhadtostop,thengiveground,thenretreat.Soonthe Reds had a security zone fifty kilometers wide in our rear. Emboldened by theirsuccess,theSovietdivisionsrushedfromthesoutheastandthesouthtowardtheinteriorofourKessel,thistimepushingthemassofthesurroundedtroopsbacktowardthenorthandeast, removing them farther and farther from the German front from which mighteventuallycometheirsalvation.Anothercatastrophewaslooming.

Sincethebeginningoftheencirclement,aspringlikewarmthhadfollowedthefreeze.Itwas like early May. During the winter of 1941-42, during the counteroffensive of theDonets,wehadseenhowtwodaysofsuddenthawhadturnedthepathsintoamuddysea.

Butthecoldhadreturnedimmediatelyandputthingsrightagain.

Thereforewewatchedthesnowmeltwithcuriosityatfirst.Fast-movingblackcloudssailedthroughthesky.Lashedbyasharplittlerain,weskiddedonanalmostimpassableshiningwetice.Thenthefieldsbecamebrownandyellowagain.Theforest, thoroughlylaved, spread its purple spoils on the hills. The clearings cut black screens. The roadssoftened under the weight of incessant traffic, then liquefied. The grayish water rosehalfwayupthedoors.

Wewerestilllaughing.Itwasfunny.Everyoneofuswasplasteredfromheadtotoe.

Attheendoffourorfivedaysthefrosthadn’treturned.Everyshelterandtrenchwasfloodedunderitsmeltwater.Thesoldiers,armedwithpitchersandmesstins,triedtobailoutthesebathtubs.

Thefieldsweresoviscous that theybecame totally impassable.The roadssankmoreandmore.Many crossroads became totally unusable, the water level reaching a meterhigh.Theslopeswerefrightfulskatingrinks,asstickyasresin.Thetractorsworkednightanddaytogetstuckvehiclesgoingagain.

NowtherewerefifteenthousandmotorizedvehiclesinsidetheKessel,fifteenthousandvehiclesthatwerebeginningtoformacircle,squeezedcloserandclosertogetherbythethrusts of a primitive enemy, indifferent to the elements, an enemywhose soldiers justlovedtocrawlinthemireoftheinterminablemarshes.

TheSovietshadseizedseveral importantdepotsconcentratedfiftyorsixtykilometersto the south of the Cherkassy sector at the point where the Red armies had met.Considerablequantitiesofgasolineandmunitionshadbeenlostonthefirstday.

ThankstosomebigJunkersairplanestheGermancommandhadimmediatelysenthelptothebesiegeddivisions.

Korsunhadalandingstrip.TheJu’s37 ran theairliftwithsublimeprecision.Eachdayabout seventymachineswould arrive loadedwithmunitions,gas, and food.As soonasthey unloaded they would be filled with the gravely wounded. We were thus able toevacuateallthehospitalsintheKesselinthenickoftime.

ButtheSovietfighterswerewatching.Theywouldpatrolthedrizzlingsky,circlinglikehawks above the field. Every day twelve or fifteen of our Ju’s, shot down after a fewminutesofflight,wouldfalldowninflamesamidthescreamsofthewounded,whowerebeinggrilledalive.

Itwasafrightfulspectacle.

Theairliftcontinued,methodically,heroically,withoutaninstant’slapseuntilthetimewhen,theretoo,themonstrousmiremadeanyworkimpossible.

Attheendofaweekofthawandflood,thelandingfieldwascompletelysubmerged.The engineers tried by everymeans to drain themud and consolidate the plain. Itwasuseless.Thelastairplanescapsizedinmireameterdeep.Thereafteruntil theend,notasingleairplanemanagedtotakeofforeventolandintheKessel.

Wewerelefttoourownresources.

Postedattheeasternmostpoint,theAssaultBrigadeWalloniaescapedtheworstoftheenemy’sclawingduringthefirstfewdays.

Asexpected, theenemyconcentratedits thrustsouthandwestof theKessel.The twoSoviet spearheads, daringly linked, absorbed the blows of the German forces trying tobreak out. The Soviets threw all their tanks and themass of their infantry and cavalrydivisionsintothiscorridor.

At the Olshanka and the Dnieper, the Red offensive was as yet only by radio. Apowerfultransmitter,installedjustoppositeourlines,peddledpropagandaeverydayinahoneyedFrench.AspeakerwithaParisianaccentcharitablyinformedusofoursituation.Thenhetriedtoseduceus,vauntingthemarvelsoffriendStalin’sregimeandinvitingusto come over toGeneral DeGaulle. Hewould allow us to approach the Russian linesholdingawhitehandkerchiefinourhands,likesentimentalaunties.

This sugar-coated Soviet propagandawas lacking neither in imagination nor in ruse.TwoofoursoldierscapturedatLosovokhadbeentakentothecommandpostofadivisiongeneral. He invited them to his table, served them a royal dinner, toasted them withexcellent champagne, and stuffed their pockets with chocolate. Then the bespangledhypocritehadthemtakeninhiscarnearthelines.Theguardsletthetwoguestsgooffinourdirection,asoneopensthecagedoortocanariesornightingales.

Theadventurewasahugesuccesswiththetroops.Everyonelickedhischopstothinkof the champagne and chocolate of those two lucky devils. But the philanthropic andWalloon-lovinggeneralgotnothingoutofit.Noonetookthehook,whichwasalittlebittoovisibleunderthelure.

As the enemyhammered the rear front of theKessel theVikingDivisionhad topullback the units it was still keeping on the bank of the Dnieper and send them to thesoutheast.Afterafewdaysourleftflankwasalmostcompletelyunprotected.NoonewaslefttodefendtheeightykilometersalongtheDniepertothenortheastofourpositionsbutadetachmentofabouttwohundredGermansoftheViking,mountedonlittlearmoredcarsthatceaselesslyploughedbackandforthonthemuckytrails.

TheRedssentpatrolsbeyondtheriverandfoundthegap.NownothingwasleftexceptourweakpositionsattheconfluenceoftheDnieperandtheOlshanka.AlltheSovietshadtodonow toannihilate the lastobstacle still remainingat theeastof theKesselwas toforcetheirwaythroughorattackfromtherear.

WewereparticularlyworriedaboutthegreatwoodenbridgebuiltovertheOlshankaatthewestendofMoshny.

Beyondtheriverweoccupiedtwostrongpointsdefendedbyabouttenmenarmedwithtwomachineguns. If theReds attacked in forceduring thenight theywould crush thisunluckypostandsucceedintakingthebridgeintact.

Warnedofthedanger,thestaffofficeoftheVikingDivisionturnedadeafear.Wecouldnot,weweretold,eitheryieldoneinchofgroundorgivetheenemytheimpressionthatwewerelosingconfidenceintheoutcomeofthecombat.

The general was far away, whereas we, on the other hand, beheld the imminentcatastropherightbeforeoureyes.TheGermanliaisonofficereffectedtheblowingupofthe bridgewith all possible discretion.By a telephone call at 6:00 a.m. he notified thegeneralthataSovietshellhadjustfallenrightinthemiddleofourexplosives,completelydestroyingthebridge.Wewere,headded,eversosorry.

Sowasthegeneral.

Butthequestionofthebridgewasthusresolved.

Welostourlastscruplesthatverynight.

AtMoshnywehadaplatoonofaboutfiftyRussianauxiliariesatourdisposition,formerprisonerswhohadenlistedvoluntarilyintheranksoftheGermanarmy.

Untilthentheyhadbeenverydevotedandverydisciplined.Butsendingthembacktofight in their own country had been an error. Their ancestry overcame their newallegiance.Attheendofthreemonthstheirrace,theirpreciousrace,reasserteditsclaim.

They used to hold long confabulationswith the natives, ofwhich our officers didn’tunderstandaword.Finallythepartisansgotintouchwiththem.ThenightofFebruary1-2,1944,theseRussians,whoworkedtheheavymortarsbehindthelines,slippedoncat’sfeettowardtheOlshanka.

AbraveyoungWalloonwhowasstandingguardinthedarknesswaskilledsilentlybyaknifethrustintheback.Thefleeingcolumnsteppedoverhiswarmcorpse,descendedtheditch,andcrossedthewater.

FromthenonwehadsomefiftydesertersacrossfromuswhohadlivedatMoshnyforthreemonths,whoknewexactlytheplacementofourpositions,ofourartillery,andofthecommand, telephone, and radioposts.Fiftyguideswereat thedispositionof theSovietcommand.

Sure of themselves, the Reds launched their assault at 8:00 a.m., beyond Moshny,betweenLosovokandtheDnieperattheveryeasternextremityofoursector.

ThefewdozenWalloonswhowerescattered in thesesandymoorswereswampedbygrenades and overrun in one hour’s time. On the same morning we learned from thebrigadecommandpostthatLosovokwasunderattackandhadfallen.

The 2nd Company, driven from the last houses, had to recross a watercourse to thesouthof thevillage andhadevenbeenpushedbackakilometerbeyond that.Theyhadmanagedsomehoworothertoclingtoanembankmentrightonthesteppe.

Thedefenseof theDnieperbankwasatan impasse.Losovok,atopofa sandyslope,seemed definitively lost.We askedDivision to bring the survivors of Losovok back toMoshny,wherethegreatestdangerimperiledourmeagerstrength.

But the orderswere pitiless.Not onlywas the 2ndCompany not towithdraw to thesouth,but itwastomakeanimmediatecounter-attackandretakeLosovokregardlessofobstacles.

Farawayattheendofthetelephonewireanalmostinaudiblevoicetolduswherethe2ndCompanyhadwithdrawnto.IknewtheLosovoksectorverywell,andsucceededinbeingputinchargeofthecounter-attack.Ireceivedtwotanksandorderedaloadofhuskyfellowstoclimbaboard.

Throughgreatriversofmud,alongroutesfloodedwithwaterspreadingtoabreadthofahundredmeters,wepushedeastwards.Overturnedautomobilesandthehoovesofdeadhorseswereeverywhere,halfsunkintheslimenearthetrails.

LOSOVOK

BeyondthereddishheatherofthestepperosethesmokefromthebattleforLosovok.We passed Moshny. The company command post was so buried in mud that themessengerscouldnolongerreachitexceptbycrossingonfootamakeshiftbridgeofsometwentyisbadoors.

AfterthreekilometersofjoltingovermireandbushourtanksreachedtheembankmentwherethesurvivorsofLosovokwereholdingout.Theenemywaspoundingthemarshesandtheswollenriver.

We took up positions for the assault. Division command had promised us artillerysupport.AftertheshellingofLosovokwewouldadvance,reinforcedbyourtwotanks.

It was three o’clock in the afternoon.Aftermuch palaver on the field telephone theartilleryannounced that in twentyminutes itwouldopenfire.Crouched in themire,wesurveyedtheplaintobecrossed,acrosswhichafewhorsesgallopedinpanic.

Fartotheeastthesignalflareslitthesky,showingusthatourtroopsstillresistedontheDnieper,althoughtheSoviettroopshadadvancedseveralkilometerspastthem.

Bulletswhistledby endlessly.The enemyhad taken roost at the southof thevillage,twentymetersaboveastream.Itwouldn’tbeeasytogetbackupthere.

AfirstGermanshellfell.Then,longafterwards,another.

Eighteenfell.

Thatwasall.

We insisted. In vain. It was impossible to help us more than that. Munitions in theKesselwerefrightfullylow.

Wewould just have tomake dowith this pitiful snack. Surging down the slope,wesprintedacrossthicketsandfields,cutbyaswifttorrentthreeorfourmeterswide.

Shellsraineddown.Noonehesitatedbeforethrowinghimselfintotheicywater.Fromcopsetocopse,weapproachedtheriverbelowLosovok.

Ourtwopanzers,riddledbymachine-gunfire,firedincendiarybulletsintotheSoviet-occupiedisbas.Thehousesignitedoneafteranother,burstingintoflames.TheRedsfledfromhedgetohedge.

In the heat of battle a handful ofWalloons rushed with incredible pluck toward the

woodenbridgethatjoinedtheplaintothesunkenpathtothevillage.Theycrosseditandtookcoverbelowthecliff.One,armedwithamachinegun,climbedtothetopofthecrest,andtheothers,coveredbyhim,crawledthroughthesandlikeserpents.Twenty,thenthirtyWalloonsmadeittothesummit.

Thetanks thatsecondedthe infantryshouldalsohavestartedacross thebridge.Butaplacard read, “Three Tons.” The first German tank preferred to cross the river, sometwentymeterswide.The riverbedwas sandy.Achainbroke.The tankwas stuck in thewater.

Thesecondtankdidn’twanttoattackalone.Itfiredseveralmoreshellsintothehouses,thenwenttoworktodigoutthepanzermiredinthesand.

Nowwecouldn’t countonanythingbutour infantry.Housebyhouse,we retook thevillageinhand-to-handfighting.

Atsixo’clockintheeveningadazzling,pearlytwilightblendedwiththeorangelightsofburningisbas.ItwasourlastlookatLosovok,atthewhiteandgolddunesbeyondtheOlshanka’sunionwiththeDnieperamidstlargeyellowandgreenislands.

Wewouldnotseeanotherredandpurpledawnriseonthesandcliffswhereforweekshadflown,modestyetproud,theflagofourcountry.WewouldnotagainstandpensiveontheshoreofthehugeandshininglegendaryriverflowingdowntowardDniepropetrovsk,towardthebrownrocks,thedelta,andthesea.Thefieldtelephonehadjustrung,thinandfebrile. The division was calling us, dictating new orders: “General retreat from thesector!”

Ontheleftwing,themovementwasalreadycompleted.ThelasttwohundredGermanmotorizedriflemenprotectingourflankontheDnieperhadbeenwithdrawn.Weweretoevacuate Losovok by nightfall, rejoin the two Walloon companies at Moshny, andwithdrawwiththeminthemorningtowardnew,moresoutherlypositions.

Our assault hadbeenworthless, except perhaps as a proof of courage anddiscipline.Butwewere the last, thevery last,of thearmiesof theeast to fighton thebankof theDnieper.Ourhearts pounding,we savored the aromaof the river.Wewatched thegreyglimmerings, threaded with silver, of the powerful waters in the twilight. Sadly, weloweredourlittleflag.

Acrossthequicksands,thebogs,themuddytrails,westreamedbackwithourwounded.Weturned to lookback toward theeastahundred times.Thereourheartshad lived.AtlastLosovokaflamewasnomorethanaredemberinthedepthofthenight.

Dnieper!Dnieper!Dnieper!

ThecloserwedrewtoMoshny,themoreamazedwewerebytheviolenceofthesoundsofbattle.

Wehadleftonemeleeonlytofindanother.

TheenemyhadjustattackedMoshny.ThefiftyRussianandAsiaticauxiliarieswhohad

betrayed us the previous eveningwere at the head of theSoviet troops and had guidedthemthroughthedarknesstothevitalpointsofoursector.

Whenwereachedthevillage,hundredsofmenwerebattlingwithaterriblefuryaroundourpiecesofartillery,whichwereshootingpoint-blankattheassailants.Oneverystreet,inthecourtyardofeveryisbahand-to-handfightingragedamidst thequagmiresandtheclammyslopes,intheblindinglightofmillionsofsparksfromtheblazinghovels.

Wehadmorethan50trucksatMoshny,numerouspiecesofartillery,anti-tankweapons,anti-aircraftguns, tractors, fieldkitchens,communicationsequipment,and theofficesofseveralcompanies.Everywheremenwerefrenziedlykillingoneanother.Drivers,cooks,paymasters,telephoneoperators,everyonewasdefendinghisweapon,hisequipment,hisskin.

Theordersof theVikingDivisionstaffofficewerecategorical.Wewerenot to leaveMoshny until the end of the night in order to cover the general retreat, which nowstretchedacrosstwentykilometers.

The tragedy was that the Soviets had attacked in force a few hours before thewithdrawalwasto takeplace.Thereforeweabsolutelyhadtoopposethematanyprice,hangingoninMoshnyuntilmorning.

The night was nothing but an interminable free-for-all, savage, howling, amid theblacknessandtherawredofthefires.Thelongvillagewasevacuatedquarterbyquarter,hourbyhour,onlywhenalltheequipmenthadbeenhauledtothesouthernroute.

Ourtelephonecommunicationsweren’tinterruptedforasingleminute.Weknewwithabsolute precision how our equipment was being withdrawn. The soldiers fought fromisbatoisba,theirfurymirroredintheireyes,besetbywavesofMongolswholeapedfrombushes,hedges,sheds,andevenfromthefilthofthedunghills.

The killing lasted ten hours. At dawn, covered by one last platoon, the haggarddefendersofLosovokandMoshny, theiruniformsglued to their skin, found themselvesoncemoreon thesouthernroute,marchingoneachsideof thecolumnof trucks,whichkeptskiddinginahalfmeterofslime.

The men shielding them were to hold the houses in southwest Moshny the wholemorning.Theseorderswerefollowedheroically.OnlyafternoondidtheRedsfinallytakethevillage.TheytookonlytwoWalloonsalive,bothtelephoneoperatorswhostoodfast,obeyingorderstoreportenemyprogresstoourcommandrighttotheend.

TheywerestillcallinguswhentheRedspassedinfrontoftheirwindow.

Butby this time, thanks to the fanatical resistanceatMoshny, theWallonianBrigadehadalreadybeenabletoregroupatBelozerye,readyforthenextmission.

Sixkilometersoftar-likemudseparatedusfromanenemyuncertainofourintentions.

STEPS

ItwasThursday,February3,1944.

OrderstoevacuateLosovokandthelastsectoroftherightbanktotheeastoftheKessel

hadn’tbeengivenuntilthegeneralsituationhadconsiderablyworsened.

Thebattering-ramthrustsoftheenemyinthesouthhadpushedthesurroundedtroopsmoreandmoretothenorth.NowtheSovietcorridorwaseightykilometerswide.EverydaytheReich’sdivisionslostanotherfiveortenkilometers.AnotherweekandtheSovietswouldberightbehindus.

TheHighCommandhadwithdrawnalltheGermanforcesfromtheDnieper-Olshankaregion.Fromthenonweweretheonlyonesprotectingthiszoneandwereatthemercyofadrivethatintwenty-fourhourscouldsweepusawaylikeastrawandskewerthepocket.

Momentousdecisionshadbeenmade.Thesouthernandsoutheasternsectorswouldbeprogressivelyabandoned.Thetroopsoftheeasternsectorwouldthenwithdrawgraduallyfromeasttonorth.Next,fightingeveryinchoftheway,theywouldfallbacktowardsthewesternendoftheKessel,whereelevendivisionswouldgather.

GermantankswouldcomeupfromsouthwesternUkraine,outsidetheKessel,tomeetus.Ourelevendivisionswouldrushtowardthem,riskingeverything.

Therewasnolongeranyotherwayout.Eitherthisdesperateattemptwouldbreaktheencirclementorwewouldalldie.

On the3rdofFebruary,1944,however,we still hadnotmassed for the final assault.Numerous secondary operations had to be carried out to evacuate the equipment anddepots.

Itwasfolly,inanycase.Althougheverymanwasneededtofight,threequartersoftheencircledforcesweredivertedfromcombattosaveallthishardware.Allbecametargets.

Already the road from Gorodishche to Korsun, our last chance to break out, wasjammed by an incredible column. Thousands of trucks, spread over twenty kilometers,followed three front vehicles and skated in the black frog-holes of the road,which hadbecome a prodigious cloaca. Themost powerful artillery tractors struggled painfully toopenapassage.Thisenormousmassofvehicleswasan incomparable target forplanes.TheSovietmachines,likestridentswarmsofwasps,wouldcircleovertheKesselanddivedowninsquadronseverytenminutesontothebogged-downcolumns.

Everywheretruckswereburning.

Themud, churned a thousand times, became so sticky and sobulky that itwas soonabsolutelyimpossibletocross.

We had to resort to desperate measures. To venture across the firmer ground of thefieldswouldmean founderingwithin one or two hundredmeters. The road? Itwas nolonger thinkable. A thousand trucks at least were bogged down there for all time, andwould have to be set on fire lest the enemy retrieve them.The only thing leftwas therailroad line from Gorodishche to Korsun. That was the way we decided to send theendlessmotorizedconvoys.

We could guess where the traffic was ten kilometers away by watching the Sovietfightersdive.Hugeflashesmarkedthismakeshiftroute.Wehadtokeeppushingbroken-downtrucksandflamingcarsdowntheembankment.

Inordertoprotectthisunprecedentedtransferofmorethantenthousandvehiclesonthebumpy tiesofapitiful railroad line,our troopshad tohold theSoviet thrust for severaldaysmore.

FromhighintheskytheStalinistpilotswouldcontemplateattheirleisureourattemptsto withdraw the surrounded troops. Everything told themwhere wewould gather: likehundredsoftorches,burningtruckslitthewaytoKorsun.

TothesouththeSovietassailantswerestrikingtheretreatingtroopshardandfast.Fromthenortheast,opensincetheretreatoftheViking’slasttanks,theSoviettroopswerenowrushingin.Fromthenorth,too,thedivisionsoftheWehrmachtbegantoretreatfasterandfaster.

Asforus,wewouldfirsthavetofightatBelozeryetoblocktheSoviettroopscomingupfromtheDnieperandfromMoshny.FromBelozeryewewouldhave toreach,at thelastminute,alineofdefensewehadconstructedsomefifteenkilometersfurthersouthatthebeginningofJanuary.

Thislineranfromthesouthwesttothenorthwest,fromthevillageofStaroselyetothevillageofDerenkovets.

Athirdoperationwouldregroupusallonthisnorthwesternline,atDerenkovetsitself:inconcertwithotherWehrmachtandWaffenSSunitswewouldserveasthefinalshield.

Thusprotected,fiftytosixtythousandmen,withdrawingfromallsectors,wouldreunitearoundKorsunforthedecisiveassaulttowardthewest.

ThefirststopforuswasthereforeBelozerye.Thewithdrawalplaninstructedustoresisteastof thisvillageforwhatever timeitwouldtakeforall theartilleryandequipment toreachthelineofStaroselye-Derenkovetswithoutdisaster.

The removal of our guns andheavyvehicleswasbeingprepared along theOlshankafromBaibusytoStaroselye.Thedeparturewouldtakeplaceundercoverofdarkness.

We were able to keep sending reconnaissance groups as far as Moshny. South ofMoshny itself we still had a fewmachine guns hidden in the fir groves. Every Sovietpatrolthatventuredinourdirectionwasreceivedwithheavyfire.

Thenightpassed.Theartillerymenworkedthemselvestoexhaustioninthequagmirestoextracttheirweapons.Atdawnonlytheinfantryandthemortarswerestillinpositionattheedgeofthewater.ThelastvehiclesleftBaibusyshortlyafterdaybreak.

Oneteamhadhadashaftbroken.Thedriversreturnedtothevillagetorepairit.

Adeathlysilencereignedeverywhere.Deadpeasantsweresprawledacrossthemuddystreet, faces to theground, stillwearingon their rightarms thewhitearmbandsmarkedDeutscheWehrmachtinblackletters.OursoldiershadbeengonefromBaibusyforbarelytenminutes,andalreadythepartisanshadslaughteredalltheUkrainianswhohadservedintheGermanauxiliaryformations.

Thevillagewasquiet.Notasinglecuriousfacepeepedout.Butthecorpses,lyinginthe

mud,wereeloquent.

The3rdCompanyinfantry,stillholdingtheOlshankapassageeastofBaibusy,weretowithdraw the following night, worming their way along the river to the village ofStaroselye.

As for the 2nd Company, after its odyssey at Losovok it had started withdrawalmaneuversonabroadfront,headingfirsttowardsthenorthwest.Itwassupposedtocheckenemy pressure against Derenkovets until our right wing had finished its two-stepmaneuver.

I receivedorders to effect a liaisonwith this isolatedunit.Amuddydesert about tenkilometers across separated it from Belozerye. I had at my disposal only an oldVolkswagen that toiled laboriously through the sand and mud. A single soldieraccompaniedme.Wefoundourcomradesattheedgeofadarkpineforest,atinyislandofresistance lost in an entire country.Wewent through another lifeless village. A Sovietpatrolwas leaving the other end just aswe entered. In princely fashion, it had left thepeasantsaboxofmatchesbearingthehammerandsickleinexchangefortheirpoultry.

Thefamilieswerehidingintherearoftheirisbas.Theentireregionwasinfestedwithenemyadvanceunits.

We expected to fall into an ambush at anymoment.TheVolkswagen kept coughing,smoking,stalling,visiblydisgustedwithitall.

Belozeryeatduskwasnolongerrecognizable.

MylittletanrattletrapwastakenforthefirstSovietautomobilebythepopulation.Frombehindthehedges,afewfearfulheadsappeared.Anincrediblesilencereigned.

Wejoltedfrompotholetopotholethroughthewaterystreetstorejointhelastplatoonawaitingthehourofevacuation.Guns,trucks,equipment,everythinghadgone.

Our rearguardwasnot to leaveBelozeryeuntilnight, aftergiving theappearanceofresoluteresistancerightuptotheend.Thevillagewassquare,andwecouldbeoverrunfromanydirection.Westillnumberedaboutfortysoldiersinall.

Thetelephoneunithadbeenwithdrawn.Eveningfell,veiledinmist.

Finallythemenlefttheirdanktoad-holesandclimbedaboardthelasttwotrucks.Notacry.Notapistolshot.Notasilhouette.Onlyafewpeasantsopenedtheirdoorsacracktoseeusleave.

Thepositionsthatweweretooccupyranalongadistanceofabout30kilometersfromStaroselyetoDerenkovets.

One part of the brigadewas to go directly toDerenkovets. That night it came uponsomegroupsofpartisanswhohadsneakedfromcopsetocopseandhadalreadycutoffallescapetothewest.Oursoldiershadtowageagunbattleatpoint-blankrangerightintheforest.Twoofourweaponswerelostinthescuffle.

The southern road to Staroselyewas evenmore dangerous. If our last combat units,

coveringourleftalongtheOlshanka,hadshownamoment’sweakness,ouronlylineofretreatwouldhavebeenirremediablycutoff.

Wehadcrossedscarcelytwokilometerswhenwecameuponvehiclesstuckinthemud.Thecolumnswehadcovered,andwhichhadbeenwithdrawingformanyhours,hadgotboggeddown.Truckswerestalledin theroad.Hundredsofmenstormedabout,sunkinthefilthymuckuptomid-thigh.Tractorswerebreakingdowntryingtopullouttheheavyvehicles.TheRedsmightfalluponusatanymoment.

AfterhoursofHerculeanlabortheequipmentwasputbackintoworkingorderandwereachedtheforest,thenthevastmarshlandsthatcamebeforeStaroselye.

Itwasoneo’clockinthemorning.

Theroadendedinagiganticpuddle.Thetruckscouldonlycrossitbyracingthroughattopspeed.

The left bank of the Olshanka at Staroselye was dominated by a high ridge risingverticallyfromtheDerenkovetscanal.Alltheisbasonthishillwereonfire.Hundredsofwomen pulling children along or carrying pigs in their arms stood out tragically, blackagainstthebrilliantbackgroundofthefires.Theykeptcallingoutinshrillvoices,crying,pleading,stampingtheirfeetinanatmosphereofmadness.

Thefireflowedlikeafabulousredandyellowmane. Itmade theviscidslope,whichnot a single truck managed to climb, glow like marble. With great labor, enormousartillerytractorshauledtheautomobilesandthetrucksupthehillthroughtheslime.

Allnighttheshrillcriesofthewomenechoedthehowlingofthebeastsandthefranticswearingofthedrivers,scarletinthelightofthefires.

Whendaycamevehicleswerestillbeingtowed.

Buttothenortheastofthebottomlands,brownpointswereadvancing.Wecouldmakeoutlinesofmen,horses,andgear.

TheRedswerecoming.

STAROSELYE

The line of retreat from Staroselye to Derenkovets had been dug by thousands ofUkrainiansatthebeginningofJanuary.AtdawnonFebruary5,1944,theAssaultBrigadeWalloniaoccupiedit.

The layoutof the linehadbeenwellchosen. It extended fromsoutheast tonorthwestatophighcrests thatoverlookedthevalley, thebogs,andthecanalfromDerenkovets totheOlshanka.Far awaywe couldmakeout the forests bywhichwehad returned fromBelozerye.

Thetrench,dottedwithnumerousfiringemplacements,extendedinazigzagforthirtykilometers.Unluckilyitdidn’thaveanyfascines38andhadbeendugtoodeep.Itwassodeepthat,onceinsidethisclayeyserpent,wecouldnolongerseeathing.

Ifthewholelineofcombathadbeenstronglyheld,thisinconveniencewouldhavebeen

reduced.Butwehadonlythreehundredinfantrymentodefendthirtykilometers.

The2ndCompanywastohavetakenpositionfifteenkilometersnorthofDerenkovets.Another of our companies occupied a line facing the east that departed Staroselye at arightangle,straighttowardthesouth.

Wewere leftwith threehundredinfantrymentoholdtheprincipal line.Thusweonlyhad,ontheaverage,agroupoftenmentodefendeachkilometeroffront.

Therestof thebrigade, thedriversofour threehundred trucks, theartillerymen, theanti-tank men, the anti-aircraft men, and the communications troops had fallen backbehindthelineofcombatorweredefendingwithlightweaponsthepointsofthetrenchthatwereparticularlymenaced.

Wewereextremelypessimistic.

Ithadbeenimpossibletoinstallacompletetelephonenetworkalongsovastaline.Ittook dozens of kilometers of wire just to connect the company posts to the brigadecommand.

Thistrench,sovulnerable,wastheonlyrampartinthenortheastthatcouldshelterthegeneralwithdrawal towardsKorsun. Ifourbarrier crumbled, itwouldbeeveryman forhimselfintheheartoftheKessel.

Our men were dispersed in tiny groups, each isolated from the others. They wereexhaustedbytherecentbattles,bythenightsofhuddlingtogether,bytheicymists,bythetorturous slogging in pitch-likemud.Theyhadno shelter. Filthy, their faces drawn andworried,theywatchedtheplainwheretheSovietadvanceguardwasbustlingabout.

Ourartilleryhadbecomeuseless:fromSaturdayafternoonon,themarchesweredottedwithathousandswarmingenemieswhoneithermudnorshellscouldstop.

Thenextdaytheypenetratedourlinebeforedawn.

TheRedshadscaledthecounterscarpduringthenight.Theyhadhadthegoodfortunetojumpintoanemptytrenchbetweentwodifferentposts.Thesewerecutoff,strangled.TheRedsreachedamilldominating thehill ina fewminutes.Fromthere theyplungeddowntowardtheOlshanka,attackingapartyofourmenfrombehind.Atseveno’clockinthemorningtheleftbankoftheriver,inthevillageofStaroselye,wasinthehandsoftheBolsheviks.

Theenemynowdominatedtheregionfromthehillstothewest.Byeighto’clockinthemorningtheywerealreadyspreadingoutseveralkilometerstothesouth.

Ourcommandcouldjustmatchthisthrust.Thecommanderimmediatelydecidedtogoonahead.IleapedintoaVolkswagenwithhimand,drivingthroughastampedeofhorsedrivers and trucks fleeing in panic, we reached the right bank of the Olshanka atStaroselye.

Aheroicgroupofaboutthirtymenwasstillresistingontheknollsoftheleftbank.Igotintoanarmoredcommandvehicle, crossed thewater, climbed the slope, and joinedour

comrades.We immediately engaged in hand-to-hand combat, advancing upwards fromisbatoisba,rollingpell-mellinthemudwiththeAsiatics.

After an hour of battle we had liberated the village and reached the western end oftown.Unluckilywewere dominated by the boldmass of the crest and the picturesquemill,itswideblacksailsatrest.TheRedshadinstalledmachine-gunneststhere,andtheirsnipersweretrackingoureverymove.

Kneelinginthecornerofthelastisba,Ishotdowneveryheadthatshoweditself.Butmypositionwastoovisible.Abullethadwoundedmeinthefinger.Anothercreasedmythigh.Within twominutes, a sixteen-year-oldvolunteerwhohad started to shootbesidemetookabulletrightinthemouth.Thepooryoungsterstoodupforaninstant,horrified,understandingnothingofwhathadhappenedtohim.Heopenedhismouthwide,fullofblood, no longer able to speakbutwanting to explain all the same.He fell backdown,writhedaboutinthemud,andhiccuppedforafewsecondsbeforedying.

Behindusthecorpsesofourcompanions,killedduringtheSovietattackatdawn,hadbeen completely despoiled during the half hour that the enemy controlled the west ofSakrevka.Thebodieswerecompletelynude,yellowedandreddenedbytheoilymud.

FromthecornerofourisbawesawtheplainfillupwithSovietreinforcementsinthenorth and northeast. Across the marshes lines of floundering men dragged anti-tankweapons.Thehillsideandthemillaboveusseemedimpregnable.

Thecommanderwassendingusallthemenhecouldgatherinthearea.ButwhatcouldwedootherthantopreventtheRedsfromretakingthetown?Toventurebeyondourisba,toattackahillassmoothasshoepolishandwithoutcover,wouldmeansinkinguptoourkneesandinviteageneralmassacre.

Nevertheless,wehadtotakebackthemillandthesummit.Ifnot,thefollowingnighttheenemywouldmassallhisforcesthere.

Wehadtore-establishthelinewithoutdelayorelsefaceadefinitivebreakinthefront,withalltheconsequencesthatdisasterwouldbring.

Ihadaskedforpanzers.Behindthemandundertheprotectionoftheirharassingfirewemightjustreachthemillandthecrest.

Butnothinghappened.

Wehadtoact,confusetheenemy.

AfewvolunteersslippedintothebigtrenchandfolloweditbackuptowardtheReds.TheywereledbyLieutenantThyssen,astrappingyoungmantwometerstallwithajawlikeFernandel39 and themischievous eyes of an overgrown kid.He tossed back all thegrenades that theReds threw at himwith ease.A bulletwent through his left arm.Hecarriedon,unflappableandlaughingheartily,freeingahundredmetersofterrain.

Finally,at1400hours,theGermantanksarrived.Therewereonlytwoofthem,buttheirnoisyadvancewasenoughtothrowtheRedsintoapanic.Manytooktotheirheels.Wecouldseethemhastilytakingdowntheirmachineguns,encrustedwiththeoozingcement

oftheparapets.

Thetanksrumbled.Ourlittlecolumnrushedtofollowthem.

On the plain the Soviets were rolling in like a flood tide, pulling along their lightartillery.They spotted our twopanzersmoving along the bare hillside. Immediately, anavalancheofshellsraineddownfromtheirantitankweapons,boxinginourtanks,cuttingoffthetopoftherampart,killingourmen.

Themillwasourfirstobjective.

My driver, Leopold Van Daele, a hero of the 1914-1918 war, rushed into the openterrainevenaheadof the tanks.HewasFlemish;awindmillwasa familiar sight inhishomeland.HewasthefirsttoreachoneoftheblacksailsandmowdownthreeStalinistswith his submachine gun.But aMongol hiding close to a buttress at the bottomof thetrench tookaimathim,hisgun raised.Thebullet slammed intohimunder the jawandcamebackoutatthetopofhisskull.Incredibly,hestillfoundthestrengthtoreachintohispocketand,liketheconfirmedChristianhewas,grabhischaplet.Thenhefelldead,hisblueeyeswideopen,fixedonthelargeandpowerfulmill,soliketheoldmillsontherampartsofBrugesinthecountryofFlanders.

Byfouro’clockintheafternoonwehadretakenthewholehill.

Thetrenchwaslitteredwithcrudecartridgepouchesthathadbeenthrownawaybythefleeingenemy.Theywere,asalways,stuffedwithcartridges,withstaleandmoldybread,andsunflowerseeds.

Wehadtakenquiteahaulofmachineguns,butourvictoryleftusskeptical.Whatdidwehavemore thanyesterday?Nothing. In fact,wehad lostanumberofourcomrades.Killing theSovietsdidn’tdoanygood.Theymultiplied likewood lice,keptoncomingbackendlessly,tentimes,twentytimesasnumerousaswe.

Thesekilometersoftrencheswerealaughableprotection,defendedhereandtherebyafewhandfulsofWalloonswhowerehopelesslyisolatedamidthedrizzleandthereturningdarkness.Totheleftandrightofeverypoststretchedakilometer’sgap.

The trench, trampled in both directions during the battle, had become disgustinglymucky. The position was quite clearly untenable. The drama would unfold very soon.Therewas no doubtwhatsoever about that. The nightwas full of incessant and furtivesounds.Thewholehillsidewasalivewithinvisiblepresences.HundredsofSovietswerecrawling,reachingthetrench,andspreadingoutalongit.

At dawn the tragedy of the previous evening began again. At seven o’clock in themorning, for the second time, the Soviet assault overwhelmed and drove out ourcomrades.

Weknewthatfromthenon,hill,trench,andmillwerelostforever.

Ourpanzershadbeenrecalledtothesouth.Theywouldn’tbebackagain.

Nowwhat?Therewasnopossiblequestionofanearlywithdrawal.

Thousandsoftrucks, thousandsofmenwerehasteningtowardKorsun.Theflankthat

hadprotectedthemwasnowopen.

SKITI

ThewholedayofMonday,February7,1944,wasspenttryingtoplugthebreachthattheRussianshadmadeintheStaroselye-Derenkovetsline.

AtStaroselye itselfour troopshadregroupedon therightbankof theOlshankariver.Thepositionsweregood,strongly trenchedandstockaded,protectedbymultiplebarbedwiresandbyminesplantedonthebanks.

At the other extremity of the line, at Derenkovets, the 1st Company had endurednumerousassaults,butithadvaliantlyheldofftheenemy.

OnarightanglefifteenkilometerstothenorthofDerenkovets,the2ndCompanywascontinuingitsinterminablemaneuverofwithdrawalfromtheeasttothenorth,thenfromthenorthtothewest.Theywerefightingdifficultrear-guardbattlesveryhonorably,losingveryfewmen,andadheringscrupulouslytotheestablishedschedule.

ThedevilwastheyawninggaptothewestofStaroselye.

Theremainsofour4thCompany,overrunatdawn,hadfallenbackinthedirectionofDerenkovets. They had been joined by other forces. Helped by elements of the 1stCompanytheyhadbeencounter-attackingduringthewholeday.

ButtheSovietswereinforce.TheysurgedthroughthebreachatStaroselyeandintotheforest,whichdescendedtowardthesouth.

OurcompaniesatDerenkovetsandourtroopsatStaroselyeweregiventhemissionofstickingtotheflanksofthisforesttokeeptheenemyfromcomingout.Wesentpatrolstoskirmishineverydirectionandreturn.

Moreover, our artillery had conserved its firepower and was now fighting withoutrespite.On the bare crest, the only passageway for Soviet reinforcements, it unleashedtremendous firepower:we no longer had any illusions of retrieving our heavyweaponsfromthemirewhenthenextwithdrawalcame.

Wreckedautomobilesandtruckswereeverywhereinthemuck.Themostpowerfulofourtractors,amonsterwithcaterpillartreadssentfromDerenkowetstoStaroselyetohelpwith the new withdrawal, had spent an entire day and night to cross less than 30kilometers.

The railroad line, last road to Korsun, wasmarked by countless fires. Thousands oftrucksjoltedalonginfitsandstartsunderarainofshells.

We formed the rear guard to the northeast. The slower the retreat of this enormousconvoy,thelongerwewouldhavetofight.

The German High Command kept the situation in hand with incomparable self-assurance. Despite the frightful situation of the fifty to sixty thousand survivors in theKessel, we couldn’t detect the least trace of agitation or hurry in the orders. Themaneuverswereaccomplishedmethodicallyandcalmly.Nowheredidtheenemymanage

toseizetheinitiative.

In this terrible trap, the troops and equipment withdrew precisely according to theinstructions they received.The rearguardsand the flankguardswould fight to theveryminuteasscheduled,holdingthegrounduntilthepreciseinstantofredeployment.

Thebreacheswereimmediatelyclosed,regardlessoftheprice.

EveryoneknewthatitwasbesttoholdtotheplanlaidoutbytheGeneralStaff,sinceany prematurewithdrawalwould infallibly draw counter-attacks thatwould be pursueduntiltheabandonedterrainwasretaken.

Theorderswerehard.Butthiswasnotthetimeforsoftness.Everysoldierknewhehadtochoose:eitherorderlyregroupingwiththepossibilityofafinalbreakthrough,thankstoamethodicalwithdrawal,orannihilationamidthetumultofageneralrout.

WereachedthemorningofTuesday,February8,1944.

Staroselyewasstillholding.

SowasDerenkovets.

The danger from the opened breach had beenmore or less neutralized by our shockpatrolshangingontothewestern,southern,andsoutheasternedgesoftheforestinvadedbytheSoviets.

Buttheenemywasnolongersatisfiedwiththisassault.HekeptattackingfuriouslyallaroundtheKessel.Waveafterwavelashedthesouth,wheretheGermanArmywasinthemidstofitsmostimportantwithdrawal.ThewholeSovietempirehadbeenfallingonusfromtheeastsinceFebruary2.

Our sector comprised more than just the 30 kilometer trench from Derenkovets toStaroselyeandtheadvancedpositionsofthe2ndCompanyinthenorthernsector.Wealsodefendedasupplementarylinemorethanaleaguelong,whichleftfromStaroselyeatrightanglestowardthelargevillageofSkitiinthesouth.

The enemy’s breach threatened us in front, as well as on our right and left flanks.Staroselyewasat theendofa longcorridor.Theenemyforcesonoureasternflankhadonly to join the Soviet forceswho had just outflanked us in thewest, and our soldierswouldbetrappedanddestroyed.

TheWalloonscoveringourrightflankhadasneighborstheyoungrecruitsoftheVikingDivision,who had arrived at the front in civilian garb onemonth earlier, andwho hadbarely received the rudiments ofmilitary instruction amid the bustle of January. Theseunfortunateboyswerewornoutwithfatigueandemotion.

TheenemyattackedthemthemorningofFebruary8,1944,dislodgedthem,seizedtheirpostsonebyone,andcompletelyroutedthesurvivors.Wesawthemdriftingbackwiththecurrentbehindourbridgehead.Thisflotsamhadnothinglefttogive.Someofthemwerecryinglikechildren.DuringthisrouttheSovietshadpouredthroughthebreach.Theyhadtakenoursoutheastpositions,locatedeveryhundredmetersundertheoaks.OurmenhadtoabandonthewoodsandeventhelittlevillageofSkitiontheplateau.Theycamedown

intothevalley,closelyfollowedbytheadversary.

Theenemyforces fromthe twobreacheshadalmost joined.Onlyour littlecommandpost,wherewehastilyregroupedthefleeingmen,remainedlikeatinyisletbetweenthetwoSovietbatteringrams.

We had to recover quickly and take the pressure off our position immediately. Onehour’shesitation,andanybreakoutwouldbeimpossible.

The enemy had already occupied Skiti. Our anti-tank guns climbed up the hill. Thecommanderrushedforward,followedbyourboys,deadtiredbutyellingjustthesame.

Atfiveo’clockintheeveningweretookthevillage.Fightingtoothandnail,wepushedtheSovietsbackintothewoods.Onceagainthesituationhadbeentemporarilysaved.

Orderscametoourbrigadecommandposttostartthenewwithdrawalthenextday.

Wehadonlytoholdfirmforafewmorehours,oneevening,onenight,andwewouldhavesavednotonlyourhonor,butalsothemassoffriendlytroopswhowerewithdrawingslowlytowardthewestundercoverofourrearguard.

UnfortunatelytheCommunists,whocouldseethroughourplan,haddecidedtomakeanall-outattempttodestroyourpositions.

Tobeeffective,theSovietreductionoftheCherkassyKesselhadtobemadesectorbysector.

ThatwaswhattheenemyhadattemptedatMoshnyandwasattemptingatthesoutheastofStaroselye.

Butitwasinvain:allaroundtheKesselahundredattacksfailed.

Skitiwasoursatfiveo’clockintheevening.Thecommanderreturnedtothecommandpost.Inasimpletrenchoffinesand,oneontopofanother,welaidouttheblood-spattereddeadoftheanguishingafternoon.

That evening, while we were setting up our next morning’s plan for the brigade’swithdrawal towardDerenkovets, a sentinel sawsomemen through thedrizzle, coveringthedescentofoursoldierswhohadbeenrouted,onceagain,onoureasternflank.

Theenemyhadbrokencoverasecondtime,haddislodgedourboysandretakenSkiti.

Headingforthepoplargrovesinthevalleyandtheeast-westjunction,theenemywouldisolateStaroselyeandfinallychokeoffoursector.

Everythinghadtobedonealloveragainwithoutdelay,withmenwhohadbeenbeatentwiceinoneday,whowerewornoutanddecimated.

Division commandorderedme to push the enemyback.Wehad to reoccupy thehillprotecting the line of retreat and not let go until six o’clock in themorning,when ourforcesatStaroselyewouldhavebeenabletogetoutofthebottleneck.

Darknesshadcome.

Thehillwas coveredwith firsgrowingvery close together.SomeRedswere already

stealthily starting thedescent.We climbed slowly towards theplateau, for ourweaponswereheavyandwehadtoadvanceasfaraspossiblewithoutnoiseorfighting.

Wewerefortyinall.

Wecrawledforthelasthundredmeters,thenwesprung.

Our storming theenemy-held ridgeprovokedmomentaryconfusion.Wewereable touseourmachinegunstothemaximumanddrivetheenemybacktoSkiti,whiletwoofouranti-tank guns, hoisted to the summit in spite of the sand and themud, supported ourassault.

Facedwiththisreaction,theRedschosetoslipfurthersouth.Thiswasevenworseforus.

Thistimetheoperationthathadfailedabreastofuswouldbereplayedinourrear.

At one o’clock in the morning, two kilometers behind our brigade command post,SovietsandGermanswerebattlingafewhundredmetersfromtheroad,ouronlyroad.

LittlegroupsofSSfromtheVikingDivision,huggingthegroundlikecammockplants,checkedthecountlessSovietthrustsallbythemselves.Weheardthefracasfromdozensoffirefightsscatteredoverseveralkilometersfromtheeasttothesouth.

Theenemywasinfrontofus,atourright,atourleft,behindourlines.Thelinethatwehadtofollowatdawnwaslitbyalineofflamingisbas.Everywheremenwereshouting.

Ourlives,thelivesofathousandmen,dependedonthoseshouts.

Fortunatelyatfiveo’clockthesectorwasstillshouting.

Weburned the automobiles, unable to takeon thirtykilometersof syrupymuck.ThegreaterpartofourtroopsslippedalongtheOlshankaRivertowardawoodenbridgethatourmencrossedattheexactplacewhereahandfuloftheViking’sSSwerestillholdingbacktheenemy.

Afewofourmachine-gunnersweresupposedtoresistuntilthetotalevacuationofourcompanies.

Theyperformedmiraclesforthreehours.

Thenwith thesupplenessofsnakes theymade theirway through thefirstandsof thesouthamongtheSovietswhohadpouredinfromeverydirection.

Notasingleoneofourmenwastakenprisoner.Notoneofourmachinegunswasleftbehind. In themidstof adiabolicalhailofbullets, theycrossed, lastof all, belly to theground,thewoodenbridgeoftheOlshanka.Itwentupbehinduslikeageyser.

Inepicmud,ourmen,ourhorses,ourtrucksscaledtheoppositebank,asstickyasresin.Wewereseparatedfromtheenemyonlybytheswollenwatersoftheriver,whichcarriedathousandfloatingremains,blastedintothevalleybyexplosions.

THIRTYKILOMETERS

ThegeneralmaneuverofretreatofFebruary9,1944wasvast.Thesurroundeddivisions

left the south, the southeast, the east, and three-quarters of the northeast and the northCherkassypocket.

This pocket had the shape of Africa at the end of January. On February 9, 1944,“Africa”hadshrunk to“Guinea,”keepingonlya loopashighasLakeChad.This loopwasthevillageofDerenkovets.

ThecapitalofourRussianGuineawasKorsun,pointofgeneralassemblyofthetroopssurroundedsinceJanuary28th.

Right to the southwest of Korsun, coming from the outside of the Kessel, severalhundredTigersandPanthers,themostpowerfulGermantanksinthearmoreddivisionsofsouthernRussia,wereadvancingfuriouslytowardsusinspiteofbitterresistance.

The fifty to sixty thousandmenof theKesselwithdrewmethodically towardKorsunandsavedamaximumofequipment.

Tensofthousandsofmenweretakingtheirplacesforthedecisiveassault.TheywouldmovetowardthePanzerscomingupfromthesouth.TherearguardforceswouldcontainthepressureoftheSovietmassfromthenorthandeastorcomingupfromthesoutheastandsouth.

ThemostforwardpointofresistancenorthofKorsunwouldbeDerenkovets,attheleftendofourformerline.

Allourforces,stretchedover thirtykilometersfromDerenkovets toStaroselyeandtothesouthofStaroselye,hadreceivedorderstowithdrawtoDerenkovetsduringthedayofFebruary9.Towardthislocalityour2ndCompanywastofallbackalso,fromthenorth.SincetheevacuationofLosovokthiscompanyhadbeenmovinginanarcfromtheeasttothenorthwest.

Withoutanyone’ssupport,ourbrigadewouldoccupythekeypositionofDerenkovets.

TheWehrmachtunitsweredeployedon thewesternflankof theDerenkovets-Korsunline.Itwastheirtasktoresisttheenemythrusttotheutmost.TheeasternflankwouldbeprotectedbytheNordlandRegimentoftheVikingDivision.

Between these two lateral fronts a country road bordered by a river ran fromDerenkovetstoKorsun.Thesecurityzoneofthisroadwasabout20kilometerswidefromeasttowest.

Withoutadoubtthemostexposedpositionwouldbeoursatthenorthernextremityofthe corridor.We had to close off the road. Otherwise the enemy, surging up from thenortheastandthenorth,wouldcertainlytrytoreachKorsunwiththegoaloffinishingofftheencircledtroopsonceandforall.

The 2nd Company accomplished the last stage of its retreat to Derenkovets withoutincident.

Bycontrast,ourdepartureattheotherendoftheline,takeninextremiswhiletheenemyswarmsharriedusfromathousanddirections,wasgoingtobeanoperationfullofdrama.

TheGermanunitswithdrawingfromthesoutheastwerefloodingbacktowardthewest

atthesametimeaswe,theRedsrightontheirheels.

TheOlshankaRiver,swollenbythethaw,itsbridgeblownup,gaveusafewminutesrespite.

Accordingto theHighCommand’splans,weweresupposedtoreachDerenkovetsbyfollowing almost parallel to our old Staroselye-Derenkovets line. But this had beenpenetratedandoverruntwodaysbefore.Theforestwhere theenemylurkedhunglikeagoiter toward the south. The Soviets had been there in force since February 9 and hadinstalledtheiranti-tankguns.

Thenormallineofretreatusedthesouthernendofthisforest.TheGermantrucksthatwentaheadofourbrigadehadjustrunintoahundredSovietwasp’sneststhere.

Oneof our staff officers, amanufacturer fromGhent, a serious-minded and civilizedman,straightasaswordandloyalasaknight,CaptainAnthonissen,hadbeensentonaliaisonmissiontoDerenkovets.Headvancedattheheadofthecolumn.Whenitfellintoan ambush he immediately regrouped the infantry that accompanied the first Germantrucks.

Unluckily he was dealing with exhausted Volksdeutsche40 recruits of the VikingDivision, in retreat since the Skiti battle. These wrecks seemed to advance toward theenemy,thenatthefirstshotsbrokeintoarout.

CaptainAnthonissenknewthetraditionsoftheWallonianLegion.

Theotherswerefleeingineverydirection,buthestayed.

Hefoughtwithhissubmachinegunrighttotheend.

Acounter-attackorganizedbytheVikingDivisionclearedouttheroadonehourlater.Abodylaynearathicketthirtymeterstotheeastoftheroad.“ItwasaverytallmanbearingtheBelgiancolorsonhisleftsleeve,”aGermanofficertoldusthatevening.

Whywerewefighting,whyhadCaptainAnthonissenfought,ifnottomeriteverydaythehonorofrepresentingontheEuropeanfrontacountrysmallbutvibrantwithglory—theproudLeobelgicus41ofourforefathers?

Atthe tailof thecolumn, theonly lineofretreatwasanearthenpathcut inaclayasviscousasfueloil.Theterrainbecameverysteepandwecoulddragthetrucksonlywithtractors.Inthevalleysthevehicleswouldslideandskid.

Wehadtocrossfloodedstreams,stillpartlycoveredwithice.Thewheelswouldskidon it, hacking out deeper and deeper gashes. Every crossing of these diabolicalwatercourseswouldcostusoneortwovehicles.

We arrived on a plateau facing the forest just as theVikingDivisionwas starting itscounter-attack.Ourcolumnshad touseacartpath that turnedback to thesouth.At theendafewkilometersweveeredwestwardagain.Oncepartof the immenseautomobile-snaketherewasnogettingout.Thepathwasnarrowandborderedbyadeepravine.Oneclumsyturnofthewheelandthevehiclewouldtumbleintotheabyss.

Atthebaseofthemountainavillagewasstagnatinginthemarshesnearaglimmeringpond.Thepathfollowedthewater.Itsoonturnedintoathickcarbonblackpastealmosthalfameterdeep,absolutelyimpassable.Wehadtoresorttoextrememeasures.Wethrewallthehayandstrawstacksintothesinkhole,thenaddedthethatchfromtheisbasandontopof that thedoors, theshutters, thepartitions,andeventhe tables,whoselegswecutoff.

Theentirevillagewentintoit.

Theenemywastwokilometersaway.Itwasnotimetobesoft-hearted.Andonthesepitifulruins,amongthestunnedpeasants,ahundredtruckswereabletohaulthemselvesout,gobackuptowardhighground,andfinallyreachthecrossroadsoftheDerenkovetsroad.

At fiveo’clock in theeveningwewerecertain thatwehadsavedalmostallourmenand,bestofall,muchoftransport.

We dared not wait any longer. The planes were machine-gunning the isbas at thecrossroads.We had a store of flares there. The Soviet fighters hit it. Hundreds of red,green,white,andvioletspraysstreakedaboutinafrenzy,fellatourfeet,andmaddenedourlasthorses.

To reachDerenkovetswehad to approach thewesternborderof theenemy-occupiedforest.Ourcolumnskirteditatadistanceoftwokilometers.

The advance was nerve-wrackingly slow. Everywhere, all the time, half a meter ofsticky mud. German trucks going to Derenkovets to get to Korsun and trucks of theWallonianBrigadeweremixedup ina longnarrow line.Everyminuteor soabogged-downvehiclewouldblockeverything.

Wehad touprootandcutdown the little fruit treesof theneighboringcountryside inordertohelpfirmuptheroad.Anumberofcarshadbeenabandonedandoverturned,theirmotorsburnedout.Wewentonfootforthemostpart,ourmusclesstrainedbytheclumpsofmudclingingtoourfeet.

Nightwascoming.Ournervousnessgrew.

Wewerebeingshotatfromtheedgeofthewoods.TheSovietairplaneswereharassingusalmostwithoutrespite.

Suddenly a huge red ball burst out of the forest, then another. “Panzers! Panzers!”yelledtheforeigndriversas theythrewthemselvesbeneaththeirmachinesandset themonfirebeforefleeing.

No,itwastheSovietanti-tankweaponsthatwerefiringonourcolumn.

This was no big crisis. We had seen it all before. But some of the burning trucksinstantlyforbadeallmovement.Therewerestocksofthousandsofshellsandgrenadesintheconvoy.

The explosions began. Everyone had to throw himself flat in the muddy fields. Imanagedtojumpontoahorseandtriedtoregroupsomeofthemenandsaveafewmore

vehicles.

But it was too late. The whole road was on fire. More than a hundred trucks wereburning against the gray-violet sky, a long red and pink ribbon perforated with blackspurts.

All our recordswere destroyed, all our papers, all our equipment.Only our gloriousflags escaped. Those the company commanders had carried draped around their bodiesundertheirjacketssincethefirstdayoftheretreat.

Thatnightseveralhundredmen,theirlegsshakywithfatigue,harassedbySovietfire,enteredthesunkenroadofDerenkovets.

Mud,likeariveroflava,floweddowninenormousribbonstothelittlevalley,cutoffbythelake.

Thebridgehadbeendestroyed.Thepondicehadmelted.Wehadtocrossthisshadowystretchinwateruptoourwaists.

EastofDerenkovets theenemyhadbeenveryaggressive for twodays:harassing the2ndCompanyinthenorth,itburstintotherefugeaswearrivedthere.Inthesoutheastitbombardeduswithanti-tankshell-bursts.

A torrential rain had begun to fall. During a night streaked with bursts from Sovietmachine guns, we streamed in, half-blinded, falling in the mire, hampered by ourweapons,drainedofstrengthandalmostofhope.

THEBRIDGEHEAD

TheAssaultBrigadeWalloniahadachievedtheexceptionalfeatofregroupingitselfinitsentiretyatthebridgeheadofDerenkovets.

Oursituationalmostimmediatelybecamehellish.

Wewerepositionedinahorseshoearoundthevillage,facingnorth,northeast,andeast.

Fromwithin theKorsunhorseshoe theKorsun roadstartedoffbehindus towards thesouth.Thesecurityzoneofthishighwaywasdiminishingfromhourtohour.SoviettankswereharassingthepositionsoftheWehrmachtatthewestofthecorridor.Sovietsnipershadsnuckineverywhere.SinceThursdaymorningtheRedshadbeenabletomachine-guntheconvoyhurryingfromDerenkovetstoKorsun.

The twentykilometersof relativesecurityhadbecome, in less thanaday,one to twokilometers.

Thesoutheasternandeasternflankswereintheorylargelyprotected.TheSSNordlandRegimentwastocontaintheenemyinthatdirection,abouttenkilometersfromthevalley.Thankstothiscover,ourbridgeheadatthenorthernendofthecorridorwouldbeabletohold out as long as necessary. The general regrouping at Korsun could then be madesmoothly.

Unfortunately,sinceThursdaytheNordlandRegimenthadbeenbadlyknockedabout.

An enemy tidal wave had thrown it back to the last hill covering our road betweenDerenkovetsandKorsun,somesevenkilometersbehindus.

Thenwenearlylosteverything.Thecorridorwasnolongermorethanafewhundredmeterswideinall.Bulletswerecrossingitinbothdirections.

AtthisnewsGeneralGillebecameterriblyangry.TheNordland’scommanderreceivedahurricaneofimprecationsoverthefieldtelephone,andwasorderedtotakebackthelostgroundinstantly.

ButinthemeantimethevictoriousSoviettroopswererushingtowardsDerenkovetsinorder to attack us from behind.At the beginning of the afternoon they appeared at thesoutheastnearthemostelevatedisbas.

Derenkovetswasanextendedtown,itshousessetveryfarapart.Fromastrategicpointof view, the Reds had just reached the most important location. That evening theirequipmentwouldbesetupandwewouldbecaughtinthecrossfireofSovietgrenadesandartillery.

Westillhadafewtroops.

Everystrokeofbadluckbringsitsownconsolation.Thehundredsoftrucklessdriversandweaponlessartillerymenconstitutedgrowingreservesas themireswallowedupourmateriel.Weimmediatelyturnedthemintoinfantrymenwhoveryusefullyreinforcedourdecimatedcompanies.

Anartilleryofficer,LieutenantGraff,was sent to retake theDerenkovets slopeat theheadofabout50ofhisformermen.

Prideenteredintoit.Theartillerymen,whomthefrontlinesoldiersoftenteased,wantedto give them an eyeful. They gave the Reds such a beating that they withdrew twokilometerstothesoutheast.Theytooknumerousprisoners,andasafinishingtouch,tookamillandanagriculturalcomplexbystormingaknoll.

ThemenoftheNordlandweresomewhatembarrassedwhen,inthecourseoftheirverydifficult counter-attack, they reached the sector they had lost several hours before. Ahandful ofmuddy and gleeful Belgianswere already plucking chickens, cutting bacon,slicingpickles,preparing,theirgrenadesontheirbelts,adiscreetlyheroickermesse.

Theyheld thispositionunshakably.Ourartillerymenwereproud.Andwhat theyhaddonewasgood.

Buteverywhereelsedangerwasbloodilydrawing itsnoose tighteragain.TheeastofDerenkovetswas savagely harassed.Hordes ofMongolswere surging in from all sidesand throwing themselves in howling bands onto our little posts.Wewere pushed backrightoutsidetown.

In the evening the situation was this: the bridgehead at Derenkovets was practicallychokedoff.Behindusatthemid-routebetweenDerenkovetsandKorsun,thecorridorhadonly a tiny zoneofprotection left at thevillageofArbusino. It couldbe cutoff at any

moment,inwhichcase,surroundedatDerenkovets,ourfatewouldbesealed.

Moreover the enemywould then be able to break through fromArbusino toKorsun,where fifty thousand men, ensnared in the mire along with their equipment, were justbeginningtoregroup,expectinghelpfromthesouthwest.

Nowthishelpwaslookingmoreandmoreproblematical.ThecolumnofGermantanksthatwassupposedtoliberateuswasstillfortykilometersawayfromKorsun.It,too,wassinkinginseasofmud.Thingslookedgrimeverywhere.Thenewswasalldisastrous.

Theencircledtroopswereattheendoftheirstrength.

Therewerealmostnomoremunitionsorfood.

Themenwerehalfdeadfromfatigue.

Howmuch longercouldwecheck the thrustofanenemywhoknewwewereonourknees? Would the tanks from the west muster enough strength to break through theencirclementandthroughtheincrediblemud?

Atthemostoptimistic,wehadnomorethanafewdaysbeforewewouldsuccumb.

Thatnightasecretcommunicationfromthestaffofficeof thedivision toourbrigadecommander left no more hope. “We have only four or five chances in a hundred ofescapingtotalannihilation.”

Inthelittlecommandpost,drenchedwithtorrentialrain,welookedatoneanother,ourbloodruncold.

Wesawthefacesofourchildren,faraway,asinamirage.

Thehourwasnotfaroffwhenallwouldbelost.

The night of Thursday, February 10, to Friday, February 11, passed in confused andmultiplebattles.

Wecouldnolongerseeameterahead.Theairwasnothingbutsolidwater.Thegroundwasariverinwhichwesanktoourknees.

LiketoadstheSovietswereswarmingeverywhereacrosstheblackmud.

Bulletskeptcomingeveryminuteortwofromthesamespot.Ittookusaquarterofanhourtofindtheplacewherethemarksmanmusthavebeenhiding.Nothingwaslefttherebutapoollikealltheothers.Hehadslippedsilentlyawayandpostedhimselfinanotherwatery, shadowy hole. We had scarcely moved off when bullets began whistling pastagain,sharp,brutal,nerve-wracking.

All aroundus theprojectileswould criss-cross and explode into thewalls, thedoors,andtheroofs.

Ourmen,who had not slept for aweek, clothes glued to their bodies, felt that theywouldgocrazy.

Division telephoned the command post every half hour. “You must hold! You musthold!”Ifwelostahousewehadtoretakeitimmediately,inthedark.

TheRedswere slipping in amongus.Wekept catching them indarkness.Wewouldtake them to the command post, shaggy swamp monsters, disgusting with mud, theircheeksflatandred,laughingintheiryellowteeth.

They all said that theywere ten times stronger thenwe.Then theywould gobble upanything,wouldfallasleepanywherelikeanimals,snoringandmumbling,inanauseatingodorofgreaseanddampcloth.

FIVETOMIDNIGHT

OnFridaymorningDerenkovetswasstillholdingout.

The eastern and western flanks of the Korsun road had held, although almosteverywheretheSovietriflemenhadsneakedinamongthebramblesandthicketsalongsidetheroad.

TheSovietsknewfarbetterthanwehowwelltheyhadushemmedin.Forseveraldaystheir airplanes had been dropping us leaflets in which they described to us, fullydocumented, our desperate situation. They gave the list of the surrounded units andespeciallymentionedtheso-called“WallonianMotorizedBrigade.”

Theywerebecomingmoreandmoreinnovative in theartofpropaganda.Regularlyawhiteflagwouldwave.ASovietsoldierwouldadvance,bringinganenvelopeaddressedpersonallytotheGeneraloftheDivisionoroftheArmyCorps.Itwouldbeahand-writtenletterfromaGermangeneraltakenprisonerwhohadgoneovertotheenemy.Thisagentwouldinsistentlypropose, in thenameofhisSovietmasters, thehonorablesurrenderoftheencircledKessel.

Everydayphotosweresentby thesamepostal service,photosofprisoners taken theprecedingday,seatedatatablewiththegeneralinquestion,perfectlyaliveandwellcaredfor.

Ateleveno’clockonFriday,February11,1944,afterthehabitualwhiteflaghadbeenraised,twoverycorrectSovietofficersappearedbearingamessagefromtheSovietHighCommandforthecommanderinchiefoftheencircledforces.

Themessagewasanultimatum.

Thetwoenemyofficerspassedbehindourpositionsandwerereceivedwithcourtesy.TheSoviet ultimatumwas clear andplain: “Either youwill surrender andbe treated ascourageous soldiers or the attack will be unleashed at 1300 hours, and you will beexterminated.”

The ultimatum was rejected instantly and categorically. We escorted the two Sovietofficersbackacrossthemucktotheirownlines,ridingonavibratingtractor.

TheSovietsdidnotdelaytheirretort.

Immediatelyafternoon,allaroundtheterriblycontractedKessel,theRedArmybrokecover.

It attackedourbridgehead and theDerenkovets-Korsun roadwith rage.Theoutcomewasprecarious.

TheGermanforceshadstartedreassemblingatKorsuntwodaysearlier.Weknewthatthefinalcombatwasgoingtobegin, that tensof thousandsofmenweretakingpositionandwouldthrowthemselvesintotheassaultwiththeenergyofdespair.Aradio-telegramfrom the German High Command had entreated us to combine our forces. They weregoingtosend,inalasteffort,allthePanzerstheyhadleft.

Wewouldhavetoriskeverything.

TheSovietsbelievedusirretrievablylost.

Forthelasttwoweeks,theirattackshadn’tsucceeded.Theywantedtohurryandhastenthekill.Theirultimatumhavingbeenrejectedwithoutdiscussion,theirattackbrokefromallsectors.

ThateveningtheKorsuncorridorbecamenarrowerandnarrower.ButatDerenkovetsourbrigadehadn’tlostaninchofgardenorameterofhedge.

Oursoldiersweresunklikepostsintheground.Fromthenontheywereunmovedbyanything.Panzerscouldhavefallenfromtheskyandtheywouldhaveshownnosurprise.

We had received new orders. The gravity of the situation was such that thebreakthrough would be moved up. The next day, Saturday, February 12, 1944, theencircledarmywouldmakeits lastattempt,andwouldthrust throughtheenemytowardthesouthwest.At fouro’clock in themorningwewouldevacuateDerenkovetsand jointheassaultwaveinthesouthendoftheKessel.TheNordlandRegimentwouldestablishtherearguardfromArbusino,coveringKorsun.

Butitwasonlyseveno’clockintheevening.

Itwasanendlesswait!

Almostallthelineswerefrayedandbroken.

Couldwemanage to hold out for ninemore hours, as ordered?Wouldn’t ourwholebridgeheadsuddenlycrackandfallbackinaterribleannihilation?

Bulletswereclatteringonthecorrugatedmetal,drippingunderthedownpour.Neveronearthhaditrainedwithsuchviolence.

Everywherescreamssplittheair.

At one o’clock in themorning our forward posts on the east withdrew. Already theSoviets,likereptilesofmudandnight,wereslitheringintotheisbas.Nolongerfiring,notbreathingaword,ourmenwentdowntowardtheramblingpond,severalhundredmeterswide,thattheycrossedinwateruptotheirwaists,theirweaponsheldoutatarm’slength.

Inthedarknesswescannedtheblackwaterfromwhichtheyemergedshinyasseals.

Inthenorthwestandthewestthefiringintensified.Bulletswentshriekingby,thendiedoutorflattenedthemselvesagainstobstacles.

Butsuddenlywewerestunnedbythedroningnoiseofadullrumble:tanks!

TheSoviettankshadjustarrivedonthenorthwest,severalhundredmetersawayfrom

us,moving toward the paved roadwhere our last truckswere lined up in the shadows.Thesealonecouldsaveusatthelastminute.

It was the sound of death, this great rolling of treads. Not five minutes would passbeforethecatastrophewouldbeuponus.

Ileapedontoananti-tankgunleftneartheroad.Helpedbyasoldier,Iturneditaround.Othersoldiersranupatmyshout,andaimedanotherweapon.Weunleashedahell’sfireofplungingshells,forcingtheenemytankstoahalt.

Itwasone-thirtyinthemorning.

Behindthetanks,theRussianfootsoldiershadcrepttowithinseveraldozenmetersofus.Theyfiredblindlyattheblackroad.

Wehadtokeepmovingthetrucksceaselesslybackandforth,waitingforhundredsofourcomradestoclimboutofthepond.

Astheyreachedtheroadtheythrewthemselvesontothevehicles.Butateachloadingsomefellbackontotheground,mortallywounded.

At4:00a.m.themenofthelastrearguardplatoonjoinedus.Wehastilyloadedourtwoanti-tankgunsontothelasttrucks.

Our bridgehead ofDerenkovets had held out to the endwithout a hitch and right onschedule.

Arbusinowason fire.TheNordlandRegiment had retaken cover behind the inferno.Fartheronafewairplaneslaysadly,theirnosesinthemud.

AtdawnwearrivedatKorsun.Ourbrigademadeitapointofhonortogetdownfromthe trucks, to re-form, and to enter the city in strict order, heads high, singing as if onparade.

DEPARTUREFROMKORSUN

Korsunwasanadmirablecity.

Itwasbrightenedon the southeastbyaverydeep lake, severalkilometers long.Thislake,borderedbygreen,blue,white,andredisbas,framedbyhillswithcopperyshrubs,andhemmedbyasandyroad,endedinagiganticdam.Thewaterplungedontoenormousredandgreenrocks,thenveeredawayroaringfromthetwosidesofaglossyisland,whichboreonitssummitanoldwhiteabbeywithelegantorientalfestoons.

Fiftymetersabovetheleapingwater,theWagnerianroarofthefallrosetoadarkandimposing cliff. It was there that all the dead of the Viking Division and the AssaultBrigadeWalloniawereburied.

After eachbattlewehadbrought them to this powerful anddistant promontory, highplaceofdeathandglory.

From there they would see us leave along the great lake, toward sacrifice ordeliverance.

TheencircledKesselkeptshrinking:afewkilometersoffronttothenorthofKorsun,afewkilometerstothesouthwest:adoublecurtainofflank-guardprotection.

Thatwasall.

InthebeginningtheKesselwasasbigasBelgium.NowitwassmallerthanaFrenchdépartement.

Theenemystruckharder thanever.As thewithdrawalprogressed, itwasessential totake,inthesouthwest,thekilometersabandonedtotheeastandnorth.Wehadwithdrawnfrom Derenkovets. Seven kilometers were therefore lost. The German assault waveswouldhavetoconquersevenothersinthesouthwestbeforeevening;otherwisethefiftythousandmenoftheKesselwouldsmothertodeathforlackofroomtomove.

Now at eleven o’clock in the morning, while the commander and I were receivingordersatDivisionheadquarters,wesawGeneralGilleturnredwhileonhistelephone.Hehadreceivedcatastrophicnews.Arbusino,whichwassupposedtoserveasabarrieruntilthenextday,hadjustfallenintothehandsoftheSoviets.

TheywereadvancingattopspeedagainstKorsunitself.

TheGeneral grabbed his thick baton, jumped into a Volkswagen, and hurried in thedirectionofArbusino.

Itwas difficult to resist the anger ofGeneralGille. The villagewas retaken and thebarrierre-established.

Justintime!

Ourdivisions’attack in thesouthwesthadbeenunderway for severalhours. Ithadn’tsucceededaswellastheGermancommanderhadwanted.TheRedswerefightingbitterly.Avillagehadbeen takensixkilometersfromKorsun.Weobservedseveraladvancesontheflanks.

But theenemywaspressingusveryclosely.Nowweneededquickandtotalsuccess.Wehadoneortwodaysatthemost.

Thetroopswerebeingaskedtomakeasuperhumaneffort.

Both officers and soldiers hadn’t any rest for ten days. We were sustained by theferociousenergythatonlyimminentdeathgives.

SinceMoshnyIhadn’tsleptanhourforaweek.IfoughtoffsleeponlybyswallowingPervitin42pills,adrugfurnishedtopilotstokeepthemawakeduringlongflights.

Itwasinfactimpossibletofindaminute’srespite.Thetelephonesatthecommandpostrangfiftyorsixtytimesanight,whenevertheenemywasbreakingthroughourpositions.Iwouldhavetorushtothecriticalpoint,takeallthemenIcouldfind,andthrowmyselfbodyandsoulintothecounter-attackwiththem.

Therewasnothingleftofusbutabundleofnerves.

Howmuchlongercouldournervesholdout?

Ourammunitionhadbeenusedupentirelyinthefiercecombatsofthepasttwoweeks.Foraweeknotanairplanehadbeenabletoland.Itwasonlybyparachutedropsthattheencircledarmycouldstillreceivethewherewithaltofight.

We had scarcely arrived at Korsun when we heard the purring of airplanes in theloweringandrainysky.Acloudofwhiteparachutesfellthroughthedrizzle.

WethoughtatfirstthatitwasaSovietlanding,thelastphaseofthestruggle.

Then, instead of bodies hanging under the silken domes,we saw thick silver cigars.Every one of them contained twenty-five kilos of cartridges or little boxes of a bitterchocolateconcentratethathelpedfightoffsleep.

Thankstotheseaerialgifts,eachunitcouldagainreceiveasensiblerationofammo.

The bakers of Korsun kneaded a last ovenful of ration loaves. This, along with theparachutedchocolate,wastheonlyfoodthatwasdistributedtothetroopsonFebruary13,1944.

As he took his bread, each soldier knew that itwas the last bread hewould receivebeforeeitherconqueringordying.

Ourdeparturetowardthebattleinthesouthwestwasfixedfor2300hours.

We still entertained certain illusions, for the German commander was deliberatelygivingfalseinformation,thatistosayoptimisticinformation.Itwasbetter,certainly,nottotelleverything.Ifwehadknownthetruthwewouldhavegivenuptrying.

To listen to the superior officers, the next day, Sunday, would see the end of ourmisfortune.Therewereonlyafewmorekilometerstocross.

Webelieveditbecausemanwillinglybelievesthethingsthatcorrespondtohisdesires.

SincemorningtherainhadstoppedbeatingdownontotheKessel.Themoonroseupintheevening.Wesawthereaportent.Korsunglowedsoftly.

Thesilverygleamsintheskyweredelicate.Theairwassharp.WiththehelpofafewPervitinpills,wewereabouttoreach,intheend,victory.

Wehadlostalotoftrucks.

Ourdeadwerealsomany;therewasplentyofroomonthetrucksthatremained.Inthemiddleofthenightourcolumnreachedthelake,whiteandblueunderthemoon.

Thearmycrosseditonawoodenbridgenearlyakilometerlong,builtaudaciouslyontopofthedambytheengineers.Thebridgewasn’twideenoughtopermittrafficinbothdirections.Theconvoysthereforehadtobeinterruptedhourly.Inspiteofthethousandsofvehicles from theKessel that took their turnon thebridge, thepassage, incredibly,wasaccomplishedwithoutaccidents.

The enemy was very close; the men were nervous; but nothing ruffled the irondisciplineoftheFeldgendarmes.

Inspiteofourfatiguewecouldn’thelpadmiringthisefficientmachine,thiscommandin total control of itself, this withdrawal as regular as the timing of a race: the supplycorps, the distribution of gasoline andmunitions, the flow of traffic, the telephone, theradio,everythingworkedperfectlyduringthesehauntingweeks.Notsomuchasagrainofsandfouled thegears inspiteof theconcentrationofdisparate troops,harasseddayandnight,despitethelossofconsiderablemateriel,sunkinthemuddythaw.

Neverthelessthatnighteverythingdependedonafewdozencubicmetersofplanks.Ifapilot had had the guts to crash his plane into the dam on the lake, the wooden bridgewouldhavecrumbled.NotanotherGermantruckwouldhaveleftKorsun.

Butnoenemyaviatortriedthissensationalcoup,orelsenoSovietgeneralthoughtofit.

Attwoo’clockinthemorningwewereontheothersideofthedam,travelingalongthesoftgleaminglake.Wewereunderwaytotheassaultlineonthesouthwest.

Wemanagedtoadvanceafewkilometers.Thecoldwasbiting.Themudwasfreezingup,whichmademovement evenmore difficult.Hundreds of trucks broke down in thisputty,blockingtheway.

Everywherewetriedtopulloutvehiclesstuckinthehardeningmudorpushthemontotheshoulders.But thereweretoomany.Forkilometers, themostunlikelyvehicleswerestoppedthreeorfourabreast:greatredtrucksoftheFeldpost,43staffcars,self-propelledguns, tanks, hundredsof cartsdrawnbyponiesorbyoxen.Motorcyclistswere revvingtheirenginesinvain.

Finallywehadtoabandonourtrucksandgoforwardonfootinthisimbroglio,wishingourdriverslotsofluckandthehelpofviolentandpropitiouswinds.

AtdawnwereachedthefirstvillagetakenfromtheSovietsthedaybefore.

Weweredismayedtohearthenews.

It had been impossible to open a deep breach in the enemy front. In the village ofSanderovka, after four kilometers of progress, the German troops had met incredibleresistance.Onlyhalfthevillageshadbeenoccupied.

Thelastthreetanksofourbrigadehadbeensentonanassaultalittlebeforeourarrivalandhadbeendestroyed.Thecommanderofourtanks,averyyoungcaptainashandsomeasagod,withbrightbluemischievouseyes,wearingmagnificentlyahighwhiteCossackshapskatoppedwiththedeath’sheadoftheSS,hadbeenblownupinhistank,whichtookadirecthitinthemunitionsreserve.Hehadbeentossedtenmetersintotheairandfallenback,stonedead,hisfaceabsolutelyintact.

Theattackwasabouttobeginagain.

AsfortheGermantanksthatweresupposedtocomefromtheoutsidetomeetus,wewerestillwaitingforthem.Theinformationaboutthemwasextremelyvague.

Wewerescarcelymakinganyprogressatalltowardthesouthwest.

Butwewere fast retreating in the north. Not onlyArbusino— lost in themorning,retakenatnoon—hadbeenlostagaindefinitivelyintheevening,thatis,twelvehourstoosoon,buttheSoviets,refusingtoletupontheretreatingtroops,hadenteredKorsun.

Wehadleftitateleveno’clockintheevening.TheSovietsstormeditatdawn.

Wehad tomoveon toNovo-Buda,whichon themapprotectedSanderovkafromtheeast,thetownforwhichwehadfoughtsohard.

Novo-Buda:astrangename.

Thevillagedominatedalongsteepridge.

WesetoffinIndianfile.

AlltheremainingGermanartillerywaspoundingSoviet-occupiedSanderovka.

Weveeredtotheleft.Germansoldierslayhereandthere,freshlykilled.

Themuckwasdisgusting.Sovietplanescamedownonus,hedgehopping.Wewouldthrowourselvestotheground,almostcompletelysinkingintothemud,untilthesquadrondisappeared. These dives were repeated ten times. It took three hours to cross fourkilometersofmuddyfields.

FinallyweenteredNovo-Buda.Thevillagewasasquietasacemetery.TwoWehrmachtregiments had just expelled the Reds in a masterful surprise attack. The enemy hadabandonedsomepowerfulgunsandabouttwentyFordtrucks,butthisunexpectedvictorydidn’tdeceiveanyone.

FifteenSoviettankswerecomingupfromthesoutheast.Wecouldseethemperfectlyastheyadvanceduptheroad.

Theystoppedeighthundredmetersaway.

NOVO-BUDA

Thenextday,February14,1944,beforedaybreak,weweretorelievethetwoGermanregiments thathadtakenNovo-Buda.CommanderLippertandIwent toconferwith thecolonelinchargeofthesector.

Passing through Novo-Buda plunged us into bitter reflection. The dirt roads of thevillage—twosunkenpaths,parallelanddeeplyembanked—wereutterlyinundated.Thewater reached a depth of one and a halfmeters ormore.Wehad to keep to the banks,slipperyaspaste,tocrossthevillage.

AttheGermancolonel’s,themoodwasdismal.Thevillagehadfallenwithoutashot.The two regiments had approached stealthily just before dawn and thrown the Soviets,takenfromtherear,intopanic.Theenemyhadfledleavingeventheiranti-tankguns.

TheSovietshadquicklyregainedtheircomposure,however.

Theircounter-attackhadestablishedawidearcfromthenortheasttothesouthofNovo-Buda.

Novo-Budahadbeenconqueredforafewhoursinordertoprotectthecolumnexiting

the Kessel, which was to seize Sanderovka and sweep toward the southwest. ButSanderovka hadn’t been completely taken yet. Beyond Sanderovka, we had to expectstubbornresistancenowthattheenemyhadbeenabletobraketheGermanassaultfortwodaysandanight.Novo-Buda,positionforasingleday,hadthusbecomecrucial.IfNovo-Budafell,theenemywouldhaveonlytoadvancefourkilometerswesttocutofftheroadbehindSanderovka.Finaldisasterwouldbeathand.

TheGermancolonelfearedfortheworst.Oursectorwasdowntoonlyfivetanksandourlastanti-tankguns.Thesewerealmostoutofammunition,andwewouldscarcelybeabletomovethem,soprodigiouswasthemuck.

The three thousand men of the two regiments from the Division “Das Reich,” whowouldleaveattheendofthenight,weretobereplacedbyathousandWalloonsoldiers,and a nondescript army of cooks, accountants, drivers, mechanics, quartermasters, andtelephonists,flankedbythelegalofficer,thedentist,thepharmacist,andthepostman,alltransformedintoreinforcementsforournineskeletalcompanies.

TheGermanstaffofficerswerewaiting,elbowsonthetable,headsintheirhands.Noonebreathedaword.

Theywereaskingthemselveswhethertheywouldhavethelucktogetthroughthenightwithoutanothercounter-attack.We,ontheotherhand,askedourselveswhetherwewouldhavetheilllucktoseetheattackunleashedaftertheGermanshadleft.

Night fell.Our companies arrived in themist, exhausted, having left laggardsbehindeverywhereinthemudofthefields.

ThemenwentintowhateverisbatheyfoundinNovo-Buda.Mostofthemcollapsedincorners, almost dead.The toughest pulledoff their jackets and their trousers, streamingwithfilthywater,infrontoftheorangecornstalkfires.

At two o’clock in themorning knocking and shouting resounded from door to door.Unhappymessengersweresloggingthroughthemudtomusterthebrigade.

Weputourclothesbackon.Theywereashardassheetiron.Everyonecleanedhisgunorsubmachinegunaswellashecould.Hundredsofmenfiledoutof the isbas into thecold night, promptly and unavoidably tumbled into the water of the sunken path, andadvancedstumblingandswearing.

It took nearly two hours to assemble the companies. Poor boys, drippingwithmud,exhausted,havingeatennothing,drunknothingotherthanthefilthywateroftheroad.Wehadtoguide themto theholesfromoutofwhich tottered thefootsoldiersof theReichDivision.“Comeon,oldman,getintoposition,abovealldon’tfallasleep,keepyoureyesopen,they’reoutthere!”

Yes, theywereout there,notonlyEuropeanRussians,butMongols,Tatars,Kalmuks,Kirghiz,havinglivedforweekslikewildanimalsinthemud.Theyhadsleptinthicketsandeatenfoodscroungedfromthelastyear’scornandsunflowerfields.

Theywereoutthere,sureoftheirsubmachineguncartridgeclipswithseventybullets,sureoftheirgrenadethrowers,sureoftheir“Stalin’sorgans,”whoserocketvolleysfilled

thenightwithhorror.

Theywereoutthere.

And their 15 tankswere out there.Wewaited, apprehensive in the darkness, for thesoundoftheirtreads.

TheGermanseniorofficers,seatedbeforeus,waitedforfiveo’clock.Theyhadshownusthesituationonthemap.

A gap of several kilometers extended to the northeast. It had been impossible toestablisha liaison in thatdirection.On theeast and southeast thepositionswere spreadthinlyontheedgeofthevillagetowhichtheenemyhadfallenbackthedaybefore.

Clearlywelackedacontinuousfront.Westillhadourfiveoldtanks.Wehadtomakethebestofthem.

Itwasalmostfiveo’clock.

SuddenlytheGermancolonelorderedustobesilent.Aprotractedrumbleoftanktreadsroseinthedwindlingnight.

Thecolonelgotup,gatheredhismaps,andmadeasigntohisstaff.Histroops,relievedbyours,hadalreadyleftthetown.Bystayingwithusintheheatofthefrayhewouldhaveriskedbeingcutofffarfromhissoldiers.Aninstantlaterhedisappeared.

CommanderLippert,hiseyesstaring, listened.Thenoiseof the tanksstopped. Itwassilentagain.Theenemytankshadmoved,thatwasall.

Twohourswentbywithoutanythinghappening.

Our flankers, rubbing their tired eyes, still watched the hill behindwhich the Soviettankssheltered.Katyusharocketspoundedthetownonandoff.Ourcommandpostwasinthethickofit.

Ithadtoendbadly.

Atseveno’clockthegreatflatrumblingoftanksfilledNovo-Budaasecondtime.ThefiveGermantanksbackeddowntochangeposition.Menwererunningthroughthemud,seeingnothing,hearingnothing.

Three tank shells fired point-blank tore through our little isba. Everything cametumblingdownonourheads;wewerehalf-buriedinthewreckage.

Ihadbeenhitbyahugepieceofrubblerightinthebelly.Ipulledmyselfupwithgreatdifficulty, all yellowwith dirt from themud-wall.On both sides of the flattened housesoldiersrushedbypursuedbySoviettanks.

Oneofthemhadalreadypassedus.

TWOHUNDREDDEAD

TheSovietssurgedintoNovo-Buda.

Grabbingtwosubmachineguns,thecommanderandIrushedtojoinfiftyofourmen.

The twoparallel roadsbetweenwhichwefoundourselveswerefilledwith thedinofthetanks.

The fifteen enemy tanks had obliterated our riflemen’s foxholes. Themen had beencrushed in the mud under the treads or massacred by mobs of screaming AsiaticsfollowingtheRedtanks.

The five German panzers had withdrawn to the end of the village. One of them,returning, found itselfnose tonosewithaSoviet tank.Theydestroyedoneanother inafewseconds.

AnotherSoviet tank thrust uponuswith such rapidity thatwehadn’t the time to seeanything.Thrownintotheair,ourearsringing,wefellhelter-skelter,deadorwounded.

OurGermanliaisonofficerwasplanteduprightlikeapicketinthethickmud,hisheadsubmerged,hisfeetintheair.Thetankscontinuedtothunderalongthetworoads,andtoflattenourwretchedinfantrymen,whomtheypursuedfromeverydirection.

Ihadmanagedtodiveintoaditch.Alongjaggedsplinter,veryhot,protrudedfrommyjacket.Icouldtell thatIwaswoundedinthesideandinthearm,butmylegswerestillgood.

Menwererunninginpanictothewesternslopesofthevillageinthebeliefthatallwaslost.Thetractorofoneofouranti-tankgunsplungeddownintotheirmidst.AshellfromaSoviettankknockeditforaloop.

Icaughtthemenatmid-slope.Ihadoneofourofficersmountarunawayhorsetoracefurtheraheadandrallyallwhohadfled.

Our tanksandouranti-tankgunshadwithdrawn to thesouthof thevillage.But theywerestillfighting.Itwasthereastandwouldhavetobemade.

Allalongtheredfencesmenwerereturningtothehouses,underintensivefirefromthe“Stalin’sorgans.”Theeffectof these rocketexplosionswasextraordinary.Everyoneofthe36burststhrewupasprayshapedlikeanappletree.Grayorchards,phantomorchardsthatscatteredbloodyfruitsoftornhumanflesh.

InoneisbawehadafewPanzerfausts,individualanti-tankweaponsjustintroducedontheEasternfront.At that timewehad towait for the tank tocomewithin tenor fifteenmeters before shooting a largemetallic egg screwed onto the end of a hollow pipe. Aflamefourorfivemeterslongwouldburstouttheotherendoftheweapon,bracedontheshoulder, at the moment of firing. Any man behind the shooter would be instantlycarbonized.ItwasthusimpossibletousethePanzerfaustfromatrenchlestthefirebounceback and burn the shooter. The best thingwas to kneel behind a haystack, a tree, or awindow,thenpullthetriggeratthelastminute.

Itwasveryrisky.Evenifthetankblewup,theflameofthePanzerfaustwouldinstantlymarkyoutotheothertanks.Thereprisalwouldnotbelongincoming.

Butour soldiers relisheddangerousgames,exploits thatasked little steadfastnessand

lotsofaudacity.Volunteerssneakedamongtheisbas,Panzerfaustsintheirhands,behindthebundlesofbranchesandthelittlewalls.TheSoviettankswerepromptlyboxedin.TheGermantanksandouranti-tankgunsgaveeverythingtheyhad.Attheendofanhourthewholesouthof thevillagewasoursoncemore,andfiveSoviet tankswereinflames.Ablazingcolumnofredandblackrosetenmetersabovetheslopes.

TheSovietsheldtheeastandthesoutheastofNovo-Buda.Theninetankstheyhadleftwere camouflaged, guarding against any counter-attack.Our losses had been fearful. Intwohoursoffightingwehadlostaroundtwohundredmen.

Groupsofsoldiersgoneastrayinthemuddyfieldstheeveningbeforetoiledpainfullytowardourheights.Ihadbeenundressedandtendedtobehindabushontheridge.Tworibshadbeenbrokenbytheshrapnel,whichhadalsostruckmeintherightarm.

Thatwasn’ttooimportant,formyrolewasaboveallthatofmotivator.

The legs, the voice, the fire were intact. That was enough. I could still rally men,instructofficers.

Yeteveryonehadmetthehaggardparadeofwoundedandheardthestretcher-bearers’tales,alwayslavishwithhorrifyingdetails.

The“Stalin’sorgans”rainedaninfernalfire.Ateachwaveofrocketstheravinefilledwithbiggray“appletrees”outofwhichwouldexplodecriesofsuffering,criesforhelp,anddeathrattles.

Exhausted by a halfmonth of horror, our soldiers’ spiritswere far heavier than theirbodies.Thistown,wheresomanycorpseslayinthemud,terrifiedthem,butonehadonlyto say a fewwords to chase away their anguish and lift their spirits. Then theywouldsmilemud-coveredsmiles,and,readjustingtheirgear,theywouldrejointheircomradesindanger.

Theweatherhadchangedgreatly.The rainhadstoppedfallingsince the fullmoonatKorsun. The cold, timid at first, had become quite biting. The wind whistled sharp asneedles.

During twoweeksof exhaustingmarches acrossphenomenalmudwallows, themen,streaming with sweat, had abandoned the greater part of their winter equipment.Sheepskins, padded tunics, napped trousers, all had been thrown away piece by piece,marchbymarch.Mostofthesoldiersnolongerhadevenacoat.

Inthegreatfree-for-allofthemorningnoonehadfeltthefreeze.Butnowitwhippedtheirfaces,gnawedtheirbodiesunderthelightweightuniformscakedwithmud.

Theenemyairforcetookimmediateadvantageoftheclearsky.Theplanesdescendedinclamorouswaves,skimmingourbarehill.Eachtime,wehadtoclingtotheground,stillsoftwhilebulletsfellallaroundus,breakingstonesandtwigs.

In the town, attacks and counter-attacks followedone anotherwithout cease.Wehadhardly anymore ammunition. Themachine guns had an average of fifty cartridges perweaponremaining,enoughtofireaburstofafewseconds.

Severalresolutesquadsthentriedtobetterourpositionbydaringhand-to-handforays.

Ourcommander,LieutenantColonelLucienLippert,whoaloneofallourstaffofficerswasstillunharmed,ledtheassaulthimself.

AyoungBelgianofficerwhograduatedfromtheMilitaryAcademyinBrusselsat theheadofhisclass,hehadcometotheanti-CommunistcrusadeasatrueChristianknight.He had an admirably pure face, a clear complexion, and serious blue eyes. LieutenantColonelattwenty-nine,helivedonlyforhisfaith.

On thatdayLucienLippert, anaturalhero,displayedaheroismsuchas tomakeoneshiver. He was nonetheless a very calm young man who never spoke or acted out ofmeasure.

Nowhefeltthatitwasallornothing.

WithahandfulofWalloonshecrossedthecenterofNovo-Budaandretookagroupofisbas that plunged toward the southeast. The enemy would hide, then reappear in tenplaces,inanycornerofahovel,behindanytreeoranyknoll.Snipersmoweddownoursoldiers.

Theyhadtocrossseveralmoremeterstoreachahouse.LucienLippertrushedforwardandmadeittothedoor.

Atthatsecondhegaveaterrifyingscream,heardeverywhere,thesuperhumanscreamofamanwhoselifeissuddenlytornfromhim.Hischestravagedbytheenormousholeofanexplosivebullet,LucienLippertfelltohiskneeslikeastone.

Heplacedhishandacrosshisforehead.Hestillhadtheextraordinaryluciditytopickuphiskepifromthegroundandputitbackontohisheadsoastodiefittingly.

Theisbanearwhichhehadsuccumbedwasdefendedfuriouslyuntilourtearfulsoldiershad finished burying him inside. The enemy retook the area, but theWallonianLegiondidn’twanttoleaveitsdeadcommanderinthehandsoftheCommunists.DuringthenightLieutenantThyssen,hisarmshotthroughbyabulletonFebruary6thandstreamingwithpus,crawledalongwiththevolunteers,rushedtheenemy,recapturedtheisba,dugupthecorpse,andbroughtitback,throughmachine-gunfire,toourpositions.

Welaidhimoutbetweensomeboards.Wedecidedtomakethebreakthroughcarryinghis corpse with us. If we didn’t make it, faithful to hismemory, wewould die on hiscoffin.

SANDEROVKA

ThenoosekepttighteningaroundtheKessel.

OnTuesdaymorning,February15,1944,thesituationhadnotimproved.

Sanderovka had been taken after three days and twonights of frightful hand-to-handcombat,butthatchangedlittle.

Theburningnecessitywas tobreak through theSoviet lines.TheGerman tankswerecomingtoourrescuefromthesouthwestandwehadtoreachthem.

Our divisions hadn’t advanced more than three kilometers south of Sanderovka. Incontrast, theenemyhad takenKorsun.SinceFebruary12wehad lost three timesmoregroundinthenorthoftheKesselthantheSovietshadinthesouth.

Wewerereducedtoanareanogreaterthansixtysquarekilometers,intowhichahumantidalwave flowed. For everymanwhowas fighting, seven or eightmenwerewaiting,crammedintothislastvalley.Therewerethedriversofthousandsoftrucks,sunkintothemud during the withdrawal. There were the personnel of the auxiliary services:administration,supply,hospitals,motorpools,themail.

The village of Sanderovkawas the capital of this army, hunted for the last eighteendays.Thismicroscopiccapital,poundedbysixtyhoursof fighting,hadbeenreduced tocrumblingisbasandbrokenwindows.TheseisbaswerethecommandpostoftheVikingDivision,ofeachofitsregiments,andofourbrigade.Ourcommandcenter,withoutfireorwindowpanes,consistedoftwosmallroomswithoutfloors.Abouteightypeoplewerepackedintoit,afewsurvivorsofthestaffoffice,themessengers,thedying,andnumerousGermansseparatedfromtheirunits.

Mywoundburned.Ihadafeverof40°Celsius.Stretchedoutinacorner,coveredwithasheepskin,IhadtodirecttheWallonianBrigade,whosecommandIhadbeengiventheeveningbefore.Therewasnolongeranadjutantoranaide-de-camp.AteveryhourofthedayandnightcatastrophicnewswouldarrivealongwithNCOsattheirlimit,staggeringmenfallinglikeleadweightsorcryinglikechildren.

Theorderswereimplacable.OurbrigadewastohangontoNovo-Budaasaflankguardaslongasthepenetrationinthesouthwesthadnotyetreacheditsfinalphase.

The companies, ten times repulsed and ten times returned to the counter-attack,wereoccupyingpositionsimprovisedaccordingtotheluckofbattle.Wehadplatoonsengagedfar to the east. Half the messengers who carried orders to them were picked off byMongols in ambush. The officers kept sending me panicky notes announcing thateverythingwasallover.Everyonewouldseetentankswherethereweretwo.Ihadtogetangry,andsendbackformalordersandstingingcomments.

The commander of the Viking Division was in the next isba. He kept receiving acontinualstreamofpessimisticmessagesfromunitsfightingnearours.Evidently,asisthecustominthearmy,everyoneblamedhisneighborforthereversesofhisownsector.

Iwas summoned byGeneralGille.With steely eyes, his teeth clenched, he gavemeordershardasiron.“Forbiddentoretreat!Theofficersareresponsibleforthetroops,youareresponsiblefortheofficers!”

Themanwasrighttoissuecurtcommands.Onlyanironwillcouldsaveusnow.

Itwasn’tfunny.

Myorderstotheofficerswerefirm.Poorboys,allsodevotedandsocourageous,theirskinsallow,gray,theirhairunkempt,theireyeshollow,theirnervesraw,theyhadtokeepsendinghundredsofmenbackintocombat.Theyreallyhadcometothelimitofhuman

endurance.

Ihadbeenabletoobtainanotherfiftythousandcartridges.ThebraveJuplanesstillkepton delivering us ammunition, but the boundaries of theKessel were so tenuous that aspecialwayofparachutinghadbeeninitiated.Atagivenhour,whiletheairplanescircledaboveus, flareswouldrisefromthefoursidesof theKessel.Theymarkedthelimitsofourminisculeterritoryexactly.Thebigsilvercigarsfullofcartridgeswouldbedropped.Wewouldbesavedforseveralhoursmore.

Theworsthardshipwas the lackof food.Therewasnotanother forkfulofmeatorathin slice of bread. There was nothing. The division had exhausted its last supplies atKorsun.Theshiveringsleeplessmenhadnotbeenfedforthreedays.Theyoungestwouldfaint,theirfacesontheirsubmachineguns.

WaitinginNovo-Buda,wehadthoughtthethrustwouldtakeplaceonMonday.

Itstillhadn’thappenedonTuesday.

Whenwouldithappen?

Wouldwestarvetodeathifthebulletssparedus?

IborrowedthehorsesthathadhauledcartsofwoundedmentoSanderovka.IaskedmymostresourcefulWalloonstoridethem:“Getgoing!Lookeverywhere!Gotothefarthestisbas!Sneakrightunder theSoviets’noses ifyouhave to!Butbringbacksomething tomakebreadwith!Anddoitquickly!”

Ifoundsomebakersamongthetroops.Ourisbahadahalf-destroyedoventhattheyputback into shape. Several hours later our horsemen returned with bags of flour thrownacrosstheirsaddles.

Did we still need leaven? No one had a gram. Our foragers went off again, lookedeverywhere,andfinallyfoundalittlebagofsugar.Withbreadandsugarwecouldbakesomething.Thefireflaredupatonce.

Bytheendoftheafternoon.Isentsomeroundloaves,flatasplates,andwithabizarretaste,tothepositions.Everyonegotaquarterofone.

Someothersoldiersbroughtmea fewstraycows.Theywere immediatelybutchered,andcutupintoahundredcrudepieceswithmakeshiftcleavers.Itwasimpossibletofindpans.Wemadehugefiresfromplankingoutside.Thewoundedandthehandicappedeachreceivedapikeorabayonet. Itwas their job to roast themeat.Wehadneither saltnorspices.Buttwiceadayeachmanreceivedhischunkofbeef,moreorlesscooked,whichhetorewithhisteethlikeatiger.

Ieventriedtogivethebrigadesoup.

A stove was found two kilometers north of Sanderovka, sunken in the mud amidsthundreds of bogged trucks. Our cooks pulled it out with immense effort and made asensationalstewwithwhatevertheyfound.

Findingtwobarrelstotransportthischoicegruel,weloadedthemonadump-truck.Ittookeighthours tocross the threekilometersofmud,nowbecomingverysticky in the

cold.WhenthevehiclereachedNovo-Budaattheendofthenight,thecasks,jostledaboutinalldirections,werethree-quartersempty.Therest,hadbecomefilthyandfrozen.

Afterthatwestucktobreadandsugarandbraisedbeef.

Whereverwe tookpositionweweremetbyenemy fire.Sanderovkawas riddleddayandnightby theconstant fireof the“Stalin’sorgans.”Everywherewehad to stepoverdeadhorses,brokencarts,anddeadbodiesthatwecouldnolongerbury.

Wehadconvertedthekolkhoz[collectivefarm]intoafieldhospital,openonallsides,butwhereourbleedingsoldiershadatleastaroof.

Wehad run out ofmedicine.Therewasn’t a single bandage in thewholeKessel. Tobindourmen’swoundsthemedicshadtoturnthepeasantwomenupsidedownandyankofftheirlongdrawers,giftsofthe“DonJuans”oftheGermanArmy.

Theywouldshriekandrunawaywiththeirhandspressedtotheirskirts.

Thustwoorthreehorriblywoundedmenwouldreceiveapitifulbandage.

Thegrotesquewasblendingwiththetragicandthehorrible.

Rocket volleys from the “Stalin’s organs” began to pound the kolkhoz. The roofcollapsed. Dozens of woundedmen died in bloody bundles. Others, gonemad, let outhorrifiedscreams.Wehadtoevacuate.Ourwoundedwouldhavetoremainoutdoors.

More than twelve hundred wounded men from the other units had already beenstretched out under the stars for several days and nights on hundreds of village carts,sleepingonstraw,drenchedtothebonebytheprecedingweek’srains,nowshiveringwithcold.

SinceTuesday the temperature had stayed atminus 20 degreesCelsius.Hundreds ofwoundedmen,facesnothingbutafrightfulpurplishpulp,amputeeswithonelegorarm,dyingmenwithconvulsiveeyes,wereexposedtoatrociousconditions.

TWENTY-THREEHUNDREDHOURS

That night snow fell interminably on Sanderovka, reaching a depth of a quarter of ameter.Thetwentyorthirtythousandmenwhowerewaitinginourvillageforamilitarysolutiontothedramahadn’tasingleplacetoliedown.OnemighthavethoughtoneselfattheBerezinaRiver,withNapoleon’sretreatingarmy.

Everywhere,inspiteofthedanger,themengatheredaroundfiresstartedinthesnow.Itwasimpossibletosleep.Toliedownintheopenairwouldmeananicydeath.

Isbaswere burning in vast conflagrations. In the valley hundreds of little brush firesflickered, around which crouching shadows, soldiers with reddened eyes, with ten-daybeards,wereholdingouttheirsallowfingersovertheflames.

Theywerewaiting,butnothingwashappening.Morning found themsilent,not evensearching for food. Their eyes looked toward the southwest. No one even bothered to

listentorumors.

The“Stalin’sorgans”wouldbrutallybreakourwait.Everyonewouldthrowhimselfinthesnow,thenrisepainfully.

Woundedmencriedout.Thedoctorscaredforthemonlyasamatterofconscience.

Thetwelvehundredwoundedwerestilllyingstretchedoutontheircarts.Manyofthemhadquitaskingforanything,stoppedwantingtoknowanything.Theywerehuddledupinthinblankets,exertingalltheirenergyinnotdying.

Hundreds of teams were mixed up among them, their skeletal horses gnawing theplanksofthecartsinfrontofthem.Hereandthereawoundedmanwouldcryoutorgivealongdrawn-outshudder.Mengonemadwouldrisetotheirfeet,bleeding,theirhairfullofsnow.

Itwasuselesstotrytofeedallthesewretches.Theykepttheirheadsburiedundertheircovers.Fromtimetotimethedriverswouldbrushawaythesnowthathadaccumulatedontheinertbodieswiththeirhands.

Manyhadbeenlyingonthesecartsfortendays.Theyfeltthemselvesrottingaway.Wecouldn’t numb the pain of their wounds, even the most horrible, even with a singleinjection.Wehadnothingleft.Nothing.Wejusthadtowait,towaitfordeathoramiracle.Therowofivorycadaversnexttothecartswasgrowinglonger.

Nothingastonishedusormovedus.Wehadseentoomuch.Theworsthorrors leftusnumb.

AboveNovo-Budatheenemywasstillattacking.

Thetanks,allmuddy,wereoutlinedagainstthewhitesky.

Themenheldonbecausetheycouldn’tdoanythingelse.OnthisbaldmountainretreatwouldinevitablymeanbeingcutdownbySovietmachineguns.

Our companies were sectioned over several kilometers, five men here, twenty menthere.

Notelephone.Noradio.

Wehadtowait fordarkness todragthewoundedandthedozensofboyswithfrozenwax-likefeetacrossthesnow.Theirshoes,torn,solessprungbythemarshesandthemud,gavenoprotectionanymore,andwiththewateroozingineverywhere,theyhadbynowbecomeblocksofice.

Wetookthesewretchesdownasfarasthevalley.Atdaybreakwelaidthemoutoncartsinplaceofthestiffcorpses,whichweputdownbesidethewheelsoronthesnowbanks.

Theirbeardsfrozenashardasdarts,shiveringorindignant,theywatcheduswithglassyeyes.Whatcouldwedo?Whatcouldwesay?Ourdeliverancewasyettocome.

Theyknewitaswellaswedid,andintheendtheywouldcurlupagaininsilence.

Wednesday afternoon it became obvious that the tanks coming toward us from thesouthwesteitherwouldn’treachusorwouldfindusdead.Forthelasttwodaystheyhadmadenoprogressatall.

Why?Wedidn’tknow.

WeweresupposedtohavemadethebreakthroughacrosstheSovietlinesonSaturday,February12.

ThenSunday.

ThenMonday.

Fivedayshadelapsed.

By now everyone could see that our efforts were either insufficient or in vain. Theelectrifyingtelegramshadbeennothingbutfictions.Thetankshadn’tcome.

The surrounded troops had held out as long as therewas hope.Now everythingwasfalling topieces.Weweredown toour last cartridges.SinceSunday thequartermastershadn’t any food. Thewoundedwere dying by the hundreds from exposure and loss ofblood.Weweresuffocatingundertheenemypressure.

In thenorth theBolshevik forces coming fromKorsunhadoverrunouroutposts.OnFebruary16theywerethreekilometersfromSanderovka.

AtNovo-Budaourresistancewasinitsdeaththroes.Huddledinthenarrowvalley,theGerman divisions were subjected to increasingly terrifying avalanches of shells andgrenades.

Optimistic rumorswere still making the rounds of the troops, tossed to them out ofcharitysothattheywouldcontinuetohope.

Butourleadersweredispiritedbeforethespecterofdisaster.

Wehadtohaveasolution,animmediatesolution.

IwassummonedbyGeneralGille.All thesuperiorofficersof theSanderovkasectorwerethere.

Therewasnolengthydiscussion.“Onlyadesperateeffortcanstillsaveus.It’snogoodwaiting. Tomorrowmorning at five o’clock the fifty thousandmen in theKessel mustcharge toward the southwest.We must either break through or die.We have no otherchoice.Thiseveningat2300hoursthemovementoftroopswillbegin.”

The two generals of the army corps and General Gille had taken great care not todescribe thesituation toorealistically.Tohear themtell it,allwehad todowascrossazone of five and a half kilometers to reach the liberating army. This, they said, hadadvancedsince thedaybefore,and tomorrowwouldadvanceagain towardus.Ourfiftythousandmenallchargingatoncewouldbeabletooverruntheenemy.

Everyone’snerves,whetherleaderorsoldier,hadbeenstrainedtothelimit.Nowhoperoseinusinburningwaves.Wewentbacktogivetheordersandpassthesacredfireof

inspirationtothetroops.

Theordersof theAssaultBrigadeWalloniawouldn’tbeeasy tocarryout.Wehad toremainasrearguardsatopNovo-Budauntiltheveryend.

Ateleveno’clockintheeveningIsentallthewalkingwoundedontheirwaytowardthesouthwest.Atoneo’clockinthemorningtheWallooninfantryforcesbegantodisengagefromtheeastandwest.WewouldhavetoholdfirmlytothepositionsofNovo-Budauntilfouro’clockinthemorning.

By this time the tens of thousands of men massed in the valley should be threekilometers to the southwest of Sanderovka. Then and only then could our rearguardwithdraw,takingcaretomisleadtheenemywithheavyfirerightatthelastminute.

TheWallonianBrigadewouldre-formwhileonthemarchandpasstotheheadofthecolumn, at that time integrating itself with the advance guard of the troops for thebreakthrough.

Wehadcometothepointwhereanythingwasbetterthanstagnation.Thetroopsknewthattheywouldbedoneforiftheystoodaboutanylonger.Theycouldn’tgoonwiththeirstomachsknottedwithhunger,theirbodiesshakywithfatigue,andtheirmindstorturedbyworry.

The announcement that the following dawn we would break through galvanized thewholearmy.Theweakestfeltaspurtofnewlife.Exhausted,almostintears,wewereallsickwithexultation.

Our eyes empty, our bodies limp, we kept repeating over and over to ourselves,“Tomorrowwe’llbefree!Free!Free!”

THELASTNIGHT

OnewayoranothertheCherkassyKesselwascomingtoanend.

AssoonasdarknesshidthevalleytheGermancolumnsbegantheirmarchtowardthesouthwest. They had to pass through the village of Sanderovka, then cross a bridge.Beyondthebridge theopensteppeextendedasfaras twovillagessituatedagoodthreekilometersapartinthesouthandwest.

Thesetwotownshadjustbeentakeninapitchedbattle.Atfiveo’clockinthemorningourdivisionswouldlaunchtheirattackfromthere.

Our train was to assemble at the west of these two towns before daybreak. Thesevehicleswereasourceofhourlytorment.FromthefirstdayoftheKessel,weshouldhavelightenedthearmyof thedeadweightof thesefifteenthousandtrucks.Thenthefiftytosixtythousandencircledmen,abletomovefreelyandorganizedinsolidinfantrycolumns,wouldhavebeenabletobreaktheenemystrangleholdeasilyenough.

Butatfirstwehadwantedtoholdtheterrain.LatertheHighCommandhadtreatedthesavingofthisfabulousencampmentasanaffairofstate.

GeneralGillehadreceivedasharpdressingdownforproposingthatweburnthem.Wehad spent three weeks towing these thousands of magnificent vehicles — radio cars,medical cars, command cars, enormous and impractical trucks loaded with millions ofkilosofheterogeneousobjects,bitsofoldpaper,all sortsof trunks, reservesofsurvivalrations,personaleffects,dishes,armchairs,mattresses,evenstocksofaccordions,mouthorgans,hygienicinstruments,andparlorgames.

From Petsamo to the Black Sea the German army suffocated under the weight ofoverabundantequipmentandbaggage,aweightthatgrewgreatereveryyear.

WeshouldhaveblownthreequartersofitintotheairandfoughtliketheAsiatics,sleptliketheAsiatics,eatenliketheAsiatics,advancedliketheAsiatics,asroughlyasthey,assimplyasthey,withoutcomfortandwithoutuselessburdens.

Wedraggedthehandicapofcivilizationwithusacrossimpossibleterrain.Thehordeonour tailhad themobilityand the toughnessofbarbarians.Thebruteovercame the truckbecausethebrutecouldgowherethetruckcouldnot.

TheGermandefeatinthesnowsandmuckofRussiain1943and1944wasinlargepartthedefeatofawell-suppliedarmyentangledinitsimpedimenta.

ItwasuselesstodiscusstheseproblemsinthemidstoftheKesselwithacommandthatwasalreadytearingoutitshair.Theordersweretosavetheequipment.Welostpreciousdays, therefore, indragging thousandsofdoomed trucks throughhorriblemudwallows,nevertheless to end up sinking in the boggy trails or being demolished in a barrage ofshellsfromtheSoviettanksandlightartillery.

OntheeveningofFebruary16,1944,westillhadabout20tanks,somethingmorethana thousand motorized vehicles (out of fifteen thousand), and hundreds of light cartsrequisitionedinthevillages,onwhichlayabouttwelvehundredwounded.

Thesewoundedmenweresacred.Thetroopsmadeaboxaroundthissorrowfulcolumnandprotecteditduringthedrivetowardthesouthwest.Wehadtotryeverythingtosavethesewretches,whosesufferinghadsurpassedanythingthataman’smindcouldimagine.Iftomorroweveningthesemenwereacrosstheinfernalbarrier,whatoverwhelmingjoyinourhearts!Whatrelieftolaytheminambulances,toseethesepoortornandfrozenbodiesfinallyreceivecare,toseetheseheartsthatbeatpainfullyundercoversheavywithsnowonceagainfindthepeacefulrhythmofmenwhocansufferwithhope.

Bynineo’clockintheeveningthebottleneckinSanderovkawasunimaginable.AtthattimeIwastoregulatethewithdrawalofmybrigadeatNovo-Budamethodically,platoonby platoon, sector by sector. One mishap at our rearguard positions and the wholemaneuverofSanderovkawouldhavefoundered.

Both boots set in the snow, racked by a fever of 40°C that I couldn’t shake off, Idispatchedmessengers,receivedreports,andattendedtoeverydetail.

Allthehillswereilluminatedbythecombat.

Ateleveno’clockintheeveningItriedtocrossSanderovkatohelpmovethewoundedof my brigade and to verify the positions that had been ordered for our soldiers’

reassemblyatdaybreak.AfterfiftymetersIhadtoabandonourlastall-terrainvehicle.Aphenomenal column obstructed the sunken road and the village. Trucks, telegas,44

droshkies45werevainlytryingtoadvance,fourorfivevehiclesabreast.

IhurriedtothecartsofWalloonwoundedandurgedthoseofourcomradeswhocouldstilluse their legs tosummon their lastenergyand take theirchanceson foot,whatevertheir wounds and their suffering. Gathering about fifty, I slipped between the baggagetrainandthetruckswiththem.

Wewereabout towatchahorriblespectacle.Theenemy,drivingfromthenorth,hadbeenabletomovehistanksandartilleryupclosetoSanderovka.Sinceteno’clockintheevening theSovietbatterieshadpoureda rolling fire into thecenterof the town.Someisbashadgoneupinflames,completelylightingthemovementinprogress.

From this time on the Soviet gunners had a field day. Their shells were fallingimplacably, with mathematical precision, onto the enormous column. The “Stalin’sorgans”wereinundatingthisfloodofeverysortofvehiclewithrockets.Gasolinetruckswere blazing.All along the narrow road carswere burning.We had to keep constantlythrowingourselvesintothesnow,soviolentwasthefirefromthe“Stalin’sorgans.”

Amongthedozensofburningvehicles,horsesstruckdowninthesnowsoundedtheirdeathrattlesamidfearfulconvulsions.Nearthemclustersofsoldiershitbythemachine-gunfirewerecoughing,flatontheirbellies,orlyingontheirbacks.Theflamesmadetheirfaces particularly haunting, red with blood, a shining coppery red that filled one withhorror. Some still tried to crawl. The others, disabled, writhed in pain, mouths gapinghorribly.

Thecolumnwasnothingbutafrightfulbutchery, illuminatedbyfiresthatglowedredagainstalandscapeofthicksnow.

The trucks burning between the palisaded banks made progress almost impossible.Harassed by machine-gun fire, the infantry men could hardly move among thoseenormous torches, those bodies of dying men, those disemboweled horses whoseintestinesslitheredaboutontheicelikegreatbrownandgreenserpents.

The drivers gunned their motors in vain. A few big trucks advanced in spite ofeverything, crushing the horses struggling or dying among the flames. This savageexpenditure of energy was nevertheless useless. The bottleneck grew ever moremonstrous, aggravated by the noise of themotors, the explosions, the furious cries andimplorings.

We finally saw thecauseof this fantastic congestion.Theentire armyofSanderovkahadtocrossawoodenbridgeinordertoleavethevalley.AnenormousGermantankhadfallenthroughrightonthebridge,smashingitandcompletelycuttingoffthemovementoftraffictowardthesouthwest.Whenwesawthatmonsteroverturnedamidsttherubbishoftheplankswethoughtthatthistimeeverythingwaslost.

Theriverbanksweresteepandabsolutelyimpassable.Thebridgehadbeendynamitedby the Bolsheviks at the time of their expulsion two days earlier. The Germans hadreconstructedithastily.ThelighttankshadbeenabletogetoutofSanderovka.Aheavytank had then passed without difficulty. The second heavy tank had smashed in

everything.

Twodaysofworkbytheengineershadbeenbroughttonothinginoneminutebythisfory-tonmassofironnowplantedlikeastakeinthemiddleofthebridge.

Itwasasbrightasday.Thewoundedandthe infantrywriggledbyasbest theycouldpastthefataltank.FromatoptheravinewecouldseeallSanderovka,redandgoldamidtheshiningsnow.Screamsroseup,uncountable.Outofthehorrorofthescreamsandtheflickeringflamesroseaburningwelterofmadness.

Whenourwoundedwereacross thebridge I turned themover tooneofourdoctors,with orders to stick with the troops three kilometers ahead of us, who formed thespearhead. They set out across the steppe, where the shadows weren’t broken by theflamesoftheburningtrucks.

Attheendoftwohoursofunspeakableeffortinthisatmosphereofdisaster,theGermanengineersmanaged to tip the tank into theprecipice and to throw somemassivebeamsacross the gaping hole. The traffic started again under an increasingly terriblebombardment.

Wewereadvancingoverthedeadanddying.Butwewereadvancing.Themenwouldhavetrampledoveranyoneinordertoadvance:theywantedtolive.

Tothenorthwest,ontheicyhillofNovo-Buda,ourWalloons,faithfultotheorderstheyhad been given, were still fearlessly resisting and returning the attack. They saw theburningoftheblockedandbrokencolumnsinSanderovka.Totheirearscamethefearfulclamorofthethousandsofmenstrugglingamidtheshell-burstsandtheflames.

Fromoneo’clockuntilfiveinthemorningourplatoonsdisengagedonebyone.Theyslippedsilentlyawayoverthesnowandthehardground.Theyreachedasmallvalleyinthesoutheastandregroupedwithstill threekilometers tocross toreachSanderovka.Noneed to look for the trail. Flaming orange torches danced above the brilliantly lightedvillage.

Ourmenpassedasbesttheycouldbetweentheburningtrucks,thedeadhorses,andthecontortedcadavers,burstingorburningaway.

Throughout night theWalloonswent down thus through the hurricane, in small fast-movinggroups.

Unshakeable, our rear guard stayed at its post inNovo-Buda. Itmachine-gunned theenemywithoutrespite,pinninghimtotheridge.Atfiveo’clockinthemorning,carryingoutthelastphaseoftheplan,theyadroitlyslippedoutofsightandforgedaheadtorejointhe last lineofSS, installedat thenorthernexitofSanderovka.Then, following the lastvehicles,theycrossedthenownotoriousbridgetothesouth.

Acolumnoftrucksandcartstwokilometerslongandfiftymeterswidehadpushedupveryclosetothelineofattack.Ihadclimbedontoaloadofmunitionsfromwhich,astheypassed,IhailedandregroupedmyWalloons.Theywerestillalertinspiteofeverything.

There was a fantastic jumble of units and transport. The sky was just beginning tolighten above this inextricable mass of tanks, automobiles, horse-drawn vehicles,combinedbattalions,Ukrainiancivilians,andSovietprisoners.

Suddenlyashellfellrightinthemiddleofthethrong.Thentenshells.Thenahundredshells.

ThetanksandtheenemygunshadreachedthehillsidesofSanderovkaacrossfromus.

Thelast20Germantanksburstoutofthecolumnandrushedtowardagully,flatteningeverythingintheirpathlikestraw.Truckdriversandcartdriversracedheadlongineverydirection.Horsesfled,crazed.Others,theirhoovescrushedbythetanks,whinniedwildly.Thousandsofexplosionsstirredgrayandblackwhirlwinds,riddlingthesnowwithrose-coloredsparks.

THROUGHITALL

Theorders instructed theAssaultBrigadeWallonia to spearhead thedawnattack thatwoulddecideoursafetyorourextermination.AmidtheincredibleconfusionunleashedbytheSoviet tanksbursting inamong the last thousandGermanvehicleswe thrust swiftlytowardthesouthwest.

Behindusthenoisewasdeafening.Sanderovkahadn’theldoutmorethananhour.TheRedshadalreadyoverrunthevillage.Theirtanksweredrivingforwardinourdirectionforthefinalstrike.

TheGermanpanzershadbeensenttothecounter-attackasasacrificeunit,oneagainstten, just like the cavalry ofMarshalNey east of theBerezina a century earlier.46 I sawthemjustbeforetheythrewthemselvesagainsttheenemy.Thefacesofthoseyoungtankcrewmenwereadmirable.Clothedinshortblackjacketswithsilvertrim,theirheadsandshouldersprotrudingfromtheturrets,theyknewthattheyweregoingtodie.

SeveralproudlyworethetricolorribbonandthelargeblackandsilverKnight’sCrossontheirnecks,aglitteringtargetfortheenemy.

Notoneofthosemarvelouswarriorsseemednervousorevenmoved.

Theyploughedupthesnowwiththeirtreadsastheydepartedthroughthetangleoftheretreatingarmy.Notone returned.Notone tank.Notoneman.Orderswereorders.Thesacrificewastotal.

Togainonehour,anhourthatmightyetsavetensofthousandsofsoldiersoftheReichandofEurope,theGermantankcrewsdiedtotheverylastmansouthofSanderovkaonthemorningofFebruary17,1944.

Shieldedbythoseheroes,thearmyrushedtowardthesouthwest.

Snowwas falling inhugeflakes.The thicksnowcompletelyblurred theskydown toeye level. In clearweather the enemyaircraftwouldhaveannihilatedus all.Hiddenbythisveilofthickflakesweran,panting.

Thecorridorwasextremelynarrow.The lead troops,whohadopenedthewaybeforeus,hadmadeapassageonlyafewhundredmeterswide.

The terrainwashilly.Wedashedfromonehill toanother.Thebottomofeachravinewasafrightfulcrushofwreckedvehiclesanddozensofdeadsoldierssprawledacrosstheredsnow.

Theenemy’sgunshammered thesepassages savagely.Wekept fallingoverwoundedand bloodymen.We had to take shelter alongside the dead. Carts tipped over. Horsesflailedtheirhooves in theairuntil themachinegunbulletsspilledtheirhot intestines inthesoiledsnow.

Wewouldscarcelyhavecrossedaravinebeforemarksmenpostedonbothflankswouldfireuponus.Menwouldcryoutandfalltotheirkneesinthesnow,holdingtheirguts.Thesnowquickly dusted the dying. Fiveminutes laterwe could still see their cheeks, theirnose,andafewlocksofhair.Tenminutes later therewouldbenothingbutwhiteheapsuponwhichotherfleeingmenwouldbemoweddown.

ThewoundedoftheKessel,intheirhundredsofcarts,werebeingfrightfullyjarredinthisfranticrace.Horsesboundedintofrozenpotholes.Cartswouldoverturn,throwingthewoundedpell-mellontotheground.

Nevertheless,onthewhole,thecolumnremainedfairlyorderly.

ItwasthenthatawaveofSoviettankspassedthelastvehiclesandswallowedupmorethanhalfofthetransport.Thedriverswerethrownoutoftheirseats.

Wedidn’thaveasingletankleft.Werushedfutilelytomeettheseenemytanksandtrytowardoffthecatastrophe.Nothingstoppedthem.

TheSoviet tanks advanced through the cartswith a horrible savagery, crushing themonebyone likematchboxesunderourveryeyes,horsesaswell aswoundedanddyingmen.

Wepushedthewalkingwoundedasquicklyaswecould.Somehoworotherwecoveredtheflightofthecartsthathadescapedthetanks.

Buteverywheremenwerefallingoverheadfirstorsinkingtotheirknees,theirlungsortheirbelliespuncturedby thebullets thatwhistled inamad row fromboth sidesof thecorridor.

Wehad amoment’s respitewhile the Soviet tanks, bottlenecked in the pass, tried tountanglethemselvesfromthetangleofthehundredsofbrokencartsundertheirtreads.Weskirtedawood,abeautifulrussetandvioletwood,andreachedalittlevalley.

Wewerescarcelystartinguptheslopewhen,turningback,wesawhundredsofcavalryracing down a hill to the southeast. We thought at first that it was German uhlans.47

Lookingthroughmybinoculars,Icouldclearlymakeouttheuniformofthecavalry.Theywere Cossacks. I recognized their nervous little brown horses. They were rushing upbehindus,swarmingineverydirection.

Wewerestupefied.TheSovietinfantrywasmachine-gunningus.TheSoviettankswere

followingus.AndnowtheCossackswerestorminginforthekill.

When?Whenwould theGerman tanks coming tomeet us from the southwest showthemselves?

Wehad already gone at least ten kilometers and seen nothing.Wewould have to goforwardstillfaster.

Like many of the wounded, I couldn’t take any more. The fever was sapping mystrength.Buttheracehadtoberunatallcosts.WithmyWalloonsIhurriedtotheheadofthecolumntourgeourcomradeson.

The hillside was steep. At our left an enormous crevasse opened, fourmeters wide,fifteenmetersdeep.Wegotalmosttothetopofthehill.

Then we saw three tanks drive toward us at high speed. We had a second ofunspeakablejoy.“It’sthem!Finally!TheGermanpanzersarehere!”Butavolleyofshellsswoopeddownonusandmoweddownourranks.TheywereSoviettanks.

The enemy tankswere on our heels. The foot soldierswere killing us on the flanks.TheirCossacksweredriving intoour ranks.Andnow insteadof salvation,otherSoviettanksweresurgingupinfrontofus.Wecouldn’twaitanylonger.Caughtnappingonthisnakedslope,weweregoingtobesweptawayinafewseconds.

Ilookedattheravineandcriedouttomycompanions,“DoasIdo!”ThenIletmyselffallfromfifteenmetershigh.

Therewas ameter of very compressed snow at the bottom of the crevasse. I buriedmyselfinitlikeatorpedo.Allmycomradestumbledinoneaftertheother.

Inaflashhundredsofsoldiersweremassedinthebottomofthisfault.AtanyminuteweexpectedtoseetheMongolsappearatopthedeclivityandthrowgrenadesdownonus.Ourlotwasdesperate.

Perversely,contrarily,somestillwantedtotrytoadvance.Theyfollowedthebottomofthe crevasse to its southern extremity, then climbed to the surface. They immediatelytoppled back in horrible hot lumps, mangled by the tank fire. Their corpses formed amoundabouttwometershighontowhichthesnowagainbegantofall.

IhadregroupedtheWalloonsinmyvicinityandpreparedthemfordisaster.Wewerehuddledagainstoneanother soasnot to freeze.Everyonehad thrownawayhispapers,rings,evenweddingrings.IconsoledmycompanionsaswellasIcould.

Whathopedidwehaveleftofcomingoutaliveorfreefromthisnarrowdefile,withtheenemy tanks barring the south? To turn back would be to face the first Soviet tanks,infantry,andcavalrythatwererushingdownfromthenorthandsweepingawaythelastresistance.

It was then that the unbelievable happened. In our crevasse two exhausted Germansoldierscameforward,eachholdingaPanzerfaust.Theyweresodrainedbyfatiguethattheyseemedtounderstandnothing,andcarriedtheirPanzerfaustsmechanically,thewaytheycarriedtheirheadsontheirshoulders.

TwoPanzerfausts!

We pounced. A German volunteer and a Walloon volunteer seized these anti-tankweapons and climbed up to the ridge. They had time to aimwithout being seen. Twofantastic explosions echoed.The twonearest enemy tanks, hit almost point-blank, blewup.

AyoungGermanofficerwhohadclimbedonto theotherbanksawtheexplosion.Heskipped about like a high school boy, shouting cries of triumph. I saw him suddenlyexplode,atomized.Hehadreceivedashellfromthethirdtankfullinthebody.

Severalhorriblesecondspassed.Thencountlesslittlebitsoffleshnobiggerthanearsfellslowlybackdownintothesnowallaroundus.Plink…plonk…Itwasallthatwasleftof the joyous lieutenantwhohadbeencelebratingourmomentaryvictoryan instantearlier.

We couldn’t lose a second. I grabbed my submachine gun and climbed onto theenormous heap of dead soldiers at the end of the ravine. I had six clips of thirty-tworoundsonmybelt,sixmoreinmysnowboots,andthreehundredreservecartridgesinmypack.WhilehundredsofGermanandWalloonsoldierswereleavingthecrevasse,IcoulddrivebacktheCossacksalreadyontheplateauwithmyfire.

Attheshouts,thelastcartsofwoundedmenstartedoutfromthebottomoftheslope.TherewasonemoreSoviettank,fortymetersaway.Itwouldravageusterribly.Buttherewasnoothersolution.Wewouldhavetochargestraightaheadandsalvagewhatwecould.To remain in the crevasse was certain disaster. To thrust forward gave us a chance ofavoidingdeath.

Iknew themapof thewhole countrybyheart. I had studied it forweeksandwouldhavebeenabletoreachtheRomanianfrontier,threehundredkilometersfromCherkassy,withouthelpfromanyone.

HavingmadeupmymindnottofallintothehandsoftheSovietsalive,Ihadtakenmyprecautions.Iwascarryingthewherewithaltofightintheforestsformonthsifnecessary.

Leaving the crevasse, Imarked a largewoods at the other endof the plateau,whoseexistenceandlocationIhadlearnedfromthemap.There,shelteredfromtheenemytanks,wewouldatleastbeabletocatchourbreath.

Oursoldiers ran toward it fromeverydirection.Wehad tocrossabouteighthundredmetersofflatterrainbeforereachingit.Theremainingcartshadmanagedtocatchupwithus.Withthemwedartedforward.

The Soviet tank, too, had darted forward, surrounded by a bloodcurdling swarm ofCossacks.Wehadtofireoursubmachineguns,allthewhilecuttingourwaythroughtheenemy,knockeddownadozentimesbytheshellsexplodingallaroundus.

Gasping, our lungs bursting, we couldn’t go on. Right under my horrified eyes theSoviettankdrovedownuponthecartsofwounded,dumpedthemoverandflattenedthem.Horrifying screams resounded, the cries of the dying and the indescribable shrieks ofcrushedhorses,feverishlyshakingtheirhooves.

Wecollapsedattheedgeoftheforesthalfdead.Behindus,thegraysnowwaslittered

withcorpses.Thetank,thehordeofCossackschargingallaroundit,wasfinishingitsmadjoust.

LYSYANKA

Itwasimpossibleforthetanksandthenumerouscavalryfollowingustopenetratethedense thickets of the forest.A little path descended to a clearingwhere a fine old staffcolonelridinganexhaustedhorsewasvainlytryingtomakehimselfheard.

Several thousandmenhadcollapsed in the snow.Theareaunder the treeswasbeingsteadilymachine-gunned.We couldn’t abandon these thousands of soldiers to their fateafterthegreatdangerstheyhadalreadyescaped.

IidentifiedmyselftotheoldcolonelandaskedhimpolitelyifImightdirectthecombatintheforest.Heseemeddelightedwithmysuggestion,gotdownfromhismount,andsatdowninthesnow.

IfoundayoungGermanofficerwhoknewFrench.IhadhimtranslatetheshorttalkthatIgavetothetroopsonesentenceatatime.“Iknowexactlywhereweare.Wehaveonlythree kilometers left to go before reaching the southern columns. To rush toward themnow is to get ourselvesmassacred. Iwill take the responsibility of leading everyone tothemduringthenight.Wewillsucceed.ButwhilewaitingfordarknesswemustformasquarearoundtheedgeoftheforestandnotlettheSovietinfantryinvadeit.”

Iaskedforvolunteers.Iwantednobodyelse.Somewhatdazed,theGermansadvancedinabody.

IformedcombatgroupsoftenmenwithaWalloonineachtoservemeasamessenger.Irequisitionedtheweapons,munitions,andPanzerfaustsofallthosewhowerenolongercapable of fighting, and I quickly posted theGermans andWalloons on the rim of theforest.

TheSovietsthatwehadpushedbacktothesoutheastofthewoodswerefiringfiercely.Ourmenreceivedorderstostaystrictlyonthedefensivesinceitwasn’tinthatdirectionthatwewouldhavetodisengageintheevening.

ThemapshowedthatatowncalledLysyankawastobefoundthreekilometerstothesouthwest.IwasabsolutelyconvincedthatthistownwasinthehandsofGermanforcescomingtomeetus.Itwasn’tpossiblethatthislargevillage,whichwastwentykilometersbeyondthestartingpointofthatmorning’sassault,couldstillbeoccupiedbytheSoviets.Certainlytheliberatingtanksmusthaveadvancedthatfar.

I had seen on the map that a river passed through the town. It would therefore beenoughtogettothefirsthouses.Wewouldthenfindorimproviseamakeshiftbridge.

Our forestwent down toward Lysyanka.Wewould use it as long as possible in ournightmarch.

Alreadythecourierswereleavingtostealthilyreconnoitertheterrain.

We ran themost immediate peril to thewest of the forest. From the edgewe saw a

dauntingcolumnofSoviettanksonthehillfacingusthreehundredmetersaway,thesamecolumn that had dispatched the three tanks that had very nearly annihilated us an hourearlier.

ThesetankswerepostedalongtheroutethatledtoLysyanka.Theywerewatchingtheentire region from the ridge. They kept the western sector, where another wave ofencircled troops was advancing, under fire, and also controlled the little valley thatseparatedthemfromtheforest.

This absolutely bare valleywas a continual temptation. It led to Lysyanka. One lastboundandwewouldbefree.

The Red tanks were surrounded by numerous infantry. Anyone who tried to chargethroughthisnakedvalleywouldbecrushed.Itwaswrittenintheterrain.

Ipaidavisittoeachofmypoststocalmmymen’simpatience.UnfortunatelyIcouldrestrainonlymyownmen.

Onourrightflank,justatthenorthwestcorneroftheforest,awaveofseveralhundredGermansoldierswhohadcrossedtheplateauafterussuddenlyappeared.Theyhadstolenalong the woods instead of entering them. A grand and terrifying shout resounded,grippingusrighttothemarrow.“Hurrah,Germania!”Theyrushedforwardatbreakneckspeed.

Wewatchedthecarnagefromthesidelines.Notoneman,notasingleone,gotthrough.Theenemy’stankspouredawitheringfireintothem.Thewretchesfellinclustersonthesnow.Itwasamassacre.

Then the Soviet infantry pounced onto the piles of dead and wounded for the finalpillage.

Wewerehuddledinourmachine-gunnestsunderthetreesahundredmetersfromtheslaughter and didn’t miss a detail of the horrible scene. Armed with knives, theCommunistlootersviedwithoneanothertocutoffthefingersofthedeadanddying.Itwastoomuchtroubletotakeofftheirrings,sotheycutoffthefingersandstuffedthemintotheirpocketsinbloodyhandfulstomovefaster.

Horrified,wehadtowatchthesescenesofatrocityinsilence.Ihadgivenstrictordersnottoshoot.Itwouldn’thavesavedasingleoneofthedyingmenwholayinthevalley,butonthecontrarywouldhaveprovokedageneralattackagainsttheforestfromthehordeof cutthroats. I wanted to save the three thousand men for whom I had taken theresponsibility. I wouldn’t succeed in this by throwing them blindly to a vain butcherywithouteitherartilleryortanks,butratherbyhavingthestrengthtowaitcalmlyfornight,whichwoulddarkenthevalleyandneutralizethehuntersintheSoviettanks.

InthemorningthefiftythousandmenoftheKesselhadchargedstraightahead,andalltheunitshadbeenquicklymixedup.

As for us, we had managed to shelter several thousand men from the enemy tankthrusts,thankstothetightscreenoftheforesttrees.

ThishadnotbeensoforthegreatmassoftheGermantroopsattackingtotherightand

left of us.Amid the noise of the battleweguessed that amajorwave ofGermanswasdescendingtothewestoftherouteoccupiedbytheSoviettanks,whichhadturnedtheirturrets inthedirectionof thethrustandunleashedanincessantfire.AnotherevenlargerGerman wave had broken to the right in the southeast of our forest, trying to reachLysyankabythesteppe.

Addingtoallourdifficultieswasthecrossingoftheriver.IhadpainstakinglystudiedtheconfigurationofthisobstacleonthetopographicmapandhaddecidedtoavoiditanddescendbynightdirectlytothetownofLysyanka,builtonbothsidesofthewater.ThusIwouldsparemytroopshavingtocrossthisdeepandswiftwatercourseintheopencountryinweatherofminus15or20degrees(Celsius).

Intheconfusionwehadbeenluckyenoughtotaketothisprovidentialforestintimetoslip close to the large village in the darkness. Iwouldwait as long as necessary, but Iwouldprofitfromourprivilegedsituationtothemaximumwhenthetimewasripe.

Unfortunately, theothers,meaning tensof thousandsofsoldiers,had to face thewestandsoutheast.

The southeast wing had been commanded by an army corps general who had beenkilledattheheadofhismen.GeneralGilleimmediatelyreplacedhim.

Towardoneo’clockintheafternoonthiswave,withtheSoviettanksonitsheels,brokeagainsttheriver.Thethreeweeksofthawhadgreatlyswollenitswaters.Itwasnowtwometersdeepandeightwide.Itswaterswerestrewnwithhugesharp-edgedblocksoficefromthecoldofthelastdays,bornealongbytherapidcurrent.

In less than half an hour twenty thousand men found themselves cornered on theriverbank.Theartilleryteamswhohadescapeddestructionwerethefirsttorushintothewavesandicejams.Thebankwassteep.Thehorsesturnedbackandweredrowned.

Thensomeofthementriedtoswimacross,buttheyhadbarelyemergedontheotherside of the riverwhen they turned into blocks of ice, their clothes frozen right to theirbodies.

Somefelldeadofheartfailure.

Mostof the soldierspreferred to strip.Butwhen they tried to throw theirbelongingsacrossthewater,oftentheuniformswouldfallintothecurrent.Soonhundredsofsoldiers,starknakedandredaslobsters,crowdedontheotherbank.

Inevitably, the enemy tanks fired into the human mass jammed at the edge of thewatercourse,throwingthemselvesintothebloodygameofmassacre.

Manysoldiersdidn’tknowhowtoswim.PanickyattheapproachoftheSoviettanks,whichwere shelling themas theydescended the slope, they threw themselvespell-mellintotheglacialwaves.Manyescapeddeathbyhangingontotreeshastilyfelledacrossthewater,buthundredsdrowned.

Thebankwaslitteredwithboots,packs,weapons,belts,andhundredsofcameras.Thewoundedlayeverywhere,incapableofcrossingtheriver.Butthegreaterpartofthearmycrossedallthesame.

Under the tank fire thousands and thousands of soldiers, half-clothed or stark naked,streaming with icy water, were running through the snow toward the distant isbas ofLysyanka.

Threehundredmetersawayfromusontheroad,thetanksstillkepttheirturretsaimedtowardthenorthwest,secondavenueofbreak-outfromtheKessel.

There tootheflightwasmassive.Itpartiallyabsorbedtheactivityof theSoviet tanksandinfantryforseveralhours.Thisdiversionsavedus.

Nightfellonthedebacle.Snowwasfallinginhugeslowflakes.Inthedistance,attheveryendofthesteppe,wecouldheartheagonizingappealsofthewoundedmen,whosedesperatecries toreoutourhearts. “Comrades,comrades,comrades!”Theappealswereunanswered. Poor companions of the morning, whom the snow and the night werecovering up andwhowere still struggling, their hands full of blood, against a horribledeathintheinfinitesteppe.

Whilewaitingfortotaldarknessthenon-commissionedofficershadregroupedthethreethousandsurvivorsscatteredinourwoods.

Everykindofunitandspecialtywasintermingled.

WehadevenpushedaboutthirtySovietprisonersalongwithusrighttotheendoftheKessel.Numbtoeverything,theyhadracedthroughtheshellsandtheCossackswithouttryingtofleeorgivingustheleasttrouble.

We were also sheltering a number of civilians in the woods, notably some windedyoungwomen.ThesebeautifulUkrainianswithpaleblueeyesandhair thecolorof theharvestdidn’twanttofallbackunderSovietdomination.Theypreferredtobreakthroughthetempestofthefightingratherthanreturntoslavery.

Anumberof female fugitiveshadbeenstruckdownby themachine-gun fire.Oneofthem, a marvelous big radiant girl with a cheerful blue and white scarf, was runningamongusassuppleasadoeaswemountedthelasthillside.Isawherknockeddownlikeabowlingpin,herheadcarriedrightoffbyatankshell.Somewerehugginglittleblondinfantstotheirbreasts,absolutelyterrifiedbythehorrorsandthenoise.

Withoutanyfoodordrink,wehadlivedonhandfulsofsnowsincemorning,but thathadmadeusthirstierthanever.Thewoundedthatwehadbeenabletosavewereshiveringwithfever.Wehuddledasclosetogetheraswecouldinthemachine-gunnestsinordertowarmourselvesupabit.

Aboveallwewerewaitingwithagnawinganxietyforthistragicdaytoend.Onlythen,when the tanks on the hillwouldbe unable to trackourmovements, could our columnleaveitsrefuge.

At1730hourswemovedoutinstrictorder.

Thedolefulcriesofthehundredsofdyingmenscatteredonthesteppewerestillrising

in the distance. From the whole plateau, sealed off by the Soviet tanks, and from thebottomof thevalleys,whichwehadcrossedonly thatmorning, roseupunendingly thepoignantsupplicationsbrought tousby thesnowynightwith tragicclarity:“Comrades,comrades, comrades!”What horrible death agonies down there! The hundreds of blackspots had been inexorablywhitened by the endlessly falling snow.Hundreds of bodieswere suffering, hundreds of souls shivering in this invasion of ice, in total desolation.“Comrades,comrades!”tookupthefarawayvoices.Prayers,criesofpain,lastspurtsofhopefellbackwithoutanechointheunfeelingsteppe.

Closingourheartstothesefrightfulmoans,weadvancedtowarddeliverance,followingalittleroadattheedgeoftheforest.Thenightbecameclearer.Thecolumnfellsilentintheoverpoweringstillness.Fromthismassofthreethousandmennotevenahushedvoicearose.Wedidn’thearsomuchasawhisper.

Otherhauntingcrieshailedusinthefadingtwilight.Theycamefromourright.There,the deadly valley that separated us from the Soviet tanks extended into enormousmarshlands.During the breakout thatmorning, a number ofGerman carts had chargedthrougheverything,atfullgallop, towardthesemarshes.Theyendedupsinkingindeepmud-wallowsasthickasglue.

Thehorsessankcompletelyintothemire.Inthepalemoonlightwecouldseeonlytheheads and necks of the wretched beasts. They were still whinnying, their macabreneighing alternatingwith the drivers’maddened shouts as they too sank into themuck.Theyclungtothetopsofthewheels,alreadyalmostentirelyswallowedup.

With a fury born of the instinct of self-preservation, we cursed them for yelling soloudlyastoattracttheSoviets’attention.Theyshouldhaveperishedinsilence,thepoorwretches.

Wehadtolettheseunluckymensinktoaslowdeathinthenocturnalmudjustaswehadlettheheart-rendingvoicesofthewoundedonthesteppetofadeawaybehindus,cutofffromusbytheenemy,eachandeveryonedyingina lonelinessmorecruel thanthesteel thathadwounded them, themud thatwas swallowing them,or the snow thatwaspitilesslyblanketingthem.

Twokilometersfartheron,guidedbyourscouts,weuseda trail,markedwithstakes,thatcrossed themarshes ina long,circuitousroute.Even therewewalkedknee-deep inmud.

NotaRussianhadseenus.

Weclimbedasnowyslope.Ontheothersideanarmofwatershoneinthemoonlight.Wecrosseditonebyoneonahuge,slipperybeam.Afteranotherfiftymeters,wehadaheart-stoppingshock.Threesteel-helmetedshadowssurgedupinfrontofus.Wefellintooneanother’sarms,laughing,crying,dancingforjoy,asallourworryandpainfellfromourshoulders.

ItwasthefirstGermanpostinthesouth.Wewerenolongerhuntedprey.Wewerenolongerlivingunderastayofexecution.TheKesselwasnownothingmorethanahorrible

dream.

Saved!Yes,saved!Weweresaved!

THEBOTTLENECK

After leaving theGerman forward post at Lysyankawe came to a sunken road. Thesnowswirledaboutus,flailedus,cuttingvisibilitydowntoonemeter.Wesettleddownaswell aswe could in the neighboring isbas.Wewere still very close to the Soviets, butwherecouldwegointhemiddleofthenight,blindedbythiswhistlingtempest?

Fiftyofusenteredahovelandbeddeddownthere.Everysooftensomeonewouldjumpupyelling,babblingnonsense,pummeling theair. In themonths that followed,Imyselfwouldhavehorrible nightmares everynight, cryingout, striking thewall, the furniture,everythingnearmewithmyfistsinthedarkness.DuringthethreeweeksofencirclementIhad personally engaged in seventeen hand-to-hand combats. For a long time, in mytormented nights, I would see again the grimacing faces of Tatars, of Kirghizes, ofSamoyeds,ofstranglerMongolsagainstwhomIhadfoughtformylifealmosteveryday.

EvennowIamseizedwithasortofdizzinesswhenIthinkofthosedaysofhorror,themockinggrins,theleapingbodies,andtherat-a-tat-tatofmyhotsubmachinegun.

Atfiveo’clockinthemorningIgoteverybodyup.Strugglingthroughthedeepsnow,weheadeddowntheroad.InthemiddleofLysyankawecametotheriver.Swollenbythesnowfalls,itstretchedverywidebetweenitsicybanks.

TheRedshaddestroyedthebridge,sothousandsofmenwerewaitingtheirturntocrossover a rickety line of planks thrown across a row of big gas barrels, which served aspillars.

TheordersweretoleaveLysyankaimmediately, thentomarchasfastaswecouldaslongaswecould.

Weformedanimmenseribboninthesnow.

Abouteightthousandmenhadfalleninthecourseofthebreakthrough,butmorethanforty thousandmenhad saved their lives.Only shockunits like theSSVikingDivisionandtheSSAssaultBrigadeWalloniahadsufferedheavylosses.WearrivedattheDnieperinNovember,1943,withaforceofabouttwothousandmen.Wehadexactlysixhundredthirty-twoleftaftertheexitfromtheKesselonFebruary18,1944.

Ofcourse,wehadbeenabletoevacuateourwoundedofDecemberandJanuaryduringthefirstdaysoftheencirclement,byairplane.Neverthelesswehadtofigurewe’dlosthalfourcomrades.ThispercentagewasthehighestamongalltheunitsthatparticipatedintheepicofCherkassy.

After the fall ofKorsun the Sovietswere sure they had us. Their communiqués hadalreadyannounced thevictory,whichseemed to them tobe in thebag.Bymeansofanincredible thrust,whichhad involved asmanymen as atWaterloo, our desperate effort

hadopenedthebreachtofreedom.

Theenemy,cheated,triedtoventitsdisappointmentbysubjectingourroutetoafuriousbombardment.TheSovietartillery,theirweaponslinedupalongbothsidesofouravenueofretreat,hammeredthenarrowcorridorwithanalmostcomicfury.

We advanced with difficulty in the thick snow. But everyone hastened his steps, nomatter how exhausted, for the shellswere falling every halfminute or so, piercing thesnow,throwingupgeysersofearth.

The enemy infantry pursued us as well. The German panzers of the flank guard,protectingourwithdrawal,constantlyscouredtheterrain.Wewouldwatchthetanksrushto an embankment or a haystack forty or fiftymeters from the road. TheRed soldierswouldrisewiththeirhandsraised.Atankwouldherdthemtoourcolumn.Theyswarmedeverywhereinthesnow,likerats,readyforanymischief.

Batons in hand, the German generalsmarched on foot among themen, feeding likethemontheairofthesteppe.Wehadmanykilometerstogobeforeseeingthefirstsupplydepots.Thecommandhadhastilysentmobilekitchenstomeetus,buttheywerealmostinaccessible. We were more than forty thousand, all equally hungry and thirsty. Athousand or two thousand men would besiege one unlucky cook, who risked beingtumbledtothebottomofhispotatanyminutebythesurgingcrowd.

Itwasuseless towaste time liningup.Wecouldbarely fill a few flasks at thewaterfountain. The water was refreshingly icy; for the feverish wounded it was, at leasttemporarily,miraculous.

But thiscoldwaterwas impossible tokeep.Withinfiveminutes theneckof theflaskwouldbechokedwithice;thewaterwouldringlikeacrystalbellinsideit.

Aswe advancedwe sawwhat the progress of the panzers coming from the south tomeet us had entailed. The steppewas nothing but a cemetery for tanks. Eight hundredSovietandthreehundredGermantankshadbeendestroyedduringthethreeweeks’battleto freeus,whichalmosthad failed.Some“Stalin’sorgans,”abadoned in the snow, stillbrandishedtheirdoublerowsoftubes,thecolorofdeadleaves.

DuringthethawmanyGermantankshadboggeddowninthespongyearth,sinkingintoitovertheirtreads.Thefrosthadcomeagain,hardeningandpetrifyingthemud,lockingthepanzersintoaformidableicysheath.

OnceoutoftheKessel,itwasclearthatthecorridoropenedinourdirectionwouldn’tlast much longer. We had to free the ice-bound tanks promptly if we didn’t want toabandonthemtotheSoviets.Thetankerscutsnowandgroundthatwasharder thanpigironwithaxes.Theylitgreatfiresallaroundtheimmobilizedtanks,pouringgasolineontotheground,tryingeverythingtothawthemudandfreethejammedtreads,buttheireffortsseemedinvain.

We felt ourselves well protected by the dozens of Tigers and Panthers, the mostpowerfulGermantanks,equippedwitharmorofelementalstrength.Endlesslytheywentofftobelabortheenemywhowasbothpressingourflanksandhotonourheels.

Theescapehatchwasbarelyajar.Wehadtohurry.

Thefortythousandmenwouldhavedonebettertostopinthenight.Wewanderedforalong time. A storm had arisen. Gales of snow riddled us with millions of biting littlecrystals.Wewerestillmovingforward,notknowingwhetherwewouldfallontheleftortheright.

The second day we still had twenty kilometers to cross. The storm had ceased.Although the snow was deep, the sun turned it pink and shining. The corridor waswidening.Theartilleryhadfallensilent.Wecouldseebeautifulwindmills,blue,lilacandpalegreen,whichunfurledwideblacksailsagainstthewhitefields.

We reached a large village. There the corridor came to an end. German orderimmediatelyreasserteditself.Dozensofbigfellowsfromtherear,well-fed,theircheeksasappetizingasbeefsteaks,heldbigplacardsonwhichwereinscribedthenamesofeachof theunits. Itwasnecessary toreformtheplatoonsand thecompanies.The liferswerealready bellowing out orders. If the Stabsfeldwebeln48 were blustering, it meant theadventurewastrulyover.

SomehoworotherIreassembledmyWalloonswho,lessdisciplinedthantheirPrussiancomrades,wereenjoyingtheirfreedomalittlewhilelonger.

There was a stir. AnArmy Corps general came towardme. Shaggy and cakedwithfrozenmud,Istoodtoattention.

“Come,”hesaidtome.“TheFührerhastelephonedthreetimes.Heiswaitingforyou.We’vebeenlookingforyoueverywherefortwodays.”

Heledmeaway.

AtthefirstlightofdayaFieselerStorchappearedinthesky,atinylittlereconnaissanceplane,aprettytransparentcagefromwhichonecouldstudyeverydetailoftheground.

Theairplaneslidinonitsskis.MycomradespushedmeintothecockpitjustasIwas,bundledinmybigfeltbootsandmysheepskin.

WITHHITLER

ThelittleFieselerStorch,whichhadliftedmefromthesteppe,nowflewovertherearofthefront.Theinterminableribbonsoftheretreatingarmywereoutlinedinblackagainstthewhitenessofthelandscape.Linesoftrucksandcompaniesofsoldiersastinyasflieswerebeatingbackagainstthecurrent.

Thevillagesswarmedwithtroops.Itwasanadmirablescene,withthesnowshiningoffinto infinity, marked with the russet clusters of the orchards, the yellow edges of thethatchedroofs,thelongfencesofblackwood,theroundhumpsofthewellsand,atopthehills,thegreatmillsturningintheblueandsilversky.

AtUmanItookaplaceinoneoftheFührer’sspecialplanesincompanywithGeneralLiebe of the Army Corps and General Gille, glorious commander of the SS VikingDivision.

Thetrimotorflewoverthesteppeforhalfanhourandthenroseveryhigh,swallowedup completely by the clouds. TheUkraine faded away underneath themachine. It wasover.NeveragainwouldIseethewhiteorgoldensteppe,northelongvillagessmotheredbythesnowsofwinterorbuzzingwiththesongsofthemosquitoesinthesummer,northewhitewashed isbas with their green and brown shutters decorated with doves, nor thesumptuous amaranth sunsets, nor the big girls with high cheekbones, flowers of Asiaamongthemillionsofgildedsunflowers.

Wepassedintotheopalinecotton-wooloftheskyabovethePripetmarshes.

Theskylightenedalittlebit.Throughtheholesinthecloudswecouldsometimesmakeoutfirforests,poplargroves,avillagewithredroofs.Europewasbelow.

Finallywesawthebluelakes,floweredwithwhiteningisletslikemoonsinthewater.WewerenearingLithuania,justnorthofHitler’smainheadquarters.

Iwasexpected firstatHimmler’s. In theautomobile thatdrovemefromtheairport Icouldfeelhundredsoflicedevouringmybody.Myuniformwasfilthy.

Theyhadguessedatheadquarters,occupiedonlybyneatlydressedpeople,thatthewildmenof the front likeme,mightwant to freshenupupon their arrival. So I entered thebath,whereIsimmeredforanhourlikeatougholdpieceofmeat.

Himmlerhadmademeapresentofabeautifulgreenshirt.Thatsparedmefromhavingtopickuptheoldonewhich,tossedintoacornerofthebathroom,wassurroundedbyatribeofbraveUkrainianlice,flabbergastedtofindthemselvessuddenlyinsoimpressiveanatmosphere.ItseemsthatthiswastalkedaboutforalongtimeamongtheentourageoftheReichsführerSS.

A junior officermended the collar ofmy jacket, torn in hand-to-hand combat in theKessel.Ikeptonmyfielduniform,whichtheyscraped,scrubbed,andbrushed.Wearingmybigfeltedboots,IsatdownthateveningbesideHimmlerinthebiggreencarthathedrovehimselfforthefortykilometersfromhiscamptotheFührer’sCommandPost.

Hitler’s general headquarters in East Prussia was one great construction site at thebeginningof1944.Wearrivedthereatmidnight.Floodlightsilluminatedhundredsofmenat work under the firs. They were constructing fantastic concrete shelters. A veritablesubterraneanBabylonwasarisingintheseclusionofthisgreatfirforest.

The Führer himself lived in a modest wooden barracks. We entered by a squarevestibule.Ontherightwasthecloakroom.AttheendontheleftawidedoorseparatedusfromHitler’s office.Wewaited for a little while. Himmler happily trotted out the fewFrenchwordsheknew.

Thedoubledoorsopened.Ihadn’ttimetolookatortothinkofanything.TheFührercame toward me, took my right hand in both his hands and grasped it affectionately.Magnesiumlightslittheroom:moviecameraswerefilmingthemeeting.

ImyselfsawnothingbutHitler’seyes.Ifeltnothingbuthistwohandspressingmine.Iheardonlyhisvoice,abitrough,welcomingme,repeatingtome,“I’vebeenveryworriedaboutyou…”

HitlergreetsDegrelleinhisheadquarters,February20,1944

Wesat down inwooden armchairs facing amassive fireplace. I looked at theFührerwithamazement.Therewasstillthesamestrangefireinhiseyes,direct,bewitching.Thepreoccupationsoffouryearsofwarhadgiventhemananimpressivemajesty.Hishairhadwhitened.Hisbackwasbentfromstudyingthemapsinterminablyandfrombearingtheweightofaworld.

TheFührerofbeforethewarhaddisappeared,thefieryFührerwiththechestnuthair,thetrimbody,thebackasstraightasanAlpenpine.Heheldapairoftortoise-shellglassesinhishand.

Everythingabouthimradiatedthoughtfulnessandconcern.

Buthisenergywasstilllightningquick.Hetoldmeofhiswilltoovercome,whateverthetrials,thenhadmerecounteverysceneofourtragedy,detailbydetail.

Gathering his thoughts for five minutes not saying a word. Only his jaws movedslightly,asifheweregrindingdownanobstacleinthesilence.Everyonewasquiet.

ThentheFührerceasedhismeditationandreturnedtohisquestions.

HeledustothemapsofthefrontinordertounderstandtheodysseyofCherkassywithcompleteprecision.Hehadusrecountthemovementsoftheencircledtroops,daybyday,following everymarch on themap. The immense roomwas filled onlywith his voice,calmlyinquiring,andourvoicesansweringwithpoorlysuppressedemotion.

Everydetailofhisstudyrevealedalifeofsimplicityandorder:thelongtablesofwhitewood, the bare walls, like those of a monk’s refectory, the lamps with green-paintedmetallicshades,suspendedoverthemapsbychrometongs.

The Führer worked for entire nights in profound contemplation. He would pace thebarracks,meditating,preparinghisorders.Theonlythingsmovingnearhimwerethefireinthewidehearth,inspiredbyGermanicprehistory,andabeautifulbigreddishdogthatsleptinaboxattheendofthetable.Thenoblebeastsilentlyaccompaniedhismaster,whopacedslowly,bentandgrayed,ripeninghisworriesandhisdreamsinthenight.

HitlerbestowedonmetheribbonoftheKnight’sCross.Ihadfoughtlikeatruesoldier.TheFührerrecognizedthat.Iwasproud,butwhatexaltedmeaboveallonthisnightofgreatemotionwastheprestigethatmysoldiershadgainedintheeyesofHitler.HetoldmethatallmyofficersoftheKesselwerepromotedonegradeandthathewasawardingahundredandfiftyIronCrossestomycomrades.

Wehadleftfortheanti-Bolshevikfrontsothatthenameofourhomeland,besmirchedinMay1940,would resound,gloriousandhonored,oncemore.SoldiersofEurope,wewantedourancientcountrytoriseagainasbrilliantasbeforeinthenewEuropethatwasbeingsopainfullyborn.

Wewere themen of the country ofCharlemagne, of the dukes ofBurgundy, and ofCharlestheFifth.Aftertwentycenturiesofsoul-stirringradiancethiscountrycouldnotbeallowedtosinkintomediocrityoroblivion.

We had rushed to embrace suffering, so that grandeur and rightwould spring to lifeanewoutofoursacrifice.

Inthisbarracks,beforethisgeniusattheheightofhispower,ItoldmyselfthatthenextdaytheentireworldwouldknowwhattheBelgianshaddoneatCherkassy.ItwouldknowtheglitteringhomagethattheReich,nationofsoldiers,hadrenderedthem.

Ifeltmyselfbroken,devouredbythoseterribleweeks.Butmysoulwassinging!Glorythere was, glory for our heroic legion, glory for our mother country, on its way toresurrection.

At dawn one of Hitler’s planes tookme to Berlin where I spoke to an assembly ofEuropean journalists. They in turn would report the exploits of theWallonian AssaultBrigadetothereadersofahundreddailies.ThenIwenttoPariswhereItalkedbeforetenthousand people at Chaillot Palace. The French dailies brimmed with the tale of ourodyssey. L’Oeuvre printed these simple words in its three column headline: “LeonDegrelle has doneBelgium proud.” Itwas true forBelgium. Itwasn’t true forme, forvictoryhadbeenpaidforwiththesufferingofallmysoldiersandwiththesacrificeofallourdead.In thestorm-tossedskyof1944,however, thenameofourpeopleshoneonceagain.

BRUSSELS

During the night of February 20-21, I obtained a promise from the Führer that theWallonian Assault Brigade should receive twenty-one days of leave. I telegraphed theordersfromtheGHQ.Iknewmyboyswereenroute,andIdidn’tworryaboutthemtoomuch.

Thisleavewasagodsend.ForhardlyhadoursurvivorsboardedatrainofsoldiersonleavewhenthewholeUkrainianfrontsplitopenlikeanoldoakstruckbylightning.

Itcameasnosurprisetome.IhadseenhowdifficultitwasforthepowerfulforceofGermantanksonthesouthernfronttoclearapathtous,withoutevenreachingus.Wehadhad to smash our way through the enemy in order to cross the last twenty kilometers,beforewhichthetanksoftheReichhadbeenpowerless.

TheliberatedtroopsoftheKesselhadscarcelyreachedthebilletswheretheyweretoberelieved, when the Soviet wave broke, submerging the whole Ukraine, overflowed ineverydirection,andreachedtheDniesterattheRomanianfrontierinafewdays.Itwasatidalwave.

TheentireUkraine, thebeautifulUkrainewithits immensegoldenfields, itsblueandwhite villages set in the middle of the harvests like baskets of flowers, the Ukraineoverflowingwithcornandwheat,endowedwithhundredsofnewfactoriesinthelasttwoyears,thatUkrainewasdrownedunderthesnarlingwaveofMongolsandKalmukswithdamp moustaches and steel teeth, carrying heavy submachine guns with flat rotarymagazines,dumbfoundedtohaveracedfromtheVolgatoGaliciaandBessarabiainayearandahalf.Theirpocketswerefullofgoldrings,theyatewell,andtheyhadkilledlotsof“Fritz.”Theywerehappymen.

AftermanydifficultiesIfoundmymenatthefrontierofoldPoland,atWlodawa.TheReds were already across from us streaming from the Pripet marshes in a veritableamphibianinvasion.

WemadeastopattheBavariancampofWildflecken,fromwhichwehaddepartedonNovember 11, 1943.We returned amutilated brigade, but once again a legion of newWalloonvolunteerstotaketheplaceofthewoundedandthedeadawaitedtheconquerorsofCherkassy. In twoweeks thenewWallonianAssaultBrigadewouldbeevenstrongerthan the old one andwould comprise three thousandmen, enthusiastic as the veterans,alreadyhardenedbycombatexercises,burningtosetoffandfightitout.

Beforesearchingoutotherbattlefields,wehadstilltomarchintoourhomeland,wheretheglorywonbytheWalloonvolunteersatCherkassyhadstirrednationalprideintensely.Weweren’tloved,certainly,bytheAnglophilesandtheCommunists,butourdenigratorsthemselvescouldn’tdenythatoursoldiershadbeenfaithfultomilitaryhonorandtoourpeople’straditionsofcourage.

OnApril 2, 1944, late in themorning,we arrived at theDutch-Belgian frontier.Ourmarchacrossthecountrybeganthere.

Our armored column was seventeen kilometers long. From atop their powerfulmachinesouryoungsoldierssmileddownonourprettyvillageswiththeirblueroofs.Itwasforthesepleasanttowns,thisancientland,thattheyhadcrossedthesteppes,enduredsuchsuffering,andchallengeddestiny.

TheBrigademadeitsjoyousentryintotheindustrialcityofCharleroiatnoonand,atthe Grand-Place, renewed its oath of fidelity to the National Socialist ideal. Then thehundreds of tanks rolled rapidly across Wallonian Brabant, the great lion of Waterloowatchinguspassfromthetopofhisknoll.

Wethoughtofalltheheroeswhohadfoughtbattlesintheserichfieldsindaysgoneby,likethosewehadjustfoughtintheRussianmud.Thatmudwasfaraway,however.Ourtankswere ladenwith flowers.Crowns of oak branches twometers high decorated thearmor.TrainsofwelcomingyounggirlswithvibranteyeswaitedforusattheboundaryofBrussels.

Degrelle,withtwoofhisyoungchildren,atalargerallyinBrussels,

earlyApril1944

Thecenterof thecapitalwasaseaof facesand flags.Thepanzerscouldhardlypassamong the tens of thousands of people who had hurried to see and madly cheer oursoldiers. The crowd tossed like the sea, shouting and throwing thousands of roses, thefirst,thesweetest,andthemosttenderrosesheraldingthebrightdaysofspring.

MytankstoppedinfrontofthecolumnsoftheBourse.Iliftedallmyexcitedchildrenintothetank.Ifelttheirlittlehothandsinmine.Iwatchedthiswonderfulcelebration,thecommunion of my soldiers and this people so sensitive to glory. New tanks rumbledwithoutceaseonto theflower-coveredroadway.TheAnglo-AmericantankswouldenterBrusselsbyexactlythesameroutefivemonthslater.

ChapterSeven

THEEPICOFESTONIA

InMay1944,ourLegionhadgonetoPolandforreorganizationattheimmensecampofDebika,betweenKrakowandLemberg[Lviv].MorethaneighthundredBelgianworkersfromthefactoriesoftheReichhadvoluntarilyenlistedinourBrigadeduringthesummeraftermyharangues.49 The first contingent, three hundred of these compatriots, had justarrivedatthecampinJuly1944whenthenewSovietoffensivewasunleashed.

Theyswept throughMinsk. In twoweeksamighty tidalwave inundated theGermanfront,breakingthrougheverywhereandspreadingoutforthreehundredkilometers.Thatverymonth theSoviet armies reached the frontiers ofLithuania andPrussia and seizedhalfofPoland,reachingthesuburbsofWarsaw.TheroutetoBerlinwasopen.

TheVikingDivision,withitsnewtanksnotevenbrokenin,wasdispatchedtoWarsaw,nowtornbytheuprisingofthePolishHomeArmy.

AsecondandterribleblowfromtheSovietbatteringramstruckthefront.Thistimeitshook theEstonian sector of the eastern front, below theGulf ofFinland.TheoutlyingpositionofNarvawasheldbyaneliteSScorps, theThirdPanzerDivision,madeupofGermanic volunteers from many countries: Flanders, Holland, Denmark, Sweden,Norway,Estonia,Latvia.Allhadfoughtvaliantly,buttheyhadsufferedgreatlosses.

Theretootheholesmosturgentlyneededtobepluggedup.

Butpluggedwithwhat?

CertainofficesinBerlinsentoffunheard-oftelegramstothemenwaitinginthewings.ThecampofDebikainparticularreceivedorderstotakeonthreehundrednewWalloonvolunteerswhohadjustarrived,andsendthemthatverydaytotheEstonianfront.

A hundred among them had been enlisted in the regiment just four days earlier. Theother two-thirds had been quartered for only twoweeks and hardly knewhow to use agun.Nonehadeverusedamachinegun.

AtthistimeIhadbeenrecalledtoBelgium,wheremybrotherhadjustbeensavagelyassassinatedby terrorists.Whenamessage informedmeof thesecrazy instructions,ourthreehundredboyswerealreadyrolling toward theBalticSea,accompaniedbyaboutahundredveteranswho shouldhavebeen their instructors atDebika.Everyonehadbeenloadeduppell-mell.Theyhadbeengivenmachinegunsatthelastminutewithorderstolearnhowtousethesecomplicatedweaponsontheirowninthetrain.

At first I didn’t want to believe they had left. I telephoned Berlin. The news wasconfirmed.Other unitswere in exactly the same situation. The Flemish volunteers hadbeensentoffexactlythesamewayastheWalloons.

I was floored. These three hundred new soldiers were going to take me for a

nincompoop. They had come to our legionwith confidence inme and, barely arrived,expectingingoodfaithtoreceiveseriousmilitarytraining,theywererushedintoalunaticventure.

What added tomyworrywas the fact that after CherkassyHitler had forbiddenmyreturntothefront.WhatcouldIdotosavemynewsoldiersoratleasttosharetheirfatewith honor? I telegraphed Himmler’s staff office, protesting vehemently against thisdeparture,requestingthecountermandingofthisorderor,ifnot,theauthorizationtorejoinmymen.

Noreply.

Iwas getting itchy feet.After three days ofwaiting I sent a new telegram: “With orwithoutauthorizationIwillleavetomorrowfortheEstonianFront.”

Berlinsentmeacurtreply:“Thisisacourt-martialoffense.”

Iriposted,“Itisalsoacourt-martialoffensetosendfour-days-oldrecruitstocombat.”

ThatnightthefinalcommunicationfromBerlincame:“Doasyouwish.”

Atdawnmycarwasready.ThateveningIreachedBerlin,whichIcarefullyskirtedforfearof receivingapersonal countermand. I rolledon toDanzig.When I arrived there IlearnedthatmysoldiershadcrossedintoLithuanianterritoryjustbeforetherailroadlineofRigawascutbytheSovietadvanceguards.ItwasnolongerpossibletoreachEstoniabywayoftheBalticcountries.

Therewasnoairplaneavailableeither.

FinallyIdiscoveredawallowingoldtubleavingforFinlandatadock.Onitsreturnitwas supposed to go up toTallinn [Reval]. I parkedmy oldCitroen on the bridge aftermuchdebate.

Atnoonourshipweighedanchorandlefttheimposingharbor,whileabovethenarrowchannelaSovietsquadronappearedintheblueandgoldsky.

BEFORENARVA

Ourship,anoldbananaboatfromGuinea,setoffslowlytowardthenortheast,stickingtothePrussiancoast.ItwasoneofthelastboatsreturningtoFinland,whichafewdayslaterwouldcapitulate.Therewereathousandmenaboardfromthemostdiversebranchesoftheservice.

We scrutinized the calm sea, the color of a pigeon’s breast. Sometimes, instead of amermaid,aperiscopewouldsuddenlyappear,thenasubmarinedrippinglikethebackofawhale.Itwasafriendlysubmersiblethatwasstandingguard.

Submarinesarelikemen,however.Therearemorebadthangoodones.Morethanonetroop transporthadbeensunk in theBaltic.Wewere loadedwith lifebeltsandsleptallovertheplace,likebigpenguins,veryclosetothehatchesonthebridge.

WetraveledthelengthofLithuaniaandLatvia.Thelastnight,ourcoasterreceivedthe

ordertobreakitsjourneyandputinatTallinn,wherehundredsofwoundedneededtobeembarkedwithoutdelay.

Atfiveo’clockinthemorningweenteredacalmsteel-blueinletoppositethecapitalofEstonia, thefamousReval50 of theTeutonicKnights.Perchedonahillside, thegloriouscitywasoutlinedbypointedsteeplesanddominatedbyitspowerfulramparts.

EachancientcityoftheBalticcountriesborethemarkofthepast.EachhaditsmajesticcastlefromwhichGermaniccivilizationandorderhadradiatedduringthecenturies.Eachhad its white churches with blue steeples rising like arrows, its great stone houses ofcommercewiththepatinaofahundredwinters,lovinglysculpted,graveandbeautifulliketheirsistercitiesofLübeck,Bremen,orBruges,lastflowersofthegarlandofrichesandartoftheHansa.51ThedockofTallinnlayinafairy-talevalleythatcurvedforaleaguearound, strewnwithenormous reddish stones. In thedistance in thegolden fields,wereoutlined themossyruinsofagothicbarnsuchasarestill tobeseenon thecoastlineofFlanders.

Ageneraltoldmewheremysoldiersoughttobe,somewherebeforeNarva.OnehourafterwardsIwentbackacrossthecountryalongtheGulfofFinlandbyasandyandruttedroadinthedirectionofLeningrad.

Thecountrysidewaspoor—moorlandsandhazelcopses,pinecopses,aspengroves,reedymarshes,andwildflowerslikepinkbirds.Fromtimetotimewecouldseetheblueandshiningsea.Thehouseswereroofedwithlittlewoodenshingles.Theinhabitantswerefewbutthegirlsweremagnificent,bigstrong-leggedgirlsinfreshdressesofthinmuslinororgandy.

After hours of dust I saw a barrage of large balloons. They guarded a huge factorywheretheGermanengineerswerebreakingupschistandextractingprodigiousquantitiesof mineral oil. Just as we had fought for airplane fuel in the Caucasus, here we werefightingforoilforthesubmarines.

The frontwasnear.Thevillages that Ipassedhadbeen reduced tocinders.The treesalongtheroutehadbeensplit,torntopieces,orburned.Theairhadagreycolor.Violentcannonadingcouldbeheard.

Finally I foundmy soldiers. Theywere quartered ten kilometers from the lines. TheofficerwhohadbroughtthemknewthattheWalloonshadneverbeenincombatwithoutmybeingwiththem.Sureofhimself,hehadtoldthecommanderoftheArmyCorpsthatIwould arrive at any moment, that the men weren’t ready, and that he declined allresponsibilitywhilewaitingformyarrival.Thecorpscommanderwasanexcellentman,GeneralSteiner.WehadknownoneanotherintheCaucasus.Hedecidedtowait.

I arrived at his command post at dusk. Wearing a white tie like Pierre Laval, verymodish,stillnattyandperfumed,hehuggedmeeffusively.ThatnightwhenIreturnedtomymenIhadwonthemthreeweeks’respiteandthepickoftheinstructors.

WecampedatthetopofasandclifffromwhichthegrandiosepanoramaoftheGulfofFinlandcouldbeseen.Ahundredmetersdirectlybelowourfeetastrangeribbonofblacktreesclingingtotheveryedgeoftheshorestretchedallalongthewater.

In the hot August night we went down to a shining creek. Vigorous and naked, wethrewourselvesintothewater,swimmingendlesslyinthesingingsea.

THEGULFOFFINLAND

TheEstonianfrontwasagamble.TheRedswereatthedoorsofWarsaw,andseveraltensofthousandsofvolunteersfromalltheGermaniccountriesstillclungtotheravagedwoodsnearLeningrad.

Narvamarked theboundaryofoldEuropewith theEast.The twoworlds roseuponeither sideof the little river that cut the town inhalf.On thewesternbankwas theoldcrenellatedcastleoftheTeutonicKnights.ImmediatelyoppositeontheothersideofthewatertheRussiancityraisedthetiersofherOrthodoxchurches’greenoniondomes.

TheThirdGermanicCorps,inwhichGermanswereonlyaminority,stoodguardoverthis gate. It had very nearly broken in July 1944. Hundreds of Soviet tanks had beendestroyed in thecourseof furiousbattles.The legionsofEuropeanvolunteershadbeenbledwhite.OneofthetwoDutchregimentshadsavedonlytwentymeninall,outofthreethousand.Theothers,surroundedforseveraldays,hadbeenmassacredwheretheystood.

The Soviet offensive had failed. The Third Corps had yielded only about fifteenkilometersinall.

Butnewbloodwasneeded.Ourswasthere,entirelyfresh,fortheforthcomingbattles.

Cannonfirethunderedceaselessly.Duringthenightitseemedtocomestrangelycloser.Often Soviet ships would appear, turning their sterns toward Finland. Our guns wouldopenfire,forcingthecruiserstoretreat.

The coastal batteries were marvelously well-camouflaged. They were widely spreadout.Thetroopsandtheofficersnestedinperfectsheltersdugoutabovethesea.Fiftyoreightymetersbelowtheseeagles’aeriescamethewaves,dashingthemselvesonthesandandsplashingagainstthetrees.Theseashoneasfarastheeyecouldsee.Inthedistance,whenthesunwasbrightest,thelineofawhiteislandcouldbedistinguished,asslenderasagull’swing.

Thetwilightswereanincredibleglowofburningorangeandhugemassesofpinkandgoldclouds.

These iridescent evenings that died in a tumult of reds and purples, these nightsspangledwithstars thatcalled tooneanother, thecoolsolitudeof thecrystallinedawnswere doubtless given to us soldiers, dutiful witnesses of beauty, to rekindle our spiritsbefore thehowlingdayswhenbodieswouldbe torn apart and soulswouldgaspon thethresholdofgreatdepartures.

Inmid-AugusttheRedsstartedawidemovementtocrushEstoniadefinitively.Havingfailed to break the front between Narva and the southern point of Lake Peipus, theyunleashedahugeoffensiveatthesouthernextremityofthelake,startingfromthefrontier

townofPskov.

Obviously theirgoalwas tostormtheEstoniancityofTartu, thenfromthereTallinn,takingthewholesectoroftheGulfofFinlandfromtherear.

Eachday theReich’saircraft followed themassivemovementof theSoviet forcesofNarva.TheThirdCorpsreceivedtheordertocopythemovementandclingtotheenemy.Itwas to immediately send a powerfulKampfgruppe (combat unit) to the south,whichwouldpositionitselfathwarttheRedarmies,which,advancingbyforcedmarchestowardthenortheast,weremeetingalmostnoresistance.

GeneralSteinerdrewuphisaccounts.Hehadtouseeverythingavailable,usaswellasothers.Hedecidedtoleaveourleast-trainedrecruitsunderinstructionforafewdays.Butthethreehundredmenwhowerevirtuallyreadywereenteredonthestrengthcharts.

DuringthenightofAugust15-16Ireceivedourmarchingorders.Atfiveo’clockinthemorning the trucks took us away. Singing the ancient songs of our country we rolledtoward the little reddoton themap that inGermanwascalledDorpatand inEstonian,Tartu.

Tartu! The ancient capital of learning in the Baltic countries. Tartu, whose famouslibrary,whosenicelypaintedhouses,whoseart centers,printers, andancientUniversitywewouldseegoupinflamesthatverymonth,giganticblacktorchesfloatingforaweekbetweenthesmokingearthandtheunfeelingsky.

FACETOFACE

LakePeipus,onbothendsofwhich the lifeofEstoniahung in thebalance,had longseparatedthiscountryfromtheterritoryoftheUSSR.ThelakewasconnectedtothetownofNarvaontheGulfofFinlandbytheNarvaRiver.Itformedatrueinlandsea,crossedbyboats whose rust-colored hulls could be seen bobbing in the golden waters of August1944.

LakePeipuscouldbereachedfromthenorthbygoingthroughforestsoffragrantfirs,dappledwith rosyglimmers, andburstingwithwildblueberries.The lakewasborderedwith a dry pebbly beachwhere spindly plants grew.A few large villages nestled in thehollowsofshiningbaysundertheturquoisesky,buttheirhouseshadbeendemolishedbyaircraft.Nothingwasleftbutafewsmasheddinghiesandruins,amongwhichtheGermanpostsweresetup.

ThelakeconstitutedinfactthelongestpartoftheEstonianfront.TheRedswereontheothersideofthewater.Onenight’srowingwouldhavebeenenoughtoreachthem.Thedefenseofourbankwasridiculouslymeager.Roughlogbunkerscouldbeseenhereandthere,andabitoftrenchinthesand.Buttroopswerealmostnon-existent.Whenwewereat theextremesouthernendof thelakeour leftflankwouldbeat themercyofaSovietlanding.

According to theordersof theHighCommand theprincipal lineof theKampfgruppewassupposedtoextendfromWirzLake[Võrtsjärv],almostinthemiddleofEstonia, tothe southwest of Lake Peipus. The Embach [Emajõgi] River, which connected the twolakes, would be the natural line of combat if the enemy succeeded in approaching the

Tarturegion.

I went to the town hall of the old university city for news. A debate was going onamongsomeofthesuperiorofficers.Thesituationwasextremelyconfused.TheheadoftheKampfgruppearrived:WaffenSSGeneralWagner.Hewasagiantofaman,holderoftheKnight’sCross,withawell-establishedreputationasafighter:asclear-headedashewasdaring,asrobustasaLandsknecht[16thcenturyfootsoldier],andatrueRenaissanceteamleader—joyful,strong,gregarious,tireless—inshort,themanthatwasneededforthehardfightthatwascoming.

ThecolumnoftheWagnerKampfgruppewasspacedoutover30kilometers,acolumnof armored reconnaissance cars, panzers, and mechanized shock troops. Although thegeneralinfactdidnotbringmanymen,theywerefirst-classfighters.

AtTartuhewouldhavetocombineinhastewithhaggardanddisparatereinforcements—mixed collection of dispersedGerman units andEstonian guards in civilian clothes,armbandsontheirsleeves,arrivingindisorder,poorlyarmed,theirwivesalongsidethem,sweatingwithfatigueandfearonthedustyroads.

GeneralWagnerprudentlydecided tohalthiscolumnnorthofTartu to firststudy theterrainandthelistofeffectives.

OurtrucksstoppedatavillagecalledMaria-Magdalena.Atdawnamessengerawokeme.Weweretomoveoutimmediately.

A paved road started out from Tartu toward the southeast in the direction of Pskov.AnotherwenttowardthesouthwestinthedirectionofRiga.Isentupsixadvanceposts25kilometersfromTartuandtheEmbachRiverinthetriangleformedbythesetworoads.

Neverhadwereceivedamissionsocomplicated. Iaskedwhowouldbebetweenmypostsandtheenemymassonthemarch.Theresponsewasdisarming.Theoreticallytwofriendlydivisionswereincontact.Inpracticenooneknewanythingaboutthem.TheyhadprobablydisintegratedsomewhereoverthereinthewesttowardRiga.“Atanyrate,”theyadded,“Don’tcountonthem,andbeready.”

Bereadytocloseoffasector40kilometerswideasthecrowflieswithsixhandfulsofmen!

All the rest of the front had had to be improvised in like manner. The WagnerKampfgruppesentpatrolsofarmoredreconnaissancecarstomeettheenemy.Theywerewearing themselvesoutplowingbackand forth,dayandnight,over themany roadsonwhichtheadvanceguardsoftheSovietsweremoving.

Insteadofslippingbetweenthetwoprincipalroadstheenemyattackedstraightahead,never straying far fromLake Peipus and the Pskov-Tartumain road. Searching for theweakestpoint, he found it eastof this route, andonMonday,August19,1944,madeathrusteightkilometersdeepandtenwide,withinriflerangeofourleftwing.

Trucksroaredupatthesametimeasamotorcyclemessengerbroughtmetheordertoattack.Atfiveo’clockintheeveningIwastochargefromwesttoeastacrossthebreachopenedbytheSovietswithallthemenIhad.

Germantroopscomingfromeasttowestwouldmeetusatthehalf-waypoint.Weweretomake the junction at the village of Patska, high on top of a bald hill. Four panzerswouldsupportus.

Itwas a fine idea for combat. The enemywasmassed in the breach. If our counter-attacksucceeded,hisoffensivewouldbebrokenupforseveraldays.

Nowweneededtogainsometime.TheGermanengineersand thousandsofcivilianswerehastilybuildingafortifiedlineinahalf-moonabouteightkilometerssouthofTartu.TheCommandwanted to formabridgehead there thatwouldbaraccess to the town. ItwouldbeprotectedontheeastandwestbytheEmbachRiver,adeepnaturalbarrier.

Yetthesedefensesweren’tfinished.Reinforcementswereontheway,buttheywouldn’tbe inpositionforseveraldays.Themorning’s thrusthadbrought theenemytowithinafew kilometers of the works. Tomorrow or the day after the Reds would reach them,unlessaviolentcounter-attackbroketheirimpetus.

At four o’clock in the afternoon the trucks dropped offmymen six kilometers fromPatska.

I had somemarvelous young officers, just out of themilitary school atBadTölz, inBavaria.Theywereanxioustoprovethemselves.

Ourpanzerswerewaiting,hiddeninanappleorchard.

I set the plan of attack. At exactly five o’clock, accompanied by the four tanks, wewouldcharge.

Thecompaniesweretotakepositionimmediately,withoutlettingthemselvesbeseen.Theenemywasonekilometeraway.Isetastartingpointfortheassaultforeachcompanycommander.

Oursoldiersstolecrouchingthroughtheripewheat,dryingintheburningafternoon.

THEMILLOFPATSKA

Theminutesjustbeforeahand-to-handbattlealwaysweighheavily.Howmanyoftheboys who are waiting will shortly be lying on their backs on the ground, eyes staringblankly?Howmanyotherswillbedraggingtheirbleedingbodiesalongtryingtoescapethemachine-gunfire?

Wecouldhearthenoiseoftheenemyadvance.TheRedsmustalreadybeabletoseethetowersofTartu.ThevillageofPatska,atoptheslope,seemedtobestronglyoccupied.

IslippedbehindahollythicketfromwhichIfollowedthepassageoftheSovietforceswithmybinoculars.Strungoutoveradistanceoffivekilometers,majorRedcontingents,supportedbyartillery,wereoccupyingbothsidesoftheroadweweretotake.

The terrainwas totallybare.But thehillsoccupiedby theenemyto therightand leftwerewooded.Mysoldierswerehiddenonthesidesoftheroadandinthewheat,asstillandsilentasdeadwood.

Atfiveo’clockIadvancedwiththetanks.Ourmentookpositionandleapedout.Atthesoundofthepanzersadvancingontheplaintherewasastiramongtheenemytroops.Redsoldiersran to the trenches, to theartilleryandthemortars.AgiantofaRussianofficertookhisstandoutintheopenontheridge,givinghisorders,bravingusall.

Thefirstshellsfromourtanksmadeadirecthitonthemill.TheRussianofficerdidn’tturnahair.Allthehousesintheareablewuponeafteranother.Thegiantremainedcalm.Whenthesmokeclearedwecouldseehim,stillstandingtherelikeablockofwood.

Our companies climbed the slope.Adeluge ofmetal rained downon our tanks.TheSovietmachinegunsrakedtheslope.Apanzertookadirecthitbutwentonanyway.

Our soldiers ran like thewindupnine hundredmeters of gentle slope.Themillwasbitterlydefended.Twoofourofficers reached it,charging througheverything.Both fellrightat theentrancetothebuilding,onekilledoutright, theothergravelywounded.Butthecompanyrushedovertheirbodies,theRussiangiantfellinhisturn,andthemillwasours.

The other company, which was climbing the right flank, charged into the enemypositionswithequalimpetuosityandatthesameprice.Thecommanderofthiscompanywaswoundedthreetimes.Nolongerabletomove,hehungontoananti-tankguncapturedfrom theReds and turned it against them in a final effort.He fired for twentyminuteslongerbeforedyingonthepileofcartridgecases.

Infiftyminutesourthrusthadpenetratedfivekilometers.Patskawastakenandcleared.WecapturedtheSovietartillery.

Unfortunatelywereceivednonewsofthesupportingattackthatwassupposedtomeetusfromtheeastandjoinusatthemill.

We couldn’t let the enemy recover. I led my men beyond Patska, entering the fivekilometerzonethathadbeenleftforourpartnerstoattack.ThePatskaoperationwasnogood unless we could cut off the enemy spearhead completely. If not, it was we whoriskedbeingcutoff.Wecrossedsevenofthetenkilometersinthisway.Ourlosseswerecruel.Ofmy fournewofficers fromBadTölz, threewerekilledand the fourthgravelywounded.IntheWaffenSStheaveragelifeofanofficeratthefrontwasthreemonths.

My aide-de-camp had been evacuated, his left arm shot through. A hundred of mysoldiershadbeenkilledorwounded.

Whathadhappenedtothetroopswhoweresupposedtocomefromtheeasttomeetusatthetimeofourcharge?

Wewerefightingfuriouslyonbothflanks,theenemytryingunceasinglytothrottleus.Ifwekepton trying tomakeheadwaywewereeventuallygoing tofall intoa trap.Thefactthatthewavefromtheeasthadn’tcomeworriedmeterribly.Ateighto’clockintheeveningwewerestillalone.Summonedelsewhere,ourtankshadtoleaveus.

At nine o’clock Iwas informed of the complete failure of the supporting attack.Wewereordered toholdonwestof thevillageofPatska.From therewecouldat leastbarpassage to new Soviet reinforcements. Nevertheless, the spearhead of the Russian

offensivehadn’tbeencutoff.

Assoonaseveningcame,thisforcefellbacktopoundus.

Ourflankswereguardedonlybymachineguns.Wedidn’thavesomuchasapieceoflightartillery.Ourtankshadn’treturned.

Theenemybroughtup“Stalin’sorgans,”whichbatteredusthroughoutthenightunder36rockets’doublerainoffire.

Dawncame.Wewerefreezingingrasswetwithdew.Iplacedarowofmachinegunsatthe edgeof a birchgrovedominating theSoviet route of penetration towardTartu.The“Stalin’sorgans”rocketswerehackingupthislittlewoods,meterbymeter.But,dugin,innarrowholes,wedidn’tyieldtheterrain.Theenemystillcouldn’tgothroughPatska.Wekeptcontinuallyclearingthebareroadwithourfire.

Themessengersbroughtmesomeoddnews.TheRedswerealreadyseveralkilometersbehindustothewest.Theywerecompletelyoutflankingus,comingoutoftheedgeofthewoodseverywhere.SeveralRedsoldiershadbeenkilledrightontheroadthreekilometersbehindus.

GeneralWagnersentusenthusiasticcongratulations,announcingthatwewouldbecitedinhiscommuniquéto theMainHeadquarters.Butwehadtokeeponfightingwhile thecommandputthefinishingtouchestoitsblockadesouthofTartu.

Weweredistractedfromourworriesbyhundredsofsilverfoxesrunningbetweenourlegs.Therewasafarmofabouttwothousandofthesegracefulanimalstotherightofus.Theproprietorshadopenedallthedoorsofthecagesbeforetheyfled.Wondrouslysupple,thefoxesdashedbetweentheexplosions,brushingthegroundwiththeirlongshiningtails.

To thewest, theenemyhadexpandedhisassault.Thatafternoon thePskov road fell.Farther west of the highway, at the very center of the Wagner sector, the attackerssucceededindrivingawedgethroughtoavillagecalledKambja.

In the evening amotorcyclist burst through the enemy-infested forest andbroughtusorders to immediately capture Kambja and its vicinity, where the danger of a Redbreakthroughwasbecomingmoreandmoreevident.

Weslippedsilentlyfromcopsetocopse.Attwoo’clockinthemorning,afteracircuitof twenty kilometers, we found ourselves nose to nose with the other wave of Reds,alreadymasters of the village ofKambja andobviously determined to press forward tojointheirvictoriousforcesintheeastandsoutheast.

KAMBJA

OnthemorningofAugust21,1944,thesituationattheEstonianfrontwasasfollows:

The advanced defense of Tartu, between Lake Peipus and the Pskov road, had beengutted.TheSovietswereevenlandinginforceonthewestbankofthelake.ThecentralpositionhadbeenviolentlyhitbytheSovietwavesthathadseizedKambja.Thewesternwingofthefront,fromKambjatotheRiga-TarturoadandfromthisroutetoWirzLake,wasstillpeaceful.

Inshort,whenGeneralWagnerlookedattheenemyhesawhisleftwingcrushedandhiscentergravelythreatened.Onlyhisrightwingstillenjoyedalastrespite,sinceitwasfarthestfromthestartingpointoftheSovietoffensive.

AcountryroadlinkedKambjatothePskovhighwayabout15kilometerssouthofTartu.ButtheforkitselfwasthreatenedbytheSovietforcescomingfromofthesoutheast.

Ihad—firstmission—toholdtheenemyatKambjawithfivehundredinfantrymen,onemortarplatoon,andseveralpiecesofGermanartillery.Iwas—secondmission—tosecurethePskov-TartuandKambja-Tartucrossroads.Theconqueringenemyhadcometowithin a kilometer of this intersection,whichwas completely flat and in the open.Theenemyartillery,mortars,and“Stalin’sorgans”occupiedthewoodstoourleft.Ihadonlythreeanti-tankgunswithwhichtobarthepassage.

I installedmy command post in a small farm beside the crossroads. There weweresprayedhourlywithmachine-gunfireandstrafedbylow-flyingSovietplanes.Duringthenight we expected the Bolshevik tanks to enter the courtyard any minute. Booted,grenadesandsubmachinegunwithinreach,wesleptamaximumoftenminutesatatime.

Three or four times a day or night I sped from the intersection of our positions atKambja,fourkilometerstothesouthwest.TheRedswereswarmingeverywhere.MylittleVolkswagenracedfranticallyalongthroughbulletsthatwhinedlikemosquitoes.

IfIwasatKambja,Itrembledformyanti-tankgunsattheintersection.IfIwasatthecrossroads I feared a catastrophe at Kambja and watched the road with terror, alwaysexpecting to see the debris of my unit flock in with a frenzied mob of Kirghizes andKalmukshotontheirheels.

Behind us the spectaclewas heart-rending. Thewhole of Estoniawas fleeing panic-stricken before the Reds. Not a soul stayed in his hut. These people had known theSoviets,notthoseof1918,buttheso-calledcivilized,improvedanddemocratizedSovietsof1940.Theyretainedaterriblefearofthem.Thisgeneralpanictaughtusmorethanallthepoliticalspeeches.

Itwasn’tonlythebourgeoiswhowerebolting,buttensofthousandsofworkers,handymen, small farmers, and sawyers fleeing the pine groves. The women would exhaustthemselveson the roads,draggingalongapigand twoor threesheep.Thepoorbeasts’feetwouldbebleeding.Onegirlwaspushing a pig in front of her like awheelbarrow,holdingitbyitsrearfeet.Theanimalswerealljumbledtogether,howling.Manydied.

It was extremely hot. The old women were dead tired. Suddenly the Soviet fighterplanesarrived,pouncedonthecolumnsofcivilians,andmachine-gunnedthemsavagelyamidstthehorrifiedcriesofthewomenandchildrenandthesharpneighingofthehorses,theirbelliesshotfullofholes,thathadfallenamongthebrokenwheelsofthehaywagons.

Burstcomforters,food,allthemeagerpossessionsof20,50familieslayscatteredabouton the sun-baked road. The wretches mopped at their sweat. Women, convulsivelyhuggingtheirbabies,wererunningtowardthedistantsteeplesontheircutfeet.Oldmen,gathering copper pans and dragging cows that were at the end of their strength, wereshakingtheirheads.Whereweretheygoing?Wherewouldtheymeet?Or,rather,where

wouldtheydie?Forthesamefleeingthrongswerespreadingfromoneendofthecountrytotheother.Thesamefighterplanesravagedthem.

AfterIhadmademyreportatGeneralWagner’sinasuburbofTartu,togetbacktomycommandpostIhadtodrivebackthroughthesecortegesofanguish, thesightofwhichbrokemyheart.

Everything infrontofmewas inflames: thebigsquarefarmhouseswithhundredsofblackandwhitecows,therichvillages,thebeautifulwhitecastlesnearthebluelakes,thefine fir-shingled barn roofs, and even the cemetery gardens tiered on the hillsides,dignifiedbycypressgrovesandfurnishedwithrusticbenchesfromwhichthelivinghadsooftenpeaceablywatchedthefieldswhilethinkingoftheirdead.

Acountrywasdying.ThemarvelousAugustnightswerebesmirchedwiththegreatredtorchesof villages on fire.Cows, pigs, chickens, andgeese, allwere abandonedon thefarms and in the pastures.Not a living soul stirred.Everyone preferred the exodus andmachine-gunfiretoSovietenslavement.

Ireceivedathirdmission—toblowupthePskov-Tarturailroad.

Itwasyetanotherskillformetolearn.AnintrepidyoungGermanofficerandahandfulofresoluteengineershadbeensenttohelpmewiththejob.Theyminedthelineeverytenmeters,andwaitedforordersthentoblowuptwohundredorfivehundredmetersofline.

Iwasn’t to sacrifice the rail except as a last resort. TheCommand at Tartuwas stillhopingtobeginacounteroffensiveoneday.SoIwastowaituntilthelastsecond.ButImustn’tletitslipby,either,lesttheRedsseizetherailintact.

Theexplosionscomingoneafteranotherwereeerie,especiallyatnight.InafewdaysIblew up enough bridges, lines, stations, grade crossings, guard rails, and cuttings to bedeafenedfortherestofmylife.

Butwehad togain time.Always this same little sentencecomingover the telephonewire—gain time.Gain timeby sacrificingwealthbeyondcountingandalas, countlesshumanlives.

TenkilometersbehindusthepopulationofTartuhadfinisheddiggingitsgreatdefensebelt. Itwas just about ready.But Iwas ill at easewhen I crossed to see the hordes ofdefenders that were being pushed into these long black trenches. Battalions of ruralguards, policemen, and the most unlikely civilians, militarized by means of a vagueyellowarmbadgeandanoldFrenchriflefromthetimeofNapoleonIII.

WewereenduringthepressureofenormousSovietforces.Whenwouldseriousmilitaryforces,realdivisions,arrivetoresistthem?

TheSoviettanksfearedthePaks[anti-tankguns],whichfiredwithgreataccuracy.Thecrossroadsheldoutwell.

IwasstayingmoreatKambja,forourmenwerehardpressedthere.Weheldtheridgesabovethenorthernroadoutofthevillage,whereweenduredthecrushingrockerfireof

the“Stalin’sorgans.”

Butourmenwerefighterswhowouldn’tletthemselvesbebested.Theyhadpositionedtheirmachinegunswell.Ourmortars,perfectlycamouflagedintheshocksofwheat,didthoroughwork.

Morale was very high. I decorated our most valorous wounded right on the groundwhere they fell. Being hit by explosive bullets that blasted frightful holes in them stilldidn’t prevent them from joking and drawing on the cigarette that their buddies putbetweentheirlips,outlinedinredblood.

These boyswere unbeatable.Wherever theywere placed, the Soviets stopped. Iwasdeeplymovedbeforetheirsimpleandsmilingbravery,foriftheirremarkswerefunny,itwasoutofmodesty, tomake funof themselvesat theverymoment theywere rising topure heroism. TheCommunists had to be stopped. They stopped them.They didn’t letthem by on August 21st. They didn’t let them by on August 22nd either. When oursoldiers were relieved onAugust 22nd at noon, the Reds hadn’t been able to gain tenmeters of ground north of Kambja. They even had to abandon the village, which ourmortarsandtheGermanartilleryatmydispositionwerecuttingtopieces.

Thehundredand fifty recruits thatwehad leftunder instructionnearToilaarrivedatoursupplybase.Ireceivedorderstoreinforcewhatwasleftofmytroopswiththem.WemetatMaria-Magdalena.

Theoreticallyitwouldtakeaweektorebuildtheforceandintegratethenewmenintotheunit.

We had scarcely left the central sector, however, before the westernmost part of theGermanrightwingwasattacked.TheSovietsreachedandcutoffthemainroadfromRigato Tartu. Our anti-tank platoon didn’t even have the time to disengage toward Maria-Magdalena. Already I was being ordered to hurry to the critical location. That veryeveningourgunswentintobattleattheentrytoatownthathadastrangename,Noo.

After supper I went to General Wagner’s command post. His eyes were horriblybloodshot.HewasconstantlysendinghislighttankstothesecondaryroadsoverrunbytheSovietonslaught.Hehadnomoresuitableinfantryworthmentioning,buthewasfloodedwiththousandsofEstoniansofeverystamp,whowerebeingsenttohimbythetruckload,bewildered, deckedout in plumedorwide-crownedhats, armedwithhunting rifles andpop-guns,allcrazytogetaway.

“GrosseScheisse!GrosseScheisse!”theGeneralyelledtirelessly.

“GrosseScheisse!”hischiefofstaffpunctuated.

“Grosse Scheisse!” repeated the equally affirmative aide who brought us bread andbutter.

I had thevery strong impression thatmycompaniesweren’t going togrowmoldy atMaria-Magdalena.

IwantedtoleavethatverynightfortheRigaroadinordertovisitthecrewsofmyanti-tankgunsatNoo.Butfollowingmycitationinthecommuniqué,GeneralWagnerhadjust

receivedaverysterntelegramfromHimmlermakinghimresponsibleformylife.Heuseditasanexcusetoformallyforbidmyproposednocturnalraid.

I pretended to obey. But what went for the night didn’t necessarily go for the day.Politicshadtaughtmetheartofhairsplitting,anditwasn’tfornothingthatIwasnephewandgreatnephewofsixJesuitfathers.

I returned quietly to Maria-Magdalena. At five o’clock in the morning I finisheddictatingordersfortheimmediatereorganizationofthebattalion.Atsixo’clock,freshlyshaved,IdrovethroughTartuagaintowardthesouth.

TodoitrightIshouldhavegonetoGeneralWagner’stofindoutwhetherthesituationhadchangedduringthecourseofthenight.ButinthatcaseIwassuretobetheobjectofanewinterdict,so,notriskingavisit, IdrovemylittleVolkswagenblindlyontotheRigaroad.

Butsomethingnewhadhappened.AtdawntheRedshadseizedNoo.Theywereevenwellbeyondit.

Iwasonacollisioncoursewiththemwithoutknowingit.

LEMNASTI

IwillrememberthemorningofAugust23,1944,untilIdie.

AssoonasIleftTartuIwasstruckbythenumberoftrucksthatIsawspeedingtowardthetown.Soldierswerehangingontothemeverywhichway.

ThenIcameacrosssomeisolatedmenrunningfrantically.Bulletswhistledby.Oneofthemburstalmostatshoulderheightrightintothewindshield.

IjumpeddownfrommyVolkswagenandsetmyselfacrosstheroad,submachineguninmyhands.IwaswearingtheRitterkreuzribbonaroundmyneck.Thatalwaysmadesomeslight impression. With the help of the threat from the machine gun, the first truckstopped.

Thedriver,hiseyespoppingoutofhishead,screamedatme,“TheRussiansarethere!TheRussiansarethere!”

“Where’sthere?”Ireplied.

“Fivehundredmetersaway!They’reallovertheplace!”

Fivehundredmetersaway. Ina flash I saw thedisaster.Notonlyhad theReds takenNoo, fifteen kilometers southwest of Tartu, but theywere coming full gallop right intoTartu.Thedefenselinehadbeenconqueredandalreadyoverrun.How?Ididn’tknow,andIdidn’thavethetimetofindout.

Isawonlyonething.ItwasthatTartuwasfilledwithhundredsofretreatingtrucks,andnothinghadbeenevacuated for thegood reason thatduring thenight therehadn’tbeenanyfightingyeteventenkilometersfromthesuburbs.Inhalfanhourthemuzhikswouldenter Tartu, seize everything, make a surprise crossing of the Embach, and succeed inflankingtheentiredisorderedsector.

I made all the soldiers get down from the first truck and then from two trucks thatfollowed.LuckilytherewasaGermanjuniorofficerwhounderstoodFrenchmarvelously.Ihadhimtranslatemyorders.“Wearegoingtocounter-attackimmediately.TherewillbeIronCrosses this very evening for thosewho are bravest. TheReds don’t expect us toreactsosoon.It’sthebesttimetojumponthem.You’llsee.Everythingdependsonourdaring.Forward,comrades!”

Bringingbackbythescruffofthenecksomesixtysoldierswhofiveminutesearlierhadbeeninrout,IrushedtowardtheRedsadvancingontheroadbanks.

Accordingtomyoldhabit,Icarriedtwelvecartridgeclips,sixat thewaist,sixinmyboots, about four hundred cartridges. Enough to fire a few nice bursts. After fifteenminutes the Soviet troops, who had been strong only because they hadn’t met anyobstacles, cleared off in front of us, cut to pieces.We reached the belt of fortificationswhere that morning the thousands of civilians with arm badges and feathers hadabandonedthefightinlessthanasecond.FiercelywedislodgedtheRedsinthetrenches,reoccupyingthewholewesternsectoroftheTartubridgeheadinthecourseofourcharge.

Butwhatasituation!Here Iwas in thehalf-kilometerof trench thatwassupposed tohaveheldbackanenemyattackingby theRiga road, leadingan improviseddefensebyaccident,commandingdisparategroupsofGermansandEstoniansbroughttogetherbytheshiftingcurrentsofpanic.

IimmediatelycoachedseveralofthemoreresourcefulmenandsentthemtopursuetheRedsthroughtheneighboringpasturesandcopses.

IfoundabeautifulbigRussiancannon,perfectlyplacedfivemeterstotherightoftheroutebytheGermanbuildersofthefall-backpositions.Itruthlesslydominatedtheaccesstotheroad.Unfortunately—nothingiseverperfectonthisearth—itdidn’thaveasingleshell.Itwascomfortingtolookat,butthatwasall.

SomedistanceawayInoticedtwocannonscurryingawayacrossthefields.IrushedmyVolkswagentowardthemwiththeordertocomebackatonce.Theyhastenedback.Theytoo were making off because everyone else was. I put them in battery; they still hadtwenty-fiverounds.Itwaswonderful.

Whatwas lesswonderfulwaswhathadhappened.Thatnight theRedshad infiltratedbetweenNooandTartu.Then,fallingbackfromthenorth,theyhadtakenNoofromtherearandencircledit,sowingaterrifyingdisorderamongtheparkedconvoys.Thedriversweresleepingpeacefully,thinkingthemselvesprotectedbythefirstline.Thesurprisewascatastrophic.

Themencamefleeingtousacrossthemarshesandthefirwoods,escapingfromNooitself.Nodoubtwaspossible.Thegatewasopen.

Itwasveryhard toknowexactly theextentof thedisaster.The line thatwehad justrecapturedplungedintoalittlevalleywithaglisteningstreamatthebottom.NoonehadthoughttoblowupthebridgeatthetimeoftheSovietbreakthrough.Nowitwastoolate.Thefewlittlefarms,thehedges,andthecopsesallarounduswereoccupiedbytheenemy.To retake this valley in hand-to-hand fighting with my incongruous little troop wasimpossible. Iwould have sent three quarters ofmymen to their death only to lose the

entirelineonehourlater.

Theroadcutthecountrysideintwo.Descendinginawidecurve,itcrossedtheriveronthe white arc of the undamaged bridge, climbed back up the hill behind the houses,crossedthefieldsandenteredaforestacrossfromus.

TheSoviets hadbeenput on thedefensivenear thewater. Iwas still hoping that theretreating troops coming from Noo would come out of the woods to the southwest.Together we would then have been able to flatten the enemy in the valley. But thesurvivors told us that it would be impossible for the forces at Noo to retreat, that theenemywaseverywhere.

WehadtowarnGeneralWagnerimmediately.Didheknow?Inanycase,nothingwascomingfromTartu.

Asoldierfoundatelephonewire.Theartillerymenhadeverythingneededtohookupanextension. I got the command post, then the general, utterly amazed to learnwhatwasgoingonandthatIwasthere.IknewashedidthatthefateofTartuhingedonmyhill.Hedidn’t have to explain verymuch tome. I promised that, as long as I lived, the Redswouldn’tgetthrough.

Icouldbeoverrun,however.TheSoviettankscouldarrivefromoneminutetothenext.Weneededmenandtanksquicklyandinforce.

“Holdon!Holdon!”GeneralWagneryelledinto thetelephone,pouringoutfloodsof“GrosseScheisse!GrosseScheisse!”moresuitablethanevertotheoccasion.

Iorganizedmymenwithoutdelay.

Finally,withall therunawaysIhadscoopedup,Ihadagoodhundredmen.I formedthemintotwoplatoonsthatIpositionedacrosstheroad.Theleftwingwascommandedbyayoungsupplyofficerwhohadbeencaughtinthewhirlwindwhen,withoutacareintheworld,hewasstrollinginthemidmorningtotakehundredsofloavesofbreadtoNoo.Hehadneverfiredagunatthefront.AGermanadjutantcommandedtherightwing.

I sent twopatrols fairly far to the east andwest tohide in the thickets and thehazelwoodsprotectingourflanks.

Iemptied the trucksandappropriated theirmachinegunsandmunitions.Mysoldiershadregainedtheirconfidence.Iwentfromonetoanother,encouragingtheminajargonthat was half-German and half-French. Most of them had seen my photo in thenewspapers,andtheyweregettingusedtotheideathatthesituationwastakinganoriginalturn.

The Reds were machine-gunning us steadily. I plantedmyself on the parapet of thetrenchsothatnoneofmyboyswouldlosehishead.Mylifewasn’tworthtwocentsthere,buttherearedayswhenoneknowsforcertainthatthisisn’tthedaywhenoneisgoingtodie.Thiswasmycase.Theycouldshootasmuchastheyliked,andtheywouldmissmeeverytime.Ididn’thaveashadowofadoubt.

I had picked up an Estonian officer. Iwould have liked to use him to command hiscompatriotsscatteredamongmytroops,buthewasconsumedbypanickyfear.Heturned

greenhearing the bulletswhistle past, and lay down flat againstmyboots, as stiff as aboard. One bullet, instead of hitting me in the foot, struck him full in the face, wentthroughhimfromoneendtotheother,andcameoutbetweenhisbuttocks.

Hetwistedaboutlikeaworm,spat,cried,defecated.Itwastoolate.Hehaddigestedthebullettooquickly.Tenminuteslaterhewasdead.

TheRedsweregettingmoreandmorereinforcements,arrivingfromthebirchgrovesofthesoutheastinlittlegroups,sixmen,sevenmen,eightmen,stealingalongtheriver.Ihadforbiddenunnecessaryshooting.Wehadtosaveourammunitionforaclosecombatabouttobeginatanytime.Suddenly,ateleveno’clockinthemorning,Isawsomethingcomeoutofthewoodsinthesouth.Atank!

IwantedtothinkthatitwasaGermantankescapedfromNoo.

Behinditasecondtankwascomingon.Thenanother.Soontherewereeight.Russian?German?Wecouldn’ttellatthatdistance.

Weheldourbreath.The tanksweremovingdown thehillside.Wewouldsoonknowwhattothink.IftheSovietinfantrymassedinthebasinfiredonthemitwouldprovethattheywereGermantanks.

The tanks reached the firsthousebehind thewater.Notagunshot!TheywereSoviettanks.

Chillingseconds!Ihadonlymytwomiserablecannons.Iletthetanksapproach.Theywereobviouslysureofthemselves.Onlywhentheywererightundermynoseontheroadinfullsunlight,andthefirstRedtankwasafewmetersfromthebridge,didIordermytwoartillerypiecestoshootfullintothecolumn.

Theleadtank,struckinthefirstminute,wasstoppedinstantly.Theothersfledacrossthe little farms as dozens of shells fell on them. One of them did a gorgeous flip andlandedwithitsgunstuckinthemire.Ididn’tstopfiringdownatthemuntilitwasclearthat the disoriented enemywas only looking for refuge. And even then I let fly a lastvolleyofshellsontothehousestoshowthatwehadammunitiontospare.

Inactualfact,Ihadexactlytwelveofmyhundredandtwentyprojectilesstillleft.Ihadplayedtherichman.Ifsolidhelpdidn’tcomesoon,itlookedasthoughwewerelost.

OfcourseIwasreceivingreinforcements.AtTartu,wherethenewsofthesehappeningshadtheeffectofaV-1,theheadquarterswasassemblinginallhasteeverythingthatworeauniform and sending it onto Riga. I inherited an apoplectic collection of old veteranmajors,supplyofficers,barracks-keepers,storehouseworkers,one-daymarchers,servicecorpsmen.Theysqueakedintheiruniforms,drippingwithsweatundertheirloads,dead-tiredtohavedoneeightkilometersonfoot.Athrongofbespectacledclerksandorderliesscurriedaroundthem.Forallthat,theywereallverycourageousandveryworthy,askingonly to do their duty. In spite of this, I couldn’t verywell imagine these specialists inpaper-pushingstoppingthesixtanksgrowlingacrossfromus.

ThankstotheserecruitsIstrengthenedbyflanks.Isentthemtooccupythemostdistant

linepossiblesoastoavoidbeingtakenfrombehindbytheSovietinfantry.

IharriedGeneralWagneronthetelephone.

“PanzersandStukas,formercy’ssake!”

“We’redoingallwecantohelpyou,butweneedtime.Holdon!Holdon!”heyelledbackatme.

Ofcoursewe’dholdon.

Butwhenthetwelvelastshellshadbeenfired,whatwouldhappenthen?

It was 12:30. I had been standing on the parapet for five hours,marching back andforth, encouragingmyGermansandEstonians. I staredat the several little farms in thevalley.TheRedshadhadmore thananhour,enough time tonotice thatwecouldn’tbeverystrong.

ASoviettankemergednearthefirstfarm,carryingabouttwentysoldiers.Theotherfivetanksfollowed.IhadjusttimetoshoutoverthetelephonetoGeneralWagner,“That’sit!TheRussian tanksarecoming!”There theywere.Theycrossed thebridgeat full speedand climbed the hillside. At thirty meters from us the enemy infantry jumped to theground.Itwasthefinalassault.

Therewasnothinglefttodobuttofirealltheammunitionwehadleft,thendie.Justasmy last shells were bursting, a fearful roar shook the sky. German Stukas suddenlyappeared.FortyStukas!Fortydivedscreamingtowardtheearth.Everythingflewupintotheair.Wewerethrowninalldirections,fortheenemytankswereuponus,andtheStukaswerebombardingthepacklikedemons.ThreeSoviettankswentupinflames.Theotherstook off, climbed back up the opposite slope, and fled into the woods. Those of ourmachinegunsthathadescapedthehurricanemoweddowntheroutedSovietinfantry.Weyelledlikecrazymen.Wehadwonthematch.

Germanpanzers,enormousTigers,arrivedintheirturn.Duringtheeveningtheflowerof all the sections was there. A German colonel relieved me. I was called to GeneralWagner’scommandpost.Wehadhadanarrowescape.Thegenerals, right to the topoftheranks,hadbreathlesslyfollowedourduel,uponwhichthefateofTartu,theEmbach,andEstoniadepended.

AtmidnightatelegramfromtheFührer’sMainHeadquartersannouncedthatHitlerwasawardingmetheOakLeaves.52ThusendedacasualdriveonthehighwayfromEstoniatoLatviaonAugust23,1944.

THEEMBACH

What had become of our three anti-tank weapons and the Wallonia platoon thatoperatedthemintheset-toatNoo?Wepresumedthoseboysandthosetankslost.Alonesurvivor had reached us on the barrier at Lemnasti, having bolted in the middle of ahorrifyinghand-to-handbattle.

Nevertheless,ourmenhadnotbeenoverwhelmed.Theyhadgoodmachinegunsand

wereredoubtablewiththeirthreeanti-tankgunsatpoint-blankrange.Atdawnonthe24thLieutenantGillis,whocommandedthem,letmeknowthathismenandhiscannonshadbroken the Soviet encirclement and that they were in position before the Embach[Emajõgi]RiveratthewestofTartu.

They were very proud of their exploit and were only awaiting the opportunity toaccomplishanother.Theywerequicklygratified.Atfouro’clockintheafternoon,tenoftheheaviest-tonnageSoviet tanks, ten“JosephStalins,”went for them.Such tankswerealmost invulnerable. Gillis, old fox of the Russian front, let them approach to withintwenty meters. His cannon were well camouflaged. The Soviets thought themselvesalreadymasters of theEmbach crossing.When theywere almost iron against iron, ourthreeweaponsfired.

Itwasasavagelyviolentcombat.TheRussiantankspoundedourcombatgroups.Oneofouranti-tankgunswasblown-up.Thenthesecondblewupamidstthemangledcorpsesof our men. Lieutenant Gillis was grievously burned. But he kept shouting orders.Clingingtothelastweapon,thesurvivorsfired,enraged,determinedtoselldearlythefewlivesstillremaining.

Tanksdon’t likeprolongedshoot-outswithanti-tankguns.TwoJosephStalinscaughtfire, a great loss for the enemy. The other tanks broke off the combat and headedwestward.Wedidn’thaveasinglecannonleft.Mostoftheoperatorswereontheground,killedorwounded.Butourhonorwasintact.TheSoviettankhadn’tconquered.

WhenGillis cameoutof thehospital severalmonths later, his eyes shieldedbyhugeblack glasses, he was wearing round his neck the Knight’s Cross, which Hitler hadawardedhimforhisexploit.

Asfaras30kilometerstothenorthofTartu,lifehadbecomeinfernal.TheSovietairforce, non-existent in earlier days, was now master of the skies. They had Americanplanesinabundance.Theirsquadronsswarmedthroughthecountrylikewasps,swarmingferociously over every road. Everywhere there was nothing but fires, the wreckage ofmunitions or gas trucks, andmiserable peasants’wagons smashed amid horses swollenlikeballoons.

Thesmallestvillagewouldbeattackedtentimesaday.EvenfarfromtheroadsinourmodesttownofMaria-Magdalena,wespentmoretimeflatonthegroundthanstanding.Theplanesswoopedacrobaticallyaroundthesteeple,divinglikearrowsshotfromthesky,loosingburstsofincendiarybullets,thenclimbingverticallybackup,asquickasswallowsinamarvelousholidaysun.

Wecouldtellwherethevillageswereforaradiusoftwentykilometersjustbywatchingtheenormousgrayandblackcolumnsrisingstraightupagainstthebluesky.Weweresoharassedandthereweresomanyobstaclesthatmovementwaspracticallyimpossible.Wehadtocrosssheetsofflame.Hundredsofshellsobstructedtheroadaroundtheriddledandreddeningtrucks.

With difficulty I reached General Wagner’s command post. His staff trucks werecamouflagedinafirgrovebehindTartu.Irealizedthatthesituationwasgoingfrombadto

worse,forthe“GrosseScheisse!GrosseScheisse!”werefallinglikepilesofdishes.

Iwasquicklybroughtup todate.TheSoviet tankattack thathadbeenbroken in theafternoon by the epic resistance of our anti-tank platoon had resumed four kilometersfartherwest.TherewasanimportantbridgethereontheEmbach,guardedbymorethanathousandEstonians.Twocolumnsof“Stalin”tankshadsuddenlyappeared.Thethousandmenfledwithoutevendestroyingthebridge.Theenemytankshadcrossedtheriver.Atseven o’clock in the evening they were already occupying a crossroads five hundredmetersnorthoftheEmbach.TwoSovietinfantrybattalionsfollowedthem,andfromthenonformedaprotectivesquarearoundthem.

Iwasorderedtorestorethesituation.Iwassupposedtoreachthecrossroadsbynight,supportedbyseveralGermantanks,sendmymentothebridge,andblowitup.

“Thebridgemustbeblownup!Understand?Blownup!”

“Grosse Scheisse!Grosse Scheisse!Grosse Scheisse!” repeatedGeneralWagner in amonologue,hiseyesredderthanever.

Itwaseasiersaidthandone.IhadtoreturntoMaria-Magdalena,alertthebattalion,inthemidst of its second day of reorganization, and load it onto trucks (which had beenpromisedforteno’clockintheevening).Onlythencouldourcolumnleaveforthewest.Itwould be hard tomake contact with the enemy beforemidnight or one o’clock in themorning.WherewouldtheRedsbethen?

Some time before dusk two battalions and about fifteenSoviet tanks had reached anessentialcrossroads500metersbeyondtheEmbach.Thatwasabsolutelyallweknew.

Thetopographicmapoftheregionmadeiteasytoimaginewhatfollowed,however.Aroadranthroughafirforestinourdirectionfortenkilometersandthroughseveraltowns.From seven o’clock in the evening until midnight, the enemy would certainly haveimprovedhispositionbyboldly seizing thesewoodsand thevillagesand towns,whichcouldserveasadefensivelineifneedbe.Itwasessentialforthemtoconquerthissafetyzone as early as possible, so as to allow the passage of men and heavy equipment enmasseduringthewholenight.

I chanced a question toGeneralWagner. “Has anyone done anything yet to stop theReds?Aretherefriendlyforcesthatarepreventingthemfromenlargingtheirbridgeheadtoward the forest?”The only answer I gotwas a new flood of “Grosse Scheisse!” Thebreachwasagapinghole.TheRedsweredoubtlessnotwastinganytimebackthereinthegreatfirforests.

At nine o’clock in the evening our battalion was reunited. Many of its men wererookies,buttheyhadafiercedesiretojointhefray.Theveteranspassedthesacredfireofinspirationtothenewmen.Thatnightmoralewasparticularlyelectric.

Ihadaratherspecialwayofstartingacombat,whichdumbfoundedtheGermanswhoaccompaniedustooperatetheradioandmaintainliaison.FirstofallIheldameeting.Ourmenmassedontheplain.Thedaywasdying,buteverywheretheflamesfromtheburning

villagesroselikehugeredgladioliagainstthesky.FromthetopofthebankIexhortedmycomradestobeworthyofouroldLegion.“TheRusskiesaregoingtoseewhataWallooncounter-attacklookslike.”

Onceagainwewereabouttochargeintoahand-to-handbattle.Thistimeitwouldbeinthemiddleofthenight,acrossrollingcountrysideweknewnothingabout,indarknessinwhichyoucouldn’tseeathing.Thecolumnoftrucksstartedoff,andwesawimmediatelythatitwouldn’tbeaneasyjob.

THENIGHTOFNOELA

Anattackisneveraneasyoperation.WhileourtrucksrolledwestwardtothevillageofNoela,Itriedtolayoutmybattleplan.Iwasinabsoluteignoranceofwhathadhappenedsincetheendoftheday.Wherewastheenemypokingabout?Whatwashisstrengthnow?Totalmystery.

The Soviet air force interrupted my reflections. It dropped a string of luminescentparachutesallalongtheroaddottedwithourbig trucks.Itwas lightasday.Wehadtensecondsattheverymosttothrowourselvesflatonourbelliesinthefields.Hundredsofbombs fell, wounding men, damaging vehicles. Clearly, our movement had beendiscovered.

We saw identical parachutes swaying over the whole region. Explosions shook thecountryside.Villagesburned,outliningtheroofbeamsagainstdancingbackgroundsofredandgold.

Byeleveno’clockintheeveningwemetataforkintheroadthehalf-dozenGermantanks thatwere tosupportourassault. Ialsofoundanaide-de-campthere,veryshortofbreath,whomIhadsent to reconnoiter the terrain.Hehadcomeupon theSoviets,whohad already progressedmore than ten kilometers beyond theEmbach bridge. They hadcomeclearthroughthegreatfirforestandoccupiedthethreevillagesalongtheway.Theirtanks,verynumerous,weremovingbynight.TheyhadappearedwithoutwarninginthevillageofNoela,rightinfrontofus.Theonlythingstillholdingbackthedrivewasthepresenceofmindoftheoperatorsofananti-aircraftbatteryontheroadexitingthevillage,whohadimmediatelyloweredtheirgunsandfiredonthetanks.

Ihadaveryadvancedradiotruck.TelegraphingthisremarkablenewstothestaffofficeoftheKampfgruppe,Ireceivedshortlyafterwardstheinevitableresponse,“Attack!Attackimmediately!”

Myfourcompanies,eachsixtymenstrong,positionedthemselvesattheentranceofthevillage.Iexplainedtomyofficerstheimmediateobjectives.FirstofallwehadtoretakeNoela. Thenwewould have to take the road that led to the second village. This routeenteredrightintotheforest.Theofficerswouldsetthetoneandleadthechargeattheheadofthemen.Ithadtobedonequickly.

Weattacked.

Itwasoneo’clockinthemorning.Backedupbyoursixpanzers,ourmenbowledover

thefirstenemycontingents.TheReds’tanksfellback,notreallyknowingthestrengthofthe counter-attack.With their usual speed our companies thrust intoNoela, seizing thehouseswithagrenadeattackandtakingnumerousprisoners.

Theywere gargoyleswith gerbil heads,mostly sixteen years old, exhausted by theirmarchesandthelackofsleep.TheyhadcomefromPskovonfoot,crossingtwohundredkilometers in four days, struckwith the commissars’ rifle butts as soon as they slowedtheirsteps.Theylookedvicious.MostwerewearingmotleyGermanarmyraincoats.TheyhadslylyputthemontomisleadthesoldiersoftheReich.Thetreacherywasflagrant,butthey were youngsters and very much afraid. I told them to sleep. They dropped likepuppiesinaheap.

Ourpanzershammeredtheenemytankshard.Severalofthemwentupinflames.Theotherstookoffattopspeed.Wehadtomakethemostoftheconfusion.Igavetheordertomoveontothesecondphaseofthecombat,tocapturetheforestroad.

TheRedinfantryhadafirmholdontheedgeofthewoods.Itwasfrightfullydark.Wecouldjustdiscernthemachinegunsthatwerespittingtheirsilverandpinkjetsfromallthethickets.

Shouting, our soldiers charged the enemy. One of my junior lieutenants, a platoonleaderwhom I had reprimanded thedaybefore, had replied tome, “I swear to you I’llmakethatup.”Hewasagiantwithabrick-redcomplexion,downyhair,andbigblueeyes.He rushed forward like ameteor, broke through everything, and swooped down like aconquerorontoaSovietmachinegunintheblackness.Buthewasriddledlikeasieve,hitinthearm,thechest,andinthelegs.Hehadkepthiswordandopenedthebreachthroughwhichhismennowpoured.Groping,IfastenedtheIronCrosstohisjacket,allstickywithblood.

TheRedswere fleeing.Ourmenadvancedon the runonboth sidesof the road.Ourtanks, assured of their flanks, cleared the road for a longway. At three o’clock in themorningwereachedthesecondtown,sweptthroughit,anddislodgeditsdefenders.

We had retaken two villages out of the three and captured half the terrain from theSoviets.Fivekilometersmoreofeffort,onevillagemoretooccupywithsubmachinegunandgrenade,andwecouldattackthebridge.

Itcouldjustbedoneifweexploitedoursuccesspromptly,butitwouldrequireatleastfive hundred men. I had already lost eighty in two hours. I had scarcely more than ahundredandfiftyleft.Twentypanzerswouldalsoberequired.Ihadhadsixtobeginwith.One of themhad blownup during the scuffle atNoela, andwewere coming to biggerobstacles.

Thisnocturnalcombathadsucceededonlybecausetheenemy,whohadarrivedafteralongexertion,hadbeenrepulsedinthecourseofthecharge.

Althoughwewere only a handful,wemight nevertheless have attained the objectivethathadbeenoriginallyset.Ourgoal,ineffect,wasnottoannihilatetheenemy.Itwastopass through it andget to thebridge, ifonlywith twentymen, ifonlywith ten.At thispointeachofourplatoonswastomaketheattemptbyitself,nomatterwhathappenedto

theothers.Igavethemtheminesnecessaryforthedemolition.

Weknewperfectlywellthatwewerebeingsacrificedinthistask.Wewereready.Therewere ten timesmorevolunteersamongus thanwerenecessary for the finalboldstroke.The fury of battle, the darkness, the effect of surprise, or the enemy’s panic couldsomehowbringusthrough.

Unfortunatelywegot temporarily stuckon thewayoutof thevillage.SeveralSovietanti-tankgunswerepostedthere.Theyblastedus.Wehadtowageadeterminedhand-to-handbattleatthethresholdofthefirforestwithitsthousandboobytraps.Halfourofficersfell.Theothersbroughtupthetroopsforonemorego.Forhalfanhour,itwasadramaticfree-for-all. The Soviet tanks loomed up everywhere.A secondGerman tank exploded.The German Command had become very miserly with its equipment. The tankcommandershadorders tobecautious.Tosucceedherenowwehadtobereadytoriskandprobablylosethefourtanksthatwestillhadleft.Onlythencouldafewofourmenperhapssucceedingettingtothebridgeandblowingitup.

WesawwithconsternationthefourGermantanksretreating,stillfiring.Ourdeadwerestrewn everywhere on the road, our wounded dragged themselves along without awhimper.

TheReds,seeingtheretreatofourtanks,tookheartagain.Afterthechild-soldiersofawhileago,wenowhadtofaceaspecialbattalionofconvictedmurderers,death-dealinggiantswithshavenheads.

Nevertheless, our boys, obstinate asmules, wouldn’t have folded before the likes ofthose.But theSoviet tanks roaredup, their savagecadence thundering in theair.Againtheyentered,15ofthem,theburningvillage.

TheGermantanksgavenoreply.Theypausednotatallastheyleft thevillage.TheyhastenedtowardNoela,wantingtogetoffthelongandperilousroadcarvedbetweenthefirs as soon as possible. Already the predawn glow was beginning to whiten the fire-breaks.

Our soldiers, whom the enemy tanks had overrun by a long way, had the greatestdifficultyingettingbackthroughthreekilometersofpinewoodstothevillagefromwhichour assault had started. The four German tanks panted there, doing all they could tocontainthethrustoftheRedtanks.NearthemIbuiltamakeshiftblockade.

We had failed. I had only a hundred and ten men left. Our four German tanksconstituted our only heavy force. I questioned prisoners fromdiverse enemybattalions.Theyeagerly reported thatmore than thirtySoviet tankshadcrossed theEmbachRiverduringthenight.

Some15ofthemblewupthehousesbesidewhichwewerefightingonebyone,asiftheywereplayingskittles.

THIRTY-TWO

ThedayofAugust25,1944,wasthemostdramaticofthebattleforTartu.Itwasonlyfour-thirty in the morning. Despite our nocturnal counter-attack, the men and the

equipmentoftheSovietshadwon.Theywerenowmetingfuriousbattering-ramblowstenkilometersnorthoftheEmbach.Tartulayonthesouthernbankoftheriver.

Everything pointed to unusual difficulties. How were we, a hundred men on ourimprovised Noela line, going to resist? And even if we resisted, wouldn’t we beoutflanked?Otherroadsemergedfromtheforest,fartoourright.

IsentradiomessagestoGeneralWagnersignalingourcriticalsituation.Noresponse,and forgood reason.TheSoviets had just crossed theEmbach again, to the east of thesectorthistime.Atnineo’clockinthemorningTartu,thecenterofresistance,hadbeentakeninaflashbytheSoviets.TheRedschargedwithoutstoppingtotheothersideoftheriver.

Weourselveswereplungedintoafraysobrutalthatwealmostdidn’thavetimetothinkoftherestofthefront.Mycommandpostblewuptwiceintwohours.Igotoutofitwithnothingmoreseriousthanplastershoweredonmyhelmet.Butmyradioequipmentwasdemolished.Mycarwasuseless,allfourtiresriddledwithpunctures.

Isetmyselfupinafield,nolongerabletodirecttheremnantofmycompanyexceptbymeansofmessengerswhoscuttledalongthelengthofthehedgesandfirs.

Isawmypoorboysgopastoneafteranother,wounded,maimed,coveredwithblood,but smiling nevertheless. The Tartu-Tallinn road unrolled behind us. They draggedthemselves there and climbed onto the trucks that were fleeing by hundreds in graywhirlwinds.

Eachcompany formeda“hedgehog”barrier tocounter theadvanceof theReds.Ourmenworkedlikedemons,draggingtheanti-tankgunsthroughthefirsbyhandtoinstalltheminourrear.

The essential for us was to block the main routes. An army doesn’t haul its heavyequipment throughpinewoodsand ravines.Only twoSoviet tankswere able togetby.They came out like elephants to our left, twentymeters away.We let them gowithoutgettingtooupset,contenttoisolatethem.AftercuttingofftheroadfromTartuforalittlewhile,theywerefinallydestroyed.

Afternooncame.Wewerestill fightingallalong the ridgecontrolling the roadoutofNoela,backsagainst theTartu-Tallinnroad.Amessengerbroughtmeanurgentorder toreporttoGeneralWagner’scommandpost.

ThespectaclethatIfoundakilometerbehindourpositionswasapocalyptic.Asfarastheeyecouldseetherewasthemosthorriblepanic.AlltheEstoniansoldierswerefleeingalong the sandy roads. Thousands of men had taken off their shoes and were millingabout.Thousandsofpeasants’cartsweremingledamongthetrucks.Theroadwasonfireeverywhere. Thewomenwere crying and beating their cows,who could go no further,with sticks. The roadside strewnwith ammunition bags, bundles, zinc pans, tubs, deadsheep, bird cages. Through this jumble the haggard human river— civilians, soldiers,Estonians—flowedscreamingtowardTallinn.

ArmyCorps generals bustled about like young company commanders to regroup thelastGermancontingentsstillabletoofferresistance.

AtGeneralWagner’s,anewdousingwaswaitingforme.InadditiontotheresistanceofNoela,IwasinstantlytoorganizeaParna-Lombi-KeerdulineontheplateauofTartu.TheSovietsfromthewestandthosefromtheeastweretryingtolinkup.Everyonefoundatthedepotwastobeputintoactiononthisplateauthatveryevening.

I had no one left but the walking wounded and the office personnel. We rushed toMaria-Magdalena along beautiful blue lakes sparklingwith all the fires of the summer,insensibletotheroutspreadingalongsideit.Iwantedonlyvolunteers.Allourbraveoldcomradesoftheadministrativeservicescameforward.Forthatmatter,whatusewasthereforanadministrationat themoment?Theaccountantsclosedtheir ledgers.Legionnairesmore than sixtyyearsold,whohadbeencutting sausagesandcounting loavesofbreadsince1941,lefttheircleaversandtheirbookstotakeup[anti-tank]Panzerfausts.

Their quiet couragebrought tears tomy eyes.All ourwoundedwho still couldwalklinedupinfrontoftherectory.Oftheonlytwoofficerslefttome,onehadhadhisarmshotthroughbyabullet,theotherhadbeenhitbyagrenadeinthechest.Butbothsteppedtothefirstrowofthisheroiclittletroop.

Thereweresixtyinall.Iledthemaway.TwohourslatertheywereincontactwiththeSoviets,hastilydiggingfoxholes,hidingthemselvesbehindhaystacks.Nightwasalmosthere.Theywereready.

In theafternooneverything foretoldaquickand total collapseon the ridgeofNoela.Afterenlistingourwounded,ourquartermaster-sergeants,andouraccountantsatLombi,Irushedinallhastetothehillwherewehadhadsuchaterriblemorning.Mysoldiersoftheline,frightfullydecimated,werestillholdingon.

Darknesscame.Ourbarrierremainedunshakable.InthemeantimetheCommandhadbeenabletosendfreshtroopstoourtwowings.FromTallinn,everythingthatthecapitalofEstoniaheldinthewayofGermancombatantsrushedupintrucks.

In the night the situation incontestably improved. The Soviets themselves seemedexhausted. Certainly there was no longer any question of ourmaking it to the famousbridgeoftheEmbach,butacatastrophehadbeenaverted.

Thestrugglehadcosteveryonedearly,theRedswhohadbeenmoweddowninheaps,theGermans,andoursoldiers,whohadcontainedtheenemyonlybylettingthemselvesbemauledformorethan20hours.

WhatwasleftofmyfourcompaniesatNoelaclungonforeightdaysandnightsatopthishillside.Atlastonly32menremained,32outofthe260whomatoneo’clockinthemorningonAugust25thIhaddraggedtotheassaultthroughthetreacherousnight.

Itwasimpossibleforthepositionsofthemachine-gunnersandriflementobeoverrunduringtheday.Ourmenhadfacesthecolorofearth,bristlingwithhairashardasdarts.They were dug into holes full of hay gleaned from neighboring haystacks during thedarkness;onemighthavesaidnestspeopledwithfrighteningnocturnalbirds.

ThegeneralcommandingtheArmyCorps,amazedattheirexploits,awardedthemall,

asagroup,theIronCross—agesturealmostuniqueatthefront.

Crawling all along the ridgeone rainynight, I carried it to them. I slipped into eachhole.Themanwouldbeonwatch,shiveringinthewetstraw.TheRedsweretenmetersaway.Ifastenedtheribbonandthecross.Ikissedthebristlycheeks.Theywouldwhisperinmyearthattheywouldholdonaslongasnecessary,thatIdidn’thavetoworry,thattheRedswouldn’tgetpast.

Tenkilometersawaytheothercrippledcompanyofwounded,oldcooks,supplyclerks,andaccountants,downto thestrengthofa littleplatoon,keptwatchwith thesamefaithandwith the radiant eyes ofmenwho have conquered others butwho, above all, haveconqueredthemselves.

ROMMELANDMONTGOMERY

Attheendofahardbattle,generally,theonewhowillwinandtheonewhowillloseare both close to falling on their knees. Hewins thenwho clenches his teethwith thegreatestenergy,whostrainshisnervesinalasteffort.

ItwasthusontheplateauofTartuinthelastdaysofAugust1944.TheBolshevikshadtaken the village; they had crossed the Embach; they had occupied an area some tenkilometersdeeptothenorthofthisriver.Butthiswasn’ttheobjectiveoftheircampaign.Theirgoal—theirpropagandatractshadproclaimeditoftenenough—wastostormintoTallinn,toskirtthefrontofNarva,tothrowtheGermanarmiesunceremoniouslyintotheseaor to force them to surrender.During thedayofAugust25,1944,all thishadbeenpossible.TheEstoniantroopshadgivengroundandscatteredinamemorablestampede.TheSoviet tanksswarmed.ThousandsofRedsoldierswereclimbing thehills, reachingthecommunicationscenters.Theywerewinninginabigway.

Nevertheless,infact,theylost—becausetheywereblocked.TheyhadtodealwithanincomparableGermanCommand,absolutemasterofitself,nevermakingamoveinhaste,neverflaggingforaninstant,despiteitsmeagerresources.

At theheadquartersofGeneralWagnernoonehadslept foraweek.Thestaff truckswererangedunderthefirs.Theenemywashalfakilometeraway.Volleysofrocketsfromthe“Stalin’sorgans”werefallingeverywherearoundthecommandpost.

Thetrucksstayed.

Thegeneralstayed.

Andfinallyvictorystayed,inthehandsofthemostintelligentandthemosttenacious.

TheGerman forceswere numericallyweak, but of a very high quality. The infantryunits,nowskeletal,werescatteredlikeusandlikeuswereexposedtomaniacassaults.Weweresupportedbyheavyequipment,admirablyoperated.

Tanks and armored reconnaissance vehicles had been in combat day and nightthroughout the whole week, racing eastward, returning to the northwest, in contactceaselesslyinlittlegroupsoffourorsixagainstfifteenortwentyadversaries.

Half of the German armored equipment had been destroyed or put out of action byrollingfrompeaktovalley.Buttheotherhalfdidn’tleaveaninstant’srespitetothelessprudent,lessskillfuladversary,whoselosseshadbeenenormous.ThebattlefieldofTartuwaslitteredwiththeblackenedcarcassesofSoviettanks.Theenemy’sarmoredunitswerecompletelyscatteredanddisorganized.ThatcountedforalotinthedefeatoftheSoviets.

Ourdauntlessmenstillhadn’thadenough.TheylovedjumpingontotheGermantanks,slicingtheirwaythroughtheSovietpositions,andwipingthemalloutwithgrenades.

ThecautiouscrewsoftheReich’spanzersandthedynamicWallooninfantrymenshareda great comradeship: the Germans all knew that the Walloons were the most ardentvolunteers on theEastern front. Theymade themselves understood to one anotherwithcomicalmimicry, held long discussions about girls and rogues. They jabbered fluently,usinganimprobablyRusso-GermanicVolapük,53thenewEsperantooftheEasternfront.

Eachcombatactionreinforcedthisfraternalamity.

Whileeverykilometerof theTartufrontwasholdingout, fairlyconsiderableGermanforceshadbeenabletocomedownfromthenorth.

Wehadtoholdoutforanotherweek.Thenthecounteroffensivewasreadyandpassedusby.FreshtroopsknifedthroughtheSoviets,pushingthemwithinafewdaysbacktotheEmbachRiver.TheydrovetheSovietbandsbackacrossthewater infullflight.Despitetheirinitialsuccess,theRedshadwellandtrulylostthebattleofTartu.

LatertheGermansevacuatedEstoniaontheorderofHitler,whowantedtoregrouphisoverlydispersed forces.But they retreatedat their leisure, takingamonth to re-embarkdivisionsandheavyweaponsdestinedfortheReichfrontandtheLithuanianfront.

TheWagnerKampfgruppegavewaytonewunits.Ithadfulfilleditsmissiongloriously,saving Estonia at a moment when its sudden fall— with an attendant capitulation oftroops and loss of equipment — would have been an overwhelming reverse for theGermanArmy.

There wasn’t much left, alas, of our heroic companies of the beginning of August.LookingforthelasttimeattheTartuplateau,thelowfirs,thefieldsturninggray,thestill-smokingtownwithitsbrokenspires,Isawonlyahandfulofcomradesstillatmyside.Ihad lost80percentofmysoldiers,eitherkilledorwoundedandevacuated tohospitals,not to speakof thenumeroussuperficiallywoundedwhohad refused tobe taken to therear.Infact,inafewweeks95percentofourmenhadbeenhitbyenemyfire.

Theircouragehadcoveredournamewithhonor.Colonel-GeneralSteiner,whoduringtheseepicweekshadcitedthemthreetimesintheorderofthedayoftheArmyCorps,hadawardedthemalmosttwohundredIronCrosses.Hewantedtodecoratethetroopshimself.Heendedhisspeechwiththissolemndeclaration:“AWalloonisworthathousandothersoldiers.” Itwas a bit overstated.But our four hundred and fiftyvolunteers haddone amightywork.

They didn’t pride themselves on it. They had only done what the Walloons on the

Donets, atKharkov, on theDon, in theCaucasus, in theCrimea, and atCherkassyhaddone.

Already forgetting their suffering and their glory, they were playing pranks likechildren,askingGeneralSteiner ifheknewthenamesof the twolastsoldierswhomhehad justdecorated.OnewasnamedRommel.Theforebearsof theGermanmarshalhadoriginatedinourgreatLowCountries.Theirmonument,bearingtheirarmsoftheLionofFlanders, is still at Bruges. The other one was named Montgomery, like the Englishmarshal. They were the two celebrities of the hour in the Legion, Rommel andMontgomery,Walloonvolunteers, receiving theIronCrossSecondClasssidebysideattheEasternfront.

OursoldierswentbackdowntowardTallinn.ThenewspapersofEstoniawerefulloftheir exploits. Theywere loaded downwith bottles of champagne, which they happilydrankontheboatastheysailedbacktotheReich.

Hitler summonedme to receive theOakLeaves from his hands, aswell as the goldCloseCombatBadge,thehighestinfantryhonor,accordedtoholdersoffiftyhand-to-handcombataccreditations.

Itookoffinalittle“FieselerStorch”nearToila.Isaw—finaladieu—thewhitecliffsandthepalebluewatersoftheGulfofFinlandshininginthedawn.Thesadandinfinitepinewoods,thesilverflamesofthebirchgroves,thebroomthickets,thegreatmegaliths,thecabinslostinthegreenandrussetlandscape,andthewoodenshinglesofafewsolitaryfarms slipped away under the tiny plane. Sometimes a big brown spot and a metalliccarcass recalled the tormenting presence of the enemy fighters. The airplane flew low,hoppingacrossthelittlehillslikeahare.

ThenitwasRiga,theFührer’splane,thecurvearoundthecoastsofaLithuaniaalmostentirelyoccupiedbytheSoviets,andfinally,theairportoftheMainHeadquarters.

Back there, at the far end of theBaltic countries, our dead remained, to bear eternalwitness that in the tragic, life-and-deathstruggle forEurope, thesonsofourpeoplehaddonetheirduty,askingnothingandexpectingnothing.

We had no land to win, no material interests to assure back there. We weremisunderstoodbymany,butresoluteandhappy.Weknewthatapureandburningidealisamarvelousgood,forwhichayoungmanwithastrongheartshouldknowhowtoyearn,tostruggle,andtodie.

ChapterEight

THESAFETY-VALVEOFTHEARDENNES

In August and September 1944, while the battle for Estonia was raging, the entireWestern front had crumbled.At our little field postswe listened to the radio bulletins:Battle of the Seine; the capture of Paris; the drive of the American tanks toward theSommeandReims.ThenBelgiumhadbeenhit:Tournai,Mons,Brussels.Everyoneofoursoldiersthoughtofhishome.Whathadbecomeofourfamiliesbackthere?

ThenLiegewasoverrun.When I camebefore theFührer theAlliesweremassing inHolland, in Alsace-Lorraine, and before Aachen. I found everybody expansivenevertheless.Himmlermadejokesatthetable,andduringthetenminutespreciselythatittookhimtoeataSpartandinnerandafewpretzels,washeddownwithaglassofwaterinonegulp,heconcernedhimselfwiththreedozenpointsofdetail.

TheFührer’sdeputy,MartinBormann,round,plump,andpasty-faced,debatednoisilywithGeneralSeppDietrichoftheSS,whohadarrivedinagliderfromtheWesternfront.Hislegssetwideapart,hisfaceredasaturnip,Seppexpatiatedatlengthonthestrengthof theAnglo-American air force andon the ravagesof theTieffliegers.54But hewasn’tespeciallyworried.Hegaveeveryonegreatthumpsontheback,drankcognacwitheverybreath,andwentbacktohisroomatfiveo’clockinthemorning,vigorouslysupportedbyfourgiantsoftheguard.

Himmler was preparing some twenty new divisions ofWaffen SS. He gave me thecommand of theWallonia Division— the 28th SS Division— which would include,besidesourshockbrigade, thousandsofRexistswhohadfledtheAlliedoccupationandwerewanderingaroundtheReich.

Ingeneral,Hitler’sentourageagreedthatthewithdrawalintheWesthadbeenhard.Acounterstrokewasbeingpreparedinsecrecyandsilence.

ThateveningHimmlerwithdrewtodohisinterminablenocturnalworkandtoreceivethefifteenortwentypersonswhowaited—sometimesuntilmorning—theirturnforameeting.Thenthesuperiorofficersconversedwithmeinlowvoicesaboutthesurprisesinstorefromthenewweapons.

Theystucktoaffirmationslike,“Twoorthreemonthsfromnow,Germanywillstrikeagreatblow.”Theatmospherewasoneoffaith.

IwasparticularlysurprisedtoseehowHitlerhadregainednewvigorinsixmonths.Hisstepwascalmandassured,hisfeaturesrestedandastonishinglyyoung.Sincethewarhehadgrayedalot,andhisbackhadbecomebent.Buteverythingabouthimradiatedlife,amoderateanddisciplinedlife.

He decorated me. Then he guided me toward a little round table. He gave theimpressionthatnosharporurgentworryagitatedhim.Notadisillusionedwordledonetoinfer that he had the slightest doubt of a final rectification. He quickly left militaryconsiderations and passed to the question of bourgeois liberalism. With a marvelouslucidityheexplainedtomewhyitsfallwasinevitable.

Hiseyesshonewithgoodhumor.He threwhimselfwithpassion intoadebateon thefutureof socialism.His face,admirablycared for,quivered.Hemadesimplebutardentgestureswithhisslenderandperfecthands,livelycompanionstotheorator.

This discussiongaveme confidence. IfHitlerwashauntedby social problems to thepointthathelivedthemandexpoundedonthemwithsuchclarityforanentirehouroftheafternoon, itwasbecausehehadseriousassurancesabouteverythingelse.Nevertheless,thatweekChurchill’sairbornedivisionstriedtosetfootinHollandnearArnhem.

Justashewasleaving,asifhewantedtoengraveamorepersonalremembranceforeverinmyheart,Hitlercamebackandtookmyhandinbothofhis.“IfIhadason,”hesaidtomeslowlyandaffectionately,“Iwouldwanthimtobelikeyou.”I lookedintohiscleareyes,sosensitive,withtheirsimpleandradiantflame.Hewentawayunderthefirsbyaroadstrewnwithtwigs.Ilookedafterhimforalongtime.

ADRAMATICTURN

IntheflatandmuddyvillagesofHannover,thousandsofBelgianrefugeeswhohadfledbeforetheAnglo-Americantankshadbeeninstalledafterafashion.Ihadseentoit thatmynewDivisiondiditstraininginthisprovinceoftheReichsothateachofmysoldierscouldgive,besideshisservice,amaximumofcomforttohisfamilyinexile.

Suddenlytherewasasensationaldevelopment.IhadjustspokeninViennaatthefinalsessionoftheconferenceofEuropeanjournalists.AweekearlierIhadmetatlengthwithforeign minister Von Ribbentrop, who, particularly cordial, had confided to me in amysterious tone, “Remember well what I say to you. Never have we been so close tovictory.”

I thought he was joking. There was nothing at all that would lead one to expect animminent change in the situation. I remembered, certainly,what I had been told in theentourageof theFührer twomonthsearlier.Butwinterwashere. Itwassnowing.Whatnewdevelopmentwaslikely?

Onmy return to Berlin fromVienna I went to the Hotel Adlon. That evening I ranacrossahighofficialfromtheMinistryofForeignAffairs.Hewasradiant.

“Youdon’tknow?”hesaidtome.“We’rerightinthemidstofanoffensive.”

“Offensive?Anoffensivewhere?”

“Why, at your home! In Belgium! Our troops are already in the middle of theArdennes.”

ThenextdaythecentersofBerlinofficialdomwereinanextraordinaryeffervescence.

Unbelievabledetailswerebeinggivenout:Liegehadfallen.EightthousandnewGermanplaneswereattacking.

IwasbroughtatelegramfromHimmler.ItwasanordertoleaveforBelgiumwithmydivisionthatveryinstant.WepassedunderthetacticalcommandofMarshalModel,whodirectedtheoffensive,andofGeneralSeppDietrichoftheWaffenSS,whocommandedanarmygroup.

Itwasofficiallyforbiddentosendusintocombatonourownterritory.WeweregoinginordertoavoidtheerrorsoftheGermanoccupationof1940-44.FlemingsandWalloonswouldhavethetaskofreorganizingBelgium.

Mycarrolledallnight.InthemorningtrucksfromHannoverloadedafirstcontingentofsoldiers,whoweretoaccompanymeimmediatelytowardthefrontier.Therestofthedivisionwouldfollowinexpresstrains.

Ourrefugeesrushedtotheirdoorsteps,cryingwithhappinessatthethoughtofreturningtotheircountrysoon.Poorpeople!Whatconditiontheywouldfinditinsixmonthslater!

AtdawnwerodethroughCologne.

CHRISTMASINBELGIUM

InthemonthofDecember1944,therewasnothingleftofColognebutafieldofruins.ImetGauleiterGrohé insideabunkeron theoutskirtsof town inaparkwhere treeshadbeenravagedandhackedintoathousandpieces.TheoptimismintheseundergroundswaslesslivelythanatBerlinintheWilhelmstraße.

“TheAnglo-Americans?Why,they’rethirty-twokilometersaway!”

Anditwasexactlyso.TheAlliedpocketofAachenextendedtoafewkilometerswestoftheRhine.TheGauleiterstucktoreality.Anotherthrust inhissector,andtheYankeetankscouldverywellbeinfrontofhislittleconcretestaircasethatsameday.

Everyone thinks the threshold of his doorway is the threshold of the whole world.Nevertheless, if the Allied jeeps were thirty minutes to the northwest of CologneCathedralonDecember4,1944, theAmericansandBritishwerealsosweeping in fromthewestandsouthwesternRhinelandinthedirectionoftheMeuseandtheSemoisrivers.

TheGauleitertolduswhereSeppDietrich’scommandpostwastobefound,almostattheedgeoftheBelgianfrontier.Ourheartsthumping,webeganourmarch.Wehadonlybriefglimpsesofthesun.WecouldhearthepurringmotorsoftheBritishTieffliegers,but,shelteredbytheovercastsky,wemadegoodtimetowardthesouthwest.

WeapproachedtheEifelhills.Therouteglidedthrougharavishinglybeautifulvalley.The towns along the stream with their old houses, their medieval walls, their massivegates and watchtowers were still relatively intact. The little public squares, squeezedbetweenthecorbelledcottagesdisplayingsignswithlonggildedscrolls,weredignifiedbytownhallswiththickarcadesofboldhewnstone.

Inthehollowsofthevalleysshonevioletslateroofsandblueclocktowers.Thesnowwas clean and shining in the fields. Every hill dominating the road was topped with

powerful anti-aircraft batteries. We were favorably impressed. The columns of trucksadvancedwithouttrouble.

Atfouro’clockintheafternoonwearrivedatSeppDietrich’s.Hewasreturningfrominspection.SeppwasfarfromconfirmingthedazzlingrumorsthatwererunningthroughBerlinlikewill-o’-the-wisps.Liegehaddefinitelynotbeenretaken,buttheGermantankshad reached Libramont and Saint-Hubert. They had taken LaRoche andMarche.Wellbeyond these towns,havingcleared theArdennes, theywerewithina fewkilometersofNamur and Dinant. They had crossed the whole Ardennes plateau in three days. TheOurthehadbeencrossedwithout firinga shot.The rush toward theMeusehadbeenasquickasinMay1940.

Isleptinanice-coldhouse,abovewhichthelongred-tailedcometsoftheGermanV-1rocketskeptpassingconstantly,withasinisterwhine.

Therehadbeenahardfrost.IattendedChristmasMassatteno’clockinthemorning.Wecameoutallintermingled,elderlyfarmers,kidswithrednoses,daydreamingsoldiers.Webarelyhadtimetothrowourselvesdowninthesnow.Anglo-Americanfighterswerecirclingaroundthesteeple.Thebomberswerestreakingthecoldairwithlongwhitetrailsonthehumblecountrycottages,crushingthefamilies.Farmswereburning.Womenandlittlegirls,yellowwithplasteranddrippingwithbloodanddirt,werebeingdugout.

The Allied counter-attack had just begun. Not on the ground, but in the sky, in acrystalline light.For thenext tendays the same royal sunwould shine fromdawnuntildusk.Thenightswerelimpid,sharplyliningeverywallandeverycottageinbrightcubes,whiteascleanlaundrydryinginthemeadows.

Thesunwouldbemoredeadly for theGermans than two thousand tanksmountingacounteroffensive.Thankstoit,thousandsofAlliedplanescouldsystematicallypoundtheroads,thevillages,thecrossroads,andtheanti-aircraftweaponsthattriedtostopthem.

OnChristmasDay SeppDietrich’s command postmoved off betweenMalmedy andSaint-Vith.We,too,gotunderway.Thesunhadbeenupforonlyafewhours.Alreadythedevastationwasincalculable.

Certainlymostof thebombsfellbeside their targets, resultingonly inenormousgraycraters in thesnowyfields,or flattening linesof firs.Nonetheless somanybombswerefallingthathundredswerehittingtherightplacesanyway.Automobilesweregoingupinflames. Gaping holes had torn up the road along the cliff. Houses, folded up likeaccordions,completelybarredtheroad.

The bombing had been anticipated. Flocks ofRussian and Italian prisoners had beensenttoallthecriticalpoints.Theyclearedtherubbishandfilledintheholes,butittooktime.Thecolumnsof truckswere immobilized.Tieffliegersdovedownon them,settingfiretonumeroustrucks,whichaddedevenmoretoourtroubles.Fromthatdayonwehadtofigurethattransportscouldn’tbemadewithoutdifficulty.

Iwas using a big all-terrain command car. Itwas especially powerful, climbingovereverything like a tank, but it drank seventy liters of gas to a hundredkilometers. In an

argumenttogetacanofgasolineatafillingstation,Ilostfiveminutes.Thedelaysavedmylife.WithoutitIwouldhavebeeninSaint-Vithjustattheinstantwhenthewholetownblewsky-high.Iwasstillaboutthreehundredmetersfromthisbeautifullittlecity.Iwascomingoutofthewoods,descendingthehairpincurvesofthesteepslopewhenIsawtheAlliedsquadronsintheairspaceaboveus.Itmighthavebeenfour-thirtyintheafternoon.

Itlookedlikeascenefromtheendoftheworld.Aflarehadscarcelybeenshotwhenallofasuddenanentirestreetblewintotheair.Notahouse.Nogeysersofdebris.Butthewholestreet,allatonce.Itroseupinablock,thenfellbackdowninahorribleroar.

For twenty minutes the squadrons followed one another. In the distance men weregallopingthroughthefields,littlebluepointsinthesnow.Thenthegreathummingturnedawaytowardthesettingsun,whichwasjustskimmingthetopsofthefirs.

Feet,heads,andtorsosofwomenorsoldierscouldbeseenstickingoutofthejumbledbeams.Wholelinesofhouseslayonthegroundlikelinesofcardsflickedover.

Wemanagedtosawoffseveralbigtreesthathadfallenacrossthepavementoppositethe first houses, but it was soon clear that our efforts were in vain. Everything hadcollapsed into a jumbledwreck. It was impossible for anybody, nomatter who, to getthrough.My all-terrain car had to give up like the rest. These twenty minutes had soravagedthetownofSaint-Viththatitwouldremainimpassableforthewholeoffensive.

We tried to go around these apocalyptic ruins through the fields. My automobilebounced through thehedgerows, toiling in thesnow. Iendedupata trenchon thewestridge of Saint-Vith. Therewas a row of youngAmericans there, dead. Theywere stillperfectlylinedup.Theystillhadthehandsomebronzecomplexionofwell-fedboyswhohavebeentannedbytheopenair.Theyhadbeenmoweddownbytankfire.Twooftheirfaces had been flattened like envelopes, but these two-dimensional faces still had animpressivenobility.

Therewasnotanemptyspaceinthetrench.Everyoneoftheseboyshadstayedfirmlyathispostinspiteofthewaveoffiftyorahundredtankschargingthem;thechaintrackscouldstillbetracedinthethicksnow.

WewantedtoreachthenorthernroadoutofSaint-VithtogettoMalmedy,butalltheexits were blocked. The Feldgendarmes were overwhelmed, and didn’t know a singlesecondaryroadbywhichthecolumnscouldbedetoured.Wespentthenightusingforestpathsencumberedwithtrucksundercover.Thedelayseemedendless.

Onlyatdawndidwefinallyarrive ina losthamletat theendofavalleyabouteightkilometersfromSaint-Vith.Thelittlechurch,builtonaknoll,wassurroundedbysimplepeasants’gravesmarkedwithbeautifulbluecrossescarvedfromslate.

Thenorthernfrontwasclose.Wecouldheartheviolentroarofthecannon.InthenightAmericanartillerycameandfiredfromtheedgeofthewoods.

SeppDietrichwas in an isolatedwhite house above the town. ImetMarshalModelthere.Hewasastocky, lively, red-faced littlemanwithsprightlyeyes.Hiscouragewaslegendary.Hecommittedsuicidein1945soasnottosurvivehiscountry’sdefeat.

Theresistance in thenorth, fromMalmedytoMonschau, turnedout tobe tough.ThefamousColonelSkorzeny,whohadfreedMussoliniinAugust1943andbornehimoffinan airplane, had tried to enter Malmedy by surprise with a few hundred men he hadspecially trained for hard fighting. He lost a great number of his soldiers in this fray,withoutmuch result, andwaswounded.Hewas grazed across the forehead.A horribleblackeyegaveanevenmoremacabrelooktohisbatteredface,seamedwithduelingscars.

TheV-1’sscreamedpasttirelesslydayandnight,unfurlingtheirlongtailsofredfire.Oneofthemturnedtwiceabovethevillageinafitofmadness,then,disgustedwithitall,dovenose-firstintoaneighboringfield.

Onthemaps,thesituationhadn’tevolvedmuchinthreedays.Itwasalwaysthesamenames:Bastogne,Saint-Hubert,Marche,Dinant,Ciney.TheGermanplanswereonalargescale.Theymighthavecompletelyreversedthesituationinthewest,at leastforseveralmonths.

Itwasa triplemaneuver.Movingrapidly to theMeuseand theNorthSeawasnot itsonlyend,althoughthatwasoneof theplannedoperations.AsecondoperationaimedtotakefrombehindandencircletheAlliedforcesthatwereconcentratedtotheeastofLiege,inthebridgeheadofAachen.ThiswouldbethetaskofSeppDietrich’sforces,alignedtothe north of the Ardennes. A third operation consisted of subduing the Allied army inAlsace.

There also theGerman frontwas ready for the assault.Himmlerwas at theRhine inperson,awaitingthesuccessofthethrusttoLiegeandSedaninrepeatingthemaneuverof1940attheMaginotline.

The push toward Liege (operation number two) had no decisive success in the firstdays.TheAlliedlinefromLiegetoAachenhadheld.

SeppDietrich’sforcesweregoingtorepeattheoperationfurtherupriverontheMeuse.TheriverhadtobecrossedatHuy.Onlyafterthatwouldtherealbattletakeplace,whichwouldcutthetwohundredthousandAnglo-AmericansoftheAachenregionofffromtheirreartroopsandencirclethemwiththeirequipment.

Sepp Dietrich showed me the Tongres-Saint-Trond area on the map, west of Liege.“See!”hesaid,“It’sherethatI’llcornerthem!”Then,withglitteringeyes,heputhisbigthumbunderthenameofAachen,theholycityoftheEmpire.“Aachen!”heexclaimed,“Aachen!InthemonthofJanuaryIwillbeinAachen.”

Thatveryevening theshockdivisionsof theWaffenSSslipped toward thenorthwestandspreadoutoppositeBarvauxandLierneux.ThecommandpostofSeppDietrichwasinstalled in themill of a large village on a secondary road betweenHouffalize and LaRoche.

Wewereat thematchasexcitedasspectators.Wepassed throughour twoArdennaisvillageswith theirwhitefarms,onwhosewalls“REX”couldstillberead in tall letters,paintedinthevibrantdaysofourgreatpoliticalcombats.

Wewentdownasfaras thevillageofSteinbach,afewkilometers to thenortheastofHouffalize.Anancientcastlewasthere,frigidanddeserted,atwhichwehaltedourlittlecolumn.TheArdennesfarmerscameoutoftheirhousesandwelcomeduswithatouchingsimplicity.Everyonerememberedgrandparents,whohadlivedinthisregion,orrecalledthemeetingsIhadgiven.Theytookustoeatintheirlow-roofedfarmslitbyancientgaslamps.Potatoesfried in lardweresteamingonprettyfloweredplates,asat themealsofourchildhood.

Thesehardandnoblefaces,shapedbytheworkofthefields,werethebelovedfacesofourownpeople.Webreathedfreely.Ourspiritswereradiant.Inthewarmfarms,fullofshadows,near thewoodfirecracklingaround theandirons,wesurrenderedourselves tothesweetnessofhavingfoundourlandagainandourpeopleagain.

THELOSTROUTES

Afabuloussuncontinued topourout itsgolden lightonto the littlewhitevalleysandthebig russet,blueandvioletwoods thatclimbed the flanksof thehills.TheAlliedairforce came to pound every country road, every narrow crossroadswith ever-increasingviolence.Thebombersmaneuveredbyhundreds,glisteninglikefish.

TheGermanarmyhadmadeasensationalbreakthrough,but ithadn’tseizedeitherofthetwoprincipallinesofcommunicationtothenorthandsouth,theroadsfromAachentoLiegeandfromTriertoArlon.

The nine hundred tanks and the three hundred thousand men who took part in theGerman offensive hadmade a drive straight ahead by secondary roads, fairly slow fortraffic.Theserouteshadbeentornupbythetreadsofthetanks,thencoveredupbyveryheavysnow.Crossingthelittlevillageswasdifficult.Therewerenumerousbendsbetweenthe cottages, piled almost atop one another. Thousands of bombs fell onto these roads,makingahundredholesinthemanddemolishingthemateveryslope.

Then the villages and the adorable littleArdennes townswere blownup.Houffalize,whichhadremainedabsolutelyintactatthebackofitssteepvalleyamongthegreatrocksnear its singing river,was twice attacked and crushed.After the first raid the principalstreetcouldstillbeused.Thehousesweregapingholes,buttrails throughtheruinshadbeen cleared fairly quickly. The Allied bombers returned another morning, and thecarnagewastotal.Theroadthatcamedownfromtheeastinacurvehighabovethevalleywassweptfromtherock.Ithungabovetheprecipice.

In the hollow of the little valley, an isolated cottage surroundedwith fabulous shell-holes had had its roof coveredwith earth like a garden. The firs had become gray anddirty.Houffalizewasflattened.Itwasnolongerpossibletogetthroughit.

AtLaRochetheAmericantroopsinflighthadleftthebridgeintact.TheAlliedplanescameafterwardtocorrectthissmalloversight.Theirbombsturnedtheravishingtownintoamonstrousheapofruins,withmoundsofdeadciviliansbeneaththem.

TheArdenneswasflattenedinafewdays.Notatownonaroadtosomewhereelse,notacrossroadsescaped.

Itwas a terribleway towagewar, at the expense ofwomen and children crushed in

their cellars. But this means, which the Anglo-Americans used without any restraint,quicklyprovedtobedecisive.AttheendofaweekallroadsusedbythecolumnsoftheReichhadbecomealmostimpassable.

Immensecolumnsofrations,munitions,andgashad to take theirchanceson loggingroads,narrowroadswherethetrucksskiddedinthesnow,causingendlessbottlenecks.Inonenightthecolumnsadvancedfiveorsixkilometers.

TheGermanslostthebattleoftheArdennes,notontheapproachestotheMeuseoratBastogne,butinthesefirandbeechwoodscrowdedwiththousandsofblockedvehicles.Anarmycantriumphonlywhentheequipment,food,munitions,andfuelfollowrapidlyandregularly.

Afirstdefeatillustratedthiselementarytruth,rightatthebeginning.ThetanksthathadpenetratedtowardDinant,andwhichshouldhaveconqueredthetowneasily,hadtostopatthevillageofCelles,eightkilometersfromtheMeuse,not,astheridiculousstorygoes,because a shrewwearing glasses stopped them, but because they ran completely out ofgas.TheGermantankswaitedtwodays.Theirradiossentappealafterappealinvain.Notsomuchasadropofgasolinecame.In theend theyhad toset fire to theirmagnificentpanzers.

Everydaytheproblemgotworse.Takingadvantageof thesurprise, theyshouldhavebrokenthroughlikeRommelin1940.Thefruitwasripe.TheAlliedrearwasempty:therewasn’tasinglebarrier,oncepasttheArdennes.ThetanksoftheReichwouldhavetakenSedanandCharleroiinforty-eighthours.

Thegasdidn’tcomeeventhoughtherewasanoverabundanceofitattheborder.ThereweredepotsofseveralmillionsoflitersnotfarfromSaint-Vith.Thevictoriousspearheaddivisions found themselves isolated and deprived of fuel because the dazzling sun thatflooded the Ardennes from morning till night for ten days let a fantastic flotilla ofAmericanbomberscrushallthecentersofcommunication.

Tendaysoffog,whichisnormalinthemistyArdennes,wouldhavebeenenoughfortheGermanstochangetheirbadluck.Thefood,themunitions,andthemillionsoflitersof fuelwouldhavegot through.But luckhadabandoned theReich.AndanAugustsunneverleftthesnowylandscapesofDecember.

Even communication by messenger and isolated transports had become virtuallyimpossibleduring theday.Scarcelywasoneona roadbeforeTieffliegerswoulddiveatthevehicle.Theywouldprowl inpairs, followedby twomore, then twomore again tofinish the work. Every kilometer of road was watched. The routes were littered withburnedtrucksandautomobiles.Itwasafrightfulsight.

HavinghadnonewsfromtheGermancommandforseveraldays,I tried toreachthecommand post ofGeneralDietrich by road. I barely had time to behold themarvelousblue, brown and white panorama of the plateau of the Ardennes, half-way betweenHouffalize and Baraque-Fraiture, when a low-flying Tiefflieger came down on us,chargingalmostathead-height.Twobulletsasbigasmythumbpassedthroughthemotor;

another slashedmyhelmet; a fourth puncturedmydocuments, passing exactly betweenmyribsandmyleftarm.Atruckthatwemetdidacrazypirouetteonthebankandturnedintoatorch.

Wewereabletopullonesoldieroutof thewreckagemoreor lesswhole.Theothers,crushedundertheweightofthecar,wereburnedalive.Wecouldseetheirthighscrackle.ForaquarterofanhourtheTieffliegerskeptcomingbackandforthwithferocioushatred,hittinguswithincendiarybombsatpointblankrangeeachtime.

Allalongtheroadsitwasthesamehuntofmanandvehicle.

DAYSOFWAITING

WepassedNewYear’sEveatSteinbachamongourArdennesfolk.

Everywheremysoldierswerepartofthefamily.Thefarmerscalledthembytheirfirstnames.Theysharedeverything.

Theseworthymenaskedonlyonething,peace.Tobeallowedtowork!Nottohearanymoreaboutpolitics!Tobeleftinpeaceathometotakecareoftheirfamily,theiranimals,andtheirfields!Theywerequiteright,andwerejustrepeatingintheirownsoftdrawlingtonguethecomplaintsandaspirationsofallfarmerssinceantiquity.

IwenttoeatNewYear’sEvewaffleswiththem.Everyonekissedatmidnightwithoutceremony,roughkissesoftannedfarmersandwomenfolkwithwhiskers.

ButIwatchedmycompanionssingingwithaheavyheart.IwasthinkingofthesnowswheremenwerefightingbacktherebeforeBastogne,allalongtheOurthe,intheLierneuxandStavelotwoods. I thought of theArdennes, torn andburning in thewhite andpinknight.

Wherewouldthisnewyearleadus?

Thenextdaywehad togiveour icycastle toafieldhospital thatdidn’tknowwhereelsetogo.ThewoundedflowedinfromtheBastognesector.WemovedtoavillagethreekilometersawaynamedLimerle.

Theoretically I was to have taken over the administrative reorganization of theseregions. The commander-in-chief of military operations,MarshalModel, had officiallytransferred tome inwritingallpoliticalpower in theBelgian territory retaken from theAllies.

But everywhere the civil authorities had fled. The parish priests had done the same.TerrorizedbytheAnglo-Americanbombardments,thefamilieshadbeenlivingsincethebeginningofJanuaryasbesttheycould,mostoftenburrowedinthebackoftheircellars.Thiswasnotthemomenttomakedecreesandreformtheconstitution.

All Ididwas togive the inhabitantsofLimerle andSteinbach theconsolationof theMass.OurSSchaplain,aholyTrappistoftheabbeyofForges-les-Chimay,theReverendFatherStockmans,waswithus.And,despitetheTieffliegers,thevillagechurchbellsrangtogatherciviliansandsoldiersinthesameloveatthefootofthealtaroftheGodofpeace

andmercy.

Ihadsentcouriersinalldirectionstoinformthemselvesofthesituationinthedistricts,to set our imprisoned compatriots free, and to gather files of theMoniteur55 and othernewspapers.

Thereportsofourfreedcomradesmadeourbloodruncold.TheydescribedtousthesavagetreatmentthatthousandsofmenandwomenthroughoutBelgiumhadbeenmadetoendure in the name of “democracy”: incarcerated in abominable conditions, jeered at,beaten, tortured, loaded down with infamy, as well as murdered, because they haddifferentpoliticalideasthanthoseofthe“liberators”ofSeptember1944.

ThenewspapersofBrussels,Liege,andArlon thatouremissariesbroughtback touswere nothing more than hate-filled and savage appeals to the lowest instinct of mobs.Theydeliveredupasfoddertotheirreadersinterminablelistsofdecentpeoplelockedinthecellsof thevictoriouspoliticiansonly forhavingoncesharedouropinions,whetherclosely or from a distance, or for having subscribed to our papers.Theywere crowdedpell-mellintoprisonsandbarracksinthenumberofaboutahundredthousandandhandedover to the bellowing brutalities of frenzied guards. Totally illegally more than half amillionBelgianswerethusofficiallypersecuted.

Themostmovingspectaclewewitnessedwas thearrivalofabout fifteenveryyoungboysescapedfromthepenitentiaryatthetownofSaint-Hubert.ThishouseofcorrectionforcriminalsandjuveniledelinquentshadasinisterreputationthroughouttheArdennes.Itwas there nevertheless that a certain number of children of Rexist families wereinfamously locked up. The fathers and mothers were thrown into prison. The childrenweretornfromthefamilyenvironment,treatedasmentallyretardedchildren,andsenttominglewiththemostviciousdelinquents.

Havingpolitical ideasdifferent fromthe ideasof those inpowerhadbecomeacrimepunishable by persecution and death.Youngwomenwere herded into jail to have theirhairshaved,tobebeaten,and,often,toberaped.Mothersoflargefamiliesweretornfromtheirchildrenandsavagelythrownintoovercrowdedjails.Oldmenwerethrownintocellsforthecrimeofpaternityandperishedthereofwantandgrief.Butitwasthechildrenwhowere punished in the most iniquitous way. In the name of democracy, vengeance wastakenonthefamiliesbytryingtoturntheirchildren,whoknewnothingofpolitics, intodirty,corrupt,andviciouscreatures.Allthatinthenameofjusticeandcivilization!

Wecouldhave risen against thisoutrage andmade themexpiate these crimes,whichcriedoutforretribution.ButweswearbeforeGod,wewereaboveanger.Wedidn’tspillasingledropofbloodduringtheseweekswhen,nevertheless,oursoulswereroilingwithindignation. Everything that smear artists may have told since then about allegedexecutionscarriedoutintheBelgianArdennesbyusorwithourconsentpointtoapoliceplotandthemostrepugnantcalumny.

Wewitnessed the sufferingofour compatriots crushedbeneathAlliedbombardmentsandsurroundedbyfighting.Wedidn’twanttoaddtosomuchmisfortune.

Weknewalsothatnothinggreatcanbebuiltonvengeance.Wewantedtoreconcilethe

diverseelementsofourpeople,tocalmthehatredsinsteadofprolongingthembybloodyreprisals.Notasingleoneamongusviolatedtheseordersoffraternity.

ONEMORNING

The essential thing for the Germans at the end of December 1944 was to cut off,promptlysurround,andcrushAlliedmilitarypotentialontheWesternfront.ThebattleofannihilationeludedtheGermanCommandbytheendofaweek.

Sixty hours had been enough for the motorized troops of the Reich to achieve astunning penetration through the whole Ardennes plateau. They had reached the greatLuxembourg-Brussels railroad lineat Jemelle.Facingwest, theyhadcrossed the forestsandthemountainsfromoneendtotheother.TheGermandivisionshadpouredintothevastplainsofCondrozandLaFamenne.

TheAlliedroutwasstillatitsheightafterthreedays.IftheGermanshadbeenabletoresupplytheirpanzersandtheirmechanizeddivisionswithfuelandmunitions,theycouldhaveeasilyfolloweduptheiradvantageatfullspeed.

Even at the end of 1944 these divisionswere remarkably equipped. Of course therewere fill-in units for the ordinary work, notably stop-gap troops of gray-uniformedMongolswhoweremoweddowninconfusioninthesnowsofBastogne.

The tanks of General Manteuffel, however, which had advanced to the threshold ofDinant,theTigersofSeppDietrich,thebrandnewtrucksofthemotorizedtroops:allwerestillcapableofbringingoffadaringandsensationalraid.

Therewereonlyninehundredassaulttanksinall,itistrue.ButhowmanydidRommelhave at Abbeville in 1940 and at El Alamein in 1942? How many did the British-Americans haveupon enteringBrussels andAntwerpon the 3rd and4th ofSeptember,1944?

Thesurpriseof theAllies in theArdenneshadbeen total.Theroadswerewideopen.FiftythousandmechanizedtroopsthrustingonNamur,AndenneandHuyonthe6thor7thofDecemberwouldimmediatelyhavebeenabletoassurethecrossingoftheMeuse.

ItwasatpreciselythistimethattheAlliedairforceunderablisteringsun,smashedthepossibilityofmassivemovementsandtransportoffuelintotheearth.

Thedifficultygotworseeveryday.Germanylosttheuseofhermotors.ShecouldnolongerevenmanagetoassuresufficientprovisionstothetroopssentahundredandfiftykilometersaheadoftheSiegfriedline.Thesituationofthesedivisionswouldveryrapidlybecomedesperate.

IfSeppDietrichhadn’tbeenable tocrush thenorthernpocket inhis ironfist,neitherhadGeneralManteuffelbeenable toclearhis left flank to the southofBastogne.Theywould have had to occupy Arlon and Virton without striking a blow, to enlarge thesecurityzone.

There, as atMalmedy,were found several thousand obstinateAllieswho faced themwith a courage towhich every soldier is sensitive. Insteadof fleeing, he takes examplefromthemanyothers.They let themselvesbesurrounded,withstood theblow,andwon

thedaystheyneeded.

The resistance at Bastogne burdened the entire left wing of the Reich’s offensive.Bastogne,likeMalmedy,couldhavebeentakeneasilyifthearmoreddivisions,resuppliedintime,hadbeenabletoexploittheinitialthrust,tomovefar,sowingconfusion,seizingdepots, eliminating potential regroupment and counter-attacks. Because the sun put theGermans in a disastrous situation from the third day onward,Malmedy and Bastogne,isolatedpointsofresistancethatwouldhavebeendoomedinthenormalcourseofevents,wereabletoplayadominantrole.

By the end of scarcely a week, life had become absolutely untenable for MarshalModel.Hisdivisionswereengagedinthesouthwestattheendofapassageahundredandfifty kilometers long, which could be supplied only by secondary roads, now beingmethodicallypounded,orbysnowytrails thatwereindescribablebottlenecks.Alongthesidesofthisdead-endfarbehindtheleadGermantroops,theAnglo-AmericanMalmedy-Bastognevisewasgrippingtightereveryday.

TheAlliedplanforadouble lateralcounteroffensive in thenear futurewasvisible tothenakedeye.Therewasnolongeranydoubtastotheoutcomeoftheduel.

Germansarerealists.Thewithdrawalmovementbeganimmediately.

It was accompanied by the meticulous precision and perfect calm that alwayscharacterizedtheordersoftheReich’sHighCommand.

TheWaffenSSdivisionswereplacedonbothflanksatthemostdisputedpointswhilethevictorsofChristmasdisengagedmethodically,instages,fromtheMosaneregion,thenfromSaint-HubertandMarche,thenfromthevalleyoftheOurthe.

TheAmerican forces coming up from the south and theBritish forces coming downfromthenorthweredrawingcloserandclosertogether,continuallythreateningtocutintwo,rightinthemiddle,theribbonofthreehundredthousandretreatingGermansoldiersthatstretchedfromtheOurthetotheEifel.

AtthebeginningofthesecondweekofJanuaryonlyacorridorabouttwentykilometerswideremainedbetweenthetwowavesofassailants,theBritishandtheAmericanforces.

AtlastonlyasingleroadremainedbywhichtheGermanmaneuvercouldcontinue.

Welivedthroughdaysandnightsofunbearabletension.Butthefeelingthatdominatedus was admiration. Not one battalion became dispirited. The troops, schooled in theincomparableethicofdisciplineoftheGermanpeople,acceptedthiswithdrawalwiththesameevendispositionthattheyhadshowntwoweeksearlierinthedrivepastthebanksoftheOurthe.

Throughtheglacialnights,whilethecountlessYankeeandBritishartilleryboomedallaround, thousands ofGerman soldiers slipped eastward.Watchful tankswere posted ateachbranchoftheroadlikehugeguarddogsinthedark.Panting,theyshottheirtonguesoffiretotherear.Thecolumnsadvancedinthesnow,bentover,silent,orderly.

Itwasover.

Wehadtried.Wehadfailed.

Thesoldiersleftastheyhadcome,towardnewbattles,Godaloneknewwhere,towardnewsuffering,Godaloneknewhowgreat.

Notamurmurwasheard.

Dutyisduty.DienstistDienst.

While Marshal Model was maneuvering his excellent Wehrmacht and Waffen SSdivisions in the Ardennes, other equally seasoned and equally well-equipped divisionswaitedinvainacrossfromAlsacefor theorder tomarchthroughtheeasternpartof theFrenchterritory.

Himmlerheld to thisplan.Hestuckto ituntil the last,evenafter theretreatfromtheArdenneshadbegun.Foreverydisturbanceoftheadversary’splans,evenatgreatprice,every disorder in the elaboration of his projected offensives offered an incalculableadvantage for the Reich, now more than ever. If we could win two or three months’respite, we might still be able to make and use the new weapons in time to turn thesituationaround.Witha superhumanheroism,Germany triedeverything,drivenby thislasthope.

ThustheAlsaceoffensivestayedontheprogram.Itslaunchingwassetformid-January1945. At this very moment a tidal wave of Soviets leaped over Warsaw and hurledthemselvesagainstDanzig,PosenandBreslau.Berlinwasinmortaldanger.

ThegreatdreamofliberatingtheWestcrumbled.AndthedivisionsreturningfromtheArdennes, as well as those waiting for action in Alsace, left hastily for the atrociouscarnageoftheEast.

We stayed at Limerle until the Allied tanks were near. For the last three days, theGermancommandhadbeenreinstalledontheReich’sterritory.

As for us, it was our native soil that we had to leave, our country, our people.Wecouldn’t tear ourselves away from this last village. Nevertheless, there was absolutelynothingleftforustodothere.Allhopeofsavingthesituationwasdead.

Wewanderedaroundthehouseinthesnowtolookatthewhiteningfields,thesmokerising in the distance from the roofs of the little farms, the slate steeple, like the bluesteeplesofourchildhood.

Wehadtomakethedecision.WekissedthegoodoldArdennesmamanwholodgedus.Itwas the lastkissofourcountry.Wewentaroundonemore longpinkfarmhouseandalongtheblackfirs.Theborderwasclose.SonsofEurope,wewerealsothesonsofourownlittlefatherland.Ourheartstorn,weclosedoureyessoasnottoseeanymore.

ChapterNine

FIGHTTOTHEDEATHINPOMERANIA

ThepowerfulSovietdriveinmid-January1945markedtheendofthewarintheWest.Therewas still fighting.Thereweredesperate strugglesbetweenAachenand theRhinewhen the Allies, recovered from the memorable shove of December 1944, advancedforwardagain.ButthedangertotheeastwassuchthattheGermanHighCommandhadtochoose.ItsacrificedtheWesternfront,whichitstrippedofitsstrongestdivisionsandanimportantpartofitstanks.

TherewasnothingleftontheleftbankoftheRhinebutacurtainoftroops.EverythingthatcountedwasthrownintothemercilessstrugglebeingwagedbetweentheVistulaandtheOder.

TheSovietshadneverbeforesentsuchaforceintobattle,norsuchaprodigiousamountofequipment.Everythingcrackedlikerottenwoodattheirpassage.Lodzfell.Posenfell.TheRussian tanks rolled by the thousands towardBromberg andBreslau. East Prussiawas crushed. The remains of President Hindenburg were hastily evacuated before thefamousTannenbergmonumentwasblownup.

Everywhere the tidal wave expanded. Thousands of villages burned, and the savagegrowlofthetanksresoundedeveninsidetheterritoryoftheReich,sowingterror.

Thewinterwas particularly hard thatmonth. Before theCommunists,whose crueltyevery German feared, the inhabitants of the threatened regions fled by the millions.Survivorswhohad seen thebeginningsof theSovietoccupation recounted topeople instilluntouchedvillagestheabominationsthathadbeencommitted.

Thepopulationsofthelargecenterswereloadedontoalltherollingstockstillleftinthestations.Tensofthousandsofwomenandchildrenhadtostayoutintheopenfordaysandnightsatatime,fiftyoreightypersonsstandingonflatcars.Manydiedofcoldontheway.In every convoy babies froze against the breasts of their mothers. The banks of therailroadlineswerestrewnwithstiffenedcorpses,thrownfromthetrainstomakeabitofroomforothergaspingrunaways.

OnonelinenearBreslauatrainhadbeenabandoned.Onehundredforty-twobodiesoflittleboysandgirlslayfrozenontheuncoveredwagons.

TheghastlycaravansthathadbeenontheroadforaweekortwoweretakenpastBerlinbytheouterhighwaysoasnottoterrifythepopulationofthecapital.

AttheendofJanuary1945,ourDivisionalsoreceivedtheordertoleavefortheEasternFrontbywayofStettin.

ThegreatAutobahnhighwayfromBerlintoStettinwasnothingbutagigantictrailof

suffering.Therewereperhapstwoorthreehundredthousandwomenandchildrenonit,disheveled,theirfacesravagedbythebitingcold.

Thecolumnsof thousandsofcartscoulduseonly therightsideof thehighway,forawarwasgoingon. Itwasgoingon tosuchanextent that ferocioussquadronsofSovietairplanesconstantlykeptcomingtoscourgethesepitifulranks,disregardingtheirobviousdefenselessness.

Thecartsweresoclosetogetherthateverystickofbombscausedasickeningmassacre.The horses floundered among the overturned carts, their hot intestines scattered in thesnow.Womenandyoungstersclungtothedebris,brownholesintheirbacks.Thebloodfellinbigdropsontotheirblackstockings.Blood-redeiderdownflutteredthroughtheair.

Thesemartyredpeoplewereabouttodescendfrommonthtomonthintotheverydepthsoftheworstoftragedies,morehorriblethananytheworldhadknown.

Theyhadenduredyearsofprivationsandincrediblebombarding.Theyhadlearnedofthedeathof a son,of two sons,of their father, fallenwhoknowswhere in theRussiansnows.Now theywerebeinghunted into the roadsbymillions, having lost everything,freezing to death.Now bursts of incendiary bullets finished thework of tracking themdown,persecutingthem,mutilatingthem.

If only they had at least come to the end of their suffering.But aswewatched theirtragicprocessionspreadingendlessly,wethoughtofthethousandsofSoviettankshotontheirheels.Weknewthatonedayoranothertheywouldendupfallingintothehandsofthebarbariansjustthesame,thattheseyounggirls,socleanandhealthy,wouldberaped,soiled, contaminated, that thousands of babies would die for lack of milk, that thesegrandmotherswhostruggledagainstthenorthwindwouldonedaybeonlylifelessblackbundlesattheendofallmiseryandprivations.

Whatgooddiditdotorun?Youhadtostopandwait,waitfortheSovietsavagewhowould force your legs open, wait to see your roof burning. The instinct for survival,however,drovethemstubbornandcryingintothechaoticroads.

Icrossed theOderand took the roadeaston the right.Above thebanksand thehillskilometers of trenches were being feverishly built in sand that immediately caved in.Truckswereunloadingthousandsofnewshovelstothousandsofmobilizedwomen.

Ibegan topassmysoldiers,detrainedatStettinStation,whoweremaking theirownwaytoStargard.Andaverypoorwayitwas.Theydrewtheirvehicleslikedraftanimals.Our horses had not arrived in time. The troops had taken their courage in both hands,yoked themselvesup, laughing,and thatwaycovered the thirty-fivekilometersofsnowthatstillseparatedusfromtheenemy.

The soldiers cheeredmyVolkswagen as I passed, happy to arrive at the fighting andknowingIwaswiththem.

I followed along LakeMadü [Miedwie], which extended quite far toward the south,then saw themajestic towers, square and red, of the churches of Stargard. The ancientgatesofthecity,alsoinbrick,hadamagnificentgraceandmajesty.

The city dated from theHighMiddleAges. Thiswhole country of Pomerania had acharmthatwasprofound,strong,andsad,withitslovelyweatheredwalls,itsdappledsky,itsfir-coveredmoors,itspalepondswhereboatssplashed.

The whole population was in the process of fleeing. Stargard was like a hummingmarketplace.Peoplewererushingeverywhere.

Iendedupinaschoolatthecommandpostofthegeneralchargedwithdefendingtheregion.“Thereyouare!”hecried.

Inall,hehadtwotanks,theleftoversofsomeill-assortedtroopsandafewbattalionsofelderlygentlemenof theVolkssturm.56Thatmorning theSovietswere fifteenkilometersaway.

BEFORESTARGARD

In the second half of January 1945, the armies of the USSR burst into the Germanprovince of Pomerania with the violence of a hurricane. We thought them still atBrombergwhenoneoftheirreconnaissancetanks,pressingmadlyahead,appearedattheSchneidemuehlStation.

The Soviet attack had three spearheads, soon thrust like lances into the ancientPomeraniansoil:onetowardtheeasttoseparateDanzigfromtheReich;anothertowardthecelebratedcityofKolberg,ontheBaltic;thethirdtowardStettin.

StargardwasthelastlargetownstilltobecapturedontheStettinroute,onlythirty-sixkilometersfromthelowerOder.WhenwearrivedatStargardonthemorningofFebruary6,1945,thesituationwasalmostdesperate.TheSoviettankshadpenetrateddeeplytothesouth,southeast,andsouthwestofthetown.

Thedefensewas justaboutnil,havingbeenput into thehandsof thecourageousold“papas”oftheVolkssturm,whodideverythingtheycould,butgarneredmoreofbronchitisthanofvictory.

Itwas important to plug the gaping hole in the south.Wewere immediately sent toKremzow and Repplin, towns situated ten kilometers from Stargard on the Arnswalderoad.

ThisroadcrossedastretchofverygentlyrollingmeadowsonlyafewkilometerswideandpopulatedbysixvillagesbetweenthetwoIhna[Ina]Rivers—theregularIhna,whichwent stodgily along itswaywithout a single burst of spirit, and themuchmore likable“Lazy Ihna,”whichdaydreamedalong thewayandmadegraciouscurves, eitheroutofabsent-mindednessorbecauseithadnoticedalittlespotprettierthantheothers.DespitetheirdiversityofcharacterthetwoIhnascamebacktogetherattheendoftheircourselikea couple reconciled late in life. The single Ihna then flowed throughStargard and thenthroughthenorthernforeststoemptyitselfintotheStettinerHaff.

Ihadreceivedexplicitorders.Theywerecountingonus.InafewdaysGermantankswouldbethere.InthemeantimeStargardhadtobesaved.Ifweweretoyield,theSoviettankswouldsweepintothevillagewithinthehour.

FromtheveryfirstminuteIsentmentotheextremelimitofthesectoratthevillageofRepplin.ASovietdetachmentarrivedthereshortlyafterwedid.

Thepositionwasgood forboth themandus, for itdominatedall its surroundings.Apatrol of Communists was supposed to have secured it several hours earlier, while thetownwasstillempty.Thustheenemycontingentstrolledupconfidently.Ourmenlettheequipmentandthetroopspenetratedeeplyintothehamlet,thentheyattackedthemfromeverydirection.AsingleRedsoldiergotawayacrossthecemetery.

This first skirmish got my daredevils into shape and gave us forty-eight hours toorganizeourselves.

The fogbecame thicker. It began to rain.Amud likemastic stuckand suckedatourboots.Webarricadedourselvesintolongsilosofbeetrootstoavoidthewatercollectinginthefoxholes.

TheCommunistsweremaking dangerous progress in the southwest, occupying largevillagesonourrightwing.Thefiresmadedirtypinksplotchesintherainynights.

TheaudacityoftheSoviettankswasunbelievable.ReturningfromStargardwhereIhadgonefororders, I sawonebearing rightdownonme.Nowat thismoment Iwassevenkilometersbehindourpositions.Thetankhadcomecross-countryrighttoourpavedroad.Itwas advancing in the open, absolutely alone.AGermanwhowas luckily carrying aPanzerfausthidhimselfinathicketandblewitupasitpassed.

In thewallet of the youngRussian officerwhohad perishedwith the tank I found aletterthathemusthaveonlyjustwritten.Hewrotetriumphantlytohisfamily,“TheselastdaysI’vecrushedlotsofFritzesundermytreads.SoontheRedflagwillflyoverBerlin!”Thenheaddedthismovingconclusion,“Thenwecangobacktoourvillages.”

AfewGermanpanzersfinallyarrivedinoursector.ItwasdecidedthatatdaybreakonFriday,February9,1945,acounter-attackwouldtakeplacebetweenLakeMaduandtheIhnaRiver.

Our mission was to cross the “lazy” Ihna, to send one of our battalions in asouthwesterly direction, and to take by assault first the hills, then the crossroads ofLindenbergthroughwhichthecolumnsofenemytanksregularlypassed.

Atfivethirtyinthemorning,inanabsolutesilence,wesetout.

LINDENBERG

TheSoviethordesthatsweptacrossPomeraniaandtriedtoforcetheirwaytoStargardhadpowerfularmsandthousandsofcourageoussoldiers,inspiredbyincessantvictories.

The counter-attack of February 9, 1945 had only a limited objective— to break theReds’momentum, to regain a fewkilometers of terrain, and to retake the crossroads atLindenberg.

WehadtocrossploughedfieldsnearthevillageofStrebelow.AsfortheGermantanks,goingfromLakeMadutothenorthwest,theywouldtakeseveralvillagesbyassaultbefore

rejoiningusatthecrossroads.

Protected by little groups ofmachine-gunnerswho, in keepingwith ourmethod, hadinfiltratedintotheenemylinesbeforedawn,wecouldclimbfairlyeasilyupalongclaycliff fromwhichwecouldsee the firwoodscovering thecrossroadsofLindenberg twokilometersahead.

Theenemywashiddeninthecopsestotheleft.ButthelightningstyleoftheWalloonshadalwaysbeenadecisiveelementinanattack.Ourartilleryroared.Ouryoungcompanycommandersplungedaheadoftheirunits,deployedasinthechargesofyesteryear.Iwasarmedonlywithabaton.Outofbravado,myofficersimitatedme.Theworkdidn’t lag.Despite the mud, we were masters of the traffic circle by nine thirty-five. The Soviettanks,hammeredbyouranti-tankweapons,disengagedandfledtothesouth.

Iledthefirstassaultwaveattheextremityofthepinewoods.Isenttwocombatgroupson beyond the crossing and hastily posted my anti-tank guns. The enemy would becontained andwewould be protected from a Soviet tank thrust if theGerman panzers,victorious,drovethembackinourdirection.

The patrols came back promptly. Some thickets eight hundredmeters away from usconcealed a parking lot of enemy tanks.Ourmen had noticed an intense activity. Thatdidn’tpresageanythingparticularlypeaceful.

The crossroadswasn’t badly situated.The roads crossed behind us and ended near aquarry.The terrainwas raised,borderedon thewestbya steep ravine.Theentireknollwascoveredwithfirs.Tothesoutheast,thegroundwasmarshy.

Unluckily, apart from thiswooded knoll therewas no cover. Everything aroundwasbonebare.Ifwewerepushedoutofthepinewoodsouronlypathofretreatwouldbethefourkilometersofmuddyplainbywhichwehadcome.

Suchawithdrawal, indaylight, followedbyenemy tanks,wouldbe impossible.NowthatweweretherewehadtosticktotheLindenbergknollandwaitfortheGermantankstoarrive.

We had taken the terrain very early.We followed excitedly the bitter combat of theReich’spanzerscomingfromthenorth.

They had reached the village nearest to our crossroads. The Stukas were diving inscreamingranksontotheSoviettanksandartillery.Thesefeltthemselvestobeinterribledanger.Theywerecutofffromthenormalretreatbythesoutheast.Theydidn’ttrytogobackinourdirection.Thetankswerealreadyrangingthemselvesonaroutestraighttothesouth,snorting,firing.TheStukaspoundedthevillagewithfantasticviolence.Everythingwasburning.

Therewere twoor threepausesof severalminutes,duringwhichwe thought that theGermans had finally crushed the resistance, and then each time the combat started upanew.

Atnoon the fighting ragedwith the same fury.Withourbinocularswecould see thetanksmovingaboutintheredandgoldstormofthevillageonfire.Theenemyanti-tank

guns never stopped firing. The column of Soviet tanks, outside the village, gave usimmoderatehopesbyretreating,thenreturnedtotheattack.

Ateleveno’clockinthemorningtwoenemytankscameoutofagroveinthesouthwestandfiredonus.OneofourmenstoleupwithaPanzerfaustandhitoneofthetanks.Theskirmishended.

Onehourlaterweheardtheever-distressingrumbleoftreads.Betweenthefirswesawfive tanks rushing toward us, quickly followed by threemore. At the same time someStalin’s organs began to pour a rain of rockets onto our little woods, mowing downbranchesbythehundredswiththeirexplosions.Woundedmenweremoaning.Thetankswereshellinguspointblank.Itwasalmostimpossibletoraiseourheads.ButwehadtofirejustthesameandfightbackwithPanzerfausts.Otherwisethetankswouldgoaroundorthroughthegroveandsurroundus.

I ran fromone group to another to pull up from the ground thosewhohad flattenedthemselvesnosetoearth,terrifiedbythedeluge,orwhowerehuddledintrenchesrolleduplikehedgehogs.

The firs, strong anddenselypacked, partiallyprotectedus.Thanks to them the tankscouldn’t come right up to us and crush us under theirweight.Our anti-tank guns firedcontinuously.

Fourtimestheenemytanksarrivedwithinafewmetersofourholesattheedgeofthefirs.Four timestheyhadtogoback.TwoSoviet tankstookdirecthits.Oneofouranti-tank guns was demolished. Numerous dead and wounded lay about, but we had beenneithercutoffnorsurrounded.

Wehadtokeepcalm.Totheleftstretchedthemuckofthemarshes.Totherightthecliffdroppedawaytwentymeters.Tofallbackwastodie.

Atthreeo’clockintheafternoonthenoisesdiedawayinthedirectionofLakeMadu.Thevillage,twokilometersnorthwestofourYcrossing,hadn’tbeentaken.TheGermanpanzers had occupied the station and part of the town, but the Reds were resistingfanatically and blocking the road. Our link-up was becoming more and moreproblematical.

Oursuccesswasofconsequenceonlyifthewholefrontadvancedwiththetankvictoryand secured a new line.But ifwe had to remain in a vacuum, left to ourselves on oursolitaryknoll,wewouldsoonerorlaterbesurroundedandannihilated.

A fine rain was falling, freezing us to the bone, and night was coming. The fieldtelephonecrackled.ItwasthegeneralatStargard.Theirattackhavingfailed,theGermantankswouldbeunabletomeetus,andweregoingtowithdrawundercoverofdarkness.At11p.m.weweresilentlytoreturntoourpositionsofthemorning.

Wehad scarcely effected this return after struggling through the sticky fieldswhen IreceivedtheordertosendoneofmycompaniestothevillageofKrüssow,situatedonourrightflankandoccupiedbyafewmeagerVolkssturmunits.

This townstraddled theLindenberg-Stargard road.A thrustwas tobeexpected there.

Theenemywasemboldenedbythepreviousday’svictoriousresistance.OurboysarrivedatKrüssowjustatthesametimeastheSoviettanks,whoknockedthemabout,thenthrewthemacrosstheIhnariver.Itwasanunfortunateaffair.

Thecompanycommanderorganizedthedefenseontherightbank.Hecouldn’thelpitifhehadbeensenttoKrüssowmuchtoolate.

Thevillagewas important, though.Ourofficersdidn’t take failure lightly.Theywereproud.Withoutmuchado,butwithaheavyheart,ouryoungcompanycommanderputhisformation in order. He telephoned his plan tome, then alone he ran along the road toKrüssowanddiedbeforeitswalls.

Agratuitousdeath,butadeathforthegloryandhonorofhisflag.

WithadozentanksandallavailableStukastheGermancommandtriedinvaintoretakeKrüssowthenextday.Allattemptsfailed.Thecastleburned.Thevillageblewup.Andtheenemystayedgluedtotheiranti-tankguns,neartheirtanks,hiddenintheruins.

In themeantime the important townofDammitz fell.Thenewswasgettingworse. IwascalledtoPanke,tothetrainwheretheArmystaffofficewas.ItscommandinggeneralwasnoneotherthanGeneralSteiner,ourformerchiefattheEstonianfrontofNarvaandDorpat.

Inconfidencehetoldmeofanimpendingattempttoturnthesituationaround.AhugeGerman offensive in the East was ready. On the appointed day two enormous pincerswould advance, one from Pomerania, the other coming up from the Slovakian border.SeppDietrichwasreadyandwaitingbelowBreslau.Asforthearmygrouptowhichwebelonged,theywouldbeunderthepersonalcommandofHimmler.

Severalarmoreddivisionsweregoingtoarriveatoursector.TheirfirstobjectivewouldbetomakeadaringthrustfromStargardtoLandsberg.AsecondoperationwastotakeusfromLandsbergtojointheoffensivefromtheSlovakianborder.

Ileftdevouredbyaburningardor.Certainly,weweregoingtoriskeverything.ButourHigh Command was reacting with such will power! Harassed from every direction byoverwhelmingfireitrepliedwithmilitaryscienceandironwill.WhatadramaticstrokeitwouldbeifthecoordinatingarmiesinthenorthandsouthcouldlinkquicklyandsucceedinsurroundingandwipingoutthemainSovietforcejustasinthesummerof1941!

ThemovewaskeptaswellhushedupastheArdennesoffensive.

Göring came to visit the advanced positions in the capacity of an enthusiast— notwithout some daring. Hemade a big hit with our soldiers, whom he addressed with atruculentgeniality.Hewasquitevoluminous,coveredinlayersofcoatsofanastonishingyellow-brownandlookedlikeanenormouswet-nursedressedupasaSerbiangeneral.Hedrewforthfromhisbosomcigarsasbigasbabybottles.

Everyonestockedupfromthisillustrioussource.

OnthenightofFebruary15-16,1945,itbecamesuddenlyobviousthatgreatoperationswere imminent. Three armored divisions arrived on our narrow launching pad in anuninterruptedflowoftanks,guns,andtrucks.

Until thatmomentourWallonianregimentshadknownnothingof theoffensiveplan.Thesoldierslookedatoneanotheratfirst,tongue-tiedandgoggling.Whatwasgoingon?Then,soon,ahappyfervoranimatedallofthem.Atdawnthetankswentonahead.Itwasanoffensive!

THELASTOFFENSIVE

TheGermanHighCommandsentallthatwasleftofitsmobileforces,notablyitstanks,intothecounteroffensiveofFebruary16,1945,ontheEasternFront.

Himmler addressed a dazzling proclamation to the troops, in which he repeatedforcefully,“Forward!Forwardthroughthemud!Forwardthroughthesnow!Forwardbyday!Forwardbynight!ForwardtofreethesoiloftheReich!”

UponreachingLandsbergweweregoingtotakeontheenormousSovietarmy,whichhad already reached and crossed theOder oppositeBerlin. If SeppDietrich’s offensivebehindBreslauweretosucceed,if,tomakealongstoryshort,allofusmadeourjunctioninPolandnearLodz,therepercussionsofthiswintervictorywouldbeincalculable.

HimmlerwantedtosucceedherewiththeoperationthathadfailedonthewesternfrontattheendofDecember1944.InplaceoftheArdennes-Alsacepincers,thiswouldbethePomerania-Slovakiapincers.

GeneralSteiner,whosearmywastodeliverthemostpowerfulbattering-ramblow,wasexultant on the eve of combat. “This year we will be on the Dnieper again!” he keptrepeatingtome,whilegivingmegreataffectionatethumps.

Thedifficultiescouldbebetterglimpsedinthestaffoffices.TheatmospherewasthatofMontmirail,57whenNapoleonhurledhislastthunderbolts,themostthrilling,butalsothemostephemeral.Thetechniciansdidn’tdwelltoomuchonsuchreflections.Buteveryone,specialistornot,feltthatwehadtothrowourlastcardsontotheblood-smearedtable.

Nolongermotorized,theWalloonswerenottoparticipateintheinitialshock.Weweretolet theassaultwavepassbyandgiveahandincaseofalateralcounter-attackonthepartoftheenemy.

On thewestern flank of the jumping-off point theGermanHighCommand feared aSoviet reaction aiming to cut off the Reich’s armored divisions after they started theirattackatthesouthernendofthecorridor.Towardoffthisdanger,onthenightofthegreatattack send off we received orders to enlarge the security zone and in particular toreoccupy the ridgeatLindenberg thatwehad takenbyassaultatdawnonFebruary9thandevacuatedthefollowingnight.

Theoperationsucceededasecondtime.Areinforcedcompanyinstalleditselffirmlyontheknolls.ItwascommandedbyaherooftheEstonianfront,FirstLieutenantCapelle,ayounggiantwitharuddycomplexion,tenacious,modest,radiatingthehighestideals.

Ourflankguardstoohadmovedtothesouthwesternendoftheroadbedandretakenastrategicpointfromtheenemytwokilometersbeyondourmainline.

Ourobjectiveshadbeenspeedilyattainedbyteno’clockinthemorning.Icouldthengo

southtoRepplinwherethemotorizeddivisionsweretohavestarted.

Ihadabadimpressionrightfromthestart.Theassaulthadn’ttakenplaceat5:00p.m.,astheordersspecified.Onlyatteno’clockhadthetanksstartedoff.

Iwasinstalledinoneofourmachine-gunnests,andIdidn’tmissasingledetail.TheGerman tanks still had great style. They were more sparing of their equipment, butmagnificentintheharmonyinwhichtheyworked.

The enemyhad an enormousnumber of anti-tankguns.Several of our tanks burned,looking like flowering fruit trees, before they reached thewoods covering the oppositeslope. But other panzers were advancing on the flanks. They crossed the forest. Themomenthadcomefortheinfantrytomoveforwardwiththesamevigor.

The infantry proved soft. Thesewere no longer the crack troops of the past. SeveralmillionmenhadfallenintheEast.Wehadhadtofillholesinthedivisionsthathadbeenbled white, not very satisfactorily, by dumping in streams of barracks wardens andreserveswhodidn’thave thehealth, thevigor, the faith,or the technical trainingof thevictorsofthefirstsummers.Theoutstandingnoncomsof1941and1942werenolongertheretocommandandleadthenewcomers.

Wehadtowaituntiltwoo’clockintheafternoonforthefirstvillagetofall,Brallentin,whichshouldnormallyhavebeentakenbystormasearlyasdawn.Duetosuchditheringwelosttheeffectofsurprise.

Eversincethemiddleofthenight,rumblingwiththenoiseoftheGermantanksunderway,wehadbeeninterceptingRussianradiomessagesurgentlyaskingforhelp.Hourshadpassed,permittingtheenemytoregroup.

Interrogating theprisonersalsogaveus something to thinkabout.According to themthe first Soviet barrier at Brallentin was backed by two other equally powerful tankbarriers spaced twenty kilometers apart. Thewhole country in front of uswas bristlingwithSoviettanks.“Therearehundredsofthem,”saidtheprisoners.Theygavethenamesofthevillageswheretheywereconcentratedandsuppliedprecisedetails thatconfirmedtheir truthfulness. I couldn’tverywell see the reservesof thismorningmanhandlingallthat.

Wehadnumeroustanks.Sixtyofthemhadleftinthegeneraladvancefromoursector.InPomeraniaanothertwohundredandfiftyGermanpanzershadpenetratedthroughtheSoviet linesat thesametime.But theSovietsweregoingtobringtwoor threetimesasmany against them if theywere given the time to recover. In terms of equipment, theywere the strongest by far. They could be beaten only by speed, and this battle wasbeginningbadly.

Twomorevillagesfellbeforenight.Thethrustthuspenetratedabouttenkilometerstothesouth.Itwasanachievement.

Butalreadytheheadquarterswasreportingverysharpenemycounter-attacks.TheRedshadenteredthethirdvillageinforce,whereafuriousduelwastakingplace.

As soonas it gotdark theSoviet air forcewas sent to thecenterof theoffensive, to

Stargard.At 2200 hours, by the light of dazzling parachute flares, the pounding began.Soon huge fires were breaking out. A warehouse containing eight hundred thousandbottles of schnapps, the famousMampe schnapps, burned. Then a stock of a hundredmillion cigarettes caught fire. Then all the streets. The aerial bombardment continuedwithoutletup,waveuponwave,forhours.

Wecouldfeel theearthunderour littleposts, tenkilometers to thesouthof thetown,vibrating like a drumhead. The sky was red above our heads to the right. The wholecountrywaslitup.

Attwoo’clockinthemorningIwascalledtothecommandpostoftheArmyCorpsandhadtodrivethroughtheroaringblazeinmyVolkswagen.ThegeneralwasestablishedinavillaaboveStargard.Ireceivedmyorders.

Iwent out byway of the garden. Beneathme the citywas like an immense ship inflames.Theancient square towersof themedieval churches stoodoutdarkand straightabovethegigantic torches.Theyheldout inthehurricaneas thoughwantingtosenduponemoreappealtowardtheskyfromthecivilizedcenturiesthatweredyinginthefire.

Theywerepathetic,blackagainstaredandgoldbackground.Neverhadtheybeensobeautiful. Never had they borne such solemn testimony. Poor towers of Stargard,blackenedmastsoftheburningshipthatforfivehundredyearshadflownthenobleflagofChristianEurope.

This Europe thatwas being burned alivewas the country of every one of us. TheseausteresquaretowersoftheEastweresisterstothegreatgreytowersofSaint-RombautofMalinesandthebelfryofBruges.AllourcountriesofEuropeansweredtooneanother,asdidtheclocktowers.Icouldhearthegreatdirgeofthesedisastersresoundinginmyheart.And I couldn’t keep myself from crying, alone on the reddening terrace, facing thatancientcitybeingengulfed,facingthoseproudtowersstillstandingsoblackandstrongintheirmisfortune.

ThedayofFebruary17,1945,wouldbedecisive.IftheSovietretorthadbeensoquickandsavageinthesky,wedarednotloseanotherminuteontheground.Eitherwewouldexploitourhalf-successimmediatelyandtothelimit,orwewouldgetashockinreturn.

TheGermantanksthathadattackedfromLakeMadühadalsoachievedsomeprogress.According to theplanof theoffensive, the tanks from thenorthwest shouldhavemadetheirjunctionwiththeReich’stankscomingfromthesoutheastonthefirstevening.Thusall the Soviet forces between the Ihna and Lake Madü would have been surroundedwithouthavinghadtimetoreact.

Infact thepartialsuccessof thedaybeforehadbeenafailure,since themaneuverofencirclementhadbeentelegraphedbeforecompletion.Theenemyhadhadthewholenighttosetupabarrierinbothdirections.

The tardyattackwouldcertainlybemoredifficult,but thegamewasn’t lostyet.Theorderwasgiventotheunitstomakethejunctionatwhateverprice.

Dawnwasbreakingwhentheduelreacheditsapogee.Dozensoftankswereflamingonthebattlefield.TheStukaswerepassingingreatsquadrons,thendivinginfrontofuslike

arrowsfromthesky.

DEFEAT

Normally the Soviet troops and equipment, threatened by the two enormous armedpawsclosinginbehindthem,mustimmediatelyhavewithdrawnfromtheStargardpocket,whichwasalreadyalmostclosed.

The Soviets’ exit corridor had been cut in half the day before. It was now less thantwentykilometerswideatthemaximum.Thesetwentykilometerswoulddoubtlessbecutoffbythemorningoftheseconddayoftheoffensive.

Throughoutthenightourwatchmenhadstrainedtheirearstocatchanyindicationsofanenemyretreat.TheSoviettanksthathadbeenengagedatKrüssow,aswellastheheavyequipment,wouldcertainlygobackundercoverofdarkness.

In fact, the nocturnal traffic was very heavy, but the noises that we heard indicatedintentionsthatweretheexactoppositeofourexpectationsandourdesires.Thetrafficwasmovingfromthesouthtowardtheeast.Insteadofpullingout,theSovietswerebringingreinforcementsintothenearlyencircledKessel.

TheyweregoingtoreplytotheGermanthreatattheirrearbythreateningtheGermansto their own rear. By the end of the night they attacked, with terrible violence, fifteenkilometers behind the assault divisions of the Reich. It was our unfortunate base atLindenbergthatwouldreceivethehardestblow.

Thatwas to be expected.Whoever held the ridges ofLindenberg held several of theregion’s linesofcommunicationundercontrol.TheReds,dislodgedfromthishill,musthavebeen thinking that itwouldsoonserveasapointofdeparture fora secondattack,whoseobjectivewouldbetosliceuptheKesselonceithadbeenclosedoffinthesouth.

Thetwoadversarieswerebothrunningtheverygreatestrisksasthoughforthepleasureof it: the attackers, in concentrating all their efforts on the southern extremity; and thedefenders, in reinforcing to the east, right in the middle of a sector three-quarterssurrounded.

ThisSovietdisplaywouldnothavebeendispleasingtotheGermancommandhadtheyfeltcertainofsuccess.Whattheywantedwastodestroyandcaptureamaximumoftroopsandequipment.AtdawntheSoviettroopsandequipmentwerestillinthehalf-Kessel,tosuchadegreethatwecouldseethemdrivingdownonus,thunderingandscreaming.

There was no question of giving up. Russians and Germans both gave their utmostthroughouttheday.Thewinnerwouldbetheonewhocouldsendforththelasttankandthelastman.

The German Command at Stargard realized that the fate awaiting our hundred andseventyboys stuckon theLindenberg ridgewouldbeparticularly cruel.Therewerenopanzerstobackthemup.Allthetanks,alltheanti-tankguns,andalltheartillerywereinthe south.To bring back equipment for defensive operations on the flankswould be toreducethechancesofclosingtheKesselandtoplaytheenemy’sgame.

On February 17 I had by way of heavy weapons only two armored trains of theLuftwaffe.Theycouldn’tgoanyfarther to thesouth,for therailroadlinewascut.Theyhad been put at our service. They helped us very effectively, even though they weremarkedandplasteredwithhundredsofrocketsbythe“Stalin’sorgans.”Buttheycouldn’tstoptheinevitable.TheSoviettankshoundedourcomradesfromeverydirection.Attheendofafewhoursitwasimpossibletosupplythem.Hugemud-holesstretchedoutbehindthem and on their flank. The rare practicable passageways were totally dominated by“Stalin”tanks.Themorning’swoundedwerebroughtinonlywithgreatdifficulty,draggedthroughthemuckunderaceaselessmachine-gunfire.

We tried to send reinforcements. Only half a dozen men were able to get past thebarrageofSovietfire.Therestwerecutdownorpinnedintheswamps.

LieutenantCapellemaintainedaperfectcalm.Everyfifteenminutesheradioedabriefpictureofthesituationtous.TheSoviettankswereskillfullykeepingoutofrangeofthePanzerfausts. They were pulverizing our positions meter by meter. There were a greatmanydeaths,buttheresistanceofourcomradeswasincredible.

Capellehadreceivedorderstostayontheridgefortwenty-fourhours,thetwenty-fourhoursthatmustdecidethesuccessorfailureofthegeneraloperationofencirclement.

The Soviet tanks caused so much destruction that volunteers had to leave themarksmen’sholesandcrawlalongout in theopen,armedwithPanzerfausts, tofacetheenemytanks.

Oneofouryoungofficersgaveasublimeexample to the troops.Twicewoundedandknowinghimself lost,hepreferred to sacrificehimself rather than towait fordeath.Hedragged himself, streamingwith blood, right up to a “JosephStalin” tank and fired hisPanzerfaust,but theprojectiledidn’tpierce thearmorof the tank,which in turnblasteddownourhero.

Comenight,Capellewasholdingunshakably.Twoenemytankshadbeenhit.Buttheothertankshadcrushedandoccupiedseveralofourpositions.

InthesouththeGermanpincershadstillnotclosed.

The Reich’s panzers had made some progress. But the “Stalin” tanks were almostinvulnerable.

Oneasbigasabaobabtree,allby itself,stayedforanhourbarring thewayoutofaconqueredvillage.Ittookitsstandrightinsideabuildingandnoonemanagedtodislodgeit.

TheStukashadtointervene.Thewholeroadoutofthevillagewasbombed.Everyonewascertainthatthistimethescorehadbeensettledwiththe“Stalin.”Thecloudofdustfellbacktoearth.Andwhatdidwesee?Theruinsquivered,andthe“Stalin”extricateditselfandsnorted.Coveredwiththedebrisofwallsandroofs,itadvancedalongtheroute.Wepouredshellsontoit.Itcontinuedonitswayunharmedanddisappearedintoagrovetothesouth.

Bynighttherewerestillfourkilometersremainingtocross.

Onlyfourkilometers.

Butfourkilometersjustthesame.

TheGermantankstookuptheassaulttentimes,twentytimes,comingfromtheeastandfromthewest.TheSoviettanks,anti-tankguns,andinfantrydidn’tyieldaninch.Wehadtostopandonceagainputoff thefinalskeweringuntil thenextday.TheGermantankswerenotgoingtohelp.

Thedayoftheeighteenthpassedindesperatestriving.

Instead of crossing the last four kilometers and finally closing the circle, the twoGermanspearheadslostgroundfromdawn.

Theenemyreinforcementshadhadenoughtimetohastenup.Inforty-eighthourstheSoviet tanks and anti-tank guns had arrived in force. They overwhelmed the exhaustedGermansandpushedthemoutofseveralofthevillagestheyhadtakenatgreatcost.

NotonlydidwehavetogiveuptheassaultonLandsberg,buteventhefirstphaseoftheattack,theinitialKessel,hadn’tmaterialized.Thevisewascomingunscrewed.Henceforththeoperationwasdoomedtofailure.

On theirmuddy spur at Lindenberg, our unfortunate companions had grimly obeyedorders.Notoneamongthemwouldhavetoleratedanybody’sbeingabletosaysomedaythat they had failed to make the extreme sacrifice in order to allow their Germancomrades,strugglinginthesouth,tohaveonemoretry.

Ourwounded fought like the others, bleeding, but preferring to die in combat ratherthanbeassassinatedwithblowsfromariflebuttorspade.

LieutenantCapellestillhadseventymen.Theywereslaughteredwheretheystoodfromdawnuntil threeo’clockintheafternoon.Capellecalmlynotifiedusbyradioofthelastphasesofthedeathagony.TheSoviettankswereeverywhere.Littleislandsofmenwerefightingobstinately.Finallyonlytheisletofthecommandpostwasleft,surroundedbyascreaminghordeofbutchers.

Whenthehand-to-handcombatwasended,Capelle,grievouslywoundedbutstillfiringhisrevolver,stoodupasbesthecould,facingtheRedswhoweredrivingdownuponhim.Whentheywereoneandahalfmetersstraightaheadofhim,heblewhisbrainsout.

Fourwoundedmenonly,sunkuptotheirnecksintheslime,watchedthelastminutesofthedrama.Theydraggedthemselvesthroughthehorriblemudduringthenight.Twoofthemdiedofexhaustion.Theothertwowerefoundbyapatrol,almostdead.

This total sacrifice by theWalloons at Lindenberg aroused great feelings among theGermandivisionsofPomerania.Anorderofthedaypraisingtheirheroicactwasreadtothe troops of the whole army. They were cited in the communiqué of the MainHeadquarters.

CapellewasproposedforaposthumousKnight’sCross.

Modestly,obscurely,likethesixhundredFranchimontoisofBelgianhistory,58theyletthemselvesbecutdownwheretheystoodforthehonorofobeyingandbeingfaithful.

Inthesouththedefeatprovedirreparable.ThelastGermanattempttore-establishtheEasternFronthadfailed.Nevertheless,wecouldalwayshopethat theenemy’slossesofequipmentwouldslowhisattackagainstStargard.

This hope proved fallacious. The destroyed Soviet tanks were replaced by an evengreaternumberoftanks.Theywouldquicklyoverwhelmourmuddypositions.

OntheotherhandthearmoreddivisionsoftheReichleftasquicklyastheyhadcome.The plan to penetrate toward Landsberg having been abandoned, the trucks and tanksdisappearedthefollowingnight.TheywereneededatKüstrin.Theyleftuswithdeepruts,emptyartilleryemplacements,andagapingmenacetothesouth.

TheGermancommuniquéscarcelyalludedtothisfailedoffensivethathadbeenthelasthope of the Eastern Front. In a few lines it was vaguely reported like a local counter-attack.

Weresumedourformertrenches.Inourrear,theravagedandmangledtownofStargardwasasgloomyasacemeteryinruins.

THEFLOOD

The only prize remaining from the German offensive of February 16, 1945, in thedirection of Landsberg, from the procession of tanks, trucks, and cannon that we hadwitnessedfordays,wasthemodestvillageofBrallentinandafewhamlets.

Practically speaking, thewar had becomeuntenable. In thewest the greatArdennes-Alsaceendeavorhadfailed.Nootherpossibilityofrecoupingwasevenenvisagedonthewestern front. In the east the counteroffensive conceived by Himmler experienced anidenticaldefeat. Ithadbeendefinitelyproventhatanyeffort tocutoff theSovietforceswouldbeinvain.

The Soviets were ten times stronger than we in men, and especially in equipment.Henceforth, barring the use at the very lastminute of a super-weapon, the Soviets andtheirAmericanbackerswerevictorious.

TheReichwasnowholdinga tigerby the tail.Thewesthadbeenemptiedof troops.The east had been completely dismantled. A few armored divisions were still runningabout here and there from Stettin to Küstrin and from Küstrin to Dresden, riskingeverything.Apartfromthem,thefrontwasnolongermadeupofanythingbuttroopsthathadbeenbledwhite,knockedabouteveryday,withnotanksorammunitiontospeakof.

Anextremelystringenttelegraphicorderforbademe,likeallthedivisioncommandersofthePomeranianfront,tousemorethansixshellsaday,orten,dependingonthecaliberof theweapons. In thecaseofaSovietattackourcannonwouldfireforafewminutes,andthenwouldhavetobesilentuntilthenextday.

The troops, cut to pieces by incrediblemachine-gun fire, had to endure the blowsofenemy troops thatwere almost at full strength and surrounded by tanks five times, tentimes,ortwentytimesasnumerousasours.

In every sector the duel was fought in the same conditions. A few hundred men,deprived of everything, exhausted, in themud, had to face an avalanche of adversariesclamberingoncountlesstanks,roaring,smashing,crushingeverythingintheirway.

Afterthedefeatofthelastoffensive,wefoundourselvesmorealonethanever.

Our sectorwas shaped likea long fishbone.The tailwasatStargard, thehead in thevillagesofKremzowandRepplininthesouth.Ourleftflank(east)wasborderedbythemain Ihna and the highway from Stargard to Schöneberg. The right flank (west) wasboundedbytheLazyIhna,thevillagesofStrebelow,andthehamletofKollin.

BoththeselasttownshadbeenpoundedconstantlysincetheridgesofLindenberghadfallenbackintothehandsoftheSoviets.Theroofsweresmashedin,thelastanimalsdeadinthestables.

Theliaisonroadswerealmostimpassible.Theywerestarredbyhundredsofcraters.WehadtoraceourVolkswagensatridiculousspeedswhenfiringriddledtheroad.

TheRedswere reinforcingmoreandmore.Wecouldsee it.Wecould feel it,butweknewnothingprecise.Wehadn’ttakenasingleprisonerinaweek.TheReds,spurredonbytheirsuccesses,wellprotectedbytheirtankcolumns,hadbecomeuncatchable.

Duringthelastweeksof thewar in theEast in1945,wehadto losemoresoldiers tocaptureaMongolthanittooktoconqueraprovinceoftheUSSRin1941,buteachround-cheekedMongol,eachsallowKalmuk,oreachSiberianconvictwasindispensabletothecommand.

Soitwaswereceivedordersfromthearmycorpstomountalarge-scaleexpeditionincompletedarknessinwhichtwohundredofourmenwouldbeengagedwithnootheraimthantoseizeasingleRed.

A large farmcalledCarlsburg, situated to thewestofStrebelow,wasassignedasourobjective,avastquadrilateralbrickbuildingwithlongstablesandoutbuildingswheretheenemywasstronglyentrenched.

Wewere to take the Reds from behind and drive them out in hand-to-hand combat,losing tenor twentymenifnecessary, inorder thatoneor twodazed,shaggyprisoners,stinkinglikemartens,mightcomeandtellheadquarterswhatplotswerehatchingacrosstheway.

Theoperationtookplaceoneeveningatnineo’clock.OnepartofourtroopsatKollingotunderwaywith thecomingofdarkness.Theycrawled through themarshes.WestofCarlsburg,thatistosayintheenemy’srear,theyhadtomoveincompletesilence.Bythistime the rest of the forces participating in the assault would have completed a similarmovementbywayofthenorth.

Ouranti-aircraftgunswouldfirstfiredirectlyatthefarm,withtheaimofsettingitonfire and panicking the enemy. Tenminutes before nine o’clock one of our companies,whichwasbeforeKrüssow,startedadiversionaryoperation.

TheWalloonswerewithout peers anywhereon the eastern front for these impossiblestrikes. They threw themselves at the enemy, as quick as cats. Their success wasmathematical.

At 2045 hours our anti-aircraftweapons opened fire on theCarlsburg horde.A barncaught fire. The wind was extremely strong that evening. The storehouses, whichcontained enormous quantities of wool, began to glow a fabulous red. The wind sentmillionsofgoldensparksflyinghighintothesky.

Thenourmenchargedfromthenorthandwesttodrivetheenemytowardourlines.Hedefendedhimselffanaticallyinthefurnace.Thebrightburstsfromthesubmachinegunscouldbeseenflashingallaroundthebuildings.Thesilhouetteswererunning,leaping,andfalling.

At9:45agreenflarewentup,announcingthatsomeprisonershadbeentakenandthatourmenweregoingtoreturntoourlines.

Wehadsufferedrelativelyhighlosses.Thenagainwecouldhavetakennothingatallandseenourattacksbreakbeforetheenemyposition.Onlytheardorofourmenandtheirirresistiblemomentumhadpermittedustobringitoff.Aswellasafunnyincident.TwoMongols,despitethefire,thenoiseoftheanti-aircraftweapons,andthevolleysofshots,werestillsoundlysleepingattheirguardpostinfrontofthefarm.Wehadtowakethemuptostartthemofftowardourpositions.

Carlsburgburnedthewholenightlong,asastormsweptacrossthehorizon.

IwenttothecommandinggeneraloftheArmyCorpstodelivertheprisonersheneededsobadly.Theinterrogationswereconclusive.TheyinformedtheGermanCommandthattheassaultonthetownofStargardwasreadyandtheblowwouldbestruckmainlytotheeastoftheIhna.

Theverynextday in fact theRedsoverwhelmedBrallentinandRepplin,whichweredefended byGerman andDutch SS. They crossed themain Ihna and approached nearSchöneberg,abouttwentykilometerssouthwestofStargard.

Howcouldthefronthaveheld,deprivedofanyheavydefense?Schönebergfell.AfewGerman panzers, lost in this thirty kilometer breach, tried in vain to stem the flood. Itpouredthrough.TheSoviettanksrippedopentheentiresectortotheeastofourpositionsandsetoffontheSchöneberg-Stargardhighwayasiftheywereatanautorally.

Wewere separated from themonlyby themain Ihna andagentle slope.Themuddyenemy tanks deployed themselves before our eyes and reached the same height as ourcommandpost,oneafteranother.

Fromthesecondday, thefightwaswagedbehindus.Wehadtoturnbacktowardthenorthwest to follow theprogressof theSoviet tanks.Our fortifications atKollin, in thesouthwestern corner, had held out despite the storm. The battered village, the desertedstreetsstrewnwithheapsofdebris,smelledofdisasteranddeath.Butourmenhadn’tletthemselvesbepushedoutofthedemolishedhouses,norfromtheirmachine-gunnests.

All the same, it waswishful to thinkwemight be able to retrieve the situation.We

received orders to evacuate Kollin and Strebelow and to bring the forces from behindthesevillagesbacktoKremzow,thebridgeheadthatprotectedthesecondStargardroad.

IputthedefenseofthepositionintothehandsofoneofourmostpopularveteransoftheDonets and theCaucasus,Commander JulesMathieu.Against all odds he held outwithhisregimentinthislargetown,soseverelychokedoff.

TheenemywantedtogoaroundKremzowbywayofthefieldstothewest.Wedugourpositions there ingreathaste, completelyout in theopen.Ten times theywereoverrun,broken up, and sliced to pieces. Ten times theywere retaken in hand-to-hand fighting.Corpseswerelyingeverywhereinthemire,shapelessandheavyaslead.

Onlytankscouldhaverelievedus.

I finally arrangedwith theArmyCorps that fourGermanpanzers— four!—wouldcometolendahand.Wehadtofurnishallthegaswestillhadleftbeforehand.TheywerescarcelyinpositionatKremzowwhentwoweretakenawayagain.Theothertwohadfourshellsapiece.

Asithappenedtheydidn’thaveoccasiontousethem,astheytoowererecalled,alongwiththeirmeagerammunition,leavingustomanageonourown.

Theywerewithdrawnbecause thegapon theSchöneberg roadwashourlybecomingmoredangerous.Everythingwasfallingapart.Fromourcommandpost,wedidn’tmissasingle detail of the show. The Soviet tanks were advancing past some houses and acemetery.

When they were several kilometers beyond our sector we were given the order toabandonKremzow and tomore or less align ourselves. Illusory alignment… . For notonly were the Soviet tanks thundering in our rear, but shots also were crackling. TheinfantryaccompanyingtheenemytankshadjustcrossedthemainIhnabynight.

Therewashardlyanymoredoubtthatwewouldbesurroundedinaveryshorttime.

STARGARDINTHEHANDSOFTHESOVIETS

Saturday,March3,1945,sawthecollapseofStargard.BetweentheancientPomeraniancityandourmakeshift line therewasnothing leftbuta largevillage,Vittichow,and thecrossroadsatKlutzow,whereasugarfactorystood.

Twoweeks earlier the courtyards and storehouses of this factory had been swarmingwithGerman tanks that were there for the offensive. Now it was just an empty space,crossedonlybymylittleVolkswagen,racingfromoneplacetoanotheraccordingtothesituation.

ThatmorningtheenemytanksstartedofftowardthesoutheasternsuburbsofStargard.TheSovietinfantrycrossedtheIhnaasecondtime,veryclosetothecity,andcutoffthegravelroadtoVittichowinourrear.

I sent a company immediately. Too late. The roadwas lost. Bullets by the hundredswhistledaboutus.Oneofthempassedthroughthecollarofmyovercoatandgrazedmy

neck.Everywherewefoughtinclosecombat.

Ourmen’sfacesweregrayandlinedwithexhaustionandworry.Theymachine-gunnedtheenemy,bracedagainstthestickybanksorthegraveloftheroadorhalfburiedinthemusty-smellingyellowandgraybeetrootsilos.

Theenemyswarmedoutofthemudwallowsbythehundreds,likecloudsofcroakingbrownandvioletamphibians.

ThesouloftheresistanceatVittichowwasaformerofficeroftheBelgianArmy,MajorHellebaut, thenheadof thestaffofficeofourdivision,braveand totallydedicated.Sonandgrandsonof twoBelgiangeneralswhowerebothMinistersofWar,heworeonhisgreyuniform theMilitaryCross,whichhehadwonat theYser in1918,alongwith theIronCrossFirstClass.

Inspiredbyhisbravery,our soldiers to the southofVittichowdidn’t flinch, althoughtheywereonlyeightkilometersawayfromthewallsofStargard,whichtheenemytankshad been battering since morning. The last ones left in the southern and southeasternsector, they clung to the terrain, which was totally overrun to the east and incessantlythreatenedinthesouthwest.

Stoically the companies endured extermination, one by one. Hit in the belly by anexplodinggrenade, thesecondprevostof theRexistYouthsuffered in themud.Hewassecond lieutenant Paul Mezetta, poet, passionate soul who gave of himself like a trueknight andwho, despite terriblewounds received in theCaucasus, had againwanted totakehisplaceinthefight.

Of theDierickxBattalion, barely a hundredmenwere left in all. They cursed, fired,counter-attacked, rolled in thebloodymuckwith theKirghizand theMongols.Nothingcouldmakethemgivein.

Fromthenoisesoftankcombat,werealizedthattheRedsmustbefightingnowattheverygatesofStargard.

Oursituationwasunbelievable.Herewewere,anisolateddefensiveunitinthesouth,under a more and more direct threat of encirclement, and we hadn’t received anyinformation or any orders from the division command post since the beginning of theafternoon.

Fiveo’clockcame.WecouldhardlyfailtofallintothehandsoftheSoviets.Icouldn’timaginethatwewouldbeabandonedthisway.IjumpedintomyVolkswagentogofindthegeneral.

Neverimaginingforasingleminutethateverythingwasover,IenteredStargard.Ihadjustthetimetojerkmysteeringwheelaroundandraceforthesuburbs.Soviettankshadjustforcedtheirwayintothestreets.Clustersofdeadwomenlayamidtheirsuitcasesnearthestationbridge,moweddownbythetankfire.TothenorthwestofthecitytheSoviettankswerearrayedinbattleformationonbothsidesoftheStettinroad.

IlearnedatArmyCorps,severalkilometersfromthere,thattheStargardheadquarters,to which we were subordinate, had been submerged by the enemy wave during the

afternoon. The general had disappeared as though into thin air. Corps had sent us lateorderstowithdraw,butthemotorcyclistmusthavebeenkidnappedontheway.

IdashedbackacrossthecountrysideinthedirectionofVittichow.Iwasluckyenoughtolocateoneofourtelephonewires.Icutin,hookedupaportablephone,andwasthusabletodirecttheretreatofmyforcesintime.

Startingfromthesouthwest,theywouldperformahugecircularmovementbythewestand northwest along LakeMadu in order to escape the enemy grasp. From there theywouldturnbackinthedirectionofStargardandtakeuppositionstothenorthwestofthecity.

Worn out by these ten days and nights of fighting, the poor fellows would have tomarch twenty-five kilometers in the darkness, through sticky mud or quicksand,threatenedwithbeingcutofforcaughtbythestalkingenemyatanyminute.

Oneoftheplatoons,whichhadstruggledwiththesandyVittichowroaduntilnightfall,hadn’t quite understood the verbal order or realized the situation. Preferring to take ashortcut, they naively headed for Stargard itself, just as I had done at the end of theafternoon. Theymarched in ranks, their weapons on their shoulder straps, through thetown,whichhadbeeninthehandsoftheSovietsforseveralhours.

Itwasrainy,andthedarknesswasopaque.Redsoldierswerepostedabovetherailroadbridge. They took ourmen for Soviet troops.Ours took them forGermans. Theywentthroughtheentirecityandoutagainonthenorthwestwithoutanyone’squestioningthem.Thentheysawthelineofflamesfromtheenemytanks’exhaust.Theywentaroundthembycompassbearingsthroughtheblackfieldsofmud.

Iarrivedinournewsectoratnineo’clockintheeveningtofindthewholeregioninastateofanarchy.TwobattalionsoftheTodtCorps,senttothesitetoconstructanewline,fellback,violentlyagitated.“TheRussiansarehere!TheRussiansarehere!”theshovelerscriedatthetopoftheirlungs.

AGermanpanzer,returningfromtheeast,hadbeentakenforaSoviettank.Itwasthetarget of massive firing. Getting information was very complicated. The Soviets mustindeedhaveoverrunawideareanorthwestofStargard.

Ihadtwomenwithmeinall,plusamotorcyclemessenger.Isetupmycommandpostaccordingto theordersIhadreceivedandpostedmymotorcyclistonthedesertedroutethreekilometersbefore thevillageso thathecouldhide,belly to theground,andnotifymeofthearrivalofanyenemytanks.

At dawn the road was still deserted. Our men were arriving from the west inunrecognizable groups, filthy from head to toe, swaying like metronomes, no longerknowing anything or understanding anything. Army Corps insisted that I put them inpositionwithinthehour.

Imightjustaswellhavelineduppebblesatoptheknolls.

Thesemenweren’tcapableoffightingevenforaminuteanymore.Isettledtheminthe

empty farms. “Eat, drink, sleep, and don’tworry!” Soon the entire legionwas snoring,sounding likea squadronof Junkers. Iplaced severalnon-commissionedofficers facingthesoutheastasasymbolicmeasure.

Theenemymusthavebeendead-tiredtoo,sinceuntilnightfallnothingmoved.

Thenextdayateighto’clockinthemorning,Ipushedourmentowardtheirwatchpostssomewhatrefreshed.Theydidn’thaveanytimetogrowbored.AwaveoffifteenSoviettanks,thenanothertwenty-one,stormeddownuponus.

PURSUEDBYTHETANKS

OnMarch5,1945,wewerethusstillontheIhna.InsteadofbeingsouthofStargardonthemuddymoorthatseparatedthetwoarmsoftheriver,wewerenowpostedtothenorthofthelostcityastridethereunitedIhna.Achillysunshinehadreturned.

Twovillages,LübowandSaarow,facedeachotheroneithersideofthewater.Theleftbank,partiallytree-covered,dominatedtheriver.Therightbankwasbare.OnlyarailroadembankmentbeyondthehousesofLübowcutthemonotonyofthebrown,gentlyrollingland.

The first wave of Soviet tanks appeared at the threshold of this town. I was in theprocess of checking our positions at Saarow when all hell broke out. We had only askeletonbattaliononeachbank.TherewasnotasingleGermantankinoursector.

The fifteen big enemy tanks immediately charged across Lübow.Ourmen defendedthemselvesfromhousetohouse.Ahundredmetersawayfromthemontheothersideofthewater, IhadallourmortarsatSaarowstart firing tocontain theSoviet infantry thatfollowedthetanks.

Afterhalfanhourourmenhadbeenthrownbackintotheplainbeyondthefarms.Wecouldseethemrunning,tryingtoreachtherailroadembankmenttoorganizeanewlineofresistance.Butthetankshellsblastedtheterrainallaroundthem.Twoorthreemenwouldbeleftbehindeverytime,greensplotchesstretchedoutonthereddishearth.

SomeotherWalloons, cornered at the edgeof thewater, embarkedas a last resort insomewasherwomen’stubs.Theirimprovisedflotillamanagedtocomeashoreonourside.

Nowtwenty-oneSoviettankssuddenlyappearedattheentrytoSaarow.Inthetimeittooktowatchthewallstumblingdownaroundus,themonsterswereinthecenteroftown.

Oneofourmen,hiddeninthepartiallyopendoorofthechurch,savedthesituationforafewsecondsbyblowinguptheleadtankwithaPanzerfaust.

Butwhatcouldwedo?Onlythosewholivedthroughthosefrightfulweeksattheendofthe war in the East can imagine the butchery that took place. There wasn’t any morearmored equipmentworth talking about. OurArmyCorps, the 3rd Panzer Corps, oncefamousforitshundredsoftanks,hadthirtyandwouldendupwithonlyadozen.Dayandnightthesefewpanzershadtocoverasectorofmorethanseventykilometers.

Incontrast,theSovietswereprecededbyfourthousandtanksonthePomeranianfront

alone. That Monday, just for our two hamlets, thirty-six came. And to stop them —nothing—nothing,thatis,exceptPanzerfaustsandhumanchests.

Panzerfaustduelsareallverywellinthemovies.Inactualfact,however,successesarerare.Youhavetowaituntilthetankisatpoint-blankrangebeforepullingthetrigger.

If the tank isaloneand theprojectilehits itbychanceatavitalspot, it’sperfect,butoftenthetankdoesn’tblowup.

Besides, tanks almost always come in waves and sweep the terrain beforehand. Thefive-meter-long flame betrays the presence of themarksman. Even if he gets one tank,anothertankwillmachine-gunhimintolittlebitshalfaminutelater.

EveryunithadmagnificentheroeswhostruckdownSoviettankswithPanzerfaustsupuntilthelastday.Theyhadto,forwenolongerhadanythingelse.Butthemanwhoriskedhimselfinsuchaduelwasalmostcertaintodie.

The orders were of a draconian severity. They took no account of any sentimental,psychological,orpoliticalconsiderations.Allthatcountedwasthebrutalfact:holdout.

Wecouldn’tgivein.Evenifwewereoverrunfromeverydirectionwehadtoholdthefield,clingtoit,getmassacred.Ageneralwhogavegroundwasdemotedorevenarrested.InonemonthofbattleinPomeraniathecommandwaschangedeighteentimes.

Commandersofarmies,armycorps,anddivisionsflewthroughtheairliketennisballs.We ended up losing our bearings, no longer knowing whom to depend on. But everygeneral,feelingtheinstabilityofhisposition,sentimplacableorders,whethertheywerefeasibleornot.

MybattalionatLübow,chasedby tanksandhalf-exterminated,wasblockadedon therightbankoftheIhna.IhadnomorethanahundredandfiftymenwhohadretreatedfromSaarowandnotasingletankinsupport.

Mycommandpostwas in avillage immediately to thenorthwest of the two invadedtowns.This villagewas indefensiblewith the handful of soldiers I had left. The ordersneverthelessweretodefendit.

Theplainwaslitteredwithourwounded.Wewatchedtheirslaughter,lividwithsorrowandfury.TheSovietfoot-soldiersadvancedbetweenthetanksandsmashedintheheadsof our unfortunate comrades with trench shovels. One of them waved a whitehandkerchief above his head in vain. He had his face bashed in like the others by theslaughterers.

TherewerestillafewGermancannoninmysector.Iputtheminpositionattheentrytothe village and, according to my old custom, ordered them to wait until the very lastminutetounleashtheirfireatpoint-blankrangeontotheenemytanks.

Underthistornadoofiron,theReds’tanksscurriedbacktocoverinanoakgroveandstartedpoundingthetown.Thehousesfellinonmystaffofficersandtelephoneoperators.

Ourmenbuiltamakeshiftbarrieratthesoutheasternentrytothevillage.Theirmoralewas unbelievable, despite the gravity of their condition. They kidded one another and

joked when I sent them all the sluggards in the area, whatever their nationality. Theyadoptedthemandsharedthemamongthemselves.

I regularly informed the new staff officer of the march of events. He was a rathercunningmantowhomwehadjustbeenlinked—probablyforafewhours.Hejealouslyhungontothetwelvetanksallocatedtothesoutheasternandsouthernsector.Hegratifieduswithmagnificent and categorical assurances over the field telephone: “There are nomoreSoviettanksacrossfromus.Everythingisfine.”

But while he was talking I could see our wounded men with my own eyes beingpursued ferociouslyby tank shells.They threw themselvesonto thegroundand tried tocrawl,buttheshellingwouldn’tletup.Iftheenemycouldwastesomuchammunitionatthesecruelgames,whatwouldhappenlater?

TothestaffofficerinquestionIsentoneofmyyoungaides-de-camp,severelydisabledandverysharp-wittedLieutenantTonyGombert.Theoreticallyhewastoserveasliaisonagent,butinfacthewouldmainlylistenandkeephiseyesopen.

As I was receiving a telephone message that we didn’t have to worry, the Germanobservationplaneshadjustnotifiedthestaffofficerthatacolumnofforty-onetankswasrumblingtowardus.

Forty-one!Our officer jumped onto hismotorcycle and hurried towarnme. Butwewerealreadyfightingamidst the rubbleof fallenhouses.The tankswereonus fromallsides.

Wehadjustbeenoverwhelmedbyanothersurprise.Tryingtoestablishliaisonwithourrightwing,oneofourpatrolshadfoundnothingleftbutanemptyspace.Ourneighborshadvanished.TheRedswerebreakingthroughthisgapinthesouthwesternfront.

To the east, our leftwing, too, hadbeen completelyoverrunby abattalionofSovietinfantrythathadcrossedtheIhnaRiverfairlyfarbehindourlineatthefallofnight.

Itwas in theseconditions thatwereceivedtherumblingmassof theforty-oneenemytanks.Intenminutestheyhadbrokenourbarrierintwentyplaces.Splitintolotsofsmallgroups,ourmenfiredtheirlastPanzerfaustswhiletryingtoreachthewesternpartoftheforestamidthefiring.

TheReds charged through the streets of the town.On the telephone, the staff officerkeptendlesslyrepeating,“Youareresponsibleforthevillage!You’vegottoholdon!”

With the coming of darkness we witnessed an amazing spectacle. The Soviet tanksswitchedonheadlights,justlikecarsonthehighwaysbeforethewar.TheystartedstraightfortheforesttowhichtheGermanartillerybatterieshadfallenbackseveralhoursearlier.

Theenemyconductedademons’danceinthevillage.Theyhadoccupiedallthefarms.Therewereonlyfifteenofusleft.Wewereclingingtothenorthernexitofthevillageattheedgeofthewoods.SomehowImanagedtosavemytelephone.

Icalledamidtheruckus.“TheSovietinfantryisfloodinginfromeverydirection.Thefronthasbrokencompletely.Believeitornot,butthereareforty-onetankshere,andwehaveonlyonecannonlefttobarentrytotheforest.Thetanksaregoingtocomethrough

whenevertheylike.Doyourealizethis?”

TheonlywordsIgotinreplywere,“Holdon!”

Holdon!Andstopforty-oneheavytankswithapuffofair!

Ateighto’clockintheeveningtherewerestillfourofus.Mytelephone,too,hadjustdied.Allcontacthadbeencompletelycutoff.

Severaltanksrushedatustobefirstacrossthebarriertotheforestroad.WesacrificedthelastPanzerfaustwehadleft.Wewerehitrightback.Ashellfelledoneofmysurvivorsandwoundedanother.

Ihadtomakeeveryefforttoregroupmysoldiers,whohadbeendrivenunderthepines.My driver dragged thewoundedman and the dead one tomyVolkswagen,whichwashidden in a copse. I rejoined them, firing as I came.Through the forest, cracklingwithgunfire,wereachedavillageinalargeclearingfivekilometerstothenorthwest.

Wedidn’tseeanymilitarypostatanyof theanti-tankbarriersalong theroute.Therewerenodefenders,nothingtoblockthegaps.

Thevillageextendedoneor twokilometers in length. Itwas fullof the field-hospitalandstaffequipmentofunitsthathadbeendispersedorwipedout.Nooneseemedtobetheleastbitworried.

Ateachfarmeverybodyatewithanexcellentappetite.Thesoupwassteamingonthetable.IstillwantedtohopethattheSoviettankswouldn’tundertakethecrossingofthisvastunknownforestinthemiddleofthenight.

Outside, snowhadbegun to fall in thick flakes.Whatwashappening tomysoldiers?Howwouldtheyescapethehunters?WouldtheyreachthetownofAugustenwalde,ontheothersideof the forest, in time? Ihadgivenorders tomyofficers to regroup theirmenthereifwewerecutoffbythetanksinthedarkness.Iimaginedthemstealingthroughthemazeoffirtrees,severaldozenkilometersdeep,bycompassbearings.

Then I saw the tanks again inmymindwith their enormousheadlights.Wherewerethey?

AUGUSTENWALDE

Itwas11p.m.Thebattlewasmakinga tremendousracket,but itwashardly thefirstbusynightwehadeverhad.

We wanted to rest for a few hours before reaching Augustenwalde at dawn, thenAltdamm,whereaccordingtotheordersIhadjustreceivedfromArmyCorps,weweretore-formthedebrisofourdivision.

Snowfellthickerandthicker.Thedrivercameinseveraltimestosaythatbulletswerebouncingoffthewall.

Suddenlyafrightfulrumblingbrokeoutrightnearourhouse.Howwellweknewthisroar!Onlytanksmadetheseshortraucousclatters.Ileapedtothedoor.Attheroadinto

thevillageflameswerespurtinglikeredtonguesfromthemuzzles.Thetankshadalreadycrossedthefivekilometersofforest.

Nocturnal floral bouquets could be seen sprouting everywhere. The country was inflames.Hundredsof truckswererushinginbothdirections.AGermantransportcolumncomingfromthehighwaywasadvancingstraightintotheenemytanks.Anothercolumnwas tryingdesperately togoagainst the streamof traffic.The roadwasnarrow.Bulletswere slamming or ricocheting against the walls or themetal panels of the trucks. Thelightsfromfiresandexplosionsmadeitalmostasbrightasday.

Thewholecaravanwasgoingtobecuttopieces;therewasn’tashadowofadoubt.TheSoviettanksweredrivingrightintous.Terriblescreamsarose.

Wemanaged topushmybatteredVolkswagen into the snowy fields.Rolling througheverything,we reached the highwaybefore theSoviets.Behind uswas nothing but redtorches, screams, thecrashofSoviet tank fire, andexplosions.Whatkindofoppositioncouldtherebefromthisconfusedhordeofmedics,truckers,messorderlies,andclerks,allrunningabouthelter-skelterinthenight?

The big trucks from Army Corps Headquarters had felt which way the wind wasblowing and disappeared a quarter of an hour earlier. The rest were hopelessly lost. Iwouldn’thavegivenaredcentforthehundredsofvehiclespiledupinthebasinwiththeSoviettankspouringinonthemfuriously.

The procession ofwoe spread out on the highway,more andmore horrible. Tens ofthousands ofwomen and children had come to a standstill in their small carts, coveredwithfreshsnow.Haggard,somewatchedtheflamingsky.Theywerewaiting.Theenemytanksweregoingtoovertakethem,buttheyseemednolongertounderstand.Theireyeswereempty.Thehorses,theireyeshalf-closed,stoodstill.

Ilaydowninanabandonedhouseafewkilometersawayamidstaninchoateswarmofsoldiers.AtdawnIwentbackasfarasIcouldtowardtheenemyinordertohelpanyofmysoldierswhomighthavehadanaccident.Everythingwasquietonthehighway.SurelytheSovietsmusthaveturnedasideandcontinuedtheiradvancebyashortcutthroughtheforest.

Buttheforestpathswerecertainlyimpassable.Ihadahardtimeimaginingthattankswouldhavedared toadvanceunder the treesalongnarrow,sandypaths thata fewanti-tankgunscouldblockoff.

TheSoviettankshadtobesomewhere,however,andtheyweren’tonthehighway.

Atteno’clockinthemorningIarrivedatAugustenwalde.ThislargevillagewasatthenorthwesternextremityoftheforestaboutadozenkilometerseastofStettin.Itseemedsowellprotectedby thewoods that theofficers fromArmyCorpshadwithdrawn to it theprecedingevening.

Istoppedbythegeneral’s.Hischiefofstaff,ColonelvonBockelsberg,madedespairingsignstomeashehunchedoverhistelephone.Ashereceivedthereportshepointedoutonthe map, “Twenty tanks here! Fifteen tanks here! Thirty tanks here!” He wiped hisforeheadforaminute.“They’reeverywhere,they’recomingfromeverywhere.”

SincetheDnieper,wewerefamiliarwithdayswheneverythingfallsapart.TheArmyCorpstruckswerethere,soitwasn’tparticularlycatastrophic.Iregroupedpartofourmenandtheirofficersinthevillage.Poultry,carefullytrussed,wasalreadystewinginthebestmilitarytradition.Wecheerfullysetourselvestoitsenjoyment.

Afewbulletsbouncedoffthebuilding’sfacade.

Anotherbrokeawindowpaneand landed in thepartition. “They’rekillingchickens,”MajorHellebautremarkedimperturbably.

ThirtyorfortybulletslaterIadded:“Ithinkthey’rekillingalotofchickens.”

Everyonewentonchewing.

Nowvolleysofshellsshookthewholebuilding.

Ipressedmypoint.“They’reevenkilling thechickenswith tanks.”And Ipassedmyneighbor a platter of delicious fruits taken from a jar found in the fugitive proprietor’scellar.

Ilookedoutside.Menwererunningabouteverywhere.Wewenttothedoorstepwherewesawaphenomenaluproar.ThebigArmyCorpsradiotruckswereleavingwithouteventakingdowntheirten-meter-highaerials.Peoplewereshootingeverywhichway.Soldiersyelledtousastheypassed,“They’rehere!Therearefortytanks!”

To tell the truth, theyhad run right through the forest.TheSoviet tankshadn’tmetasingleobstacleacrossthirtykilometers.

Asquickassquirrelsourmenleapedontothetrucksofthearmycorps.Theenemyhadalreadyreached thestation to thesouthwest.Theyweresweeping the roadonwhichallthe equipment stored at Augustenwalde was being rushed up. The automobiles keptstopping suddenly, throwing the staff officers clinging to the roofs headfirst into themuddysnow.

Itwasimpossibletoimprovisearesistance.Therewasn’taGermantank,anti-tank,oranti-aircraftgunaround.Thewholeregionhadbeenoverrun.TheAugustenwalde-Stettinroaditselfhadbeencut.WehadtogosouthtotheStargardroad.FromtherewewenttoAltdamm,wherethegreaterpartofoursoldierswaswaitingforus.

Theretreatwasskillfullyaccomplished.Fewwerelostinthecourseofthenight.

Ourdivisionwasinalamentablestate.AlreadyatStargardourtwoinfantryregimentshadhadtobecombined.Nowthetwobattalionsofthiscombinedregimentdidn’tnumbermorethanaboutfourhundredmen.Manyofficershadbeenkilled.Notonecompanywasstilloperative.

Theenemyhadachievedan impressivebreakthrough.Now itwould take a fewdaysbefore their equipment could cross the forest. Counter-attacks were starting fromAltdamm.Thus,therewouldbealittlerespite.

I obtained a week to reorganize my crippled forces and amalgamate them with thereinforcementsthathadjustarrivedattheStettinstation.Iwantedtokeeponlythetough

oneswithme. Iassembledall themenand thanked themfor theirmagnificentconduct.Bluntly I told them of the situation and the grave combat actions still awaiting them.“Everyoneisfreeeithertoreturntothefiringlineortostaywithasafercompany.”Allhadcometo theLegionasvolunteers.Therewasalmostnohope left. Iwasn’tgoing toaccept their blood unless it was offered freely. It would not be said that in the finalstruggleasingleWalloonfellagainsthiswish.

Eightymenpreferrednottoreturntocombat.Itreatedthemwithasmuchaffectionasbefore. I wasn’t a slave trader. Besides, most of these boys were at the end of theirstrength.IhadthemlodgedandfedwithcarethirtykilometersnorthwestoftheOder.

Withtheothersixhundred,thesurvivorsofthisterriblemonthandthenewcomers,Ire-formedanassaultbattalion.Beforedawnonthesixthdaywestartedoff,singing,towardthedocksandbridgesofStettin.

ThecommanderofthisbattalionofheroeswasMajorDierickx,anextraordinarymanwhohadcomefromthevirginforestoftheCongotothesnowsofthesteppe.Hiskepionthenapeoftheneck,afterthefashionofthepioneers,hewasthebravestofthebrave,akindof“CaptainConan”59bywayofKatanga.Hehad theheartofachildandgavehisloyaltywithasincerityandemotionthatoftenbroughttearstohiseyes.

ThefrontwhereIledhisbattalionhadshrunksingularlyinthelastweek.

The front guarded part of the Stettiner Haff northeast of Stettin, running along thehighway west of Augustenwalde, covering Altdamm and extending beyond the bigconcretebridgeoftheAutobahn.

WetookpositioninaboutthecenterofthefrontbeforeFinkenwalde,alongclusterofhousesthatprolongedthesuburbsofAltdammtowardthesouth.

Theenemyoccupiednumerous ridgeson the rightbankof theOder,overlookingourline.Theyhad set upmore than a thousandpieces of artillery there,which crushed thepositions, thehouses,and thestreetsofAltdammandFinkenwalde,aswellas the threebridges,withacontinuousfire.Neversince1941hadwewitnessedsuchapounding.

THESTETTINBRIDGE

Inmid-March1945lifehadbecomeabsolutelyuntenableatthebridgeheadofStettinontherightbankof theOder.ThehousesofAltdammandFinkenwaldehadcollapsedandcrumbledalloverthestreets.Thepolesforthetramwaylineshadfallen.Thetreeswerehackedtopiecesorloppedofftomerestalks.Wewerestoppedbyshell-holeseverywhere.TheSovietartillerypoundedeverystreetandfollowedoureverymove.

Togettoourpositionswehadtocrosstheairfield,wheretherewasnothingleftbuttheblackenedcarcassesofplanes.Wecouldstillclimbastaircaselitteredwithbrokenglasstothe terrace of the terminal building, from which we could look out over an incrediblepanorama.Wecouldseeeachof theRedtanks linedupat theedgeof thewoods to theeast,eachoftheenemybatteriesperchedontheridges.

The European forces no longer occupied any of the area north of Altdamm at thehighwaybridgeexceptforalongribbonofterrainonlythreeorfourkilometerswide.The

RedsattackedfranticallyinordertocutusoffandpushusintotheOder.

Evenatnightcontactwiththetroopswaspracticallyimpossibleduetothethousandsoffalling shells. Every company command post, quickly spotted by all the coming andgoing, was the object of an unbelievable pounding. The streets were strewn with thebodiesofsoldiers.

Theorderswereincrediblystrict.Deserterswerehangedonthespot.TheywerestrungupbytheFeldgendarmenattheentrytothebridgejoiningAltdammandStettin.

It was horrible to see the stiffened corpses of these handsome German boys who,physicallycrushedbytheseweeksofhorror,hadhadamomentaryweakness.Theirbodiesdangledwith a placard around their necks saying: “Coward.” Pallid, their tongues hardandblue, theydida sinisterdanceat theendof their ropes, shakenby the innumerableexplosionsthatbroughtdownonthemthecablesofthetramwaylines.

Everysoldierknewwhatwaswaitingforhimifhebalked.Itwasbettertostayoutinfrontunderthemachine-gunfireandamidtheroaringofthetanks.

Thelosseswerefrightening.Inthreedays,sixtypercentofthedefendersofoursectorwere killed or wounded. Entrenched in their foxholes with only the head and armsprotruding, theywouldbewounded,most likely in the face,by theburstsof shells andgrenades.

Theywouldrunuptomylittlepostwithamonstrousbloodyholeinsteadofajawbone.Oftentheirtongueswouldstillbepanting,feverishlypinkandhangingfromthewound.

Twenty-five or thirty wounded would arrive at once. Some who had been hit whilerunning had steel shrapnel buried in their sexual organs. These shivered horribly, theircomplexionsblue.

Istillhadtocommandandseetoeverything,amidthesmellsofcoagulatedbloodandsmearedexcrementamongallthesweatylinens.

Theshelterswereflattenedonebyone.Ontheveryfirstday,mycommandpostwashithead on and reduced to dust only twominutes after I had left it.The freezing cellar atFinkenwaldewhere Ipassed the lastnightdirecting thecombatby the lightofacandlewas hit by a shell that went right through the ceiling and landed in themiddle of theonlookerswithoutexploding.

Ihurriedtoourlittleforwardposts,foratoneo’clockinthemorningtheSovietshadjustbrokenthelineonourrightwing.Ourmenwerefightingadmirably,clingingtothebankoftherailroadline.Theywouldn’tgiveup.ThreeGermantanksofaveryoldmodel,butoperatedbyheroiccrews,hurriedalongbesideus.Only themuzzleof theircannonprotrudedabove thebank. Inhalfanhour theydemolished fiveof theSoviet tanks thathadcomefromtheothersideoftherailwayline.Apersoncouldhaveshoutedfromonetanktoanother.Wewereutterlyblindedbythesilverlightsofthemuzzleflash.

AttheendofthatnightthegeneralwhocommandedthedefenseassignedmeanothercellarinFinkenwaldeasacommandpost,closertohis,butsituatedrightatthesouthern

end of the Walloon positions. Nose to nose with the Reds, I would have lots ofcomplicationsmakingcontactwithmyothercompanycommandposts.

I immediatelysentmessengers to findastaffoffice, telephoneoperators,anda radio.Bulletswerecomingfromeverydirection.FirstIsawtheAutobahnbridgeblowup.Thenthe Soviets stole through Finkenwalde tomy right. They got as far as theOder. Theirmachineguns,theiranti-tankguns,andtheirtankswereholdingourlineofretreatundertheirfire.

Thegeneralwhohadhispostfivehundredmetersbehindmineanhourearlierwasnolongerexhibitinganysignsoflife.Hewasnolongeransweringhistelephone.Iwasleftaloneandinoperative,wonderingwhatwasgoingon.Istucktomyorders,buttheyverynearlycostmemylife.

IwassavedatthelastminuteonlybythepresenceofmindofaFlemishmotorcyclist.Passingthegeneral,whowaswithdrawing,heboldlyremindedhimthatIstillhadtomanmy outpost. The general exclaimed loudly. He had forgottenme in all the tumult. Themotorcyclistpushedback through italland tookmeupbehindhim.NumerousGermansoldierswerelyingfacedowninthesandonthelittleroad,shotdownastheywithdrew.Undermachine-gunandcannonfirefromthetanks,wereachedthegeneral’srefugeinthenickoftimetolearnthathehadjustbeenrelievedofhiscommand.

Thatmorningitseemedthatallwaslost.Neverthelesswereceivedordersfromournewchieftoholdontotheremainingterrain.

Hewaswise.Amassivewithdrawalunderanopenskyandunderthatkindofpoundingwouldonlyhavebroughtonamassacre.Thecommander’spostswerealltoremainontherightbank.Thegeneralhimselfremainedthere.

Therailroadbridgeblewupinitsturn.NowonlythebridgetothecityofStettinitselfwasleft.TheSovietartilleryblasteditandsweptitwithoutletup.Shellsricochetedontheroad across thebridge.Others sent up enormous sprays around the archesor shook thesuspensionsasiftheyweremannequins.

TheSovietairforceplastereduswithhundredsofbombs.Thesquadronsdove,comeback,andgrazedtheroofs.Wholesidesofbuildingscollapsed.BehindustheRedCrossfieldpostcavedin.Thehorriblescreamsofthewounded,whohadbeenburiedalive,rosefromtheheapsofrubble.

At thecrestof theFinkenwalde railway lineour soldiers, supportedbyseveral tanks,wereholdingoutwithaheroismcomparabletothatoftheirGermancomradesclingingtotheruinsofAltdamm.

As always when the gamewas desperate, theWalloons distinguished themselves bytheirdeterminationandtheirgoodhumor.Theystolepasttheshedsintheenemysector.Somehadbeentakenprisoner,takenbytheCommuniststosomewoodedhills.TheytookadvantageofaviolentbombardmentbytheGermanartillerytogetaway.Theyallmadeitbacktoourlines,allexceptonewhowaskilledontheway.

TheNCO’sgavethemostextraordinaryexamples.

Wehadapaleand slenderyoungofficer in theDierickxBattalion,LieutenantLeroy,fromBinche,avolunteeratsixteenyearsold,whohadlosthisrightarmandhislefteyeayearearlierat thetimeoftheCherkassycombats.Hehadabsolutelyinsistedoncomingbacktotheanti-Sovietfront.Hefulfilledthefunctionsofliaisonofficer.Thepresenceofthisseverelydisabledsoldieramongthetroopswasasmovingascouldbe.

OneofLeroy’sbrotherswasaplatoonleader.HewaskilledonthebankatFinkenwaldethreedaysbeforetheendofthebattleoftheOder.Ouryoungamputee,insteadoflettinghimselfbeoverwhelmedwithgrief,immediatelyaskedtotaketheplaceofthedeadman.Iaccepted.Andwesawtheadmirablespectacleofthisterriblydisabledman,historsoalltwisted, fighting hand-to-hand battles for three days and three nights, shooting asubmachinegunthathehandledquiteskillfullywithhislefthand.

One of ourBelgian nurses, an admirablewidow, had her three sons on combat duty.They all died with equal heroism. The mother, stabbed by such sorrow, never for aninstant accepted the idea of abandoningherwork.On the contrary,wanting to dedicateherselfontheveryspotwhereherboyshadfallen,shebeggedmetolethercarryonherapostolateinthefrontlines.Inthehurricaneofmachine-gunfire,shehelpedourwoundedwithsuchextraordinarycouragethatsheearnedtheIronCross.

ThetenacityofourmenwassuchthatwhentherightbankoftheOderwasevacuateditwas theWallonianvolunteerswhohad thehonorofensuring the safetyofFinkenwaldeduring the last night. They had to hold on three hours after everyone else along therailroad embankment, while the three divisions withdrew. These divisions no longernumberedmorethanathousandmeninall.

ThestruggleforStargardandtheOderhadlastedfiveweeks.Duringthosethirty-fivedays the Reds had had to launch a hundred attacks, lose an enormous amount ofequipment, and sacrificemore than four hundred tanks in order to cross the thirty-fivekilometersthatseparatedthemfromStettin.

Thenight of the retreatwas especially pathetic.Helpedby two tanks, our volunteersfeigned a particularly aggressive action. The counter-batteries of the Reich sent ahurricaneofshellsintotheenemyfromtheleftbankoftheriver.

Underthisprotectionthesurvivorsofthethreedivisions,withalltheirequipmentandall theirweapons, slipped toward theOderand reached the firstbridge in silence.Theytookuptheirpositionsontheothersideofthewater,hiddenamongtheenormouswoodenstorehousesthatcoveredthefirstpeninsula.

Lightedby the fires, the eightor ten-story concretedocksof thegreatportwere stillstanding,studdedinvainbySovietshellholes.Intheirduskycellars,wherethecommandpost was set up, thousands of Russian and Polish civilians were sprawled on oldrucksacks,menandwomenalljumbledtogether.

TheOderdivided into five armsuponenteringStettin.Only thebridgeover the firstarm,thewidest,wasgoingtobeblownupattheendofthenight.

At3:00p.m.everyunitwasinplaceinitsnewsector.Ourlastplatoonofvolunteers,whountilthatmomenthadmaintainedcontactthreekilometersbeyondtheriver,climbed

onto the two tanks that had stayed shoulder-to-shoulder with them until the last, anddisengaged at top speed. They burst across the great steel bridge, which fell into theseethingwaterbehindthemwithaterriblecrash.

Itwasdawn.Nearby thesturdyrust-coloredhullsof largeships thathadbeenburnedwere lying indry-dock.On theother sideof thegulf, several lovelybrickclock towerswerestillstandinginAltdamm.Cloudsofsmokewererising.

SomeGermanlatecomerswhohadslept intheruinsofFinkenwaldeanddidn’tknowabout the retreat showed up on the other bank, shouting loudly. The Soviets werefollowing close behind them. They threw themselves into thewater. Somemanaged toswimovertous,buttheothersweresweptawaybythecurrent.

WecouldseetheRedsapproachtheOderinlittlegroups,asthoughtheywereafraidofan ambush.Nevertheless thebattlewas all over.A fewhours later the artilleryonbothsidesceasedfire.Itwassunny.

TheHaffbroughtusthearomaofthesea.

Attheentrytothebridge,threehangedmenthattheexplosionhadn’tdislodgedwerestilloutlinedattheendoftheirsteelbeams,greenandsinisterintheglaringlight.

Betweentheenemyandus,theyaloneremained,withtheirwhiteplacards,theirglazedeyes,andtheirdistorted,bloatedpurpletongues.

ChapterTen

THEAGONYOFTHEBALTIC

TheendofMarch1945sawthefinalbreak-upoftheWesternFront.

AtthattimethedivisionsinPomeraniawerere-formingbetweenStettinandPasewalk,shelteredbytheOder,amassofmightywatersalreadystirredbythetides.Thetwoarmiesweretemporarilystill.

Welistenedtotheradiowithgrowinganxiety.TheRhinelandhadfallen;theRhinehadbeencrossed;theRuhrhadbeenoverrun;theAmericantanksweredrivingtowardKassel.

We still had numerousWalloon soldiers in Hannover, recruits under instruction andconvalescentwounded.Moreover,sevenhundredmenfromourartilleryregimentandtwohundredmen from our battalion of engineers under instruction in the Prague area hadapparentlybeensetenroutetowardourdepot.

Iwantedtogatherallthesementogetherpromptly.IleftmymentorestandhurriedtolookoverourbaseinHannover.Ididn’tfindtheregioninmuchofafever.

ThecomingoftheAlliesseemedtothepopulationtobeonlyadistantpossibilityaboutwhich,furthermore,itwouldhavebeenindecenttospeak.TheKreisleiterofSpringenwastranquilly preparing for hismarriage, set forSaturday,March31st.But on the29th theAmericantankslurchedaheadahundredandtenkilometers.ThateveningtheywerefortykilometersfromtheWeser.AnotherleapandtheywouldbehammeringthestreetsofthevillagesofHannover.

At Gronau, an industrial city where our regimental barracks was located, it provedimpossible to evacuate our wounded. I took it on myself to demobilize all theconvalescentswithoutdelay.

From there I hurried southward near Holzminden where, on an order from theKommandantur of Hannover, two hundred young Walloon recruits had been put inpositionarmedwithPanzerfausts.Theseboyshadenlisted tofightagainstCommunism,nottobesentoutagainstAmericansorBritish.

Theirwithdrawalwasdecidedonlyafteranentiredayofdiscussion.IwasabletoputthemonthetrainthatattheverylastminutehadjustbroughtmytwohundredengineersandmysevenhundredartillerymenintotheGronaustation.IimmediatelydispatchedthecompleteconvoytoStettin.

AlreadytheroaroftheAlliedtanks,tryingtoforceapassageovertheWeser,couldbeheard.WecouldnolongerexpecttheReichtoholdoutintheWest.

Between the Americans and Berlin everything was totally deserted. The front hadvanished.NothingcameouttomeettheYankeesanylonger.Thehighwayswereempty.

Ontheotherhand,theEasternFrontwouldbedefendedrightuptotheveryend.TheGermanHighCommandhaddecidedtofighttherewithgrimresolution.

I hastily rejoinedmy soldiers nearStettin.TheOderglistened in the sun like a greatsleepingserpent.Thefrontwasquiet.Thefarmshadbeenevacuated.Thegameraninthebeautifulbrownfields.Theairwassoftandwarm,filledwiththesongsofbirds.

ThedeathstrugglewasapproachinginamoistperfumeofChinaasters,cowslips,andranunculi.

TheAlliedtanksfloodedBavariaatthebeginningofApril1945.TheyreachedtheElbeandturneduptowardBremenandHamburg.

Across fromus theRedArmy lay low.ThebattleofPomeraniahadcost theSovietsdearly.TheyhadhadtotakealltheirmenoutoftheKüstrinsectortothesouthofStargardatthetimeoftheGermancounteroffensiveinmid-February1945.ForfiveweekstheyhadwagedveryhardbattlestodigusoutandtaketherightbankoftheOderaroundAltdamm.Atpresenttheywerelickingtheirwoundsandgettingtheirequipmentreadyforaction.

Stettinhadbeenorganizedasanautonomousbridgeheadeighteenbattalionsstrong.The3rdGermanicCorps,towhichwebelonged,hadbeengiventhePenkunregionasitszoneofaction.Thesectorthatwewouldhavetodefendwasasalwaysfartoolong.

ButtheHighCommandhadn’tgivenupdaydreaming.Inmid-April1945,threeweeksbefore the capitulation, General Steiner announced the complete reorganization of mydivision. Iwas going to receive as reinforcements an artillery regiment and an infantryregiment appropriated from German units. My division would attain its maximumstrength.

Furthermore it had been decided for the near future to form an Army Corps, the“Occident,” comprising the Charlemagne (France), Wallonia, and Flanders divisions. Iwouldreceivethegeneralcommand.

Iremainedskeptical.Ilikedtosticktorealities.WithmysurvivorsfromPomerania,mycannoneerswithout cannons, andmyengineerswithout pontoons, I still had just barelyenoughmentore-formaseriousinfantryregiment.

Iintegratedtherestofmydivisionintoasecondregiment,adepotregimentcomposedof the sick, the temporarilydisabled,andolder legionarieswhocouldn’tbeusedon thefrontlines.

ThisunitalsotemporarilytookinaboutahundredcompatriotswhohadbeenworkinginthefactoriesoftheReichandwhomasullenbureaucrathadsenttousinamomentoflunacy,alldressedinfieldgrey,withoutconsultingtheirwishesinthematter.

Wewerealegionofvolunteers.AtnopricewouldIhavewantedtosenddecentfellowsinto the fray, or even keep them in uniform, if they didn’t share our beliefs and hadn’tcomeoftheirownfreewill.Imadethemalittlespeechandtoldthemtheywerefreetogo.

Ihadthemallgivenprovisionsforthreedaysandsomecigarettes.Oneofmyofficersconductedthembacktotherear,providedwithdemobilizationpapers.

Abit later I decided to evacuate the sick and thosewithminorwounds.TheReich’sresistancewas nearing the end of its rope. It was better to save thosewho could onlyweighusdownduringthefinalbattles,andtakethemoutofthewayoftheSovietsabyss

intime.Itwasn’tintheregulations,butIdisregardedthatandsignedasheafofmarchingorders. Two hundred unfit men thus took the road to Rostock, the ancient port on theBalticSea.

Discreetly,butineverywaypossible,Idiscardeddeadweightandtriedtolimitthefinalcasualties.

BERLIN

I trembled to thinkof the fate that awaited thedivision’s thousandormore survivorswho,fitforcombat,stayedatmysideneartheOder.WewereatthefarendoftheEasternFront.Inacoupleofdaysofunluckyfighting,wecouldbecrushedorsurroundedbytheSoviets.

TheAmericansand theBritish,moreover,werecomingcloser andcloser toour rear.TheGerman command in our sectorwatched their progresswith a sympathetic eye. Iteventhoughttheyweretooslow.Theystillhadthemostastonishingillusions,andmorethan oneGerman general imaginedwith touching faith that theAnglo-AmericansweregoingtomakewaragainsttheUSSRatanyminute.WhentheAlliesarrivedontheOdereverythingwouldworkoutmagnificentlyforsure!

Atanyrate,theHighCommandmadenoprovisionsatallforcoveringitself.GeneralSteiner even talked about setting up huge placards behind our lines facing to the westbearingtheinscription“Anti-SovietFront!”!

I was not as sanguine as those German officers. Taking advantage of the sector’stemporary tranquility, Ihurried toBerlinonemorning tobadger theMinisterofForeignAffairs,Ribbentrop,intoaskingthroughaneutralstateortheInternationalRedCrossforparticularsaboutthefateintendedforourvolunteers,shouldtheyfallintothehandsoftheAnglo-Americanarmiesastheypushedeastward.

Ireceivedtheofficialresponseatmycommandpostoneweeklater.Itwasclear.IfoursoldiersweretakenprisonerbytheBritishortheAmericans,theywouldbetreatedexactlylikeprisonersofwar.ThatwouldalsobetrueforVlasov’s60 troopsandforallEuropeanvolunteersoftheEasternFront.Thatwasnormal.Thisnewsreassuredourboys.

Thus,at thetimeof thedisasteracertainnumberamongthemreliedinallgoodfaithuponthehonestyoftheAnglo-AmericanMilitaryCommand.Alas!Theyweren’ttreatedlikesoldiersatall.TheseheroesoftheRussianfront,mostofwhomhadbeenwoundedone or several times in combat, were all delivered up to the terrible Belgian politicalpolice, held up to public scorn, thrown into dungeons or into concentration camps likeinternationalcommoncriminals.

Hundredswerecondemnedtodeathandseveralthousandtodozensofyearsinprisonbymakeshifttribunalswhoseimbecilityandblatantprejudiceamountedtomadness.

They had been heroic soldiers. They had been only soldiers. Almost all wore wardecorations that they had gloriously and painfully earned.They had fought cleanly andhonorably for a pure idealwith total lack of self-interest. TheAllies’ delivery of theseheroestopoliticaltorturerswasmorallybaseandmilitarilydishonest.

On theeveof the finalSoviet assaultour legion receivedadoublemission.Our firstbattalion, six hundred and fifty men strong, had been temporarily removed from mycommandandput ina flanking line sixkilometerswestof thebombedhighwaybridgeover the Oder. It occupied a little village lying between the hills. If required it wouldsupportaGermanregimentpostedontheleftbankoftheriver.

Ihadbeengiven thecommandof thesecond lineofdefensefifteenkilometers to thewestoftheOder.Thislineranforfourleaguesaboveawideswampyhollow.TooccupyitI onlyhadmy second infantrybattalion and a regiment ofFlemishvolunteers detachedfromtheirFlandersdivisionandplacedundermyorders.

Towardmid-ApriltheSovietsthrewthemselvesintothefinalassault.

Yet for several days the northern sector—ours— fromStettin to theHohenzollernCanal remained strangely silent.ButSaxonyhadbeenpenetrated, and thebreakthroughwaswideningbeforeBerlin.

On theArmyCorps’smapsatGeneralSteiner’s IsawtheSovietprogress toward thecapitaloftheReich.Ifthebarrierwerebroken—anditwas—howcouldthethousandsofSoviettanksbepreventedfromforcingtheirwayintoBerlin?

OntheeveningofApril19,1945,GeneralSteinershowedmetheextentofthedisaster.TheRedtankshadnearlyreachedthe“Ring,”thefamoushighwaythatcircledthecity.

AcertainnumberofourcomradeswereonmissioninBerlin.There,ontheveryeveoftheencirclement,withextraordinarycoolness,theywerestillpublishingourdailyFrench-languagenewspaper,L’Avenir.I jumpedintomyVolkswagentolet themknowjusthowgravethedangerwas.Berlinwasanhourandahalfawayfrommycommandpost.Goingbackpastthewretchedcolumnsofrefugeeswhowerefleeingineverydirection,IenteredtheancientPrussianmetropolisatnineo’clockintheevening.

TheHotelAdlonwasstilloperatinginspiteofthebombsandtheshellsfallingrightinthestreets.Inthebrilliantlylightedrestauranttuxedoedwaitersandmaitresd’hotelintailscontinuedsolemnlyand impassively toservepurpleslicesofkohlrabi in thehugesilverplattersforstateoccasions.Everythingwasordered,distinguished,withoutastridentwordorasignofhaste.

Tomorroworthedayafterthebuildingwouldprobablygoupinflames.Orelsesomelarge-pawedbarbarianwouldburstintothegildedhall.Butbonton[goodform]wasstillbonton.

Itwasimpressive.TheGermanpeople’scomportment,theirself-mastery,andtheirself-discipline,rightdowntothemostminordetailsanduntilthelastmoment,willbeanoblememoryofhumanityforallthosewholivedthroughtheendoftheThirdReich.

NottheleastsignofpanicwasshowninBerlinduringthecollapse.

Nevertheless,whocouldstillhavedoubtedtheoutcomeofthecombat?Thedefensivefortificationsinthesuburbswereridiculous.Theinfantryforcesweretiny.Thenumberoftankswasinsignificant.

The real bulwark had been built oppositeKüstrin. It had been broken.The roadwasopen.

Idrovearoundthebombedcitythatnight.IevenwentasfarasPotsdam.Notatraceofpillaging.Notashoutofpanic.TheoldmenoftheVolkssturmandtheboysoftheHitlerYouthwere waiting for the enemy, Panzerfausts in their hands, as solemn as the greatTeutonicKnights.

In themorning theelectricalcurrentwascutoffand the telephonesstoppedworking.Hundredsofenemyplanesflewovertheroofs,tracingmultiplewhitestreaks.Shellswerefallingfromeverywhere.ThethousandsofSovietartilleryweaponswerecreatingamaddin.Thetanksroaredatthegatewaytothecity.

Igotmycomradesunderway.

At one o’clock in the afternoon I left theAdlon.One ofmyGerman friends, amanseverelydisabled,whohadtakentwenty-onebulletsinthebodyatMoscowin1941,hadcome to say his good-byes under themachine-gun fire. Hewas accompanied by someravishinggirlsfromBerlin,loadedwiththepoeticharvestsofspring.Theydecoratedthewhole front of my little Volkswagen with red tulips and hundreds of golden-centeredpurplepansies.Theysmiled,simpleandcourageous.TheReichwasdisintegrating;Berlinwasfalling;theworsthumiliationslayinwaitforeveryoneofthem,butfervent,delicate,andbeautiful,theywerestillbearingflowers.

I reached the ancient route from Prenzlau to Stettin only with great difficulty. ThehighwayhadalreadybeencutoffbytheSoviets.Theenemytankswerehittinghard.Theconfusion of the thousands of carts of refugeeswas indescribable. Theywere lost. TheRussianswerehasteningup.

WhenIapproachedBrüssow,wheremycommandpostwaslocated,Isawgreatcloudsofsmokerisingtowardtheskyacrossanareathirtykilometerswide.ThelastintactsectoroftheEasternFronthadjustreceivedthefinalblow.

JustacrossfromourmarchestheRussianswerecomingoutacrossthesandsoftheleftbankoftheOder.

GOOD-BYETOTHEODER

OnApril20,1945,Hitler’sbirthday,atsixo’clockinthemorning,theSovietartilleryopenedupanunprecedentedfireontheGermanpositionsdefendingtheruinsoftheoldhighwaybridgetothesouthofStettin.

Forthelastthreedayswehadbeennoticinganextraordinaryactivityontherightbankof theOder.TheSovietshadset themselvesuponan islandaroundthefirstarchof thedestroyed bridge. They had brought heavy equipment there with the help of boats,pontoons,andoldmud-lighters.Anattackwascertain.

The troopsdefending this especially threatened sectorwere composedof nothingbutpolicemen. More than a thousand enemy weapons suddenly concentrated their fire atthem.They justcouldn’tholdoff thepowerfulSovietcommandoswho,exploiting theirinitialadvantage,sentseveralshockbattalionstotheothersideofthewaterinlittleboats.

Sinceitwasunhealthytoannouncedefeats,thepolicecommanderfeltitpreferablenottomakethedefeatofhisforcesknownanysoonerthannecessary.Theresult:BythetimethedivisionwasinformedofthetragedytheSovietswerealreadywelltothewestoftheriverandhadmadeseveralmorelandings.

Thedisaster occurredbefore seveno’clock in themorning.Many infantry battalions,whichformedthedivisionalreserves,werecalledonlyattwoo’clockintheafternoon.Atthreeo’clocktheyweresenttothecounter-attack.

StudyingtheterrainbeforeApril20th,myofficersandIhadarrivedattheconclusionthat if the left bank of the Oder were lost, a counter-attack would almost certainly bedoomedtofailureifitweren’torganizedextremelypromptly.

Indeed,beyondthehillsoftheOder’sleftbank,theterraindescendedtowardthewestinwide,sandymoorswithoutfoldsornaturalobstacles.Chargingacrossthiswastelandtodriveouttheenemypostedontheridgeswouldberushingintoamassacre.

Then,bythreeo’clockontheafternoonofApril20,severalthousandRedshadsettledon the leftbank,crossed the sandyzone,and reached the foothills sixkilometers to thewest.

Tactically, this battalion ofWalloons no longer belonged tomy division. It receivedveryhardorders fromwhitewasherswhohadno reason tobesparingof themen.Theyweretogoto theattackof these lostkilometers inmid-afternoonacross thebare terrainandre-occupytheleftbankoftheOder.

Our brave boys, without a word of discouragement, obeyed with their customaryfidelity.Untilthelastdayitwouldbeseenthattheiroathhadnotbeenmereemptywords.

The counterthrust should at least have been facilitated by a preparation of heavyartilleryfire.Buthowcouldtheyfire?Withwhatmunitions?

AtStargard,twomonthsearlier,wecouldnolongerfiremorethansixtotenroundsperweaponperday.ForthislastbattleoftheOdertheordersthatwehadjustreceivedwereevenmoredraconian.Firingwaslimitedtooneshellperdaypermuzzle.

Oneshell!Onlyone!

Therestrictionswerealmostasseverefortheheavymortars:twoshotsaday!Forthelightmortars:oneshotperday!

Inactualfact:zero.

Theenemyoppositepossessedathousandpiecesofartilleryandanunlimitedquantityofmunitions.ThefrontzonewasabsolutelydrownedbythecataclysmicSovietmachine-gunfire.Tocounterthatwehadnothingleftbutafewlifelessheavyweapons.

Ourbattalionhadtowageitsbattleswithpersonalarmsalone.Atthebeginningoftheaction only a half-dozen friendly tanks supported the thrust — but at a distance andcautiously.

Thatdidn’tpreventtheenemyfrombeingdislodged.Threekilometersofterrainwereretakeninhand-to-handfightinginlessthananhour.

Ourlosseswerealreadyextremelyhigh.

Our battalion approached the dunes of the Oder. The combat lasted until night. TheSovietshadhadtimetoplacemachine-gunners’nestsoneveryknoll.Ourcomradeswerecrushedbythefullbruntoftheirartilleryfire.

Ihurriedtothebattalioncommandpostjusttoencourageourmen.Alas!Theyhadbeenremoved from our unit. During the course of the evening I saw more than a hundredwounded men drag themselves to us. Many of our non-commissioned officers hadperished.Inspiteofthattheattackcontinuedwithafuriousdetermination.

One of our companies finally reached the village overlooking theOder.Our soldierswereabletohangonatopthesandyridgestwohundredmetersfromthewater.Theyhadreachedtheriverjustthesame,fanaticallycarryingouttheirorders.

Butwhatcouldthepoorfellowsdoalonenearthissteepriverbank?Severalthousandmenwouldhavehadtobebroughtupbehindthemand,aboveall,theenemybatteries,aswell as the new Soviet troops that were continually landing, would have had to bepoundedbyartilleryandaircraft.

OnthesandytrailstotheirrearseveralLatviancompanieswerecomingalongtowardtheriver.Butwhatcouldthesemeagerreinforcementsdo?Forthatmatter,theSovietairforcewasharassingthem.Allthecrossroadswereblazing.Grayandredtorchesroseupinthe twilight from every village in the area. The machine-gun fire was falling like ahailstorm.

Wenolongerevenknewwheretoshelterthewounded.

Everystreetwassmashedbyshellholes.Everyhousewasriddledwithshrapnelasfarawayassixorsevenkilometersfromthebattlefield.

That night the enemy crossed a huge mass of troops and discharged boatloads ofsuppliesandequipment.Theyhadvirtuallyfreepassageoftheriver.Ourartillerywithoutmunitionsandouraircraftwithoutfuelcouldnolongerrespond.

WhendawncameuptheSoviettanks,longasalligators,wereonoursideofthewater,still cautious, not yet advancing, but forming a frightening barrier in front of theabutmentsofthewreckedhighwaybridge.

Duringthenight’scombatsthecompanythathadclimbedtotheridgesabovetheOderhadlostfour-fifthsofitsforces.Everymeterofsandhadreceivedashelloragrenade.

Theorderswereneverthelessimplacable.Theymustcounter-attackagain!

Itwasmadness!

Inordertosucceedinthatway,outintheopen,thesupportofpowerfulartilleryfire,panzers,Stukas,andahalfdozenshockbattalionswouldhavebeenmorenecessarythanever.

Butweweren’tgoingtodisobeyafterfouryearsofobedience.

Our companies charged once again and were horribly decimated each time. Captain

Thyssen,theunforgettableThyssenoftheCherkassyKessel,oneofourmostoutstandingspecialistsinhand-to-handcombat,washitbythreebullets.HesuccumbedatopapileofSovietcorpses.LieutenantRegibeau,alreadywoundedseventimesontheEasternFront,waswoundednumeroustimesbyexplodingshells.Hiswholebodystreamedwithblood.LieutenantAlbertVerpoorten,adynamicyoungwriterfullofhumor,wasstoppedcoldinmid-leap.Hisforeheadwaswoundedbuthedidn’trealizetherest.Hewantedtospongeitoff.“Idon’thaveanarmanymore!”hescreamed,horrified.Thenhecollapsed.

SixtimesinthecourseofthisterribledayofApril21,theWalloonsreceivedorderstoremount their attack against the left bank of theOder. Six times they charged into theinferno.

Nothingwill tell theirheroismbetter thanthisfrightfulfigure:Outof thesixhundredfiftymenengagedsincethedaybeforeinthehand-to-handfightinginthesedunes,onlythirty-fiveremainedunhurtontheeveningofApril21st.

Theother sixhundred fifteenwhowerekilledorwounded— inotherwordsninety-fourpercentofthebattalion—werestruckdownforacausethatallofthemknewwasessentiallylost.

Buttheybelievedintheimmortalityoftheirideal.Theywantedtoobeyrightuptotheend,tobefaithfultotheend—andthelastfighters,ifnecessary,ongroundthatwasn’teventheirs.

Ihadpassedthedaytryingtomaintainthesecondline,twentykilometerswide,thatIhadtodefendtotheeastofBrüssow,butthesectorwassoonprettywellempty.Companybycompany,allourcomradesintheFlemishregimentweretakenfrommetobethrownintheirturnontothecorpsesofourWalloonsoldiersneartheOder.

Thusasecondlineofdefensebecameabsolutely illusory.Allwehadleft tocloseofftwenty kilometers of terrain to an enemy that was now landing in fleets was one lastbattalionofbattle-worthyWallonianvolunteers.

A bridge had been thrown up over the Oder by the Russian engineers. Hundreds oftanksandpiecesofartillery,aswellasentiredivisions,werepassingoverlikeahurricane.Furthermore, several kilometers upstream the Soviets had established two otherbridgeheadsevenwiderthanthatoftheAutobahn.

Whonowcouldstopthecataclysm?

TheGermancommandwasstillstickingtothestringentorders:holdon!

But tensof thousandsofRussianswereoverrunningourmarshes!Thewholecountrywasinflamesaroundus!

Wemaintainedourpositionunshakablyon theBrüssow lineon the22nd,23rd,24th,and25thofApril,sincethoseweretheorders.

The Soviet air force exercised an absolute dictatorship in the sky. Cleaving the ash-filledair,thestarredplanesdovecracklingdownuponus,smashingwalls,partitions,anddoors. The command post was continually riddled with gunfire. On the 25th an entirewingof thebuildingwentup in flames.Then thecenterofBrüssowwentup in flames.

The animals screamed.Women shot through by long incendiary bulletswrithed on theground,theirfingersyellow,theirnailsclenchedlikecock’sspurs.Everyquarterhourthemachine-gunfirewouldbeginagain.

At fiveo’clock in theeveningamotorcyclemessengerarrived.TheArmyCorpswasrelinquishinganyfurtheruseoftheBrüssowdefenseline,whichtheenemyhadpassedbyalongwayonbothwings.WeweretofallbacktonewpositionstothenorthwestofthecityofPrenzlau.

Iimmediatelyputmymenonthemarch,butlifehadbecomeuntenable.AplanefiredonmyVolkswagenandburstthreetires.Irepairedithastily,whilecrazedpigsfromsomeburningstiesraninalldirections.

TheSovietswereswarmingeverywhere,likelemmings.

Theflood-gateswerewideopen.

Howwouldwekeepfrombeingdrownedinthefinalmaelstrom?

TOWARDLÜBECK

Prenzlauwas an ancient citywith brick churches asmassive as dungeons, butmadelightandairybyadmirableslenderGothicarches.WhenwecrossedthroughitonApril25, thedeathagonyhad justbegunfor it, too.Forseveraldays theSovietair forcehadbeen battering the streets.Crumbled houses blocked traffic. Flocks of haggard civilianswerefleeing.

ThreethousandofficersoftheBelgianArmyhadjustleftthePrenzlaubarracks,wherethey had been interned following the capitulation of May 28, 1940. They puffed andsweatedontheroad.Rubicundgeneralswiththeirkepisaskewwouldspongethemselveson the embankments or, like fat, flushed nannies, would push baby-buggies over-filledwithbelongings.Greatfeatsofendurancewerenottobeexpectedofthem.TheRussianswouldsoonpluckthemup.

Weweretotakepositionseveralkilometers tothenorthwestofPrenzlau.Isetupmycommand post in the Holzendorf castle, where flocks of shivering refugees swarmed.Most of them had been evacuated from the Rhineland toward the east. Now theCommunistswereattackingandchasingthembacktowardthewest.

Theywereexhaustedbysomuchemotion.Theexpressionsofmanyofthewomenweredisturbing. One of them had three little blond kids clinging to her skirts. She wasexpectingafourthbaby,andwasbeingjostledabout.Thateveningshewentmad.Lyingflat on her back, she cried and gasped, refusing all attention. The Soviet planeswoulddrive her out at dawn, dazed, joining the terrified human flood that was expandingindefinitelytowardthenorthandwest.

FromthenonFlemishvolunteerswerejumbledwithWalloonsinthefinalventure.ThenextdayItriedtorejointheGermanstaffofficertowhomwewere,oneandall,tacticallysubordinate.Ifoundhimfartothewestinanuglybrickcastlehiddeninthedepthsofaforest.

Theorders,apparently,weretoholdon.ThatwasallIcouldfindout.Igotbacktomycommand post atHolzendorf by going alongside flaming Prenzlau. Immense pale graycolumnsofsmokewererisingstraightupagainstthegoldentwilight.

At nine o’clock in the evening the noise of the battle in the southwest becameparticularly violent. Our window panes fell out. The Soviet tanks were baying at theentrancetoPrenzlau.Thecitywasbarelydefended.Itdidn’tholdoutmorethananhour.

Inthemorningourobserversnotifiedmethatenemytanksweredrivingaboutfartothesouthwest,severalkilometersbeyondourline.

Ihadbeenpromisedavan thatcouldreceiveand transmitbyradio. Ithadn’tcome.Ididn’tknowanyofthedecisionsoftheHighCommand.Finallyateleveno’clockinthemorningaGermanmotorcyclistbroughtmeanordertowithdrawdatedtheeveningbeforeat2000hours.Themessengerhadwanderedbehindenemylinesandgottenlost.Hehadarrived fifteen hours late. We had been well and truly outflanked since last night. Itwouldn’tbeeasytoextricateourselvesfromthewasps’nestnow.

Sincedaylightourpeoplehadonceagainfoughtwithamarvelousheroism.Theyhadmade desperate counter-attacks to get free from the enemy thrust. One of our youngofficershadchargedallbyhimselfwithhissubmachinegunintoahousethattheSovietshadconvertedintoabunker.Hecausedaterriblemassacrethereandintheendhadoneofhisarmscutalltopieces.

Rather than persisting against this stubborn resistance, the Reds sidestepped andadvanced deep on both wings. It was no longer possible to fall back to the west. TheenemywastenkilometerswestofPrenzlau.

Wetookanortherlydirectionthatseemedtheleastthreatened.Alreadythetownshadfilled the anti-tank barriers. So much the worse for the wretches who, like us, werefightingasrearguards.WehadaterribletimegettingaroundtheheapsofrubbletogetourlastVolkswagensthrough,ouronlymeansofliaisonamidtheenemytanksroaringatourheels.

TheGerman commander notifiedme in his order for retreat that hewasmoving hiscommandposttotheedgeofaforesttwentykilometerswestofPrenzlau.Iarrivedthereatthreeo’clockintheafternoon,afterendlessdetoursandadventures.

NaturallytherewasnooneleftattheappointedplaceexcepttheSoviettanksadvancingalong the outskirts of the forest. Themotor ofmy little automobilewas hot enough toburstfromhavingtoiledthroughfieldsandembankmentsforhours.Wehadn’treceivedadropofgasforthelastweek.Icouldgoononlybyemptyingintomytankcansofpotatoalcoholobtained in the area, apoor andasphyxiating fuel.Hiddenbehinda thicket,wehadtowaitforaquarterofanhourtorepairthefanbeltwhilethemotorcooledoff.

TheSoviettankswerecomingonstraightandfast.

We reached the Scarpin intersection by little dirt roads. There, five hundred Frenchvolunteerswith beautiful blue, white, and red badgeswere standing firm, in very highspiritsalthoughtheyhadnothingbutriflestoopposethewavesofSoviettanks.

ThestaffofficeforwhichIwaslookingseemedtobenearby.Ifounditthatnightaftergreatdifficulty.Newwithdrawalorderswerewaiting forme.This timewehad tocrossfiftykilometersinasinglejumptothenorthoftheNeustrelitz-Neubrandenburgline.

Iknewthatmymenwerewornout,butwewouldhavetogatherallourstrength.North!North! Escape from the Soviets! My liaison officers didn’t need to have the problemexplainedtothemtwice.

Groups of youngwomen in flight stayedwith us.What couldwe do! Therewas nolonger anything to keep them from falling into the hands of the Bolsheviks. Theiryoungsterswere exhausted. Theywere dying of hunger and thirst. The youngmothers,stillbeautifulintheirordeal,knewwhatawaitedthem.

ItwasApril28,1945.Thecrowdson theroadhadbecomeprodigious.Thousandsofpoliticaldeporteesmingledtheirblueandwhitestripeduniformswiththethrongoftrucksandcarts,thehundredsofthousandsofwomenandchildren,andthecolumnsofsoldierswiththemostdiverseweapons.

Our two last infantry battalions went forward with difficulty. But they passedneverthelessthroughthegiganticscramble.

Ateighto’clockintheeveningthetownofNeustrelitzexplodedinhugeorangeflamesacrossaskyofbedlambehindus.Infouryearswethoughtwehadseenthegreatestintheway of catastrophes. But Neustrelitz broke all the records that night. No expense wassparedforthefinalfireworksofthewar.Stupendousexplosionsburstforthamidstadinliketheendoftheworld.

Wewentoutontothejettyofalittlegraylake,streakedbytheburningreflectionsofthespectacle.Ablackbarkwasdrifting there.Thedarknesssmelledofmoss,of forget-me-nots,andofnewleaves. Itwasanadmirablespot, justmadeformurmuringpoetry toaladywithsilkenhair.Butthiswasauniverseonfirethatwasspewingitslifetotheskies,tofallbackinvertiginouscataracts,shakingthisspringeveningtoinfinity.

Theenemywouldbehereinthemorning.

Our orders came.Wewere to draw back stillmore towards the northwest and crosssixty more kilometers in a single march. Our limbs were heavy with exhaustion. Butdangergaveeveryoneenoughstrengthtomanageanothereffort.

WeshookouroldVolkswagensintolife,thoughtheyhadbeenhittwentytimesoverbyshrapnel.

Inthesouthwestthewholeskywasafireandgettingredderandredder.

WehadtoreachthetownofWareninMecklenburgtheverynextday,passbeyondthebiglakesoftheregion,andtemporarilytakeuppositionintheTottinerHüttesector.

Manyrefugeescollapsedforthenightonbothsidesofthepavement.Tensofthousandsofwomen,children,andwretchedoldmenrolledupinblanketswerehuddledoneagainstanotherinthefogunderthefirs.

Threelinesofvehicleshurriedalongintightranks,oftenledbyverydedicatedFrench

prisonerswhovisiblyfeltthemselvestobeapartoftheGermanfamiliescrowdedontothecarts.

Mysoldierswereinagoodposition.Theylostnotimeastheyslippednimblyamongthebottleneckedteams,keepingperfectgoodhumor.

Iadvisedeveryone tostepalong indouble time. Ihadn’tany illusionsatall. Iheldalittlebattery-operated radiobetweenmy legs inmyVolkswagen.TheBritishbroadcastsannounced fromhour tohourwhat the situationwas.TheBritish front inGermanyhadstartedmovingagaintwodaysago.TheTommieshadcrossedtheElbetothesouthwestofHamburg.Therewasn’tashadowofadoubt that theywereheadingforLübeck.If theyreachedthisBalticportfirst,wewouldbethrottledbytheSoviets.

Wehadtoextricate thetroopsatanyprice,keepoureyesopen,andget toLübeckintime. Afterwards, we would see. We had to be careful not to give up in despair, tosurrender spinelessly like the dull flocks who were collapsing all along the roads andwaitingwithashenfacesfortheunconditionallawoftheconqueror.

FromLübeckwemightperhapsbeabletomoveupfurther to thenorth.Ipushedmymen asmuch as I could, butwewere still far from theBaltic and eventswere rushingforward.

OnApril30,ateighto’clockinthemorning,IheardsomeamazingnewsfromRadioLondon:“Himmlerisnegotiatinganarmistice!”Thetalksweretakingplace,itseemed,intheareaofLübeck.

The commander of theFlemish division rejoinedme atTottinerHütte.He and I hadbeentryingtore-establishcontactwiththeArmyCorpsfortwodays,invain.Theretreatwas rushingheadlongat suchaspeedandon roadssochoked that liaisonshadbecomeimpossibleforthefirsttimeinthewar,despiteallthecalmoftheHighCommand.Itwasabsolutely impossible to knowwhat our divisions should do, or evenwhere the ArmyCorpsstaffofficerwas tobe found.The radio truckshaddisappeared.Notamessengercouldreturnagainstthisfloodofcartsandrefugees.Wehadbeenleftentirelytoourfate.

Fascist Italy had just collapsed. Mussolini had been assassinated with abominablesadism.Hiscorpsewashanging in themiddleof thecityofMilan, fastenedby the feetlikeadeadanimal.

Imadecarefulpreparations,togivemaximumhelptomyendangeredsoldiers.BeforeleavingBerlinonApril20,Ihadhadseveralthousandforeignworkers’cardsdeliveredtomeincasetheworstshouldhappen.Thetimehadcometoactforoursurvival.

On the morning of April 30, I had the cards confidentially distributed to my unitcommanders.Thusifcertaincompaniesfoundthemselvesscatteredatthetimeofthefinalblow, those men who didn’t want to surrender could still slip on old clothes, disguisethemselvesasdeportedworkers,avoidthemilitaryinternmentcamps,and,thankstothoseprovidentialpapers,getbacktothehouseofafriendeitherinBelgiumorintheReich,orfindrefugeabroad—asmorethanthreethousandofthemdid.

Forthelasthundredhoursourvolunteershadmarcheddayandnight.Igavethemnorespite.Itwasessentialnottoyield,nottoloseourheads,butonthecontrarytoclingtothepossibilitiesforsurvival,totrytoreachDenmark,thentoicyNorway,whereperhapsthestrugglemightcontinue—inanycasetotryeverythingpossibletospareoursoldiersagloomycollapseintotheanonymityofdefeat.

WecouldnolongerhopethatamiraclemightstemtheSovietflood.Ourresistancehadfinallycometoanend.Tohangonanymorewouldbesuicide.

IdrewupordersforwithdrawaltoLübeckformyregimentandbattalioncommanders.Theyweretouseeverymeansoftransporttocarrythetroops.

IsetupmyWallonianFeldgendarmesatallthecrossroadstoguideourcomradesfrompointtopoint,spurontheloafers,andhelpthemavoiddifficulties.

IhaddecidedtoseeHimmlerwhateverthecost,toobtainclearordersfromhimformydivisionandfortheFlandersDivision,toremindhimoftheexistenceoftensofthousandsof foreign volunteers, the bravest of the brave.Would they still be remembered in thediscussionsatLübeck?Orwouldtheybelefttosinkintotheabyss?

Aslongastherewasachanceofsavingmyboys,Iwantedtotakeit.Cuttingthroughthe fields, speedily overtaking everyone in front ofme, I racedmyVolkswagen towardLübeckandHimmler.

`HITLERISDEAD’

TheLübeck road gave an exact picture of the situation onApril 30, 1945.As far asSchwerinthefloodofciviliansandarmiesfromtheeastflowedon,immense,tumultuous.

ThefatalconfluencewasatSchwerin.Solitaryaboveslate-coloredwaters,thecastleofthedukesenvincedtheserenityofstonesthathaveseenmenandcenturiespass.Therestofthetownwasswampedbythethrongsfromeastandwest.

Itwas there that the imminenceof theendof thewar inGermanybecameablindingreality forus.Ahumanriverdescending fromWarengatheredmomentumas it fled theSoviet tanks.Anotherhuman riverpoureddown from theElbe, fleeing theBritish.ThetwoAlliedoffensiveswerecomingcloserandclosertogether,likedoubledoorsclosing.

TheproximityoftheBritishwasbeingwritteninthesky.FromSchwerinon,squadronsof low-flying Tiefflieger patrolled all the roads with savage determination. The Britishplaneswould dive onto the columns, and instantly ten or fifteen clouds of thick smokewouldrisefromthem.Thefueltanksburned.Thetiresburned.Thebaggageburned.

Firewaseverywhere,thick,almostopaque,stitchedbyexplosions.

Theclothingof fleeingwomen layabout thebrokencarts.Endlesscolumnshadbeenabandoned.MyVolkswagenandthatofmychiefofstaffpickedtheirwaywithextremedifficultyamongtheheapsofdebrisandthefires.WehadtodivedowntheembankmentseveryfiveminuteswhilethegunsoftheTieffliegerrattledaboveourheads.

Thewoundedsoldiersmadethemosttragicspectacle.Thehospitalsoftheregionhadbeenevacuatedinhaste,butthereweren’tanymoreambulances.Hundredsofmenwith

casts on their arms or chests had been put out on the roads, their heads covered withbandages.

Manywalkedoncrutches.

TheyhadtogettotheBalticthatwayonfoot,underthemachine-gunfire,throughtheflamingtrucksandthegeneralpanic.

I finally arrived in Lübeck in the afternoon, at the headquarters of Grand AdmiralDönitz.

Oneofhiscloseassociatestookmeintoacorneroftheoffice—itwasApril30,1945,at five thirty in the evening— and whispered a secret that made my blood run cold.“Listen,thedeathoftheFührerwillbeannouncedtomorrow.”

WasHitler reallydead?Were they trying togain timebeforeannouncing this terriblenews?Orwassomethingelsebeingprepared?

Inanycase,right intheGrandAdmiral’sheadquarters thenewsofHitler’sdeathwaswhisperedinmyear,awholedaybeforethehistoricdeclarationofGrandAdmiralDönitz:“Today,May1st,attwo-thirtyintheafternoon,theFührerdiedaherointhecourseofthebattleofBerlin.”

I was even more convinced that the end was near when I reached the Waffen SSheadquarterstothenorthofLübeckontheshoreoftherain-streakedgulf.“HurryandseeHimmler,”Iwastold.“It’sonlyamatterofhoursnow.”ButnooneknewexactlywheretheReichsführerSSwastobefound.

Theycouldonlyshowmeonthemapthecastlewherehiscommandpostwassupposedtobe.To reach it Ihad first tocomeback toLübeck, thengobackup theeastern roadalongtheBalticforaboutfortykilometersinthedirectionofWismar.

Intheinkynightitwasverydifficulttomakeprogressagainsttheflowofthethousandsoftruckspressingtowardthenorthwest.Wewereconstantlyindangerofbeingcrushedbythesemonsters.

At twoo’clock in themorning,whenwewerecoming into theKladowregion, Iwasstruck by an astonishing phenomenon. The long white gleams of a searchlight werelightingtheneighboringslopeandsky.IthadtobeHimmler’sairfield.But if theyweredisplayinglightslikethat,ithadtobebecausetheenemytoleratedthem.

IimaginedHimmlerflyingatthishourinthedarknight.Whichhewas,infact.

ThecastlewasalmostdesertedwhenIreachedit.ItwasagloomybuildinginimitationGothic,circa1900,perfectdecor forasuspensemovie.Thedimly lightedcorridorsandstairs were sinister. Hanseatic flags hung, drawn tightly, as in a funeral chapel. In therefectory were modern paintings showing all the categories of eaters, involuntarilycaricatured in the style of Picasso. All along the red-brick battlements and under theaspensinthepark,policewereonguard,theirfaceslong,ravagedandashen.

IfoundnooneinthedepthsofthebuildingsbuttheheadofHimmler’sspecialtrain,anever-obliging bon vivant, his face speckled with hundreds of little gray spots, as if a

colonyofflieshaduseditforatestingbench.Heconductedmetotheofficeofacolonelwithpaletiredeyes.

Isalutedhimwiththehabitual“HeilHitler!”No“HeilHitler!”cameinreply.Ithoughtthisomissionbizarre.Cautiously, I inquired.Everyoneseemedquiteembarrassed.FromalltheevidenceHitlerhadbecomeaforbiddensubjectofconversationinthesecavernoushalls.NoonecouldtellmewhenHimmlerwouldcomeback.Hehadleftbyplane“forthenorth.”

Hereappearedinthemorninglikeawhirlwind,buthestayedforonlyafewminutes.Wedidn’tevenhavetimetoseehim.Whenwearrivedatthestaircasehehadalreadyleftagain, pallid and unshaven.Allwe sawwere three automobiles jolting down the sandyroad.

Inanyevent,HimmlerhadunhesitatinglysignedtheorderthatIhadhaddrawnupthatnightforthewithdrawaloftheWalloniaandtheFlandersDivisionstowardBadSedeberg,atowninSchleswig-Holstein,tothenorthwestofLübeck.Hehadsaidhewantedtoseeme.Iwastolookforlodgingsintheareaandwaitforhisreturn.

I immediately sentmychiefof staffoff inoneofour twoVolkswagens, carrying theofficialorder,tomeettheWalloonandFlemishtroopsontheSchwerinroad.AtthesametimeIsentmysecondaide-de-camptoBadSedebergwiththesecondcarsothatsuitablequarterswouldbereadytowelcomeourexhaustedsoldiers.Inadditionthisofficerwastoinform the posts of theFeldgendarmes and the commandant of Lübeck of Himmler’sorders.

I foundmyselfaloneonceagain. I took lodgings inablacksmith’s littlehouseon theWismarroad.IgotachairandwentoutontothedoorstepasIusedtodointheeveningswhenIwasyoungandlivingwithmyparentsinthetownofmybirth.

Hundreds of trucks were passing by. More than ever, the Tiefflieger dominated theroads.Gunfirewouldcrackle to theeast,north,andwestaboveendless linesof redandgrayfires.

I fell to daydreaming.My eyeswandered in space as if theworld inwhich I had sointenselylivedhadalreadystoppedbreathingandwasdissolvingintomelancholypuffsofsmoke.

TheBalticSeawashalf anhouraway, at theendof someploughed fieldswhere theAprilwheatwas sprouting.At dusk Iwent out there and sat on a big brown rock.Theeveningwastingedwithpink.Nothingcouldbeheardofthetumultuoustraffic.FromtimetotimeaGermanplanewouldflyalongthesea,skimmingthewavestoavoiddetection.

Wasmydream,too,dyinglikethispaleskyinvadedbythenight?

Istoodupandcamebackthroughthesownfields.AtthehouseIlaydownfullyclothedinthedarkness.

At2:00a.m.therewasaterribleracketatthedoor.Ihurriedtoopenitup.

Themodestroomwaslightedinbigpatchesbyacandle.

AyoungGermancolonelsentbyHimmlerwasholdinghimselfstifflyerectbeforeme,

hisfeaturesdrawn.

Iunderstoodbeforehesaidaword.

Istoodtoattention.

“TheFührerisdead,”hewhispered.

Neitherofussaidanything.Theblacksmith,too,wassilent.

Thentwotears,thetearsofapureheart,randownhisoldtannedcheeks.

MALENTE

TheGerman colonel who toldme of the death of Hitler added that Himmler wouldleave thearea that samenight andestablishhimselfnorthofLübeck in thedirectionofKiel,atMalente.Thisstickynamehadalltheflabbinessoffever.HimmleraskedthatIgotohimthereatthreeo’clockontheafternoonofMay2nd.

IspenttherestofthenightthinkingaboutHitler.

Ididn’tknowthetermsofAdmiralDönitz’sdeclaration,whichwaslargelyfalse.ThusnodoubtaboutthedeathoftheFührercouldhaveoccurredtomethen.

I saw him again, a simple, sensitive heart, full of genius and power.His people hadlovedhimandfollowedhimuntiltheend.Duringtheentirewar,noblowhadshakentheadmirable fidelityof theGermanmasses to amanwhosehonesty, unselfishness, publicspirit,andsenseofGermanicgreatnesstheyallknew.

Itwasafactalmostuniqueinthehistoryoftheworld.Bruised,crushed,delivereduptothemostfrightfulsufferingthatapeoplehaseverhadtoendure,thispeopledidn’tmakeamurmuragainsttheleaderwhohadstartedandkeptthemonthisterriblepath.

Iwas sure that in every house and in every cart on the roads peoplewere crying orprayingatthismoment.ButIwascertainthatnonewasbreathingawordofreproach.Noonefeltsorryforhimself.ItwasforHitlerthattheyfeltsorry.

Hedisappearedinanapotheosisofvanquishedgods,amidanuproarliketheendoftheworld, which seemed to burst forth in a Wagnerian chorus. To end thus was to beresuscitatedalreadyintheimaginationofthepeoples,withasuperhumanintensity,castinanepicthatwouldneverbeextinguished.

Butwhatwouldhappentomorrow?Whatwouldthefirstdayaffectedbysuchavoidbelike?

TheFührergone,Berlinwaslost.

Inthesouth,theReichwasonitsknees.

Thenorthwassweptbyaprodigioustidalwave.

Thearmieswerenolongerfighting,notbecausetheylackedcourageordiscipline,butbecausetherewasnolongeranyfront,anyPanzers,anyammunition,oranyliaison.Theroadswerekilometersofsuffering,hunger,andblood.ThedeathofHitlermeanttheend

ofthestruggleinGermany.

Atfiveo’clockinthemorningmylittleVolkswagenstoppedinfrontofthesignoftheforge.BackatBadSedeberg,mysecondaide-de-camphadheardtheannouncementofthedeathofHitlerontheradio.Instantlyhehadunderstoodthateverythingwasabouttofalltopieces.Hehadturnedbackand,forasecondtime,hadgoneagainstthetideofretreatthrough the night to saveme.After eight hours of strivinghe succeeded inmaking thefortykilometers.

Istartedoutimmediately.

Thousandsoftruckshadcollidedontheroads.

The closer we came to Lübeck, the harder it was to move. The Allied tanks werepushingatourbackslikemadmen.

TenkilometersfromLübecktheroadwentthroughaforestbeforecomingtothetown.Everythingwas snarledup.ColumnsofhugeblueandwhiteSwedishRedCross truckswere trying to move toward the east to help the freed political prisoners who werehurryingawayfromWarenandSchwerin.They,too,werefleeingthetroopsoftheUSSR.

With everyone wanting to get through, no one could get through any longer. I tookextraordinary measures and hoisted my Volkswagen to the top of a local tramwayembankmentthatpassednearby.Thuswecrossedthelastkilometerliketightropewalkers,bumpety-bumpalongthetiesandtherails.

ThesunshoneinLübeck.TheproudHanseaticcityhadsufferedrelativelylittlefromthebombardments.61ItsnoblehousesofweatheredbrickanditsGothicbuildingsfromthegloriouscenturieswhentheoceangoingshipsoftheTeutonicHansawhitenedthewatersoftheBalticandtheNorthSeawerestillstandingagainstthebrilliantsky.

AteverycrossroadsmyFeldgendarmesawaitedtheWallonianandFlemishvolunteersto direct them toward Bad Sedeberg. I found a first contingent of them at the Lübeckbarracks.As soon as the greater part of the troops rejoined us,wewould form a solidsquareatBadSedebergforwhateverpurposeitmightbeneeded.

ForIhadmadeafirmresolution.Eitherthefateoftheanti-Bolshevikvolunteerswouldbepreciselysettledatthetimeofthearmisticeor,asaforeignunit,wewouldnotconsiderourselvesboundbytheGermannegotiators.Wewouldfightlikehellaslongaspossibleuntil we had been guaranteed a humane and honorable surrender. To help toward thissolution,sinceIwasthefounderoftheLegion,IdecidedtogivemyselfuptotheBelgianpoliticalpolice—butontheconditionthatmyblood,offeredasatributetohatred,wouldbuythesalvationofmycompanionsoftheEasternFront.Otherwisewewouldcontinuetofightwithallwehadafterthearmistice.

Mysoldiersweren’tciphers.Ourlaststandwouldbememorable.

Alas!Afewhourslaterthegatheringstormsmashedmyplans.ItriedtoachievethemagainatCopenhagenandevenatOslo,butatyphoonwasnowblowingusallaway.

I stayed at the Lübeck barracks until the beginning of the afternoon. I sent a firstdetachment of officers and soldiers to Bad Sedeberg. I would join them later aftermymeetingwithHimmler.ThenIleftforMalente.

The softly rolling countryside was cool and harmonious: pine groves, birch woods,broaddeepgreenpastures,blueandblacklakesborderedbyvillasandhotels.Iwentfirstthroughthe lovely little townofEutin. I foundHimmler’scommandpost inafarmatadistancefromMalente.

Himmlerwasn’t there.Thenewswasparticularly catastrophic.TheBritishhad takenSchwerinandcutoffthearmyreturningfromMecklenburg.Theatmosphereofthehousewasmacabre.

Highpoliceofficials,theirbacksbent,werepacingandwhisperingintheroomsofthefarm.TheygravelyexplainedtomethatHimmlerhadgone,nooneknewwhere,andthatnooneknewwhetherhewouldeverreturn.

IgotbackintomyVolkswagen.WeWalloonswerenowonourown.AndIstartedoffagaintowardthesouthbytheLübeckandBadSedebergroads.

Itwasfouro’clockintheafternoon.

IhadjustcomethroughthethicketsatMalenteandreachedtheEutinhighwaywhenIsawmore problems. Every kilometer had been blasted with orgiastic fury by the low-flyingBritishTiefflieger.Wretchedwomen and little girlswith their legs twisted, tibiasbrokenbyhorribleincendiarycartridges,layintheembankmentsandatthethresholdsofthehousesvainlywaitingforhelp.

ItwasanapocalypsefromLübecktoEutin.Hundredsofrefugees’cartsandhundredsofmilitarytruckswereinflames.Therewasnothingleftofthehighwaybutacolumnoffire.Allthedriversofvehicleswereflatintheembankmentsorrunninginthefields.

You could read the area’s roadmaps just by looking at the sky. TheTiefflieger weredivinginranksofsixatatime,firing,makingawideturn,andonceagainresumingtheirhellishwork.

I continued on until the minute the Tiefflieger began their dive. Then I drove myVolkswagenbetween two truckson fire. Itwas thebestplace.Thevehiclewasmoreorlesshiddeninthewhirlwindofflamesandsmoke.OncethefiringstoppedIjumpedintothecaragainandgainedfivehundredmetersbeforethenextattackswoopeddown.

AGerman driver toldme that theBritishwere at Lübeck. I didn’t believe him. TheGermantroopswerestilloccupyingHamburgthatmorning.No,itwasnonsense.Itwasn’tpossible.

We came to the fork of the Bad Sedeberg road. The machine-gun fire there wasterrifying.Soldierswerecomingfromthesideroadsrunninglikemadmen.

Imoved up close to amajorwhowas questioning them.They all had trucks on firenearby.Theyall reported thesamenews.Lübeckhadsurrenderedat fouro’clock in theafternoon without a single shot being fired. There were more than twenty thousandwoundedinthehospitalsofthetown.Thebridgeshadfallenintact.TheBritishtankswere

coming,justaheadofus.

“AndBadSedeberg?”

Thatwasthefinalblow.BadSedebergtoohadfallen.

Hamburg had been declared an open city that very morning. The British tanks hadcrossed through it immediately and gone on to the north for more than a hundredkilometerswithout any fighting.TheTieffliegerwere devastating everything in front ofthem.BadSedeberghadbeenoccupiedduringthecourseoftheafternoon.

I was stunned. At noon I had been with my comrades who had escaped fromMecklenburg.Within hourswewere torn apart. I could not save them or endure thesehoursofanguishwiththem.Ihadnooneleftexcepttwoofficersandasoldier.Everythinghadfallenin.Thecatastrophehadhitmelikeatowercollapsingonapasser-by.Therewasnothingleftbuttoescapetheadvancingstorm.

InspiteofeverythingIhopedtofindsomeofmyboysinDenmark.

TwohundredofourmenhadbeensenttoRostockintime.Surelytheyhadbeenabletotaketotheseafromthere.

Otherswhohadn’tbeenabletogettoLübeckintimemustalsohavereachedthecoast.Mymen had becomemasters of resourcefulness.Where no one else got through, theyalways got through. But I was four hundred kilometers from Copenhagen. TheVolkswagenwas shaky,withonly thirty litersofpotatoalcohol in reserve,and the roadwasablaze.

AslongasIwasaliveIresolvedtohopeandfight.Iheadednorth.

The gunfire of the Tieffliger threatened to destroy my little car. Several bullets hadpassedthroughitalreadywithoutdamaginganythingvital.

Hundreds of burning trucks blocked the road. Speer, theminister, whose automobilewascaughtintheconfusion,wastryingtoclearthewayhimself.Hewassurroundedbythemembers of the Todt staff office, all wearing stunning pistachio and gosling greenuniforms,likeMardiGrasrevelers.Aweirdtouchinachaoticscene.

Idrovealongthesidefieldandmadeafewkilometersthroughthefurrows.Suddenlyalongblackcarcameoutofasideroad.Averypalemanwithintensefeatureswearingaleatherhelmetwasatthewheel.Irecognizedhim.ItwasHimmler.

IracedafterhiminmylittleVolkswagen.

KIEL-COPENHAGEN

Iwouldn’thavebeenable tostaywithHimmler’spowerfulcar,but Ihadspottedhisdirection.HewasgoingtoMalente.MywobblyVolkswagenmadeittothecourtyardoftheSSReichsführer’svillajustassomepoliceofficialsweregettingintotheircars.

HimmlerwasgivingorderstotwoSSgenerals.Irecognizedoneofthemasaverygoodfriend, the famous Professor Gebhardt, doctor to the Belgian king, Leopold III. As I

approached,Himmlerbehavedinthemostfriendlymannertowardme.

Hisself-controlwasimpressive.Everythingwaslost,especiallyforhim,butheshowedremarkablecalm.Iaskedhimwhatheplannedtodo.“IamGerman,”hereplied.“IwillnotleaveGermansoil.”Hekepthisword.

Somewhere along a road near Lüneburg his body lies today in the embrace of thatGermanearth.

HeadvisedmetogettoCopenhagenimmediatelyandtoregroupmysoldiersthere.TheGerman governor of Denmark, Dr. Best, was close to him. He had given him allinstructionsonthismatter.

Hisbrightlittleeyesblinkedinthehalf-lightofthedusk.He,whohadalwaysbeensocurtandsodiscreetabouthisfeelings,tookmyhandsforcefully.“Youhavebeenamongthe faithful, you and yourWalloons,” he said. “You were the last to stay by our sidethroughthefightingandthemisfortune.OnedayGermanywillremember.”

He gave some brief orders and took the wheel. Just as he was starting he suddenlyrolleddown thewindowandhammeredout thesewords, “Degrelle,youwillbeneededoneday.Everythingwillchangequickly.Gainyourselfsixmonths.Youmustlive.”

Hestartedoff.Somefifteenbigcarsfellinbehindhis,goingnorth.

OnehourlaterIcaughtupwithhisentourageagain.Theroadwasbrokenbyahundredshellholes.Peoplewere turningback toward thesouth.Fourkilometers in frontofusalargeaerialfleetwasoverKiel.

Himmlerdirectedthecarstoalittlesideroad.Bombspoureddownontheharbor.

There was a halt. The column started off again. A new wave of Allied bombersappeared.Wewereatthethresholdofthetown.Wehadtoleavethecarsonthepavementandthrowourselvesintothemuddygardens.Himmler’stwosecretaries,onealankydark-hairedgirlwiththinlegs,andtheothersmallandheavyset,werescurryingaboutamongthegeneralsandthepolice.Thepoorgirlshadapparentlylosttheirshoesinthemuck.TorestoresomeorderintotheexpeditionHimmlerexhorted,“Discipline,men,discipline!”

Heorderedhispeoplebackintothebigcars.Theyleftonceagaininsearchofshelter.Theydidn’treturn.IhadpartedwithHimmlerforever.

ThepoundingofKielwentonforseveralhours.Bombsfellbythehundredsveryclosetous.Theearthresoundedlikearagingsea.Giganticflasheslitthesky.Finallywewereabletoslipthroughtheheapsofrubble,thetorn-uptramlines,andthecrowdcomingoutofthesheltersinsepulchralsilence.

Wecrossed thegreatbridgeofKiel.MyVolkswagenbegan tobackfire repeatedly. Ithad seen toomuch and done toomuch. In the end it stopped, in dead earnest, its rodsseized.Itwasaboutthreeo’clockinthemorning.

TheAllieshadtobeadvancingonalltheroads.Wouldwebebeatenbyabreakdown?

Lackingamapoftheregion,wehadgoneastrayinthedarkness.Wefoundourselves

onalittledesertedroad.Luckilyanautomobilepassedatdaybreak.Weclimbeduponthefenders.MypoorVolkswagenstayedsadlyon theroad,having lost thewar,waitingfortheBritish.

During the morning we arrived at Flensburg, where a general gave me anotherVolkswagen.Byoneo’clockintheafternoonwewereinDenmark,amongrichandgoldenpastureswithclumpsoftrees,mills,andwhitefarmswithlittleblue,green,andbrightredshuttersoutlinedinthedistance.

InDenmark,aswell,wecouldsensethattheendhadcome.

The retreatingGerman troopswere absolutely forbidden to cross theGerman-Danishborder.Wehadbeenblockedforanhourbythecustomsofficers.IthadtakenatelephonecallfromMarshallKeiteltoconvincetheofficerstoletuscontinueonourway.

InfrontofusalineofSwedishRedCrosscarsweretransportinghundredsofpoliticalprisoners freed from German concentration camps. In every town an enormous crowdpushedforwardtocheerthem.OurlittleSSautomobile,atthetailoftheprocession,didn’texactlyenjoysuchbrilliantsuccess.Themenshowedustheirfistsandthewomenflippedupthebackoftheirskirts.

Weweretheonlyonesinuniform,minglingquite involuntarilywiththesecontinuingdemonstrations. It was impossible to pass the convoy.We had to pass through grassyJutlandthatway,crossthelittleBeltoverthemagnificentbridgeofFredericiaandthengoacrossthewholeislandofFynasfarastheportofNyborg.

ThetownofNyborgwasalreadyvirtuallyinastateofsiege.TheGermantroopswerekeeping themselves behind thick curtains of barbed wire, as if they wanted to internthemselves.

We now had to cross the Great Belt by boat. The atmosphere was terribly electric.NumerousGermanshipsloadedwithtensofthousandsofrefugeesfromtheReichwerewaitingintheport,butdidn’triskdisembarkingtheirpeople.

They began by loading the Swedish Red Cross trucks onto a first ferry. The freedprisonerswerecheeredandcoveredwithflowers.Thecrowdsanghymns.WeourselvesexpectedtobechuckedintotheGreatBeltfromoneminutetothenext.

Thewaitlastedfourhours.Finallywemadethecrossing.Thecrewmenwereextremelysurly.ThenightwasverydarkwhenwedisembarkedattheislandofSjaelland.

The countryside was infested with guerillas. We still had more than a hundredkilometerstocrossbeforereachingCopenhagen.Itwastwoo’clockinthemorningwhenwepassedbythebarbedwirefencesthatpreventedaccesstotheGermanbuildingsofthetownsquare.

Mycalculationshadprovencorrect.AgroupofWalloonsoldierswhohadcomebyseawerealreadyinCopenhagen!Wemetoneanotherwithgreatshoutsofjoy.

WehadanunderstandingwithGeneralPancke,theSScommanderinDenmark,thatas

ourmenarrivedtheywouldbesenttoNorway,wherewewouldregroupandfaceevents.

There the last anti-Communist front was to be found. The three hundred thousandGermansoldierswhoweremassed therewerewellarmedandsupplied.Theywouldbeabletofightforalongtime.Theirsurrenderwouldbethelastandwouldprobablyhavethebenefitofbetterconditions.

Ifixedallthedetailsforthetransferofmymen.ItwasunderstoodthatthedepartureoftheWalloonsforOslowouldbegintheverynextday.

These preparations calmed us. The sun was hot. We leaned on our elbows in thewindows. The town square of Copenhagen swarmed with activity. It was market day.Jugglerswerecirculating,clowning.Wewatchedthecolorfulspectaclewith theamusedeyesoftourists.

TheSSgeneralhadofferedtoputmeupat“VikingHouse,”hiscountryquarters,bytheseaonthewayoutoftown.Thehousewasvacant.Iwouldbeabletorestabit.ThenextmorningaplanewouldtakemetoOslo.

Theafternoonwasmarvelous.Thevillawasinperfecttaste.Attheendofthelawntheseastretchedoutblue-grayandpeaceful,withtinywavelets.

Thateveningwewereservedacopiousdinner.InspiteofthewarDenmarklivedwell:pastries,butter,cream,eggs,bacon,themostdiversedelicacieswereallplentiful.

Mymindwasonalert,however.Ilistenedtotheradio.Itwasperhapsnine-thirty.InaGermantransmissiontherewastalkaboutthecapitulationofDenmark.Irushedfromsetto set and finally heard the fateful sentence, “The [German] forces in Denmark havesurrendered unconditionally. They will lay down their weapons tomorrow morning ateighto’clock.”

ItriedtotelephonetheSSoffice.Icouldhearnothingonthephoneexceptthehowlingofadeliriouscrowdassaultingthebuildings.Allthebellsintownwereringing.

Alotofgoodithaddoneustorun!

Themousetraphadshut.

PARTISANSANDENGLISH

ItwastheeveningofFriday,May4,1945.

Wedrewupthebalancesheet,mytwoaides-de-camp,thedriver,andI.ThesurrenderofthearmiesofthenorthernReichandDenmarkwasafact.WewerealoneatthefarendofCopenhageninanabsolutelyunknowndistrict.WewereoccupyingthevillaoftheSSgeneral,whichwouldcertainlynotbetteroursituation.

Theyoungestofmyofficerswasjumpy.

“Tomorrow,” he kept repeating, “it will be too late. We have to find a solutionimmediately.I’mgoingtotheGermanstaffoffice.”

He took thedriverandplantedasubmachinegunbetweenhisknees.Aquarterofan

hour later in the center of the town, he fell into a frenzy of riots. Theywere attackingisolated soldierswhohadn’tgotoutof theway in time.Theofficer, thedriver, and theautomobilewerestruckdowninthisobscuretragedy.

Ateleveno’clockin theeveningthebalancesheetwasevenclearer.Therewereonlytwoofus.Wedidn’thaveacaranymore.Wedidn’thaveanyone’saddress.

Akeygratedinthelock.Thedooropened.Amanentered.

ItwasaGermancivilianinconvalescenceatCopenhagen.Hewaslodging—wehadn’tknownitatall—inthesamevillaaswewere.

Thisfellowhadbeengonesincenoontotakeawalkalongthesea.Hewascomingbackin to sleep. The war was over? That was none of his business. He was no soldier.Thereforehewouldawaiteventsphilosophically.

He got undressed, put on somepale green pajamapants andwent on to eat the horsd’oeuvreswehadleft.

Webroughthimbacktoreality.Ourcaseseemedtohimabitmorecomplicatedthanhisown.

“Don’tyouknowasinglepersonwhomightliveinthearea?”weaskedhim.

Heslowlychewedaneggwithmayonnaise,pausingagain.“Yes,”hesaid,“theGermangovernorofDenmarklivesfiveminutesfromhere.”

We didn’t make him repeat it. My last aide-de-camp put on civilian clothing andimmediately left forDr.Best’s residence.We foundhimslouched inhiskitchenbehindnineteensuitcasesandquitedesperate.Hecouldn’tseeasinglewayleftofgettingusoutoftheCopenhagenwasp’snest.

“I’mgoingtotryeverything,”hesaid.“Ifit’sstillpossible,anavalofficerwillcomeforyouinanhourandtrytoputyouonaboat.”

Wewaitedallnightlyinginthevestibule.Noonecame.

Inthemorningredandwhite[Danish]flagswereflyingatthetopsofpolesonallthevillasintheneighborhood.Amotorboatwaspatrollinginfrontofourterraceahundredmeters out to sea.Trucks packedwith helmeted “partisans”withmachine guns in theirhands were passing like whirlwinds down the boulevard. Everyone pointed out VikingHouse.

Wewouldcertainlybeattackedbeforetoolong.

Theservantshadgoneforinformation.Thetownwasinfull-fledgedriot.Germanshadbeenmurderedby thepopulace.Several thousandguerrillasweremastersof thestreets.TheGermanofficesatthecenterofCopenhagenhadbeensurroundedbyafuriousmob.

We almost envied our comrades who were besieged back there. They at least weretogetherandcoulduniteuntil thearrivalof theBritish troops.Wetwowere liable tobelynchedatanymoment.

Fromthetowncameviolentnoisesofcombat.Therewasmachine-gunfireandevencannonfire.Itwasarathernoisysurrender.Weaskedourselveswhenandhowwewouldbeengulfed.

Suddenly a blue limousine with Danish plates stopped in front of the door. A manhastenedup.

“Getintocivilianclothesrightawayandjumpintomycar.”

In a few seconds we had put a pair of trousers and a civilian jacket on over ouruniforms.

“We’regoingtotrytogothroughtown,”thedriver,averystylishlydressedgentlemantwometerstall,saidtous.

“Andifwe’reattacked?”

“Thenthere’snothingtobedone.You’llhavetoleaveallyourweaponshere,evenyourrevolvers.The troopsofDenmarkhavecapitulated.Wehave to respect thewordof theReich.”

Weemptiedourpockets.

Thecarstartedoffdowntheavenue.

Our driver was an officer in civilian dress. With magnificent loyalty, Dr. Best hadorderedeverythingdonetosaveus.Hewasriskingalot.SomeGermanshipswerestilloccupyingacornerof theCopenhagenharbor.Weweregoing to try toget to them.Wewouldhavetodrivethroughtheentiretownbeforereachingthem.

Wehadscarcelystartedintotheboulevardswhenweencounteredthefirstbarriers.Sixpartisanswithleveledmachinegunswerecuttingoffthewayfromonecrossroadstothenext.

Our guide pretended to stop, then gave a friendlywave of his hand to the sentinels.Thesethoughttheyhadtodowithoneoranotherofthebigchiefsofthepartisans.Takingadvantageof their surprise, ourGermanofficer immediately steppedon the accelerator.Wepassedhalfadozenbarriersthatway.

Thefurtherwewentintothecenteroftown,themoreintensewasthecongestion.AllCopenhagenwas in the streets.The carwent forward onlywith great difficulty. Peoplegaveusstrangestares.

Weveeredoffonseveralsidestreetsandendedupcomingbacktotheboulevardfiftymeters away from a snarling crowd thatwas attacking a building. Theywere draggingciviliansoutontotheground.Groupsofpartisanswereblockingtheway.

Wehadonlyasecondtorushintoasidealley.Whenthecarhadswungintoit,itwastoolatetogoback.Wehadenteredrightintothecourtyardofabarracksoccupiedbythe“Resistance.”

Ourdriver,unflappable,drovestraightin,madeadazzlingturn,scaledaconcretetanktrap,andexitedthelairwithperfectease.Wepassednearthedeliriouscrowdandheaded

intotheneighboringlanesatfullthrottle.

Ourdriver knewCopenhagen admirably.He succeeded innearing theharbordistrict,drivingfromsidestreettosidestreet.

Fromtimetotimewewouldfindourselvesconfrontedbyahugethrongpillagingthehouseofa“collaborator.”Theywouldloadthehalf-stunnedciviliansintovans.Eachtimewehadtoswervesuddenlytoavoidfallingintothemiddleofthepack.

Unfortunately we had to pass over a Copenhagen station to reach the harbor. Howwouldwekeepfrombeingtrappedwhenwetriedtocrossoneofthelongguardedbridgesthatstraddledthelines?

Itwasthenthatmyformergoodluckoncemoreruledmydestiny.Heavymachine-gunfirehadbrokenoutjustthatminute.TheDanishCommunistshadtriedtoseizetheharborpetroleumdepotafewhundredmetersaway.TheGermanshadviolentlyresistedwithallthe weapons at their disposal, including anti-aircraft guns. There was a desperatescramble.Civilians, terrorists,andpartisansentinelsfled,rushingintothehouses.God’ssecond!Ourautomobileracedforward,crossedthethirtyorfortymetersofnarrowbridgelikeanarrow,madeawidecurve,camedownagain,andstoppedinfrontofagate.Weweresaved.Wewereattheentrancetotheharbor.

EventhereDanishpartisanswithrevolversintheirhandsanddisarmedGermansoldiersmingledonewithanother.DiscreetlyIshowedmydecoration,withitsOakLeaves,whichIheldhiddeninthepalmofmyhand,toanavalofficer.Withaninnocentair,hehadmesitdown inaboat that tookus,myaide-de-campand I, to the shipof a commanderofeighteenminesweepers.

The Copenhagen anchorage was a moving spectacle. Facing this town gone mad, awholeGermanfleet,comprisingmagnificentships like thePrinzEugen,wasmoored inthe blue bay. The flags of theKriegsmarine still flew proudly atop the masts. Twentythousandmenwereaboard.

But these splendid boats, already chained to fixed moorings, would be prey for theAllies thiseveningor tomorrow.Had Iescaped the terrorists tobesweptupnowat theanchoragebytheBritish?

Thecommanderoftheminesweeperswasadeterminedofficer.

“Our Norwegian armies weren’t included in the capitulation,” he repeated. “Perhapsthereisachancetogetthere.”

But the admiral, consulted, replied that any idea of leaving for Norway had to beabandoned.

Thetownglitteredinthesun.Atthreeo’clockintheafternoonthecommandershowedmearadio-telegram.ABritishairbornedivisionwasgoingtoland.AquarterofanhourlateraBritishairplanepassedaboveourmasts,turned,andlandedbeforeoureyesattheCopenhagenairport.

Atfiveo’clockintheeveningtheskywasfilledwithanimmenserumbling.HundredsofBritishtransportplaneswerelandingattheairportafewkilometersawayfromus.

Sixo’clockintheevening.

Motorcycles and jeeps were unloaded from the vast cabins. The Tommies took offtoward the town.The crowd cheered themdeliriously.Anyminutewewould see themcomeoutontothequays.

Mycommander’seyeswereglittering.Hetookmefraternallybytheshoulders.

“No,no,”heexclaimed,“ItwillnotbesaidthatGermanyabandonedyou.”

Hehailedtheyoungcommanderofaminesweeper.

“You’regoingtobreakapassagethrough,”hesaidtohim.“IwantyoutogettoOslowithDegrelle.”

Ahandsomewarshipapproached,asgreyasthewaterandasnarrowandslenderasahare.Iputonabigsheepskincoatandmovedtostarboard.Atsix-thirtyin theevening,rightinfrontoftheBritish,whowereshowingoffonthestreetsanddocks,wesetsailatfullspeedtowardthecoastofSweden,thenstraightnorth.

Oslo,May7,1945

On thebowof thewarshiponwhich Iwasescaping fromCopenhagen inextremis, Ifoundarevivingbalminthesharparomaofthesea.

On theSwedish coast the reflectionsof twilightweredyingout.The shorewasveryclose.Ilookedatthewhitewashedwalls,thetallpinkchimneys,andthedarkeninghills.On the Danish coast the green roofs of Elsinore [Helsingor] were outlined against thetwilight,moreromanticthanever.

Theseawasnothingbutawiderivernow.IwasinahurrytogetoutofthisbottleneckandreachtheKattegat,toseethecolorsofthehostileskymeltaway.

EveningcamewithoutourhavingbeencaughtbyBritishplanes.Thebreezewasbrisk.I leanedonmyelbowsrightat thebowtodream,tocatchtheroughcaressof thenorthwind and the spray, and to watch the lights of a million stars. The sea shimmered,glimmered,andshonetoinfinity.Itwastranquilandsoothing.

Ourwarshipwasfast.IfwewantedtoescapeamassiveairattackwehadtoreachthefjordsofNorwayearlyinthemorning.

No one on boardwas authorized to sleep, forwemight run into somemines at anyminute.But the seawaswide. Therewas enough room for both themines and us.Wedidn’thitasingleone.

ThreetimesduringthenightAlliedplanescameprowlingabovethemasts.Thesailorstoldustheharassmentatseawasasfierceasonland.

Thenightwasclear.

The British planes contented themselves with coming down very low, almost to the

water level. We carefully refrained from showing any reaction. They must have beenwonderingwhatweweredoingin theKattegatwhenthewar inDenmarkwasover,buttheydidn’tinsist.Wewerepoliteandimitatedtheirdiscretion.

Ateighto’clockinthemorningwesawthebigbrownandblackrocksofNorway.WecameintothedazzlingOslofjord.Notaboatonthehorizon.Thewaterwasicyblueandsmoothasmetal.Onthebanksvillasbuiltofwoodandpaintedblue,brown,white,ordarkgreenwerehalfhiddeninthefirs.IthoughtabouttheReich’slandingfleet,advancingonan equally luminousmorning inApril 1940, as the fjord’s black rocks glistened in theshiningwater.

We advanced for two hours. Past the harbor entrance, roofs, church towers, docks,cranes,andelevatorsemerged.

Oslo.Itwasteno’clockinthemorning.Asirenansweredus.Wedrewupalongsidetwopocketsubmarines,hardlybiggerthencanoesandyellowlikedryingtobaccoleaves.

ThecityofOsloissetattheendofoneofthemostradiantinletsinEurope.Thetownwasstillsleeping.ItwasSunday.Anoccasionaltramwouldpass.Wetelephoned,andanautomobilecameforus.IttookustowardthemountainsthatlinedtheOslofjordonthesouthwest.

Theweatherwasperfect.

Thousandsofgirlswithsplendidfiguresoutlinedbylightpajamasinshimmeringcolorswereridingbicyclesalongthecreeks,thegreyandbrownrocks,andtheblackfirs.Theywereheadingtowardthewoodedhills.

Westoppedtwicetoasktheway.Thebicyclistsstaredatus.Everyheadshook“no.”Inspite of the countryside, the blond locks, the coquettish red or blue trousers of thesecharmers,inspiteofthesunandthebrillianceofthespring,thewaranditssurlinesscamethroughfirst.

WecametoCrownPrinceOlaf’scastleontopofamountain,whereIwastomeettheGermangovernorofNorway,Dr.Terboven.He receivedme immediately,his facenon-committal,hislittleeyesblinkinglikethoseofHimmler.

Iexplainedmyplantohim.IwantedtojointhenorthernfrontofNorwaypromptly.AslongasthewaragainstCommunismcontinued,wewantedtoaffirmthepresenceofourLegioninthestruggle.OtherWalloonswouldrejoinuswithoutdelay.

Dr.Terbovenmusthavereceivedparticularlydiscouragingnews.Heshookhishead.HetalkedtomeofSwedenandJapan.IhadbeenthinkingintermsofNarvikandtheNorthCape.

He had an old French cognac brought out and offered me some very satisfyingsandwiches. From the castle terrace the view extended over the gulf, an immense,unforgettable symphony of dark blues, whites, browns, and greens.With the world sobeautifulwhydidsomuchfuryravagetheheartsofmen?

Dr.TerbovenhadreservedanapartmentformeinOslo.Hewouldkeepmeinformedofevents.Iwentbackdownintotheiridescentvalley.IcouldnolongerseehowIwasgoingtogetoutofit.

Itookabathandlistenedtotheradio.TheAllieswereexultant,butIwasexhaustedandfellasleep.

The next day,Monday,May 7, 1945, I heard thewarriors of Radio London baying.Theytrumpetedtheendofthehunt.ThegeneralsurrenderoftheReichwasarranged.Itwasnolongeramatterofhours,maybeonlyofminutes.

TheNorwegianprimeminister,Quisling,whomIhadn’tyetmet,hadinvitedmetotheRoyalPalace.

Iarrivedateleven-thirty,afterastrollinthestreets.Thepalacewasnothingmuch.Twolargeandattractivetapestrieshunginthewhitemarblegrandstaircase.Theroyalfurniturewas worn. In front of the palace a classic thundering monarch, speckled with birddroppings,wasridingamassivegreenbronzestallion.

Quislingseemedcrushedby fate.Wemadesmall talk forhalfanhour.Terbovenhadasked me to calm him, which eliminated most subjects of conversation. He gave theimpressionofbeingdevouredfromwithin.Hisfacewaspuffy,hiseyeswanderedineverydirection,hisfingerstappedthetable.Themanfeltlost.

Iwashislastvisitor.ThatafternoonhehurriedtotheSwedishborder,wasturnedback,andreturnedtoOslothatnight,nolongerknowingintowhichfjordtothrowhimself.Hewasshotafewmonthslater.

These events hadn’t shaken the hotel’s burgundy. I drank a delectable bottle of it atlunch, but the radio keptme from fully enjoying it.At two o’clock in the afternoon itannouncedastatementfromtheReich’snewMinisterofForeignAffairs.

Aspeechbythismaninsuchcircumstances?Iguessedeveryparagraphofitbeforeasinglewordhadbeenspoken.ThesurrenderoutsidetheReichwascomplete:inBohemia,in Lithuania, in Crete, at the French ports of the Atlantic Ocean. The three hundredthousandmenofNorwayweregivingthemselvesupliketheothers.WhyshouldGermanyhavegoneon fightingandhavesacrificedGerman livesnow that the lastmetersofhersoilwereconqueredfromSchleswigtotheSudetes?

The troops of the Reich in Scandinavia were treated correctly — repatriated andliberated.TheGermanforcesinCreteevenobtainedthehonorsofwar.Theywentbacktotheircountryarmed.

Butforus,thelastforeignvolunteers,itwastheabyss.

Istayedat thewindowthewholeafternoon.Whatwasthegoodoffeelingsad?IhaddonewhatIcould.Ihadheldonrighttotheend,obstinately,withoutflinching.Therewasnopointingoingnorthagain.TheNorthCape,too,hadcapitulated.

The crowdwasmassing in the streets,more dignified than inCopenhagen.Thegirlswere waving flags. German soldiers were still moving about without any Norwegianattacking them.The brawls, executions, and suicides began onlywith the arrival of thepartisans,whocamedownfromtheneighboringmountainsthenextday.

IwaitedfornewsfromDr.Terboven.Atsixo’clockintheeveninghehadmecalledtothepalaceofPrinceOlaf.

Dr.TerbovenandhisfriendGeneralRediesswelcomedme.Theywereheroicallycalm.Nevertheless their bodieswould both be found the nextmorning, revolvers in their icyhands,neitheronehavingwantedtoturnNorwayovertothevictors.

Wegazedagain,together,atthedazzlinglandscape.Aheadwaiterintailsserveddrinksasifwewereatagardenpartyonaninnocentspringafternoon.

Dr. Terboven then said to me in a grave voice, “I have asked Sweden to give youasylum.Shehasrefused.AsubmarinecouldperhapshavetakenyouasfarasJapan,butthecapitulationisabsolute.Submarinescannolongerleave.”

“At the airport at the footof themountain there is still aprivateplane. It belongs toMinisterSpeer.DoyouwanttotakeyourchancesandtrytoreachSpaintonight?”

Wemadesomecalculations.FromOslotothePyreneeswasabouttwenty-onehundredandfiftykilometersinadirectline.Intheorytheplanehadarangeoftwenty-onehundredkilometers.

Byflyingveryhightosavefuelitwasn’timpossibletogetthere.

Ihadnochoice.

Iaccepted.

Ihadriskedmylifeeverydayfortwoweeks.Iwouldriskitonelasttime.

OncemoreIwentbacktoOslo,swarmingwithahugecrowd.Thehotelhadcompletelyemptied.Allthedoorswerewideopen.Eventhestaffhaddisappeared.

Ihadtowait;wecouldn’ttakeoffbeforeitwascompletelydark.Iwouldhavetogetintotheairfieldsecretly.

Ateleveno’clockintheeveningamagnificentfrizzy-hairedpilotwithhandsasbigasflippers,decoratedwiththeGermanCrossinGold,broughtalittleautomobileupinfrontofthehotel.TogetherwithmylastofficerIgotin.

Thecrowdwasdemonstratingeverywhereinthestreets.IwasstillintheuniformofaWaffen SS colonel, and I was wearing the Oak Leaves and the Knight’s Cross ribbonaround my neck. Tens of thousands of tall blond boys and girls with perfect featurescrowdedthestreets,buttheymovedasidesmilingtoletthecarpass.

Notasingleanti-tankbarrierhadbeenconstructedoutsideofOslo.Ourpilotbroughtusupunderthewingsoftheplaneinthedarknesswithoutanyone’snoticingus.

Theaidestooktheirplaces.

Oneminutelaterwewereinthesky.

ChapterEleven

THEDIEISCAST

MyfirstfeelingwhentheairplaneleftNorwegiansoilwasoneofrelief.Intakingoffwehad cut the lastmooring ropes of uncertainty.Noweverythingwas clear.When theairplanelandedeitherwewouldhavesucceededorwewouldbeirremediablylost.

Thedieiscast.Lifeordeath!Soonwewoulddefinitelyknowwhich.Wedidn’thavetodoanymorethinking,planning,andweighing.

It was almost midnight. The war had in fact been over since the German radiotransmissionat1400hours.Nonethelessthecapitulationwouldnotbeofficiallyinforceuntilthenextday,May8,1945.

Wewerebetweenwarandpeace,asbetweenearthandsky.Weflewforatimeabovethe Skagerrak. From this time on, only the compass on our instrument panel and themarvelousskillof thepilotwouldguideus in thestorm.Naturallywecouldn’t takeourbearingsfromtheradio.Wedidn’tevenhaveamapofEurope.

Allinallouraviatorshadamagnificentmap…ofNorway.

OneofthemhadinadditionaminusculemapofFrancethatcamefromapocketatlas.Itlavishlydisplayedthreerivers:theSeine,theLoire,andtheRhone.

Weclimbedtofourthousandmetersinordertosavefuel,butastormquicklyforcedustoflyfairlylow.

Obviouslyanisolatedplaneflyinglikethatacrosstwothousandkilometersofoccupiedterritorywithoutanyprotectionwouldruntwentytimestheriskofbeingbroughtdown.Our only chance of salvation lay in themonster celebration that had been going on allafternoonintheAlliedcamp.

On all the airfields in theWest the victors were in the process of swilling rivers ofchampagne andwhiskey.Thousands ofBritish andAmerican combat pilots, freed fromthe worry of nocturnal missions, would be on the edge — or in the depths — ofinebriation at the hour ourHeinkelwas crossing their surveillance zones.Of all nights,thiswastheonetopullitoff.

Besides, who would imagine that a solitary plane still proudly bearing its swastikaswoulddare fly overHolland,Belgium, and thewhole ofFrance, now that thewarwasover?Aboveall,whowouldimaginethatoneoftheReich’splaneswouldcomeoutoftheNorth Sea from along the coast of Scotland?We had taken care, in truth, to use thisstratagem,headingfirststraighttowardEngland,thenapproachingtheEuropeancontinentasifwewerecomingfromBritishshores.

I watched the dark lands beneath. Automobiles were hurrying along with theirheadlights on. Little towns shone like boxes of burning matches. Everywhere people

wouldbesinginganddrinking.

Itwasperhapsone-thirty in themorningwhen Inoticedadisturbingphenomenon.Abigsearchlighthadbeenturnedonbehindusandwasscanningthesky.

Myheartbegantobeatfaster.

Inspiteofthecelebrationsontheground,wehadbeenspotted.Searchlightswerenowprobing at our altitude. Others were lighting up far in front of us. The airfields wereoutlinedingreatsquaresoflight.Therunwaysshonelikewhitesheets.

Ourmachineflewasfastas itcouldtoescapethoseaccursedlights,butalwaysothersearchlightslitupandrosetowardusasthoughtoseizeus.

Glimmersoflightspatteredourwings.

The radiobegan tocrackle.TheAlliedobserverscalledus:“Whoareyou?Whatareyoudoing?”

Wedidn’treply.Wefled,pushingharderandharder.

Belgiumwasbelowme.Antwerpwas there,shining in thefirstnightof thereturnofpeace.Ithoughtaboutourrivers,ourroads,aboutallthetownswhereIhadspoken,theplains,thehills,theancienthousesIlovedsomuch.Thesepeoplewhowerethereunderthe plane, these people I hadwanted to raise, to ennoble, to bring back to the paths ofglory.Tomyleft Isawthe lightsofBrussels, thebigblacksplashof theSoignesforestthathadlongbeenmybelovedhome.

Ah!Thewretchednessofbeingbeatenandseeingone’sdreamdie!Igrittedmyteethtokeepfromsheddingtears.Itwasinthenightandthewind,pursuedbyabitterfate,thatIhadmylastrendezvouswiththeskyofmyhomeland.

WehadnotpassedLille.Alwaystheairfieldsearchlightsharassedus.

Butthefurthersouthwepenetrated,themorehopewehadofcheatingdeath.

WeapproachedParis,whichourHeinkelflewoverataverylowaltitude.Icouldmakeoutthestreetsandthesquares,silveryasdoves.

Wewerestillalive.Weflewover theBeauce, theLoire, theVendée.SoonwewouldreachtheAtlantic.

Thepilots,however,wereexchangingworriedlooks.Certainlywenowranlessriskofbeing brought down by theAllied anti-aircraft guns or night fighters. But the fuelwasrunninglow.

Thenightwasterriblydark.

I searched the ground anxiously. The luminous hands showed five o’clock in themorning. An ephemeral glow eased the darkness. I recognized it instantly. It was theGirondeestuary.Wewereontherightroute.

Wefollowedalongthesea.

Wecouldjustmakeouttheleapinglineofthewavesattheedgeofthebeach.Totheeast,attheveryendofthesky,thehorizonshimmeredalmostimperceptibly.

Wewererunninglowerandloweronfuel.

By the bluish lights on the instrument panel I scrutinized the drawn features of thepilots.

Theplaneslowedanddescended.

We passed oppositeArcachon. I had once lived there under the aromatic pines. TheharborwaslitupasifforBastilleDay.

FromadistancewefollowedtheblackmassoftheLandes,brokenbythegleaminglakeofBiscarosse.

TheHeinkelmisfiredanumberoftimes.

Oneofthepilotsbroughtuslifejackets.Thefuelgaugeshowedempty.Wemightfallintotheseaatanymoment.

With a tension that ate at my nerves I studied the probable line of the Pyrenees.Daybreakwasglimmeringfeebly.

Thepeaksofthemountainsoughttobevisible.Wecouldn’tseethem.

Theplanewasmisfiringmoreandmoreloudly.

Tothesoutheastadistantbluedcurvehemmedthesky.ThechainofthePyreneeswasthere.

ButcouldwestayintheairasfarastheSpanishcoast?

Becauseofthestormwehadflownalmosttwenty-threehundredkilometers.Wehadtotilttheairplane’swingstotheleft,thentotheright,tomakethelastlitersoffuelfromthetanksflowintothemotors.

I knew the region of Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz. I could barely make out thewhiteningbendofthePyrennesatthemouthoftheBidassoa.

Buttheplanewantednomoreofitandhadcomedownalmosttowaterlevel.WeweregoingtodietwentykilometersfromtheIberiancoast.

Wehadtoshoottheredshipwreckflares.TwomilitarypatrolboatsheadedtowarduscomingfromtheFrenchcoast.

What a tragedy!And to think that a searchlightwas now blinking in the distance, aSpanishsearchlight!

Itwas strange to see thewhite-capped crests of thewaves and the sea lapping closebeneathus,readytoswallowusup.Westillhadn’tfallenin.Thecoastwascomingcloser,pushingitsreefsandrockstowardusanditsgreenandblackpeaks,barelydetachedfromtheshadows.

Suddenlythepilotstoodtheplaneupvertically,almostturningitcompletelyover,andrevvingthemotorsoastocatchthelastdropsofpetrol.Thenhechargedoverarockyhilland,withanawfulracket,grazedseveralredroofs.

Wenolongerhadthetimetothink.

Wehadseenashortribbonofsandinaclearing.TheHeinkel,whichhadn’tlowereditslandinggear, slidon its fuselageat twohundredand fiftykilometersanhour. I saw therightmotorexplode,glowing likeaballof fire.Themachine turned, lunged toward thesea,wentintothewaves,andcrashed.

Thewaterfloodedintothebackcabinandroseuptoourwaists.Ihadfivefractures.OnthebeachatSanSebastianthecivilguardswithblacktwo-corneredhatsrushedbackandforthinagitation.SomeSpaniardsasnakedasTahitiansswamouttoourwreckedplane.

Theypulledusupontoawingof the twin-engine, then intoa launch.Anambulancevesselcamealongside.

Thistimethewarwasreallyover.

Wewerealive.Godhadsavedus.

Myinjuriesthemselveswereablessing.

Ispentmonthsinahospitalbed,butIhadkeptmystrengthandmyfaith.

Ihadn’texperiencedthebitternessoffallinguselesslyintothehandsofmyenemies.

I remained, a witness to my soldiers’ deeds. I could defend them from the lies ofadversariesunfeelingtoheroism.IcouldtelloftheirepicontheDonetsandtheDon,intheCaucasusandatCherkassy,inEstonia,atStargard,ontheOder.

One day the sacred names of our dead would be repeated with pride. Our people,hearingthese talesofglory,wouldfeel theirbloodquicken.Andtheywouldknowtheirsons.

Certainlywehadbeenbeaten.Wehadbeendispersedandpursuedtothefourcornersoftheworld.

Butwecouldlooktothefuturewithheadsheldhigh.Historyweighsthemeritofmen.Aboveworldlybaseness,wehadofferedupouryouthtototalimmolation.Wehadfoughtfor Europe, its faith, its civilization. We had reached the very height of sincerity andsacrifice.SoonerorlaterEuropeandtheworldwouldhavetorecognizethejusticeofourcauseandthepurityofourgift.

Forhatedies,suffocatedtodeathbyitsownstupidityandmediocrity.Butgrandeuriseternal.

Andwelivedingrandeur.

Notes

[←1]Walloniaisthehilly,southern,primarilyFrench-speakingregionofBelgium.

[←2]AmuzhikisaRussianpeasant.

[←3] The traditionalGerman name for present-dayLviv,Ukraine, also know asLvov inRussian andLwow in

Polish.

[←4]ARussianorUkrainianpeasant’scottage.

[←5]TheKulakswere farmersofRussiaand theUkrainewhoowned theirownfarmsandwereable toemploy

farm laborers. Degrelle alludes to their systematic “liquidation” in the early 1930s, duringwhich, on Stalin’sorders, they were deprived of their property, deported to forced labor camps, starved to death, andmurderedoutrightinhugenumbers.

[←6]AbbreviationfortheRussiankollektivnoyekhozyaynstvo,meaningSoviet-controlledagriculturalcommunity

andenterprise.

[←7]VariantofRussian,Ukrainianshapka,“cap.”

[←8]Present-dayDonetsk,Ukraine.

[←9]AbbreviationforGosudarstvennoyePolititsheskoyeUpravleniye,or“StatePoliticalAdministration.”At the

timeoftheSecondWorldWar,ithadbecomeknownastheNKVD.LateritbecameknownastheKGB.

[←10]AnallusiontotheHungarian-RomanianrivalryforTransylvania(nowpartofRomania),whichisborderedto

thenorth,east,andsouthbytheCarpathianMountains.ThePusztaisthegreatHungariansteppe.

[←11]Sovietstatefarm,similartothekolkhoz,butgenerallyoriginatingintheSovietseizureofasinglelargeestate.

[←12]TheBorinagewasformerlyanimportantcoal-miningareaofHainaut,ontheFrenchborderofBelgium.

[←13]RosaLuxemburg(1870-1919)wasborntoawealthymerchant’sfamilyinZamosc,Poland.In1919,inthe

aftermathoftheFirstWorldWar,shewasoneoftheleadersofanattemptedBolshevikPutschinBerlin.ShewasexecutedbyGermannationalistsamidsttheanarchyshehelpedfoment.

[←14]AbbreviationofSturzkampfflugzeug,“divebomber.”ThemostfamousandeffectivewastheJunkers87.

[←15]ThePanzerfaust(“tankfist”),alightanti-tankweaponthatcouldbefiredbyanindividual,wasatubewhich

dischargedarocket-propelledhollow-chargeprojectile.Thetubewasdiscardedafteruse.

[←16]TheIronCross,establishedin1813asadecorationforbraveryduringtheGermanWarofLiberationbyKing

FrederickWilliamIIIofPrussia,wasrevivedin theFranco-PrussianWar, theFirstWorldWar,andtheSecondWorldWar.WhenAdolfHitler,whowasawardedboththeIronCross1stand2ndClassintheFirstWorldWar,reestablishedthemedalin1939,itwasdividedintofourgrades,thethirdofwhichhadfivelevels:theKnight’sCrossoftheIronCross;theKnight’sCrossoftheIronCrosswithOakLeaf;theKnight’sCrossoftheIronCrosswithOakLeafwithSwords;theKnight’sCrossoftheIronCrosswithGoldenLeafwithSwordsandDiamonds.The lastwasawarded to justoneman, theStukapilotHans-UlrichRudel.Degrelle,whowaseventually tobeawardedtheKnight’sCrosswithOakLeaf,wastheonlynon-Germansohonored.

[←17]Theseeventstookplaceataround49degreesoflatitudenorth,inaregionwithno“daylightsavingstime.”

[←18]Sovietpoliticalofficers,chargedwithanumberoffunctionsamongthetroops,includingpoliticalsupervision

andagitation.Commonlyreferredtoas“commissars.”

[←19]Ukrainianfor“Mr.”or“Sir.”

[←20]“Littlemother”;affectionateUkrainiandiminutive.

[←21]“Kermesse”(also“kermis”),originallysignifiedamasssaidontheanniversaryofthefoundationofachurch.

In the Low Countries and the north of France, such masses were usually accompanied by feasting, dancing,sports,andotherentertainments.

[←22]“Capuan”forCapua,theEtruscan-foundedcityinCampania,proverbialinclassicalantiquityforitsluxury.

[←23]ArtabanwasacharacterintheGasconLaCalprenide’snovelCleopatre(1647),famousforhishauteur.

[←24]FrançoisVatel(1631-1671)wasacelebratedFrenchchef.Heisrememberedchieflyforhisinventionofthe

dessertknownascrèmeChantillyandforhisextremeperfectionism,whichledtohissuicideafterseveralminorlapsesatabanquethehadpreparedforKingLouisXIV.

[←25]Thevieuxgrognards (“oldgrumblers”)were theveteransformingthecoreofNapoleon’sarmies, including

theImperialGuard.

[←26]Today’sKorsun-Shevchenkivskyi,Ukraine.

[←27]AbbreviationforPanzerabwehrkanone,Germanforananti-tankgun,whichtypicallywaslong-barreled,with

ahighmuzzlevelocity,andfiredarmor-piercingshells.

[←28]Araisedplatformallowinganartillerypiecetofireoveraparapet,asopposedtofiringthroughanopeningor

embrasureintheparapet.

[←29]Earthenwallsandtrenchesplacedbybesiegersbetweenthemselvesandthebesiegedsitetosecurethemselves

fromcounter-attackbythedefenders.

[←30]Nineteenth-centuryOttomanirregulars,notoriousfortheirbrutality.

[←31] Cannons or howitzers used for infantry support, primarily against armor.Originally drawn by horses or a

truck,itwaslatermountedasa“self-propelledgun”onanarmored,treadedvehicle.

[←32]A reference to theblancsbecs (literally “whitebeaks”), veryyoung troopswho served asdragoons in the

regiment of Prince Charles Joseph de la Ligne in the Seven Years’ War. They particularly distinguishedthemselvesatPrague,Kolin,andLeuthenin1757againstFredericktheGreat’sPrussians,andwerestyledblancsbecs by theAustrianmarshalDaun for their lackofmoustaches.They receivedabanner fromEmpressMariaTeresiaembroideredwithatenderroseringedbythornsandthedevice“Quis’yfrottes’ypique”(“Whovexesmeprickshimself”).

[←33]Apocketorcauldronresultingfromcompleteencirclement.

[←34]Bureausorsections.

[←35]ThemilitarypoliceofthePrussian,thenGerman,army,from1866-1945.

[←36]Germanfor“boiler”or“kettle,”ametaphorforencirclement

[←37]ContractionforJunker,Ju52transportplane.

[←38]Bundlesofwoodusedtoshoreupthewallsoftrenches.

[←39]Fernandel(FernandJosephDésiréContandin,1903-1971)wasaFrenchcomicactorandsinger.

[←40]MembersofethnicGermancommunitiesoutsideofGermanyitself,primarilyinCentralandEasternEurope.

[←41]TheLeobelgicus(“Belgianlion”),liketheLionofFlanders,isaheraldicsymbolofthenation.

[←42]Methamphetamine

[←43]“FieldPost”:TheGermanArmypostalservice.

[←44]AcrudeRussiancart,lackingsprings.

[←45]Anopen,four-wheeled,horse-drawncarriage.

[←46]OnthenightofNovember27-28,1812,Napoleon’sretreatingarmiescrossedtheBerezinaRiver,doggedby

three different Russian armies, and suffered heavy casualties (around 36,000). Since then, in French usage,“Berezina”issynonymouswithdisaster.

[←47]Heavycavalryorlancers.Theword,fromtheTurkishfor“boy,lad,”wasfirstusedtodenotePolishcavalry

unitsinthe16thcentury.From1734therewerePrussianuhlanregiments;after1918thedivisionoftheGermancavalry into light (dragoons, hussars, mounted rangers) and heavy (curassiers, uhlans) units was abolished.CavalryunitswereemployedbymanynationsinWorldWarII.

[←48]AStabsfeldwebelisaGermannon-commissionedofficer,usuallyacareersoldier,correspondingroughlytoa

U.S.ArmySergeant.

[←49] Several hundred thousand workers from Belgium were employed in German industry. Many had come

voluntarilybeforethewartotakeadvantageoftheHitlerboom;manymoreweredraftedtoworkinminesandfactoriesaftertheoccupationofBelgium.

[←50]ThecapitalofEstoniaiscalledTallinn(“Danishfortress”)bytheEstonians,RevalbytheGermans.

[←51]TheGermanHansa(Hanse),orHanseaticLeague,wasthegreatGermanictradingconfederationoftheHigh

MiddleAges,withmembercitiesradiatingfromLübeckuptheBaltictoReval,downintotheRhineland,andasfar east as Krakow. The Hansa flourished until finally superseded by England and the Netherlands in theseventeenthcentury.

[←52]Degrellewastheonlynon-GermantobeawardedtheKnight’sCrossoftheIronCrosswithOakLeaves.

[←53]LikeEsperantoandInterlingua,Volapükisaninvented“internationallanguage.”

[←54]Literally“low-flyer.”TheGermanwordforstrafingairplane.

[←55]LeMoniteur(TheMonitor)wasawartimeRexistnewspaper.

[←56] TheVolkssturm, a “home guard”militia organized in late 1944 as Germany’s last wartimemilitary draft,

calledtoarmsallable-bodiedmenagedsixteentosixty.

[←57] In the Battle ofMontmirail, February 11, 1814, Napoleon defeated two numerically superior armies, one

Prussian,oneRussian.

[←58]ThesixhundredmenofFranchimont,castleandheadquartersof theprince-bishopsofLiège,wentforthin

1468 todefend their independenceagainstKingCharlesXIofFranceandCharles theBoldofBurgundy,whowerenegotiatingovertheannexationoftheircountry.Theywerecapturedandslaughteredtoaman,andLiègefelltoBurgundy.

[←59]AreferencetoRobertE.Howard’scharacterConantheBarbarian.

[←60] General Andrei Andreievich Vlasov, commander of the 2nd Soviet Shock Army, was captured by the

Germansin1942.LeaderofaGerman-sponsored“RussianCommittee”from1942,VlasovwasabletoraisetwodivisionsfromRussianPOWsinGermancaptivityin1945.HeandhistroopswerecapturedbytheAmericansattheendofthewarandhandedovertotheSovietsshortlythereafter.Vlasovanddoubtlessmostofhismenwereexecuted.

[←61]LübeckwasheavilydamagedbyaBritishincendiaryattackonMarch24,1942,butitscharacteristicskyline,

withitssevenchurchtowersanditsmassivegate,wasrelativelyunscathed,preservingmuchofthecity’shistoriccharacter.

TableofContentsTitlepage

Copyrightpage

Contents

AbouttheAuthor

Preface

1.RUSHTOTHEUKRAINE

2.WINTERINTHEDONETS

3.THEBATTLEOFKHARKOV

4.TOTHECAUCASUSONFOOT

5.DUGINONTHEDNIEPER

6.SURROUNDEDATCHERKASSY

7.THEEPICOFESTONIA

8.THESAFETY-VALVEOFTHEARDENNES

9.FIGHTTOTHEDEATHINPOMERANIA

10.THEAGONYOFTHEBALTIC

11.THEDIEISCAST

Notes