SNIPER ON THE EASTERN FRONT: The Memoirs of Sepp Allerberger, Knights Cross

[Badger]

For anyone wanting to get a sense of what it was like to operate as a German sniper during WWII on the eastern front, this is a highly interesting read. I notice that the only person who reviewed on Amazon didn't like it, but I did.

Extract from the "cover flap". A Sniper on the Eastern Front begins when Allerberger, a front-line machine-gunner, receives a minor hand wound in combat. While convalescing, he happens upon a captured Red Army sniper rifle and, on a lark, starts shooting targets with it. Those around him immediately realize what his real talent is. Allerberger is made a sniper on the spot, issued an 8x scope to go with his Russian gun, and sent out on a more or less freelance mission to kill as many Soviets as he can. What follows is his memoir of operating in a landscape of nightmares. ~~~ In the beginning, Allerberger wonders whether he’s doing a noble or cowardly thing. Plenty of soldiers, even on his own side, hated snipers. But this was the Eastern Front, the worst place in the unholy epic of human warfare. In one scene, seconds after an artillery attack, Allerberger’s charred, steaming and limbless comrade looks him in the eye and asks, “What happened? Why is it so dark?” Then he begins to cry and dies on the spot. ~~~ “Alas, there was no place for sentimentality in this war,” Allerberger reflects, and pulls the trigger one more time.

I thought this passage was interesting and gave a good indication, as to the more realistic distances WWII sniper equipment was actually used at. Shooting can be learned, particularly as the shooting skills of marksmen are overrated in the military context. The reality of service in the field showed that shooting distances for small arms were 400m at most, and usually below 200m, and if the marksman aimed at the middle of the largest surface a hit became almost certain. Absolute reliability, methodical routine and sure hits made a marksman, not artistic shots from hundreds of metres away. Such long-distance shots were more like a party trick, if they were sucessful at all.

I found my copy on Amazon.com. ......

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SNIPER ON THE EASTERN FRONT: The Memoirs of Sepp Allerberger, Knights Cross (Cick here for Amazon.com)
Hardcover: 196 pages
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books (January 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1844153177
ISBN-13: 978-1844153176
Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.6 x 2.4 cm
Shipping Weight: 440 g

Editor's Description from Amazon

Josef "Sepp" Allerberger was the second most successful sniper of the German Wehrmacht and one of the few private soldiers to be honoured with the award of the Knight's Cross.

An Austrian conscript, after qualifying as a machine gunner he was drafted to the southern sector of the Russian Front in July 1942. Wounded at Voroshilovsk, he experimented with a Russian sniper-rifle while convalescing and so impressed his superiors with his proficiency that he was returned to the front on his regiment's only sniper specialist.

In this sometimes harrowing memoir, Allerberger provides an excellent introduction to the commitment in fieldcraft, discipline and routine required of the sniper, a man apart. There was no place for chivalry on the Russian Front. Away from the film cameras, no prisoner survived long after surrendering. Russian snipers had used the illegal explosive bullet since 1941, and Hitler eventually authorised its issue in 1944. The result was a battlefield of horror.

Allerberger was a cold-blooded killer, but few will find a place in their hearts for the soldiers of the Red Army against whom he fought.

Information

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[JHC II]

just ordered the book through chapters different cover hard bound for 39 bones. Any way you look at it its going to be a good read

[superbee]

Hi,I agree."Sniper on the eastern front" is a great read.I collect books on the german military in WWII,have about 500 in my collection.I think I have every memoir in english by german soldiers from WWII.
Another good read is "But not for the fuehrer" by Helmut Jung.excellent combat descriptions and for a short time was also a sniper on the eastern front.
Also highly recomend "The Forgotten soldier" by guy sajier.I consider it the best memoir from WWII.I heard it may become a movie.
Another good read is "Franzl" the story of Franz gabl by Franz gabl.
He was a machine gunner on the eastern front.This is a rare insight into the life of a low ranking foot solider who survived 4 years of combat on the eastern front.Few memoirs cover the whole eastern front from begining to end.Machine gunners could hope to survive about 6 weeks before killed or wounded.

Cheers,Eric

[Will Durant]

An interesting book without a doubt!!! The good news-bad news is that it is information regarding much value,the bad news is that the author(notAlleberger)has aspirations to high literary position.A book worth reading,just stomach the 'Flossy Style"of the ghost writer and all will be O.K..Will

[Teutonic]

I also read this book and was amazed at the feeling I got from this book that put me there in the situation Sepps faces. From the WW2 vets I have spoken to that served on the eastern front, I found the stories or patterns very simular in nature. I wish there were more books made from the german point of view that were in regular print. Unfortunetly there are few vets left to tell this side of the war on eastern front.

[Gibbs505]

OK, I guess that I am going to have to get this for myself now!!

[ordnancebob]

I also have this book.
It's great! However I believe some material was lost when translated from the original German"Im Auge des Jägers"
Other good book on German snipers for those who can read German is "Im Fadenkreutz" By Bruno Sutkus

[captk72y]

My late father served in northern Russia for 16 months. A few years before he died, he wrote out his whole life's story from childhood until retirement. Possibly, I should translate this portion if folks are interested. He also served in the Phony War, was part of the invasion of Norway, built Submarines in Hamburg (bombed out during the firestorm in Jul 43) was redrafted and went to France. Surrendered to the Americans after 8 May 45. Escaped a POW transport and was home by Jul 45.

[Gibbs505]

My late father served in northern Russia for 16 months. A few years before he died, he wrote out his whole life's story from childhood until retirement. Possibly, I should translate this portion if folks are interested. He also served in the Phony War, was part of the invasion of Norway, built Submarines in Hamburg (bombed out during the firestorm in Jul 43) was redrafted and went to France. Surrendered to the Americans after 8 May 45. Escaped a POW transport and was home by Jul 45.

Sounds like you have quite the story there!