WW2 Bunker
In Deadly Combat (Modern War Studies (Hardcover))
In Deadly Combat (Modern War Studies (Hardcover))
Author: Gottlob Herbert Bidermann and G H Bidermann
Condition: Like New
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Gottlob Herbert Bidermann's In Deadly Combat is a rare first‑person memoir of a German infantryman on the Eastern Front, following an 18‑year‑old private in the 132d Infantry Division from the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union through the Dnieper, the southern steppes, Crimean and northern Russian fighting, the retreat via Riga and the division's final isolation in Courland and surrender in 1945. Bidermann sketches daily life, small‑unit engagements, hardship and survival in a direct, sometimes lyrical voice that emphasizes the compulsive professionalism and fierce loyalty of the Wehrmacht subculture while—by his own account—stopping short of linking that subculture to the Reich's broader atrocities; the narrative thus offers historians and readers a ground‑level, rank‑and‑file perspective on front‑line combat and soldierly ethos that Dennis Showalter calls notably uncommon in the historiography.
This Modern War Studies hardcover edition is an English translation and expansion of Bidermann's privately published 1964 German memoir, translated and augmented by retired Navy SEAL Zumbro using preserved documents and retrospective interviews, and features an introduction by historian Dennis Showalter; the translation is described as direct and generally graceful. Bibliographic and series details (Modern War Studies, ISBN 9780700610167) and the editor/translator's additional material make this edition useful to researchers seeking primary testimony with documentary supplements rather than a heavily illustrated or annotated volume.
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Keywords, content and topics in this Book
Keywords, content and topics in this Book
Type of book
World War II memoir
Personal narrative / first-person account
German soldier’s memoir
Campaign history from ground-level perspective
Theater(s) of war (as explicitly indicated in descriptions)
Operations / campaigns
Main nation(s) involved
Focus of the book
Front-line ground combat experiences
Life in the ranks: daily routine, hardship, survival
Small-unit combat and tactical engagements
Branch / unit information
Weapons / vehicles
Small-arms and conventional infantry weapons (general; the book is a ground-combat memoir, but specific weapon models are not identified in catalog descriptions)
Famous generals / leaders
No specific famous commanders or national leaders are clearly identified in available catalog descriptions; focus is on the rank-and-file soldier.
Visual content
Descriptive thematic keywords
World War II – Eastern Front
German perspective on WWII
Front-line infantry combat
Close-quarters fighting
Combat stress and survival
Soldier camaraderie and unit cohesion
Classification-style tags
Subject: World War, 1939–1945 – Eastern Front
Subject: Soldiers – Germany – Biography
Subject: Germany. Heer – History – World War, 1939–1945
Library-style: Military history – Germany – Eastern Front operations
Search and cataloging keywords (verbatim or tightly grounded in descriptions)
Wehrmacht infantry memoir
German Eastern Front veteran account
Book Condition: Like New
Book Condition: Like New
You’ve reached the divisional archives. Whether you are looking for the technical blueprints of a Panzer, the gritty memoirs of an infantryman, or a bird’s-eye view of the Pacific Theater, we’ve got your intel right here. Our collection ranges from technical specs and biographies to rare photo journals and historical novels.
Before you enlist a new title into your personal library, check the Condition Report below to see how much action these volumes have seen:
New: Fresh Out of Bootcamp
Flawless and untested. This book is in pristine, new condition and ready for its first assignment.
Like New: Light Combat Experience
Almost new and in great shape. It has clearly been read before and is ready to fight again, but it shows very little wear from its time in the field.
Good: A Few Scars or Shell Shock
A reliable veteran. The book might have some bent corners or a dust cover with a few scratches, but it’s still sturdy and standing tall.
Fair: Battle-Hardened
Visible signs of a long campaign. Expect some stains, bent pages, and perhaps some minor tears on the cover. It’s seen the trenches, but the intel inside is still solid.
Poor: Survived Iwo Jima
This one has been through the meat grinder. It carries noticeable damage, heavy staining, or significant wear—but like any old soldier, it would love to be read one last time before it retires.
