Za rudým ostnatým drátem – Förg Klaus G. (2021)

Private soldier Josef Sedlmeier went through various fronts during the war, was wounded, and the spring of 1945 found him, along with other soldiers, on an escape route heading west, home, or possibly into American captivity, which was not as terrifying as the looming threat of Russian captivity. But it happened, and on the territory of Czechoslovakia, he fell into the hands of a unit of the Red Army. Events escalated, and this is where the story begins, which the author compellingly narrates on the border between documentary and literary memoirs. After weeks in prisoner-of-war camps in Bohemia, Sedlmeier found himself in overcrowded freight train cars heading to prisoner-of-war camps in the Soviet Union. Josef was very young, but he quickly learned the strategy of survival in the harsh camp conditions. His odyssey took him through many POW camps in southern Russia and the Caucasus region, where he changed numerous work teams and met many people, both prisoners and guards, Germans and Russians. In the book, he recounts the hard labor, bullying, undignified living conditions, helplessness, but also friendship, solidarity, assistance, and understanding. His practical skills, indomitable optimism and humor, and above all, unbreakable hope and faith in returning home helped him survive. He talks about difficult times, but with distance and the life lessons he gained...