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Summary: Absolutely Essential.
Review: I have been studying military history, particularly that of the mid to late 20th Century since the 1970s, and this book would easily be one of my top three recommendations for books on the Second World War. Oberst von Luck is a perfect example of the type of officer described by Dupuy in his brilliant landmark study of the Prussian/German General Staff. Also, I do not think Luck's style is especially pedestrian, if one compares it to that of von Manstein, etc. In short, this book is indispensible if you want to understand the motivations and thought processes of the German officers of that time. Dimestore Liam
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Summary: well written, extremely informative
Review: This book provides a rare glimpse at the war from the german soldier's viewpoint. It covers the beginning of the war, Russia, North Africa, D-Day, and the fall of the Riech. It also provides an interesting account of the life of a captured german soldier in the years following the end of the war. You can definitely see why Colonel von Luck is quoted and referenced in many works on WWII.
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Summary: Panzer Commander
Review: Despite its somewhat pedestrian style, this is one of the more valuable World War II memoirs to appear in some time. It is the story of a German tank officer who saw action from the Polish blitzkrieg to the fall of Berlin and then spent five years as a Russian prisoner. His is the portrait of the best sort of soldier in one of the best armies of modern times, and it also provides insights into North African campaign commander Erwin Rommel's leadership, thoughts on why Germans made an idol of Hitler, and much else. An exceptional volume, recommended for most World War II or military collections. To include selected bibliography and index.
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Summary: ...
Review: Forget about judging that the man fought for the most morally bankrupt regimes in WWII...I picked this up expecting a good ripping read of tanks tearing up the county-side with gripping accounts of combat (a la Guy Sajer's "The Forgotten Soldier." There is very little direct combat experience in this book. Moreover his writing style is dry and a little too removed from his subject matter at times. Whereas in other auto-boigraphies of War we should get a feel for the combat, the people, the will to live and the despair of battle. We get however dry narratives of journeys over hundreds of miles of territory without any detail. We get accounts of him travelling through Poland without any real account of his actual day to day experiences. When he really starts to get our interest with a nice anecdotal tale, like his POW tales and the fighting against the British & Canadians around Caen (much bloodier and tougher than anything the American's faced in Normandy) he breaks the narrative and switches to another front. If you are looking for adventure Von Luck will leave you feeling like you have just eaten at fancy up-scale French Restaurant --- impressed but far from satisfied. Now let's consider Von Luck's point of view as commander in an Army spawned from the most morally bankrupt ideology of all time. If life was hard in the Soviet POW camps he will ellicit little sympathy from most readers. No matter how hard, it was a holiday compared with Auschwitz and any lager that the Germans kept their Russian POWs. But Von Luck seems unable to make a moral connection and the effect of his internment does not force him to face a natural sort of epiphany and realisation that there is a reason why this has all this horror happened --- because people just like him, so called "gentleman soldiers" of the Third Reich, did not stand up to Hitler and stop the descent in racial murder and madness of their country. It was far too easy to role along with the victories and think that just because Hitler won the early battles it is worth following him. By the time he and other professional Army officers such as Von Staufenberg found out that they had hitched themselves to the wrong cart and that things were terribly wrong it was too late. Von Staufenberg had the courage to die for his failures. If Von Luck felt he had to fight then why no post war retrospective on what the war was about. Even if it was inevitable does he feel good that Hitler and even Germany was defeated? Does he feel good fighting for a regime based upon a pseudo-darwinian claptrap that lead to the extermination of several millions of men, women and children
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Summary: Von Luck epitomises the qualities of a Wermacht Officer.
Review: He went through 4 major campaigns, both good and bad for him yet never lost his values and respect.
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Summary: A Call for Peace and Humanity
Review: Hans led us through his fascinating adventures before, throughout and after the war. As an officer of the elite Panzer arm, his journey brought us to every exciting sector of the conflict, France, Russia, North America, Normandy and even Berlin.
Throughout the book Hans kept reminding readers being fond of peace and humanity. He showed great sympathy towards civilians and prisoners on both sides, who suffered the most but were remembered the least. He emphasized his appreciation on the Russian culture and mentality, despite his bitter Russian captivity after the war. He was very glad with understanding and befriending soldiers and people from other nations (including allies) even during the war. Although he had been wounded more than once and experienced unfairness (as with many soldiers have) throughout his career, he made no accusations nor complaint. He enjoyed great popularity with both his seniors (including Rommel the desert fox) and his men. He appreciated observing code of honor by soldiers instead of striving for glory and fame. He gave high account to the courage of soldiers on both sides whom he have met. His memoir has attempted to heal wounds and pain in everyone who has gone through the conflict, and called for love of peace and of life. Sense of humor could be found in every chapter. He has also enjoyed a typical brief romance during the war. Lastly, he reminded readers being alerted for militaristic politicians, who are the real threats to human civilization.
This is a fine book for anyone who wants to understand human, life and war. A splendid collection of wisdom, energy and charm, this book has highly impressed and influenced me.
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Summary: Fantastic!
Review: Simply put, this is one of the best books of its type ever written. There are no flaws at all. The Oberst has written a book containing a wealth of valuable information with tremendous literary skill.
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Summary: Panzer Commander reviewed
Review: Colonel van Luck comes across as a very professional soldier who experiences both war and relative peace in every major German theatre of World War II. Yet he also comes across as a very human person who can empathize with his enemies and in the Russian campaign even have his troops share food with Russian women and children. His later experiences as a Russian prisoner of war are very enlightening and even give some insight to the current corruption problems the Russians are having in coming to grips with a free enterprise economy. I give this book at least 4 1/2 stars.
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Summary: A review from a friend of the author
Review: From the personal words of the author, "this is not a war book; this is a book of my little stories". Well known historian/author Stepthen Ambrose encouraged Hans v Luck to write this book of stories. Taken in this context, the book is full of insight as to how an educated man of aristocratic background, growing up during and just after the 1914-1918 war, became an officer in Hitler's wehrmacht, and how he was able to carry-out his duty having taken an oath to protect and defend his country. Hans never made excuses for his life but instead explained the situation as he saw it. If anyone can be open to the possibility that there were "good Germans" during those terrible years of 1933-1945, then I submit that Hans v Luck was one of those. He was both an outstanding soldier and a great friend. He also made many friends in later years of those on the "other side of the bridge". I think that this tells volumes too as to the character of Hans v Luck.
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Summary: A Must for WWII Historians
Review: This book, written in the spirit of Steven Ambrose, is a definate must for anyone interested in WWII. The book is well written, and much like books by Ambrose, brings the war to life with many anecdotes taken directly from the lives of the men who were there - in this case, the Germans, from the German point of view.
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