The Black March

"The Black March" by Peter Neumann is unique in the recent spate of books on the Second World War written from a German's perspective. Other authors who served in the Wehrmacht or the SS have written faithfully about the horrors of battle on the eastern front in Russia. Unlike the novelized histories of Sven Hassel, who hated fascism in any form, Peter Neumann writes as a man who sees nothing wrong with the goals of the SS during wartime. Only once in the novel does he attempt to prevent a massacre of civilians. Most of the time, he gladly carries out any orders to liquidate the enemy. Once, he is ordered to execute some fellow German officers who do not have movement orders to prove they are not deserters. Clearly, Neumann sees himself as a bulwark against the half-human savages of Russia. He writes that he wishes 'to drown the enemy in a sea of their own blood.' As the novel opens, Neumann joins the SS as a raw recruit. He is given the brutal training and ideological indoctrination necessary for all officers of Hitler's elite SS vanguard. He willingly immerses himself in Nazi lore and mythology, so that when Germany attacks Poland in September of 1939, Neumann wastes no time in amassing an impressive body count. As the war drags on, he slowly realizes that the Nazi flag of victory cannot forever unfurl itself over newly conquered countries. He begins to lose trusted comrades and suffers in the fierce fighting on the eastern front of Russia. Yet, despite the horrors of close order combat, Neumann never questions the rightness of the twin twisted lightning emblem that he wears so proudly on his sleeve.By the end of the book, he is alone, bereft of his proud uniform, but still determined to kill the subhuman Slavs rushing him. It was difficult for me to make sense of Neumann's battle account. It was engrossing and repellent at the same time. And perhaps that is the inner lesson that a jackbooted uniform must teach: to kill is a goal, not a means. Most democratic nations insist that their military academies teach the reverse.

Written with the style of a novelist, but with the realism derived from a combat verteran, it remains a classic of the Russo/German war. Sure the details about uniform insignia, and unit locations are not accurate, but the overall theme and useage of scene construction is first-rate. If you know your SS details as well as the unit locations and their fates, sit back and relax while the panarama of the Ostfront comes alive. Would make a great movie-but no one in Hollywood would have the guts to produce it.

Who knows if this is a fake or not, people have been saying that about "The Forgotten Soldier" for years also. Whatever the case, this is an excellent read and is a perfect compliment to other books dealing with the Russo-German War like "The Forgotten Soldier" and "The Cross of Iron", fabrication or not.

I first read this book many years ago and am still a fan of it. I have heard that it may be a fabrication, but this is not the point, the point is that it is well written. I found it quite gripping. Now, is it real? I don't know, it seems real, but it could be bogus. Whether or not it is real, there is a stunning, frightening realism in it. I definitely would recommend this book to anyone interested in the World War II.