Twilight of the Gods: A Swedish Volunteer in the 11th SS Panzergrenadier Division "Nordland" on the Eastern Front (Stackpole Military History Series)

Twilight of Gods is a memoir any serious WWII buff should have in his library. Erik Wallin is a Swede volunteered to join the SS. He started fighting the Soviets in Finland, and then soon after joined the SS. However, the book covers only the last three months of the war. It starts out in the Courland pocket but soon his unit is transferred to Germany. He is involved in trying to prevent the Soviets from crossing the Oder, and then of course eventually trying to prevent the Soviets from taking Berlin.The following items were covered in this book that I found very interesting and not covered in any of the many German Army memoirs I have read: Wallin was in a mortar platoon with halftracks. They always had ammo for their machine guns, mortars, machine-pistols, and for those people that have read a bit about the German side of the war, often you come across the troops having shortage of ammo. Was it because they were SS that they were better supplied? Also, they did not have a fuel shortage problem, which is again interesting for the same reason as the abundance of ammo. Remember this is the last 3 months of the war. He covered some of the operational side of a mortar platoon. Sometimes he had to be the forward observer - which was definately a very dangerous job to have. Other times he was one of the mortar crew, or other times he was in a foxhole with a machine gun.He wrote briefly about his motivation to fighting the "Bolsheviks", which is to be appreciated because so many German memoirs, the author does not even give the reader a crumb on what are his personal views.The author also covered how it was possible for the soldiers to keep fighting with GOOD morale, despite not having slept, eaten or drank water for days. Having seen so many of their comrades torn to pieces in combat, and of course things looking bleak as far as stopping the Soviets. Still morale was high. Crazy.The author also shed light on the whole concept of the veteran soldier so many times having a close call with death, yet making it through. He explained how it was simply luck - nothing else. There was one scene with a close call where the guy with him simply started laughing how they lived while others died just because they dismounted a halftrack seconds earlier.I have read elsewhere that many Soviet soldiers where Asiatic from the far eastern part of the Soviet Union, but it was interesting to read that here again. This author felt that the Ukrainian and Russian divisions simply had been bled to death, and that is why there were so many Mongols.There was a very interesting battle where Erik was in an observation position and saw the German troops pull out below, leaving 3 soldiers behind with Panzerfausts as rear guard. 5 Russian tanks came and Erik watched the whole thing unfold. A very unique story. You will have to read the book to find out what happened.Erik was involved in the battle for Berlin, where he was side by side the Hitler Youth. He said that these kids very quickly had the look in their faces just like the veterans of many many battles. It was one of the many sad parts of the book. He wrote how these kids with unbelievable determination would dart out with a panzerfaust, trying to stop a Soviet tank.The author described how the country side of Germany changed to the far out suburbs of Berlin, to immediate suburbs, to downtown Berlin. He wrote about what the farms looked like, then the homes, stores, and then the posh districts of Berlin. Fighting the whole way.When he was finally captured by the Soviets, it is a very interesting story on how got out of the clutches of the Soviets. He was SS, and he had to hide that fact or instant bullet in the neck. I won't give it away, but escape had many close calls, and he had to do it with a bad leg.There was plenty of combat described, in which many of Erik's comrades are slaughtered, as well as simply unknown soldiers and civilians. In the end it is stuff that is depressing and I do wonder why I read War memoirs.If you are a serious WWII history buff, this book is a must read. There were many details I have not read elsewhere, and overall the book will take you to the last months of the war and all of it's slaughter and destruction.I read a few of the reviews, and some wanted more combat scenes covered in detail, and general troop movement. My eyes glaze over when I have to read what unit went where on what day for more than a sentence. Furthermore, there was plenty of combat, and those reviewers who wanted more combat scenes are not interested in any other aspect of war other than simply how many tanks did the author blow up and how.

Very detailed. The history is fascinating and heartbreaking to anyone who enjoys history. I recommend this book! Well written. Great!

This is the version of the was from the other side. In America we are only told one side of the story.

A very interesting memoir by Erik Wallin, a Swede who volunteered his life for the cause of the Nazi SS in World War Two. Wallin's account begins during the latter, crucial stages of the war in 1944-45. This book will hold your attention from beginning to end. Wallin was well suited for the regime of Hitler and the Nazi's.He continuosly expressed the racial superiority beliefs of the Nazi regime about the lesser Slavic people and other groups. He particularly despised the Kazakhs and other nationalities that he labelled as yellow brown enemies. He also believed up to the last moment that somehow Germany would still win the war. He continued to fight on bravely despite the brutal slaughter of his countrymen at this late stage of the conflict. There were rumours at the front that Germany would soon invent a super weapon that would turn the tide of the war in it's favor. He was particularly inspired when the Germans did invent the very formidible jet plane which proved so effective against the Allied airforce. Wallin also fought in the early stages of the War against Russia in Finland and the Eastern Front. He does not dwell on this episode in this memoir. Perhaps, someday a book or unpublished account of this era will turn up somewhere in Sweden or elsewhere. It should also make fascinating reading.

As a combat veteran myself, the fears and agony that this man faced is unbelievable. To have things fall in his favor can only be described as a miracle. This minute window that we see thru is on the level of looking up at the stars. Literally billions of stories that will never be told.

The author definitely gives you a feel what it felt like curtesy of the newspaper journalist who took his story down during the last yr or so on the Eastern Front. Wasn’t sure if he was full of sh## or not b4 I read it, but my Father was a mortar squad leader in the Army, and the things both of them say, just the little things cross reference. Have to say this guy was committed to National Socialism to the end. You can tell he never broke his faith, crazy.

Again a great read point of the eastern front from the first person point of view, from a swedish ss volunteer. Especially interesting is the author's experience during the fall of Berlin. Definitely a unique book with invaluable historical military information. The author very infrequently, at times, hints at his opinions regarding the soviets and perhaps persons of nongermanic culture, and some readers may find these unpalatable. However overall it is an objective view of a Nazi soldier in the later part of world war II, and well written and easy to read.

If you wanted to see what life was like in the Waffen-SS, this will give the best first hand account yet. Well written with feelings of how the volunteer felt when joining and how it was throughout the fighting. One of the better books regarding training and fighting in he Waffen-SS by a survivor. Intense and exciting it is very well written and gives a close up personal account of the wart on the Russian front and into Germany at the end. Lots of crisp photos and one of the best war books I have read.

This is a book to rival the best of this kind (and that is saying a lot...)..It is a short, very intense, first person story of the final battles of a specific Waffen SS formation (the story is based on an armored infantry reconnaissance company, and more specifically in a mortar platoon of that reconnaissance company).It is a very partial vision of things, but that does not detract from the reading of the book, it gives it a time stamp and an appropriate flavor.My only negative comment would be that it is a pity that the story does not start earlier in the war. I'm sure that, if that was the case, lots of other extremely interesting stories would have been present in the book, and it would have been even greater, and even more enjoyable.

My husband is building up a collection of these books as he rates them highy.He loves military history but always learns something new from this series because of the level of detail. They always contain intricate personal accounts which really bring the narrative to life.

A great account of a Swedish volunteer in the Waffen SS, a riveting read.

Excellent story

Excellent