Gersdorff, Rudolf-Christoph von
Soldier in the Downfall: A Wehrmacht Cavalryman in Russia, Normandy, and the Plot to Kill Hitler
Bedford, PA: Aberjona Press, 2012
Binding: Softcover
Pages: xxiii + 203
See also more books on the same topic(s):
Germany: Biographies and memoirs of soldiers and SS
July 20th plot
See also references to this book:
Reference in news archive April 2012
Feedback from visitors
Feedback from Dan K on Sunday, 23 September 2012
Rates this book: 
Well, it has been quite sometime since I have posted a review because I have been, well, reading. So here is the first of a few of the books I have finished and hope to have their reviews posted either tonight or in the next couple of nights.
This book is about the authour and his participation during the war and in the resistance against Hitler. There are 8 chapters with the first ones covering his growing up, family heritage etc. The next few chapters cover his joining the German cavalry and one can get a real good sense of the German military during this time with their traditions and strong camaraderie. The next few chapters cover his various tasking both on the Western and Eastern fronts. During his time on the Western front he meets for the first time Henning von Tresckow who in turn is a major player in the resistance.
The last few chapters cover the authour as he is fighting the British and Americans and is in turn actually captured by the British but manages to escape. There is a good description of the fighting in the Falaise Pocket where the authour manages to lead a column out of the pocket, and being decorated with the Knights Cross for this feat.
There are 12 pages of photos with the vast majority being portrait shots of key figures in the authours life. I did find a few bits of the book really intriguing, and one was where the authour was actually ready to assassinate Hitler though the opportunity never came to be. Another being on how the Allied powers looked upon these resistance officers.
An extremely good book with one of the major Wehrmacht resistant officers to survive the war.
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