Description:

AFRIKA CORPS DIARY
Rare war-date diary of Hans Weich, a German soldier from Mainz serving in North Africa with the 90th Light Afrika Div., 1st Italian Army, assigned as a truck driver, possibly a member of the 540th Motorized Ammunition Handling Co. This 1943 diary bears a black faux leather pebbled cover, with daily ink entries through Sept. 9th. Weigh is transferred to Africa on Feb. 18, and arrives in Tunis on Mar. 17. A day-by-day description (but not a translation) of Weich's entries in included, in part: "...Stalingrad is lost!...learns of his transfer to Africa...the outlook for crossing to Africa is bad...bombs hit Palermo...in 3 weeks there have been 75 raids...reports in to the weapons and equipment section...visited by long-range enemy bombers...another bombing raid, this time all trucks destroyed...moves more material including 20 machine guns and 85 tons of supplies...gets sent to the front and is assigned to a bunker...sounds of battle are nearby...Tommy's artillery is making things hotter...5 strikes today...Tunis falls...situation worsens. Artillery is raining on them constantly...getting hit from two sides...[May 12] artillery fire is heavy in the morning...At 1300 Weich notices the tanks have stopped moving and artillery fire has slacked off. At 1630 Weich counts 10 flares...the end has finally come. A last formation is held...Weich and the 2,700 other German soldiers in his POW settle in...rumor circulates that Leningrad is about to be captured by the Germans...alerted to move out...4 1/2 hour trip under the hot sun...arrive in a new camp where there are now 6,000 Germans...get Kommis bread and milk at night...spends the whole day in his tent, suffering from the heat and the flies...complains about the high winds and says everything is filthy...suspicion there is dysentery in the hospital...transferred by vehicle...the Tommies have landed in Sicily...'We got cigarettes today!'...hundreds of flies and heat...comrades are arriving from Sicily...". Much more content which should be properly translated. Spine chipped, else very good.

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September 10, 2013 11:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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