Sous Les Ordres de Rommel: Des Déserts d'Afrique Du Nord Aux Plages de Normandie

ISBN-13: 9782840484615 / Francuski / Twarda / 2017 / 240 str.

Hans Holler; Markus Reisner

Opis

Born in 1921 near Wiener Neustadt, Austria s Hans Holler lived an incredible journey through the torments of the Second World War, which takes us forcefully into this unusual autobiography. Within the 15 Panzer Division, initially as a rifleman, he served 20 years with Afrika Korps in Egypt (at Halfaya Pass, trained by the British soldiers of Pass Hellfire ) then in Tobruk, Libya.

Promoted to Lieutenant a year later, in autumn 1942, he was sent as section chief in Tunisia and participated in the one of the last battles of the German troops in African with the 10 Panzer Division. A young officer, Holler was ordered to lead an infantry attack, during which he was seriously injured in body to body combat against British Soldiers. Once recovered, he was sent to France for the reconstruction of the famous 21 Panzer Division, within the Pz-Gren.-Rgt. 192.

Commanding the Panzerjager in Normandy, Holler received the order to retake the famous Pegasus Bridge from the hands of British paratroopers in the early hours of D-Day. Hidden in brush near the majestic Benouville Chateau, he blocked all English attempts to progress towards Caen along the canal, and even destroyed three Sherman Tanks on June 6, 1944. Thereafter, he was involved in months of heavy defensive fighting around Caen (Herouville, Cambes-en-Plain in June) and narrowly managed to save his entire II Battalion during Operation Goodwood in late July 1944.

In August, he fought furiously near Mont Pincon and in the Falaise, where he managed to get out. After a long retreat through France, with the few survivors of his section, Holler, finally surprised by Lorraine, was captured by the 2nd DB of Leclerc.

During those hard years, his supreme commander had almost always been Erwin Rommel, the German Field Marshal that the Allies had called deferentially the Desert Fox . Rommel s decisions had determined the fate of Hans Holler and every one of his comrades.

Today, at age 94, Hans retains an incredible shape and his memory is still fresh. His numerous personal photos and stories, at once poignant precise, authentic and even critical, offer and unusual glimpse into the experiences of a young Austrian who saw the moment in history when he was born, having no other choice than to face them."