Storm of Steel review in Telegraph

[Dust Jacket Collector]

What looks to be an excellent new series of book reviews began today in the Telegraph. Charles Moore is proposing to review a few works which make us see the Great War in a different light, i.e. that of contemporary participants. He begins with Junger's 'Storm of Steel' which he calls "undoubtedly the most powerful memoir of any war I have ever read". It'll be interesting to see which other books he picks. I imagine most of us could provide him with hundreds of suggestions! He seems to have read the new translation from Penguin Books.

Wealthier members of the Forum might wish to spend their pension increases on an original copy from ABE, your's for only £2,250.

[NigelS]

The text of the Telegraph article by Charles Moore can be found here: 'The greatest war memoir I have ever read'

as well as some of the usual, expected dross, some interesting comments given.

NigelS

[Steven Broomfield]

Read the review on the train this morning. It's many years since I read Junger's book (and, truth to tell, I remember not liking it very much, but then I've just read Bloem's book The Advance from Mons and can't say that set my heart racing too much, either).

My printed works investment portfolio, however, would be directed elsewhere were the current Mrs Broomfield not looking.

War Horse anyone?

[David Filsell]

Sadly, he was talking of the poor new translation by Michael Hoffman, rather than the far superior earlier by Basil Creighton. I spoke with Hoffman, an otherwise excellent translator, when I received his version of the book for review. I questioned his understanding of German military terms and similar items. He admitted total ignorance of such things. It shows. As for the book, Sebald said Junger was a man who heralded Hitler and then steppe away. (I paraphrase somewhat) but it's a pretty fair comment about the an and his beliefs.

[Steven Broomfield]

Junger was a man who heralded Hitler and then steppe away.

Oh ... those Russians ...

Seriously, although it is a while since I read it, I found the tone of the book a little too much: almost wallowing in the killing and death. Too much glory, maybe. I found Bloem a rather paler shadow of the same. Probably a culture thing.

[David Filsell]

Steven, don't disagree. I should have 'stepped' away of course. Munger was fortunate to have lived so long and been so multi talented. He is probably better known in Germany as a expert on beetles, rather than a soldier and author.

[Latze]

Steven, don't disagree. I should have 'stepped' away of course. Munger was fortunate to have lived so long and been so multi talented. He is probably better known in Germany as a expert on beetles, rather than a soldier and author.

David, as a German I can say that this is not the case. In Germany "Storm of Steel" overshadows everything Jünger has written or done later. The work on beetles is known only to experts. Personally I like "Goodbye to all that" much better - and I am still astonished how controversial that book is sometimes discussed in Great Britain. I think one can discern that "Storm of Steel" is a young man's book and a debut. Grave's book is written from a much mature perspective in my opinion.

[David Filsell]

I stand almost corrected, my comment about the beetles was based on the opinion of a German. The main reason it is discussed in Britain is because few realise how many German accounts other than Junger's have been translated into English. I agree that it is a young man's account but I have ever been convinced that he really shed his "war as a medium of personal growth" opinions and Seebald certainly had it right about his extremely complex relationship with National Socialism.

[Latze]

Interesting, I wonder what daily your German friend is reading. In the (center-left) stuff I read Jünger is definitely always good for a big isn't-he-a-insufferable-warmonger controversy. His relationship with the extreme right is indeed complicated (and deep). Personally I was astonished about the radical things i found when his 'political writings' from the Weimar years were published. On the other hand I found the things written during the Second World War (the diary from the trip to the Russian front especially) in big parts a revision of his earlier thoughts.

[David Filsell]

Very fair comments, my friend is a great Beatles fan, perhaps that has influenced his opinion! We are very badly served in the UK in regard to Junger's total body of work. Not least his original diaries recently published in Germany have not been, and will almost certainly not be, translated into English. Equally To the Marble Cliffs, which is certainly opposed to non democratic rule (anti Nazi) is virtually unknown here as is the fact that he refused Hitler's blandishments to enter the Reichstag. Junger is, like T E Lawrence and Charles Lindbergh a source of endless fascination to me - enigmas all

[RobertG]

I have recently read 'Storm of Steel' and I was compelled to read it twice. No doubt I will read it again in the near future since there is quite a bit of information to digest. As with any warrior who relates their time in war the critics are given a broad platform to support or oppose the printed words. I also find Ernst Junger to be an enigma as he followed orders to the letter and appeared to give little thought to emotions of the carnage. Reading some of the biography on the web about him I was surprised that his views were anti-Nazi and he was claimed to have experimented with LSD and other drugs in later years. Maybe he was trying to discover himself. I do know that many warriors returning have used drugs and drink to numb the memories. I enjoyed the book and I hope that one day the diaries will be translated into english.

[Ken S.]

Walter Bloem's Vormarsch has been digitized.

http://digi.landesbibliothek.at/viewer/image/AC11432054/1/