On the Devil's Tail
In Combat with the Waffen-SS on the Eastern Front 1945, and with the French in Indochina 1951-54
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Narrated by:
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James Anderson Foster
About this listen
This is the riveting true story of Paul Martelli, a 15-year-old German-Italian who fought in Pomerania, on the Eastern Front, in 1945 as a member of the 33rd Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS "Charlemagne" and later as a soldier with French forces during three years (1951-1954) in the Tonkin area, Vietnam.
Paul recounts his time at the Sennheim military training base, where he was introduced to the rigorous discipline of body and mind. He then goes back to 1940, during the German invasion of France, when he was still a boy in Lorraine, hinting at his motivations for enlisting with the Waffen SS. He reveals his and many young soldiers' exciting and often humorous escapades at Greifenberg, his first love with a German girl helping refugees, and his experiences and feelings during the combats at Körlin, during the strenuous defense of Kolberg, while regrouping at Neustrelitz, and at the German defeat. With a companion, he ends up at a castle delivering a group of women camp prisoners to a Russian officer, living in disguise among enemy soldiers until he escapes and surrender to the Americans.
After his sentence, imprisonment, evasions, and military service in Morocco, Paul is sent to fight in defense of bases north of Hanoi, Vietnam. He survives three years of fierce combats, assaults, ambushes, night patrols, fatal traps, and mortal risks, but, deep down, he compares his service with the Waffen SS during the last year of war with the inefficiency of the French Expeditionary Force in the Far East and comes out deeply frustrated. At almost 26, he has fought and lost in two wars, both against the communists, be they Soviet or Viet-Minh. Unemployed, and with the ideals of a "Nouvelle Europe" in pieces, he briefly joins the French Foreign Legion, his last hope, but in the end chooses another path.
This is a unique memoir, packed with incident and recounting the story of one individual caught up in a series of life-changing events.
©2014 Vittorino dal Cengio (P)2018 TantorWhat listeners say about On the Devil's Tail
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- Anonymous User
- 29-04-2020
a desperately sad story
this story proves honesty is the best policy! Paul is such an interesting guy, but obviously traumatized and extremely violent. Overall a great history lesson, but maybe embellished in places. disappointed the book finished abruptly.
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- Docker
- 21-04-2022
good story of, sad circumstances and well spoken.
good story of experience by author, sad circumstances worth listening to and well spoken .
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- Ben
- 05-11-2023
A superb story
This is a really great story of an extraordinary life. Engaging from the first to last page, the story is very well read and you wont be dissapointed. A great listen.
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- Blurto
- 12-03-2024
Enjoyable
Reader sounds like the author, so it sounds realistic and probably true. What a story and it’s sanitised and presented well. I would have liked to know how “Paul’s” life ended or what he experienced next - be it good or bad.
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- Anonymous User
- 12-03-2024
Great Listen, would recommend
This solider has an interesting story to tell. It is well written and performed.
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