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The Willing Flesh

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Wikipedia article




'The Willing Flesh' (, 1955) (English translation released 1956) is a novel by Willi Heinrich, chronicling the Eastern Front combat experiences of a depleted infantry platoon during the 1943 German retreat from the Taman Peninsula in the Caucasian coast of Russia.

The war film, 'Cross of Iron' (1977), directed by Sam Peckinpah, is based upon this novel. Later editions of 'The Willing Flesh' have been re-titled 'Cross of Iron' to link book and film.

Historical basis



The literary and cinematic "Sergeant Steiner" character may be based upon Johann Schwerdfeger (b. 24 November 1914, in Plein bei Wittlich) who soldiered from 1935 to 1937 in Infanterie Regiment 84, and in 1939 was transferred to the Third Company of Infanterie Regiment 186 of the 73rd Infantry Division, at the Polish Campaign's start.

In June 1942, after serving in Jgerersatzbataillon 75, Schwerdfeger joined Jger Regiment 228 of the 101st Jger Division, who fought in the Don Bend, at Rostov, and at Maykop, in the Caucasus, and joined the retreat through the Kuban and the Taman Peninsula, the setting of the novel 'Das Geduldige Fleisch' ('The Willing Flesh').

On 17 May 1943, Feldwebel Schwerdfeger was awarded the Knight's Cross as a platoon leader in the First Company. In April 1944, in the breakout from Hube's Pocket, he was severely wounded, and was awarded Oak Leaves for his Knight's Cross on 14 May 1944; moreover, Sergeant Schwerdfelger also earned two tank destruction badges.

In two passages of 'The Willing Flesh' (the novel's English edition), Meyer tells Stransky that Steiner saved Lieutenant Colonel Brandt's life; in the original German edition, "Meyer" is named "Schfer", and "Brandt" is named "Strauss".

From 'The Willing Flesh' ('Cross of Iron'), in English:

During the war, a similar action occurred to the First Battalion of the 228th Jger Regiment. Two German military history books about that division chronicle how one of the battalion's companies was surprised and pinned down by two Russian regiments and eleven tanks of the 296 Division, who had crossed the Donets River the night of 1920 May 1942.

Characters



The Platoon



* Feldwebel Rolf Steiner

* Unteroffizier Krger

* Obergefreiter Karl 'Schnurrbart' Reisenauer

* Private Dorn

* Private Hollerbach

* Private Pasternack

* Private Dietz

* Private Kern

* Private Zoll

* Private Maag

* Private Anselm

High Command



* Lieutenant-Colonel Brandt (regimental commander)

* Captain Stransky (battalion commander)

* Captain Kiesel (regimental adjutant)

* Lieutenant Meyer (company commander)

* Lieutenant Gausser

* Lieutenant Triebig (battalion adjutant)

Category:1955 novels

Category:20th-century German novels

Category:German-language novels

Category:Novels set during World War II

Category:Novels set in Russia

Category:German novels adapted into films

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