Between Hitler and a Hard Place
Rolf Panny

	Biographies Autobiography, History Price: $34.99 Availability: now Format: A5 paperback, 280pp ISBN: 978-1-877577-50-5 Add this book to your shopping bag

About the Book

Rolf Panny, born in 1924, grew up in Germany. His golden childhood and adventurous youth ended in 1942 when he was drafted into Hitler’s army. After labour service he was placed in the 30th Infantry Division and endured bitter action on the Russian Front. 

Told with sensitivity, humour and candour, this is the story of a humane, artistic young man forced to make appalling choices in the maelstrom of war. Rolf Panny survived by living on his wits, his spirit uncrushed by the madness around him. 

Soon it was my turn to be interrogated [by the British, post-war]. 
“Hitler Jugend?”
“No. Jungvolk. Like boy scouts.”
“Rank in the army?”
“Lance-corporal.”
“Drafted in 1942, it says here, and you want to tell me that in the last three years you weren’t promoted? You have university entrance, then officer’s training, and not promoted?”
“That’s right, sir.”
“And not in the Hitler Youth?”
“No, sir. Swing youth of Hamburg.”
He laughed. “But everyone was in the Hitler Youth.”
“Not me. Made myself scarce.”
He glared at me. “And you want me to believe you?”
“That’s the way it was.”

…

Read reviews from the NZ Listener — "The fascination of Panny’s candidly told story lies in the spirited detail of his daily work and family life as war raged, and his good-humoured, conversational, warts-and-all style" — and the Manawatu Standard.

About the Author

After World War II, Rolf Panny worked in France for three years and lived in the US for 17 years, on the staff of the University of California (Berkeley) and the University of Wisconsin.  In 1970 he moved to New Zealand and taught German language and literature at Massey University.

From the introduction:
Aged over 80 now, I have tried to recreate the events of the past to help the reader understand the complexities of the era. A person of ironic temperament, I belonged to this time, while keeping a distance from it.