"A journey into the interior of the Bundeswehr" is an account of the experiences of a soldier who looks back on more than 40 years of service. In the form of various anecdotes, the book covers two eras of German military history, namely the time of the Cold War and the time after German reunification. With his stories, the author takes the reader back to a time that was taken for granted by all German citizens in the 1970s and 1980s.
Peculiarities of compulsory military service, manoeuvre practice and everyday service life are taken for a ride just as (self-)ironically as acting personalities with all their human strengths and weaknesses. The inner-German border, the confrontation of the large military blocs and the strategy of advance defence are highlighted, mostly from a frog's perspective. German reunification also marked a turning point for the author, which is reflected in what he experienced and inevitably also in the stories. The abolition of compulsory military service, the demands of an "army in action" and the peculiarities of assignments that go hand in hand with climbing up the career ladder make the stories move from the so-called "mud zone" to the level of staffs and command authorities. But here, too, the author shows that the Bundeswehr can first and foremost be human and thus also very funny. The book invites us to smile. The Bundeswehr is a unique large-scale organisation that creates amusements that may not be found elsewhere.
Group
Books (first-hand)
Author
Buske, R.
Title
Eine Reise ins Innere der Bundeswehr. Wundersame Geschichten aus einer anderen Welt
