The Willing Flesh
Encyclopedia
The Willing Flesh (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.
(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 Jägerersatzbataillon 75, Schwerdfeger joined Jäger Regiment 228 of the 101st Jäger Division
, who fought in the Don Bend, at Rostov
, and at Maikop
, 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 "Schäfer", and "Brandt" is named "Strauss".
From Das Geduldige Fleisch, in German:
From The Willing Flesh (Cross of Iron), in English:
During the war, a similar action occurred to the First Battalion of the 228th Jäger Regiment. Two German military history books about that division chronicle how one of the battalion's
company's 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 19-20 May 1942.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Willi Heinrich
Willi Heinrich
-Biography:Willi Heinrich was born in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, and during the Second World War he fought the Russians in the Eastern Front with the 1st Battalion 228th Jäger Regiment of the 101st Jäger Division, the infantry unit of the characters of Das Geduldige Fleisch , his most famous...
, chronicling the Eastern Front combat experiences of a depleted infantry platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
during the 1943 German retreat from the Taman Peninsula
Taman peninsula
The Taman Peninsula is a peninsula in the present-day Krasnodar Krai of Russia. It is bounded on the north by the Sea of Azov, on the west by the Strait of Kerch and on the south by the Black Sea. The peninsula has evolved over the past two millennia from a chain of islands into the peninsula it is...
in the Caucasian coast of Russia.
The war film, Cross of Iron
Cross of Iron
Cross of Iron is a 1977 war film directed by Sam Peckinpah, featuring James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason and David Warner. The film is set on the Eastern Front in World War II during the Soviet's Caucasus operations that forced the Wehrmacht to retreat from the Taman Peninsula on the...
(1977), directed by Sam Peckinpah
Sam Peckinpah
David Samuel "Sam" Peckinpah was an American filmmaker and screenwriter who achieved prominence following the release of the Western epic The Wild Bunch...
, 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 SchwerdfegerJohann Schwerdfeger
Johann Schwerdfeger is a highly decorated former Oberfeldwebel in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He is also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
(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 Jägerersatzbataillon 75, Schwerdfeger joined Jäger Regiment 228 of the 101st Jäger Division
101st Jäger Division
The 101st Jäger Division was a German Infantry Division of World War II. It was formed in July 1942 by the redesignation of the 101st Light Infantry Division, which was itself formed in December 1940. It took part in the Battle of Kharkov, then the Caucasus campaign and the retreat into the Kuban,...
, who fought in the Don Bend, at Rostov
Rostov
Rostov is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population:...
, and at Maikop
Maikop
Maykop or Maikop may refer to:*Maykop, capital of the Republic of Adygea, Russia*Maykop culture, prehistoric culture of the northern Caucasus, ca. 3500 BCE–2500 BCE...
, in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
, and joined the retreat through the Kuban
Kuban
Kuban is a geographic region of Southern Russia surrounding the Kuban River, on the Black Sea between the Don Steppe, Volga Delta and the Caucasus...
and the Taman Peninsula
Taman peninsula
The Taman Peninsula is a peninsula in the present-day Krasnodar Krai of Russia. It is bounded on the north by the Sea of Azov, on the west by the Strait of Kerch and on the south by the Black Sea. The peninsula has evolved over the past two millennia from a chain of islands into the peninsula it is...
, the setting of the novel Das Geduldige Fleisch (The Willing Flesh).
On 17 May 1943, Feldwebel Schwerdfeger was awarded the Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
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
Tank Destruction Badge
The Tank Destruction Badge was an award given to individuals of the Wehrmacht who destroyed an enemy tank single-handedly by an hand-held weapon. Anti-tank units were not eligible for this award...
.
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 "Schäfer", and "Brandt" is named "Strauss".
From Das Geduldige Fleisch, in German:
- "Steiner hat ihm einmal sein Leben gerettet"; and “Es war bei Studenok am Donez. Strauss führte damals schon das Bataillon. Die zweite Kompanie lag, soviel mir bekannt ist direkt am Donez. Den Russen war es gelungen, bei Nacht über den Fluss zu kommen. Bei den Kämpfen wurde die zweite Kompanie fast völlig aufgerieben. . . ."
From The Willing Flesh (Cross of Iron), in English:
- “Steiner saved his life once . . . . It happened at Studenok on the Donets River. Brandt was already the battalion CO then. The Second Company was situated, as far as I know, right on the riverbank. The Russians had succeeded in crossing the river at night. In the battle, the Second Company was almost completely wiped out. . . ."
During the war, a similar action occurred to the First Battalion of the 228th Jäger Regiment. Two German military history books about that division chronicle how one of the battalion's
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
company's 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 19-20 May 1942.
The Platoon
- Feldwebel Rolf Steiner
- Unteroffizier Krüger
- Obergefreiter Karl 'Schnurrbart' Reisenauer
- Private Dorn
- Private Hollerbach
- Private Pasternack
- Private Dietz
- Private Kern
- Private Zoll
- Private Maag
- Private Anselm
High Command
- Captain Stransky
- Lieutenant-Colonel Brandt
- Captain Kiesel
- Lieutenant Meyer
- Lieutenant Gausser
- Lieutenant Triebig