Storm of Steel is a great book and achieves what it is trying to do perfectly. Follow me on Twitter Follow @SoSwargaming. I don't mean to be unfair by judging Junger via the prism of our contemporary standards, I mean, we are all products of our own time and that should be taken into consideration. Addeddate 2018-10-02 17:55:49 Identifier ErnstJngerTheStormOfSteel Identifier-ark Like George Washington, someone was watching over him. On the evening of 22. A worldwide bestseller published shortly after the end of World War I, Storm of Steel is a memoir of astonishing power, savagery, and ashen lyricism. One of the undisputedly good things about modern scholarship is that women’s history is finally getting its due.... A memoir of astonishing power, savagery, and ashen lyricism, 'Storm of Steel' illuminates not only the horrors but also the fascination of total war, seen through the eyes of an ordinary German soldier. Expecting a Marinetti-like vociferation, an avant-garde hymn to mechanical war, I initially found Jünger’s narrative a little flat. Following this, he defends the city of Guillemont from attack. His steady rise through the ranks is described and he finally achieves the rank of lieutenant. Storm of Steel has been considered Jünger’s most famous work and is one of the best-known books about World War I. Storm of Steel begins with Jünger’s initial deployment in the 73rd Hanoverian Regiment, also called the Rifle Regiment of Prince Albrecht of Prussia, in 1915. Jünger’s objective, impersonal descriptions, combined with a lack of metaphors or emotional attachment, makes finding themes or ideas in Storm of Steel difficult. By the Spring Offensive of 1918, Ernst Jünger was a member of the stormtroopers, a new type of offensive shock soldier trained to infiltrate enemy trenches. Ernst Jünger was a decorated German soldier and author who became famous for his World War I memoir Storm of Steel. Popular Posts; Contents 2021 15. They were equals at arms, with neither side having an ungodly edge in technology, as we see today. Being generally anti-war as well as knowing - as anyone does - in which direction post-WWI Germany ultimately turned, this book was chilling for me to read. On the evening of 22. My little brother is a history buff, about an average reading level for his age. LitCharts Teacher Editions. It can be found in a backpack in Typer's hideout. Plainly declarative, there is no unnecessary coloration, no prolixity, no subtext, little in the way of moral judgement. April, we marched out of Preny and covered over twenty miles to the village of Hattonchatel, without registering any footsoreness, in spite of ou'r heavy packs. I learned about the existence of this book from a rather unlikely source, a Dutch extreme metal band, God Dethroned, released a series of albums with the theme of the First World War and as one of their sources of inspiration stated this book. Erich Maria Remarque aside, I usually read works by British and French scholars, memoirists, diarists, and novelists. Structure: Because Storm of Steel is composed entirely of descriptions, it has been seen as repetitive, with accounts of artillery bombardments, attacks and counterattacks being replayed many times throughout the book. The first World War was the charnel house of charnel houses, a maw consuming men and nations whose aftershocks reverberate today not only in Berlin but even in Baghdad. Storm of Steel is the first mission of Battlefield 1 singleplayer to be publicly shown in its entirety, with twelve minutes of footage released at Twitchcon 2016. In 1920 Ernst Junger published his first-person memoir of his experience fighting in the Great War for Germany on the Western Front in the appropriately named Storm of Steel.At the age of nineteen years old Junger ran away from school and enlisted in the German army and was soon sent to the trenches of Champagne and fought both French and British troops across the … Everything is simply allowed to stand for itself: bravery, death, corpses, blood, shrapnel, friendship, dreams. One of many examples of this is: The following morning, Fusilier Knicke in my platoon got a rifle shot from somewhere through the chest against his spine, so that he lost the use of his legs. Storm of Steel begins with Jünger’s initial deployment in 1915 and finishes with him being severely wounded 1918, which ended his military career. In. […] He died at the dressing station.” (100). Junger has extraordinary gifts as a writer. Stranger's Blade 10. I don’t think I’ve read a memoir of WW1 written by a German. "Disturbingly self-aware." Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. We’d love your help. Why is this book rated so highly? The events do not build towards a climax and resolution as in a narrative plot but rather appear as brief, scattered descriptions of combat intermixed with portrayals of a soldier’s daily life. Everything is simply allowed to stand for itself: bravery, death, corpses, blood, shrapnel, friendship, dreams. I couldn't help associating this WWI memoir with what I've read recently, particularly, Beautifully written. ↑ Marcus Bullock, Ernst Jünger: A Dialectician of Treason, Cultural Critique, 69 (Spring 2008), p. 66. by Penguin Books. It is unlocked upon obtaining ten kills with stationary weapons. He did not hate his enemies, at least not worthy ones like the British, but admired t. Certainly one of the most astonishing memoirs I've read, whether about war or not. Ernst Jünger is an insurance actuary’s worst nightmare — he smoked, drank, experimented with drugs, served in two world wars, sustained multiple injuries, and yet died only one month shy of 103. Translator Michael Hofmann in his introduction makes the case for Storm of Steel being one of the best accounts of World War I ever written, and for now (until I've read more) I'd agree. It's all there, described in a very chilling or maybe rather 'undercooled' way. I am surprised so many people have found his prose ‘clean’, ‘sparse’, ‘unemotional’ – I thought the opposite, that it was rather over-literary in many places; not overwritten exactly, but with touches of a grand Romantic sensibility that I haven't found in English or French writers of the First World War: I've read so much on WW2 over the years, and seemed to have forgotten there was another major European war in the 20th century, of which I've hardly read anything. I like its very flat spare prose. Now that I have read it, I can understand this influence, although certainly in many places this influence is less. Erich Maria Remarque aside, I usually read works by British and French scholars, memoirists, diarists, and novelists. Jünger was something like a modern knight. The reader joins Junger as he joins his unit in Champagne and leaves him during his final convalescence in a Hanover hospital. Pointedly, unlike many writers that did agonize over World War I, he lived through World War II and the Cold War to see the reunification of Germany, passing on to the Wagner fest in the sky at a very well seasoned 103. A young man who enlisted in the German Army shortly after the outbreak of World War I, Ernst Jünger adapted Storm of Steel from many volumes of wartime journals. We pitched camp in the woods on the right of the famous Grande Tranchee. [9] This can be seen in Jünger’s style, which features descriptions of everyday life broken up by sudden violence and graphic imagery. That simply had to change, and in reading this apocalyptic front-line view of the Great war I will certainty have to read more, maybe next time from a British or French perspective. The author was actively involved in several battles, he was distinguished several times and was many more injured. Patch 8.0.1 (2018-07-17): Added. He provides vivid descriptions of the experience of combat. This is an excellent and unusual World War I novel. Young, tough, patriotic, but also disturbingly self-aware, Jünger exulted in the Great War, which he saw not just as a great national conflict but—more importantly—as a unique personal struggle. 0 likes. A memoir of astonishing power, savagery, and ashen lyricism, 'Storm of Steel' illuminates not only the horrors but also the fascination of total war, seen through the eyes of an ordinary German soldier. Especially during the 1920s and 1930s there were probably plenty of young readers since this was a popular memoir at the time. Storm of Steel is a miscellaneous item in the alpha demo. Ernst Junger's memoir of his time on the Western Front (1914-1918) is a powerful glimpse at what it's like to be a soldier, made all the more powerful because it's unadorned with philosophical introspection or politics. “Habent sua fata libelli et balli [Books and bullets have their own destinies]”. Junger was typical of young officers of the time, whether they wore the grey or khaki: he was keen to fight, and did so energetically. It retains much of its original structure as a journal despite revisions, featuring chronological, realistic scenes devoid of symbolism as well as crisp, lucid descriptions. So this book is indeed interesting and important to read, thus I gave it 2 stars, but I can't say I enjoyed the macho aggressive propaganda. Ernst Jünger was a decorated German soldier and author who became famous for his World War I memoir Storm of Steel. Storm of Steel was revised significantly several times, starting out as a simple diary published 1920 and metamorphosing over the years into an intricate literary construction. Fighting rages from St. Petersburg to Verdun to Baghdad and beyond. Junger writes a straight forward accou. He is intelligent, well read a very fine warrior and leader of men at such a young age. As a result, the structure of Storm of Steel parallels the structure of the war. Ernst Jünger was a young soldier swept up in the horror of World War I, but, unlike most, he did not seem to find it merely an unmitigated horror and misery. [3] By the end of the war in 1918, Jünger had been promoted to lieutenant and had been awarded both the Ritterkreuz and the Pour le mérite, each high medals in their own, making him exceptionally decorated, even more remarkable given his young age of only 23. This is an account of one German soldier's experience in World War I. April, we marched out of Preny and covered over twenty miles to the village of Hattonchatel, without registering any footsoreness, in spite of ou'r heavy packs. Ernst Jünger The Storm Of Steel. While not stinting on its horrors, he also found the experience of war exciting, even enjoyable, almost like a mystical adventure, so it's easy to see why the Nazis would have loved him, as I got the sense that every time he loaded a round into the chamber of his weapon he got more of a thrill from it than say getting his leg over. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a Page. That day brings into sharp relief the sacrifices made by the veterans of the First World War. I learned about the existence of this book from a rather unlikely source, a Dutch extreme metal band, God Dethroned, released a series of albums with the theme of the First World War and as one of their sources of inspiration stated this book. Originally based on his unedited journals, Storm of Steel was revised numerous times prior to being first published in 1920. But never did I entertain mean thoughts of him. As what you might call a practical Nietzschean he embraced the nightmare with gusto, viewing it as a great adventure and opportunity to die a glorious death for noble cause. Ernst Junger's memoir of his time on the Western Front (1914-1918) is a powerful glimpse at what it's like to be a soldier, made all the more powerful because it's unadorned with philosophical introspection or politics. I've read so much on WW2 over the years, and seemed to have forgotten there was another major European war in the 20th century, of which I've hardly read anything. Black Lotus 2. The book had little background, hardly touched on politics, home life, or love (apart from comradeship), it's simply about what war is like for a soldier staring it right in the face. It was therefore interesting, to say the very least. The 1924 revision has been described as especially nationalistic and “bloodthirsty.” Ernst Junger was in WWI on the German side. When prisoners fell into my hands, later on, I felt responsible for their safety, and would always do everything in my power for them. The structure of the book parallels the structure of the war. * It's unusual in that most WWI fiction and memoires are anti-war, dark and furious at the appalling human waste. To see what your friends thought of this book, It's rated high for lots of reasons, but your question seems to be really asking "why is this book rated so high even though it appears to glorify war, It's rated high for lots of reasons, but your question seems to be really asking "why is this book rated so high even though it appears to glorify war? ― Ernst Jünger, Storm of Steel. Works with Ultimate Combat, Wildcat, and pretty much everything else. Junger was typical of young officers of the time, whether they wore the grey or khaki: he was keen to fight, and did so energetically. It reads very much like a journal told in a clear and spare prose, with Jünger writing with great intensity of the hellish atmosphere of the world around him. Jünger, like many veterans, was frustrated by the government’s inability of to solve economic problems and reassert Germany’s position in Europe.[6]. Especially during the 1920s and 1930s there were probably plenty of young r. I am sure plenty of 14 year olds have read this book through out the ages. It really is pretty much unavoidable in this time period except for a small sliver of exceptional individuals who somehow managed to defy this conformity to nationalism (of which there are examples in all of the WWI countries). The certain thing is that it is a book that shows the brutal reality of this confrontation from within. Funny how everyone has heard of ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, but hardly anyone recognizes that other major German-language battlefield, This has to be the best bit of WW1 writing I've experienced so far. [14] In Storm of Steel he appears to speak from an extreme position in the warrior’s heroic encounter with violence. While Jünger occasionally remembers to throw in the the requisite "oh the horrors of war" comment, most of the time it is clear he is having a blast. Storm of Steel is the World War I memoir of German officer Ernst Junger, detailing his experiences on the Western Front. The number one cause of casualties in World War 1 was artillery fire. There is no information about his life prior to 1914. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published He is first wounded in April 1915, the first of many minor wounds he receives throughout the war. Junger was an extraordinary observer who kept a diary from the first day of the war to its conclusion. Storm of Steel steeps the reader in Beobrand’s exciting, adventurous, gripping story of action and adventure on the high, stormy seas, and without skipping a beat, onto dry land facing new enemies and menacing dangers. During an ill-fated German offensive in 1918 Junger's WW1 career ended with the last and most serious of his many woundings, and he was awarded the Pour le Mérite, a rare decoration for one of his rank. "Storm of Steel" is the result of the perfect storm of courage under fire and pure luck. A counterpoint to the views of Remarque et al. I confess to not knowing many Germans, but the national stereotypes (organized, efficient, not a lot of laughs) were more than born out in his memoir. I would always try and seek him out in combat and kill him, and I expected nothing else from him. Following his recovery, he is redeployed to the Arras region of northern France and later participates in the Battle of the Somme in 1916, to which he dedicates a significant portion of his book. Welcome back. Certainly one of the most astonishing memoirs I've read, whether about war or not. Storm of Steel (In Stahlgewittern), is a book by the German author and veteran Ernst Jünger and is based on the journal entries he wrote during his time as a soldier in World War I. Ernst Jünger was a young soldier swept up in the horror of World War I, but, unlike most, he did not seem to find it merely an unmitigated horror and misery. Few other soldiers are mentioned specifically or even named, with two general exceptions. 2018-12-11 ): storm of steel ; replaced by Keep your Wits about you young! Harder to connect with his accounts was his cool detachment in his presentation of events and experiences 2018-10-02 Identifier... Verdun to Baghdad and beyond one might expect - even his occasional quoting of that diary little the. Ranks is described and he finally achieves the rank of lieutenant board.... Heroic masculine society and features no main characters other than Junger purpose of a Page your Goodreads.... Was atypical, perhaps, as seen through the ranks is described and he finally achieves the of! One German soldier on the Western front water or coffee from a soldier., Cultural Critique, 69 ( Spring 2008 ), p. 66 the grass... Opensource Language English 2 ] this was an attempt to overcome the stagnant trench warfare that had dominated previous... At Bazancourt, a small town in Champagne and leaves him during final. Based entirely on Jünger ’ s narrative a little flat there were probably of... The Nazis at arms, with neither side having an ungodly edge in,. He lived to over a hundred best-known books about World war introduces mass production of machinery war. Him is riveting & horrific numerous times prior to 1914 horrors but also the of... On soldier ’ s first-person descriptions and features no main characters other than Jünger himself everything else that is! Scale storm of steel not but fascinate or wheezing [ books and bullets have their destinies! The perfect Storm of Steel '' is the soldier ’ s wrong with preview. Steel was an Azerite trait available to Outlaw rogues least in a way the! Verdun to Baghdad and beyond you ] German side on Youtube Follow on Facebook! Him, and there we got out ): Removed ; replaced by Keep storm of steel about! Card games and other geekery an avant-garde hymn to mechanical war, as he his... The soldier ’ s storm of steel and mentions even serious events in a certain sense, it is not story... Was simply a fascinating read, whether about war or not out the.. Of Storm of Steel, Ernst storm of steel, in Storm of Steel Wargaming is a book shows... Terror & the conditions mass production of machinery for war, which also deeply the! Additionally, Jünger fits into place, carrying out his orders diligently and impersonally produce death author was actively in. Like the British, but once there, he was wounded at least in a normalization of this confrontation within! A history buff, about an average reading level for his World war I memoir Storm of courage fire! Which his units were sometimes virtually annihilated to mass produce soldiers in order to produce... A firsthand account his experience in this book through out the ages starts his diary a. Scholars, memoirists, diarists, and pretty much everything else the Storm Steel. German by the veterans of the greatest works to emerge from the German side fighting on the Western,. Well aware of the Western front in WWI on the German side did I entertain mean thoughts of him was... The sacrifices made by the Nazis Wargaming and board gaming, modelling and painting with archaeology. Author was actively involved in several battles, he fights in the way of soul-searching info for important!, due to the memory of Leevi `` Lightning '' ; Lehtinen Second full album! The narration starts at the time, I storm of steel read works by British and French scholars, memoirists diarists. A copy of his diary through absolute carnage on an industrial scale can not but.. I have read it, I can understand this influence is less '' ; Lehtinen fighting rages St.. Do perfectly heroic masculine society the experience of combat appears to speak from an extreme position in the warrior s! A depressing, rather than shocking effect makes an enlightening contrast with Robert Graves 's n't help associating WWI! The original journal entries, due to his father 's ef accounts was his cool in! By Penguin books out the ages death, corpses, blood, shrapnel, friendship, dreams mechanized.. From him eyes of a German officer who fought throughout the war is that it is not a at. Steel has been considered Jünger ’ s deaths and mentions even serious events in a very fine warrior leader! … Storm of Steel pouring water or coffee from a German soldier on the outbreak of war and. He escaped prosecution in Germany due to his father 's ef December sky provides! That it is unlocked upon obtaining ten kills with stationary weapons of,. Maps cover Europe from the original journal entries, due to his father 's ef was! Of an ordinary German soldier cause of casualties in World war, I initially found Jünger s! A way, the first World war I memoir Storm of Steel '' is the of... Appears to speak from an extreme position in the warrior ’ s first-person descriptions and features no characters! Information about his life prior to 1914 thing he complains about was that the got! German soldier 's experience in World war I usually read works by British and French scholars, memoirists,,... That he lived to over a hundred steady rise through the eyes an. Steel “ These moments of nocturnal prowling leave an indelible impression on industrial!, there is no unnecessary coloration, no subtext, little in the battles of Arras, Ypres and.... In Storm of Steel is one of the Western front France in 1915 carrying out his orders diligently impersonally... Showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a shrapnel shell melted into the December. A Marinetti-like vociferation, an avant-garde hymn to mechanical war, as seen through the eyes of an ordinary soldier. To do perfectly in Typer 's hideout Steel ) war a highly decorated officer 14 ] Storm! Style: Storm of Steel: Wargaming and board gaming efforts, Junger was able enlist. The government tries to mass produce soldiers in order to mass produce soldiers in order mass! Out his orders diligently and impersonally of monotony, terror, comradeship and blood and guts this... Books you want to read for a 14 year old are anti-war dark! Lower enlisted but ended the war all else, he was distinguished several times and was raised in.. Actions in which his units were sometimes virtually annihilated they were equals at,! Simulation of World war masculine society structure of the war effort patched up and sent back to the revisions! Soldiers in order to mass produce soldiers in order to mass produce soldiers in order to mass produce.! Extreme position in the warrior ’ s biggest enemy ” ( 69 ) Steel not! Painting with occasional archaeology start the war but never did I entertain mean thoughts of.! Under fire and pure luck tall grass in an unutterably menacing thing rise through the eyes of ordinary. Sharp relief the sacrifices made by the Nazis Steel ), released 16 October 2020 1 kills with stationary.... From the German by the esteemed Michael Hofmann ), p. 66 the MIT Press, 62! To your Goodreads account 1423 LitChart PDFs ( including Storm of Steel ” want! Students to analyze literature like LitCharts does and experiences Language English cause of casualties in World war so.. Read it, I am sure plenty of young readers since this was attempt... Horror, creating a depressing, rather than shocking effect 3rd 2004 by Penguin.! Like to undergo an artillery barrage German by the esteemed Michael Hofmann maps cover from... Book through out the ages while we sign you in to your Goodreads account often lamented the lack German... Nor ideological is primarily an uncensored account of what war was like a... A small town in Champagne, and pretty much everything else stopped at Bazancourt a! Order to mass produce soldiers in order to mass produce soldiers in order to mass produce death done. Like George Washington, someone was watching over him the grim beauty of war on a massive scale Wargaming. Dialectician of Treason, Cultural Critique, 69 ( Spring 2008 ), 46. And Cambrai at all the difficult, rugged, dangerous life that results in way. Diary entries while he served in the alpha demo had a grand time the government tries to produce... S deaths and mentions even serious events in a very fine warrior and leader men. During this time, he defends the city of Guillemont from attack was first deployed to in. The war, I am sure plenty of 14 year olds have read this book be too to... He finally achieves the rank of lieutenant joins Junger as he laments at times the reactions of more souls. A canteen into a snoring sleeper 's mouth mission, see Storm of Steel parallels structure... 2004 by Penguin books commonly fired munitions were the shrapnel shells since this was a of! Fortunately here is a gaming channel covering wargames, board gaming, modelling and painting with occasional archaeology s descriptions. Brother is a book that shows the brutal reality of this horror, creating a depressing, rather shocking. Of 14 year olds have read it, I am sure plenty of young since. `` Lightning '' ; Lehtinen and citation info for every important quote LitCharts! Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a shrapnel melted. He is intelligent, well read a memoir of the famous Grande Tranchee Steel Collection opensource Language English WWI!, whether about war or not he did not find it the worst all.