Iain_MacGregor1 (@iainmacgregor1.bsky.social)
@Iain_MacGregor1
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Pub Director NF, @HoZ_Books | FRHistS | Author | Rep: @APowerAgent & @pastpreservers | Words: Guardian, Spectator, BBC History, The Washing Post | Views my own
United Kingdom
Joined March 2011
Excellent first review for my new book in #TheSundayTimes today by @dcsandbrook . Pleased does not do it justice! @LittleBrownUK @TheSohoAgencyUK @MrHenryLord 🍾 Out 28 July.
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Horrific aftermath in Germany right now. 🙏
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A tale of 3 soldiers at #Stalingrad: Kurzbach (left) & Paulus (right) surrendered & worked with the Soviets. The officer getting his Iron Cross (V. Hartmann) chose suicide by a sniper duel #OTD ‘42. His own son KIA, his division decimated to 200 men, he wanted a ‘soldier’s death’
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RIP Michael Jayston. A hugely talented presence in the best Cold War drama on British TV in the late ‘70s & early 1980s. #TinkerTailorSoldierSpy & #SmileysPeople.
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My favourite Ridley Scott film : The Duellists.
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I love this Soviet poster from the early 1970s, reinforcing - for the USSR at least - #Stalingrad was the iconic moment of their fight in #WWII. ‘Fritz, how much will it cost us to get to Volgograd?’. ‘In 1943 it cost us 22 divisions!’
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Daughter painted my portrait as a birthday treat. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👩🎨👩🎨
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Brilliant anecdote, recounted masterfully . .
ORSON WELLES with a great anecdote about Winston Churchill.
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Looking after the kids this weekend as my partner sees her pal on the coast. Introduced my son to #BandofBrothers box set for the first time & we’re on my fave episode: Bastogne. @WeHaveWaysPod
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This evening, authorities of #Volgograd City order that it returns to the name that it bore from 1925-61. "Hero-City of #Stalingrad" is used along with the traditional "Hero-City of Volgograd" on roads leading into it. Of all years, deeply symbolic as well as bitterly ironic.
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Windswept and interesting …
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Now THIS is a worthwhile effort. "Dignity" is a 50-foot-tall sculpture in South Dakota by artist Dale Lamphere to honor the women of the Sioux Nation.
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@matthaig1 Stewart poured out the PTSD he was clearly suffering from into that performance - a consequence of many bombing raids over Germany, witnessing his friends dying (in one operation 13 planes from his unit were lost and 130 crew killed).
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Col. Roske's writes to his wife from #Stalingrad 25 November, 1942: It was soon going to be morning. I was sleeping when my Adjutant, Hindenlang, reported:“The Russians were still occupying the School.” I make plans to recapture it. My main concern: are they in the cellars, too?
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Congratulations are in order to @almurray with the advance copies of his excellent (and first of many I’m sure) military history book #COMMAND. Out in the shops on 13 October. @headlinepg @WeHaveWaysPod @James1940 @tonypastor70
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Aerial view of Edinburgh 1920 by Alfred Buckham.
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Many thanks to all who attended my FIRST discussion about the new book. Very much appreciated - and great questions, too! 👍🏻👏🏻🍺 @WeHaveWaysPod #TheLighthouseofStalingrad @tonypastor70 @almurray @James1940 @guywalters
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Two weeks after the German surrender at #Stalingrad die-hard survivors (10,000+) fought on in the ruins. Extra Red Army & NKVD security troops scoured the city to root them out. Over 7,000 would die fighting or deactivating hundreds of German booby traps. @WeHaveWaysPod
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2nd Feb '43 - the final pocket surrendered at #Stalingrad. Over 91,000 Axis forces staggered into captivity. The city lay in ruins: Over 2.9 million ordinance had been dropped on it, 41,000 buildings, 110 schools, 15 hospitals gone. The Factory District damage = £500 million .
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#OTD 2 Feb 1943, the five-month long battle for #Stalingrad was over as the German Sixth Army surrendered. A new undiscovered story will be told in my new book that gives a new ending to this epic struggle.
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Sitting in a shabby corner of Michelin House in 1992, editing a Men-at-Arms series title, if someone had told me that @OspreyBooks would dominate Waterstones Piccadilly like this, I’d have laughed. Brilliant to see. @WeHaveWaysPod @marcuscowper
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Great evening at @almurray first event for #Command speaking with @James1940 for the @gfordbookfest Excellent crowd filled with ICs from @WeHaveWaysPod
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Thanks @James1940 for thoughts on my forthcoming book. “Stunning. A blend of impeccably researched scholarship, genuinely fresh and revelatory primary sources, and a beautifully written narrative. The most compellingly readable account yet written of this most iconic battle.”
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Honesty . and bravery . I wonder what the reporter was thinking whilst this lady was telling the truth.
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#OTD 1990 work begins to dismantle #EastGerman border security facilities: 1,476 km of front barriers and 1,510 km of rear barriers (Wall and fences), 716 watchtowers and command posts and 845 km of anti-vehicle trenches. Approx. 1.7 million tonnes of material to be removed.
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Lived inLondon for over 25 years, love my street and our varied community. Today, we’re all in shock - 15-year-old boy stabbed this morning as he went cycling to get his mum some teabags. Right outside our front garden. Luckily, news is he’ll be ok. #knifecrime.
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Lucky to research the unpublished papers of MajGen Friedrich Roske of the 71st Infantry Division. They are truly remarkable and historically important. His combat experience at Stalingrad and the significant part he played. This new book now brings him to life. @WeHaveWaysPod
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The 80th anniversary victory celebrations at #Stalingrad occur this week, the military arrive in Volgograd to play their part. Putin will attend. The regime’s linking past glories to their war today will overlook one key fact: Thousands of Ukrainians fought & died in the battle.
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@LloydLlewJ As a publisher I would argue it is completely legitimate and accurate to have an author’s full title on the cover (should they so wish). Whether it’s professor, doctor, general; or letters (OBE, RGS, etc). It’s a commercial narrative for a non academic audience.
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Morning. Excited for #HistoryWritersDay22 and I thought I'd start the weekend off with a little drama from #ColdWar #GDR which is a piece from the beginning of my book on the #BerlinWall - #CheckpointCharlie and a perilous train journey in the winter of 1961 to West Berlin .
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If there is one character I have researched for my book these past three years it is Maj Gen Fritz. I am not trying to excuse his deeds, but as a human story it is highly emotive. He survived #Stalingrad witnessed many of his men die from battle, disease & starvation …
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Travel papers of Col Fritz Roske taking him from his job at the military school in Dresden teaching tactics, to the frontline of Stalingrad in early Sept ‘42 leading the main attack into the city. He wouldn’t see home again until 1955. @WeHaveWaysPod @EuropaVerlag @arbeiderspers
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Skyfall … not a homicidal oligarch (with a matriarchal complex) in sight.
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Lovely first pre-publication review in from @kershaw_alex “The Lighthouse of Stalingrad is the finest of military history, utterly riveting, based on revelatory and superb research, and a heart-rending account of arguably the most impactful battle to defeat Nazism in WW2.”
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Many 80th anniversaries coming up for #Stalingrad. Feel incredibly lucky to be possibly the last western historian for the foreseeable future to be given access to the archives of the #PanoramaMuseum in #Volgograd.
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#OTD 1942 Adolf Hitler signs the Paulus’s Sixth Army to its fate at #Stalingrad. “In these difficult hours, my thoughts and those of the entire German nation are with you. You must … hold Stalingrad, which you conquered with so much blood.” @WeHaveWaysPod @TheRestHistory
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Iain is working from home from dawn until dusk and will make many cups of tea.
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#HistoryWritersDay22 I undertook an incredible joinery to #Stalingrad (now Volgograd) in the bitter winter of 2020 during first lockdown to sit in the untouched archives of their museum - situated on the shores of the #Volga. (-18 degrees). A treasure trove of testimonies.
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Just received advanced copy of my new book - great job by @LittleBrownUK and the endpapers are gorgeous. Out on 28 July. 👏🏻🍾
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@holland_tom describing #PrinceAndrew as a ‘thick, entitled perv’ is the truest, funniest comment on the @TheRestHistory episode 124 #WorldCupKingsandQueens.
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As I stress about both my kids sitting their GCSEs right now. It is bizarre to see the lengths some students go to in order to pass an exam. Confiscated pens containing cheat notes intricately carved by a student at the University of Malaga, Spain.
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Balancing my research for #Stalingrad is a Red Army unit (13th Guards) whose losses are a metaphor for million+ who died. Start of June the 10,000-strong unit were destroyed around Kharkov (33 left), rebuilt & thrown into Stalingrad in Sept 42. By Jan 43 less than 200 survived.
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#OTD 15 Aug 1961: 19-year-old GDR policeman Hans Konrad Schumann jumped over the barbed-wire barrier to freedom at the corner of #BernauerStrasse & #RuppinerStrasse. A PR coup for the west, it took a mental toll on him, committing suicide in 1998 back home in Kipfenberg. #RIP
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An eye opener being given a personal tour of #ChurchillWarRooms today by the @I_W_M - the map of the shipping route was particularly poignant. Every pin hole was an allied ship, a name, with many sunk and countless lives lost.
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Christmas was coming for the Sixth Army trapped in the 'Kessel' of Stalingrad. The main character from my book, Colonel Fritz Roske recorded in his diary the roller-coaster of emotions he and his men endured amid the freezing ruins .
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@kershaw_alex @WWIIMemorial Incredibly proud to have published Ambrose’s ‘Band of Brothers’ in the UK. What a generation. RIP.
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Kaput. Of the German 71st ‘Lucky’ Infantry Division I researched for #Stalingrad - who had stormed thru Poland, Low Countries & into Paris in ‘40. Took the highest casualties of 6th Army in the battle’s 1st month. Of 9,000 men, less than 300 surrendered, 20+ made it home by 1955.
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Thanks to all members of @WeHaveWaysPod who attended last night’s @almurray & @James1940 livestream. @RedFiveModels talk was fascinating, so much so I dusted this off the top of my bookshelves. Will give it a go! In between researching my next book project! #Stalingrad #Tamiya
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Thanks for setting up an early morning signing @GoldsboroBooks - great to see PHYSICAL copies. #TheLighthouseofStalingrad ‘The most compellingly readable account yet written.’ @James1940 @MrHenryLord
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Congratulations to @hoyer_kat - officially a #bestsellingauthor - a genuine new voice in the UK history genre. Excited to interview her on 3 May at @gowerst_books #BeyondTheWall - complete with my own piece of it! @AllenLaneBooks
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Surely #SpittingImage can do the UK Prime Ministers @almurray.
OK, this is pretty damn fantastic!.All the Presidents 🇺🇸 as Pixar characters using AI. Dan, I don’t know who you are but this was awesome! . Thanks to @GusSolano44 for bringing this to my attention 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼. #POTUS 😃. 📸: @DSzymborski
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Relieved: Rodimtsev's 13th Guards had been under siege holding a slither of #Stalingrad to tie down the Germans. He'd crossed the #Volga in Sept '42 with 10,000 men and by 27 Jan '43 had less than 200. His division comprised of green recruits from across the 15 Soviet republics.
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Volgograd today. Various giant posters of heroes of the battle of #Stalingrad decorate buildings in the centre of the city for the anniversary tomorrow. Guess who the other guy is? I researched the real events and people involved at Pavlov’s House. @WeHaveWaysPod @dcsandbrook
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Arrived today! Thanks again @MilHistMag for sending this shiny and very heavy prize! 🏆🍾 Much appreciated. #TheLighthouseofStalingrad #AwardWinner @LittleBrownUK @ScribnerBooks
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Covering the biggest story of their lives at the time in November 1989 #BerlinWall and still going strong! I captured a small part of @AlStewartOBE story, alongside his colleagues @jonsnowC4 & @johnsuchet1 . Look out for the @HistoryExtra podcast discussing the 60th anniversary.
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For the @WeHaveWaysPod audience for my talk on #Stalingrad - as promised here is one of my infamous interactive maps I had trouble operating on the day. I present to you - Case Blau 28 June 1942.
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You know you have teenagers when it’s almost 10am and no one stirring, and presents still intact. Even the cats are confused! 🎄🎁 Have a great Christmas Day folks! 🎁🎄
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80 years today, the fight for Stalingrad began. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Chechens, Siberians amongst other ethnic groups fought together in the Red Army. How times have changed. @almurray @WeHaveWaysPod @tonypastor70 @James1940 @TheRestHistory
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Victory at #Stalingrad #OTD 31 Jan 1943. The Daily Mail being on the right side of history for a change. @WeHaveWaysPod @TheRestHistory @ScribnerBooks @litfestbergen
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Just received the advanced copies of my US edition from the folk at @ScribnerBooks & offering 5 lucky people a signed copy for a retweet. I’ll announce the winners on Thursday. @WeHaveWaysPod @TheRestHistory @AspectsHistory @HistoryHit
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Fritz Roske surrenders at #Stalingrad: 'I had a need for a cigar and offered one to him as well. Soon after he had lit it, he quickly put it to one side. He must have had second thoughts whether such a thing was permitted, or whether it was perhaps poisoned . '
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Rare, unpublished #Stalingrad #Christmas cards created by the soldiers of Regt 194, 71st Div, for their commanding officer, Col. Fritz Roske. Concealing them through his years of imprisonment 1943-55 in the Soviet penal system. @WeHaveWaysPod @almurray @James1940 @TheRestHistory
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Looking forward to talking with @hoyer_kat - still some tickets left. An event with Katja Hoyer in conversation with Iain MacGregor at Daunt Books Marylebone | Thursday 25th May 2023 | Buy tickets online
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Loved talking once again to @hoyer_kat about her book that’s definitely hit a sweet spot for history lovers in the UK. @Dauntbooks Marleybone put on an excellent event & the audience - as you can clearly see - enjoyed it! @AllenLaneBooks
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The core of my research tells the story of two opposing units, who fought for the heart of #Stalingrad. The similarities of how a well motivated, well armed force, fighting for their piece of land - a ‘living city’ was never lost on me. The ‘September Battles’ would be pivotal.
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Sixtieth anniversary today of one of the most high-profile and senseless killings at the #BerlinWall. Teenage East Berlin bricklayer #PeterFechter was shot & mortally wounded attempting to run across the ‘Death Strip’. Every time I visit Berlin I go to pay my respects.
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Despite the rain outside my office window, the day just took a sunny turn with the news I have been elected a Fellow of the @RoyalHistSoc - thank you @ProfGSheffield for your kind endorsement. So honoured and thrilled. I hope my next book justifies ‘FRHistS’. 🍾
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Discussing the predicament of German Sixth Army commander Gen. Paulus as his forces stand outside WWIIs most infamous city. Watch Hitler vs Stalin: The Battle for Stalingrad from @HistoryHit @Joe_Greenway @thehistoryguy @LittleBrownUK @ScribnerBooks @JohnsonAlcock
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‘For Bakhmut, read #Stalingrad. Clueless Yevgeny Prigozhin sounds like any German frontline company commander in 1942. ‘Every house a fortress’: Wagner leader counts cost as Russia stalls in Bakhmut | Ukraine | The Guardian
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#OTD '42, amid the hell of fighting in #Stalingrad, band members of IR194 spruced up their uniforms, cleaned their instruments & serenaded their CO Col. Fritz Roske happy birthday as he stood outside 71st division's HQ 'How uplifting, in the depths of battle they played a march!'
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Calling all those interested in a signed copy of my new book. #TheLighthouseofStalingrad Available from @ColesBooks who will dispatch to you ASAP. @WeHaveWaysPod #WeHaveWaysFest
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#Yalta ‘45 & the allies are underway deciding the fate of post-war Europe. Coming soon from @HistoryHit myself (Stalin), @churchill_alex (Winston) and @DrJamesRogers (FDR) chaired by @thehistoryguy tackle the big issues, intrigue & back room politics that ushered in the #ColdWar
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The minutiae of war. Aftermath of #Stalingrad coughed up 1,000s of relics of the 6th Army, stored in the depths of the archives of the Panorama Museum #Volgograd @WeHaveWaysPod @thehistoryguy @AspectsHistory @litfestbergen @AticoLibros
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Excellent appraisal from @GilesMilton1 of a new book coming soon from a young historian with a big future @danielcowling “Meticulously researched and skilfully written, … A ground-breaking account of a little-known period.” @HoZ_Books @WeHaveWaysPod
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A survivor: Captain Gerhard Hindenlang of 71st ID is a key eyewitness & was the rock Maj Gen Fritz Roske relied upon during the final 72 hours of the Kessel. Constantly in action throughout the battle, by a miracle he stayed alive & survived Soviet captivity to return to the FDR.
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Love this photograph. My grandfather - Sergeant Benjamin MacGregor, Black Watch. Together with my own father circa 1939.
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#BerlinWall60 The planning of Operation 'Rose' to seal off a city of 3.3 million people was a herculean task: 192 streets blocked (97 going out & 95 into the Soviet sector) 81 official crossing points reduced to ten; U-Bahn & S-Bahn stations closed, river and canal system guarded
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So pleased that an author I greatly admire sent me this review: ‘A fascinating, well-researched, superbly-organized & well-written account of a complex struggle . It adds a human face to the conflict and conveys the immensity of human suffering involved.’ David M. Glantz
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#OTD 24 Nov 1942, at #Stalingrad Hitler orders the Sixth Army to dig in and await rescue, in the city, the fighting intensified for the 71st ID, as I capture in the unpublished diaries of Lt Col Fritz Roske: Thread …
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Thanks to all who retweeted news of my soon to be published American paperback edition. The five winners drawn from the hat are: @PhilipConnor42 @rednavy70 @Scottyc1965 @dominikymd @WillotheGlen and I added two more @mellowmatters @stuartroxy PLEASE DM with address.
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#OTD 31 Jan 1943 Maj Gen Fritz Roske oversaw negotiations with Gen Laskin of the 64th Army to surrender the central Kessel at #Stalingrad. Through his unpublished memoir Roske recorded the actual events of the German capitulation. @WeHaveWaysPod @TheRestHistory @HistoryExtra
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On a walk in the Kent countryside today and came across this marker. Fl/ Lt George E.E. Stoney of 501 Sqd shot down near Chilham 18/08/1940. 29 years old. RIP fella. #RAF @WeHaveWaysPod
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Just walking in the rain … friendly locals, too. #BuachailleEtiveMòr #DevilsStaircase #WestHighlandWay
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We desperately need a LEGO version to restore the great man’s cinematic reputation. #Napoleon
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A deserved and fabulous review from @simonmontefiore for @HoZ_Books forthcoming publication of @FXMC1957 new book on Weimar Germany. Out on 31 August in hardback and ready for preorder. @WeHaveWaysPod @TheRestHistory.
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One of the best books I have read about a journalist reporting (and surviving) a war zone, and the trauma they suffer. I probably go back to this book more than any other.
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22 Sept, ‘42: News from #Stalingrad to Col Roske’s wife, telling her how his regiment’s dynamic assault into the heart of the city brought success. ‘I am the king of Stalingrad!’ He does not mention the vicious house-to-house fighting, nor the losses suffered. @TheRestHistory
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He served a criminal, genocidal regime. The atrocities committed by the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front have still to be fully documented & the Sixth Army played a part in this. But, his personal papers are important & it has been a unique experience researching them.
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'I had thought I could rip their throats open with my bare teeth, but when I saw them convoyed across the Volga, in those tattered pathetic overcoats, . the nearest habitable place where they could rest was 10−15 km away. You think to yourself: “You’ll never make it, fellas!'
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