In this gripping narrative from 1917, an anonymous author recounts his harrowing escape from Germany and the horrors of military service after enduring 14 months of combat in France. Fearing for the safety of his family, he chose to remain nameless, but his powerful depiction of the life of a common German soldier during “The Great War” captivated readers when published serially in the United States. He reveals the grim reality of war—a reluctant warrior haunted by the brutality, filth, and inhuman toil of battle. This account also provides the first German perspective on the retreat of the Teutonic armies following the pivotal battle of the Marne. – From the Translator’s Preface - Summary by Lee Smalley