Memoirs of German Pilots in the First World War. Volume 2: Rosenstein - Böhme - Schaefer

This the second volume of the series on German pilot memoirs from the First World War. It includes for the first time complete, new translations of memoirs by aces Erwin Böhme and Emil Schaefer, as well as Willy Rosensteins autobiography, which has never before been published. Böhmes Letters from a German Fighter Pilot to a Young Girl (originally published in 1930) and Schaefers From Infantryman to Flier (published in 1918) provide extraordinary glimpses into the lives of front-line pilots, including their experiences in aerial fighting and their relationships with their families on the home front. Willy Rosensteins autobiography is a unique document, made available by the Leo Baeck Institute archive in New York. Rosenstein was a German-Jewish pilot who actually flew as Hermann Görings wingman in 1917 and survived the war, only to be persecuted after 1933 under Hitler before he escaped to South Africa where he trained a new generation of pilots who would fly against Nazi Germany. These fascinating first-hand accounts provide insight into the psychology, language and emotions of pilots who were pro-foundly affected by the war experience. Their narratives should engage students, scholars and aviation enthusiasts interested in the history of the First World War, as well as, in the case of Rosenstein, postwar traumas and the rise of the Nazi regime.

Willy Rosenstein's autobiography is a unique document made available by the archives of the Leo Baeck Institute in New York. Rosenstein was a German-Jewish pilot who actually flew as Hermann Göring's wingman and survived the war, only to be persecuted under Hitler after 1933 before fleeing to South Africa, where he trained a new generation of pilots to fly against Nazi Germany. These fascinating first-hand accounts give an insight into the psychology, language and emotions of pilots who were deeply affected by the war experience. Their stories should interest students, academics and aviation enthusiasts interested in the history of the First World War and, in Rosenstein's case, the traumas of the post-war period and the rise of the Nazi regime.