Read a Sample Chapter from Willi: Diary of a Young Lieutenant

This book is dedicated to all soldiers who lost their lives during WWII.

      

 

Readers' Comments

"R and I read this thrilling first hand account of history unfolding and we are in awe of Willi’s courage, his commitment and endurance in the world’s greatest conflict. What a guy! Such stories must be told! I can just imagine the countless hours of research that were needed to produce such a comprehensive tale. R. and I salute you Willi."
 
R and L.P. Sydney, Australia

It is a gripping saga and hard to put down until finished. I admire Willi for his integrity and compassion, as well as his courage. It also sets the record straight.
 
Dr. W.W. Sydney, Australia

Michelle Kaiser’s graphic description of the Russian winter lets you see the vastness of the steppes and their hopeless isolation from civilization. You can feel the cold, hunger and pain these soldiers suffered. It is as if a movie is rolling in front of your eyes. This is a gripping, riveting saga that you can’t stop reading.

H.S., Salzburg, Austria

 

 

 

 

 

Willi: Diary of a Young Lieutenant  
By Michelle Kaiser

Ever wonder what it was like ‘on the other side’?

Willi Kaiser was a 19-year-old linguistic scholar and soccer star. Due to circumstances beyond his control, he was drafted into the German army in 1941 and thrown into WWII. He trained as a heavy weaponry gunner and became a highly skilled marksman. Then he was promoted to the rank of officer and served under the command of iconic panzer leaders General von Kleist and General Heinz Guderian. Willi described how he survived the terrible Russian winter. Many of his men and friends lost their lives. Later, south of Stalingrad, Willi was gravely wounded. Then, while being evacuated in a Red Cross air ambulance, he was shot down by Russian fighter planes. The human tragedy of Stalingrad and the enormous loss of life suffered by the VI army are described in detail.

After a lengthy recovery, Willi joined the Department of Intelligence and went on spy missions throughout Europe. He happened to be stationed in his home town of Hamburg during the bombing known as Gomorrah and watched his home destroyed. A year later, on July 20, 1944, while working as a translator at HQ West in Paris, an attempt was made on Hitler’s life in Rastenburg, East Prussia. It was feared that conspirators would infiltrate and attack the Paris HQ as well. Willi was assigned the delicate task of identifying suspects.

Sadly, Willi’s injuries from Stalingrad forever destroyed his promising soccer career.

In 1954 Willi immigrated to Canada. Five years later he became a Canadian citizen.

Voice Recording: VALHALLA Publishing is especially privileged to have obtained a recording of Willi Kaiser reading from the chapter On the Banks of the Volga. He also sings his own version of The Song of the Volga from Léhar’s operetta Der Zarewitch. This disc is included with the book.

Valhalla Publishing invites readers to send their comments to valhallapublishing@sympatico.ca