BERLIN DANCE OF DEATH. [Translated,annotated and illustrated by Tony Le Tissier.]

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn. [Complete number line 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2.] NFINE/FINE+. No owner inscrptn per se,but a small,rectangular cut-out to top corner of front free endpaper - possibly previous owner's name removed,but no price removal to dw/dj.Bright,crisp, clean,glossy b/w contemporary b/w photographic illustrated dw/dj with black and grey+white lettering to front+spine/backstrip,rear panel with b/w photograph; with negligible shelf-wear,bumping, creasing - no nicks,tears or splits present.Top+fore-edges bright and clean without blemish; contents bright,tight,clean - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners - unread apart from my own collation. At some stage in book's life/ownership or possibly the production process ,a pressure imprint to rear endpaper and through several preceding book signatures,causing a slight buckle to them.Pages are intact and perfectly readable,with that decreasing degree of buckle/ripple in progression towards the earlier signatures.Publisher's bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered,original plain royal blue cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked silver gilt letters to spine/backstrip,a royal blue+white striped headband and plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,viipp+1-248pp [paginated] includes translator's introduction,XIII(13) chapters,appendices (I-IV),16pp contemporary historical and modern b/w photographs (32) and 12 b/w city's battle maps in 1 block,between pp120/21.Plus [unpaginated] half-title +title pages,a contents list/table with maps list and picture credits to its reverse.
This is one of the most vivid accounts of destruction and hopelessness we have ever seen.It is a 17-year-old German conscript's experiences in the defense of Berlin during the spring of 1945 - the last desperate days of Berlin - annotated and illustrated to show his part in the overall picture.
As a teenage conscript,Altner's account covers in detail recruit training on the front line after only ten days in barracks,the execution of deserters and action against the Red Army and turncoat German 'Seydlitz' Troops.He tells of the retreat back to Berlin with full kit,escaping capture time after time and the annihilation of nearly all his company in just one action.
He gives detailed descriptions of house to house fighting in the Spandau sector of Berlin,the battle for the Olympic Stadium,the sacrifice of Hitler Youths, fighting in the city's subway tunnels and the disastrous attempt at a breakout to the west, culminating in his final capture.
This is an account of war at its most basic and brutal level,of the collapse of everything familiar and the hopelessness of imminent defeat. Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!
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