A German Deserter's War Experiences

A firsthand account of a German soldier’s horrific experiences fighting in France and Belgium, culminating in his escape from military service. In 1913 Julius Koettgen, a pacifist and a socialist, was drafted into the ranks of sapper battalion No. 30. He dutifully fought in the ranks of the Kaiser’s armies during 1914 and 1915 and saw action in France and Belgium where he describes the terrible events which were to become known as “the rape of Belgium” and also details the extent of the fighting