Unlikely Warrior
A Jewish Soldier in Hitler’s Army

Quotes

“With honesty and affection Georg Rauch tells of the love and respect between a mother and son as well as the nightmare experiences of a young soldier fighting and barely surviving a war he never wanted, understood, or could justify.” Lake Chapala Review

“Translated by his wife, Phyllis, and first self-published before Rauch’s death in 2006, this is a remarkable primary-source document with broad appeal to history teachers, students, and scholars alike. An exceptionally well-written account of unimaginable hardship, it’s also an engaging read that serves as powerful testimony to the insanity of war and the human will to survive.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“In this glimpse into history, Rauch, a young Jewish man in Third Reich Vienna, describes his experiences during World War II…The story is well paced, offering a fascinating and intriguing look at the era.” Library Journal

“A fascinating account of what it was like for a partial Jew to serve in the German military during World War II. Rauch’s experiences and hardships dramatically depict the physical and emotional struggles of a ‘Mischling’ during the Third Reich.” Bryan Mark Rigg, author of Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers

“Not about combat tactics but about what it meant to be in an army at war. Rauch has put a human face on aspects of the war that are usually only referred to in passing.” Tom Houlihan, WWII cartographer

“In his autobiographical Unlikely Warrior, Georg Rauch tells how as a young man he and his mother worked with the resistance in Vienna during the Third Reich. When drafted by the German army, Rauch revealed his Jewish ancestry—and was sent to the Eastern front where trenches, near starvation, and a Russian prison camp awaited him.” School Library Journal

Awards

• Junior Library Guild Selection
• YALSA Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults