Peter Franziscus Strassegger

Casualty of War

One day, while tidying up, an author comes across a confession written by his grandfather. He isn’t unfamiliar with what he reads, but the new text brings new truths to light. Peter gains a deeper insight into his grandfather’s involvement in the war—at least as his grandfather chooses to remember it.

This confession forms the basis of an intricate and exciting story from the Second World War. The grandfather’s story is characterised by a desire for adventure and a need to grow as a person in his hometown of Bryne, in Germany and on the frontline in Russia. But it also contains many unpleasant truths—particularly for Peter, who distances himself from his grandfather’s political position.

With empathy, intelligence and a searching gaze, the author explores his grandfather’s story from the war. He travels to the same places, including Russia, and tries to understand what motivated his grandfather.