Diary of a Kriegie

Diary of a Kriegie is the personal account of United Press correspondent Edward Beattie following his capture in France and imprisonment by the Germans for the final eight months of the Second World War. Beattie was kept in a series of internment camps, ending up at Stalag III-A at Luckenwalde, Germany. He was released when the Red Army liberated the camp in April 1945. The book provides a detailed look at camp life, especially the longing for favorite foods (some interesting prisoner recipes are included). The arrival of Red Cross packages were much anticipated and an important addition to the prisoner’s otherwise meager diets. Beattie’s knowledge of Germany (he had worked as a reporter in Germany before the war) and fluency in the German language add interest to the diary as he was able to gain insights into the workings of the camp and his captors. This version includes 42 pages of drawings made by the author while a prisoner-of-war.