Interview with Richard Grimm, officer in Pioneer Battalion 305, veteran of the battles of Stalingrad and Monte Cassino. Kirchheim, Germany, 1987

[Above: Oberleutnant Richard Grimm, at Goroditsche, October 13, 1942. The picture was taken by Rudolf Freigang.]

Thank you for your time, I would like to start by asking why you chose to serve in the army?

Richard: It was simple; it was a new time in Germany that started in 1933. Things were still bad, and the recovery had not started yet. There was a fre…