Soldier X: Captain Communicator

Andrei Matusa

Summary:
1. Prologue:
a. Erik Brandt, living in a small house near Seattle Washington, war veteran. He’s a
professor, a history teacher. He had blue eyes, blond hair, now faded with his age. He’s
confronted about the war and fighting the Nazis, little to people know, he was a Nazi.

2. Chapter 1 – In Dead Men’s Clothes

a. He’s on an old train from Germany, on his way to the front lines towards Russia. He’s a
young man, 16, part of the Hitler Youth, a mandatory membership. Brandt and his
family are Russian, only his dad was German, he died a long time ago of influenza. His
family conceal the fact that they’re Russian, because they would get prosecuted if
people found out. He studied language for the war, to be an interpreter, a natural
Russian interpreter. They also wore used soldier outfits, outfits of now dead soldiers.

3. Chapter 2 – Guided Tour

a. Erik makes friends on the train, first Jakob. Jakob had a passion for tourism, he droned
on about the land they were passing over. Erik has his first encounter with a veteran,
rather bullies (the feeling we get from them).

4. Chapter 3 – Criminals
a. Reached town of Gryuskow, Poland, 30km from Russian border. They had food, hosted
by Jews, viewed as criminals in WW2 by Germans. Erik and Jakob meet Oskar, they eat
together, they start doubting (Wulffson 16).

5. Chapter 4 – Baptism of Fire

a. Soldiers get organized into squads. We get introduced to Dobelmann, the platoon
leader, a war-turned scary sight. Brandt’s group prepare for boarding a convoy, for
transport. The convoy goes underway, soldiers are warned to be prepared for attack.
The young soldiers (Erik and friends) see war ruins, destroyed towns, not nice sights.
The convoy gets attacked by small Russian Fighter planes. Soldiers are told to mobilize,
get out, and shoot. Erik fumbles with his gun, never ends up firing a shot at a plane, he’s
disappointed. Erik attends to an injured soldier, named Hals Kessler, a newly discovered
friend, Hals thanks Erik. Erik recalls the losses in the convoy attack.

6. Chapter 5 – Stupid Children

a. We recall aftermath of attack, 11 soldiers killed, 9 conscripts. The trucks face minor
enemy incident, killed 3 men and a child of about 8 or 9. They reach supply dump at
night, time to rest. Drivers were the punished jobs, being so risky.

7. Chapter 6 – Mules
 a. Platoon woken up early to start long hike, with supplies. Then is rains, badly, Erik sees
this is tough work. They arrive at battalion headquarters, on battle site, in the
“lounge”/resting area underground. Veterans are there right now.

8. Chapter 7 – The Welcoming Party

a. Erik gets a taste for bunker life, when you’re not on the front lines. They eat, little do
they know there’s rat meat too. They discover the rat phenomena, catching the rats,
eating them too, they’re (Erik and friends) disgusted. They witness their area/bunkers
being shelled.

9. Chapter 8 – Prisoners
a. Erik & friends are put to work repairing artillery damage. Erik is taken to interrogate
some captured Russian soldiers, now prisoners, seeing as he’s fluent in Russian.

10. Chapter 9 – The Front

a. Erik and his group are at the front lines, get a crash course from Dobelmann. Erik does
rotations as night watch, then back to front lines. Now they get shelled, Erik’s buddy
Willi gets his arm amputated by shrapnel.

Presentation:
Word Wizard – James
• Erik Brandt, 16
• POV – first person, past tense
• Topic – Experience of war Brandt is talking about
• Theme – when joining the army for Germany he lost side of who was justified.
• Mood – sad unforgiving, gruesome
• Pun – Only Dobelmann got his hands dirty: literally.
• Foreshadowing – Suspected, he worked until the day he died (Hals).
• Metaphor – more freight-train-like shells.
• Conflict – PvP (soldiers), PvMachine (guns and such), PvSociety.
• Imagery – ex. Floor of hard packed earth.
• Historical source: Talks of German who was a Nazi, who has flashbacks. German fought in
Russia, forced to front lines, under heavy fire and heavy casualties, Germany on defensive.
German’s buddy has nearly amputated hands (connected to book). Both the source and book
contain similar themes of the gruesome reality of life as a soldier.

Creative Connector – Daniel

• Extension of where we left off.
• Aftermath of Willi’s amputation.
• Russians moving in, Brandt fires bazooka.
• Brandt feels like a hero, destroying many enemy machines.
• Germans engage infantry, use tactics Dobelmann taught them.
 • Germans win/defend against the Russian assault.
o Brandt feels rewarded, likes the adrenaline, thinks this could be fun.

Media Mogul – Andy

• Chose propaganda poster, German perspective.
o Has a lot to do with the book.
o Hitler Youth on poster, Hitler Youth in book.
o That’s about it.

Questions:
1. On page 8, (ish) Erik talks about admiring the soldiers during the soldier parades, wanting to
be one of them and not being allowed, yet when a new law get passed making him eligible for
conscription, he doesn’t want to anymore. Why do you think this is?
a. He didn’t realize what he actually had to do, the dangers, he changed his mind.
2. In the prologue, Erik states he would rather be called X. Why could this possibly be?
a. A nickname he earned in the war. Maybe all the bad things he did in the war, he doesn’t
want to be acknowledged for it.
3. You are nothing, your Volk are everything: motto of the Hitler youth. (pg4) What do we gather
of the mentalities of the military/people with authority?
a. That you’re just another body, you don’t matter, there’s always men.
b. Further question (to estimated response to 3): but aren’t soldiers the greatest asset of
the military, especially in this era?
i. There were always people to go enlisted, most crucial but expandable,
replaceable easily.
4. What does life seem like for a soldier on the German’s side. We’re talking for example bunker
life, how hard is it, human rights, resources, physical and mental effects of this kind of
lifestyle.
a. Very malnourished, not much food, flooded trenches, you become independent,
immune to disease & climate, you just have to deal with it, and always be on edge in
case you’re called out for battle.
5. Why do you think the author sometimes uses words or expression in German?
a. Because maybe he only knew what some places were called (only in German). Also
because in this book they’d normally be talking in German, we’re on the German side,
they wouldn’t be talking in German, some German terms and phrases are used to
enhance the experience.
6. Why do you think the author uses similes and metaphors when first describing Dobelmann’s
appearance?
a. His face is so HEAVILY DISFIGURED, it’s describable to only inhumane things. It’s so beat
up by the war it’s unrecognizable and simple words cannot describe it accurately.
7. Based on how we’ve seen veterans talking to Erik and the new recruits, what idea/sense do
you get of their behavior? Do you think this is a natural thing, or a consequence of war?
Thoughts?
 a. Their behavior is cocky, they feel superior, want to show their dominance because
they’re older and know the lay of the land. The boys (Erik & friends) haven’t proven
themselves. We think the behavior is a consequence of war, because war is tough and
they don’t like it. Opposition: we thought it might also be natural, natural competition
between guys, always trying to show off, dominance, especially when someone is below
in seniority, we feel like we want to show our great power.

Next Week:
1. Capt Communicator
a. James
2. Word Wizard
a. Daniel
3. Creative Connector
a. Andy
4. Media Mogul
a. Andrei