Ernst Jünger and the First World War
The Writing and Fighting of a German Stormtrooper Officer
Sep 10, 2008
Ernst Jünger was born in 1895 in Heidelberg, Germany. At the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 Jünger enlisted, and by the end of his basic training in December 1914, he joined the 73rd Fusilier Regiment. Jünger was wounded numerous times during the course of the war and moved up in rank from a private soldier to an officer. Following the war he wrote about his experiences and his admiration for the men he fought with and against.
Ernst Jünger’s Storm of Steel
Jünger is perhaps best known for his memoir, In Stahlgewittern, or Storm of Steel. The book is a record of some of his experiences and his belief that the war brought out the best in all involved in the struggle. What is most impressive about the work, however, is its unbiased approach to the First World War itself. Jünger does not explore the causes, nor does he examine the morality of the war. Storm of Steel is nothing more than a recounting of his time in the trenches.
Life as a German Stormtrooper
By 1917 Jünger had risen not only to the position of an officer in the 73rd Fusilier Regiment, but he was volunteering for and commanding combat missions. Due to his aggressive nature on the battlefield and his tremendous amount of personal courage, Jünger became an officer of his regiment’s Stormtrooper unit. As such Jünger not only led trench raids and patrols, but he was an active part of the Stormtrooper training in his regiment.
In his works Storm of Steel and Copse 125, Jünger goes into detail regarding Stormtrooper activity on the Western Front. Copse 125 examines tactical aspects of Stormtrooper actions in depth, revealing the level which Stormtroopers relied not only on their weaponry and training, but upon one another and their own bravery.
Bravery and Dedication, Jünger on the Western Front
From 1914-1918 Jünger was wounded repeatedly, suffering – according to Jünger at the end of Storm of Steel – fourteen wounds overall. Some of these wounds required him to be evacuated from the field of battle, forcing his admittance to military hospitals due to the severity of his wounds. Jünger was so badly wounded in August of 1918 that he spent the remainder of the war in a military hospital recovering.
Imperial Germany recognized the dedication of Jünger through commendations and the awarding of citations and medals. In 1916, following several wounds and several months as a reconnaissance officer, Jünger was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class. In 1918, having led a raid deep into the British lines, Jünger evaded capture, although he was severely wounded as he fought his way free. For this act, Jünger records in Storm of Steel, he was awarded the Pour le Merite, Germany’s highest award for bravery during the First World War.
Ernst Jünger was not simply a gifted writer in recording his military experiences, but he was an exceptional soldier and a prime example of the ideal Stormtrooper. Jünger showed the zeal and aggressiveness for which the Stormtroopers were known, and he bore the many wounds which such zeal and dedication could produce.
Sources
Jünger, Ernst. Storm of Steel. New York: Penguin Classics, 2004.
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