Disgusted and appalled by the acts of violence inflicted by his fellow countrymen, Paul is compelled to act. Paul Brandt is a German soldier with a very strong conscience. This is where this book deviates so completely for me from any book within this historical genre/era that I have read in the past. He ingratiates himself with the SS residents and soon he is an indispensable member of staff. In taking up the position, Paul faces many risks but to him they are small. This is an opportunity that Paul cannot refuse.
The rest hut is in need of a steward, a person who can coordinate the smooth running of things while the SS Officers concern themselves with just rest and relaxation. The horrors he witnessed and the actions he took during battle have left a deeper scar within him, deeper than any physical scar and now that he is home he plans to make amends. Paul has never been comfortable as a soldier. This prisoner, though somewhat ravaged, looks very like her.
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During his protesting days, Paul was oft times in the company of a woman, known only to him by her code name. In passing the rest hut one day he is convinced he sees a female prisoner that he knows from before the war. Paul’s facial features have changed beyond recognition due to the injuries he now carries. The Constant Soldier is not an historical novel recounting the terror of Auschwitz but it is the story of the rest hut and the people who passed through it and also those who worked there. Using these images William Ryan set about writing the story of the last days of WW2, before the Russians arrived in 1945, with Paul Brandt as the main protagonist. Absolutely fascinating imagery which I highly recommend you take a look at HERE (Courtesy of The Guardian) When William Ryan happened upon a collection of pictures, now known as The Hoecker Album, he discovered over 100 photographs that portrayed images of the living conditions of many SS officers during their ‘break’ from the horrors of the camps. It is with quite a shock that Paul arrives back to his village to find the, now infamous, rest hut used by the SS staff from Auschwitz, in very close proximity to his family home. A political activist before war broke out, Paul’s entry to the German army was not a choice that he made himself.
Paul Brandt returns home from the front as a result of horrific injuries received in battle.
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