Hans Peter Koehler

Hans Peter Koehler was born on May 9, 1921, in Bad Freienwalde, Germany. As a young man, he lived in Magdeburg and trained as a telecommunications technician. In 1941, he was drafted into the German armed forces and served with the signals corps. His service took him to Russia, including the area around Krasnoje near Smolensk. In his diary, he recorded his experiences of the war, the retreat, and British captivity.

After returning home, Koehler resumed his work as a telecommunications technician and later lived in Brandenburg an der Havel. He died on December 5, 2008. His grandson, Daniel Koehler, prepared the surviving diary for publication.