East Prussian Diary

The records of Hans Graf von Lehndorff from the years 1945 to 1947 are a vivid testament to his love for his East Prussian homeland and the profound sense of responsibility driven by Christian charity that continually compelled him, as a doctor, to assist the countless sick and injured. He describes the horrors of flight, the siege of the city of Königsberg, which had been declared a fortress, the oppressive service in hospitals and camps, as well as the early post-war years marked by the tyranny and turmoil of Polish and Russian rule. In 1961, when the events of that time had become history, Hans von Lehndorff was able to publish his account written in 1948, which would have a significant impact on the Federal Republic's collective memory of flight and expulsion.