THE ERLKING. WILM HOSENFELD, OFFICER WHO SAVED WLADYSLAW SZPILMAN. OTTO VON WÄCHTER, SS GENERAL WHO ROBBED KRAKOW

Discover the fascinating story of two German officers whose fates were intertwined during World War II. One who risked his life to save others, and the other who unscrupulously plundered Polish heritage. This book is an extraordinary journey into the depths of history, full of secrets and unexpected twists. Learn more about the rescue of Władysław Szpilman and the crimes of Otto von Wächter.

• Fascinating historical and journalistic investigation
• Extraordinary fates of Captain Wilm Hosenfeld
• New aspects of the robbery of Polish works of art
• Parallel biography of two officers
• Well written and full of unknown facts
• Access to the Secret Archives of the Vatican

"The Erlking" is a captivating story about two officers wearing German uniforms, whose moral attitudes were separated by an abyss. Wilm Hosenfeld, a captain in the Wehrmacht, became famous as the man who saved Władysław Szpilman, an outstanding pianist of Jewish origin and hero of Roman Polański's film "The Pianist". His courage and dedication saved the lives of many Poles, and after the war, dozens of grateful citizens sought his release from the Soviet Gulag.

On the other hand, Otto von Wächter, an SS general and Gauleiter of Galicia, was a ruthless war criminal and thief of Polish culture. His name appears in connection with unexplained mysteries of the robbery of Polish heritage by the German state. Magdalena Ogórek has already dedicated two previous books to him, and in "The Erlking" she discovers new, shocking facts about his crimes.

This book is not only a biography of two officers, but also a fascinating historical investigation into the transfer of Nazi war criminals to South America and access to the Secret Archives of the Vatican. The authors reveal new aspects of Hosenfeld's rescue of works of art from Warsaw churches after the fall of the Warsaw Uprising and the Nazi crimes in which Wächter was involved. This is a must-read for all history lovers and those interested in the subject of World War II.

"The Erlking" is a book that forces reflection on human nature and the choices we make in extreme situations. It is a story about heroism and crime, about sacrifice and greed, about humanity in the darkest times. It is a story that will remain in the reader's memory for a long time.