Samuel Sy Brenner, USA, is the author of The Night
I Got Killed. According to the book description, “The Night I Got Killed™ is a non-fiction
account of the harrowing and lighter side experiences of Sy Brenner, a WWII ex-P.O.W. medic. Brenner was
the “Man of Confidence” for the Lazarett (hospital) prisoners. He went underground and was regularly passed information
from a woman thought to be the wife of a German general.
This story differs from others with the documented
details of substandard conditions and personal experiences specific to wounded prisoners of war. The imprisoned
soldiers involved are immediately engaging as their heroism and challenges are profound.
Brenner was forced to perform functions beyond his
medic training that included amputations with improper surgical instruments. His concern of how this affected the lives of
the soldiers he treated is a long-term challenge. Not your typical war story, incorporated in this unique
chronicle is the struggles of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Brenner’s coping strategies even today include humor,
self-discovery and wisdom in dealing with flash-backs, nightmares and self-worth.
Hiding a “secret” to survive Nazi Germany,
Brenner lived in constant and solitary fear. A connection to his blood type and a quick thinking soldier next to him saves
his life from an American 45 pistol in his face. Brenner’s reported and 103th Infantry-assumed date listed as K.I.A.
(Killed in Action) is November 29, 1944. In reality, it is the date he was wounded and captured in Nothalden,
France. In the coldest winter to that point in history, the imprisoned Brenner walked in the death march to Germany."
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