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Interview with Sven Hassel
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| In 1937 Sven Hassel was forced to sell two of his most precious books (the works of Erich Maria Remarque: "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "The Time that Followed") for the humble price of 1 USD in order to be able to afford a passport. The irony was that only two years later he would be in war; and 40 years later he would be one of the world's best-selling authors, with 14 books in a total circulation of 55 million in 105 countries. | |
| NEW WORK | |
| - | There are many rumours that you are writing a new 27th Panzer story. Is this true and, if so, when might we hope to see the book in print? |
| - | Yes, it is true, but the process is slow, when you are in the 80'ies, so I wouldn't know when to say it will be ready. |
| ABOUT HIS WORK | |
| - | Do you have a personal favourite among your own books? |
| - | SS General..maybe. |
| - | Which book pays the best tribute to your comrades, as you promised you would do? |
| - | The Legion of the Damned. |
| - | Did you ever read other "Ostfront" genre fiction such as Leo Kessler, Willi Heinrich, Konsalik, etc. |
| - | I have read Heinrich, Konsalik and many many others. I have a private library of more than 12.000 volumes. Actually , according to what I have been told the books of Kessler are plagiarism of my books. However, personally I have never read any of his work. |
| - | Did you know that there is a character named Sven Hassel in one of Kessler's books? |
| - | No, I didn't. I know however that the lawyers of my British publisher were suing him once. |
| - | Do you like the way that your books have sometimes wrongly been marketed, with comic pictures of war and Nazi imagery? |
| - | No and that will not happen again as I have asked my literary agents to request in present and future agreements that covers, etc. must be approved by me prior to print. |
| FILMS | |
| - | Do you think it would be possible to make an authentic film, or film series, of your books? |
| - | Yes, of course. |
| - | What do you really think of the film treatment of "Wheels of Terror" with American and British actors? |
| - | It was no good, and not because of the international mix of actors, but rather because the production only seemed to cover a shallow and hollow perspective of what I have struggled - and hope to have succeeded - to put into vision in my books. |
| - | Who currently owns the film rights for your work and are there any plans to make a new movie? |
| - | I own the rights hereto. Yes, there are some projects in consideration. |
| CHARACTERS | |
| - | Would it ever be possible to trace any of the original characters in your books, or are they all fictitious? |
| - | Most of them died in the war, but Tiny, Legionnaire and Heide survived. |
| - | Do any photographs exist of any of your characters and do you have any wartime photographs of you, the Old Man, Porta, Tiny, etc.? |
| - | Yes, I still have some photos. |
| FANS AND ANTI-FANS | |
| - | Have you ever met any of your readers, and what do you think of them? |
| - | Yes, I have met a lot of my readers and it has been very interesting and of course an honour to meet them… |
| - | Have you seen any of the web sites dedicated to you? |
| - | No, no I´m truly sorry, but I´m afraid that I´m too old to learn to navigate on the Internet. My century is the same as Günther Grass´s: One, which is already finished. |
| - | Does it upset you that a certain group of people in Denmark seem determined to undermine your character - specially to attack you? |
| - | Yes it does: Once in a while I walk all the way down to the bank CRYING!!! No, seriously, how can it upset me, when the person behind all this is an extreme rightist lunatic, who haswritten a couple of documentary books glorifying the SS, and as such a character of his element would only know to attack me. Honestly I would never let that bother me. I could easily sue the guy, but according to my lawyer this is not worthwhile as the man is personally bankrupt. Anyway, the importance of an architect is his buildings, not the architect himself…same with the work of an author. |
| - | These people also say that you have never been to the war, even been a soldier. Do you have any comments? |
| - | If this is so, then ask them to give me back the 12 years of my youth I spent in the war, in prisoner camps, etc. Look, I remember in the thirties when I read again and again the best war book ever written "All Quiet on the Western Front" , it was also said that Remarque was a simple school teacher, who had never been to the front…so really… who cares? |
| AUTHENTICITY IN THE BOOKS | |
| - | You often mention the NKVD's "Green Cross" insignia but nobody seems to be able to locate such a thing - can you give any more clues? |
| - | The badges on the uniform and caps of the NKVD were green. |
| - | Did you really serve in the 27th Panzer Regiment? In what division was the 27 Panzer? |
| - | Yes I did. The 27th Pz. Rg. was in the 6th Panzer Division. |
| - | The Legionnaire often sings "Come death, come" in times of danger. Does this song exist and in which language should it really be sung? |
| - | The saying "Come death, come" was always recited by the Legionnaire in French: "Viens mort, viens" |
| - | How did the war end for you? Where were you captured and what was the imprisonment like? Did this period influence the large number of prison episodes in your books? |
| - | I was captured in Berlin in May of the year1945. Then I was in Russian, American, British and Danish prisoner camps and as only natural it has influenced me…strongly. |
| PERSONAL LIFE | |
| - | How do you pass your time these days? |
| - | Reading, travelling…living… |
| - | Why did you choose to live in Barcelona (apart from the excellent climate)? |
| - | The people. |
| - | What is the connection with the Barcelona character in the books - which came first? |
| - | Barcelona Blom came first. |
| - | Are you in good health? |
| - | Yes, but a little old.. |
| - | Do you have any religious or political beliefs or did you lose all faith in such things as a result of your wartime experiences? |
| - | I must admit that I have lost more or less my religious faith. As to political beliefs. I think we are on the right way as to the construction of the European Union, so a madness like WWII will never again occur here. |
| - | What medals, decorations or awards did you receive in the war? |
| - | War Merit Cross, Iron Cross, Close-combat badge, Panzer Sturm Medals, Medal for the Wounded in gold…but it´s not about the medals. It´s about the friendship, the natural instinct and will of survival and perhaps most important of all to be part in acknowledging the cruelty of dictatorship and militarism. |
| - | Would you ever consider co-operating with someone who wants to write your biography? |
| - | No, I don´t think I would lose my time on that at my age. |
| - | Of all the people you have met throughout your life, who inspired you the most and why? |
| - | My war comrades and that is why I have written so many books about them. |
| - | Is there any special reason why you have chosen to stay out of the public eye? |
| - | Yes, journalists tire me. |
| - | Do you ever make contact with your war comrades? |
| - | I used to go the "Treffen" - yearly meetings of war veterans - , but now most of us are dead and in the end it became very boring…with tired heroes remembering battles. |
| - | Do you ever return to Germany? |
| - | Yes, I have many friends in Germany…and a few enemies as well…. |