Dominik Richert Dominik Richert ( born 1893 in St . Ulrich , Alsace ; died 1977 St . Ulrich ) was a German soldier who deserted to the French in 1918 . He became widely known posthumously after the publication of his memoirs . Memoirs . Dominik Richert ’ s memoirs of the First World War were discovered in a military archive by Bernd Ulrich in Germany in 1987 . He and his colleague Angelika Tramitz were able to establish contact with Dominik Richert ' s family . By researching military archives they were able to verify the authenticity of the text . They prepared the memoirs for publication , and they were first published in German in 1989 . They have subsequently been translated into French and English . They have also been the subject of academic study . The book was also used as the basis for a television documentary . Although he was twice decorated , Richert was a reluctant soldier who was willing to stand up to authority – and to avoid risks – in order to survive . After being heavily involved in fighting French troops in 1914 and Indian troops from the British Empire in 1915 , Richert was sent back for recuperation . As a consequence of telling some new recruits that an order to take no prisoners had been given , he was admonished and sent to the Eastern Front . Richert ’ s combination of humanity and scepticism resulted in a willingness to flout authority , and developed into a determination to desert when the opportunity arose . As the risk of their desertion was greater , soldiers from Alsace were not transferred back to the Western Front till 1918 . There Richert was involved in an attack on British forces before being transferred to a section of the Front opposite French forces . With two others , he crossed over no - man ’ s - land to become a “ deserteur Alsacienne ” . The account ends with Richert ’ s return home early in 1919 . Richert ' s attitude to the War was clear from the outset : " . . . I thought straight away that the most likely thing that can happen to you in a war is that you will be shot dead . That was a really unpleasant prospect . In addition , I was worried about my relatives and my home , because they were near the border and therefore at risk of being destroyed . " While in Northern France in 1914 Richert was ordered to run across an exposed position : " Now it was my turn . As it would have been certain death , I refused to go , although my superior shouted at me . An NCO gave me a direct command to jump . I cold - bloodedly said to him that he should show me how to do it , but he also lacked the courage to do so . " Richert had little respect for military values : " Bravery , Heroism – does it exist ? I doubt it very much , because all that I saw when under fire was fright , fear and desperation written in every face . But I did not see courage or bravery at all , because in reality it ’ s only the fearful military discipline , the force , that drives the soldier forwards to his death . " Second World War . In 1942 Alsace was in German hands again , and Dominik Richert ’ s two sons were called up for military service . In view of his experience of the First World War he encouraged them to escape across the border to Switzerland . As a result he and his wife were sent to forced labour in Germany . His sons joined the French Resistance . Richert and his wife returned home at the end of the Second World War . Their health had suffered as a consequence of their treatment in Germany . His sons both survived the War .