A former German soldier living in Braintree has recorded his memoirs in a new book.

Karl-Werner Antrack recalls his experiences of the Second World War in Seventy-Five Years of Sunshine.

Mr Antrack, who came to Cressing Road 34 years ago, served as a sergeant before being wounded and captured.

After settling in Britain, he started writing about the war using diaries he had kept. His aim was for the notes to be passed down through family generations.

A relative was so impressed by the book they suggested Mr Antrack should find a publisher.

He later signed a deal with publishing giants Minerva.

Mr Antrack, 76, said: "I sent the book to the publishers but didn't really think they would take it on. I felt the book was perhaps too personal to have mass appeal.

"But I was amazed when I found it was going to be published. Minerva was delighted that it provided a perspective from someone living under Hitler's reign.

"It was an incredible time. Hitler had come along promising jobs and money. We all thought he was a hero. But it wasn't until after the war that I realised the full horror of what had happened."

Mr Antrack was born in Strehla, Germany in 1924. He joined the German army and was wounded and captured in 1944.

He wasn't released as a prisoner of war until four years later. This was because he wanted to stay in Britain rather than return to Russian-occupied east Germany. He eventually built up a successful export firm and settled in Braintree for business reasons.

Another book by Mr Antrack called The Sun over Zimbabwe is due out in May. It tells of an adventure across the African country.

And his writing has not stopped there - Mr Antrack is currently writing works on democracy and bank-note collecting.

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