Against Forgetting. Theodor Plievier's novel Stalingrad, translated into 26 languages and a bestseller since its release, is undoubtedly the most significant documentary epic about World War II. Its unparalleled authenticity is due to the fact that Plievier, then an émigré in Moscow, was able to interview survivors of the 6th Army in prisoner-of-war camps. His unflinching description of the battle and the failures of military leadership is not only a political and moral reckoning with the megalomania and contempt for humanity of the Hitler regime, but also a resolute plea for peace and a call against forgetting. Plievier's novel is a compelling montage of facts and vividly portrayed individual fates, which led Victor Klemperer to the conviction that this book belongs to the enduring classics.