In 1915, the German government published a book entitled 1915 in an attempt to portray the Germans as a civilized people who were destined to win the war, who would treat their prisoners with care and compassion. The Kaisers First POWs is the first book to compare the official German view to the grim reality of captivity, as experienced by the prisoners.Dozens of original photos from 1915 tell the story as seen by German eyes. Compare them to the personal accounts from former prisoners who describe the reality of falling into the hands of the German Army and life as a prisoner of the Kaiser.By the end of the war, the Germans had taken approximately 2.8 million prisoners of war. This books describes the life and times of these prisoners and the manner in which the Germans dealt with the problems involved in accommodating them.
Philip Chinnery is the chairman of the National Ex-Prisoner of War Association and has carried out extensive research into the life of prisoners of the First World War in German hands. A prolific writer, he has published almost 20 books on military and aviation subjects including three on the Korean war for Pen & Sword. He also writes articles for Flypast and Aeroplane Monthly magazines and has recently produced two specials for Key Publishing on the Vietnam and Korean air wars. He is currently working on a second volume on the First World War describing the escapes carried out by desperate and determined prisoners of the Kaiser.