Summary

Chapter 31 describes Lenard, a German company commander, on his way to meet with head of the military police, Chalb. While his courier car is stopped, he sees worn out German soldiers huddled over a fire eating horse meat. Chapter 32 describes the living conditions of Paulus since their army’s encirclement. The narrator defines the change in morale that has taken hold since the encirclement. In chapter 33 Lenard meets with Chalb. They discuss the predicament of their army. Chalb informs Lenard that he may be leaving Stalingrad on a plane, and in the event of an emergency he has secured a similar passage for Lenard. Lenard declines the offer. He does not want to abandon his troops.

Chapter 34 describes the advancement of the Russian front line. They come so close that a German soldier is caught having traded items with a Russian...