COLD

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COLD, THE 1918-19 SIBERIAN ESCAPE OF CAPTAIN EWALD LOEFFLER, a novel by Rick Schmidt, follows young German soldier Ewald Loeffler as he navigates 5000km of frozen Siberia to return to Germany and his family. After spending four years in a Siberian prison camp, the guards abandon their posts to join the Russian Revolution, leaving the prisoners to survive on their own. Loeffler, one of the few who endure the harsh conditions, recounts his daily struggle against extreme cold, wolves, and adversaries, both Russian and German. Years later, after teaching anthropology in America, he writes his memoir in the form of a daily log, detailing his fight for survival and his intimate thoughts during this harrowing journey. He reflects on his connection with a native woman, Nanra-naw, who provides him with crucial support—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—before he resumes his trek home. Haunted by memories of violent combat and psychological scars from an abusive father and distant mother, Loeffler's survival becomes a mental battle, requiring him to maintain his spirits against the ghosts of his past. Schmidt's novel is loosely inspired by the real-life escape of his father, Erich F. Schmidt, who also undertook a treacherous journey back to Germany after WWI.