The book by the French historian Jean Mabire tells about one of the elite formations of the German Wehrmacht - the paratroopers and their actions on the Eastern Front during the winter campaigns from 1941 to 1945. Based on documents and testimonies of direct participants in the events, the author shows the war as it was it was seen by soldiers from the “other side” of the front. Covering in detail the course of military operations, he conveys the severity of the inhuman conditions in which they were carried out, the cruelty of the confrontation and the tragedy of losses. The book is intended for a wide range of readers interested in the history of the Second World War