Alegres Soldados

The book

Experiences, songs and memories recounted by Alfredo González Díez.

Memories and songs

A life told
through music.

Alfredo González Díez collected memories of military campaigns, song lyrics and stories about the people who sang them. This is how the book took shape: Alegres Soldados, a work that his family preserves and shares free of charge.

Start reading ↗Contents and downloads

“I only wanted to record — in a few campaign notebooks — how a handful of songs brightened the lives of the troops.”
Alfredo González Díez · 2008

In Alfredo’s words

Author’s introduction

Alfredo explains why he wrote and shared Alegres Soldados.

Read the introduction ↗

Letter to readers

A thank-you to his readers, written on 20 February 2008.

Read the letter ↗

References to the book

Studies, books and publications that cite Alegres Soldados.

Explore the references (Spanish) ↗

01 — Experiences

The author’s memories

Accounts of his experience as a soldier and of provisioning his company, alongside memories gathered over the years.

02 — Songs

The voices of an era

Lyrics and notes on songs from different countries, from Lili Marleen to Katiusha, accompany the book’s journey.

03 — Documents

The original, always close at hand

Manuscripts, illustrations and digitised pages, accompanied by adjustable text for easier reading.