Hans-Dieter Otto tells of the worst disasters in human history from antiquity to the present day: from massive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, huge storms and cyclones, which humans seem just as unprepared for as famine and devastating epidemics. Is there really no heaven watching over us? This book describes what the accidents meant for each affected civilization; the many that perished and the ones who managed to return to normal. A readable, shattering kaleidoscope through suffering and misery and the terrible helplessness of man. Hans-Dieter Otto, born in 1937 in Berlin, is a lawyer and non-fiction author who lives in Ahrensburg. His "Encyclopedia of Miscarriages of Justice" (2003) became a bestseller, followed by "In the name of Error: Errors of Judgment in Murder Trials" (2006), "Encyclopedia of Unpunished Killings" (2007). His hobby, military history, was reflected in the publication "Missed Victories. Tragic Loss in the Austrian History of War "(2012). In "Above Us Only Sky?" (2015) he focuses on the worst natural disasters in human history.

As the world power of its time, the Habsburg empire not only was the main defender against the Turks in the east, but, over the centuries, also fought various alliances attacking in the west. For a long time, the Austrian army was counted among the world’s most powerful, and acclaimed commanders such as Prince Eugene of Savoy or Count Leopold von Daun were victorious on many battlefields – and horribly defeated on others. Glorious victories were achieved under the Austro-Hungarian flag, but there were also military mishaps, serious blunders and blatant misjudgements which turned the tides in a battle or even decided the outcome of a war. These are the stories told in this book. In fascinating case studies, Hans-Dieter Otto analyses the reasons for these mistakes and introduces the reader to captivating chapters in Austria’s military history.