This new book has much to offer both the specialist and the general reader. We would like to thank all for their support whilst we transition to virtual operations. The justification for the german waffen ss prinz eugen division comprised of men from the danube swabian areas of the kingdom of yugoslavia. The waffen ss, by edmund blandford hitlers second army. Known as hitlers asphalt soldiers they fought on all. The waffenss was a part of the german schutzstaffel or ss, which saw its rise during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Leon degrelle the epic story of the waffen ss state of grace. Known as hitlers asphalt soldiers they fought on all the main battlefronts, but most notably in the east against the soviet union and in normandy. Find waffen ss and ww2 german from a vast selection of militaria. The battle begins with members of a viet cong cell bringing in the beaten up. High ranking german politicians courted former waffenss members and their veteran organisation, hiag.
Together with the sturmabteilung storm battalion, or sa, they were used as a police. Author paul watkins delivers a lecture about the nazi waffen ss to the nj world war ii book club. During the period of the third reich it represented a state within a state, its military arm, the waffenss, an army within an army. John mclaughlin is njs world war ii book club director. The ss was the single most powerful political organization. Devils guard, by george robert elford published in 1971, is the story of a former german waffenss officers string of nearconstant combat that begins. Not in the case with the waffen ss, but the armed ss did remain neutral towards the extreme parts of the nazi philosophy that their superiors had.
This book traces the history, organization, uniforms and equipment of the waffen ss between 1939 and 1945. This is the naziapologia war novel that apparently. By october 1944 the waffen ss had grown to over 910,000 men. A small number of veterans, somewhat controversially, served in the. Leon degrelle the epic story of the waffen ss youtube. Although unit histories and campaign studies of the various waffenss divisions and formations are commonplace, adrian gilberts work is the first operational history of the organization as a whole since george stein s 1984 book the waffen ss. Feb 11, 2009 many found their way to france, often on foot, to enlist in the french foreign legion. Jan 10, 2017 the book follows a nazi ss officer named hans josef wagemueller who manages to fight his way out of czechoslovakia in the waning days of world war ii, only to flee germany and join the french. The guards of the concentration camp, who were sstotenkopf soldiers, were quartered at the ss garrison, along with waffenss. Cuff titles, collar tabs, shoulder boards, badges by. While tactically subordinate to the army, the waffen ss had their own command and control channels and effectively answered to himmler. Waffenss that is, frontline divisions serving on the eastern frontwere also organized. They took their talents to vietnam, via the ffl, and showed the communist.
The dot 44 camouflage, also known as the dot peas or erbsenmuster, was a design introduced in 1944. You are right, many ss soldiers of the waffen ss went to vietnam. The battle begins with members of a viet cong cell bringing in the beaten up leader of the waffen ss team as a prisoner. With the full support of the nazi regime, the waffen ss fought on all european fronts between 1939 and 1945. After the second world war france lacked the will to keep fighting another war and was short on men. Yes and no there definetely were former members of the ss in the foreign legion, but a lot of it is based on exaggeration. It was a waffen ss security and combat formation which saw action on both the eastern and western fronts during world war ii. The book is presented by the author as nonfiction but considered to be untrue by military historians, and. Black service uniform, lah guard uniform, ss earthgrey service uniform, model 1936 field service uniform, 19391941. It is not to be confused with units of the allgemeine ss subordinate to the. Waffenss in vietnam its a rare and expensive book to find however youre in luck.
Waffenss veterans in postwar germany played a large role, through publications and political pressure, in the efforts to rehabilitate the reputation of the waffenss, which had committed many war crimes during world war ii. After beginning as a protection unit for the nsdap leadership, by october 1944 the waffenss had grown into a force of 38 combat divisions comprising over 910,000 men, including a. We are talking about the french foriegn legion here and things wre different in the legion during that time im sure. The book details the authors experience as part of the charlemagne ss during mid to late 1944 through to the end of world war ii. During the lapland war, he fought as a volunteer with the nazi ss, against finland, which. I have read and heard of account of former ss and german soldiers fighting in the french foreign legion in indochina. In order to address these questions and others, the waffenss adopts an approach that. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. They were killed in action, murdered by titos partisans and only very few. Combat action ivolving the waffenss in ww2 would appear almost super human also.
The nature of the combat actions in the book seem untrue to many. Originally labelled the stosstruppe adolf hitler, they later became known as the ss schutz staffeln, or protection squads. Jul 09, 2014 yes and no there definetely were former members of the ss in the foreign legion, but a lot of it is based on exaggeration. The schutzstaffel ss was the most inexplicable political and military organization in german history. Martelli, paul, dal cengio, vittorino, dal cengio, vittorino. Founded as adolf hitlers armed bodyguard, the waffenss quickly. Arrested by the gestapo he was pressed into service for the ss in 1941. The guards of the concentration camp, who were sstotenkopf soldiers, were quartered at the ss garrison, along with waffenss soldiers who had recently arrived from the front. Herbert was assigned to the leibstandarte ss adolf hitler german for adolf hitlers. Fall in his book hell in a very small place about the siege of dien bien phu writes that while many of the french foreign legionnaires at dien bien phu were german, they were probably not waffenss members, since most of them were in their early 20s during the battle 1953 so they would have been circa 15 years old in 1945.
Buechner, who wrote a book called the hour of the avenger, the ss garrison had a capacity of 1473 men. Originally labelled the stosstruppe adolf hitler, they later became known. This is the naziapologia war novel that apparently inspired seal. If the book is a fiction,it is probably based on some facts,with some spice tossed into the mix to make a good read. Adrian gilbert examines the dark world war ii history of nazi germanys waffenss aka the alibi of the nation. Ss strength, which in september 1942 was 187,638, had reached 350,000 by the autumn of 1943. Popular waffen ss books meet your next favorite book. The waffen ss german for armed ss, literally weapon ss was the combat arm of the schutzstaffel protective squadron or ss, an organ of the german nazi party. Headed by reichsfuhrerss heinrich himmler, the waffenss saw action throughout the second world war.
In 1944 a lithuanian home defense unit was organized, but dislocations and german failure to honour promises to the organizers about its functions led to its. Norwegian waffenss legion, 194143 osprey publishing. Devils guard, by george robert elford published in 1971, is the story of a former german waffenss officers string of nearconstant combat that begins on world war iis eastern front and continues into the books focusthe first indochina war, as an officer in the french foreign legion. Many found their way to france, often on foot, to enlist in the french foreign legion. The books tone offers a direct and straightforward explanation for the state of affairs. From these humble beginnings, the ss rose to a nominal strength of 38 divisions of over 800,000 men by 1945, representing a sizeable portion of germanys land forces. The waffenss was a paramilitary organization within the ss the divisions of the waffenss were made of specially trained soldiers. It also covers a decade or so after world war ii, which includes postworld war ii life in france and his escape from prison, as well as joining up and fighting the viet minh in vietnam. Members of the waffen ss join the french foreign legion fighting in vietnam. Paul hausser 7 october 1880 21 december 1972 was a german general and then a highranking commander in the waffenss who played a key role in the postwar efforts by former members of the waffenss to achieve historical and legal rehabilitation. Erbsenmuster tunic model 1944 for mannschaften ans noncommissioned officers from waffen ss.
In the early days of the normandy campaign 20 canadian soldiers, members of the north. The only comprehensive photographic book on waffenss uniforms is finally available. He convinces the french ffl commander in vn to allow him to build a battlion sized unit of former ssheerpara personnel only. In combat with the waffen ss on the eastern front 1945, and with the french in indochina 195154 9781909982093.
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. This elite wing of the nazi party counted nearly one million volunteers from all the countries of europe. Made from a quality 100% linen hbt material with five colors. If you are asking why waffenss solders were more likely to be shot, read this. Early volunteers were promised that they would not leave scandinavia and that they would serve under native norwegian officers but.
They sacrificed their lives and fought valiantly against world communism much like the american gis in korea and vietnam. In late 1944 and 1945 the panther tank played an important role in germanys desperate efforts to stem the allied advance on the western. This three volume set is unquestionably the best reference on german ss military uniforms ever produced. High ranking german politicians courted former waffen ss members and their veteran organisation, hiag. Photo of ss standartenfuhrer kurt meyer and fellow officers before the massacre. In the early 1920s, a tiny group was formed within the sa to serve as hitlers personal bodyguard. Devils guard, by george robert elford published in 1971, is the story of a former german waffenss officers string of nearconstant combat that begins on world war iis eastern front and continues into the book s focusthe first indochina war, as an officer in the french foreign legion. Oct 22, 2010 the true story of the hitlers waffen ss soldiers that joined the foreign legion in vietnam following the myths and legends about nazis recruited by the french foreign legion to fight in indochina, eric meyers new book is based on the real story of one such former waffenss man who lived to tell the tale. The legion was aware of the background the germans but it also needed the experience and expertise of these warhardened veterans of countless battles. Waffen ss 89 ladies apparel 18 aviation 53 economy 9 other nations 3 united kingdom 6 russia 5 france 6. Paul hausser 7 october 1880 21 december 1972 was a german general and then a highranking commander in the waffenss who played a key role in the postwar efforts. Before germany went to war the term waffen ss had not been coined. Following the nazi occupation of norway in 1941, the waffenss began recruiting volunteers to serve in their ranks.
Nov 26, 2011 not in the case with the waffen ss, but the armed ss did remain neutral towards the extreme parts of the nazi philosophy that their superiors had. Aug 28, 2018 leon degrelle the epic story of the waffen ss state of grace. Nazi germany has invaded indochina later vietnam and the viet cong resists them. Did ex members of the waffen ss escape germany and join. They shed a whole new light on these supposed barbarian psychopaths. Adrian gilbert examines the dark world war ii history of nazi germanys waffen ss aka the alibi of the nation. Some accounts i have read is that there were probably only 60 or 70 former ss troops in vietnam and that some 37000 troops comprised of german regulars were fighting in vietnam with the legion. The combat history of ss panzer regiment 12 and ss panzerjager abteilung 12, normandy 1944, based on their original war diaries kindle edition by norbert szamveber. During the last two years of the war the wellequipped german waffenss panzer divisions were used as a firebrigade to plug gaps in the german line.
After many years of research and preparation, mike beaver, author of camouflage uniforms of the waffenss, has again produced another breakthrough publication. The waffen ss had a reputation for committing war crimes in occupied territory. This new army grew rapidly and within six months grew to over 150,000 men. The book follows a nazi ss officer named hans josef wagemueller. The true story of the hitlers waffen ss soldiers that. The true story of the hitlers waffen ss soldiers that joined the foreign legion in vietnam following the myths and legends about nazis recruited by the french foreign legion to fight in indochina, eric meyers new book is based on the real story of. Not only is this an excellent story but it also reads like a manual. Pdf waffenss veterans and their sites of memory today. Waffenssthat is, frontline divisions serving on the eastern frontwere also organized. Not even their former adversaries could deny that the waffen ss was the most efficient, fanatical, well trained and well lead fighting force ever created. Waffen ss veterans in postwar germany played a large role, through publications and political pressure, in the efforts to rehabilitate the reputation of the waffen ss, which had committed many war crimes during world war ii. After beginning as a protection unit for the nsdap leadership, by october 1944 the waffenss had grown into a force of 38 combat divisions comprising over 910,000 men, including a number of elite army units. New book on war hero divides opinions yle uutiset yle.
The book follows a nazi ss officer named hans josef wagemueller who manages to fight his way out of czechoslovakia in the waning days of world. Herbert was assigned to the leibstandarte ss adolf hitler german for adolf hitlers bodyguard regiment was a unit of the ss. Towards the end of the war in april 1945 remnants of several waffenss divisions fell. The waffen ss in the east 19411943 and the waffenss in combat 19431945. Waffenss in vietnam discussions on all nonbiographical aspects of the freikorps, reichswehr, austrian bundesheer, heer, waffenss, volkssturm and fallschirmjager and the other luftwaffe ground forces. The book devils guard i have the paperback edition is the story mainly of an ss antipartisan col who joins the ffl after ww2. The waffen ss was a paramilitary organization within the ss the divisions of the waffen ss were made of specially trained soldiers. Why were nazi germanys waffenss soldiers more likely to.
I would highly recommend reading the book i mentioned above, in addition to the devils guard books by george r. Waffenss foreign volunteers and conscripts project. The small units which at the beginning of ww2 had a strength of 18,000 men were to grow into a formidable army of nearly one million which had. The book covers their successes and losses in vn in the 50s. The waffen ss saw action throughout world war ii and grew from three regiments to a force of over 39 divisions, which served alongside the regular army. The small units which at the beginning of ww2 had a strength of 18,000 men were to grow into a formidable army of nearly one million which had earned a reputation for ruthlessness and the grudging respect of not only the german army, to which it was subordinated, but also the armies against which it. Before germany went to war the term waffenss had not been coined. Waffenss simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. In december, 1940 heinrich himmler, head of the schutzstaffel ss, established the waffen ss. That being said this book is basically a book of photographs of the waffen ss taken by the sskriegsberichter war reporting unit from 19401945 divided into three chapters. A gripping firstperson memoir of soldierly sacrifice, heroism and fierce combat against numerically superior soviet forces during world war ii, by a. Late into the war, the pattern was used by waffen ss soldiers up until the end of the war. We were thrown into the battle once, noted one waffen ss soldier, and i tasted action for the first. Jun 26, 2011 author paul watkins delivers a lecture about the nazi waffen ss to the nj world war ii book club.
In combat with the waffenss on the eastern front 1945, and with the french in indochina 195154 9781909982093. During the period of the third reich it represented a. Rolf michaelis all of the uniformspecific insignia used by the waffenss in world war ii are presented in this concise, allcolor book. Their original job was to protect higherranking people in the ss and the nazi party.
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