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Totenkopf
French
The author traces here the complete record of this SS armored division which was originally composed of concentration camp guards.
The Totenkopf fought first in France in 1940 and was then sent to the eastern front from 1941 - 1945. There it was engaged in some of the most ferocious battles, Kharkov, Kursk, Warsaw and Vienna being the most famous.
Totenkopf finally surrendered in May 1945 to the US Army, which immediately delivered them over to the Soviets.
This fanatical division’s history is littered with atrocities, the most famous being the massacre of British prisoners at Paradise Farm.
In the book you will find a complete itinerary for the division during its service in France, detailed accounts of all the atrocities, eyewitness accounts of actual witnesses that crossed its path, testimonies of veterans of the campaigns on the Eastern Front and finally, a complete organization chart of the division with all the regimental and battalion commanders.
This detailed text is accompanied by an astonishing collection of some 800 photographs.
The author traces here the complete record of this SS armored division which was originally composed of concentration camp guards.
The Totenkopf fought first in France in 1940 and was then sent to the eastern front from 1941 - 1945. There it was engaged in some of the most ferocious battles, Kharkov, Kursk, Warsaw and Vienna being the most famous.
Totenkopf finally surrendered in May 1945 to the US Army, which immediately delivered them over to the Soviets.
This fanatical division’s history is littered with atrocities, the most famous being the massacre of British prisoners at Paradise Farm.
In the book you will find a complete itinerary for the division during its service in France, detailed accounts of all the atrocities, eyewitness accounts of actual witnesses that crossed its path, testimonies of veterans of the campaigns on the Eastern Front and finally, a complete organization chart of the division with all the regimental and battalion commanders.
This detailed text is accompanied by an astonishing collection of some 800 photographs.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
September 18, 2012
This book, which is more or less the Bible of the 3.SS-Division "Totenkopf" histories, packed with never before seen pictures, historical anecdotes as well as a general overall analysis of the Division during the war.
As with any history of the SS, the crimes of the Totenkopfverbände are inextricably linked to those of the Waffen-SS, and in this case it is rightfully so, as the Totenkopf started off as camp guards. I want to make a serious note here that not all of the Waffen-SS was attached to these "crimes" and point out the fact most of the Divisions were made up of various European stock who were at war with the ever invasive "Bolshevik hordes".
Now onto the book itself. Those who are serious students of WWII history, the Waffen-SS and those wild days in the East will be indebted to Mr.Trangs work which nearly verges on the exhaustive detail as for the fighting record of Totenkopf and add to that a good summary of their tough leader the infamous Theodor "Papa" Eicke, a man whose very presence at a front would cause an almost Berserker like battle fever.
The pictures are all nice and crisp and presented in a large format (when possible) and an inclusion of various documents makes this one for the reenactor, armchair historian and student alike. The book is not cheap, but in this day and age of countless Waffen-SS history books one would be VERY hard pressed to top this volume.
This book is a must read to get a full and unobstructed view of this elite unit in the ranks of the Waffen-SS.
Meine Ehre heißt Treue
As with any history of the SS, the crimes of the Totenkopfverbände are inextricably linked to those of the Waffen-SS, and in this case it is rightfully so, as the Totenkopf started off as camp guards. I want to make a serious note here that not all of the Waffen-SS was attached to these "crimes" and point out the fact most of the Divisions were made up of various European stock who were at war with the ever invasive "Bolshevik hordes".
Now onto the book itself. Those who are serious students of WWII history, the Waffen-SS and those wild days in the East will be indebted to Mr.Trangs work which nearly verges on the exhaustive detail as for the fighting record of Totenkopf and add to that a good summary of their tough leader the infamous Theodor "Papa" Eicke, a man whose very presence at a front would cause an almost Berserker like battle fever.
The pictures are all nice and crisp and presented in a large format (when possible) and an inclusion of various documents makes this one for the reenactor, armchair historian and student alike. The book is not cheap, but in this day and age of countless Waffen-SS history books one would be VERY hard pressed to top this volume.
This book is a must read to get a full and unobstructed view of this elite unit in the ranks of the Waffen-SS.
Meine Ehre heißt Treue
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review