Michael Wittmann and the Waffen SS Tiger Commanders of the Leibstandarte in WWII, Volume One

Michael Wittmann and the Waffen SS Tiger Commanders of the Leibstandarte in WWII #1

by Patrick Agte

- The story of one of the most successful and decorated tank commanders of all time - Contains maps, official documents, newspaper clippings, and orders of battle German Panzer ace Michael Wittmann was by far the most famous tank commander on any side in World War II, destroying 138 enemy tanks and 132 anti-tank guns with his Tiger. This classic of armored warfare is both combat biography and unit history, as Patrick Agte focuses on the life and career of Wittmann but also includes his fellow Tiger commanders in the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. Volume One covers the Eastern Front, where Wittmann racked up more than 100 kills and participated in the Battle of Kursk in 1943.

Genres: World War II, Military History, History

432 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2006

Reviews

[Jeff Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly engrossing story covering the life and times of one of Germany’s top tank aces in World War Two.
One cannot fathom the bravery, courage or fool-hardiness he showed on that day in Villers-Bocage when he came up against the British 7th Armored Division and single handedly destroyed over twenty-nine units before his tank was incapacitated.

Five stars

[Deckmaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Много добра книга за историята не само на носителя на Рицарски кръст с дъбови листа хаупщурмфюрер Михаел Витман, но и на Тежък СС-Танков-батальон 101/501. Макар че Витман е централния персонаж, така да се каже, са споменати формирането на тежката 4., впоследствие 13. рота на танковия полк на 1. СС-Дивизия "Лайбщандарт" и последващето им увеличение до батальон както и функционирането му. Упоменати са и много от другите панцер асове напр. отличния мерач на Витман Балтазар Вол, Франц Щаудегер, Хелмут Вендорф и много други. Включени са кратки биографии на почти всички членове на ротата/батальона. Тук трябва да спомена, че на някой може да им се стори суховато и донякъде е. Описанията на битките са доста по кратки в сравнение, но всеки, който иска да вникне в същносттта на функционирането на танковите части тази информация е безценна.

Един от малкото недостатъци е, че авторът явно не е проверил текста и описания на постиженията на Витман се повтарят на две места.

Също при превода имам забележка за името на Дивизията. Според мен трябва да е "Лайбщандарт". Каквото е произношението на немски. Знам, че в българския се е наложило буквалното превеждане напр. Лейбгвардейски полк, но това не значи, че не може да се поправи.

Също мисля, че сигнален взвод трябва да се преведе като свързочен на български. Тук няма смисъл да сме буквални, щом има термин.

Като цяло книгата ще бъде оценена от всеки, който се интересува от немските танкови части. А и всеки фен на Вафен СС.

Напред към втора книга.

[Gabriel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many names, too little action.
Awful book, just a tedious and eternal list of units and soldiers shifting companies, battalions and divisions, with very little actual details of the battles of World War II.
Less than 25% of the book is about Michael Wittmann.
It has some very nice pictures of the war and the Tiger tank.

[Brian Sweetman · Rating 3 out of 5]

too many names... not enough action

[Schrijvers.Mathijs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Het is een zeer interessant boek. Maar het is ook wel een boek voor mensen met een zeer specifieke niche. Ik ben er zeker van dat nagenoeg niemand anders in mijn taalgroep dit boek ook zou lezen. Het onderwerp vraagt een aanzienlijke voorkennis over militaire termen, geschiedenis en geografie. Het boek is in het Engels geschreven. Maar omdat het over een Duitse eenheid gaat komen er veel ingewikkelde Duitse termen in voor zoals: Panzerzerstörungtrupp, sonderkraftfahrzeug, kampfgruppe. Dit zijn enkele van de Duitse militaire termen die aan bod kwamen. Allemaal een mond vol. De plaatsen waar er werd gevochten worden ook vermeld, zoals: kharkov, Zhitomir, Cherkassy. Dit zijn allemaal steden en dorpen in het huidige Oekraïne en Rusland. Een basiskennis van deze termen is dus nodig om de verhalen te kunnen volgen. Het boek is opgemaakt uit verschillende militaire verslagen en passages uit de dagboeken van de soldaten. Enkele van de overlevenden werden ook nog geïnterviewd. Hierdoor is het boek dus vrij volledig en gedetailleerd. Het is een interessant verhaal dat loopt van 1938 tot 1944. Dit omslaat dus de acties van 1. SS-Panzer-Divisie Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler aan het oostfront. Maar vooral de wapenfeiten van het 13de panzer regiment is in de kijker gezet. Het boek heeft een 2de deel dat de periode 1944-1945 beschrijft. Michael Wittman en al de andere soldaten die samen met hem vochten hebben elk hun eigen ervaringen, sommige wat donkerder of spectaculairder dan anderen. Ik zou het boek wel enkel aanraden als de 2de wereldoorlog je echt interesseert.

[Borislav Germanov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Доста подробно описание на бойния път на батальон тежки танкове съм 1ва СС дивизия.
Разказва се накратко за десетки от участниците там - от командирите на танкове до зъболекаря.
На моменти книгата е като справочник, но моите уважения към автора, че се е постарал да я направи подробна. Има и много (черно-бели) снимки.
Надявам се скоро да прочета и втората част.

[Daniel Ayers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for history of the Leibstandarte SS during the early war. The author covers Wittmann and other tank aces.

[Michael Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and author uses various accounts from newspaper articles as well as members testimonies. Lack of end notes is why I cannot give it five stars.

[John Blackman · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting view to the simple soldiery behind the Tiger divisions of WWII. In many ways all soldiers are enforcing someone else's political will. This book is about those commanders simply as leaders of men and metal. It's not political or apologetic, just historical. The Tiger was an amazing and also limited tank. There just weren't enough of them to change the outcome, but a lot of death and destruction occurred in the trying.