A good techical book to do reserch on the army panzers, panzers grenadier divisions, and waffenss divisions. Panzer divisions of the waffenss by rolf michaelis. 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. Waffen ss divisions, 193945 is the definitive study of the equipment and organization of germanys elite waffen ss divisions during world war ii. By the spring of 1941, the waffenss consisted of the equivalent of six or seven divisions. A comprehensive overview that will be useful to historians, buffs, wargamers, and reenactors alike, no matter what your predisposition to the waffenss, you will learn a great deal from this book. Third book in series on divisions of the german waffenss, plus insignia and uniforms that members wore. The book more or less provides summaries on the most well known of the waffen ss divisions. A book that has been read, but is in good condition.
Many of the highernumbered units were small battlegroups kampfgruppen, i. Units of the waffenss took part in most of the major military campaigns of world war ii. Full text of the waffen ss handbook internet archive. As the fronts began to crumble, the waffen ss divisions began increasingly to be used in a firebrigade. The essential vehicle identification guide is the definitive study of the equipment and organization of himmlers armoured divisions. What were the top ten most elite waffen ss units of ww2. The waffenss was born in 1933 after hitler came to power when. The military branch of the nazi ss security organisation grew by the end of world war ii from a handful of poorly regarded infantry battalions in 1939, into a force of more than 30 divisions including units of every type. Sspanzerkorps, the divisions arrived at the front one after another and were immediately thrown into battle. The waffenss grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions during world war ii, and served. They were heavily involved in the commission of the holocaust through their participation in mass shootings, antipartisan warfare, and in supplying guards for nazi concentration camps they were also responsible for many other war crimes. Waffenss divisions 193945 is the definitive study of the equipment and organisation of himmlers armoured divisions. Originally formed as a protection squad for adolf hitler, it became the military wing of heinrich himmlers ss. Waffenss divisions, 193945 is the definitive study of the equipment and organization of germanys elite waffenss divisions during world war ii.
Hitler s foreign divisions is an indepth examination of the approximately 350,000 foreign volunteers from germanoccupied countries. This new book has much to offer both the specialist and the general reader. There is not really much new information other than the strength of the various divisions before and after combat actions. The midwar divisions covered in this third title represent that range, from some of the. Organized chronologically by division and formation date, the book describes in depth the various models of tank and other armored and soft vehicles in service with the. Headed by reichsfuhrerss heinrich himmler, the waffenss saw action throughout the second world war. Originally labelled the stosstruppe adolf hitler, they later became known as the ss schutz staffeln, or protection squads. An occasionally greater willingness to follow orders to the letter and fight to the death is. During its short history, the elite military divisions of the waffenss acquired a reputation for excellence, but their success on the battlefield.
Popular waffen ss books meet your next favorite book. The divisions of the waffen ss were made of specially trained soldiers. Waffen ss divisions 193945 is the definitive study of the equipment and organisation of himmlers armoured divisions. All divisions in the waffen ss were ordered in a single series of numbers as formed, regardless of type. 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. Waffenss simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Their original job was to protect higherranking people in the ss and the nazi party. This volume in the casemate illustrated series examines the waffenss in normandy during the fierce fighting of june 1944, when they struggled to hold back the allied advance on caen, though the picture was by no means onesided. Surveys the emergence of the nazi ss and its deaths head division, noting the impact of this elite and powerful force upon military history. All divisions in the waffenss were ordered in a single series of numbers as formed, regardless of type. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Organized chronologically by division and formation date, the book describes in depth the various models of tank and other armoured and soft vehicles in service with the fighting ss, with listings of unit. After humble beginnings as a protection unit for the nsdap leadership, the waffenss eventually grew into a huge force of thirtyeight combat divisions comprising over 950,000 men. Organized chronologically by division and formation date, the book describes in depth the various models of tank.
Illustrated with detailed artworks of ss tanks and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, the essential vehicle identification guide. Originally formed as a protection squad for adolf hitler it became the. By the end of wwii, over 1,000,000 soldiers in 38 divisions would serve in the waffen ss, including over 200,000 conscripts. If this is a hard cover, the dust jacket may be missing. Organized chronologically by division and formation date, the book describes in. Young men who joined the ss were trained like no other army in the world. Waffenss divisions 193945 essential identification. In the early 1920s, a tiny group was formed within the sa to serve as hitlers personal bodyguard.
Sspanzerdivision totenkopf was one of 38 divisions of the waffenss of nazi germany during world war ii. The waffen ss was one of the most feared combat organizations of the twentieth century. The ss was the single most powerful political organization within the third reich and consisted of the allgemeiness, totenkopfverbande, and the waffenss. Over time, the waffenss created some 42 divisions and three brigades as well as a number of small, independent units. Illustrated with detailed artworks of vehicles and their markings, the essential vehicle identification guide. 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. The balance included 12 panzergrenadier divisions, six mountain divisions, 11 grenadier divisions, four cavalry divisions, and a police division. The waffen ss was a paramilitary organization within the ss. There is a chronology of the war at the end of the book. They fought in russia, latvia, west prussia and eventually berlin in. Waffenss book central rappahannock regional library. Organised chronologically by division and formation date, the book describes in depth the various models of tank and other armoured and soft vehicles in service with the fighting ss. The waffen ss was a part of the german schutzstaffel or ss, which saw its rise during the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Its formations included men from nazi germany, along with volunteers and conscripts from both occupied and unoccupied lands. The history of the second ss divison, 194145 by gregory louis matt. This new book is a concise combat history of the three waffenss cavalry divisions in world war ii. Illustrated with detailed artworks of ss tanks and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, waffenss divisions 193945. The waffenss was a part of the german schutzstaffel or ss, which saw its rise during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Well illustrated with glossy pics, infos from primary sources with oob and history. In the nuremberg trials, the waffenss was condemned as part of a criminal organisation, and therefore waffenss veterans were denied many of the rights afforded other german combat.
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. A volunteer, initially in the ssheimwehr danzig, which became part of the. Organized chronologically by division and formation date, the book. Illustrated with detailed artworks of vehicles and their markings, waffenss divisions. Those tagged with nationalities were at least nominally recruited from those nationalities. The waffenss was expected to be a military organization absolutely and perfectly obedient and loyal to its masters, henrich himmler and adolf hitler.
The waffenss grew from a handful of obscure infantry battalions in 1939, to a force of more than 30 divisions by the end of world war ii, including units of every type and every level of battlefield value. Over time, the waffen ss created some 42 divisions and three brigades as well as a number of small, independent units. This is a rather easy list, since the waffenss did not have a massive percentage of elites in its ranks. Founded as adolf hitlers armed bodyguard, the waffenss quickly grew into divisionsized and then corpssized units. During its short history, the elite military divisions of the waffen ss acquired a reputation for excellence, but their success on the battlefield. Waffenssthat is, frontline divisions serving on the eastern frontwere also organized. The majority of pages are undamaged with some creasing or tearing, and pencil underlining of text, but this is minimal.
Book overview the divisions of the waffenss were the elite of hitler s armies in world war ii, but the most fanatical of them were not even german. Dec 10, 2010 ssverfugungstruppe ssvt sstotenkopfverbande sstv ranks. As the waffen ss increased in size throughout the 1930s and into the war years, so the leibstandarte ss adolf hitler evolved into a fullsized panzer division, a detachment of which was always close to hitler. Ss wiking the waffen ss divisional histories series. This volume in the casemate illustrated series examines the waffen ss in normandy during the fierce fighting of june 1944, when they struggled to hold back the allied advance on caen, though the picture was by no means onesided. The book includes a concise history of every one of the major fighting formations of the waffenss those designated as divisions. 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. Waffenss divisions provides a nice overview from their respective foundings, training, baptism of fire and service, without delving into details about why, where and how, which would require far more space than is available. Together with the sturmabteilung storm battalion, or sa, they were used as a police. Book overview the waffenss grew from a handful of obscure infantry battalions in 1939, to a force of more than 30 divisions by the end of world war ii, including units of every type and every level of battlefield value.
Their battlefield reputation varied widely, from the premier armoured divisions which formed germanys utterly reliable spearheads on both main fronts, to low quality anti. It went from being asphalt soldiers to being one of the most famous military divisions of the war. Waffenss divisions 193945 essential identification guide. Ranks of the ssverfugungstruppe ssvt ranks of the sstotenkopfverbande sstv nsera books and magazines on the waffenss. The waffenss was one of the most feared combat organizations of the twentieth century. The waffenss was a paramilitary organization within the ss the divisions of the waffenss were made of specially trained soldiers.
A great book on this division,also check out the other ones that are available on the other divisions. Oct 01, 2017 illustrated with detailed artworks of ss tanks and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, waffenss divisions 193945. From an awardwinning and bestselling historian, the first comprehensive military history in over fifty years of hitlers famous and infamous personal army. 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. Divisions menatarms by gordon williamson, stephen andrew isbn. Units of the waffen ss took part in most of the major military campaigns of world war ii. No damage to book, black glossy dj has slight shelf ware with 2 superficial scratch across the front. The waffen ss grew from a handful of obscure infantry battalions in 1939, to a force of more than 30 divisions by the end of world war ii, including units of every type and every level of battlefield value. Ss panzerkorps, the divisions arrived at the front one after another and were immediately thrown into battle. Organized chronologically by division and formation date, the book describes in depth the various models of tank and other armored and soft vehicles in service. Ss divisions 193945,chris bishop 9781862274327 ebay. Lost honour, betrayed loyalty the memoir of a waffen. The waffenss which translates as weaponss or armedss, was the military wing of the schutzstaffel ss founded in 1940.
Aug 31, 2011 buy waffenss divisions 193945 the essential vehicle identification guide by chris bishop isbn. This new book has much to offer both the specialist and the general. This book is a rare memoir from a waffenss soldier who fought for six years in some of the most savage fighting on the russian front during wwii. The bloodsoaked soil by gordon williamson, ssdas reich. Roughly 40,000 latvians served in the waffenss from 1943 to the end of war in the 15.
1434 1461 506 116 1016 355 541 257 1384 497 213 302 62 537 122 999 1353 765 393 1325 925 792 856 256 305 766 984 1276 1371 367 664 370 1441 965 1013 314 1009 1494 28 785 690 507 238 680 1443 546 888 92 1371 1279 1433