Over forty years of research has resulted in this exceptional photographic history of life within Colditz Castle, the infamous Second World War prisoner of war camp in Germany, which housed such illustrious names as Douglas Bader, Lorne Welch, Micky Burns and Jack Best. Michael Booker has accumulated a wealth of information from talking to ex-POWs, as well as the German commandant Prawitt and the head of security Captain Eggers. He relates fascinating and hitherto unpublished stories of British, Polish and French prisoners, and their many and varied attempts to escape. In addition, he has amassed a large collection of artefacts and memorabilia, some never seen before, many of which are reproduced throughout this book. Personal recollections abound, and characters like Pat Reid, Dick Howe and Sir Rupert Barry offer their insight into camp activities. This entire collection, sumptuously illustrated, stands as a testament to those who were incarcerated there and is a valuable reference on the subject

Nazi Buckles: Psychology and The Fighting Spirit, by Ray Cowdery. Excellent book on the German buckles of WWII, how they were made, non-military buckles, Nazi Regalia in Russia, divisions of the German Reich, the RzM and it's buckle manufacturers trademarks and current German buckle manufacturers. Excellent glossary, abbreviations, runic alphabet, bibliography and military museums. Numerous colour and black and white photos. Superb book for the buckle collector.

An authoritative guide to the guns used by elite forces Fully illustrated with photographs and diagrams Written by a world authority on firearms The war against terrorism continues. Hardly a day goes by without the report of a new outrage. Foremost in the struggle against terrorism are the Special Forces. Guns of the Elite Forces provides a penetrating account of the weapons that elite fighting troops carry into combat. Such elites have always existed in the armies of the world. During World War II, elite units sprang up in most theatres of conflict - the German Brandenburgers carried out clandestine operations in Poland; in the Western Desert, the Long Range Desert Group and SAS penetrated deep behind enemy lines; for larger-scale raids the British Commandos and the US Rangers and Marine Raiders were formed. From 1945, the Special Forces continued to prove their value, operating as small numbers of highly trained fighters carrying out precision tasks to maximum effect and minimum cost in human lives. These qualities have proved essential in the ongoing war against international terrorism, where the risk to non-combatants is a major factor to consider. In the last few decades, and particularly since 9/11, a very special sort of fighting man - a member of an international elite, his fighting skills finely honed - has risen to prominence. At Entebbe, Mogadishu and the Iranian Embassy in London, he has shown his mettle. At the crucial point, the operative must depend upon his gun. Bursting into a room to confront a terrorist, the raider must be sure his weapon will perform perfectly. At long range, precision is similarly essential. In this illustrated book, expert John Walter provides an overview of the weapons elite forces carry into action, as well as the guns their enemies wield. John Walter is the acclaimed author of a number of books including Military Rifles of Two World Wars, Military Handguns of Two World Wars, The Greenhill Dictionary of Guns and Gunmakers, Guns of the Third Reich and The Luger Story.

Über die Zeiten fort : d. Gesicht e. Jugend im Aufgang und. Untergang ; Wertung, Deutung, Erscheinung.
Translation -
About the times away The face of a youth in rise and fall Evaluation Interpretation Appearance Illustrated.

Describes in text and dozens of black & white photos and colour plate illustrations, the history of the German Air Force Field Divisions.

Covers in detail the development of German WWII flight headgear. Many B&W photographs of Leather helmets, steel helmets, goggles and oxygen masks as used by the German Luftwaffe. Lots of specifications and detail on every piece.

The sinister Gestapo planted its evil roots in the 1930s but it was during the horror of World War II that this notorious organization became identified as the Nazis' leading instrument of repression.Edward Crankshaw provides an authoritative overview of the organization, examining the trail of destruction it blazed across Europe, looking at its structures and its rivalries with other police organizations, and revealing the struggle for power within the Gestapo's nefarious bureau. As this brilliant book makes compellingly clear, the Gestapo grew. It sought out resistance brutally suppressing it with torture and execution used repression to deter opposition, filled the concentration camps with political opponents and ethnic 'undesirables,' and actively sought to promote the Nazi state's perverse policies.

Two famed German panzer units both of which saw extensive action on the Eastern Front during World War II are analysed in fascinating detail in this heavily illustrated book. The first, Hohenstaufen, the 9th SS Panzer Division, was named after the house of the medieval Emperor Frederick II. The division fought on the Eastern Front in spring 1944 before moving to the west in June. Fighting first around Caen and then in the battle to keep the neck of the Falaise Pocket open, the division acquitted itself well, and continued to do so in the retreat through France and Belgium. Ordered for a refit at Arnhem, it arrived there on 9 September, ten days before ?Market Garden? started. Hohenstaufen was the unit that was instrumental in keeping the advancing Allied thrust from making contact with British 1st Airborne Division in Arnhem. In reserve for the Battle of the Bulge, the division was committed to assist in the capture of Bastogne. Sent to Hungary in February 1945, Hohenstaufen fought against the Red Army up till its surrender to the Americans on 8 May 1945. The other unit, Grossdeutschland, often referred to as Guderians Eastern Front elite force, was formed in 1939 as a motorised infantry regiment, and ended World War II as a panzer corps. It fought in France and the Balkans, and from 1941 as an elite unit exclusively on the Eastern Front at first under Guderians 2nd Panzer Army and later, combined with the Brandenburg Division, defending East Prussia as the Panzer Corps Grossdeutschland. Its key battles included the great encircling operations in the early days of Operation Barbarossa, the final thrust to Moscow as part of Operation Typhoon, Kharkov, and Kursk. Grossdeutschland was one of the most important units in the German order of battle and was involved in some of the fiercest fighting of the war.

For big business in Germany and around the world, Hitler and his National Socialist party were good news. Business was bad in the 1930s, and for multinational corporations Germany was a bright spot in a world suffering from the Great Depression. As Jacques R. Pauwels explains in this book, corporations were delighted with the profits that came from re-arming Germany, and then supplying both sides of the Second World War.Recent historical research in Germany has laid bare the links between Hitler's regime and big German firms. Scholars have now also documented the role of American firms — General Motors, IBM, Standard Oil, Ford, and many others — whose German subsidiaries eagerly sold equipment, weapons, and fuel needed for the German war machine. A key roadblock to America's late entry into the Second World War was behind-the-scenes pressure from US corporations seeking to protect their profitable business selling to both sides.Basing his work on the recent findings of scholars in many European countries and the US, Pauwels explains how Hitler gained and held the support of powerful business interests who found the well-liked one-party fascist government, ready and willing to protect the property and profits of big business. He documents the role of the many multinationals in business today who supported Hitler and gained from the Nazi government's horrendous measures.

This reference book covers the rise of National Socialism to the fall of the Third Reich in May 1945, and also carries selected entries on the Weimar Republic which proceeded Hitler and on the Bonn Republic which succeeded him.

GERMAN BELT BUCKLES 1847-1945 – An Illustrated History by Thomas Reid , Lancer Militaria, AK, 1989. Illustrated with detailed black-and-white line drawings, an in-depth definitive guide to German belt buckles made between 1847-1945 including trademarks and product codes. Chapter I: Introduction ; Chapter II: The History of the German Belt Buckle : Producers and Manufacturing, Regulation and Technical Control, Questions and Authenticity, Outline of Historical Events (Chronology). Chapter III: Buckles of the Imperial Period (1846-1918) : Prussian, Bavaria, Saxony and Wuerttemberg; Minor Principalities. Chapter IV: The Weimar Republic (1919-32) : Para-military and Political Organizations; Civilian and Souvenir Items (1919-45); Government Organizations. Chapter V: The Third Reich (1933-45) : Military Organizations, Political Organizations, Civil Government and Werkschutz, Allied Foreign Nazi Political and Military Forces. Chapter VI: Appendix : Manufacturers Prior to1918 (Production ceased ca. 1920), Trademarks and Product Codes, RZM Codes (May 1933 to march 1935), RZM Codes (March 1935 to May 1945), Manufacturers Without RZM Contracts 1933-45, Chronology of the Assmann and Soehne Catalogs, Bibliography, Glossary of Select Vocabulary, Common Abbreviations and Technical Data, General Regulations Governing RZM License Holders; and Buckles Subject to RZM Control.

During the final days of World War II, German SS officers crammed trains, cars, and trucks full of gold, currency, and jewels, and headed for the mountains of Austria. Fearful of arrest and determined to keep the stolen loot out of Allied hands, they concealed their treasures and fled. Most of these men were eventually apprehended, but many managed to evade capture. The intensive postwar Allied investigation that followed recovered only a sliver of this mountain of gold. What happened to the rest of it, and what fate befell these men? Authors Alford and Savas answer these questions and many more in this fast-paced and well-written new book. Their groundbreaking study is based upon thousands of pages of previously unpublished and recently declassified documents. The result is a fresh and absolutely original reading experience that offers insights into the minds and methods of these SS thieves, the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA) within which they labored, how they achieved their positions of near-absolute power, the complex Allied investigation into their activities, and what happened to the vast sums of wealth they looted from Europe's Jews. Nazi Millionaires deftly captures the high drama surrounding these men and women and the secrets they carried with them during the closing days of World War II - and in some cases, to the grave. It is a remarkable tale of greed, lust, fraud, deceit, treachery, and murder. And it is one you will long remember. About the Authors: Kenneth D. Alford, of Richmond, Virginia, is the author of Great Treasure Stories of World War II and The Spoils of World War II. Theodore P. Savas has written or edited a dozen books, including Silent Hunters: German U-Boat Commanders of World War II. He lives in El Dorado Hills, California.

Roughly 40,000 Latvians served in the Waffen-SS from 1943 to the end of war in the 15. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (lettische Nr.1) and 19. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (lettische Nr.2). They fought in Russia, Latvia, West Prussia and eventually Berlin in April 1945. This book is the complete operational history of this little-known unit and includes first-hand accounts, maps, and very rare war-era photographs, and soldbuchs.

German naval officer Rolf Mützelburg was one of the outstanding figures of the WWII German U-boat arm. After obtaining regular successes against the North Atlantic convoys during his first four missions, he found new victims directly along the shores of Canada. Mützelburg received the highest decorations of the period and became one of the top U-boat aces. Furthermore, he shared with Adalbert Schnee, Teddy Suhren, and Erich Topp, the rare privilege of being affectionately nicknamed by Admiral Dönitz as “The Four Aces.” The discovery of a photo album from a U-203 crew member, complemented by images sourced at the U-Boat Archive at Cuxhaven, allows us to illustrate the astonishing history of this U-boat with 240 photographs and documents. The eleven combat missions of U-203 are precisely described thanks to numerous maps and sketches and the complete translation of its logbook.

Geklebte Ns-Propaganda : Verführung Und Manipulation Durch Das Plakat
German Text

Translation - Pasted Nazi propaganda
Joseph Goebbels merely described the prevailing situation in the streets of the Weimar Republic when he noted in his diary in November 1929: "Everything floats in election posters." Since the poster was an integral part of the streetscape in the Weimar Republic and during the Nazi dictatorship , it contributed significantly to the formation of opinion, but also to the National Socialist ideologization of the citizens. The publication therefore examines the ideological aesthetics of National Socialism, the meaning, the means of design and the pictorial messages of the Nazi posters

Georg Högel, a former U-boat sailor who saw service in World War II, experienced the origin of these emblems of the U-boat service. In this book he keeps alive the memory of the legendary, sometimes very original and unforgotten emblems of German U-boats. The author has been able to collect numerous emblems, coats of arms and markings during long years of painstaking, detailed work, in memory of some 30,000 German U-boatmen, more than 80% of those who served on these boats, who were lost in the war. The brief chronicles and excerpts from first-person memoirs make the history of the German U-boats come alive in an impressive way, and documents the background of their existence. In the current edition, the newest source materials have been included, so that many hitherto unpublished emblems, coats of arms and markings are presented for the first time.

This book is a detailed history of the 23rd Waffen-SS Division "Nederland," the Dutch volunteer SS combat formation. Employed exclusively on the Eastern Front, except for a brief period in Croatia, the "Nederland" formations participated in many of the most difficult defensive battles on the north eastern front: Leningrad, the Narva bridgehead, the Tannenberg line, Dorpat in Kurland, Pomerania, and the Oder front, until the desperate battle of the Halbe Pocket where the remnants of the division managed to avoid total annihilation, escaping the Soviets and surrendering to American forces. In all of these battles the "Nederland" volunteers showed their valour as true Waffen-SS combatants, always in the front lines and always under constant enemy pressure. This complete treatment fills a large gap in Waffen-SS history. Informative appendices not only relate to the unit's operational history, but also provide details on some of its members, as well as uniforms and insignia.

This book is a detailed history of the 27th Waffen-SS Division "Langemarck," the Flemish volunteer SS combat formation. "Langemarck" was employed chiefly on the Eastern Front, first in the Ukraine in early 1944, then participating with a combat group in Estonia along the Tannenberg Line in the summer of 1944, alongside other European Waffen-SS volunteers subordinate to III.SS-Pz.Korps; covering themselves with glory and suffering heavy losses. After transformation into a division, "Langemarck" participated in the final fighting on the Pomeranian and Oder fronts, continuing to fight under extreme conditions, and always holding their assigned positions, counterattacking whenever possible. Most of the Flemish volunteers were able to surrender to the Anglo-American forces, thus escaping capture by the Russians. This complete treatment fills a large gap in Waffen-SS history. Informative appendices relate to the unit's operational history and also provide details on some of its members, as well as uniforms and insignia.

This book is the first comprehensive and easy to use reference since World War II covering prominent German wartime plastics manufacturers and products. Aimed squarely at World War II German militaria, ordnance, and small arms collectors, the author provides a concise account of the constituents and manufacturing processes, markings, codes, trademarks and material identification techniques of wartime Kunststoff products.

Biographies of the twenty-seven Holders of the Diamonds to the Knight's Cross from the Luftwaffe, Heer, Kriegsmarine and Waffen-SS: Werner Molders, Adolf Galland, Gordon Gollob, Hans-Joachim Marseilles, Hermann Graf, Erwin Rommel, Wolfgang Luth, Walter Nowotny, Adelbert Schulz, Hans-ulrich Rudel, Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz, Herbert Otto Gille, Hans Hube, Albert Kesselring, Helmut Lent, Sepp Dietrich, Walter Model, Erich Hartmann, Hermann Balck, Gerhard Ramcke, Wolfgang Schnaufer, Albrecht Brandi, Ferdinand Schorner, Hasso von Manteuffel, Theodor Tolsdorff, Dr. Karl Mauss, Dietrich von Saucken.

This book continues with the overview of the Waffen-SS units that fought during WWII. It follows each unit as it was raised and then where it fought. Within each of the various battles covered, the book focuses specifically on each Waffen-SS soldier that was awarded the Knights Cross to the Iron Cross (and higher grades where applicable). This volume covers the period January to May 1944 and features 45 Knight's Cross, 7 Oakleaves, 3 Swords and the first Diamonds awardees. It was written with the help of surviving Knight's Cross holders and Waffen-SS soldiers that fought alongside them. Original maps will help the reader see the significance of each battle and the part played by the various Waffen-SS Knight's Cross awardees. This fourth volume contains a foreword by Karl-Heinz Euling (Awarded the Knights Cross while serving with the 10th SS-Panzer Division Frundsberg).

This book continues with the overview of the Waffen-SS units that fought during WWII. It follows each unit as it was raised and then where it fought. Within each of the various battles covered, the book focuses specifically on each Waffen-SS soldier that was awarded the Knights Cross to the Iron Cross (and higher grades where applicable). This volume covers the period January to May 1944 and features 45 Knight’s Cross, 7 Oakleaves, 3 Swords and the first Diamonds awardees. It was written with the help of surviving Knight’s Cross holders and Waffen-SS soldiers that fought alongside them. Original maps will help the reader see the significance of each battle and the part played by the various Waffen-SS Knight’s Cross awardees. This fourth volume contains a foreword by Karl-Heinz Euling (Awarded the Knights Cross while serving with the 10th SS-Panzer Division Frundsberg).

This book continues with the overview of the Waffen-SS units that fought during WWII. It follows each unit as it was raised and then where it fought. Within each of the various battles covered, the book focuses specifically on each Waffen-SS soldier that was awarded the Knights Cross to the Iron Cross (and higher grades where applicable). This volume covers the period January to May 1944 and features 45 Knight’s Cross, 7 Oakleaves, 3 Swords and the first Diamonds awardees. It was written with the help of surviving Knight’s Cross holders and Waffen-SS soldiers that fought alongside them. Original maps will help the reader see the significance of each battle and the part played by the various Waffen-SS Knight’s Cross awardees. This fourth volume contains a foreword by Karl-Heinz Euling (Awarded the Knights Cross while serving with the 10th SS-Panzer Division Frundsberg).

This book continues with the overview of the Waffen-SS units that fought during WWII. It follows each unit as it was raised and then where it fought. Within each of the various battles covered, the book focuses specifically on each Waffen-SS soldier that was awarded the Knights Cross to the Iron Cross (and higher grades where applicable). This volume covers the period January to May 1944 and features 45 Knight’s Cross, 7 Oakleaves, 3 Swords and the first Diamonds awardees. It was written with the help of surviving Knight’s Cross holders and Waffen-SS soldiers that fought alongside them. Original maps will help the reader see the significance of each battle and the part played by the various Waffen-SS Knight’s Cross awardees. This fourth volume contains a foreword by Karl-Heinz Euling (Awarded the Knights Cross while serving with the 10th SS-Panzer Division Frundsberg).

Covering the Imperial, Weimar and Third Reich periods, this is the most comprehensive reference ever produced on the sword Faustriemen, dagger Portepees and bayonet Troddeln of Germany. Using original military regulations and other period source material, the authors have created full-color illustrations of hundreds of knots and hangers, solving for the first time many questions about the common, as well as rare and previously unidentified pieces. Separate sections are devoted to the origins and history of the 'tassels' and 'straps', 'in wear' period photos, color plates illustrating hundreds of different models, and full color photos of over 100 examples of knots and edged weapons from some of the finest collections in the world. The 54 color plates contain 408 examples of Imperial knots and 227 Weimar and Third Reich knots and hangers, allowing you to identify almost any regulation accouterment from these periods. This beautiful volume contains a wealth of information that no collector will want to be without! 13