"Panzerkampfgruppe Strachwitz" by Pruett

[Charlie645]

Since I am listed on the acknowlegments page of this new book I am not a completely objective reviewer. However, I think it is a very good book within its clearly limited scope. As its subtitle states, the book is "A Photographic Study of the Battles for the 'Ostsack' and 'Westsack' Narva 1944". It centers around a recently discovered set of over 130 high quality photographs, nearly all previously unseen at least by me, taken by an unknown photographer from one of the two propaganda kompanies in the Narva region in early 1944. It includes two very interesting photos of the famous "Panzer Count", Hyanzinth Graf Strachwitz, who won the Diamonds to his Knight's Cross with Swords and Oakleaves for his leadership of two counterattacks which reduced the dangerous Soviet "bulges" south of Narva known as the "Westsack" and "Ostsack". Those battles are covered in some detail in other books such as Otto Carius' "Tigers in the Mud" (Carius has written a new forweord for this book) and Tieke's "Tragedy of the Faithful". While this book does describe the basic battles and the OOB of the German units involved in it, including the Führer Begleit Battalion, Panzer Grenadier Division "Feldherrnhalle" and 2./Schwere Panzer Abteilung 502, it is first and foremost a close up photographic study of the armored fighting vehicles and crews of the first two units, especially "Feldherrnhalle." As such it will be very attractive especially to model builders who are always looking for new detailed material. The book does include some passages translated from the German history of the 11th Infantry division which correct a few minor OOB mistakes in Tieke's book. Otherwise "Panzerkampfgruppe Strachwitz" does not provide any new significant historical information about the battles. But the photographs themselves are fascinating, and bring to life the earlier written accounts. There are those panzer grenadiers in Operation Strachwitz II, sans their winter clothing as per the Panzergraf's orders, bravely advancing through the snow, just as described by Carius. A sight worth seeing, as are those photos of Strachwitz himself.

[phylo_roadking]

Not a biased review, Charlie - more of a good heads-up!

[Paul E]

Have got this book on order , as a serious researcher of the Narva battles i was hoping that it would contain new info etc regarding the Battles in the Auwere Bridgehead and the area of the sacks but feared that it was just going to be a collection of new photos without any new research work which the above review suggests it is !!

Does it contain any then and now photos ? Still l'm looking forward to the new photos , will review it further when it arrives.

regards

Paul

[Charlie645]

Hi Paul, I've had an abiding interest in those battles as well.

This book does contain information on the "sack" battles not previously available in English insofar as it quotes at length from Werner Buxa's "Weg und Schicksal der 11. Infanterie Division" about that division's participation in Operation "Strachwitz I." It also gathers together information that was scattered. For example, the "GrossDeutschland" troops that Carius mentions actually came from the related Führer Begleit Battalion--information previously available in English, but only buried on pp. 284-286 of Vol. 2 of Helmuth Später's classic "History of the Panzerkorps Grossdeutschland". Having said that, the book does not claim to be an in-depth history of those battles, and it is not. The author did go to great lengths to accurately identify the mostly unlabeled photos in the collection and to put them in context, a considerable research feat in itself. The only really new written information I have come across in recent years concerns the Soviet view of those battles as described in David M. Glantz's self-published "Forgotten Battles of the German-Soviet War, Vol. VI, The Winter Campaign (24 December 1943-April 1944) (Part One: The Northwestern Axis), pp. 51-70, which includes some rather murky copies of Army Group North's Intelligence and Situation maps.

As I mentioned in my review, as a "photographic study" the book is very good. It is not the definitive written history of the Sack battles. Enjoy it for what it is.

Charlie

[Charlie645]

Forgot to say that the Pruett book does not contain any current photos of the "Sack" battlefields. I have seen a few on a website by a Japanese comic artist who is also an Otto Carius fan (he actually had a visit with him) but I have not looked for that site recently.

Charlie

[Paul E]

Hello Charlie,

Don't get me wrong i'm looking forward to the book as any new works on this area are very scarce , i have all the accounts from from Werner Buxa's "Weg und Schicksal der 11. Infanterie Division" and also veterans accounts / photos from 61 ID whose kampfgruppe were also in the " boot " .

I have visited the Narva battlefields many times and have many " now " photos including some taken in the sacks / boot area.

regards

Paul

[Charlie645]

I am very jealous, Paul! Someday I hope to visit that area. My ancestors came from Lithuania, so perhaps I can combine two trips . . . By looking at the images of that area on Google Earth it appears that it is relatively unchanged. Is that true?

Aside from Buxa's history of the 11 I.D., are there other intersting accounts of the Sack battles in German? I do read that fine language. Günther Fraschka's biography of Strachwitz, "Der Panzergraf", contains a very colorful account, but it mostly repeats Carius and seems very poorly researched.

In any event, I think you will enjoy the Pruett book and with your knowledge you may even find some nuggets of new information that I have neglected to mention.

my best regards,
Charlie

[Marc Rikmenspoel]

I received my copy of this book on Monday, and I'm quite pleased. This is a small study of a very specific moment in the war, but as such, the many new photos and accurate captions make it quite worthwhile. Also, by 2008 standards (and JJF standards) the book is cheap. It might be just the thing for luring in new customers who want to sample JJF's wares, perhaps for example those who own the Stackpole paperback edition on Tigers in the Mud, and have seen the url for JJF's website.

As to Ostsack and Westsack materials, SS-FPGR 23 "Norge" fought in the area in March 1944, and then was immediately to the east, in the bend of the Narva River up to where it approached Kreenholm. Veterans of the unit have photos showing themselves in the swamps of that area, Norwegian researchers have collected some of these, and I included a couple in my Soldiers of the Waffen-SS book. I had a look at my copy of Hubatsch's Die 61. Infanterie Division 1939-1945, and it barely mentions the fighting around Narva. This is the 1983 mixed text and photo volume by Podzun, it is a 160 page book similar to many of their other ID Bildbands, and it has a couple of photos that may have been taken in the area of the "sacks." Hubatsch also wrote a 1961 text volume, which I don't have, do any of you know if it has more detail? I assume it does.

[Paul E]

Hi Charlie,

I am currently running Battelfiel tours to Narva so if you ever want to go let me know !!

Must admit i do find the Narva battles especially interesting and it is one of the most complete remaining battlefields i have been too outside Russia and remains pretty much as it was, i love Estonia and have a house there so i get the opportunity to visit Narva regulary.

Got to agree with Marc unfortunately and bizarrely Hubatsch's Die 61. Infanterie Division 1939-1945, mentions very little about the Narva Battles and of course Kampgruppe from 61 ID were in the boot of the sacks and heavily involved in the combat there.

I was in touch with RKT Wilhelm Kubel before his death re 61 ID and Narva and have been trying to trace other 61 ID vets.As it stands only Buxa,Carius and Tieke still seem to be the best books for info, can't wait for the new book to arrive but was hoping for some new info as well,

best regards

Paul

[Charlie645]

Hi Paul,

If I ever decide to visit the Narva battlefields I will definitely get in touch with you! If you do not have that David Glantz publication I listed earlier I urge you to buy it. It does contain new information on the Soviet side of those battles. Also, Otto Carius is still alive and the people at Fedorowicz publishing company know how to get in touch with him. He might be willing to meet with someone like you who leads serious tours to his old battlefields. I also look forward to your reaction to the new book. You might also think about doing a "Then and Now" article since I'm sure you have good current photos of the area. Can you recommend a good topographical map of that area? Is it still dangerous to go into the Blue Mountains (old mines, unexploded shells, etc.)?

best regards,
Charlie

[Marc Rikmenspoel]

I doubt it is dangerous to visit the Tannenberg Line area, I know many veterans have been there in recent times. I have some photos of the Danish and Norwegian Waffen-SS memorials there provided by Geir Brenden, and I have numerous "today" photos of the Narva town and Tannenberg Line areas provided to me by Erik Linnasmägi. If someone would find having a look at some of these to be useful, let me know. And have any of you heard anything from Erik? He vanished a few years ago, for all intents and purposes.

[Paul E]

Hi Charlie and Marc,

Must admit it would have been good to for the new book to have then and now photos ,i have hundreds of now photos of Narva including the sack area , i was right in the middle of the Sacks and the Auwere bridgehead in May this year and have some good photos. I know that many other of the serious Narva researchers have some very good now photos as well.

Marc i haven't heard from Erik Linnasmägi for some time i'm not sure what has happened to him.
Any photos you have would be very interesting to me if you would like to e mail or pm .

The Blue mountains are not in any way dangerous now and as Marc says many monuments stand upon them and veterans have reunions etc there ( unfortunately the monuments to III SS Panzer Korps and it's units are quite often damaged as 95% of the population of the Narva area are of Russian descent )
South of them in the forests it is different the detrius of war still remains and you have to watch where you are putting your feet as grenades,shells and Teller mines are still there !!!!

I have been in touch with Otto Carius on quite a few occasions to discuss Narva but his book really tells it all from his point of view a great account of the early Tannenburg and Auwere fighting.

Regards

Paul

[Charlie645]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your fascinating information about the Narva battlefields, you are certainly an expert. I encourage you again to do a "Then and Now" article. At some time in the future it may be possible that you can get permission from Pruett or Fedorowicz to use some of their newly published photos. When you receive your copy of "Panzerkampfgruppe Strachwitz" I hope you will add your comments about the book to this thread. And I promise that if I ever decide to visit the Sack battlefields you will be my guide!

best regards,
Charlie

[Paul E]

Hi Charlie,

It would be my pleasure to take you on a Tour to Narva . Have been contacted by Helion books who i have oredered the book with today and they should have it in the post tonight so i'll hoipefully have it tomorrow or the day after , i'll report back then,

regards

Paul

[Paul E]

Hi Charlie,

Have now had my copy for about a week and for the excellent photos alone it is well worth the money ,it's a shame that the photos are not dated and anecdoted to give us an idea of exactly when and where they were taken and i must admit that i am still a little disappointed that no new info is forthcoming particulary relating to the other units who did most of the fighting in the Sacks and the boot, the kampgruppe from 61 and 227 ID. Some of the photos i have an idea of where they were taken in comparison to my now photos , others could be anywhere in the Northern Russian front.

Best thing for me is he photo of Strachwitz and his adjutant , Knights Cross winner Gunther Famula as i have been looking for a photo of Famula for some time. He of course was KIA during the combat in the sacks, he was killed on 22/4/1944 and is buried in Johvi.

regards

Paul