Hey Everybody,
Just thought that I'd start a discussion on people's favourite books on foreign volunteers in the German Heer and Waffen SS. At the moment I am re-reading David Littlejohn's "Foreign Legions of The Third Reich" series. Excellent pictures, excellent info, but have noticed a few errors though that makes me wonder what else Littlejohn was wrong on.
Has anyone else noticed these errors? Namely on the British Free Corps section.
Also recently purchased the amazing "The East Came West: Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist Volunteers in the German Armed Forces 1941-1945" by Axis Europa Books. It was filled with one of a kind photos from private collections, and has very detailed info on these very rare units.
Does anyone have any books on foreign volunteers that they haven't been able to put down lately? I think this is a great chance to spread the word on books that people believe others should have to expand their collections.
Thanks for reading this,
Wade
Favourite Foreign Volunteer Books
Moderator: George Lepre
Hi Wade:
I can tell you that Littlejohn made some pretty serious errors in the Croatia section of his books as well, which puts in doubt the veracity of his information on topics I am not well informed on.
Last book I've read on foreign volunteers was the "Slovenian Axis Forces" book from Axis Europa. I give it a 6 out of 10.
Regards from Ontario.
I can tell you that Littlejohn made some pretty serious errors in the Croatia section of his books as well, which puts in doubt the veracity of his information on topics I am not well informed on.
Last book I've read on foreign volunteers was the "Slovenian Axis Forces" book from Axis Europa. I give it a 6 out of 10.
Regards from Ontario.
It is the inherent right of every nation to have its own nation state.
Hey Croat,
Nice to run into another canuck. I'm Albertan (up north), but moved to Langley B.C. since my girlfriend is from out there and she couldn't handle the -30 degree winters back home in Alberta!
Were the mistakes in the Croat section that major? I'd kinda like an idea on where the mistakes are in Littlejohn's books.
I really like the line of books that AxisEuropa sells. I just worry when I read the bibliography of some and I see that Antonio Munoz has used works by Richard Landwehr. To my knowledge, Landwehr is a revisionist, and he has a slight ideological twist to his works. I've also heard that his books are filled with mistakes. Have you heard the same?
Wade
Nice to run into another canuck. I'm Albertan (up north), but moved to Langley B.C. since my girlfriend is from out there and she couldn't handle the -30 degree winters back home in Alberta!
Were the mistakes in the Croat section that major? I'd kinda like an idea on where the mistakes are in Littlejohn's books.
I really like the line of books that AxisEuropa sells. I just worry when I read the bibliography of some and I see that Antonio Munoz has used works by Richard Landwehr. To my knowledge, Landwehr is a revisionist, and he has a slight ideological twist to his works. I've also heard that his books are filled with mistakes. Have you heard the same?
Wade
Hi Wade:Rand wrote:Hey Croat,
Nice to run into another canuck. I'm Albertan (up north), but moved to Langley B.C. since my girlfriend is from out there and she couldn't handle the -30 degree winters back home in Alberta!
Were the mistakes in the Croat section that major? I'd kinda like an idea on where the mistakes are in Littlejohn's books.
I really like the line of books that AxisEuropa sells. I just worry when I read the bibliography of some and I see that Antonio Munoz has used works by Richard Landwehr. To my knowledge, Landwehr is a revisionist, and he has a slight ideological twist to his works. I've also heard that his books are filled with mistakes. Have you heard the same?
Wade
I'm originally from Manitoba, and have lived in Ontario for about 15 years. I do not miss the constant -40 C of Winterpeg :-)
Regarding the Croatia section of Littlejohn's books, the errors in names (especially spelling) are attrocious. The identification of certain insignia and certain units in photos is completely off. Historical data regarding the NDH in general and certain units described in his book is erroneous. I know that his books were published some time ago, and that a lot of information regarding Croatia in WW2 has become available only during the past maybe 12-15 years, so I don't necessarily fault him personally - I just think that his books really need a thorough updating.
Regarding Axis Europa, to my mind Mr. Munoz has kept pretty much out of the political spectre of foreign volunteerism and WW2 in general, and stuck to the military history. If Landwehr is revisionist, then Munoz has used him as a source only in the unit history portions of his work.
Best regards/
It is the inherent right of every nation to have its own nation state.
Hey Croat,
I think it would be a good idea for Littlejohn to update his books! Can you recommend any english language books on the Croatian involvement in WW2? Also wondering your opinion on the book "For Croatia & Christ: The Croatian Army in World War II 1941-1945' by Axiseuropa books. Is the info accurate in this one?
So fellow Canadian, are you excited for the federal election coming in May? Might be interesting for once!
Wade
I think it would be a good idea for Littlejohn to update his books! Can you recommend any english language books on the Croatian involvement in WW2? Also wondering your opinion on the book "For Croatia & Christ: The Croatian Army in World War II 1941-1945' by Axiseuropa books. Is the info accurate in this one?
So fellow Canadian, are you excited for the federal election coming in May? Might be interesting for once!
Wade
Hi Wade:Rand wrote:Hey Croat,
I think it would be a good idea for Littlejohn to update his books! Can you recommend any english language books on the Croatian involvement in WW2? Also wondering your opinion on the book "For Croatia & Christ: The Croatian Army in World War II 1941-1945' by Axiseuropa books. Is the info accurate in this one?
So fellow Canadian, are you excited for the federal election coming in May? Might be interesting for once!
Wade
If God can hear my prayers, he will allow the bloody Liberals to finally get their butts whipped in a Canadian federal election. Hoping for them to be wiped out (like the Tories post-Mulroney) is probably asking for too much, but just seeing them squirm in oposition will make me ever so happy!
"For Croatia and Christ" is a good starting point for research on the Axis side of the Croatian participation in WW2, and probably is the best english language book out there right now on the topic. But it really only scratches the surface of the topic, and it is (much like Littlejohn) also fraught with many innaccuracies.
Best regards/
It is the inherent right of every nation to have its own nation state.
Croat,
I hear you, I wish everyday that those Liberals get crushed in the next election. I just have a gut feeling that Ontario will vote Liberal again and the best we can hope for is a minority gov't for Martin! I've been doing some volunteer work out here for the Conserative Party, but I wish I could do more.
Do you think that Belinda is sexy or what? God, Canda would get whatever it whats if she was Prime Minister! How could you say no to that woman?
Wade
I hear you, I wish everyday that those Liberals get crushed in the next election. I just have a gut feeling that Ontario will vote Liberal again and the best we can hope for is a minority gov't for Martin! I've been doing some volunteer work out here for the Conserative Party, but I wish I could do more.
Do you think that Belinda is sexy or what? God, Canda would get whatever it whats if she was Prime Minister! How could you say no to that woman?
Wade
Hi Wade:Rand wrote:Croat,
I hear you, I wish everyday that those Liberals get crushed in the next election. I just have a gut feeling that Ontario will vote Liberal again and the best we can hope for is a minority gov't for Martin! I've been doing some volunteer work out here for the Conserative Party, but I wish I could do more.
Do you think that Belinda is sexy or what? God, Canda would get whatever it whats if she was Prime Minister! How could you say no to that woman?
Wade
Now that there will no longer be a vote split between the PC's and the Alliance, there could be as many as 20-25 seats for the new Conservative Party in Ontario. In my riding, the Liberal won by some 500 votes last election...but the PC and Alliance together bested the Liberal by some 300 votes! The only reason the seat went Liberal was because of the vote split...and there were probably 2 dozen ridings that went that way!
Belinda is HOT, no doubt...but does she have a clue about running a country? I would prefer if she started as a minister, and ran for party leadership maybe 8-10 years down the road...
Best regards!
It is the inherent right of every nation to have its own nation state.
Re: subject ?
Hi Haen:HaEn wrote:Was this thread not about foreign volunteer books ? How did we get to elections in Canada ? Oh well. HN.
Slight deviations from the topic during friendly discourse :-) Hope it doesn't bother you too much.
Regards from Canada.
It is the inherent right of every nation to have its own nation state.
-
George Lepre
- Moderator
- Posts: 193
- Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2002 5:55 pm
- Location: United States
Hi Rand -
The best books BY FAR on the Dutch volunteers are those in the series written by the late Jan Vincx and Viktor Schotanius, Nederlandse vrijwilligers in Europese krijgsdienst, 1940-1945. There are four volumes: the first covers the Landstorm, the second features the Brigade and later Division "Nederland," the third has Dutch volunteers in the Wiking Division, and the fourth covers Dutchmen in the NSKK, etc. The books are outstanding by any standard. I might add that I knew Jan and suffice it to say that he was a war hero in his own right and quite a nice fellow.
Currently, a younger Dutch researcher is working on a new mammoth history of the Landstorm. It will be bigger than Jan's book because more sources are now available.
Best regards,
George Lepre
The best books BY FAR on the Dutch volunteers are those in the series written by the late Jan Vincx and Viktor Schotanius, Nederlandse vrijwilligers in Europese krijgsdienst, 1940-1945. There are four volumes: the first covers the Landstorm, the second features the Brigade and later Division "Nederland," the third has Dutch volunteers in the Wiking Division, and the fourth covers Dutchmen in the NSKK, etc. The books are outstanding by any standard. I might add that I knew Jan and suffice it to say that he was a war hero in his own right and quite a nice fellow.
Currently, a younger Dutch researcher is working on a new mammoth history of the Landstorm. It will be bigger than Jan's book because more sources are now available.
Best regards,
George Lepre
if you want to read a good book about foreign units fighting for the Germans in WWII how about 'Hitler's Gauls' by me, Jonathan Trigg. Its on Amazon and its about the French volunteers who fought in the LVF, the SS Sturmbrigade and finally the Charlemagne Division, spent 2 yeasr researching and writing it and hopefully you'll like it, appreciate it if you spread the word so then I can write some more!
I am writing a series of books on non-Reich German Waffen SS units, the first is on French volunteers.
-
panzermahn
- Associate
- Posts: 919
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2004 3:09 am
- Location: Malaysia
Hi Rand,
Here are some of the recommendations for good foreign volunteer books
French SS volunteers & LVF
a) Jean Mabire's Todeskampf im Berlin, LVF, Below 40 degrees at Moscow, The lost Legion, Franzosichen Sturmbrigade, To Die in danzig (some of them in collaboration with Eric Lefevre).
b) Richard Landwehr's Charlemagne Legionnaires (very rare photos and infos)
c) Robert Forbes's For Europe (remains the best English language book on French SS)
Spanish SS and Division Azul
d) Carlos Caballero's To Die in Russia and Osprey Series
e) Jean-Pierre Sourd's True Believers: Spanish Volunteers in the Wehrmacht and waffen SS 1944-45
British and Commonwealth
f) Adrian Weale's Renegades: Hitler's Englishmen (the best book by far on English and Commonwealth volunteers of the SS)
Bosnian and Croation Volunteers
g) Our very own George Lepre's Himmler's Bosnian Division
h) Antonio J. Munoz's For Croatia & Christ
Swedish, Danish and Norwegian volunteers
i) Erik Norling's The Race of the Vikings and They were not neutrals (this were in Spanish language. No english translation yet)
Latvian SS Volunteers
j) A Latvian SS photobook by former veterans (around 1000+ photos published in 2005 I think)
k) Aivar Petersons' Mums Japarnak (the most definitive source on Latvian SS volunteers during the Battle of Berlin)
SS Foreign Volunteers Photobook
l) Many Nations, One Motto by Marc J. Rikmenspoel
Walloon volunteers
m) For Rex & For Belgium by Eddy de Bruyne and Marc J. Rikmenspoel (one of the most definitive book on Walloon volunteers. It had even the rare photos of the Cross of Burgundy kragenspiegeln)
Regards
Panzermahn
Here are some of the recommendations for good foreign volunteer books
French SS volunteers & LVF
a) Jean Mabire's Todeskampf im Berlin, LVF, Below 40 degrees at Moscow, The lost Legion, Franzosichen Sturmbrigade, To Die in danzig (some of them in collaboration with Eric Lefevre).
b) Richard Landwehr's Charlemagne Legionnaires (very rare photos and infos)
c) Robert Forbes's For Europe (remains the best English language book on French SS)
Spanish SS and Division Azul
d) Carlos Caballero's To Die in Russia and Osprey Series
e) Jean-Pierre Sourd's True Believers: Spanish Volunteers in the Wehrmacht and waffen SS 1944-45
British and Commonwealth
f) Adrian Weale's Renegades: Hitler's Englishmen (the best book by far on English and Commonwealth volunteers of the SS)
Bosnian and Croation Volunteers
g) Our very own George Lepre's Himmler's Bosnian Division
h) Antonio J. Munoz's For Croatia & Christ
Swedish, Danish and Norwegian volunteers
i) Erik Norling's The Race of the Vikings and They were not neutrals (this were in Spanish language. No english translation yet)
Latvian SS Volunteers
j) A Latvian SS photobook by former veterans (around 1000+ photos published in 2005 I think)
k) Aivar Petersons' Mums Japarnak (the most definitive source on Latvian SS volunteers during the Battle of Berlin)
SS Foreign Volunteers Photobook
l) Many Nations, One Motto by Marc J. Rikmenspoel
Walloon volunteers
m) For Rex & For Belgium by Eddy de Bruyne and Marc J. Rikmenspoel (one of the most definitive book on Walloon volunteers. It had even the rare photos of the Cross of Burgundy kragenspiegeln)
Regards
Panzermahn