Ss Fallschirmj Ger Bataillon 500 600

The first volume is devoted to Yugoslavia, the second to engagement in the Baltic countries and the third to operations in Hungary, the Ardennes and the Oder bridgehead. The whole, devoted to this SS-Fallschirmjäger-Battalion 500/600, offers a total documentation of more than a thousand photos.

Le premier volume est consacré à la Yougoslavie, le second à l'engagement dans les pays baltes et le troisième aux opérations en Hongrie, dans les Ardennes et dans la tète de pont de l'Oder. L'ensemble, consacré à ce SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500/600, propose une documentation totale de plus de mille photos.

This book is the history of the only Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon of the Waffen-SS during World War II. Formed in 1943 as a Bewährungsverband for special missions (guerrilla operations in the Balkans) the unit was deployed at many focal points of heavy combat on the eastern and western fronts. Nearly destroyed at the Schwedt and Alt-Küstrinchen bridgeheads, the remainder pulled back to the west over Parchim at the end of April 1945 and entered U.S. captivity in May 1945. This is their story, including extremely rare photographs.

Hitler's Elite: The SS 1939–45 tells the complete story of the SS at individual, unit and organizational levels. Following an explanation of the SS' complex political and social origins, and its growth within the Nazi empire, it goes on to look at both its war record and its wider role in Heinrich Himmler's implementation of Hitler's vision for the Third Reich. As well as providing a combat history of the Waffen-SS from 1939 to 1945, it also explores themes such as ideology, recruitment, foreign SS personnel, training and equipment. The book's textual history is brought to life with more than 200 photographs and colour artworks from Osprey's series titles. As a companion volume to Hitler's Armies and Hitler's Eagles, this book gives a detailed and highly visual insight into one of Hitler's most powerful instruments of policy.

A fascinating and long overdue study of the troops that made up Germany's elite special forces of World War II. Such forces included the legenday Skorzeny Commandos who carried out audacious tasks such as the glider-borne rescue of Mussolini, and the kidnapping of the son of the Hungarian regent, Admiral Horthy. This book also includes details of lesser-known units such as the Brandenburgers, who operated behind enemy lines in captured uniforms, and the Kleinkampfverbände who were the forerunners of modern-day naval combat troops like the US Navy SEALs. Complete with uniform and kit detail together with action accounts of many of these daring operations, this book is a must-have for any special forces enthusiast.

Previously unpublished photographs depicting the Strafvollzugslager environsPreviously unpublished letters written by convicts, which describes their hopes and yearningsUnprecedented detailed biographies of the SS guards and convicts, which include details of their post-war fatesWritten with the assistance of veterans’ families, their unselfish access to their archives has resulted in a unique publication Strafvollzugslager der SS- und Polizei: Himmler’s Wartime Institutions for the Detention of Waffen-SS and Polizei Criminals is a book that the SS Leader, Heinrich Himmler, would not have wished written. Preferring that this corner of SS history remained forever in the shadows, in unprecedented detail, this study illuminates the reasons why Waffen-SS and policemen were imprisoned in purpose-built institutions and describes the regulations governing their detention. Revealing details of their daily life, veterans’ families have contributed to this book in an effort to enumerate the lives of those tasked with the prisons operation. Tasked with ensuring the convict’s National Socialist spirit remained undamaged by their punishment, these guards provided the malfeasance elements of Himmler’s Army with a suitable SS environment. Eventually, these institutions become portals through which inmates returned to the Front and this process is examined alongside a history of the various field probation units. Here, Himmler commanded the parolees face death or serious wounding as the means to earn their full rehabilitation. Case histories are tendered throughout and describe the crimes and punishments imposed on those who brought shame on the SS.

Following the battle for Crete in May 1941, Hitler refused to undertake any further large-scale airborne operations due to the high casualty rate. The Fallschirmjäger subsequently took up a new role as elite 'line' infantry, and they served in the Mediterranean from 1942 to 1945, taking part in the conflict in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. Their performance in such hard-fought battles as El Alamein and Monte Cassino reinforced their reputation as some of the toughest troops of World War II. This book explores their changing role in organisation, training and doctrine as the paratroopers developed into Germany's finest frontline soldiers.