Divisions of the Waffen-SS - Böcker

This book is a detailed history of the 23rd Waffen-SS Panzergrenadier 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 northeastern 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 valor 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.

The 7th Waffen SS Mountain Division was raised for war in the rugged terrain of Yugoslavia. The unit included a huge number of Volksdeutsche, ethnic Germans recruited from outside the Reich. After numerous anti-guerrilla operations in Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia, towards the end of the war it was employed against units of the Bulgarian Army and Red Army forces in the difficult mission of covering the withdrawal of German forces retreating from Greece and Albania. It was one of the few Waffen-SS formations to be used in offensive actions during the final phases of the war. Prinz Eugen fought a brutal, ugly war in the Balkans; it was an effective combat force, but also capable of extreme cruelty towards prisoners and civilians. This work is the most extensive illustrated history of the unit to date.

Formed in 1942, the 8th SS Cavalry Division “Florian Geyer” was one of the most controversial units in the Waffen-SS. Created with the intention of making it an elite unit within the Waffen-SS, it instead saw its main employment from the beginning of the war in Russia as a rear area security force against partisans. The SS cavalrymen carried out these duties with terrible effectiveness, demonstrating the full capabilities of horse-mounted units in securing terrain that was militarily difficult. Late in the war, “Florian Geyer” was employed on the front lines against regular units of the Red Army. The unit was wiped out during final battle of Budapest in February 1945. Detailed operational history, rare combat images, maps, and personality profiles make this book the definitive history of “Florian Geyer.”

The 17th Waffen-SS Panzergrenadier Division “Götz von Berlichingen” was one of the few SS formations to be employed exclusively on the western front during World War II. From the time of its formation in France in 1943, “Götz von Berlichingen” saw bitter and bloody fighting in Normandy, the Seine front, Metz, the Saar, the Palatinate, and later the defense of the west wall until the final battles in Germany. Despite the overwhelming superiority of Allied forces, the units that comprised the division always managed to offer dogged resistance, counterattacking ferociously, and defending every foot of ground with great courage and determination. The units of “Götz von Berlichingen” received praise, not only from the German high command, but also earned the respect of its Allied adversaries. Detailed operational history, rare combat images, maps, and personality profiles make this book the definitive history of “Götz von Berlichingen.”

One of the most infamous of all Waffen-SS formations, the 3rd SS-Panzer-Division “Totenkopf” has always been identified as the very essence of the notorious “Black Order.” Associated with war crimes in official historiography, formed initially with personnel coming from guard units from concentration camps, the unit was nevertheless able to prove itself on the battlefield, distinguishing itself in all of the main campaigns in which it fought, from France to the Russian front. This second of two volumes analyzes the summer 1943 campaign that followed Kursk, until the end of the war: from its operations on the Mius front, to the fighting in the Kharkov area, on the Dnieper River, its transfer to the Polish front, and its subordination to IV.SS-Panzer-Korps, the fighting on the Hungarian front to liberate Budapest, and then its participation in the Frühlingserwachen (“Spring Awakening”) offensive, until the final fighting in Austria and the surrender. The volume includes a series of appendices covering order of battle, lists of award recipients, and details of uniforms and insignia pertaining to the division.

The Polizei Division first took shape in 1939, drawing manpower from the civilian police. In February 1942, the unit was transferred to the Waffen-SS and redesignated SS-Polizei-Division(4.SS). The former policemen appeared on the Western Front in 1940, before being shipped to the Leningrad sector in 1941. Polizei remained on the Eastern Front for the duration of the war, including deployments in Greece, the Banat (Romania), Hungary, and Pomerania, before finally surrendering just northwest of Berlin. The subject is examined through many personal recollections, hundreds of photos and maps from private collections, and period documents, including extracts from official bulletins and the division’s war diary. A brief history of the Polizei II division is included as an appendix.

The Italian government signed an armistice with the Allies on September 8, 1943, but that did not mean the war was over in Italy. Italians continued to fight on both sides for the duration of the war. This study is focused on Italian volunteers in formations of the Waffen-SS. These include the SS Legion "Italiana" and 29th Waffen Grenadier Division "Italienische Nr.1." Beyond the explicitly Italian units, handfuls of men found their way into other divisions, such as the 4th SS Panzergrenadier Division "Polizei," 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division "Reichsführer-SS," the Karstwehr Battallion (later 24th SS Gebirgsjäger Division "Karstjäger"), and even the famous 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte." This work includes histories of the Italian Legion and the 29th Division, extensive interviews with Italian SS veterans from various units, and many excellent photographs from private collections in Europe.