Fallschirmjäger.net Book Reviews




The Perfect Nazi
The Perfect Nazi: Uncovering My Grandfather's Secret Past

by Martin Davidson

ISBN 13: 978-0425245446


A surprising tale about a man's quest for knowledge about his grandfather's past. Surprisingly the one photo they had from the war of his service provided some pretty strong clues: A gold party badge, SS officer rank and an SD sleeve device! Needless to say his grandfather had a pretty deep and involved history with the rise of the Third Reich.




Hitlers Pope
Hitler's Pope: The Secret History of Pius XII

by John Cornwell

ISBN 13: 978-0143114000


Yet another sordid tale of the shamfully corrupt organization, the Vatican and the Catholic church. A well research story of the work of Alois Hudal as a proxy for Eugenio Pacelli (1876-1958), who became Pope Pius XII and his support for Hitler's regime during the war and helping war criminals like Mengele and Eichmann escape justice after the war. An enlightening book.




Fighting for the Fatherland
Fighting for the Fatherland: The Story of the German Soldier from 1648 to the Present Day

by David J. Stone

ISBN 13: 978-1597971867


[Review from Amazon] This is the most comprehensive and accessible account of the German soldier ever published in English. It also shows, once again, the merit of having such a history written by an author who blends military experience with academic perception." --Richard Holmes, editor of THE OXFORD COMPANION TO MILITARY HISTORY




Hitlers Scientists
Hitler's Scientists: Science, War, and the Devil's Pact

by John Cornwell

ISBN 13: 978-0142004807


[Review from Amazon] Covering the dramatic rise of German science in the nineteenth century, its preeminence in the early twentieth, and the frightening developments that led to its collapse in 1945, this is the compelling story of German scientists under Hitler?s regime. Weaving the history of science and technology with the fortunes of war and the stories of men and women whose discoveries brought both benefits and destruction to the world, Hitler?s Scientists raises questions that are still urgent today. As science becomes embroiled in new generations of weapons of mass destruction and the war against terrorism, as advances in biotechnology outstrip traditional ethics, this powerful account of Nazi science forms a crucial commentary on the ethical role of science.




Hitlers Scientists
Hitler's Scientists: Science, War, and the Devil's Pact

by John Cornwell

ISBN 13: 978-0142004807


[Review from Amazon] Covering the dramatic rise of German science in the nineteenth century, its preeminence in the early twentieth, and the frightening developments that led to its collapse in 1945, this is the compelling story of German scientists under Hitler?s regime. Weaving the history of science and technology with the fortunes of war and the stories of men and women whose discoveries brought both benefits and destruction to the world, Hitler?s Scientists raises questions that are still urgent today. As science becomes embroiled in new generations of weapons of mass destruction and the war against terrorism, as advances in biotechnology outstrip traditional ethics, this powerful account of Nazi science forms a crucial commentary on the ethical role of science.




The Real Odessa
Nazis on the Run: How Hitler's Henchmen Fled Justice

by Gerald Steinacher

ISBN 13: 978-0199576869


[Review from Amazon] After World War II, rumors circulated that a secret organization named "Odessa" had smuggled Nazi war criminals out of Europe, a rumor further fueled by the wildly popular novel The Odessa File. But "Odessa" was nothing more than a myth. Now, in Nazis on the Run, historian Gerald Steinacher provides the true story of how the Nazis escaped their fate. Steinacher not only reveals how Nazi war criminals escaped from justice at the end of the Second World War, fleeing through the Tyrolean Alps to Italian seaports, but he also highlights the key roles played by the Red Cross, the Vatican, and the Secret Services of the major powers. The book takes a hard look at the International Committee of the Red Cross, proving that identification papers issued by the Red Cross made it possible for thousands of Nazis, war criminals, and collaborators--including Adolf Eichmann and Josef Mengale--to slip through the hands of justice and to find refuge in North and South America, Spain, and the Near East. Steinacher underscores the importance of the South Tyrol as a "ratline" from Germany to Italy and also reveals that many figures in the Catholic Church--sometimes knowingly, other times unwittingly--were involved in large-scale Nazi smuggling, often driven by the fear of an imminent communist takeover of Italy. Finally, the book documents how the Counter Intelligence Corps and later the CIA recruited former SS men to advise U.S. intelligence agencies and smuggled them out of Soviet-occupied areas of Austria and Eastern Europe into Italy and on to South America. Based on extensive research in newly opened archives, Nazis on the Run is the first book to provide a complete picture of this little-known story of justice denied.




The Real Odessa
The Real Odessa: How Peron Brought the Nazi War Criminals to Argentina.

by Uki Goni

ISBN 13: 978-1862075528


Teriffic documentation of the Catholic Vatican supported rat line spiriting Nazi War Criminals out of Europe, including various Blakan campaign Ustaschi.




The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War
Historical review.

by Andrew Roberts

ISBN 13: 978-0061228599


Great Britain's finest military historian writes his complete history of WWII.




The Third Reich at War
Historical trilogy.

by Richard J. Evans

ISBN 10: 1594202060


Excellent and detailed trilogy of books on the Third Reich; The Coming of the Third Reich and The Third Reich in Power are full of eyewitness accounts and details of this historical period.




Daedalus Returned
War memoir of Baron von der Heydte.

by Baron von der Heydte

ISBN 13: 978-0971385207


This is an important and extremely rare WWII memoir written by a former German Fallschirmjäger Officer; Baron von der Heydte. The Baron was in command of a battalion of paratroopers in Crete from the beginning and seven days later received the surrender of the town. This book is the detailed account of preparation, landing and seven days of battle. Captured in 1945 in the Ardennes the Baron was condemned for his anti-Hitler sentiments as a POW. After the war the Baron became a professor of law at the University of Wurzburg.




Modern irregular warfare: In defense policy and as a military phenomenon
Treatise on Irregular Warfare.

by Baron von der Heydte

ISBN 13: 978-0971385207


Treatise on Irregular Warfare by Baron von der Heydte




I Learned to Fly for Hitler
Autobiography of Joe Volmar.

by Joe Volmar

ISBN 13: 978-0967138909


It’s a really good first person narrative of a young German born boy who returns to Germany just prior to WWII and his adventures as he’s schooled in Germany and the new Reich. Especially interesting is his account of glider training and his selection as a Komet pilot! Joe fortunately makes his way through a number of close scrapes to survive the war and eventually comes back to America.




HITLER'S PARATROOPER: The Life and Battles of Rudolf Witzig
Detailed biography of Rudolf Witzig.

by Gilberto Villahermosa

ISBN 13: 978-1848325593


This book is a really great biography of Rudolf Witzig, from birth all the way through the WWII years. Most of this information is from first hand sources and authoritative. A must have for any student of Fallschirmjäger history. The one small blemish is the title preamble of HITLER'S PARATROOPER, a crass and clear marketing add-on from some moron at the publishing company. The book does correctly point out that Witzig was never a party man, but simply a career soldier. An excellent book!




The Lions of Carentan
Fallschirmjäger Regiment 6, 1943-1945
Truly excellent book with scores of new photos..

by Volker Griesser

ISBN 978-1-61200-006-0


Covering FJR/6 in Normandy, Italy, Belgium, Russia and Holland. Especially interesting is the coverage of von der Heydte and the last parachute mission in the Ardennes




FALLSCHIRMJAGER: Elite German Paratroops In World War II
Lots of photos from the Balkans and Greece.

by Jon Sutherland & Diane Canwell

ISBN 184884318-6


Good photographic history with mostly behind the lines, everyday type photos.




The Forgotten Soldier / Le soldat oublié

by Guy Sajer

ISBN 2-221-03739-1


While the story is about a soldier in the Grossdeutschland Division during WWII and not related to the Fallschirmjager, it is a must read for any serious student of WWII. (The book is written under the pen name; Guy Sajer. The author is Guy Mouminoux the son of a French and German marriage, Sajer is his mother's maiden name. M. Mouminoux has also created works under the pen names Dimitri, and Dimitri Lahache.)

While some have questioned the veracity of the book due to small niggling details that are left out or muddled the story which is meant to capture the feelings and experiences of a young man in combat under horrific conditions is a masterpiece. These arguments are a sideshow that have no place in my enjoyment of this heartfelt work. I highly reccomend reading this book!




Kursk Tourmente d'Acier
Graphic novel on the battle of Kursk by Guy Mouminoux

by Dimitri

ISBN 978-2723432641


Graphic novel on the battle of Kursk by Guy Mouminoux, you'll recognize the characters from the Forgotten Soldier.




Jump into Hell
German Paratroopers in World War II

by Franz Kurowski

ISBN 978-0-8117-0582-0


Definitive history from the after action reports and from eyewitnesses of the Fallschirmjäger in action from the Low Countries all the way to the end. Absolutely a must read for anyone wishing to study the Fallschirmjäger.




They Dared Return
The True Story of Jewish Spies behind the Lines in Nazi Germany

by Patrick K. O'Donnell

ISBN 978-0-306-81800-4


Jewish refugees from Germany recruited for covert operations. They are asked to return to Germany as spies - and they accept! Sotries of amazing courage.




Nazi Prisoners of War in America

by Arnold Krammer

ISBN 978-0812885262


Research on German POW camps in the United States, including a number here in Texas by a historian at Texas A&M; in College Station Texas.




Lone Star Stalag
German Prisoners of War at Camp Hearne

by Michael R. Waters PhD

ISBN 978-1585445455


In depth account of the POW camp at Hearn Texas. Interviews, photographs and archaeology of the actual camp. A great insight to a part of the war often bypassed in historical accounts.




The West Point Atlas of War: World War II: European Theater
Great for planning your tactical scenario.

by Vincent J. Esposito (Editor)

ISBN 978-1603760232


Maps and descriptions of the major campaigns of WWII.




Handbook on German Military Forces

by US Government Printing Office

TM-E 30-451


The definitive handbook on German Military Forces in WWII.




Liederbuch der Luftwaffe


Das Lied der Front, 1940


Das Lied der Front, 1941

Song books (lyrics to be scanned onto the songs pages soon...)




War Games: Inside the World of Twentieth-Century War Reenactors
"Those guys need therapy."

by Jenny Thompson

ISBN 13-9781588341280


A thorough study of reenactors and reenacting. You will recognize yourself and others (If you are in the hobby.) Entertaining and well written tale of big egos, contratians, Ramada rangers, stitch Nazis and all of the other truly wierd and normal forms of the folks involved in reenacting. A must read for reenactors so they know what are getting into. I'd call it the primer on reenacting for the unintiated!




Hunters from the Sky
The German Parachute Corps, 1940-1945

by Charles Whiting

ISBN none


Great early work on the Fallschirmjäger, published in 1974.




TAPPING HITLER'S GENERALS
Transcripts of Secret Conversations, 1942-1945

by Sönke Neitzel

ISBN 978-1-84415-705-1


Fascinating insiders view into the minds of high ranking German officers af all services. The British secret service had secretly recorded their conversations while in detention at Trent Park. Points of interest are discussions about the plot against Hitler and attrocities being committed by the Reich.




Hunting Eichmann
How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World's Most Notorious Nazi

by Neal Bascomb

ISBN 978-0-618-85867-5


Good account of the movements of and capture of Eichmann by agents of the Mossad. Covers details of the Catholic Churche's involvement in his getaway and false identity papers. Good insider information on the capture more detail than the original work, The House on Garibaldi Street, though I guess that Isser Harel did not want to give away trade secrets when he wrote his work!




Colditz
The German Story

by Reinhold Eggers

ISBN 987-1-84415-536-1


The story of Coldiz prison written by the former German Security Officer. Translated by former Colditz prisoner Howard Gee.




In Deadly Combat
A German Soldier's Memoir of the Eastern Front

by Gottlob Herbert Bidermann

ISBN 0-7006-1016-2


Author's account of his story of combat on the Ostfront during WWII. Hard to put this book down, incredible account.




When the Afrika Korps Came to Texas
Southwestern Historical Quarterly Vol LXXX, No. 3, January 1977

by Professor Arnold P. Krammer

ISBN - none -


Good article covering German Afrika Corps POWs in Texas during WWII. Cover art is painting by POW R. Lubos of Mexia Internment Camp (1945) painted on a window shade as the canvas. POW Hulmut Mahlo presented the painting to the JT Bounds family, for whom he had worked, when the camp was closed. (Courtesy Mrs. JT Bounds, Tehuacana, Texas. The book also includes photos from Camp Swift TX, where the Salerno +65 battle was held in 2008.




Vom Schiffsjungen zum Fallschirmjäger General

by Lieutenant General Hermann Bernard Ramcke

ISBN - none -


Autobiography of General Hermann Bernard Ramcke covers his career from world war one to world war two up until 1942. German text with some fallschirmjäger photos included. Published in January 1943 by Verlag die Wehrmacht, Berlin.




Hitler's Jewish Soldiers
The Untold Story of Nazi Racial Laws and Men of Jewish Descent in the German Military

by Bryan Mark Rigg

ISBN 978-0-7006-1178-2


Examines the wartime service of men who were classified as Jews or partial-Jews (Mischlinge) by the Nazi racial laws 1930s. These men were decorated veterans and high-ranking officers and even generals and admirals.




Black Edelweiss
A Memoir of Combat and Conscience by a Soldier of the Waffen-SS

by Johann Voss

ISBN 0-9666389-8-0


Author describes his service in the Waffen SS Gebirgsjäger Regiment 11 (6th SS Mountain Division Nord). Written in secret while he was a POW in the US from 1945-1946. Describes his angst over being labelled a member of a criminal organization while trying to reconcile his soldierly service against the Soviets in northern Karelia and Finland and also combat against US forces in the Vosges and in the Saar-Moselle triangle in 1945.




Deutsche Soldaten
Uniforms, Equipment & Personal Items of the German Soldier 1939-45

by Agustín Sáiz Martínez

ISBN 978-1-932033-96-0


This is an incredibly detailed book on the life, equipment and accoutrements of the ordinary German soldier. It is full of detail colour photos and descriptions of equipment. It is an absolute must for the collector or reenactor. I highly recommended it!




JUNGVOLK
The Story of a Boy Defending Hitler's Reich

by Wilhelm R. Gehlen & Don A. Gregory

ISBN 978-1-932033-87-8


This is a really well told first person account of WWII through the eyes of a child growing up during the war. The everyday situations and even the accounts of what would seem to be the mundane give a terrific view into the real world of life in a small German town during these times. I enjoyed every minute of this really good book. Highly recommended to any student of history.



SOLDAT
Volume Eight, Fallschirmjäger

by Chris Mason

ISBN 1-57510-078-9


The essential reference for a Fallschirmjäger reenactor. Pictures and descriptions of equipment and Fallschirmjäger history. Accuracte and well researched.



German Paratroops
Uniforms, Insignia & Equipment of the Fallschirmjager in Wwii: Uniforms, Insignia & Equipment of the Fallschirmjager in World War II

by Robert Kurtz

ISBN 9-780764-310409


Another great reference for a Fallschirmjäger reenactor. Pictures and descriptions of clothing and uniforms of the Fallschirmjäger.



Fallschirmjäger

by Branislav Radovic

ISBN 0764325655


Over 160 images from the files of the Bundesarchiv, most that I've not seen in other works. Mostly full page and details of various uniforms and equipment, helmets with various painted camouflage schemes, wire and covers. Lots of small everyday life details captured in photos.
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