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Waffen-SS: Hitler's Army at War
From an award-winning and bestselling historian, the first comprehensive military history in over fifty years of Hitler's famous and infamous personal army: the Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was one of the most feared combat organizations of the twentieth century. Originally formed as a protection squad for Adolf Hitler it became the military wing of Heinrich Himmler's SS and a key part of the Nazi state, with nearly 900,000 men passing through its ranks. The Waffen-SS played a crucial role in furthering the aims of the Third Reich which made its soldiers Hitler's political operatives. During its short history, the elite military divisions of the Waffen-SS acquired a reputation for excellence, but their famous battlefield record of success was matched by their repeated and infamous atrocities against both soldiers and civilians.
Waffen-SS is the first definitive single-volume military history of the Waffen-SS in more than 50 years. In considering the actions of its leading personalities, including Himmler, Sepp Dietrich, and Otto Skorzeny, and analyzing its specialist training and ideological outlook, eminent historian Adrian Gilbert chronicles the battles and campaigns that brought the Waffen-SS both fame and infamy.
The Waffen-SS was one of the most feared combat organizations of the twentieth century. Originally formed as a protection squad for Adolf Hitler it became the military wing of Heinrich Himmler's SS and a key part of the Nazi state, with nearly 900,000 men passing through its ranks. The Waffen-SS played a crucial role in furthering the aims of the Third Reich which made its soldiers Hitler's political operatives. During its short history, the elite military divisions of the Waffen-SS acquired a reputation for excellence, but their famous battlefield record of success was matched by their repeated and infamous atrocities against both soldiers and civilians.
Waffen-SS is the first definitive single-volume military history of the Waffen-SS in more than 50 years. In considering the actions of its leading personalities, including Himmler, Sepp Dietrich, and Otto Skorzeny, and analyzing its specialist training and ideological outlook, eminent historian Adrian Gilbert chronicles the battles and campaigns that brought the Waffen-SS both fame and infamy.
512 pages, Paperback
Published June 23, 2020
About the author
Adrian Gilbert
75 books14 followersAdrian Gilbert is a British author and historian who writes primarily on the subject of military history – particularly relating to wars of the 20th century.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 16, 2022
"The SS troops certainly enjoyed the advantages of good weapons and equipment, but their greatest strength was the quality of their leaders at all levels and the amazing esprit de corps of the men." pg 230
This is the gold standard for Waffen-SS history. I say this bold statement because this book covers the Waffen-SS as a whole; Adrian Gilbert did a fantastic job in my opinion of giving the history of this fighting organization from its inception to its demise. The narrative is not boring, not overloaded in details, reads smoothly, and kept my attention without overkill. Gilbert started with giving the foundation of the Schutzstaffel (SS) and the development of the armed SS (hence the title Waffen-SS, the word Waffen- meaning armed). He ran down its history from the pre-war years, the war, and up the last days of the war including post-war criminal & legal action taken against members.
The author did a great job of giving the overall picture of these units both as the larger parent unit down to the smaller divisions (3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf, 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking, etc.) and regiments (Germania, Deutschland, Der Führer). Gilbert explained the difference in the original intent of the SS, the combat roles of the SS, and the distinction of the SS-Totenkopfvarbande that oversaw the concentration camp system throughout the Third Reich. Also explained was the incorporation of foreign "Germanic" combatants to fill the ranks of the Waffen-SS: Dutch, Norwegians, Danes, Belgians, Ukrainians, and Estonians & Latvians. As side from soldiering-on, atrocities committed were mentioned in the killing of Jews, wanton destruction, and targeting civilians during anti-partisan action as seen in the counterinsurgency operations of northeastern Bosnia.
Each chapter gave great information on the deployment of the Waffen-SS into various areas of responsibilty in a chronological fashion to include: the invasion of Poland, invasion of the Netherlands, the assault on France, Operation Barbarossa, and specific operation in the Balkans (Yugoslavia, Greece, Romania, etc.). Operations of the Eastern Front were expanded upon like Army Group North (Leningrad), Army Group Center (Moscow), and Army Group South (into the Ukraine). The turning points of the front were also explained: Opertion Citadel and battle of Kharkov, history's largest armored tank battle at Kursk and Prokhorovka, and the shift from Soviet offensives pushing back the German army.
In the front there was a table of rank structure comparing the SS, regular German Army, and US Army equivalents for clarification. Also there were several helpful maps that showed the changing front lines. In the back, Appendix A listed every Waffen-SS division with its full name both in English and in German, a short history of creation date, combat action, areas of responsibility, and date of defeat/surrender. Appendix B showed the number of Knight's Cross award holders: 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich with 72 and 14th SS Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (Galician/Ukrainian No. 1) with one recipient.
Something interesting I learned was Walter Heck, a graphic designer, created the infamous Siegrunes side by side to create the iconic insignia and the all black SS uniforms were designed, produced, and sold by legendary clothing and suit designer Hugo Boss (pg 13).
I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting an excellent historical narrative about the Waffen-SS. This is an excellent starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about the SS without delving into tactics, overhaul logistics, battlefield analysis, and information strictly on any specific unit. The only other book I would highly suggest is Waffen-SS: The Encyclopedia by Marc J. Rikmenspoel. In my opinion you can't go wrong with either one of these. Thanks!
This is the gold standard for Waffen-SS history. I say this bold statement because this book covers the Waffen-SS as a whole; Adrian Gilbert did a fantastic job in my opinion of giving the history of this fighting organization from its inception to its demise. The narrative is not boring, not overloaded in details, reads smoothly, and kept my attention without overkill. Gilbert started with giving the foundation of the Schutzstaffel (SS) and the development of the armed SS (hence the title Waffen-SS, the word Waffen- meaning armed). He ran down its history from the pre-war years, the war, and up the last days of the war including post-war criminal & legal action taken against members.
The author did a great job of giving the overall picture of these units both as the larger parent unit down to the smaller divisions (3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf, 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking, etc.) and regiments (Germania, Deutschland, Der Führer). Gilbert explained the difference in the original intent of the SS, the combat roles of the SS, and the distinction of the SS-Totenkopfvarbande that oversaw the concentration camp system throughout the Third Reich. Also explained was the incorporation of foreign "Germanic" combatants to fill the ranks of the Waffen-SS: Dutch, Norwegians, Danes, Belgians, Ukrainians, and Estonians & Latvians. As side from soldiering-on, atrocities committed were mentioned in the killing of Jews, wanton destruction, and targeting civilians during anti-partisan action as seen in the counterinsurgency operations of northeastern Bosnia.
Each chapter gave great information on the deployment of the Waffen-SS into various areas of responsibilty in a chronological fashion to include: the invasion of Poland, invasion of the Netherlands, the assault on France, Operation Barbarossa, and specific operation in the Balkans (Yugoslavia, Greece, Romania, etc.). Operations of the Eastern Front were expanded upon like Army Group North (Leningrad), Army Group Center (Moscow), and Army Group South (into the Ukraine). The turning points of the front were also explained: Opertion Citadel and battle of Kharkov, history's largest armored tank battle at Kursk and Prokhorovka, and the shift from Soviet offensives pushing back the German army.
In the front there was a table of rank structure comparing the SS, regular German Army, and US Army equivalents for clarification. Also there were several helpful maps that showed the changing front lines. In the back, Appendix A listed every Waffen-SS division with its full name both in English and in German, a short history of creation date, combat action, areas of responsibility, and date of defeat/surrender. Appendix B showed the number of Knight's Cross award holders: 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich with 72 and 14th SS Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (Galician/Ukrainian No. 1) with one recipient.
Something interesting I learned was Walter Heck, a graphic designer, created the infamous Siegrunes side by side to create the iconic insignia and the all black SS uniforms were designed, produced, and sold by legendary clothing and suit designer Hugo Boss (pg 13).
I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting an excellent historical narrative about the Waffen-SS. This is an excellent starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about the SS without delving into tactics, overhaul logistics, battlefield analysis, and information strictly on any specific unit. The only other book I would highly suggest is Waffen-SS: The Encyclopedia by Marc J. Rikmenspoel. In my opinion you can't go wrong with either one of these. Thanks!
March 9, 2020
It was absolutely excellent! The best book on that particular subject I've read. There's a lot of "fanboy trash" out there about this subject in particular and I think he does a really good job of telling the story exactly as it happened with a trained historian's eye for both detail and nuance. Suffice to say that I gained a greater understanding as well as the truth about the subject. Highly recommended!
June 11, 2019
Beginning with the original Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, Hitler's personal guard, the Waffen SS was to grow into a "small army" or six hundred thousand soldiers. Originally an Elite Unit of the 'cream' of the Aryan race, at the end of the war, anyone who could walk (Volksdeutche, Croatians and even Cossacks) and carry a gun was 'enlisted' into the Waffen SS.
Gilbert does his best to keep up with the changes to many of the brigades/legions into Divisions in name only, by 1944 only the first two Panzer Divisions were still up to the original fighting force. Those that did fight were famous for their tenacity and ability to stand up to superior forces. In 1945 Himmler was still creating new Divisions which in reality weren't larger than brigades without any heavy weapons.
Gilbert covers every unit from creation to destruction or surrender, he tells the truth of the fighting and those who did their job, those who committed war-crimes, those who just took the job for food (at the war's end). Easy to read and well worth your time.
Gilbert does his best to keep up with the changes to many of the brigades/legions into Divisions in name only, by 1944 only the first two Panzer Divisions were still up to the original fighting force. Those that did fight were famous for their tenacity and ability to stand up to superior forces. In 1945 Himmler was still creating new Divisions which in reality weren't larger than brigades without any heavy weapons.
Gilbert covers every unit from creation to destruction or surrender, he tells the truth of the fighting and those who did their job, those who committed war-crimes, those who just took the job for food (at the war's end). Easy to read and well worth your time.
April 21, 2019
5 stars
This book shows the exhaustive amount of research and time that Mr. Gilbert put into creating this history. It traces in great detail the birth of the Waffen SS that became a force with which to be reckoned during the 1920's through the end of World War II in 1945. The scholarship put into this book is beyond reproach. In the book the reader becomes familiar with the dastardly and famous luminaries of the Nazi regime from Hitler and Himmler to many of the lesser known figures. It is easy-to-read and not overly technical. The use of language is very accessible to the lover of history, the serious scholar or just the everyday reader. I truly enjoyed this book and immediately went to Amazon to look for others of Mr. Gilbert's books.
I want to thank NetGalley and Hatchette Books/Da Capo Press for forwarding to me a copy of this instructive book for me to read,njoy and review.
This book shows the exhaustive amount of research and time that Mr. Gilbert put into creating this history. It traces in great detail the birth of the Waffen SS that became a force with which to be reckoned during the 1920's through the end of World War II in 1945. The scholarship put into this book is beyond reproach. In the book the reader becomes familiar with the dastardly and famous luminaries of the Nazi regime from Hitler and Himmler to many of the lesser known figures. It is easy-to-read and not overly technical. The use of language is very accessible to the lover of history, the serious scholar or just the everyday reader. I truly enjoyed this book and immediately went to Amazon to look for others of Mr. Gilbert's books.
I want to thank NetGalley and Hatchette Books/Da Capo Press for forwarding to me a copy of this instructive book for me to read,njoy and review.
April 1, 2022
Az értékelés olvasható a blogomon:
https://thedeathgoddess.blogspot.com/...
Időnként büszke vagyok arra, ha befejezek egy könyvet. Ez általában akkor szokott előfordulni, ha nagyon hosszú, vagy ha a téma nehéz. Ha mindkettő fennáll, akkor extra büszkeség szokott eltölteni. Adrien Gilbert könyvénél az extra büszkeség mellett nagy arányban volt a hitetlenség is. Még most sem igen hiszem el, hogy vége van.
Nem azért, mert rossz lett volna. Egyáltalán nem az. Számomra viszont iszonyatosan tömény volt. Nagyon aprólékosan mutatja be a Waffen-SS születését, az egyes hadosztályok megalakulását, vezetőiket, azok esetenkénti leváltását, és természetesen a haditechnika sem maradhat ki. Rengeteg az adat; nevek, számok, helyszínek, különböző szakszavak ömlenek az olvasóra. A megértést segítik a függelékek és a térképek, amelyek által némileg könnyebb elképzelni a frontvonalak alakulását. A frontokon zajló események szemléltetésére a kötet közepén összegyűjtött képek hivatottak. Véleményem szerint szerencsésebb lett volna ezeket a megfelelő szövegrészek után az egyes fejezetekben elhelyezni, hogy egy kicsit megtörjék az információáradatot, illetve könnyebben köthetők az eseményekhez, ha közvetlenül a leírások után kapnak helyet.
Rendkívül sok új információval gazdagodtam olvasás közben; hogy ebből a hosszútávú memóriába mennyi került be, az idővel kiderül – most úgy érzem, hogy a csak a bicikliző SS-tisztek maradtak meg belőle, ez is leginkább azért, mert annyira abszurd kép keletkezett róluk a fejemben.
A magyar vonatkozások bemutatásának külön örültem, eddig ilyen részletességgel nem találkoztam vele.
Nagyon tetszett az is, hogy Gilbert igyekezett pártatlan maradni és tényszerűen írni, egyáltalán nem éreztem azt, hogy bármelyik oldal mellett állást foglalna a harcok leírása során sem. A sok információ miatt viszont elég száraz a könyv, egyáltalán nem könnyű olvasmány. Az a fajta ismeretterjesztő, amit néhány oldal után le kell tenni, hogy az ember felfogja, mit is olvasott.
Nem tartom valószínűnek, hogy még egyszer az elejétől a végéig el fogom olvasni, sokkal inkább fellapozom majd a megfelelő fejezetet, ha valami nem jut eszembe a háború egyes szakaszaival kapcsolatban – úgy gondolom, erre a célra kiváló lesz nekem, mint laikus érdeklődőnek.
https://thedeathgoddess.blogspot.com/...
Időnként büszke vagyok arra, ha befejezek egy könyvet. Ez általában akkor szokott előfordulni, ha nagyon hosszú, vagy ha a téma nehéz. Ha mindkettő fennáll, akkor extra büszkeség szokott eltölteni. Adrien Gilbert könyvénél az extra büszkeség mellett nagy arányban volt a hitetlenség is. Még most sem igen hiszem el, hogy vége van.
Nem azért, mert rossz lett volna. Egyáltalán nem az. Számomra viszont iszonyatosan tömény volt. Nagyon aprólékosan mutatja be a Waffen-SS születését, az egyes hadosztályok megalakulását, vezetőiket, azok esetenkénti leváltását, és természetesen a haditechnika sem maradhat ki. Rengeteg az adat; nevek, számok, helyszínek, különböző szakszavak ömlenek az olvasóra. A megértést segítik a függelékek és a térképek, amelyek által némileg könnyebb elképzelni a frontvonalak alakulását. A frontokon zajló események szemléltetésére a kötet közepén összegyűjtött képek hivatottak. Véleményem szerint szerencsésebb lett volna ezeket a megfelelő szövegrészek után az egyes fejezetekben elhelyezni, hogy egy kicsit megtörjék az információáradatot, illetve könnyebben köthetők az eseményekhez, ha közvetlenül a leírások után kapnak helyet.
Rendkívül sok új információval gazdagodtam olvasás közben; hogy ebből a hosszútávú memóriába mennyi került be, az idővel kiderül – most úgy érzem, hogy a csak a bicikliző SS-tisztek maradtak meg belőle, ez is leginkább azért, mert annyira abszurd kép keletkezett róluk a fejemben.
A magyar vonatkozások bemutatásának külön örültem, eddig ilyen részletességgel nem találkoztam vele.
Nagyon tetszett az is, hogy Gilbert igyekezett pártatlan maradni és tényszerűen írni, egyáltalán nem éreztem azt, hogy bármelyik oldal mellett állást foglalna a harcok leírása során sem. A sok információ miatt viszont elég száraz a könyv, egyáltalán nem könnyű olvasmány. Az a fajta ismeretterjesztő, amit néhány oldal után le kell tenni, hogy az ember felfogja, mit is olvasott.
Nem tartom valószínűnek, hogy még egyszer az elejétől a végéig el fogom olvasni, sokkal inkább fellapozom majd a megfelelő fejezetet, ha valami nem jut eszembe a háború egyes szakaszaival kapcsolatban – úgy gondolom, erre a célra kiváló lesz nekem, mint laikus érdeklődőnek.
June 1, 2024
It was great read till the end. The author concentrated on east front, while ignoring everything that happened after Allies captured northern coast of France. There's so much that could be said about Belgium, Netherlands, other French regions. Scandinavian countries? Hello? But nevertheless, it's a fine work of how it has progressed..
September 2, 2019
Would’ve been better with some helpful maps. I can’t really find any other faults. It delivered what it promised to deliver. The author can be proud.
April 30, 2021
Author Adrian D. Gilbert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_... published the book “Waffen-SS: Hitler’s Army at War” in 2019. He has published more than a dozen books on military history.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of violence. The book tells the history of the Waffen-SS (the armed SS). It began as the military branch of the Nazi party. Over the course of WWII units of the Waffen-SS served on both the Eastern and Western fronts. The units fell under the command of the OKW and fought alongside units of the regular army.
The SS was created in 1923. January of 1929 saw the appointment of Heinrich Himmler as Reichsführer-SS to lead them. The Waffen or armed SS was originally created as a small 120 man strong unit in March of 1933. Its purpose was the protection of Adolf Hitler. At its height of power in WWII, there were 36 Divisions of troops.
The SS and the army did not always get along. The regular army looked down upon most of the Waffen-SS officers. They did not have the military training of the regular army officers.
This book covers the Waffen-SS from its beginning days until the fall of Nazi Germany. The book includes stories of the growing pains experienced in the early days. The important leaders within the Waffen-SS and their backgrounds are given.
Units of the Waffen-SS served in almost all theaters of the war. Their actions in Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, during the early NAZI expansion are told. They were a significant player in the 1940 invasion of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Events on the Eastern Front and in the West after the Allied D-Day invasion are cited. The Waffen-SS had a fanatical devotion to the Nazi party and its policies. This led to more atrocities committed by them than the regular army.
I enjoyed the 14+ hours I spent reading this 439-page WWII history. While this book is full of dates, facts, and names, it is easy to read. I learned quite a lot of new information as I read this book. The cover art is OK but it is very plain. I give this book a 4 out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of violence. The book tells the history of the Waffen-SS (the armed SS). It began as the military branch of the Nazi party. Over the course of WWII units of the Waffen-SS served on both the Eastern and Western fronts. The units fell under the command of the OKW and fought alongside units of the regular army.
The SS was created in 1923. January of 1929 saw the appointment of Heinrich Himmler as Reichsführer-SS to lead them. The Waffen or armed SS was originally created as a small 120 man strong unit in March of 1933. Its purpose was the protection of Adolf Hitler. At its height of power in WWII, there were 36 Divisions of troops.
The SS and the army did not always get along. The regular army looked down upon most of the Waffen-SS officers. They did not have the military training of the regular army officers.
This book covers the Waffen-SS from its beginning days until the fall of Nazi Germany. The book includes stories of the growing pains experienced in the early days. The important leaders within the Waffen-SS and their backgrounds are given.
Units of the Waffen-SS served in almost all theaters of the war. Their actions in Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, during the early NAZI expansion are told. They were a significant player in the 1940 invasion of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Events on the Eastern Front and in the West after the Allied D-Day invasion are cited. The Waffen-SS had a fanatical devotion to the Nazi party and its policies. This led to more atrocities committed by them than the regular army.
I enjoyed the 14+ hours I spent reading this 439-page WWII history. While this book is full of dates, facts, and names, it is easy to read. I learned quite a lot of new information as I read this book. The cover art is OK but it is very plain. I give this book a 4 out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
February 21, 2020
I was provided an advance copy of Adrain Gilbert's "Waffen-SS" by the publisher, and I am pleased to report that the book is a valuable addition to the formidable body of work available on this branch of Hitler's notorious SS. For those of you not familiar with the subject, the Waffen-SS is the term generally used to identify elements of the
SS designated as armed combat units, as opposed to guard and police units largely centered on internal security and active measures against groups ideologically targeted by the Nazis. Books dealing with this subject almost invariably begin with a discussion of the organizational structure of the SS and then focus more tightly on this branch, and this one is no exception. The Waffen-SS was branded as a criminal organization by the Allies at the end of World War II, and this speaks to the fundamental challenge confronting any historian approaching this complex and often contradictory subject. Combat formations of the SS generally have the well earned reputation of being elite fighting formations, well trained and equipped lavishly with the finest weapons Germany could produce. While this generalization is largely sound, there are substantial variations on the theme depending on the changing fortunes of war, and too often this generalization is used to obfuscate the ruthlessness with which the SS served its political masters. This particular book really hits its stride in its discussion of the combat role of the Waffen-SS in the West and the role of the various ethnically diverse elements which contributed to its development. Indeed, some of the last units resisting the Russians in the ruins of Berlin were elements of foreign recruited SS formations. The author also examines the legacy of the Waffen-SS and its continued and often flawed prominence in historiography since the war. This volume is a useful primer for people new to the subject as well as those of us who have read more deeply in this area.
SS designated as armed combat units, as opposed to guard and police units largely centered on internal security and active measures against groups ideologically targeted by the Nazis. Books dealing with this subject almost invariably begin with a discussion of the organizational structure of the SS and then focus more tightly on this branch, and this one is no exception. The Waffen-SS was branded as a criminal organization by the Allies at the end of World War II, and this speaks to the fundamental challenge confronting any historian approaching this complex and often contradictory subject. Combat formations of the SS generally have the well earned reputation of being elite fighting formations, well trained and equipped lavishly with the finest weapons Germany could produce. While this generalization is largely sound, there are substantial variations on the theme depending on the changing fortunes of war, and too often this generalization is used to obfuscate the ruthlessness with which the SS served its political masters. This particular book really hits its stride in its discussion of the combat role of the Waffen-SS in the West and the role of the various ethnically diverse elements which contributed to its development. Indeed, some of the last units resisting the Russians in the ruins of Berlin were elements of foreign recruited SS formations. The author also examines the legacy of the Waffen-SS and its continued and often flawed prominence in historiography since the war. This volume is a useful primer for people new to the subject as well as those of us who have read more deeply in this area.
July 17, 2019
I read this as a reviewer for Netgalley.
I was quite excited to read this book. This is an area that I am very well versed in and was a possible topic for my PhD. The author has some obstacles, any author writing on this topic has these obstacles. As a reader it is tough because one is trying to keep all the people in order (allied with Hitler, against Hitler, assassinated, etc.), then there are the long list of groups - just within the SS alone forget about the rest of the Nazi organization, and then there is getting all the German words in order. In the end it is almost as challenging as keeping a clear picture of the cast of characters in 'War & Peace.'
Those obstacles aside there were a lot of great things in this book. A lot of "stories" that I did not find in other books on the same topic. These stories are important. One cannot be an ostrich with History. One must view the good, the bad and the ugly in all its glory and misery. In this there is a lot of good stuff. But, will the average reader find this exciting? I would say no. For the average reader it reads as a ponderous tome. Even as a historian, even with all the great stuff, the presentation could have been better. Yes, ok, this is the SS after all. There is not a quirky, fun narrative one can simply use as a vehicle for the history. However, if what we were given was presented in a better fashion then I think this book would really stand out. As it is, the simple truth, it was difficult to get through.
I was quite excited to read this book. This is an area that I am very well versed in and was a possible topic for my PhD. The author has some obstacles, any author writing on this topic has these obstacles. As a reader it is tough because one is trying to keep all the people in order (allied with Hitler, against Hitler, assassinated, etc.), then there are the long list of groups - just within the SS alone forget about the rest of the Nazi organization, and then there is getting all the German words in order. In the end it is almost as challenging as keeping a clear picture of the cast of characters in 'War & Peace.'
Those obstacles aside there were a lot of great things in this book. A lot of "stories" that I did not find in other books on the same topic. These stories are important. One cannot be an ostrich with History. One must view the good, the bad and the ugly in all its glory and misery. In this there is a lot of good stuff. But, will the average reader find this exciting? I would say no. For the average reader it reads as a ponderous tome. Even as a historian, even with all the great stuff, the presentation could have been better. Yes, ok, this is the SS after all. There is not a quirky, fun narrative one can simply use as a vehicle for the history. However, if what we were given was presented in a better fashion then I think this book would really stand out. As it is, the simple truth, it was difficult to get through.
June 25, 2019
The author's painstaking research and attention to detail is obvious in the writing of this book. There were many facts that I only discovered after reading this!
October 2, 2020
In this wide-ranging study of the notorious SS field force, the main theme is on how much validity there is to Himmler's boast that he was building a pan-Germanic army to defend European values. In this kind of analysis units such as the Flemish and Dutch legions are as relevant as the panzer divisions, and Gottlob Berger, Himmler's chief of recruitment, is as important a personality as field commanders such as Sepp Dietrich or Paul Hauser. This is particularly true as the dwindling area of control of the Third Reich was obsessively trawled for any manpower that be considered even marginally German, even for the front-line armored units. Perhaps the only thing that I can mark down this clear-eyed narrative for is that so much is covered at an increasing gallop that the chapters dealing with the climactic campaigns of 1944-1945 feel a bit shallow; it is a lot to cover organization, operations, atrocities and aftermath, even with 500-odd pages to work with.
June 29, 2023
A thorough and fair history of the military branch of the SS, The Waffen-SS (the rest of the SS fell under the Allgemeine-SS aka General-SS or the third branch SS-Totenkopfverbande aka the concentration and death camps). Gilbert does well to humanize the SS first as men, second as soldiers who though good fighters and soldiers committed great acts of terror and genocide. Never to be overlooked. The problem with Nazis is everyone likes to call them monsters. But this dismisses their humanity and thereby their culpability as well as ignoring the possibility that we ourselves are not capable of doing the same. Gilbert dispels that for a rich history that points out what the SS soldiers did from A to Z. This was first and foremost a military unit . . . that partook in the Holocaust. One does not go without the other. And Gilbert balances the two well. Very good history book.
October 31, 2019
The author put a great deal of research into this book. It has details of various battles fought by many SS units all over Europe. I do agree with some reviewers that there could have been some more maps to allow the reader to follow along more closely. If your familiar with many of the place names maybe you would be able to follow the narrative but the extra maps would really be a help.
I thought the best chapter was the last where the author discusses how the SS was viewed after the war and further along into the 20th and 21st centuries. Yes, it does discuss "revisionist" history but we all know the ultimate view of history on the SS.
If you have an interest in World War 2, you will like this book.
I thought the best chapter was the last where the author discusses how the SS was viewed after the war and further along into the 20th and 21st centuries. Yes, it does discuss "revisionist" history but we all know the ultimate view of history on the SS.
If you have an interest in World War 2, you will like this book.
May 5, 2023
Well documented and with a balanced, realistic view, but, honestly, really boring. Perhaps because the author does not manage to strike a proper balance between the strategic description and the individual stories; he also should have written more about the technological side, since the SS was always the vanguard of trying new weapons (not all succesful), and provide more context (about their enemies, the land, their allies, Germany). Also, he certainly has no talent as a writer, that's for sure.The terribly bad translation into my language made it far worse, but I will not rate that, it would be unfair to the author.
December 30, 2019
Attempting to chronicle the entire history of the Waffen-SS requires a Herculean effort, but Gilbert proves that he is up to the task. Excellent research and great writing (including little details which give many of the men under discussion some dimension) combine to make this book a pleasure to read. His treatment of the subject is very even-handed, discussing atrocities committed by the Waffen-SS, their military and command failures, and their successes.
February 1, 2020
Loved the book. I appreciated the short chapters since it’s a very broad subject. Could have used more maps. I enjoyed the structure of the book would like to have a similar book covering British/ Americans following divisions and commanders. Definitely recommend.
October 4, 2020
A broad and brief but informative coverage of a vast military and ideological endeavour, carefully-kosher demonstrations of moral conformity notwithstanding.
March 10, 2021
I am a big ww2 geek.. and from this book..now I know even better why i admire the germany mentality :-) Great book!
June 27, 2021
Overall, good book.
It was immeasurably hard to get into a good rhythm and follow along with the massive influx of information contained within the book.
I will certainly have to revisit the book sometime in the future.
It was immeasurably hard to get into a good rhythm and follow along with the massive influx of information contained within the book.
I will certainly have to revisit the book sometime in the future.
May 11, 2019
This book gives a detailed history of the SS, the Waffen-SS, and their precursor, the SA in Hitler's Germany. The mostly German but also European place-names and names were very difficult to keep track of and eventually became confusing. Though there were some maps provided this is a story that sorely needed many mor maps to help the reader keep track of troop movements. While the information presented was thourough and incightful it did not make the book a page turner.
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