In 1945 the Third Reich was in its death throes, with Hitler holed up in his bunker and the remaining armed forces consisting of young boys, old men and foreign conscripts. The Battle of Berlin was led on the ground by Soviet forces, with air support from the Allies who by this stage saw little need to stage a ground invasion of the city.
The fall of Berlin was marked by the alleged atrocities committed by the Soviet forces, who sought vengeance for Nazi brutalities in the East. On the 30th April Hitler committed suicide and by 2nd May Berlin had fallen. Victory in Europe was declared on 8th May 1945.
Pen & Sword Books have a wide-range of titles covering this final stage of the Second World War.
It is an utterly absorbing memoir which does not dwell at all on matters of Nazi ideology, instead it paints a rare portrait of the last hours of the Third Reich.
Pegasus Archive
It is an utterly absorbing memoir which does not dwell at all on matters of Nazi ideology, instead it paints a rare portrait of the last hours of the Third Reich.
Pegasus Archive
Hitler's personal valet Heinz Linge was never more than a click of the fingers away from his master and stood by him until the end in Berlin in 1945 . . . Now his incredible story has been translated into English for the first time and casts new light on what it was like to be constantly alongside the Nazi despot.
Daily Mail
Hitler's personal valet Heinz Linge was never more than a click of the fingers away from his master and stood by him until the end in Berlin in 1945 . . . Now his incredible story has been translated into English for the first time and casts new light on what it was like to be constantly alongside the Nazi despot.
Daily Mail
One of the best memoirs this review has read for a long time. A must read 10/10
The Great War Magazine
One of the best memoirs this review has read for a long time. A must read 10/10
The Great War Magazine
There are many books which cover the pivotal events of the Second World War, and indeed the Nazis' actions therein, however the role of the SA, 'Hitler's Storm Troopers', is relatively understudied and unknown, despite it being key towards the Nazi rise to power in the early 1930s. This book aims to provide new insight into a paramilitary organization designed to defend Nazi party meetings and attack political opponents, something which the author is well-qualified to detail upon. Wilfred von Oven was himself a member of the SA and, given his lack of repent even up to his death in 2008, it is perhaps unsurprising yet necessary to comment that these memoirs present a pro-SA and indeed pro-Nazi point of view. While this may seem controversial it cannot be denied that this angle therefore provides fresh insight to fascinate those interested in World War II history and especially the events leading up to it. Oven's own role in these events was actually relatively brief but his close links.. Read more
Carl (customer review)
There are many books which cover the pivotal events of the Second World War, and indeed the Nazis' actions therein, however the role of the SA, 'Hitler's Storm Troopers', is relatively understudied and unknown, despite it being key towards the Nazi rise to power in the early 1930s. This book aims to provide new insight into a paramilitary organization designed to defend Nazi party meetings and attack political opponents, something which the author is well-qualified to detail upon. Wilfred von Oven was himself a member of the SA and, given his lack of repent even up to his death in 2008, it is perhaps unsurprising yet necessary to comment that these memoirs present a pro-SA and indeed pro-Nazi point of view. While this may seem controversial it cannot be denied that this angle therefore provides fresh insight to fascinate those interested in World War II history and especially the events leading up to it. Oven's own role in these events was actually relatively brief but his close links.. Read more
Carl (customer review)
SS Charlemagne was one of the most controversial units to fight in the Second World War, made up as it was of French volunteers fighting for the Germans on the Eastern Front. The book roughly falls into two halves. The first looks at the early history of French troops serving with the Germans, the formation of SS Charlemagne and its introduction to combat on the Eastern Front. The second looks at the role the unit played in the battle for Berlin. The delusional tone of this period with the German high command is particularly well summed up in an insane order of the day issued by the German commander of the unit in March 1945 (pages 87-88), in which he even refers to the idea of the Charlemagne taking part in some future 'liberation' of France. The sma words and those of Captain Henri Fenet, command of the battalion involved in the fighting. The same commander then seems to have believed that the same Americans France would have had to be liberated from were going to accept the Germans.. Read more
History of War Website, November 2010
SS Charlemagne was one of the most controversial units to fight in the Second World War, made up as it was of French volunteers fighting for the Germans on the Eastern Front. The book roughly falls into two halves. The first looks at the early history of French troops serving with the Germans, the formation of SS Charlemagne and its introduction to combat on the Eastern Front. The second looks at the role the unit played in the battle for Berlin. The delusional tone of this period with the German high command is particularly well summed up in an insane order of the day issued by the German commander of the unit in March 1945 (pages 87-88), in which he even refers to the idea of the Charlemagne taking part in some future 'liberation' of France. The sma words and those of Captain Henri Fenet, command of the battalion involved in the fighting. The same commander then seems to have believed that the same Americans France would have had to be liberated from were going to accept the Germans.. Read more
History of War Website, November 2010
Not able to see the embed? You need Adobe Flash Player enabled.
The Devil's Workshop
One of the most remarkable episodes of WWII was the Nazi attempt to forge currency and trigger the economic collapse of the Allies. The counterfeit operation was one of the largest the world has ever seen and lead to the postwar reissue of sterling. At the Sachsenhausen concentration camp near Berlin, 144 Jewish prisoners of 13 different nationalities… Read more...
