Reloader
19-01-06, 22:09
This book by Johann Voss, describes the author's experiences as a Waffen-SS Gebirgsjager in SS-Mountain Infantry Regiment 11, 'Reinhard Heydrich', fighting Soviets in the Northern Karelia region of the Arctic Circle. Following the Finns signing of a seperate armistice with the Russians, the regiment, part of SS-Division 'Nord', made a fighting withdrawal, (sometimes against their former Finnish allies) of some 1600 kilometres into Norway, thereafter transferring to the Lower Vosges, where they fought the Americans during the Spring of 1945 and where the author was eventually captured.
The author wrote his account during 1945-46, when still a prisoner of the US Army and while the events were still very fresh in his memory. He deals honestly with his thoughts and motivations which led him to join the Waffen-SS and with his subsequent realisation that not all SS formations had fought honourably as soldiers, especially those non-combat units involved in the Holocaust.
This is an excellent book about a little-known theatre of war and more important for being written by a former Waffen-SS soldier. Highly recommended. Some more reviews can be seen at Amazon.com:
Black Edelweiss (http://www.militaryimages.net/shop/shop.php?c=a2&n=1025612&i=0966638980&x=Black_Edelweiss)
The author wrote his account during 1945-46, when still a prisoner of the US Army and while the events were still very fresh in his memory. He deals honestly with his thoughts and motivations which led him to join the Waffen-SS and with his subsequent realisation that not all SS formations had fought honourably as soldiers, especially those non-combat units involved in the Holocaust.
This is an excellent book about a little-known theatre of war and more important for being written by a former Waffen-SS soldier. Highly recommended. Some more reviews can be seen at Amazon.com:
Black Edelweiss (http://www.militaryimages.net/shop/shop.php?c=a2&n=1025612&i=0966638980&x=Black_Edelweiss)