Added to your basket
Waffen SS
RRP £10.79
£9.49
Save: £1.30
-
4 instalments of £2.37 with clearpay Learn more
The SS had its beginnings in the turbulent street politics of the Weimar Republic. It became Henrich Himmler's personal power-base and under him the SS grew into a vast private army and state-within-the-state.
It was a chaotic, corrupt and often grossly inefficient organisation. But one part of it-the "Waffen" or "Armed" SS, formed initially as a fighting force-achieved worldwide fame and notoriety.
The Waffen-SS won a unique reputation for daring elan and unfailing professionalism in combat. Yet if their courage was unquestioned, so too was the fear and loathing which they elicited-even, eventually, amongst their own people, and in the regular soldiers alongside whom they fought.
The SS played a conspicuous role in most of the important German Triumphs, one far disproportionate to their numbers. In the long period of decline and retreat, as the Germans were steadily pushed back from east and west, despite repeatedly sustaining horrendous causalities, their discipline remained unbroken, their fighting ardour unimpaired, almost to the very end.
After the war, the Waffen-SS were burdened with the near-exclusive blame for the most hideous crimes of the Nazi regime. It was only unfair insofar as many others were involved as well; and for all their matchless undoubted bravery, the Waffen-SS bears a reputation which will remain forever stained with infamy.
- 1
- The War File
- E
- Aspect Ratio 4:3
- 2
- English
Waffen SS
RRP £10.79
£9.49
Save: £1.30
Sold out
-
4 instalments of £2.37 with clearpay Learn more
Delivery & Returns
The SS had its beginnings in the turbulent street politics of the Weimar Republic. It became Henrich Himmler's personal power-base and under him the SS grew into a vast private army and state-within-the-state.
It was a chaotic, corrupt and often grossly inefficient organisation. But one part of it-the "Waffen" or "Armed" SS, formed initially as a fighting force-achieved worldwide fame and notoriety.
The Waffen-SS won a unique reputation for daring elan and unfailing professionalism in combat. Yet if their courage was unquestioned, so too was the fear and loathing which they elicited-even, eventually, amongst their own people, and in the regular soldiers alongside whom they fought.
The SS played a conspicuous role in most of the important German Triumphs, one far disproportionate to their numbers. In the long period of decline and retreat, as the Germans were steadily pushed back from east and west, despite repeatedly sustaining horrendous causalities, their discipline remained unbroken, their fighting ardour unimpaired, almost to the very end.
After the war, the Waffen-SS were burdened with the near-exclusive blame for the most hideous crimes of the Nazi regime. It was only unfair insofar as many others were involved as well; and for all their matchless undoubted bravery, the Waffen-SS bears a reputation which will remain forever stained with infamy.
- 1
- The War File
- E
- Aspect Ratio 4:3
- 2
- English
Other customers bought:
Customer Reviews
There are currently no reviews.
