FOR EUROPE: The French Volunteers of the Waffen-SS [Hardcover]

Robert Forbes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2006

In late 2000, the book 'Pour l'Europe: the French volunteers of the Waffen-SS' was published privately in a limited edition of 500 copies. Helion are pleased to present a heavily revised and expanded edition of this book which provides the definitive account of its subject, impeccably researched directly from French and German sources, and with assistance from former volunteers.

'For Europe' covers: * The formation of the French Sturmbrigade of the Waffen-SS and its engagement in Galicia/* The formation of the French Division of the Waffen-SS called 'Charlemagne', including brief histories of its main component parts, namely the LVF and Milice franaise/* The bitter fighting and and massacre of 'Charlemagne' on the Eastern Front, in Pomerania 1945 /* The reformation of 'Charlemagne'/*

A blow-by-blow account of the French Sturmbataillon in the final battle for Berlin/*

The French Waffen-SS in NW Europe 1944-45, including a new and detailed study of the events surrounding the murder of 12 French volunteers of the Waffen-SS at Bad Reichenhall with information provided by a relative of one of those murdered/* The story of a French nurse of the Waffen-SS/*

New material on the French volunteers who served with the NSKK and SK-OT/* The postwar years/* The former French volunteers of the Waffen-SS who fought in the ranks of the BILOM in Indochina. Key sales points: * For years, knowledge of the history and fate of the French volunteers of the Waffen-SS has been plagued by inaccurate and misleading accounts. 'For Europe' now tells this story accurately for the first time./* An exhaustive account of the formation and service of all French SS units, focusing on the 33rd 'Charlemagne' Division/* Includes officer lists/* One of the most important books relating to the Waffen-SS published in recent years.

REVIEWS

"I picked up this book because I had long wondered about the people who joined the Nazi Army. I couldn't imagine why anyone from outside Germany would do that. This book answered those questions. ... extremely complete. All in all, a fascinating book, extremely detailed in its research and presentation." John Matlock Books On Line 5-31-2007

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Motivated by their hatred of Communism, scores of Frenchmen volunteered to fight for the Third Reich in World War II, first in the regular army and then as part of the notorious Waffen-SS, primarily in the 33rd SS Grenadier Division "Charlemagne." These unique soldiers saw bitter combat on the Eastern Front, including the desperate battle for Berlin, where they stood among the last defenders of Hitler's bunker as the Soviets closed in. After the war, they returned home to an awkward peace. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Robert Forbes lives in England. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 424 pages
• Publisher: Helion and Company; Second edition (November 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 187462268X
• ISBN-13: 978-1874622680
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,885,136 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rare Insight into Foreign Volunteers, January 31, 2007

By 

Iva Buch (New Zealand) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: FOR EUROPE: The French Volunteers of the Waffen-SS (Hardcover)

This is one of those rare books that gives an insight into the Foreign Volunteers of the Waffen SS, in this case French members of the Charlemange Division.
Formed originally as a Sturmbrigade the unit grew into a formidable fighting force which fought its way through Galicia, Pomerania, Danzig and finally its destruction in the inferno of Berlin.
I was amazed at how Frenchmen for a variety of reasons would join such an organisation as the Waffen SS, but the various reasons why these men joined are varied and complex.
Many of these men were extremely proud to belong to the Waffen SS and had volunteered gladly, others as the fortunes of Germany wavered opted to join to escape the vengance of the French people who many had helped to suppress in such units as the Milice.
Its fighting spirit never wavered and even in the final battle for Berlin its soldiers fought to the bitter end in tank hunting units armed with panzerfaust where they were extremely effective.
The book is very long over 500 pages with a few maps of the battlegrounds and pictures of some of the volunteers. I found it to be a very easy read and appears to be very well researched with lots of footnotes to explain parts of the story.
The book has many many personal accounts of the men who fought in the unit and where possible lists the fate of the survivors, where some fought in Indo China (on both sides !) and others were not so lucky who were executed.
It also deals with a war crime which I did not know about, where 12 French SS Volunteers who had been captured by the free French Army forces were executed.
This is an impressive book well written and researched and I highly recommend this book to others

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding work..., March 26, 2007

By 

Y. SEMENIC (BELFORT France) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: FOR EUROPE: The French Volunteers of the Waffen-SS (Hardcover)

Undoubtedly, Robert Forbes has written with "For Europe : ..." the most precise, objective, accurate (to that date) and exciting account about the french serving in the Waffen SS between 1943 and 1945 and notably in the 33rd Grenadier Division of the SS "Charlemagne".

Forbes details the different backgrounds of the frenchmen (from working class to aristocracy!) who opted for a military collaboration with the germans, their motives ('greater europe', anti-communism), their training (tough but too short), their military achievements (as good as it could have been) on the eastern front and finaly their end in the third's reich capital, Berlin...

The author separates the two main formations of the frenchmen serving in the Waffen SS. The french SS "Assault Brigade" and the "Charlemagne" division. If the first was made solely of volunteers for the ss and was well equiped and correctly trained, the second was a mix of different collaborating french formations (from the Heer L.V.F infantry regiment to the Organisation Todt labor units...).

While the "Assault Brigade" performed very well but suffered high losses during the red army great offensive of july 1944, the "Charlemagne", poorly equiped, without tank and aerial support, undertrained and without most of its specialists, had a variable combat record : If all units did their best to halt the red army formations, inflicting to the soviets heavy losses, some managed to maintain some cohesion while other rapidly disintagrated... For the frenchmen, it was a bloodbath...

Virtually distroyed in february-march 1945 in pomerania, the "Charlemagne" and its survivors were reorganised. Whose from the "Assault Brigade" and the LVF choosed to continue the fight. Most of them would be sent to their death by defending fanatically Hitler's Bunker... The others, mainly from the 'milice française' ranks opted to serve in contruction battalions. It has to be said that men from the milice didn't have frontline experience for most of them and consequently, they sustained the highest losses... That is why their morale was very low...

Forbes has done a good job with 'For Europe...'. It is well written and includes numerous veteran sources. It is not a propagandist book about whose who joined the waffen ss. It is just an honest try to EXPLAIN why so many frenchmen joined... Many mistakes from orther authors are corrected. The military accomplishments of the SS frenchmen are accurately described but not exagerated.

Finaly that book is probably the best testimony about these men who believed fighting for their country, "for europe" and against "the communist threat" by joining nazi germany.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Truly Monumental Work, May 27, 2007

By 

Bonner '62 (Virginia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: FOR EUROPE: The French Volunteers of the Waffen-SS (Hardcover)

This subject must have been a fixation of the author's for decades. Otherwise he never would have been able to produce this book. Every contact with th enemy is documented as well as keeping track of the division's ever changing order of battle and equipment. Every officer in the division must have been mentioned by the time the book ends. Details of recruitment and training are also included. If a squad knocked out a tank on 24 Feb 1945 then it's in the book. The author also gives alternate views of an action if first hand accounts differ. Of course any book that is this detailed does not flow like a novel, it can be heavy going at times. But the payoff it acquiring detailed knowledge of the French volunteers in the Waffen SS and even other French paramilitaries fighting on the Eastern Front. One minor quibble is the lack of maps. As with most military histories maps are key to understanding the combat narratives. This book as few maps and the ones it does have are poor. But if the topic of the foreigners who were willing to fight for Hitler interests you this book is a must.