Customer Reviews

Hitler's Gauls: The History of the 33rd Waffen-Grenadier Division (Hitlers Legions 1) (v. 1)

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This book is pretty short compared to others pertaining to the Charlemagne divison. Somewhat of a summary, thus incomplete.

The context of a country in total disarray, divided, confused, embittered, and the reasons why Frenchmen volunteered is very well explained. It is a credit to the author.

On the other side, several flaws have come up to justify its 3 stars rating.

For one, several names have been mispelled which is inexcusable for anyone pretending to be a historian. Joseph Darnard instead of Darnand is one example. French geographic locations have also been clipped here and there. One letter can change everything, a location, and Mr Smith can become Mr Smit or Smyth, or ....

To brand the 18th SS Pz Gren Div "Horst Wessel" as: _ "an excellent division of 1st rate fighting quality" is a crass error. Just like making a confusion between the names of the 9th and 10th ss-Pz divisions (twice)shows poor knowledge.

To describe the troops of the Red Army as "hordes of advancing Soviets" is an all-too common calling used by the nazis, past and present.

I strongly disagree with the comment "Many b & w photos". There are just a few, which is normal for a book this size. Alas the quality is found wanting, most are blurred. I've seen them in other publications with a much better definition. What a pity !
The author states that the famed French SS officer Fenet is appearing on a photo depicting an MG 42 position. This is a bold statement, never once purported by 33rd waffen-ss div veterans nor the numerous historians and writers that have worked on this division who've seen it. The fact that the machine-gunner wears glasses is just not enough. Moreover what would a young officer be doing in a fox hole with an MG ?

Still today I cannot fathom why such a good picture such as the one of a french MG team featuring in F. Myrvang's "MG 34 -MG 42" excellent book, has never been displayed in a w-ss foreign vonlunteers' publication. The fact that this superb shot plucked out from the Norwegian armed forces museum has never been seen before is beyond me.

I would personally recommend R. Forbes "For Europe, the French volunteers of the w-ss".

If you read French, look (for what they're worth) also for:

* "Combats pour l'honneur, Bataillon d'assaut Charlemagne, 24 avril - 2 mai 1945" by J. Malardier
* "Les derniers grognards" by J. Auvray (éditions Irminsul)
* "Les hérétiques" by St. Loup
* "Pour la croix de fer " by Gilbert Gilles vol.1
* "L'ultime assaut" by Gilbert Gilles vol. 2
* "Le prix d'un serment" by Pierre Rostaing
* "Le rêveur casqué" by Christian de la Mazière
* "Volontaires français sous l'uniforme allemand" by P. Giolitto

And to a lesser extent, in English: * "French volunteers of the W-SS" by R. Landwehr
Although the author is well-know for being a devout IIIrd reich apologist to say the least.

I looked a few pages of this book and is astonished to find how many mistakes and imprecisions I find. For instance :
- Oberjunker Protopopoff is depicted as a former white russian. I hardly understand hwo he managed to fight the soviets in the early 20's as he died in 1945 at nearly 23.
- There's a picture of a man with glasses and a machine gun. The author says it has to be Henri Fenet. Well, then anyone in this army with glasses must be called Henri Fenet.
- The leader of the french milice is called Joseph Darnard instead of Darnand.
Obviously many lines are taken from a very good book called "For Europe : The French Volunteers of the Waffen-SS" by Robert Forbes, a more complete book with much more crossed information. Get this book instead.