Book Review of
12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend
From Operation Goodwood to April 1945
Author: Massimiliano Afiero
Casemate Illustrated
Men-Battles-Weapons Series
ISBN: 978-1-63624-314-6
Copyright: 2023
MSRP: $28.95
Men-Battles-Weapons Series
ISBN: 978-1-63624-314-6
Copyright: 2023
MSRP: $28.95
HISTORY:
The SS Division Hitlerjugend or 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" (German: 12. SS-Panzerdivision "Hitlerjugend") was a German armoured division of the Waffen-SS during World War II.The majority of its junior enlisted men were drawn from members of the Hitler Youth, while the senior NCOs and officers were from other Waffen-SS divisions.
In December 1944, the division was committed against the US Army in the Ardennes offensive. After the operation's failure, which became known as the Battle of the Bulge, the division was sent to Hungary to participate in fighting around Budapest. The division eventually retreated into Austria and surrendered to the 7th US Army on 8 May 1945. After the war several members of the division, including its commander Kurt Meyer, were convicted of war crimes.
The SS Division Hitlerjugend or 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" (German: 12. SS-Panzerdivision "Hitlerjugend") was a German armoured division of the Waffen-SS during World War II.The majority of its junior enlisted men were drawn from members of the Hitler Youth, while the senior NCOs and officers were from other Waffen-SS divisions.
In December 1944, the division was committed against the US Army in the Ardennes offensive. After the operation's failure, which became known as the Battle of the Bulge, the division was sent to Hungary to participate in fighting around Budapest. The division eventually retreated into Austria and surrendered to the 7th US Army on 8 May 1945. After the war several members of the division, including its commander Kurt Meyer, were convicted of war crimes.
THE BOOK:
Casemate is both a publisher of their own line of books and distributor of other companies books. They are located in Havertown. PA.
This new book is of soft-cover of 128 pages in 7” x 10” page format. It has flaps on the front and back that fold over.
The book contains 138 black and white wartime photos (including the front and back covers), 2 color illustrations, 2. maps and 1 data list.
The cover art shows 3 black and white wartime photos.
At the top there is a photo of a German Tiger tank of SS-Pz. Abt. 102 at Normandy, in a grassy field with 3 crewman sitting atop it.
Below, on the left, there is a photo of a two-man U.S. bazooka crew.
On the right there is a photo of Waffen SS Grenadiers on the Hungarian Front 1845, taking cover in a ditch in a grass covered field.
Above it, also on the right, is a Jagdpanther in action on the Austrian border.
Also, on the front cover, there is a color side-view illustration of the Berman Jagdpanzer IV. It is in a spotted camouflage of earth-yellow and green, with no markings shown. Casemate usually repeats color illustrations, on their book covers, again inside the box. This is not the case this time.
The back cover shows 3 more black and white wartime photos.
At the left, at the top, is a U.S. three-man machine gun crew.
On the top right there is a photo of Panzer IV’s moving down a road.
At the bottom there is a photo of a German Hitlerjugen Flakpazer 38 in a French village.
The black and white photos show all combatants involved in the battles. Tanks, artillery and other weapons, a field radio placement, officers and a cemetery etc.
The two color side-view illustrations are of:
A PanzerKampfwagen V “Panther” Heavy tank, in a wave-pattern camouflage of earth-yellow and green, covered in Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste and with a German cross on the forward end of the sides of the hull and mounting side skirts.
A “Wespe” Self-propelled Howitzer tank in the same camouflage scheme as the previous color illustration.
A photo of a cemetery is shown. This book will be of great interest to modelers and military historians alike.
The book ends with a page and a half BIBLIOGRAPHY and a 3 page INDEX.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishing for this review sample. All Casemate books can be viewed on their website at:
Casemate is both a publisher of their own line of books and distributor of other companies books. They are located in Havertown. PA.
This new book is of soft-cover of 128 pages in 7” x 10” page format. It has flaps on the front and back that fold over.
The book contains 138 black and white wartime photos (including the front and back covers), 2 color illustrations, 2. maps and 1 data list.
The cover art shows 3 black and white wartime photos.
At the top there is a photo of a German Tiger tank of SS-Pz. Abt. 102 at Normandy, in a grassy field with 3 crewman sitting atop it.
Below, on the left, there is a photo of a two-man U.S. bazooka crew.
On the right there is a photo of Waffen SS Grenadiers on the Hungarian Front 1845, taking cover in a ditch in a grass covered field.
Above it, also on the right, is a Jagdpanther in action on the Austrian border.
Also, on the front cover, there is a color side-view illustration of the Berman Jagdpanzer IV. It is in a spotted camouflage of earth-yellow and green, with no markings shown. Casemate usually repeats color illustrations, on their book covers, again inside the box. This is not the case this time.
The back cover shows 3 more black and white wartime photos.
At the left, at the top, is a U.S. three-man machine gun crew.
On the top right there is a photo of Panzer IV’s moving down a road.
At the bottom there is a photo of a German Hitlerjugen Flakpazer 38 in a French village.
The black and white photos show all combatants involved in the battles. Tanks, artillery and other weapons, a field radio placement, officers and a cemetery etc.
The two color side-view illustrations are of:
A PanzerKampfwagen V “Panther” Heavy tank, in a wave-pattern camouflage of earth-yellow and green, covered in Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste and with a German cross on the forward end of the sides of the hull and mounting side skirts.
A “Wespe” Self-propelled Howitzer tank in the same camouflage scheme as the previous color illustration.
A photo of a cemetery is shown. This book will be of great interest to modelers and military historians alike.
The book ends with a page and a half BIBLIOGRAPHY and a 3 page INDEX.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishing for this review sample. All Casemate books can be viewed on their website at:
Highly recommended.