Veltzé, K.: German Paratroopers Vol. III
Product.Nr.: 13335
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product description
This book concludes the three-volume series covering World War II-era German paratroopers and their uniforms and equipment. This time, the contents cover those topics not included in the previous volumes. Initially, the operational history of the German airborne forces between 1936 and 1945 is summarized. This section includes detailed views of more than 45 accurately uniformed mannequins, over half of which were specifically assembled for this project. They illustrate the appearance of German paratroopers from their beginnings in Regiment "General Göring" through the unconditional surrender of the Wehrmacht in May 1945. Aside from the exhaustively covered paratroopers of the Luftwaffe, the approximately 2,000 army and Waffen-SS paratroopers receive their own chapter in this book. Along with rare uniform items, documents and many hitherto unpublished photos are shown here. A further chapter devotes nearly 100 pages to specific qualification and formation insignia of the airborne forces- parachutist badges, cuff bands and specific unit insignia - as well as typical decorations and awards along with their award documents. This volume also presents service record books (Wehrpässe) and pay books (Soldbücher), as well as other personal papers used by the Wehrmacht that were also utilized by personnel of the airborne forces. The chapter also includes a section that covers paratroopers' ID discs in detail. The next chapter contains biographical sketches of 20 paratrooper privates, non-commissioned officers and officers, and shows pertinent items from their estates. These individuals are representative of the approximately 250,000 men who served in airborne units between 1936 and 1945. A final chapter includes assorted memorabilia that did not fit thematically into other sections, yet is closely related to the German airborne forces.
This volume includes more than 350 period photographs, of which more than 200 have not been previously published.
Chapter 1: Combat Operations
Chapter 2: Army Paratroopers, Waffen-SS Paratroopers
Chapter 3: The Parachutist Badge, Cuff Titles, Formation and Unit Badges, Awards and Documents
Chapter 4: Identity Disks and Personal Documents
Chapter 5: Estates of Paratroopers
Chapter 6: Canteen Ware, Printed Matter, and More
Content
Introduction
Acknowledgments
Chapter I-COMBAT OPERATIONS
Peacetime
Poland 1939
Scandinavia 1940
Belgium, Netherlands 1940
Greece 1941
Eastern Front 1941/42
North Africa 1942
Eastern Front 1942/43
Mediterranean Theater 1943
Eastern Front 1943/44
Normandy, Northern France 1944
Northwestern Europe 1944/45
Italy 1944/45
Final Battles 1945
Chapter II (a)-ARMY PARATROOPERS
Fallschirm-Infanterie-Kompanie and Bataillon
Paratroopers of the "Brandenburgers"
Chapter II (b)-WAFFEN-SS PARATROOPERS
Chapter III (a)-THE PARACHUTIST BADGE
Qualification Certificate
The Luftwaffe Parachutist Badge
Luftwaffe Award Documents
The Army Parachutist Badge
Army Award Documents
The Glider Pilot's Badge
Chapter III (b)-CUFF TITLES
Landespolizeigruppe "General Goring"
"General Goring" Regiment
Fallschirmjager-Regiment 1
Fallschirm-Division
Fallschirmjager-Regiment 2
Fallschirmjager-Regiment 3
Chapter III (c)-FORMATION AND UNIT BADGES
Cloth Badges
Airborne Engineers
Fallschirmjager-Regiment 3
Fallschirmjager-Brigade "Ramcke"
Metal Badges
Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment
Sturm-Regiment Tradition Badge
I. Fallschirm-Korps
II. Fallschirm-Korps
3. Fallschirmjager-Division
1. Fallschirmjager-Division
Chapter III (d)-AWARDS AND DOCUMENTS
Peacetime Awards
Wartime Awards
The Iron Cross
Other Wartime Awards
Combat Badges
Non-Portable Awards
Chapter IV-IDENTITY DISKS AND PERSONAL DOCUMENTS
Wehrpass
Soldbuch (Pay Book)
Tarnausweis (Deceptive Identification Card)
Erkennungsmarke (Identity Disc)
Flugbuch/Absprungkarte (Flight Log/Jump Card)
Other Documents
Chapter V-ESTATES OF PARATROOPERS
Chapter VI-CANTEEN WARE, PRINTED MATTER AND MORE
Canteen Ware and Souvenirs
Printed Matter
Unit-Internal Items
Curiosities
APPENDIXES
Abbreviations
Bibliography
Endnotes
Author
Karl Veltzé M.A.
Born in 1962, has been interested in military history and, in particular, the history of the German airborne forces since his youth - not least because his father was among the first who volunteered for the airborne troops of the young German Bundeswehr in 1956. Herr Veltzé himself did his national service from 1983 to 1984 with Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 252 in Nagold, Germany. Following the Bundeswehr, he studied modern history and English literature at the University of Tübingen. Although Herr Veltzé has translated a number of titles covering contemporary and military history, including several for the Zeughaus Verlag, this is his first book. He is an avid collector of paratrooper memorabilia, albeit that of the French airborne forces of the
1946-54 Indochina war.
Primary Contributor and Consultant
Patrick Ott
Born in 1970, is the grandson of a German paratrooper and has been passionately interested in history since his earliest youth. Over the years, he began to focus specifically on the course of World War II and the history of the German Wehrmacht. Ultimately, following a longer sojourn on Crete in 1998, he has concentrated on the operations and specialized equipment of the German airborne forces. He accordingly does not just collect any related artifact he can find, but also maintains contact to the dwindling number of World War II Fallschirmjäger and frequently travels to the sites of their former operations - Eben Emael, Gran Sasso, Monte Cassino, Normandy and the Ardennes among others - to gain valuable first-hand insights.
Hardcover with dust jacket, 368 pages, Format 230 × 305 mm