Hitler's Teutonic Knights: SS Panzers in Action

This book has a lot of photo documentation photo. Not really a complete study of these divisions.

This is an excellent introduction overall to the Panzer Divisions of the Waffen-SS. The writing throughout is superb: The text is clear, precise, and objective. The book includes separate chapters on each of the major Panzer Divisions of the Waffen-SS: The 2nd (Das Reich); the 3rd (Totenkopf); the 5th (Wiking); the 9th (Hohenstaufen); the 10th (Frundsberg); and the 12th (Hitlerjugend). These chapters do not stand alone, however, as mini-histories of each division. Instead, if actions of one division were included in connection with an already discussed division, then the author basically tells you to read the chapter on the already discussed division. In addition, many of the chapters are extremely short (both because of the author's tendency to refer the reader back to prior chapters and because the divisions were short-lived). Thus, the chapters on the Hohenstaufen, Frundsberg, and Hitlerjugend divisions only cover a few pages each, with the majority of the book covering the exploits of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th divisions. These two flaws preclude a five-star rating. There is also a lengthy chapter on "Other" Panzer SS divisions but there is little information provided and most of the chapter is taken up by photos, although the photos are well-selected and well-reproduced. In fact, the book includes well over 100 well-selected photos that enhance the text, including 16 pages of photos in full color, half of which are full-page photos and one is even a two-page spread of a Panzer Mark III (Panzerkampfwagen III) in Nov. 1941 crossing a snow-covered field in front of a farm and followed by 3 troops. These amazing pictures may be worth the price of book itself.

A person looking for first-rate information about the Waffen-SS in combat can not do much better than this book. The author has an entire series of books on the SS and this one keeps with the tradition of quality found in the other books