controversy over "The Black March."

[Michael Fay]

Who knows the story on the controversy about the old book on the SS: Neumann, Peter. "The Black March." Originally titled: "Other Men's Graves."
while it has been cited in a serious book, I have noticed old complaints that it was a faked book made by a frenchman(?) made to smear the SS more, and sell more copy at the heighth of anti-nazi feelings of the late 50's.

So what is the verdict? is it a totally fraudulent book or not?
I already have my own opinion, but want to hear others thoughts.
thanks, Michael

[ottodog8]

I'd love to hear the consensus on this book as well. It made a big impression on me when I read it as a kid.
Steve

[Larry deZeng]

...........at the heighth of anti-nazi feelings of the late 50's.

Michael -

If I may, I would question whether the high point of anti-Nazi sentiment was in the late 1950's. I was a soldier in Mannheim from February 1958 to August 1959 and the sentiment was quite pro-Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS at that time. West Germany was our ally, admired and held in high esteem, and we relied very heavily on their support, both from the Bundeswehr and the population. Relations were good. There were many, many former SS serving openly in middle and high positions in the government, police and the military. The former Waffen-SS divisions held very large annual reunions and were welcome guests wherever these were convened. I went to several of them and there was no restriction or embarrassment. This atmosphere still prevailed during the mid-sixties when I was in Baden for a second tour. IMO, the anti-Nazi feelings didn't get underway until the early 1970's when the international Holocaust rememberance movement began in the States and quickly became global. This is well documented in numerous books on the subject. It takes a great deal of expensive media exposure and many years to get the masses to begin a reappraisal of mainstream opinion and attitude.

--Larry

P.S. I have never read the Neumann book so I can't comment on it.

[Michael Fay]

Michael -

If I may, I would question whether the high point of anti-Nazi sentiment was in the late 1950's. I was a soldier in Mannheim from February 1958 to August 1959 and the sentiment was quite pro-Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS at that time. West Germany was our ally, admired and held in high esteem, and we relied very heavily on their support, both from the Bundeswehr and the population. Relations were good. There were many, many former SS serving openly in middle and high positions in the government, police and the military. The former Waffen-SS divisions held very large annual reunions and were welcome guests wherever these were convened. I went to several of them and there was no restriction or embarrassment. This atmosphere still prevailed during the mid-sixties when I was in Baden for a second tour. IMO, the anti-Nazi feelings didn't get underway until the early 1970's when the international Holocaust rememberance movement began in the States and quickly became global. This is well documented in numerous books on the subject. It takes a great deal of expensive media exposure and many years to get the masses to begin a reappraisal of mainstream opinion and attitude.

--Larry

P.S. I have never read the Neumann book so I can't comment on it.

Larry, point taken...
and very interesting. Very much fits with a Cold War Zeitgeist.
I should have used different words. I kind of remember some complaints on the book as a French authored book and perhaps from a French based anti SS bias of "the times." ...Especially as some kind of sensational lurid book to make sales.

[Klaus Richter]

I heard it was fake too. But there are fake memoirs out there. Especially more recent books like Directive 19, and Honor Denied...