New book about the Croatian Inf.Rgt.369 at Stalingrad

[jmark]

I just wanted to let everyone know about the release of a new book. Here's the blurb:

Soon after Germany invaded the Soviet Union, the leadership of the newly founded Independent State of Croatia expressed its desire to participate in this "crusade against Bolshevism". Hitler approved the request and so the Croatian Legion, consisting of volunteers from all three branches of the Croatian Armed Forces, was created. Its ground component, the 369th Reinforced (Croatian) Infantry Regiment, was the first to be formed.

The Croatian legionaries participated in some of the most famous engagements of World War 2, including the first battle of Kharkov, Operation Fridericus, Plan Blau and finally the grim struggle for Stalingrad. The Regiment was the only non-German unit to participate in the attack on Stalin's city... the other allies were relegated to holding flanks. Initially, this was viewed as a great honour, a reward for its sacrifices and successes, proof that the Wehrmacht had full trust in the Regiment. However, this "honour" would demand the ultimate price. Croatian blood soaked Stalingrad's soil and four months later the unit's pitiful remnants were herded into captivity.

Two Croatian sergeants managed to preserve the regimental archive by taking it with them on one of the last flights out of besieged Stalingrad. This unique collection, which includes war diaries, daily orders, combat reports and award recommendations, was the primary resource used to create this book. Additional records from German and Russian archives complete the picture. The Regiment's origins, formation, training and battles are examined in detail. Croatian Legion: The 369th Reinforced (Croatian) Infantry Regiment on the Eastern Front, 1941-1943 offers a unique perspective of the fighting on the Eastern Front through the eyes of a foreign volunteer unit.

• 600 pages on a high-quality satin (semi-gloss) stock
• 210 x 157mm
• Hardcover only
• 290 photos
• 50 maps and sketches
• 16 aerial photos
• 10 detailed appendices, including officer biographies, casualties, medal lists, etc.

This book will be ready to ship in late November 2010. A pre-publication discount of 10% is now in effect. Have a look if interested:
http://www.leapinghorseman.com.au/pr...75107683&cat=5

Thanks
Jason Mark

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[jmark]

Here's a few sample pages:

[jmark]

...

[jmark]

...and two more

[Michael Fay]

congratulations and some questions

Very nice looking book! -and interesting area of history.
If you will forgive my asking about my own interests:
I must ask if your book has any information on the political and racial ( Also the ideas that the Croats were Germanic) ideologies and religious themes of both the Croatians and the Germans in connection to their being allied against bolshevism? How the Croats may have deeply embraced the nazi ideology ?
While of course, the Germans understood the Croats to be deeply Catholic, I wonder if there is any evidence of the new nazi non denominational religious apellation?

Thanks,
Michael

[jmark]

Very nice looking book! -and interesting area of history.
If you will forgive my asking about my own interests:
I must ask if your book has any information on the political and racial ( Also the ideas that the Croats were Germanic) ideologies and religious themes of both the Croatians and the Germans in connection to their being allied against bolshevism? How the Croats may have deeply embraced the nazi ideology ?
While of course, the Germans understood the Croats to be deeply Catholic, I wonder if there is any evidence of the new nazi non denominational religious apellation?

Thanks,
Michael

Hi Michael,

As the book is about Inf.Rgt.369, it only touches briefly on some of the points you mention. There is a detailed analysis of the decision to form the Croatian Legion and why individuals enlisted, but these were overwhelmingly political and patriotic rather than racial. In fact, many men – and indeed, several officers – were of Russian and Ukrainian descent. An interesting point to note is that fully one-third of the regiment's men were Muslims.

Jason

[Michael Fay]

Hi Michael,

As the book is about Inf.Rgt.369, it only touches briefly on some of the points you mention. There is a detailed analysis of the decision to form the Croatian Legion and why individuals enlisted, but these were overwhelmingly political and patriotic rather than racial. In fact, many men – and indeed, several officers – were of Russian and Ukrainian descent. An interesting point to note is that fully one-third of the regiment's men were Muslims.

Jason

Hello Jason,
surely you are correct. But there was an underlying component with some of nationality and ethnicity. Perhaps it was ever more important to the German side as to what their allies were? As an example: Himmler was dearly enamored of the 'Bosniaks' as Aryan muslims who had originally been Bogomil Christian heretics.

[John H.]

New Book on the Croatian Legion

Hello Jason,

Wow! Looks like another winner on the Stalingrad series a must own book for the collector and historian. Jason, what is the price going to come in around and will you have a limited collectors edition of numbered books and signed by you available soon? How many books will be limited to the collectors edition (500 copies or less) ? If thats the case please hold one aside for me! Best of Luck on the book!
John Hoynoski

[pimberg]

Today I received the most recent publication from Leaping Horseman Books titled: "Croatian Legion - The 369th Reinforced (Croatian) Infantry Regiment on the Eastern Front 1941-1943" by Amir Obhodas & Jason Mark. This publishing house consistently produces the highest quality and extremely well researched books. It is probably the only publisher that also manages to commit to their original publishing date. When they state that their new book will be available on a particular date they always keep to that date. Why other publishers cannot do that beats me!

This book has photos that are very well produced with maps that also match that quality. The book is almost 600 pages and includes 40 pages of biographies on the officers and a numbers of pages on the Croatian medals / decorations and the medal recipients. Anyone with an interest on the Eastern Front, Stalingrad, foreign volunteers serving for the Third Reich must buy this book = you will not be disappointed.

Congratulations to the authors and the publisher. A 10 out of 10 effort in every way.

[CIANO]

Hi Jason,

Congratulations for your new book.
I have already made my order, directly in your site about 10 days ago, but still have not yet received the book.
Are you already delivering books to Europe?

best regards
Luis

[Woolgar]

Good work Jason, it looks like a 'must read'

Nick

[jmark]

Hi Jason,

Congratulations for your new book.
I have already made my order, directly in your site about 10 days ago, but still have not yet received the book.
Are you already delivering books to Europe?

best regards
Luis

Hi Luis,

The books were only began shipping last Friday. You should have it in a couple of weeks. Thanks for your order!

All the best,
Jason

[jmark]

I hate to blow my own trumpet but no-one else is going to do it for me, so here goes. Croatian Legion has just received a really favourable review from Stone and Stone:
http://stonebooks.com/archives/110313.shtml

I think the final paragraph is worth quoting:

Croatian Legion is such an exemplary book that it's difficult to know what to say without gushing. The photos are so good that many lesser publishers would have just slapped them into a book by themselves with generic captions. Here, each one with informative notes, they serve as remarkable enhancements to the larger study. As to the text, not many WWII researchers would have realized that so many original documents survived from the 369th, or that anyone could fashion the material into such a well-crafted book, especially in English. Few units of any nation have received such a well-written history, simultaneously fact-laden and attention-grabbing. This grain of diligent, polished, professional wheat makes it worth all the time we spend sorting through stacks of sloppy, poorly researched, and badly written chaff.
A very, very nice effort by Obhodas and Mark, and one that would have without a doubt landed on our "best of 2010" list had we seen a copy in time.

Thanks
Jason

[MarcRikmenspoel]

I hate to blow my own trumpet but no-one else is going to do it for me, so here goes. Croatian Legion has just received a really favourable review from Stone and Stone:
http://stonebooks.com/archives/110313.shtml

I think the final paragraph is worth quoting:


Thanks
Jason

Wow, that doesn't suck, does it? Congratualtions! I haven't seen the book yet, but I fully expect it is up to the high standard of your previous efforts. I'm glad it is getting some recognition!