Danny Parker's new Peiper bio - 'Hitler's Warrior' now available.
http://www.amazon.com/Hitler%C2%92s-...728008-5722829
http://www.amazon.com/Hitler%C2%92s-...728008-5722829
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Danny Parker used to email me around 10-15 years ago to pick my brain on various aspects of his research for this project. I'm interested to finally see the book. -
The sample pages look OK, but Ms. Spayd's review ends laughably.Comment
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I bought a copy of the book yesterday. Pasoleati will be happy to know that it features a small font size. Parker was quite thorough in his research, exploiting many rare or unlikely sources (including interviewing Max Wuensche, who generally did not grant interviews).
After reading around 80 pages, I think there's a bit of an accusatory tone, the thing that often bothers me with mainstream books. The authors sometimes present information as if only German big government did vile things to innocent people, whereas the reality is that all big governments act in this way. Parker can mostly step over this hurdle, but not completely.
The only thing I've noticed that truly seems to be in error is Parker's classification of Matthias Kleinheisterkamp as "a raging alcoholic." He bases this on a letter Himmler wrote to Kleinheisterkamp in early 1942, forbidding him to drink alcohol for 2 years, after getting reports of some misbehavior. This is supposed to indicate that Kleinheisterkamp was a poor instructor at the JS Braunschweig in 1935, but the events are unrelated.
The reality is that the terrible conditions in the Soviet Union led many German soldiers to drink heavily. Himmler wrote many similar letters to men pushed past their limits who found solace in the bottle (Franz Kleffner was another example). The SS investigators differentiated between men seen as peacetime alcoholics (such as Oskar Dirlewanger, who was also a sexual predator), and men who were seeking a way to cope with massive casualties, the Russian winter, and, in some cases, complicity in genocide.
With that said, I'm already learning a lot from the book. My copy of Agte's Peiper book is in storage, but I think it would make a good photographic accompaniment to Parker's volume. Most of the events Parker mentions are shown in Agte's photos (they both make the mistake of identifying Erich Olboeter as Peiper in some photos from Cherson in the autumn of 1941).Comment
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Interesting review. I already purchased it, I just have to read it. I have already read Agte's and Westemeier's book, and hope this provides a fair medium.Comment
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Parker's new book
The book is well researched, but it glosses over Peiper's military actions. It spends a lot of time over Peiper's and his wife's relationship with Himmler and Himmler' girl friend. I am only halfway through and while a lot of the book intends to show Peiper's knowledge about war crimes, it seems to paint Peiper as a man who only wanted to be and honorable soldier. I'll have to see how it finishes up..Comment
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I know Parker has over 1000 pages of manuscript left that covers Peiper's war time experiences in a very tactical way, that he plans on publishing in multiple volumes eventually....Comment
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Personally I enjoyed it as per my review on Amazon. I had waited for nearly two years on many recommendation to read a Peiper bio as I had heard that others that had preceded it, though well researched, were weighted. I just want to read the facts without feeling something has been buried or enhanced to suit the authors POV.
Having looked into accusations against Peiper on the Eastern Front, it was disheartening to find that a lot of what has been alleged has been corrupted with ill cited allegations. So it was encouraging to see that the engagement that won Peiper the 'Oak leaves' at Perkartschina in December 43 was reported accurately by DP and he did not level the usual accusation that all the civilians there were massacred as per other published works. Its unclear how this story gained legs as I am still to find the root of it or indeed actual evidence to back that allegation up.
In general I was very impressed with the notes and referencing and will be following up some of the leads from documents quoted therein. It is true that it does not follow Peiper's military engagements, but perhaps these have been covered in detail by Agte ? This is more about Peiper the 'man' and personally I didn't come out of it feeling that there was a hatchet job done on him, either overtly or subtly. I thought the portrayal of him pre-death in France was actually quite empathic. But as I said, DP leaves us all to make up our own minds and in the case of Peiper, many readers will have quite a strong opinion of him one way or another even before they open a page. This ensures that many of us may differ in our opinions of the details presented and consequently our reading experiences will not be uniform.
If there are discrepancies found as noted here, I believe DP would be happy to get the heads up so that he can make sure it gets changed for further reprints. He is by all accounts open to such recommendations, a sign of someone who is serious about putting the facts first.Comment
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Peiper's military engagements are covered in great detail in Agte's book. Unfortunately it doesn't really have any good maps.Comment
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Just got mine, and I am 3 chapters into it--I have found it to be an excellent read so far, and Parker lets you get to know the man, and the environment he came of age in.
My feeling is that this book will bridge the divide between Agte's book and Westemeir's.
Book is around 300 pages, exclusive of footnotes (and the book is heavily footnoted).NEC SOLI CEDITComment
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Peiper
Gentlemen,
maybe it'll help reaching a conclusion !....
At least it is remarkable to read what the 'Chief US prosecutor (Malmedy) Mr Ellis
had to say when free from political pressure !!
WolfComment
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Though I contributed with lots of material to Danny's book (photos, diaries, etc.) I haven't come around to actually order it, but I just did.
I know he put a lot of work and soul into this work and I'm truely looking forward to reading it.
MarkusComment
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Jochen Peiper
Gentlemen,
sorry I have been wrong !
When even a statement of the ' Chief US Army Prosecuter ' during the
Malmedy trial bothers to extend his believes to Jochen Peiper and it
does not ring a bell on you guys... I think you should keep believing/dreaming !!!
Hollywood and it's 'Gebrueder Eichelbaum' movie factory seem to have
done the job !
Just my point of view !!
No regrets though... we are all free to believe whatever we want but
we should verify our believes ..maybe by up dating our knowledge !
Movie stars like Tom Cruise / Herr Goebels (Clark Gable) Fred Austerlitz (Astair)
are no alternative to serious studies !
Best
wolfComment
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