Best Photographic Studies of the Heer

[InfanterieSammler]

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[InfanterieSammler]

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[LeeG]

Hi John,
The three Angolia books on the Wehrmacht-Heer are of course a must. For heer panzer, I really like Edwards and Pruett (and Pruett and Edwards) "Field Uniforms of German Army Panzer Uniforms" and "Field Uniforms of Germany's Panzer Elite".
The new Kurtz book "Afrikakorps" has very good photos for Heer tropical.
Another non-uniform oriented book that I think has very nice photos is "Hell's Gate" by Douglas Nash that focusses on the Cherkassy Pocket Battle.
Unfortunately, I haven't seen anything quite like Beaver's masterful three volume analysis of SS uniforms for regular Heer uniforms. Maybe I'm missing out on something?
Hope this helps,
Lee

[InfanterieSammler]

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[InfanterieSammler]

Any recommendations?

[CollectRussia]

Brian L Davis wrote a very nice book with period photos, "Uniforms of the German Army" or similar title. Its the book that drew me into this hobby as a teenager and still a classic. Go for the first edition hardcover. There was a paper cover reprint, but the photo quality isn't as good.

[InfanterieSammler]

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[CollectRussia]

Squadron Signal published some decent and inexpensive paperbacks "Panzer Grenadier in Action" "Afrika Korps in Action" and "German Infantry in Action", lots of photos, plus nice color illustrations.

Dal McGurk wrote a pretty good hardcover reference on the Afrika Korps, too.

[BergführerKiser]

Thanks for the recommedation, but I am happy to say I do have this book...Perhaps it's me, but it seems there are more quality photo references on the W-SS than on the Army. Can this be true? The Army was almost 10x the size of the W-SS...Best, John

Grüß Gott Soldat Donovan,

W-SS is flashy...they got camo, tanks, half-tracks, armored cars, etc., etc., so they get lots of books written about them. The regular Heer troops are footsloggers, pack mules, horse-drawn artillery and wagons! But you got to love them because THEY WERE THE GERMAN ARMY!!!!! There are plenty of pictorial books about Heer troops though the best ones are from Germany, France and Japan. There are good books published in English too. Though my concentration is mainly on Gebirgstruppe, I have been collecting books since I was 5 years old and have plenty of good references. Here is a short list for you:

1. GERMAN INFANTRYMAN AT WAR 1939-1945 by George Forty (ISBN: 0-7110-2929-6)

2. THE GERMAN INFANTRY HANDBOOK 1939-1945 by Alex Buchner (ISBN: 0-88740-284-4)

3. SHADOWS OF WAR: A GERMAN SOLDIER'S LOST PHOTOGRAPHS OF WORLD WAR II by Willi Rose (ISBN: 0-8109-5590-3)

4. WEHRMACHT: THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE GERMAN ARMY IN WWII by Dr. John Pimlott (ISBN: 0-7603-0387-8)

5. THE ONSLAUGHT: THE GERMAN DRIVE TO STALINGRAD DOCUMENTED IN 150 UNPUBLISHED COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS by Heinrich, Graf von Einsiedel (ISBN: 0-283-99144-5)

6. LES DIVISIONS DE L'ARMEE DE TERRE ALLEMANDE: HEER 1939-1945 (EDITIONS HEIMDAL) by Georges Bernage (ISBN:2-84048-106-5)

7. UNTERNEHMEN BARBAROSSA IM BILD: DER RUSSLANDKRIEG FOTOGRAFIERT VON SOLDATEN by Paul Carell (ISBN: 3-550-06056-4)

8. IN DIE TIEFEN RUSSLANDS DURCHBRUCH ZU WOLGA UND KAUKASUS: DER RUSSLANDKRIEG 1942 IN FARBE by Reinhard Oltmann (ISBN: 3-932381-17-3)

9. BILDCHRONIK DER RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHEN 126. INFANTERIE-DIVISION 1940-1945 by G. Braake (ISBN: 3-7909-0253-5)

10. DER WEG DER 5. INTANTERIE- UND JAEGER-DIVISION 1921-1945 by Helmut Thumm (ISBN: 3-7909-0052-4)

11. DER KAMPF AM WOLCHOW UND UM LENINGRAD 1941-1944: EINE BILDDOKUMNETATION by W. Buxa

That should keep you busy for the next few years! There are also plenty of good photo books on Heer Panzer, Cavalry, Pioniere, Gebirgstruppe, Sanitäters, Bicycle troops, etc.

[InfanterieSammler]

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[shinerb]

John,

At the SOS I had the same KC question for a book dealer there who had a ton of inventory with him. The one that looked the most promising came in several volumes. i.e. A-G L-R S-Z

Sadly, I can't tell you the name and I THINK it was written in German. There is another book just on KC with oakleaves and has each recipients photo in it.