SS Werewolf training book?

[George Stimson]

I hope that this is the right forum to post this question in (and if not would someone please direct me to the appropriate one?):

I have a book that is purportedly a reprint of the SS-Wehrwolf training manual. Its title is SS Werwolf-Kampfanweisung. While the book does seem to me to be a reprint of some kind of Wehrmacht training manual, I was wondering if anyone knows if it was ever actually (or originally) published as a Wehrwolf-specific training book? (It's now put out by Paladin Press and presents the German version along with an English translation.)

Thanks!

[GHP]

A thread in the Freikorps /Weimar Period Forum, Der Wehrwolf 1923 - 1933:
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=521499

Not to be confused with the last-stance group at the end of the war.

--Guy

[George Stimson]

Thank you!

[Michael Fay]

Does this mean the book is not "SS" and is freikorps related, but the reprint purorts to be the "SS" last gaspers?

[George Stimson]

According to the Introduction, the book "was originally complied and written by the commanders and most experienced men of the Waffen-SS Jägdeinheiten, who were members of the special units who hunted down Russian partisans.... the Werwolf handbook was also intended as an instruction manual for WW II German guerilla forces."

Does that clarify anything? I could scan some pages of it if anyone is interested.

[Michael Fay]

George,
thanks for the further info, so it IS a reprint of actual SS Werewolf material.
I am very interested.
I do know some of them had a secret compartment in their belt buckles.

[Totenschmiss]

Is it likely that in the last days of the war or shortly after that there was anything official printed?

[Michael Fay]

Is it likely that in the last days of the war or shortly after that there was anything official printed?

Perhaps, yes.
If such efforts were considered important for some strategic future revival/survival...maybe more important than most .

I get your point, but what we consider logical is not always the best way to understand the Third Reich in general, nor any government's actions at the end of their reign.

[Totenschmiss]

You make a really good point, I hadn't considered it that way. Thinking logically about a very illogical situation, probably not the best thing to do. Im more interested to see it now.

[George Stimson]

Here's a page from the book. The guy looks like he's wearing a Volksturm Wehrmacht armband.

[George Stimson]

German and English versions of the same text. Note the different typesets used. (And the guy definitely looks German!)

[Michael Fay]

Here's a page from the book. The guy looks like he's wearing a Volksturm Wehrmacht armband.

I agree, almost for sure a Volksturm armband.

On the Volksturm in general: I have , on authority of one who was in rural Germany during the conflict that the homeguard was in reality made up mostly of old men without firearms and youngsters. Maybe closer to the cities it was different.

Is there any ideological exhortations in this manual?
Is there directions as to who to target within the German community?

Thanks again.
Michael

[garwin]

Good evening,

I found this thread very interesting since I saw this book was sold many times also in germany.

If you are able to speak german and take a look at Wiki (I know, there are many mistakes, but ...) at a man called Arthur Ehrhardt (* 20. März 1896 in Hämmern/Thüringen; † 11. Mai 1971 in Coburg), there are a few hints.

Of course I dont know if they are right or wrong, I just wanted to refer to these.

Mr. Ehrhardt was a german officer, publisher and translator.
In may 1944 Mr. Ehrhardt was in the rank of a captain in the official defense, then he changed to the "Bandenkampfverbände der SS", where he received the similiar rank of a "Hauptsturmführer".

He himself told that since the end of 1944/beginning of 1945 he was writing out a manual about guerillia warfare in germany itself together with other specialists from Wehrmacht and Waffen SS.

They werent able to publish this manual because of the war situation, as he said.

What he did between the years 1945 and 1950 remains unclear.

Later he had contacts with british nationalists e. g. Mr. Fuller and Mr. Mosley.

In 1950 he founded the right-wing journal "Nation Europa" in germany, which he led until his death in 1971.

In 1970 there was a special edition of this journal called "Werwolf - Winke für Jagdeinheiten" with an introduction by himself.

He called it a facsimile, but there was never a hint of a real distribution date, and no "old" distributions have emerged so far.

Since that, the small edition was reprinted many times, also in german and english.

It is remarkable that the text itself and also the illustrations do not bear any political or military statements.

Arno Rose (who published: Werwolf 1944-1945. Eine Dokumentation, Stuttgart 1980) wrote that this edition in many parts would be similar to a pathfinder/scouts book.

Regards from germany, Andreas.

[George Stimson]

That's very interesting, Andreas! Thanks very much!

[Sergeant 08]

Btw, the Wehrwolf (1923-1933) had a so called Wehr-Buch, too. It was published for the military training of the youth, that had not served in ww1.