Campaign in Russia: Waffen-SS on the Eastern Front - Hardcover

Degrelle, Leon

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0947554041 ISBN 13: 9780947554040

Publisher: Institute for Historical Revie, 1985

Synopsis

A frontline soldier from the Wallonian (French-speaking Belgian) volunteer Waffen-SS campaign on the Eastern Front during World War II provides a gripping, blood-drenched and shocking account of his part in the greatest land war in human history. From the opening days of the invasion of the Soviet Union, the drive to the Caucasus in 1942, the encirclement of the Cherkassy Pocket and the desperate fighting retreat across the Ukraine and the Baltics, this book recounts the awful cost paid by both sides in the war. Degrelle, leader of Belgium's Rexist party, volunteered as a private and eventually rose to one of the highest ranks ever held by a non-German in the Waffen-SS. This book is for anyone interested in the soldier's point of view from the frontline: a raw, bloody, uncensored and brutal account which provides a rare insight into the conflict and is guaranteed to leave the reader emotionally drained-and filled with hope that such a conflict may never again curse any European nation.

About this title

About the Author

Léon Degrelle (1906 – 1994) was a Walloon Belgian politician, who was leader of the Belgian Rexist Party before World War II. In 1936, Degrelle's party won 21 deputies and 12 senators and became one of the largest parties. After the outbreak of the Second World War, the Rexist Party split and Degrelle was arrested as a “suspected collaborator.” Upon the defeat of France, Degrelle was released by the Germans and restarted a new Rexist party, this time closely allied to National Socialism. When Germany invaded the Soviet Union, Degrelle enlisted as a private in the Walloon legion of the Wehrmacht in August 1941. In June 1943, the Walloons were transferred from the Wehrmacht to Waffen SS and became the 5th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Wallonien. He served for the rest of the war on the Eastern Front, with his personal bravery and ability propelling his promotion to Generalmajor der Waffen-SS d. R. right before the end of the war. He received the Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross) from Hitler's hands, who also told him that "if I had a son, I would want him to be like you." At the end of the war, Albert Speer provided him with an aircraft which was flown to Spain, where he was given asylum and lived until his death.

About this edition

• Publisher: Institute for Historical Revie
• Publication date: 1985
• ISBN 10: 0947554041
• ISBN 13: 9780947554040
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 350