Chronicle of the 7: Panzer-Kompanie I. Ss-Panzer Division : "Leibstandarte"

By Ralf Tiemann

This chronicle of the 7.Panzerkompanie follows the unit history of a "Leibstandarte" tank company from its creation in 1942 to the end of World War II. Compiled by former company commander and German Cross in Gold holder Ralf Tiemann, the detailed text relies on both official documentation and the personal recollections of numerous unit veterans. An individual level narrative covers the intense first combats for Kharkov in early 1943 and the summer Kursk engagements later the same year. In 1944 the unit engaged the Western Allies after D-Day. Illustrated with private photos made available from Waffen-SS veteran contributions, the detailed appendices provide a complete roster of all commanders, platoon leaders, senior NCOs, award winners and those killed in action. Exacting cartographic material allows the reader to follow all engagements in this first unit history of a "Leibstandarte" tank company available in English.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764304631
• ISBN13: 9780764304637
• Release Date: November 1997
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Tank Company Diary

I found this to be a very good piece on life in a small unit from its beginning through the end of the war. The reason is that it goes beyond the shoot em up action and adventure stories, and gives the reader a glimpse into the daily routines of a small unit, in this case a tank company. As any good tank soldier knows, exponentially more time is spent in maintenance than in action. Additonally, the book also gives some insight into some of the challenges the German Army faced in massing combat power at critical junctures. It also explodes some myths about tank strength in critical actions, like the Ardennes. German operational readiness rates hovered around 50% +/- depending on the type of tank. That means on any given day, you could only plan on having about half of your combat power available. US rates, in comparison, were closer to 80%. Hard to fight and win outnumbered and with half your force under repair at any given time. It is also interesting the times when maintenance collection points and reconstitution areas suddenly find themselves in the thick of the fight, both with and without panzers. This company also participated in some of the more famous actions the Leibstandarte participated in, these include Kharkov, Kursk, Kamenets-Podolsk, Normandy, Mortain, the Ardennes and finally Hungary/Autria. Now the down side. The book could use some serious editing by someone who understands military terminology. One example I found terribly annoying is "concern" which is mistranslated from Kaserne, or a barracks in Germany. There are numerous other examples. This seems to be a problem with many books published by Schiffer. I liked the book and would recommend it. It is probably one of the best pieces on Kampfgruppe Peiper available, in fact, one of the members of 7th Company was the prime suspect in the shooting of Ameerican prisoners. It doesn't get five stars because of the poor editing.

Belated memoires.

A group of veterans of the 7th Panzer company of the Leibstandarte recently commemorated the 50-year anniversary of their company's formation by writting this book. That so many veterans would still come together to work on the project at this late date speaks well of their comraderie. This book is primarily written from the small-unit perspective, with an extensive collection of 1-page quotations of individual veterans' recollections of events they experienced. Training, combat, and recreational time are all covered. Postwar captivity is also discussed, including a statement from one veteran who was convicted in the Malmedy incident. The most unusual aspect of this book is that it contains the only reference I have ever seen to German women serving in combat. It also mentions the surprising fate of the Horsch company that made so many vehicles for the German military. An appendix lists the soldiers of the 7th company who died in battle, and where they are buried. Many Germans still visit the graves of their loved ones and leave flowers 50+ years after their death in the war.