The Ss: A History 1919-45

By Robert Lewis Koehl

Book Overview

The SS grew out of Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler's obsession to prevent the treachery they believed to have caused the German defeat in the First World War. The SS was to be an elite corps of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0752417827
• ISBN13: 9780752417820
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Tempus Pub Ltd
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.8" x 1.3" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

Review

This is not a bad book nor is it a great book. If you are looking for a book about the "Gallant Knights" of the SS then you will be disapointed. This is not a book written for apologists or romantics of the SS of which there are many. Rather, it is an explanation of the sociology of the SS in general. It is a well written overview of the SS as a whole. The authors point is that the SS was not a monolithic organization. Rather, it reflected the power struggles, ideological differences, and general self-serving drive for power of its leaders, and the various factions inside the party itself. I had some problems with the authors terminology. Especially his use of "Supperior SS and Police Leader." Why not use the common HSSPF? I also thought he skimmed over the role of police battalions and indigneous troops in the east. This is not suprising since the book predates C. Brownings work on the subject. Yet there is enough there to point a casual reader in the right direction should they be more interested in learning more. Generally a good overview that is worth reading. If you believe the SS equals the Waffen SS then you will be disapointed.

Fantastic reference book!

This is a one of the best reference books about the SS. The author did a huge research going through personnel records of SS officers in Berlin document center back in the sixties. This is unfortunately a shortened version of the first edition with the original title The Black Corps: The Structure and Power Struggles of the Nazi SS which includes a huge reference matter which is sadly removed in this newer edition, but it's a great useful book anyway. The book is a fantastic reference for people like me with a genuine interest in the terms and structure about the different branches of the complex organization SS. If you're looking for a general informative and illustrated easy to read book about the German SS, this is not the one.