The SS Hunter Battalions: The Hidden History of the Nazi Resistance Movement 1944-45

570 Pages·2013·5.14 MB·English

by  Biddiscombe

THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF THE NAZI RESISTANCE MOVEMENT
1944–45
About the Author
Perry Biddiscombe is Professor of History at the University of Victoria, British
Columbia, Canada. He is the acknowledged world expert on the guerrilla forces
of the Third Reich. His other books include The Last Nazis: SS Werewolf
Guerrilla Resistance in Europe 1944–1947 and Werwolf!: The History of the
National Socialist Guerrilla Movement 1944–1946, described by The
Independent as ‘the most complete history of the Nazi partisan movement’. He
lives in Victoria.
PRAISE FOR PERRY BIDDISCOMBE
‘Throws fresh light on the Third Reich’s last days’ BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE
‘The book explores the background to the movement, its operations and its
wholly negative legacy… this type of terrorism is a nasty constant in the history
of the German radical-right’ HISTORY TODAY
‘Detailed, meticulously researched and highly readable... a must for all interested
in the end of the Second World War’ MILITARY ILLUSTRATED
THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF THE NAZI RESISTANCE MOVEMENT
1944–45
PERRY BIDDISCOMBE
First published 2006
The History Press
The Mill, Brimscombe Port
Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 2QG
www.thehistorypress.co.uk
This ebook edition first published in 2013
All rights reserved
© Perry Biddiscombe, 2006, 2013
The right of Perry Biddiscombe to be identified as the Author of this work has been asserted in accordance
with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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EPUB ISBN 978 0 7524 9645 0
Original typesetting by The History Press
Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1 The Skorzeny Leute
2 East is East
3 The Balkan Cockpit
4 South of the Alps and West of the Rhine
5 North by North-West
6 The Time of the Wolf
Epilogue and Conclusion
Glossary of Foreign Terms and Names
Table of Ranks
List of Illustrations
Endnotes
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
My recent researches have resulted in a series of fascinating correspondences
and exchanges with scholars working in analogous areas, whom I want to
acknowledge for providing their expertise and for stimulating my own thinking.
Thanks to Paltin Sturdza, Michael Jung, and especially Jeff Burds, with whom I
have exchanged much information and whose insights have proven invaluable in
developing my understanding of the situation in Eastern Europe. Jeff is most
kind in sharing knowledge and truly regards our discipline as a collaborative
effort. Thanks as well to my colleague, Serhy Yekelchyk, who provided advice
on Ukrainian sources, and to Eugéne Martres, who helped me with literature on
German parachutists in France.
A work of this scope – it covers twenty-four different countries – would not
have been possible without the help of a number of specialists who provided me
with access to literature in languages that are beyond my ken. In this regard, I
especially want to thank Sonja Yli-Kahila and Chris Wojtan, who are former
students of mine and graciously came to my aid. Sonja and Chris translated
literature on resistance movements in Finland and Poland, and the depth of the
sections of the book dealing with such matters owe directly to their
contributions. My appreciation as well to Rachel Dekker, who helped me
investigate rumours about Skorzeny’s possible connection with Prince Bernhardt
of the Netherlands. For aid with letter-writing to various archives and libraries,
thanks to Pasi Ahonen, Vanetta Petkova, Bogdan Verjinschi and Sharon Willis.
A special debt of gratitude is owed to the various archivists and librarians who
have helped me over a long period of time. So thanks to the archivists at the
National Archives II (College Park), the National Archives of the UK, the
various offices and bureaux of the Bundesarchiv, the Archives Nationales, the
National Archives of Canada, the Imperial War Museum and the Archivio
Centrale dello Stato. Aila Narva at the Arkistolaitos in Helsinki kindly provided
me with references to Finnish literature, and the staff at the Centre d’Études et
de Documentation Guerre et Sociétés Contemporaines, in Brussels, gave me
material on pro-German activists in Belgium. Thanks as well to the librarians at
the Library of Congress, the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (especially the
Zeitungsabteilung, Westhafen), the Bibliotheque Nationale, the Centre
Pompidou, the British Library, the Robbins Library (London School of
Economics), the German Historical Institute (London), and of course the
McPherson Library, which is the intellectual centrepiece of my home institution,
the University of Victoria. In particular, the librarians in the Interlibrary Loans
section at McPherson Library deserve commendation for their hard work and
diligence.
My publisher, Jonathan Reeve, kindly showed interest in a book of this scope
and gave me considerable latitude. Certainly, I am grateful for his patience and
good humour. Thanks as well to the production team at Tempus, who excel at
their jobs. Their ability to format a book that is pleasing to the eye makes it
much easier to present a historical narrative that is not a chore to read. And
thanks to one of my department’s secretaries, Eileen Zapshala, who helped me
with technical issues involved in preparing the manuscript.
Finally, my sincere appreciation to my wife and son, who helped with
research, proofread several chapters of the manuscript and have generally acted
as a sounding board for my ideas and inspirations. Through thick and thin, they
have always supported me.
Perry Biddiscombe, Victoria, BC