Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translations)

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Panzermahn
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Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translations)

#1

Post by Panzermahn » 07 Apr 2010, 06:37

Hi folks

What do you think of this 10 volume MGFA work on the official Germany history of the Second World War? I know the author and forum member Richard Hargreaves has a couple of volumes from this series but the price of even a single volume work for thE English translation by Oxford University Press is at USD 150 plus at the cheapest and the most expensive even reaches more than USD 1,000 dollars!

It is more than normal typical readers could afford but the original series in German were priced less than USD70

I read reviews on some of these series work and it seems that best would be Volume IV, The Attack on Soviet Union (noticed that the word 'attack' has been used and not 'invasion')

Volume VIII, IX/II, X/I and X/II in English are supposed to come out in 2012, 2010,2014 and 2016 respectively! Does Oxford University Press ever considered printing it out for the mass market?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany_an ... _World_War

I think it would be a dream for most of us to own this monumental series.

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Richard Hargreaves
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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#2

Post by Richard Hargreaves » 07 Apr 2010, 10:46

I have volumes II-IV in English and VIII and X/1 in German

II is very weak, surprisingly - the account of the invasion of Poland is really quite poor, not up to the standard of, say, Elble's book on the Bzura.
III and IV are outstanding
VI is a very good volume too.
VIII is probably the best volume in the series.
X/1 is a bit of let down; a lot of the material has already been published (notably Zeidler's work) and for my money, too little time is spent focused on the fighting in the East.

OUP and CUP occasionally print cheaper books and very occasionally paperbacks, but I can't ever see DDRZW in paperback - the sheer size of the volumes makes it tricky.

Some university libraries keep a stock of the translations, although I've noticed the local one here stops at volume vi - perhaps because of the cost.


Panzermahn
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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#3

Post by Panzermahn » 07 Apr 2010, 11:24

Hi Richard

I could hardly fathom why the price of each volume is so expensive (in fact, these series are the most expensive books I know so far about WW2). Is it because of the royalties OUP needed to pay to MGFA as well as the translator's commission?

I wonder once all the volumes has been completely translated, how much would it costs for a 13 books in 1 limited edition set with stiched/sewn binding and deluxed hardcover?

And somehow, the covers of these series are boring, just like a school text book, just IMHO :wink:

ljadw
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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#4

Post by ljadw » 07 Apr 2010, 12:20

Panzermahn,you are ripping up old sores :( 8O 8-) :cry: :wink:

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Richard Hargreaves
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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#5

Post by Richard Hargreaves » 07 Apr 2010, 12:42

Panzermahn wrote:Hi Richard

I could hardly fathom why the price of each volume is so expensive (in fact, these series are the most expensive books I know so far about WW2). Is it because of the royalties OUP needed to pay to MGFA as well as the translator's commission?

I wonder once all the volumes has been completely translated, how much would it costs for a 13 books in 1 limited edition set with stiched/sewn binding and deluxed hardcover?

And somehow, the covers of these series are boring, just like a school text book, just IMHO :wink:
Probably a mixture of translation costs and limited print run - most volumes seem to have a team of translators working on them. They're not cheap (and the books aren't easy to translate). There's also the question of the maps and turning them into English. There's not much of a market for the finished translations outside academia/military history buffs.

If you want volume 2, save your money and buy the Blitzkrieg Legend. It's a lot better (and cheaper). :wink:

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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#6

Post by Panzermahn » 07 Apr 2010, 13:45

If you want volume 2, save your money and buy the Blitzkrieg Legend. It's a lot better (and cheaper).
Actually I wanted the volume IV, VIII, X/I and X/II 8-)

But I keep that in mind. :wink:

Of course I would want to get Hitler's Last Fortress first with the author's dedication :)

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Qvist
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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#7

Post by Qvist » 07 Apr 2010, 14:10

I have 4, 5/1, 5/2 and 8.

4 (Barbarossa) is very good, especially in operational detail. 5/1 and 5/2 deal with the war economy, manpower and equipment and such broader issues, and are in my opinion really the most useful of those that I know, because they offer so much that nothing else covers in any systematic way. Müller's work on the economy has perhaps since been surpassed by Tooze, but there is much else also. 8 is very good too, and Frieser imposes more of an overall analytical perspective than anything you find in #4 I think.

The english translations are frightfully expensive, but they are nevertheless excellent value for money. I can't think of much that is better out there. I'd rather own one of these volumes than ten average-quality books on WW2.

cheers

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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#8

Post by Panzermahn » 07 Apr 2010, 14:21

Hi Qvist

The volume 8 you had is in German right? Based on the wikipedia link above, I think the English translation would only comes out in 2012..

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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#9

Post by Qvist » 07 Apr 2010, 14:32

That's in German, yes. I only have 5/1 in English.

cheers

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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#10

Post by Art » 07 Apr 2010, 16:50

Some volumes are available on books.google.com

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Richard Hargreaves
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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#11

Post by Richard Hargreaves » 07 Apr 2010, 16:58

Panzermahn wrote: Of course I would want to get Hitler's Last Fortress first with the author's dedication :)
And it won't cost you $200 either... :wink:

I wouldn't get too excited about X/2 unless you're really into the aftermath of the war; X/1 deals with the final fighting up to surrender (and a little of the aftermath).

Personally, I'd buy Zimmermann's book (http://www.librarything.com/work/9152671/book/52670016) for the final fighting in the West. As for the East, there's nothing which really covers January-May in the same detail; you have to pick bits out of Zeidler (http://www.librarything.com/work/6577835/book/38151736), Kunz (http://www.librarything.com/work/5317859/book/38087043) and the numerous campaign histories dealing with East Prussia/Silesia etc. Otherwise, I can't recommend Noble (http://www.librarything.com/work/7659965/book/45751054) too highly.

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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#12

Post by Panzermahn » 07 Apr 2010, 17:42

And it won't cost you $200 either...
I can't wait to get my hands on it :D
By the way, Richard, if you would like me to help with the secondary proof-reading of your manuscript, please let me know and I would be most willing to help without any payments at all.

Besides that volume IV and VIII (Barbarossa and Eastern Front), I would be interested X/I in and X/II as I would like to cross complement the MGFA authors with Biddiscombe's work (Werewolf!,Denazification of Germany, The Last Nazis and the SS Hunter Battalions), Macdonogh's After the Reich, Norman M. Naimark's The Russians in Germany.

I think Biddiscombe's wrote the most definitive work in English on post-war Germany

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Richard Hargreaves
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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#13

Post by Richard Hargreaves » 07 Apr 2010, 21:08

PM me your e-mail address ;-)

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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#14

Post by Panzermahn » 08 Apr 2010, 07:03

Volume 1: The Build-up of German Aggression
Image
Price = USD $255 (new)
http://www.amazon.com/Germany-Second-Wo ... 913&sr=1-1


Volume 2: Germany's Initial Conquests in Europe
Price = USD $225 (new)
http://www.amazon.com/Germany-Second-Wo ... 028&sr=1-1


Volume 3: The Mediterranean, South-East Europe, and North Africa 1939-1941
Image
Price = USD $320.24
http://www.amazon.com/Germany-Second-Wo ... 200&sr=1-1


Volume 4: The Attack on the Soviet Union
Image
Price = USd $1005 (used)
http://www.amazon.com/Germany-Second-Wo ... 253&sr=1-1


Volume 5/1: Organization and Mobilization of the German Sphere of Power: Wartime Administration, Economy, and Manpower Resources 1939-1941
Image
Price = USD $600 (used)
http://www.amazon.com/Germany-Second-Wo ... 405&sr=1-1


Volume 5/2: Organization and Mobilization of the German Sphere of Power: Wartime Administration, Economy, and Manpower Resources 1942-1944/5
Image
Price = USD $384.09 (new)
http://www.amazon.com/Germany-Second-Wo ... 499&sr=1-1


Volume 6: Global War
Image
Price = USD $1398.99 (new)
http://www.amazon.com/Germany-Second-Wo ... =1-1-spell


Volume 7: The Strategic Air War in Europe and the War in the West and East Asia 1943-1944/5
Image
Price = USD $176.90 (new)
http://www.amazon.com/Germany-Second-Wo ... 700&sr=1-1


Volume 8: The War in the East and in Other Fronts 1943/44
Has not been published yet in English, approximately in 2012


Volume 9/1: German Wartime Society 1939-1945: Politicization, Disintegration, and the Struggle for Survival
Image
Price = USD $191.44 (used)
http://www.amazon.com/Germany-Second-Wo ... 830&sr=1-1


Volume 9/2: German Wartime Society 1939-1945: Exploitation, Interpretations, Exclusion
Has not been published yet in English, approximately in 2010


Volume 10/1: The Collapse of Germany 1945 and the Results of the Second World War: The Destruction of the Wehrmacht
Has not been published yet in English, approximately in 2014


Volume 10/2: The Collapse of Germany 1945 and the Results of the Second World War: The Resolution of the Wehrmacht and the Consequences of the War
Has not been published yet in English, approximately in 2016

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Re: Germany and the 2nd World War series (Oxford translation

#15

Post by ljadw » 09 Apr 2010, 07:45

I bought yesterday Volume VIII(German edition) in Cologne for 49,8 euro :is this a reasonable price ?

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