Best reference book on Ost-Battailone?

[jpz4]

Hi guys,
I'm currently working on short histories* of some (German and US) units that fought in Normandy. I'm having little trouble finding information about the eastern battalions after arriving in western Europe, but their origin and deployment in eastern Europe is however an entirely different matter.
As far as I have been able to determine such information is not readily available from any record group. Under ideal circumstance I'd go through the archives myself, but frankly this would be very inefficient. After all this topic not does not really hold my interest other than providing an interesting historical context for these specific units.
So, as the next best thing, I'm hoping some solid research has been published. My question is:

What is currently considered to be the best publication/source to find this kind of information?

I do not really care about the language, what matters to me is accuracy, objectivity and preferably a clear use of sources. Since I doubt such a publication will be in English or German, I probably will require assistance but that is another matter.

Thanks in advance,
Niels

* origin of the units, organization, equipment and combat history. Bit like Zetterling but with more more room for their operational history, details on the organization, names of officers, etc.

[Larry D.]

This is the only title I know of that even approaches the unit history handbook that you want, although a Polish researcher may have been attempting to do this some 8 or more years ago, IIRC.

Muñoz, Antonio J. Hitler’s Eastern Legions: Volume II, The Osttruppen, 1941-1945. Bayside (NY): Europa Books, 2003. Pb. 96p. Illus. Maps. Dwgs. Tables. Glossary.

Otherwise, you will have to trawl your way through hundreds upon hundreds of rolls (reels) of NARA WashDC RG 242 Microcopies T-78 (OKH), T-311 (Heeresgruppen), T-312 (AOKs), T-313 (Pz.AOKs) and T-501 (Rear Areas, Occupied Territories and Others) looking for a fragment here and a fragment there. When you have finished with that, you will have to do the same thing with perhaps 100 books in different languages looking for similar fragments scattered about here and there.

Best wishes for your efforts,

Larry D.

[jpz4]

Hi Larry, thanks for your thoughts on this.
Pretty much confirms what I had been able to find. Trawling through hundreds of rolls for what will be little more than an introduction is just not worth the effort. If only there had been a record group specifically for Osttruppen....

I'll wait and see if any of our eastern European friends might join this thread. Perhaps they will be able to suggest other publications.

I've been a bit sceptical about the Muñoz books. Not because of their content (never read one), but because of the name of the publisher: Axis Europa (later Europa Books). It's the kind of name that has a rather questionable ring to it. But maybe I should just pick up a copy and see for myself. Do you happen to know if there are differences between the version printed by Axis Europe (1990's) and the one printed by Europa Books?

PS Larry, If you'd like to see a preview of what I'm working on, just send me a PM with your email address. I'm working on a few Luftwaffe formations you might find interesting.

Niels

[Larry D.]

Hi Niels,

I have a number of the Muñoz books and I have always found them to be completely apolitical and reasonably well researched using primary sources. Yes, the names Axis Europa and Europa do make one skeptical and wary, as does his Hispanic name. Can a Latino-American really write books about Axis forces during World War II? Yes, they can. For a non-academic writing for the so-called "enthusiast" market, Tony Muñoz did/does a good job with the German source material. I cannot speak for the other authors who may have published under Axis Europa or Europa, but I understand some of these were indeed questionable individuals with unsavory political agendas. If so, Tony should not have published their works.

PM on the way.

Larry

[jpz4]

Thanks Larry, I'll get myself a copy.

[CF Geust]

I think that the bilingual (French-English ) "Wehrmacht - SS Caucasian, Muslim, Asian troops" by J.F. Borsarello and W. Palinckx, published by Heimdal, 2007 (160 A4-pages, richly illustrated with photos and maps) answers most of the questions of "jpz 4".

[jpz4]

Thanks for the suggestion CF,

I had dismissed this one, but your suggestion prompted me to look into it closer. Apparently it does cover individual units after all. It is however a shame Heimdal books rarely mention the sources used.

This book may indeed cover a few of the battalions I'm interested in, but it still does not seem to address the 'regular' Ost-Battailone that are also relevant to me.

My list of books is growing...

[ninoo]

I think the last chapter of that Heimdal book is good one to know about Ostlegionen in France.

[Georges JEROME]

Wehrmacht and SS (caucasian, muslim asian troops) by Borsarello and Palinckx in french/English cover Ostruppen in 3/5 chapters
- chapter 2 : osttruppen from the Caucasius and Turkestan
- chapter 4 : non slave Ostruppen in western europe,
- chapter 5 : non slave ostruppen muslims bosnians and arabs in France
well illustrated.

[AHK]

Alot of typos in Borsarello/Palinckx work. I suspect some wrong info also.
AHK

[Semenov]

I think that the bilingual (French-English ) "Wehrmacht - SS Caucasian, Muslim, Asian troops" by J.F. Borsarello and W. Palinckx, published by Heimdal, 2007 (160 A4-pages, richly illustrated with photos and maps) answers most of the questions of "jpz 4".

the worst book on this subject