Totenkopf book

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ShaunV
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Totenkopf book

#1

Post by ShaunV » 03 Aug 2008, 00:50

Hi guys, I want to get hold of a totenkopf book and i've narrowed it down to Wie Ein Fels im Meer by Karl Ullrich or Totenkopf by Charles Trang. My question is; since most of you on here have both which one would you recommend?

Thanks.

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Re: Totenkopf book

#2

Post by Jan-Hendrik » 03 Aug 2008, 07:49

Wolfgang Vopersal: Soldaten, Kämpfer, Kameraden Vol. I- Vb

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John P. Moore
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Re: Totenkopf book

#3

Post by John P. Moore » 03 Aug 2008, 17:00

I would also recommend the Vopersal books because of their chronological detail and photos. If you can afford them, also purchase the books by Trang and Ullrich as they are very good too.

John

Marc Rikmenspoel
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Re: Totenkopf book

#4

Post by Marc Rikmenspoel » 03 Aug 2008, 22:01

Vopersal's set is the ultimate resource on the unit. However, it is only in German. For those seeking English language material, it is worth the expense to get both Trang's book for the photos and Ullrich's Like a Cliff in the Ocean (the Fedorowicz translation) for the extensive text.

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Re: Totenkopf book

#5

Post by ShaunV » 04 Aug 2008, 06:59

So for a better photographic history of the division I should get Charles Trang's book as opposed to Karl Ullrich's Wie ein fels im Meer (Photographic volume)?

Thanks for the replies so far!

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Re: Totenkopf book

#6

Post by Marc Rikmenspoel » 04 Aug 2008, 07:51

Ullrich's Wie ein Fels im Meer bildband is one of the nicer Munin photobooks, but it is over 20 years old. Trang's book has more photos, better organization and captioning, and a better identification of who-where-when-what. I expect anyone who has seen both books would choose Trang's.

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Richard Hargreaves
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Re: Totenkopf book

#7

Post by Richard Hargreaves » 04 Aug 2008, 08:43

If you can afford it, Vopersal's book (or rather books) is up there with the very best divisional histories. At around £40 per volume ($80) and something like eight volumes, it will seriously dent your bank account. Sadly, I've only managed to afford one volume so far covering the Westfeldzug; very glad I got it too. :)

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Re: Totenkopf book

#8

Post by Marc Rikmenspoel » 05 Aug 2008, 07:46

Richard, it WAS 8 volumes as first published. It is now 10, as re-edited! The original sequence was:

I (creation and Western Campaign)
IIa (Barbarossa)
IIb (Demyansk)
III (reformation and the year 1943, so Kharkov, Kursk, Mius, Kharkov/Bogodukhov)
IVa (Dnieper, Krivoi Rog, Krementschug)
IVb (Balta, Bessarabia)
Va (East of Warsaw summer 1944)
Vb (formation of IV. SS-Panzerkorps, Wet Triangle, Hungary to the end of the war)

Volume III was big, at 570 large format pages, so it has been split into IIIa and IIIb. Volume 5b was even bigger, at 672 or so pages, since it was almost a history of IV. SS-PK, rather than just Totenkopf. It has been split into Vb and VI. I'm not sure that the intended new format of Vb and VI has ever actually been published, though they have been announced. Volume Va was originally a softcover, unlike all the others, I believe a hardcover reprint of it does exist, but I'm not certain. Volume I originally came witha dustjacket, it was later reprinted with a laminated cover and noticeably poorer binding.

I'm fortunate to have original printings of volumes I, IIa, IIb, III, IVa, and IVb. I borrowed copies of Va and Vb many years ago from two different friends, but hope to eventually obtain my own copies!

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Re: Totenkopf book

#9

Post by John P. Moore » 05 Aug 2008, 07:56

My copies of the Vopersal books are all the eight original ones. I bought them just as soon as each volume was published and I eagerly awaited the publication of the next volume. I don't believe that any other W-SS publication has been more packed with useful information than Vopersal's books. The many original photos were just an added bonus.

John

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Richard Hargreaves
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Re: Totenkopf book

#10

Post by Richard Hargreaves » 05 Aug 2008, 08:51

Thanks for the breakdown of the volumes, Marc. I'm quite tempted by Volume Va and III. Oh hell, I'm tempted by all of them. :)

If only Heer divisions received such magesterial histories... :roll:

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Re: Totenkopf book

#11

Post by Jan-Hendrik » 05 Aug 2008, 10:07

Well, Va is still avaiable for normal price...but the original Vb is, sorrowly for me (had this one only from the library 2 years ago), rare and you won't get a copy for less than 150 Euros 8O

ANd yes Mark, there was a second edition. Without duskcover in a red orange colour, not in Leinen but as Pappband. A third edition was promised by Biblio, but , as usual, I have heard about this project for at least 3 years without any step into reality...Vopersal is the most outstanding series on a german Divison that was avaiable on the market!

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Richard Hargreaves
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Re: Totenkopf book

#12

Post by Richard Hargreaves » 05 Aug 2008, 14:16

Out of interest, was Vopersal a Totenkopf veteran or a historian?

150 Euros for Vb? 8O 8O 8O I would have expected the most recent one to be the cheapest. Obviously too small a print run (zu wenige Druckauflage?). :(

Best divisional history on the market? You're forgetting Franz K's 'wonderful' histories of Brandenburg and Hermann Goring. :lol: :lol:

I must have a look again at my Band I tonight; from memory it is orange with no dustcover, but with an image on the front. It was also fairly vague I think on Le Paradis...

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Re: Totenkopf book

#13

Post by Jan-Hendrik » 05 Aug 2008, 14:29

Well, the original Vb (now Vb and VI) was a huge volume covering the time from September (or was it August) 1944 till the bitter end, and apart from most unit histories, this last part is as well documentated as the rest...thats makes this Volume so outstanding :D :D

By the way, the biblio-Edition of K's HG-Book isn't as bad...much of its content seems not be come out of K's fingers, but more from Wolfgang Bach and other former HG-men 8O

Jan-Hendrik

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Drew Maynard
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Re: Totenkopf book

#14

Post by Drew Maynard » 05 Aug 2008, 16:58

where are these 8-10 volumes available from?
Member of Kampfgruppe Haase, reenacting WW2 History for over 30 years: http://www.soldaten.ca

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Richard Hargreaves
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Re: Totenkopf book

#15

Post by Richard Hargreaves » 05 Aug 2008, 17:36

You won't find a complete set I fear, but individual volumes are available on abebooks and choosebooks/zvab. Some are seemingly easier to get hold of (and cheaper) than others.

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