RZM Publications

ENDKAMPF - Final Battles for the Reich 1944-1945

This large illustrated hardcover photo book covers a number of battles and engagements on the Eastern Front at the end of 1944 and in 1945. The photos are all unpublished and show German armor. It is due in at the beginning of October and we will post some sample material as it becomes available.

English/German text.

Some of Battles covered are:

• Nemmersdorf and Goldap, the Russian advance to the East Prussian border
• From Königsberg to Pillau - fighting retreat in Samland, East Prussia April 1945 (Panther photos)
• The battles of the 1st Marine Security Division on the Oder (in the Zehden bridgehead) in February 1945
• The fighting in Silesia in the spring of 1945 (Panther photos)
• Battle in Fortress Breslau
• The actions of Parachute Panzer Corps "Hermann Göring" at Bautzen and Görlitz, April 1945 (Panther photos)
• The "Fuhrerbegleitdivision" in the battles for Lauban (Panther photos)
• The SS Volunteer Brigade "Wallonie" "and the 4th SS "Polizei" Division in the battle for Pommern
• SS-Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 560 z.b.V. on the Oder (Hetzer photos)
• The fight against the Russian Oder bridgeheads in Küstrin, and "Fortress Küstrin" (Panther and Hetzer photos)
• Heiligenbeil and Oxhöfter Kämpe - the battles around Danzig

Hardcover with dust jacket, large format, 160 pages, 186 photos (23 in color) and 13 maps

Price: $85 USD / $100 CAD 

HELL'S GATE - The Battle of the Cherkassy Pocket January-February 1944 (Douglas E. Nash)

Virtually unknown in the English-speaking world, the Battle of Cherkassy (also known as the Korsun Pocket) still stirs controversy in both the former Soviet Union and in Germany. Although small in scale when compared to the gigantic battles of Moscow, Stalingrad, and Kursk, the Battle of the Cherkassy Pocket occupies a prominent place in the Russo-German War. It was at Cherkassy where the last German offensive strength in the Ukraine was drained away, creating the conditions for the victorious Soviet advance into Poland, Rumania, and the Balkans during the summer and autumn of 1944. Eclipsed by a war of such gigantic proportions that saw battles of over one million men or more as commonplace, the events which occurred along the banks of the Gniloy Tickich river should have faded into obscurity. However, to the 60,000 German soldiers who were encircled there at the end of January 1944, this was perhaps one of the most brutal, physically exhausting, and morally demanding battles they had ever experienced. Thirty-four percent of them would not escape.

The culmination of years of research and survivor interviews, Hell?s Gate is a riveting hour by hour and day by day account of this desperate struggle analyzed on a tactical level through maps and military transcripts, as well as on a personal level, through the words of the enlisted men and officers who risked the roaring waters of the Gniloy Tickich to avoid certain death at the hands of their Soviet foe.

Hard cover, Full color dust jacket, Size: 8 1/2" x 11", 420 pages, 220 photos, 14 maps

Price: $70 USD / $84 CAD

FALAISE The Flawed Victory - The Destruction of Panzergruppe West, August 1944 (Anthony Tucker-Jones)

The destruction of the trapped German forces in the Falaise pocket in August 1944 is one of the most famous episodes of the Normandy campaign. But myths have grown up around accounts of the battle, and its impact on the course of the war is sometimes misunderstood. In this meticulously researched and perceptive study Anthony Tucker-Jones dispels misconceptions about the battle, describes the combat in graphic detail and reassesses the outcome in the context of the campaign to liberate Europe.

He takes a broad view of the sequence of operations that culminated in the battle at Falaise, tracing the course of the campaign mainly from the German viewpoint. For two bloody months the Germans held the Allies at bay following the D-Day landings, but then they were blocked in at Falaise and the area became a killing ground.

Some liken the event to Hitler's defeat at Stalingrad, while others argue the victory was flawed because so many German troops escaped.

Hard Cover, 6" x 9", 224 pages, 16 pages of b+w photos and maps. Price: $33 USD/$43 CAD/INT

STORMTROOPER ON THE EASTERN FRONT Fighting with Hitler's Latvian SS (Mintauts Blosfelds, Edited by Lisa Blosfelds)

Following the conquest of his native Latvia by the Nazis, the author was given the stark choice: service in the SS or forced labor in a slave camp. So he 'volunteered' to fight for the Nazis. He describes his training and how he became an instructor before being sent into Russia. He nearly perished during the terrible winter of 1943-44 being wounded and finding himself with his friend lying dead on top of him. As the tide turned and the Russians advanced remorselessly through. He was wounded twice more and awarded the Iron Cross for bravery.

With German resistance collapsing, the author had to flee for his life - capture by the Russians meant almost certain death. He surrendered to the Americans but describes the neglect he suffered at their hands. Unable to return to Latvia now occupied by the Russians, he became a Displaced Person eventually settling in the UK.

Hard Cover, 6" x 9", 224 pages, 16 pages of b+w photos and maps. Price: $33 USD / $43 CAD/INT

SNIPER ON THE EASTERN FRONT The Memoirs of "Sepp" Allerberger, Knight's Cross Holder (Geoffrey Brooks)

Josef "Sepp" Allerberger was the second most successful sniper of the German Wehrmacht and one of the few private soldiers to be honoured with the award of the Knight's Cross.

An Austrian conscript, after qualifying as a machine gunner he was drafted to the southern sector of the Russian Front in July 1942. Wounded at Voroshilovsk, he experimented with a Russian sniper-rifle while convalescing and so impressed his superiors with his proficiency that he was returned to the front on his regiment's only sniper specialist.

In this sometimes harrowing memoir, Allerberger provides an excellent introduction to the commitment in fieldcraft, discipline and routine required of the sniper, a man apart. There was no place for chivalry on the Russian Front. Away from the film cameras, no prisoner survived long after surrendering. Russian snipers had used the illegal explosive bullet since 1941, and Hitler eventually authorised its issue in 1944. The result was a battlefield of horror. Allerberger was a cold-blooded killer, but few will find a place in their hearts for the soldiers of the Red Army against whom he fought.

Hard Cover, 6" x 9", 196 pages.

Price: $35 USD / $40 CAD

Deutsche Soldaten Uniforms, Equipment and Personal Items of the German Soldier 1939-45 (A. Sainz)

This book was originally entitled "Soldbuch" and featured a different cover.

Many and varied are the writings on the German Army since the end of the bloodiest event in the history of humanity: The Second World War.

These men's way of fighting, their commanders, equipment, weaponry and the complete history can be found in almost all the bookshelves of almost all 20th Century history enthusiasts. But, what is known about the daily life of the German infantry soldier? Very little. Soldbuch, the name given to the personal military records of these men and also the title of this book, is a true reflection of how these men lived, ate, washed themselves on the front, or behaved when at rest, what were their pastimes, ambitions, worries, how they spent their leave, etc.

The author, an expert on 20th Century military history and collector of military items from all armies, makes available to the general public for the first time the artifacts that he has collected over the years in order to create this graphic work containing actual photographs, the most implausible personal items and German infantry soldier's uniforms with explanations about each and every item, with a complete study on their use, origin and any other peculiarity that may enrich the reader's knowledge. As well as these artifacts, each chapter is adorned with spectacular photographs of the epoch, mostly owned by the author, setting the reader right in the midst of these soldier's daily lives.

Hard Cover, 8 1/2" x 11", 152 pages, Full color. Price: $55.00 USD / $72 CAD/INT

Kampfraum Arnheim - A photo study of the German Soldier fighting in and around Arnhem September 1944

This title is in production. We are accepting preorders only.

This unique volume presents only the finest images from this battle as never seen before utilizing a layout that emphasizes maximum photographic reproduction and dramatic impact. All images presented in this unique photo book were taken by official German War Correspondents.

Hardcover, 9"x12", 150 pages, 120 high quality photos. English text. Price: $50 USD / $65 CAD/INT

THE KORSUN POCKET - The Encirclement and Breakout of a German Army in the East, 1944 (Niklas Zetterling & Anders Frankson)

During the second half of 1943, after the failure at Kursk, Germany's Army Group South fell back from Russia under repeated hammer blows from the Red Army. Under Erich von Manstein, however, the Germans were able to avoid serious defeats, while at the same time fending off Hitler's insane orders to hold on to useless territory.

Then, in January 1944, a disaster happened. Six divisions of Army Group South became surrounded after sudden attacks by the 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts under command of generals Nikolai Vatutin and Ivan Konev around the village of Korsun (near the larger town of Cherkassy on the Dnieper). The Germans' greatest fear was the prospect of another Stalingrad, the catastrophe that had occurred precisely one year before.

This time, though, Manstein was in control from the start, and he immediately rearranged his Army Group to rescue his trapped divisions. A major panzer drive got underway, led by General der Panzertruppen Hans Hube, a survivor from Stalingrad pocket, which promptly ran up against several soviet tank armies. Leading the break-in was Franz Baeke with his Tiger and Panther-tanks. Due to both weather and ferocious resistance, the German drive stalled. Ju-52s still flew into Korsun's airfield, delivering supplies and taking out wounded, but it soon became apparent that only one option remained for the beleaguered defenders: breakout.

Without consulting Hitler, on the night of February 16 Manstein ordered the breakout to begin. Led by the strongest formation within the pocket, SS Wiking, the trapped forces surged out and soon rejoined the surrounding panzer divisions who had been fully engaged in weakening the ring.

When dawn broke, the Soviets realized their prey was escaping. Although the Germans within the pocket lost nearly all of their heavy weapons and left many wounded behind, their escape was effected. Stalin, having anticipated another Stalingrad, was left with little but an empty bag, as Army Group South-this time-had pulled off a rescue.

In The Korsun Pocket, Niklas Zetterling, a researcher at the Swedish Defense College since 1995 and Anders Frankson, have provided a highly detailed and often breathtaking account of one of the most dramatic battles of World War II. From grand strategy to soldiers' voices on the ground, including expert statistical analysis, the action, and the stakes, of the battle at Korsun are made vividly clear.

Hard Cover, 6" x 9", 320 pages, 16 pages of b+w photos and maps. Price: $33 USD/$37 CAD/INT

Quantity:

Photos from the Panzertruppe, The Early Years

ARMORED OPERATIONS OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, Volume 1

Juan Garcia. New from AF editions, this large format book recounts the history of several famous armored engagements of the Second World War. The engagements covered are: The Soviet Invasion of Poland, from Sedan to Abbeville (France), Montcornet, May 17 1940, Rommel's counterattacks in the desert, Barbarossa 1941, the encirclement of Minsk, The Battle of Krasnograd, Prokorovka, Villers Bocage 1944 and Operation Cobra. The detailed narrative is complimented by dozens of spectacular color profiles and graphics of the armor involved in these battles. There are also over 100 black and white photos. A unique feature of the book is three double gatefold pages that open out to double width. These are devoted to providing detailed information on the three major tanks involved in those particular battles: The T-34, the Tiger and the Panther.

Hard cover, 9" x 12", 192 pages, 100 b&w photos, full color profiles. Price: $45 USD and $50 CAD/INT.

Panzerwrecks Issue No.7 - "OSTFRONT"

What distinguished a Turan I from a Turan II? What happened when a 'Hummel' lost an artillery duel? Which Panzers were given to the Bulgarians by the Russians? Where did some of the first Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.J's appear? Why was Kurland important to Berlin? What distinguished an IR capable Panther? The answers to these and other questions are to be found here in Panzerwrecks 7, with 120 rare and unpublished large format photographs sourced from Russia and Eastern Europe.

Vehicles include: Tiger II, Befehlspanzer Tiger I, Tiger I, Tiger I Fahrschule, Panther Ausf.A, Panther Ausf.G - IR ready, Bergepanther, Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.J, Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H, Munitionspanzer IV, Flakpanzer Mobelwagen, Sturmgeschutz IV, Panzer IV/70(A), Panzer IV/70(V), Jagdpanzer IV, Hummel, Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.L, gr.Pz.Bef.Wg.Ausf.K, Sturmgeschutz III Ausf.G, Sturmgeschutz III Ausf.F, Sturmhaubitze 42, Wespe, Munitionspanzer Wespe, Pz.Jgr.II fur 7.5cm Pak 40 (Sd.Kfz.131), Pz.Sfl.1 fur 7.62cm Pak 36.

Soft cover, landscape format, 11" x 8", 96 pages, 126 rare and unpublished photos

Panzerwrecks Issue No.8 - "Normandy 1"

What vehicle did Canadian Intell misidentify, and why? How were the sides of a Mobelwagen constructed? Could Panthers and Tigers suffer 'catastrophic turret separations?' Why did a Panzerjager have a four digit tactical number? Which unusual vehicle was assigned to Abteilungsstabe of II./ and III./ Pz.Rgt.155? What was 'tamed by the RAF'?

The answers to these and other questions are to be found here in Panzerwrecks 8, with 123 rare and unpublished large format photographs sourced from around the world.

Soft cover, landscape format, 11" x 8", 96 pages, 123 rare and unpublished photos.

Panzerwrecks  Issue No.9 - "ITALY" No.1

What interior and exterior modifications did the Pz.Kpfw.III (Fl) have? Sd.Kfz.250/3 with ‘Kurbelmast’: Fact or fiction? Which German unit used the rare M41 90/53 801(i)? How do you drag a Tiger from a muddy riverbed? German troops used what as a ‘fort’ at Anzio? What unusual field mod did the Panzers of II./Pz.Rgt.2 have at Salerno? How were Panzers demolished by their crews?

The answers to these and other questions are to be found here in Panzerwrecks 9, with 137 rare and unpublished large format photographs sourced from around the world.

Soft cover, landscape format, 11" x 8", 96 pages, 137 rare and unpublished photos.

Vehicles include:

DUEL IN THE MIST - The LAH during the Ardennes Offensive, Volume 1: Kampfgruppe Peiper-Stoumont, 19th December 1944

Duel in the Mist is the first volume in a series of books examining the involvement of the 1st. SS Panzer Division 'Leibstandarte' in the Ardennes offensive, and focuses on Kampfgruppe Peiper's drive through American lines and ultimate reversal outside the village of Stoumont on the 19th of December 1944.

The written account is based on after action reports by the units involved and numerous interviews with veterans of both sides to provide a ground level perspective of the events which led up to and resulted from the failure of KG Peiper. The text is supported through the collection and painstaking analysis of thousands of images from diverse sources. Of the 127 photos in this book, over half are published for the first time but all are placed in their correct historical, chronological and geographical context. The photos are reproduced in large format to maximize their usefulness to the reader and multiple views of many of the wrecked Panthers are included.

In addition, over the course of the project the detailed scrutiny of hundreds of images of Panthers has enabled the authors, in consultation with Tom Jentz and Hilary Doyle, to present for the first time a concise and authoritative analysis of the relationship between the assembly plants and the camouflage patterns applied to the tanks they produced. The resulting color profiles are the most accurate presented to date, and provide a most useful tool in determining the origin of almost any individual Panther of the late war period.

The foreword is by Major General Michael Reynolds CB, author of 'The Devil's Adjutant'.

Book Specifications: The book is presented on glossy, heavyweight paper in landscape format (DINA4 sideways or about 11"x8"), 300 pages with 127 photographs, 9 maps and with color vehicle profiles illustrating the various Panther factory applied camouflage schemes.  Price: $110 USD / $121 CAD/INT

TIGERFIBEL: The Original Tiger Manual

This is an authentic English language translation by Wulf-D. Brand. 1943 manual in both written and visual style to appeal to young German soldiers in WW2. Allied tank charts included. Originals of this highly prized collectible fetch more than $500!

8.5" x 11", 174 pages, b/w illustrations throughout, paperback. Price: $20 USD $22 CAD/INT

God, Honor, Fatherland

This reprint contains painstakingly retouched and balanced duotone photos which possess a clarity far superior to the original print run.

Panzergrenadier-Division "Großdeutschland" was one of Germany's most celebrated military formations of the Second World War. Formed in 1942 by the expansion of Infantry-Regiment (mot.) "Großdeutschland," the new division quickly earned its reputation on the Eastern Front of being the elite of the German Army. Twice the size of most other divisions, it was an immensely powerful and hard-hitting mechanized formation that cut a large swath through the Red Army, whether in the attack or on the defense. Its carefully selected officer and non-commissioned officer corps ensured that no matter what the odds, the division would always give a good account of itself in battle and would possess an esprit de corps enjoyed by few other comparable divisions, including those of the Waffen-SS.

The thousands of volunteers from every land and province in Germany who fought and died while serving in the ranks of Panzergrenadier-Division "Großdeutschland" represented a cross-section of German society, a radical departure from the manner in which most German divisions of the era were created. Now for the first time, the faces of these men, at rest and in battle, can be seen through the images gleaned from hundreds of photographs taken by the division's war correspondents (Kriegsberichter).

This outstanding selection of photographs, which until recently remained unseen for decades in a European archive, have been recovered and painstakingly researched by authors Remy Spezzano and Thomas McGuirl. Together with the assistance of the division's Veterans' association, they identified hundreds of men, living and dead, as well as dozens of combat vehicles, items of equipment, and specific engagements the division took part in from April 1942 to September 1944. Accompanied by a detailed narrative that ties each of the photos within the context of the war on the Eastern Front, "God, Honor, Fatherland" represents a milestone in the study of the war in the East and shows the face of the German soldier as he has never been shown before.

Hard cover, Full color dust jacket, Size: 8 1/2" x 11", 226 pages, 387 duotone images. Price: $70 US / $77 CAD/INT.

Waffen SS, Kursk 1943-Volumes 1-6

(RZM Publications/ R. Spezzano)

Each volume is hard cover, medium format (8" x8"), include English text and have between 115 and 120 pages with between 88 and 94 black and white photos each. Each volume is priced at $35 USD/$39 CDN.

The photographs contained in these books come from 28 rolls of newly discovered combat film shot by 6 German war correspondents and the photos are presented sequentially as they were shot. Volume 1 focuses on the men and armored vehicles of the 1.SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" and the 3.SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Totenkopf" in action and at rest. Volume 2 contains more coverage of the 1.SS Panzer-Grenadier-Division  along with the 2.SS Panzer-Division "Das Reich."  

Note: Volume 1 is out of print.