Overview

_ May the army of millions of dead of all nations bear witness to humanity for the hope that future generations may learn to discard war as the best way to resolve their differences.'_ Helmut Schneider This is the little-known story of Heavy Panzer (Tiger) Battalion 507 told through the recollections of the men who fought with the unit. The book was conceived during a reunion of the 507' at Rohrdorf in 1982, where it was agreed to set up an editorial committee under Helmut Schneider, himself a veteran of the battalion, to search for as many survivors of the unit as possible and gather their reminiscences. The resulting account is a treasure trove of first-hand material, from personal memories, diary entries and letters to leave passes, wartime newspaper cuttings, Wehrmacht bulletins and more than 160 photographs. The account follows the unit from its formation in 1943 and the catastrophic events on the Eastern Front, through battles on the Western Front and engagements against the American 3rd Armoured Division to the confusion of retreat, panic-stricken flight and Soviet captivity in the closing stages of the war. Honest and unflinching, this remarkable collection of autobiographies offers a glimpse into life in Hitler's panzer division and is a stark testimony of a generation that sacrificed its best years to the war. This is the first English-language translation of the work.

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9781784384968

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Reviews

...full of interesting anecdotes highlighting the battalion's combat experience. -- WWII History Magazine There are 200 photographs included from private collections providing numerous great photographic details which I found very interesting as a scale modeler (e.g. the numbering styles used on the tank turrets, extra tread pieces carried on the tank facets and turrets and the use of rolls of wooden poles carried to help in swampy areas). -- IPMS/USA You get a lot of tactical tips...It reads well for an English translation, so kudos to the translator Geoffrey Brooks. Enjoyed it. -- Historical Miniatures Gaming Society The translation, editing and production quality are all excellent...Highly Recommended for fans of WW2 German armor, and for anyone interested in the operation of tanks in the field. -- AMPS

The translation, editing and production quality are all excellent...Highly Recommended for fans of WW2 German armor, and for anyone interested in the operation of tanks in the field. -- AMPS

What makes this anthology special are the entries from German tank crewmen and accounts by members of workshop companies, repair, and supply stations. -- ARGunners.com The commentaries and associated photographs on maintenance are impressive. -- ARMOR Magazine ...full of interesting anecdotes highlighting the battalion's combat experience. -- WWII History Magazine There are 200 photographs included from private collections providing numerous great photographic details which I found very interesting as a scale modeler (e.g. the numbering styles used on the tank turrets, extra tread pieces carried on the tank facets and turrets and the use of rolls of wooden poles carried to help in swampy areas). -- IPMS/USA You get a lot of tactical tips...It reads well for an English translation, so kudos to the translator Geoffrey Brooks. Enjoyed it. -- Historical Miniatures Gaming Society The translation, editing and production quality are all excellent...Highly Recommended for fans of WW2 German armor, and for anyone interested in the operation of tanks in the field. -- AMPS

Author Information

Aged 19, Schneider volunteered for the Panzer Arm in March 1941\. He was one of the first five men sent to the Eastern Front. He took part in the Caucasus campaigns in and joined the Heavy Panzer Battalion 507 in 1943\. He next moved on to the panzer grenadiers where he was given a Wanderer bicycle, a Panzerfaust and an assault rifle and was sent to fight the US Army on the Western Front. His decorations included the Panzer Assault Badge and the Iron Cross Second Class. Robert Forczyk has a PhD in International Relations and National Security from the University of Maryland and a strong background in Asian and European military history. He retired as a lieutenant colonel from the US Army Reserves after serving as an armour officer, then as an intelligence officer. Dr. Forczyk has worked for three decades in the defense field and currently serves as a cybersecurity consultant in the Washington DC area. As a military historian, his primary interest is in combat operations in Eastern Europe from 1914 to 1945.

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