Siegrunen Monograph 7. First Edition (December 2011). This is the first book to cover the story of the largely unheralded SS Regiment "Thule" in words and in pictures. SS-Regiment "Thule" began as a battalion-sized security force in Norway in 1940 and ended up as the prototype for a "rapid light infantry" deployment force, about a half-century ahead of its time. The intent in 1942 was to convey most of the "Thule" personnel either on motorcycles or in fast vehicles so that they could be sent rapidly to wherever they were most needed. Unfortunately the debilitating battles around Kharkov in early 1943 put an end to this concept; the so-called "motorcycle-rifle" regiment became a luxury that the Waffen-SS could no longer afford. In this book you will get a glimpse of the impressive soldiers of SS Regiment "Thule" in training, at their barracks, in transit, in the field and in combat. In the savage battle against Soviet communism they did their duty to the utmost and this volume will hopefully give some small inkling of their valor and sacrifice. Contents: Acknowledgments; Foreword; Notes on Spellings; Chapter 1: Formation and Initial Deployment; Chapter 2: Into Action; Chapter 3: Autumn Fighting in Finland; Chapter 4: To the Volkhov Front; Chapter 5: Reformation and Redeployment in France; Chapter 6: Reactivation for Combat Duty; Chapter 7: To the Don River Front; Chapter 8: Desperate Fighting to the South of Kharkov; Chapter 9: Counterattack, 1-8 March 1943; Chapter 10: Fighting to Regain Kharkov; Chapter 11: Action on the Don River Front; Chapter 12: SS Regiment "Thule" is Dissolved; Chapter 13: Aftermath: The "Death March" of the SS "Totenkopf Division; Appendix 1: Regimental Commanders; Appendix 2: Notes on Insignia; Bibliography; 232 photos and illustrations; 2 maps.

Merriam Press Siegrunen Monograph 5. Third Edition (2013).

Frontfighters is based on the book Legionsminner-Trekk Av Den Norske Legions Historie which was originally assembled by the Norwegian SS War Correspondent E. Jul Christiansen Furum in 1943. The original publisher was Viking Vorlag, Oslo, 1943. The first English language translation of this work was published by Roger Hunt in 1986.

Regarding the original publication, this has been maintained roughly the same throughout, although some of the picture captions have been changed or descriptive material added to give a clearer view of things. It should also be borne in mind that the text appearing in the middle of the book is a translation of the actual combat reports and citations relating to the unit at the time, and not postwar additions. Preceding the original work, Mr. Landwehr's detailed introduction reveals much previously unknown about the Legion and its successor, the SS Skijager Battalion "Norge." All the illustrations in this section unless credited otherwise are from his extensive collection of Waffen-SS photos.

Thus a product of wartime propaganda whose original purpose is nearly forgotten, becomes, some decades later, a remarkable sample of military photo journalism when allowed to stand on its own merits.

This entirely new and improved edition has been completely reformatted. The photographs have been enhanced using current computer methods and in most cases quality is better than that in the 1986 edition, and even the original wartime edition.

Contents:

Publisher's Note

Dedication

Original Preface

Foreword by Vidkun Quisling

The SS Volunteer Legion "Norwegen," 1941-1943 by Richard Landwehr

The SS-Skijager Battalion "Norge," 1943-1945 by Richard Landwehr

The following material is from the original Norwegian wartime book and comprises the bulk of this new edition:

Combat and Ideals: A Glimpse of the Saga of the Norwegian Legion

Norwegian Spirit

Legionnaires

Orders

The Norwegian Legion in the Field, December 27, 1942: Orders of the New Year

Orders of the Day, 19 February 1943

Battle-Group Special Orders, 2 March 1943

Brigade Special Orders Number 4/43, 2 March 1943

Photographs

In Memoriam: The Legion's Dead

210 photos

11 illustrations

1 map

Merriam Press Military Monograph MM162. Fifth Edition (January 2012). Concise history of the formation and engagements of this Belgian Waffen-SS unit, and their well-known leader, Leon Degrelle. Includes photos never before published. Contents: Chapter 1: Introduction; Chapter 2: Formation and First Engagements of 5th SS-Sturmbrigade "Wallonien"; Chapter 3: The Cherkassy-Korsun Envelopment; Chapter 4: "Wallonien" in Estonia; Chapter 5: Formation and Development of the 28th Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division "Wallonien"; Chapter 6: Last Battles of the "Wallonien" Division; Chapter 7: Europe in Cherkassy; Chapter 8: Portrait of a "Wallonien" Volunteer; Chapter 9: Cherkassy Breakout Figures; Bibliography. 58 photos; 4 maps; 4 illustrations; Cover art by Ramiro Bujeiro.

Merriam Press Siegrunen Monograph 2. Fifth Edition (January 2012). The battle for Budapest was the culmination of three and a half years of bitter, unequal struggle against Soviet Bolshevism and its capitalist allies. The Waffen-SS troops involved constituted the backbone of the defensive effort and took the severest losses. For IX SS Corps and the "Florian Geyer" and "Maria Theresia" Cavalry Divisions, Budapest was another Stalingrad. "Maria Theresia" in particular had the unfortunate distinction of being the only large formation of the Waffen-SS to be almost totally obliterated. This work details the vicious struggle from beginning to end, a struggle in which 40,000 defenders tied up almost half a million Soviet combat and support troops, buying the Germans much needed time. Contents: Chapter 1: Budapest: The City of the Unvanquished Heroes; Chapter 2: The Retreat from Eastern Hungary; Chapter 3: Development of the Budapest Defense Ring; Chapter 4: The SS Cavalry Division in the Karola Positions: November 1944; Chapter 5: The Budapest Bridgehead Takes Shape; Chapter 6: Budapest is Surrounded; Chapter 7: A Fight to the Finish: Budapest Will Not Surrender; Chapter 8: January 1945: The Hardest Month Imaginable; Chapter 9: The Final Struggle Begins; Chapter 10: Endkampf; Chapter 11: Breakout from Budapest; Chapter 12: The Formation of the SS-Totenkopf Reiterstandarten, 1939-1940; Chapter 13: Death of the Soviet Budapest Emissaries: Follow-up; Chapter 14: The Budapest Relief Attacks: Excerpts from the Diary of the 5th SS-Panzer Division "Wiking," 2-12 January 1945; Bibliography. 101 photos; 6 illustrations; 4 maps.