Leo Wilm s Memories of the Waffen-SS: An SS-Heimwehr Danzig, SS-Totenkopf-Division, and 9. SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen Veteran Remembers: 1 (Memories of the Waffen-SS, 1)

Very good read

A well writen interesting book.

Not such a great read really

Good bio on this waffen ss soldier from his enlistment to his capture. Interesting portion is his unit fighting in the beginning of WWII in Danzig. His unit later joined the 3rd ss division and he sees combat on the Russian front. Book has photos and maps to go along with it, easy to read and follow.

A very good historical read. a very unique SS Division.Walt Schoenhausen

Good read

This biography has a quality binding, and excellent paper, making it easy to read with extremely clear photographic illustrations. As explained by the author, Leo Wilm did not want to address details of his worst experiences while preparing these memoirs, and he didn't. The text is bare boned and direct. There are numerous photographs, apparently from Wilm's personal collection, which although beautifully presented, depict essentially mundane aspects of being in the field during a war.One gets little sense of the mind set of this man as he invaded various nations and battled "bandits" (partisans) in occupied countries. An effort must be made to "read between the lines" in order to fill in the blanks left out of the text. For example, Wilm is never able to comprehend why the Americans to whom he surrendered treated him and other Waffen-SS men differently from Wehrmacht prisoners. Only at the very end of the conflict does Wilm begin to question the validity of their quest to conquer and the cost in lives that could not be measured.Wilm's experiences do provide a glimpse of what it was like to invade Poland, France and Russia, but Wilm remains the ultimate pragmatist throughout, leaving one to wonder how he actually felt about what he was doing. What is clear is that Wilm was a dedicated and courageous professional soldier who was remarkably lucky to survive 6 years of active duty during WWII.This hardcover edition is a beautifully constructed book, and I found the content interesting - but in retrospect I feel the price point was a bit high for the content, as other German veterans have told their story in a much more personable and interesting style.

Great