DEUTSCHE SOLDATEN
Uniforms, Equipment and Personal Items of the German Soldier 1939-45
Augustin Saiz
Mr. Saiz has produced a beautiful book that shows multiple color photos with incredible details of the clothing worn (from helmets to underwear!), weapons fired and the neat little personal effects used by the German infantry soldiers of WWII. When I first thumbed through the book I was a little surprised not to find photos of an MG42 or panzerfaust until I realized that every article in the book was from the author’s personal collection! Holy cow – the collection Mr. Saiz has amassed is as thorough and wide as it is impressive! (note: Casemate representatives told me this is only one of his MANY collections!) Countless color photos, 312 pages including bibliography.
This collection is truly amazing as is comprises highly detailed photos of many different items that were essential to the German soldier of WWII. There are, for example, over 30 close up photos of the details and inside of the standard “stahlhelme”; there are close up pictures of a dozen different types breast national emblems. Beyond standard views of clothing, equipment and headgear, all essential for choosing the correct colors for painting (especially those tricky camouflage schemes), close up photos show the details of each, often to include the underside/inside of opened items. Another section shows off the multiple weapons used by the Wehrmacht during WWII. As in the other sections, close up photos help show off the details of many firearms, grenades and mines. One of the most interesting parts of the book is the section devoted to personal items used by the German soldiers – pens, stamps, money, goggles, cameras, flashlights, tobacco, identification cards, first aid, some medals, mess kit and health/morale items including condoms and pin up post cards!
The author starts the book by introducing Anton Imgrund (b1906) to briefly tell the reader a brief history leading up to the start of WWII and his enlistment into the Wehrmacht in 1938; it ends with a description of the destruction of Army Group Center in Russia and Obergefreiter Imgrund’s death there. The text of the book is a little flowery and PC: “we discover what the misguided, yet courageous German infantryman did in his spare time”. I found photos and collection are incredibly impressive!
Price: $55
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