What do you think?
Rate this book
The Lions of Carentan: Fallschirmjager Regiment 6, 1943-1945
“It is said that it is the victors who write the histories of wars, so it is especially revealing to discover a book that was written from the viewpoint of those on the losing side. The great value of Griesser's superb, richly detailed, and fabulously illustrated work is that it fills in a very wide gap in our knowledge about one of Nazi Germany's elite branches of service.”—Flint Whitlock, editor of WWII Quarterly
Although it is known that Allied airborne forces landed into a German buzz saw on D-Day, far less is known about the troops they encountered on that dark night of June 6, 1944. One of the formations they encountered was a similarly elite group of paratroopers, who instead of dropping from the skies fought on the defensive, giving their Allied counterparts a tremendous challenge in achieving their objectives.
This is the complete wartime history of one of the largest German paratrooper regiments, Fallschirmjäger 6, from its initial formation in the spring of 1943 to its last day at the end of the war. With numerous firsthand accounts from key members, they describe the events of 1943-45 vividly and without compromise. These accounts reveal previously unknown details about important operations in Italy, Russia, on the Normandy Front, Belgium, Holland, the last German parachute drop in the Ardennes, and the final battle to the end in Germany.
With over 220 original photographs, many from private collections and never before published, this book fully illustrates the men, their uniforms, equipment and weapons. This work will inform readers of the full record of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 6, and why the Allied advance into German-held Europe was so painstaking to achieve.
Table of Contents
Preface
1. The Initial Organization, 1943
2. Deployment in Italy, 1943
3. Deployment in Russia, 1943/44
4. The Reorganization in Cologne-wahn, 1944
5. Deployment in Normandy, 1944
6. Deployment in Holland, 1944
7. Deployment in the Eifel Region, 1944
8. Parachute Mission in the Ardennes, 1944
9. The Final Battle in the Homeland, 1945
10. Peace
Appendices
Photographic Appendix
Although it is known that Allied airborne forces landed into a German buzz saw on D-Day, far less is known about the troops they encountered on that dark night of June 6, 1944. One of the formations they encountered was a similarly elite group of paratroopers, who instead of dropping from the skies fought on the defensive, giving their Allied counterparts a tremendous challenge in achieving their objectives.
This is the complete wartime history of one of the largest German paratrooper regiments, Fallschirmjäger 6, from its initial formation in the spring of 1943 to its last day at the end of the war. With numerous firsthand accounts from key members, they describe the events of 1943-45 vividly and without compromise. These accounts reveal previously unknown details about important operations in Italy, Russia, on the Normandy Front, Belgium, Holland, the last German parachute drop in the Ardennes, and the final battle to the end in Germany.
With over 220 original photographs, many from private collections and never before published, this book fully illustrates the men, their uniforms, equipment and weapons. This work will inform readers of the full record of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 6, and why the Allied advance into German-held Europe was so painstaking to achieve.
Table of Contents
Preface
1. The Initial Organization, 1943
2. Deployment in Italy, 1943
3. Deployment in Russia, 1943/44
4. The Reorganization in Cologne-wahn, 1944
5. Deployment in Normandy, 1944
6. Deployment in Holland, 1944
7. Deployment in the Eifel Region, 1944
8. Parachute Mission in the Ardennes, 1944
9. The Final Battle in the Homeland, 1945
10. Peace
Appendices
Photographic Appendix
272 pages, Paperback
First published June 3, 2011
47 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 5, 2020
My first German Unit book. An enjoyable excursion. Facing the 101st, the mutual bravado of paratroopers shines through, as does a certain chivalry towards enemy wounded. How many ordinary Wehrmacht would cross a train station platform to distribute food to a train full of Jewish deportees while holding back SS guards at gunpoint?
October 18, 2011
A very good account of the combat operations of the 6th Fallschirmjager Regiment, from its activation in 1943 to its surrender in 1945. We follow these ‘Green Devils’ from their first operation in Rome when Italy tried to surrender in 1943, then into the hard and heavy fighting in Russia back across to Europe to participate in the German efforts to repeal the Allied invasion in Normandy and then into Holland, the Eifel Region and then the Ardennes.
The book has some excellent, never seen-before photographs of these German paratroopers in action and lots of them. The one failing of this book, or I should say the publishers failing, is a substandard effort in editing. I came across numerous typos, spelling mistakes and badly translated sentences which spoilt the overall affect of this book and tarnished the great effort the author took to make this an exceptional book on these Fallschirmjager's.
Overall a great book and well worth the time to read and should be in every serious military library and I hope that the publishers take the time to edit the book in its next printing run and fix these very basic errors.
The book has some excellent, never seen-before photographs of these German paratroopers in action and lots of them. The one failing of this book, or I should say the publishers failing, is a substandard effort in editing. I came across numerous typos, spelling mistakes and badly translated sentences which spoilt the overall affect of this book and tarnished the great effort the author took to make this an exceptional book on these Fallschirmjager's.
Overall a great book and well worth the time to read and should be in every serious military library and I hope that the publishers take the time to edit the book in its next printing run and fix these very basic errors.
November 19, 2013
Having been in a unit that fought the Fallshcirmjager in Normandy (many years later mind you), I have always had an interest in this particular regiment. The book is very interesting and has numerous pictures from private collections. The book also comments on the pictures as to the wear of the uniform and variations in equipment.
One thing I really appreciate is the lack of politics because the reality is, Soldiers don't make policy. The extent of politics in the book is that of the higher echelons of the military. My primary complaint is that the book was poorly editted and it is riddled with grammatical errors. Perhaps later editions will address this but overall a very interesting book.
One thing I really appreciate is the lack of politics because the reality is, Soldiers don't make policy. The extent of politics in the book is that of the higher echelons of the military. My primary complaint is that the book was poorly editted and it is riddled with grammatical errors. Perhaps later editions will address this but overall a very interesting book.
August 24, 2024
A tribute work - which really avoids the dark sides of the regiment.
Difficult to read if you don't know the campaigns well - because nothing on a strategic level is explained. It is also difficult to keep track of the individual soldiers mentioned. We never get their fates explained and they rarely return after long quotes (descriptions of e.g. a battle).
Avoid.
Difficult to read if you don't know the campaigns well - because nothing on a strategic level is explained. It is also difficult to keep track of the individual soldiers mentioned. We never get their fates explained and they rarely return after long quotes (descriptions of e.g. a battle).
Avoid.
February 3, 2019
Bad edition/translation, confuse to read. Couldnt bother finishing it.The storytelling is a bit dry too. Only deserved the third star because has great photos.
August 4, 2021
Marvelous primary sources and episodes. The editing is a bit ragged, but the stories are so engaging.
December 8, 2024
Has a lot of useful information 👍
June 16, 2022
An exceptional unit history on Fallschirmjager Regiment 6. It is a superbly detailed book on the unit's history, organisation, destruction and also reunion. One would assume a book in regards to a unit's history would be quite arbitrary and dry, however, it is not the case here. It draws information and stories from the men who actually fought from Italy, the Eastern Front and the Western Front. An engaging book filled with stories and vivid descriptions of their countless engagements made me hooked. You actually see from the German's point of view, the creeping sense of hopelessness, the emotions, planning and management of the FJR 6 in delaying the advance with an elastic defences and was actually one of the, if not only, combat effective units which were repeatedly thrown in areas in critical threat to stem the tide. However, the repeated battering they kept getting without reinforcements, FJR 6 was bound to be bled to death.
June 10, 2023
I was excited to get this book, I mean come on, who doesn't love paratroopers. I found the history of the 6th Regiment quite interesting, from their inaugural action in Rome deposing the Italian government, to Russia, and then finally Normandy and the race to the Rhine. Loads of pictures so a great resource there. Maps are terrible as usual, action reports were decent, but could have been better. Kind of rah rah for the Germans, but a German dude wrote it so that's to be expected. Overall above average, one that will stay in the library.
March 18, 2019
Excellent historical read.
A great historical book on FJR6 TO INCLUDE both veteran remembrance as well as photos throughout the life of FJR6.
A great historical book on FJR6 TO INCLUDE both veteran remembrance as well as photos throughout the life of FJR6.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews