Sturmtruppen: WWI German Stormtroopers

by Ricardo Recio Cardona

The first assault units (Sturmtruppen) were formed during the spring and summer of 1916, when the Sturmbataillon Rohr was organized and after General Falkenhayn, head of the OHL, gave orders for the creation of special detachments. These detachments had the mission of spreading the Stosstrupptaktik, a new tactic which decisively transformed the fighting methods of the German Army. But long before this happened, another type of troops had been created within the German infantry during the winter of 1914-1915: the Shock troops (Stosstruppen), fresh infantry groups that were never officially recognized as such and never belonged to any permanent unit, but remained active until the end of the war and contributed to improving the offensive capacity of the German infantry.

This book is a narration of the history of the shock and assault troops and covers their combat methods. Finally, it offers a comprehensive description of their uniforms, equipment, and weapons, along with a large number of illustrations and period photographs rarely seen.

Genres: History

216 pages, Hardcover

First published September 19, 2014

Reviews

[Joseph Hirsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the information in "Sturmtruppen" is, as the Germans would say, "Schnee von Gestern," a recapitulation of things any layman who's watched a couple of documentaries already knows about the First World War. The tactics of a previous era were tried in this new war with its new weapons, and the results were catastrophic and wholesale slaughter. Men moving in columns were mowed down as fast as stationary machine-guns could fire rounds. Then, through trial-and-error, new tactics developed and smaller, autonomous units formed, whose job it was to break the lines of the enemy, blitzing their positions with grenades and handheld arms.

The star of the show in this book, then, is the photos. They are what makes this one worth seeking and purchasing even if you can only find it at an inflated price. Many of the photos are of combat exercises rather than battles, but because of the limited camera technology at the time and the fog of war, these "staged" photos actually give the viewer a chance to appreciate the trench-breaking tactics first employed by the Germans in a new light. The focus of the photos is obviously the equipment, but the images themselves are also a trove of faces, of long-forgotten men, whose expressions hint at everything from insanity to blood lust, to that much-discussed "thousand-yard stare." Some leaflets, advertisements, carte de visite, and other rare ephemera also add a nice touch to the collection. The book is mostly written in English, with some German loanwords preserved in the text ("Sturm" just sounds better than "Storm" doesn't it?). English is not the author's first language, and there are some typos and misspellings here and there, but that's a minor qualm. Recommended.

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great photos!

[Zare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent monograph on German elite front-line units from WW1. Outstanding clear black and white photographs that truly look great in this book format (it is basically a coffe table top book). Book covers everyhting in regard to assault units - from history (conception, early units, spread of new tactics through rest of the German army), notable commanders, tactics, equipment, armament and legacy (WW2 German army organization and operational doctrine were all the product of lessons learned from WW1).

Excellent book, highly recommended.