Das Reich: The Military Role of the 2nd SS Division

by James Sidney Lucas

The 2nd SS Division was an elite, highly trained fighting force that saw action in some of World War II's bloodiest battles. Especially in the Eastern front, these often included close-quarter, hand-to-hand combat. Starting with the organization and recruitment of the division and following it throughout the war, the story of this evil but powerful force unfolds through reminiscences by many of the unit's men, along with photographs and other memorabilia.

Genres: World War II, Germany, History, Military History, Nonfiction, War, Military Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Author and historian. Imperial War Museum, London, England, deputy head of department of photographs.

Mr. Lucas was a WWII veteran. He served with the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, First Battalion, North Africa, infantryman, 1942; Queens' Own Royal West Surrey Regiment, Italy, 1943-44; Occupation Army, Austria, 1945; Foreign Office, Germany.

Most of James Lucas's professional life was associated with war. First, he served in the Queen's Own Royal Army as a British soldier in World War II, stationed in Africa, Italy, and later in Austria. In 1960 he joined the staff of the Imperial War Museum in London, eventually becoming the deputy head of the department of photographs. After retiring from this position, Lucas took up a third career, that of an author and historian. His favorite topic was World War II, a subject about which he became a respected authority—not only among scholars, but, through his work as an adviser on film and television productions about the war, among the general public as well. According to a London Times obituary, Lucas examined "almost every aspect of the Nazi war machine …combining technical information with first-hand testimony and so producing a body of work unequalled in its breadth. Having fought the Third Reich's best troops through North Africa and Italy, he knew their tenacity and resourcefulness."

Lucas's writing style was not considered typical of war histories. "Humour and enthusiasm, combined with rigorous attention to detail, were the hallmarks of his style," reported the Times obituary writer. Lucas was a prolific writer upon his topic of choice; and he covered many different aspects of the war, often concentrating on the German side of the conflicts.

As his Times obituarist declared, Lucas "saw himself as an archivist, searching for the ordinary men in the heat of battle, playing their part in the bigger picture." Lucas died on June 19, 2002, at the age of seventy-eight.

Reviews

[Brett C · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one seemed disjointed between the 2nd SS Panzer Division, the French Resistance, and D-Day. I had a hard time following at times. Maybe it was just me and the author's style or else I would have given more stars.

[Charlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a quick read of sorts. Interesting but still lacked the kind of book to say it is a MUST read. Glad I read it though. In short it is a story built around the Military role of the 2nd SS Division. This was a tough Division.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This an interesting book, a telling of the Military Exploits of the SS Das Reich division in World War II. We follow the unit from its inception after the Polish War of 1939 to its disintegration in the maelstrom of 1945. Along the way we see France 1940, Yugoslavia/Greece 1941, and then Russia. Then back to Normandy in 1944, and then the Battle of the Bulge and the craziness of the ending to the Eastern Front, where the various parts of the Division came to fiery ends. The unfortunate thing is- the tone of the entire book is that of hero-worship. It seems that Mr. Lucas goes out of his way to downplay the egregious acts committed by this formation, and to make it seem as if they stood alone against the Red Menace, instead of being the venal murderers they clearly were. If you can deal with the Brown-Nosing to the Nazis, its a fine book. This book is really for the serious gamer/modeler/military enthusiast, who will enjoy it.

[Wenzl Schollum · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is what it claims to be- brief history of the 'Das Reich ' division. The major failure of this book is to write off the well documented atrocities committed by the Das Reich Division and offer a lame example of borrowing and returning a couple of horses to show how well the Germans got on with local population.

[David Howell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 2nd SS was known for its tenacity in battle and it's brutality. The most feared of Hitlers Legions was the Waffen SS and James Lucas does a good job of bringing to light Das Reich ,it's battles and its darker side

[Geoff W · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's absolutely amazing what these men did. What's even more incredible is how the Waffen SS came to be. If Germany had had more men and more material...

[Steven]

Good accounts of some individual battles. Worth the time.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follows the division from the pre-war period to post war. Not extremely in depth but an engaging narrative.