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Tiger Battalion 507: Eyewitness Accounts from Hitler's Regiment
'May the army of millions of dead of all nations bear witness to humanity for the hope that future generations may learn to discard war as the best way to resolve their differences.' - Helmut Schneider This is the little-known story of Heavy Panzer (Tiger) Battalion 507 told through the recollections of the men who fought with the unit. The book was conceived during a reunion of the '507' at Rohrdorf in 1982, where it was agreed to set up an editorial committee under Helmut Schneider, himself a veteran of the battalion, to search for as many survivors of the unit as possible and gather their reminiscences. The resulting account is a treasure trove of first-hand material, from personal memories, diary entries and letters to leave passes, wartime newspaper cuttings, Wehrmacht bulletins and more than 160 photographs. The account follows the unit from its formation in 1943 and the catastrophic events on the Eastern Front, through battles on the Western Front and engagements against the American 3rd Armoured Division to the confusion of retreat, panic-stricken flight and Soviet captivity in the closing stages of the war. Honest and unflinching, this remarkable collection of autobiographies offers a glimpse into life in Hitler's panzer division and is a stark testimony of a generation that sacrificed its best years to the war. This is the first English-language translation of the work.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 23, 2021
Excellent work on the adventures of a German heavy panzer unit on the East Front in 1944 to 1945. Reminiscenses of members of the unit extremely well presented. Highly recommended reading for all students of WWII, especially those interested in armour.
August 28, 2023
Fewer than 2,000 Tiger tanks were produced during the Second World War and yet both the Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E. and its successor the Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B, the Königstiger, acquired an iconic status during the conflict. This fascination has not diminished over time despite the passing of most of those who encountered them on the battlefield. Much has been written about these iconic tanks during the intervening years. In the opinion of this reviewer however, few books - if any, do the topic more justice than this one.
The Heavy Panzer Battalion 507 was formed in 1943, equipped with Tiger 1s and saw extensive service on the Eastern Front before re-equipping with Tiger IIs in 1945 and fighting for the last time during the defence of Paderborn, Germany. In the 1980s the surviving veterans of Battalion 507 pooled their diaries, memoirs and photographs having observed that much of their story would otherwise have been lost to posterity. The collection was brought together into a coherent narrative by one of their number – Helmut Schneider. As is almost always the case with such books little is said about the odious cause for which these men fought however the collection does give a fascinating and comprehensive account of the Battalion’s history.
Aside from richly detailed descriptions of most of the actions that the Battalion was involved with, the reader gets real insight into the day-to-day trials and tribulations of an elite unit which remained disciplined and effective right until the very end of hostilities. Within the text, to a large extent the plaudits go to the men who recovered and fixed the tanks thus keeping the unit operational against desperate odds and in the most difficult of circumstances. It was only when the workshops were unable to function, the recovery vehicles became scarce and the logistics broke down that the fighting ability of the unit began to fall away.
The chapters are presented in chronological order starting with the Tarnopol – Brody – Kowel operation undertaken in the aftermath of the Red Army’s Kutuzov offensive. Subsequent chapters cover the battles to reduce the Narew Bridgeheads, the ineffective River Dnieper defensive line, the withdrawal to the Vistula and then the refit and final battles in the heart of the Reich. The excellent foreword, which gives extremely useful context, is by the renowned military historian Robert Forczyk (whom I have worked with on a couple of projects). The quality of pictures that accompany the text is superb. The images are almost all from the veteran’s collections and they are varied, interesting and well presented. Unlike many such collections, specific locations are given along with detailed descriptions – including, in many instances, the men shown.
In summary, this is an excellent book – comprehensive, entertaining and educational. For anyone wanting to know why the Tiger was so feared on the battlefield and how these heavyweight leviathans were used to such good effect in the final years of the war they need look no further. The engineering was one thing and the Tiger’s fearsome reputation was another – but what really made the difference was the men who operated, recovered and fixed these tanks. Tiger Battalion 507 is a definitive record which will serve both amateur tank enthusiasts and academics. Recommended.
The Heavy Panzer Battalion 507 was formed in 1943, equipped with Tiger 1s and saw extensive service on the Eastern Front before re-equipping with Tiger IIs in 1945 and fighting for the last time during the defence of Paderborn, Germany. In the 1980s the surviving veterans of Battalion 507 pooled their diaries, memoirs and photographs having observed that much of their story would otherwise have been lost to posterity. The collection was brought together into a coherent narrative by one of their number – Helmut Schneider. As is almost always the case with such books little is said about the odious cause for which these men fought however the collection does give a fascinating and comprehensive account of the Battalion’s history.
Aside from richly detailed descriptions of most of the actions that the Battalion was involved with, the reader gets real insight into the day-to-day trials and tribulations of an elite unit which remained disciplined and effective right until the very end of hostilities. Within the text, to a large extent the plaudits go to the men who recovered and fixed the tanks thus keeping the unit operational against desperate odds and in the most difficult of circumstances. It was only when the workshops were unable to function, the recovery vehicles became scarce and the logistics broke down that the fighting ability of the unit began to fall away.
The chapters are presented in chronological order starting with the Tarnopol – Brody – Kowel operation undertaken in the aftermath of the Red Army’s Kutuzov offensive. Subsequent chapters cover the battles to reduce the Narew Bridgeheads, the ineffective River Dnieper defensive line, the withdrawal to the Vistula and then the refit and final battles in the heart of the Reich. The excellent foreword, which gives extremely useful context, is by the renowned military historian Robert Forczyk (whom I have worked with on a couple of projects). The quality of pictures that accompany the text is superb. The images are almost all from the veteran’s collections and they are varied, interesting and well presented. Unlike many such collections, specific locations are given along with detailed descriptions – including, in many instances, the men shown.
In summary, this is an excellent book – comprehensive, entertaining and educational. For anyone wanting to know why the Tiger was so feared on the battlefield and how these heavyweight leviathans were used to such good effect in the final years of the war they need look no further. The engineering was one thing and the Tiger’s fearsome reputation was another – but what really made the difference was the men who operated, recovered and fixed these tanks. Tiger Battalion 507 is a definitive record which will serve both amateur tank enthusiasts and academics. Recommended.
November 21, 2020
Good information about withdrawal from Eastern Europe
Very good information regarding crews and their Panzer tanks. Not a story regarding a central theme but mainly input from crewmembers.
Very good information regarding crews and their Panzer tanks. Not a story regarding a central theme but mainly input from crewmembers.
July 19, 2024
Detailed history of 507 Tiger Battalion
Many rare & infrequently published photographs of the 507th Tigers and crews. Details of tank commanders & fate of their tanks. Informative and easy reading.
Many rare & infrequently published photographs of the 507th Tigers and crews. Details of tank commanders & fate of their tanks. Informative and easy reading.
December 4, 2025
Excellent story of German soldiers in WW2
An extremely important historical documentation of the German Soldiers perspective of battle during WW2. An excellent read you will enjoy and find educational.
An extremely important historical documentation of the German Soldiers perspective of battle during WW2. An excellent read you will enjoy and find educational.
August 9, 2022
Not quite a history, but rather a series of connected narratives
March 2, 2023
Usual account of the action from the German perspective.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews