IN A RAGING INFERNO: Combat Units of the Hitler Youth 1944-45

by Hans Holzträger

Translated from German, In a Raging Inferno is the first English-language book ever to recount the story of the Hitler Youth and its combat role at the end of World War II. During the desperate final months of the Third Reich boys (and girls) as young as ten were thrown into action against the advancing British, American and Soviet armies, frequently fighting with a fanatical and suicidal fury.

The author examines the combat deployment of the Hitler Youth - on the Eastern Front, the Western Front, and in provinces outside the German Reich, in addition to providing a number of rare and fascinating combat reports.

Key Features
The three main sections of the book examine the combat deployment of the Hitler Youth in 1) areas outside the German Reich ; 2) the Eastern Front, and 3) the Western Front. Each section includes a number of chapters.

An additional section of the book describes the uniforms and equipment of the Hitler Youth combat units. Apart from detailed uniform notes, this features 4 pages of specially-commissioned colour artwork by artist Stephen Andrew (illustrator of the Osprey MAA series on the WWII German Army). This will be the most comprehensive study of its kind yet published.

Appendices include supplementary HJ combat reports, details of war crimes committed by HJ units, sample documents, and a detailed chronology.

A large number of previously unpublished photographs showing the Hitler Youth at war. We think some of the photos we've found are outstanding! Photographs include superb sequences taken in Lauban, Silesia, March 1945, and in Berlin, also March 1945.

The stunning colour artwork shows a wide array of the uniforms worn by the HJ during the last months of the war, and also portrays HJ members serving in the Army and Luftwaffe. We even show a BDM girl serving in HJ Regiment "Frankfurt/Oder", March 1945!

Genres: Nonfiction, Military History, History, Germany

148 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[JD · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes a look at the role the Hitler Youth played in combat against the Allies in the end days of World War 2. Most of the information comes from interviews with eye-witnesses as there are not many written reports that survived. It is interesting and heart-breaking to see how the blind belief in Hitler and victory for the Nazis made these boys fight fanatically and in lots of cases cost them their lives. The author does well to split the stories up into different sectors on both the eastern and the western fronts, and has some great details of some of the last fought battles of the war in Europe. Also included are some really good pictures where one can see how young these boys were (12-15 years old).

['Aussie Rick' · Rating 4 out of 5]

In A Raging Inferno is the true story of the combat units of the 'Hitler Youth' (Hitlerjugend) in the final year of World War Two. The author, who spent many years interviewing former members of the Hitler Youth, puts together a spellbinding story of these young boys and girls who were sent out to face the oncoming tanks of the Russian and Allied armies closing in on the borders of the Third Reich.

The unique photographs supplied within this book show boys as young as 10 armed with panzerfaust's waiting to meet advancing T-34 tanks. The story of what happened to these 'Hitler Youth' members is truly saddening. Many where never seen or heard from again and their fate can only be guessed at. Many of these children fought as hard as the combat veterans they were placed along side with in the foxholes and trenches defending the Reich.

Overall the author provides a truly spellbinding narrative of these "warrior children", the result is a fascinating and sometimes disturbing account packed with numerous first-hand accounts and rare photographs. The author has also provided a number of colour plates showing examples of clothing and equipment issued to the 'Hitler Youth'.