Hitler’s Home Guard:
Volkssturmmann, Western Front, 1944-45

Reviewed by John Prigent

Summary

FirstRead

The Volkssturm is well-known, but this is the first decent account of it that this reviewer has seen.

It was organised as a levee en masse, with every available man not already in the services swept into it unless in essential employment or totally incapable of being useful.

The organisation into district and town units is described here, and the story of a typical man is followed from initial recruitment to being sent to the front line, capture and eventual return home.

Uniforms and arms were often lacking, and fighting capacity was low because little training was possible, but they did what they could and hoped to survive combat if it came.

With plenty of photographs and splendid plates this is a good reference to have on the bookshelf.

Recommended
 

Thanks to Osprey Publishing for the review sample