In a Raging Inferno

Combat Units of the Hitler Youth 1944-45

Hans Holzträger

• Publisher: Helion and Company
• Year: 2008
• eBook ISBN: 9781908916181
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: World War II
• Index: History

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 A large number of previously unpublished photographs showing the Hitler Youth at war.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!

Table of contents

• Cover
• Contents
• Publishers’ note
• Foreword
• Introduction
• Maps
• Combat Uniforms of the Hitler Youth 1944–45
• PartI Combat Deployment of the Hitler Youth Outside the German Reich
• PartII Combat Deployment of the Hitler Youth on the Eastern Front
• PartIII Combat Deployment of the Hitler Youth on the Western Front
• I Chronology, 1944–45
• II Supplementary Hitler Youth combat reports
• III Hitler Youth crimes during the closing phase of the Second World War
• IV Additional report relating to the executions carried out by Hitler Youth in Reichenau, April–May 1945
• V Lower Saxon Hitler Youth propaganda leaflet, 1945
• VI German propaganda leaflet, 1945
• VII Soviet propaganda leaflet directed at Hitler Youth fighting in defence of Breslau, 1945
• VIII German propaganda leaflet, Breslau, 1945
• IX A view of the “other side”
• Glossary
• Bibliography
• eBooks Published by Helion & Company