RaymondG
15th July 2008, 12:16
Background
My major inspiration as a historian was and is Swords holder Otto Weidinger. My general research and presentation style was influenced early by vol. 5 of the Taylor/Bender series "Uniforms of the Waffen-SS." Among my (numerous) favorite SS books are "Anatomy of the SS State" and "The Black Corps." My favorite (again from many) researchers and authors are George Nipe, John Moore, Ignacio Arrondo, Hugh Page Taylor, Georg Tessin, Andreas Schulz, Rudolf Lehmann, Otto Weidinger, and Wilhelm Tieke.
My interest is unit development and biographical research with obvious emphasis on “Das Reich” though I study all formations. When I started I had no contact with others interested in the topic, no Internet or computer, working with a typewriter. Also I nobody to ask where or how to start. I got the basic archive records groups from Stein’s “The Waffen-SS” footnotes and ordered catalogs from the National Archives (then in paper form). I then went to downtown Washington (College Park didn’t exist) for 3 days to view and order film, rolls were then under $20. I got all the “Das Reich” related film I could find, all Dienstalterliste, and promotion issues. The KTBs and Weidinger’s volumes often gave only a last name and used the initial material to match those stated in Weidinger’s divisional history as a start. Also bought negatives from DC and the Bundesarchiv that matched the PK photographers listed in Weidinger’s Bildband. Berlin Document Center was then restricted and I was refused access as not being a “bona fide scholar,” but was given access after being interviewed by two Congressmen to whom I proved actual knowledge and intent. Starting to order Personalakte, several thousand pages at a time, I taught myself to determine what documents were correct or not, sometimes 5-6 sheets giving different data for the same fact.
After a couple years of compiling material, eventually today six 5 drawer filing cabinets of folders on individuals and units, I contacted Otto Weidinger with a multi-page letter. Stating no political interest, my job, background, purpose, what I wanted to do, and requested permission to write. Other than a small number of requests for a signed photo, he had no prior contact with anyone from the US. He replied it was acceptable to write, but my goal was considered impossible. Only superficial books existed on KC holders, a partial name list of German Cross winners, and no bios of senior commanders existed at that time. I wanted to write complete bios of all award winners with recommendation texts, also element leaders and development of components created as an addendum to his 5 volumes operational text. I gave Weidinger his Vorschlagsliste, which he hadn’t seen and nobody else bothered to give him. I returned the money he then sent for the copies, feeling they were his and I wanted nothing for doing something right. That was untypical of his generations view of Americans whom they considered only doing something for money.
I used KTBs, wound/KIA reports, Weidinger's volumes, DAL, and other data to create the first commander and staff lists. The division had no archive and authors for Munin were given what the Bundesarchiv had to do their books as a free contribution (no royalty). Once I’d proven my sincerity and determination, Weidinger began giving me contact with others. Staff, element commanders, etc who tried to recall who they replaced or anything else to find pieces of the puzzle. For over 5 years I averaged over 800 postal letters a year, some men having letters written home that survived or diaries correcting the data in their BDC files as to actual dates, assignments, etc. Folders were created for each man’s correspondence and it was a lot to keep track of regards what asked who, etc. Weidinger’s file folders have over 400 multi page letters, obviously we became very close. I found commanders nobody then living remembered or saw, photos of many, etc. I shared everything with them. Oakleaves winner Karl Kreutz turned over all his notes which I added to in volume and returned on his unit (artillery). Ia, IIa, and Ic officers and I compared notes and lists for the staff over a LONG time. Hermann Buch, son of Obergruppenführer Walter Buch, had written a history of the Kradschützen Bataillon that I added to so much he rewrote it. They brought me to Germany for the “Der Führer” reunion, taking piles of photos and data they hadn’t seen and began more exchanges to ID men in photos, add dates, share personal material, Xeroxes, etc. It expanded to all units and among those I was introduced were more than a dozen divisional commanders, more than 100 KC holders, and hundreds of lower commanders, German Cross holders, etc.
Weidinger was a successful businessman postwar, I wrote his biography during this time and gave him the manuscript simply as a birthday gift since I couldn’t think of any store bought item he would need or want but not already have. It was later published. I later did Otto Kumm’s for the same reason and eventually Ernst Krag’s was published. I wanted to do individual biographies of 2 other close friends too, Otto Baum and Hans Kempin. The full data I had could not fill a book alone so I did the two “Waffen-SS Commanders” volumes simply to be able to record them. “Knights of Steel,” “Waffen-SS Commanders,” and the two recent German Cross in Gold holder books on “Das Reich are, in combination with Weidinger’s volumes, the most complete data on the men and operations of an SS division I’m aware of. Weidinger and Kumm recommended me for the HIAG Ehrennadel in Gold for research of their unit simply for the pure concept of wanting to know about them and record them for posterity, the first time an American was given the award.
I attended the next “Der Führer” reunion after Weidinger passed away, Otto Kumm read from my biography of Weidinger at the eulogy. I still stay in contact with Weidinger’s widow, and still research for the same reasons and goals. The current German Cross books and the older “Knights of Steel” volumes are the only books done to date detailing those award winners, the amount of data I’ve now recorded for them far exceeding the more written about Knight’s Cross holders. Many of them are included as they won both awards. I’ve been honored to have significant personalities write forewords for several books, including Knight’s Cross holders Otto Baum, Otto Weidinger, Siegfried Brosow, Ernst August Krag, and Ernst Barkmann.
In looking back, I was too naive to see the scope of the undertaking or the time and needed effort involved, but as long as it was accomplished that’s all that matters. I’ve never done time schedules of accepted offers involving deadlines or restricted level of detail, when I’m done with a project is when it’s done. To me it’s made sense to be complete enough that further books are not done on the topic as not enough new material can be added to what has been written to warrant a new text. I was also able to assist with other Waffen-SS veteran projects including the histories of the "Leibstandarte" “Horst Wessel,“ "Totenkopf," and individual engineer battalion studies compiled by the veteran comprised Pionierkameradschaft “Dresden.“ I’ve also been asked to do a number of forewords by other authors as well as contributing to numerous other projects. The format I created for “Knights of Steel” has proven popular with later authors. I gave Weidinger my word in my initial letter that I’d accomplish what I said and have done that. He was and still is my motivation.
In addition to SS topics, my relax reading covers a variety of other WWII topics. I’ve studied aeronautical development of the period and have more than 600 volumes on Japanese, US, German, and British aircraft of the period. Some 400 other volumes encompass political and paramilitary topics and personalities, primarily German.
Best wishes
Mark
My major inspiration as a historian was and is Swords holder Otto Weidinger. My general research and presentation style was influenced early by vol. 5 of the Taylor/Bender series "Uniforms of the Waffen-SS." Among my (numerous) favorite SS books are "Anatomy of the SS State" and "The Black Corps." My favorite (again from many) researchers and authors are George Nipe, John Moore, Ignacio Arrondo, Hugh Page Taylor, Georg Tessin, Andreas Schulz, Rudolf Lehmann, Otto Weidinger, and Wilhelm Tieke.
My interest is unit development and biographical research with obvious emphasis on “Das Reich” though I study all formations. When I started I had no contact with others interested in the topic, no Internet or computer, working with a typewriter. Also I nobody to ask where or how to start. I got the basic archive records groups from Stein’s “The Waffen-SS” footnotes and ordered catalogs from the National Archives (then in paper form). I then went to downtown Washington (College Park didn’t exist) for 3 days to view and order film, rolls were then under $20. I got all the “Das Reich” related film I could find, all Dienstalterliste, and promotion issues. The KTBs and Weidinger’s volumes often gave only a last name and used the initial material to match those stated in Weidinger’s divisional history as a start. Also bought negatives from DC and the Bundesarchiv that matched the PK photographers listed in Weidinger’s Bildband. Berlin Document Center was then restricted and I was refused access as not being a “bona fide scholar,” but was given access after being interviewed by two Congressmen to whom I proved actual knowledge and intent. Starting to order Personalakte, several thousand pages at a time, I taught myself to determine what documents were correct or not, sometimes 5-6 sheets giving different data for the same fact.
After a couple years of compiling material, eventually today six 5 drawer filing cabinets of folders on individuals and units, I contacted Otto Weidinger with a multi-page letter. Stating no political interest, my job, background, purpose, what I wanted to do, and requested permission to write. Other than a small number of requests for a signed photo, he had no prior contact with anyone from the US. He replied it was acceptable to write, but my goal was considered impossible. Only superficial books existed on KC holders, a partial name list of German Cross winners, and no bios of senior commanders existed at that time. I wanted to write complete bios of all award winners with recommendation texts, also element leaders and development of components created as an addendum to his 5 volumes operational text. I gave Weidinger his Vorschlagsliste, which he hadn’t seen and nobody else bothered to give him. I returned the money he then sent for the copies, feeling they were his and I wanted nothing for doing something right. That was untypical of his generations view of Americans whom they considered only doing something for money.
I used KTBs, wound/KIA reports, Weidinger's volumes, DAL, and other data to create the first commander and staff lists. The division had no archive and authors for Munin were given what the Bundesarchiv had to do their books as a free contribution (no royalty). Once I’d proven my sincerity and determination, Weidinger began giving me contact with others. Staff, element commanders, etc who tried to recall who they replaced or anything else to find pieces of the puzzle. For over 5 years I averaged over 800 postal letters a year, some men having letters written home that survived or diaries correcting the data in their BDC files as to actual dates, assignments, etc. Folders were created for each man’s correspondence and it was a lot to keep track of regards what asked who, etc. Weidinger’s file folders have over 400 multi page letters, obviously we became very close. I found commanders nobody then living remembered or saw, photos of many, etc. I shared everything with them. Oakleaves winner Karl Kreutz turned over all his notes which I added to in volume and returned on his unit (artillery). Ia, IIa, and Ic officers and I compared notes and lists for the staff over a LONG time. Hermann Buch, son of Obergruppenführer Walter Buch, had written a history of the Kradschützen Bataillon that I added to so much he rewrote it. They brought me to Germany for the “Der Führer” reunion, taking piles of photos and data they hadn’t seen and began more exchanges to ID men in photos, add dates, share personal material, Xeroxes, etc. It expanded to all units and among those I was introduced were more than a dozen divisional commanders, more than 100 KC holders, and hundreds of lower commanders, German Cross holders, etc.
Weidinger was a successful businessman postwar, I wrote his biography during this time and gave him the manuscript simply as a birthday gift since I couldn’t think of any store bought item he would need or want but not already have. It was later published. I later did Otto Kumm’s for the same reason and eventually Ernst Krag’s was published. I wanted to do individual biographies of 2 other close friends too, Otto Baum and Hans Kempin. The full data I had could not fill a book alone so I did the two “Waffen-SS Commanders” volumes simply to be able to record them. “Knights of Steel,” “Waffen-SS Commanders,” and the two recent German Cross in Gold holder books on “Das Reich are, in combination with Weidinger’s volumes, the most complete data on the men and operations of an SS division I’m aware of. Weidinger and Kumm recommended me for the HIAG Ehrennadel in Gold for research of their unit simply for the pure concept of wanting to know about them and record them for posterity, the first time an American was given the award.
I attended the next “Der Führer” reunion after Weidinger passed away, Otto Kumm read from my biography of Weidinger at the eulogy. I still stay in contact with Weidinger’s widow, and still research for the same reasons and goals. The current German Cross books and the older “Knights of Steel” volumes are the only books done to date detailing those award winners, the amount of data I’ve now recorded for them far exceeding the more written about Knight’s Cross holders. Many of them are included as they won both awards. I’ve been honored to have significant personalities write forewords for several books, including Knight’s Cross holders Otto Baum, Otto Weidinger, Siegfried Brosow, Ernst August Krag, and Ernst Barkmann.
In looking back, I was too naive to see the scope of the undertaking or the time and needed effort involved, but as long as it was accomplished that’s all that matters. I’ve never done time schedules of accepted offers involving deadlines or restricted level of detail, when I’m done with a project is when it’s done. To me it’s made sense to be complete enough that further books are not done on the topic as not enough new material can be added to what has been written to warrant a new text. I was also able to assist with other Waffen-SS veteran projects including the histories of the "Leibstandarte" “Horst Wessel,“ "Totenkopf," and individual engineer battalion studies compiled by the veteran comprised Pionierkameradschaft “Dresden.“ I’ve also been asked to do a number of forewords by other authors as well as contributing to numerous other projects. The format I created for “Knights of Steel” has proven popular with later authors. I gave Weidinger my word in my initial letter that I’d accomplish what I said and have done that. He was and still is my motivation.
In addition to SS topics, my relax reading covers a variety of other WWII topics. I’ve studied aeronautical development of the period and have more than 600 volumes on Japanese, US, German, and British aircraft of the period. Some 400 other volumes encompass political and paramilitary topics and personalities, primarily German.
Best wishes
Mark