The 4th Waffen-SS

MASSIMILIANO AFIERO

The full title of this large, glossy book includes Panzergrenadier Division “Polizei” and it’s an illustrated history. As the name suggests, it started by drawing manpower from the civilian police force as well as the army. It was a second line unit initially, operating in France with just light weaponry, but, in 1942, became a fully fledged WaffenSS division.

The story starts with the formation of the division but really gets going when it’s transferred to the Eastern Front, including fighting at Lake Lagoda and around Leningrad, all the way down to Budapest and Greece before fighting it out in the streets of Berlin.

There are copious photos, lots of maps, though some are illegible, and interesting elements for collectors such as cuff titles, unit commanders, the war diary, order of battle etc. It’s a big, heavily illustrated guide to a little known division.

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• Schiffer Publishing

• ISBN 978-0-7643-6170-8

• 244 pages • Hardback • £45.99