From the Realm of a Dying Sun. Volume 2: Volume II: the Iv. Ss-Panzerkorps in the Budapest Relief Efforts, December 1944-February 1945

On Christmas Eve 1944, the men of the IV SS-Panzerkorps were preparing to celebrate the occasion when they received a telephone call that would take them from the Vistula Front to the front lines in Hungary to relieve Budapest. Despite overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles, their final attack was called off at the last minute, sealing the fate of hundreds of thousands of Hungarians and Germans. The only course of action remaining was to dig in and protect the Hungarian oilfields.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 552 pages
\n Publication date: 20 November 2020
\n Publisher: Casemate Publishers
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On the night of Christmas Eve, 1944, the men of the IV SS-Panzerkorps found themselves in a state of anticipation and celebration, taking advantage of a brief respite from the fighting that had engulfed Warsaw. With hearts filled with the spirit of the season, they eagerly anticipated the opportunity to partake in the most cherished German holiday, filled with the finest Christmas dinner their field kitchens could prepare in the midst of the fifth year of the war. Their unwavering determination and sacrifices had earned them this moment of respite, and troops from the corps headquarters, headquarters troops, and its two divisions, the 3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf" and the 5th SS Panzer Division "Wiking," were filled with anticipation for the holiday's gifts and the chance to share a bottle of schnapps or wine with their comrades. However, their plans were abruptly disrupted when the corps commander, SS-Obergruppenführer Herbert Otto Gille, received a telephone call that would change the course of their destiny. The news was shocking and unexpected: the 35,000 men of his corps would be boarding express trains the following day, embarking on a journey that would take them from the relative calm of the Vistula Front to the front lines in Hungary, hundreds of kilometers away. Their mission: to relieve Budapest!

The IV SS-Panzerkorps had been thrust into the heart of the Hungarian theater of war, where it would play a pivotal role in the three attempts to raise the siege of that fateful city. Threatened by both their high command and the forces of the Soviet Union, Gille and his troops faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their relentless pursuit of rescuing the city's garrison. Despite their unwavering determination, their final attack was called off at the last minute, leaving them mere kilometers away from the objective they had strived for nearly a month. The disappointment and frustration that washed over them were palpable, as they realized that their efforts had been in vain, sealing the fate of hundreds of thousands of Hungarians.

The men of the IV SS-Panzerkorps had given their all in their mission to relieve Budapest, and their sacrifice would not be forgotten. Their bravery and resilience in the face of adversity showcased the unwavering spirit of the German military, and their determination to protect their homeland and fellow soldiers would inspire generations to come. Though the siege of Budapest ultimately ended in defeat, the men of the IV SS-Panzerkorps left a lasting legacy that would forever be etched in the annals of history.

\n Weight: 910g\n
Dimension: 165 x 236 x 36 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781612008738\n \n