The SS Totenkopf (Death Head) Division even 70 years on retains its formidable and ruthless reputation as a superbly efficient yet murderous formation. It earned this for its actions throughout the Second World War, first in 1940 during the blitzkrieg in Northern France and then on the Eastern Front. The battles at Kharkov and Kurst saw some of the fiercest fighting of that long and terrible campaign. During the long retreat back to the Fatherland the Division fought with customary dogged determination, nay fanaticism.

This superbly illustrated work, drawing on images taken by participants, portrays the SS Totenkopfs history from formation through training to the battles in northern France and in Russia.

Ian Baxter is a military historian who specialises in German twentieth-century military history. He has written more than fifty books. He has also reviewed numerous military studies for publication, supplied thousands of photographs and important documents to various publishers and film production companies worldwide, and lectures to various schools, colleges and universities throughout the United Kingdom and Southern Ireland.