Concord Publications

White Hell: The German Army Faces the Russian Winter

by  Gordon Rottman & Stephen Andrew
Reviewed By  Dennis Tennant, IPMS# 41582

[book cover image]

MSRP: $15.95
ISBN: 962-361-152-8
Website: www.dragonmodelsusa.com

This small title packs a lot of visual information for the modeler. Although there’s only a two-page overview of the German experience on the Eastern Front, don’t feel cheated. After all, the whole point of the book is to display its photos. Relying on 52 pages packed with 136 black-and-white photos from the Eastern Front, the book provides a glimpse into the world of the German soldier in Russia…in winter. Four full-color plates are also included to provide some color information about the drab uniforms worn on this front.

Like many Concord Publications (the Panzer Vor! series, for example) books, this one is built around soldier snapshots made during the winter campaigns of 1941-45, providing an accurate and previously unseen look at their daily life. artillery, Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe, mounted cavalry and ski troops are documented performing a variety of tasks ranging from trench digging to sentry duty to actual combat. For diorama builders, the photos will provide plenty of ideas for future projects.

While there are photos of armor and other AFVs, this title’s emphasis is on the soldier and the weapons used and clothing worn in coping with the harsh environment of Russia. The photos are unique and most, if not all, were unpublished until now.

The photos are sharp and are printed on high quality, glossy paper. I was able to easily discern small details in the photos and it’s obvious that the digital scans used in making the book were made by people who knew what they were doing. I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the photos and reading the lengthy captions. When finished, I had a better appreciation of what it would have been like to serve on the Eastern Front. This book will be a welcome addition to my library of WWII references.

Thanks to Concord Publications and Dragon Models USA for providing the IPMS with this review copy.

[review image] [review image] [review image]