Waffen-SS KURSK 1943 Volume 6 (Archive Series) Hardcover – January 30, 2006

This book is a combination of excellent production quality and field quality research. It is actually an easy read with essential photograph captions embellished at the very end of the book in great detail. The equipment descriptions are utterly accurate as well as system employment characterizations unique to the Battle of Kursk. The presentation is built by actual recovered archives that survived a German records destruction attempt. The author is well organized with a table of photographer names and the photographic equipment used, and nothing beyond bring out what is there is added to the photographs themselves in the restoring process. The research is also concerned with getting at the truth of this WW2 operation instead of promoting any single agenda. There is a special focus on the most significant actions involved in the most intense area of combat that occurred at Prochorowka. In addition, the author includes the German photographers's concern with the human side of combat by including those photographs in the collection. It is difficult to think of how the book could be improved upon. The only thing I can think to say is that since its original publication date, Artificial Intelligence(AI) colorization technology has become available and may generate exciting results. Since AI colorization is machine-driven, I believe the case can be made that there is no subjectivity involved to colorize these photographs. Given this recent technology, a 2nd edition could show the original black and white photographs on the left, and the AI colorized version on the right. Although this is my first book in the series, I am impressed enough to say that it is worth every penny and my highest recommendation so far for any Kursk book in print. I learned a lot about this battle the way the book was put together.

These books are an excellent series. Some great in action photos and a great many of individual shots of Waffen SS soldiers and Soviet prisoners taken during the battle. These are not the usual heroic shots but of normal men and they are very haunting. To see SS men and Soviets as real soldiers and real men and not the stereotypical view we are used to seeing was as I said a very haunting experience. There are some who may find that very boring as they want photos of panzers racing across fields of burning tanks maybe disappointed. Still there are some great shots of armour, half tracks and artillery are included for those who are looking for a kit to build. If you're a serious historian who is looking for something a little deeper than shots of tanks then buys these books and look into the eyes of these men who fought the battle and are all now gone from the earth. Highly recommended.

I have bought three volumes of this series. It's pretty much what others have mentioned. A lot of personal type photos. I found some interesting while others very boring. What is the purpose of showing the close up shots of Asian POWs? As if anyone does not know that the Soviet Union was made up of many nationalities not just Slavs. I almost sensed some racial overtone. A sense of Germanic superiority over the Soviets. If that were the case then the Germans would have won the war on the eastern front or better yet this particular battle. You would never know the Germans failed to achieve their strategic goals from looking through this book.

I purchased all 6 books in the series, at the time of writing this I had received Vol 3 to 6, the photos are all in black and white none of which I had seen before quality is good with a basic caption under each photo and a more detail information regarding the photo and what stage of the battle is at the rear.

Like all of the books in this archive series, The picture and captions are interesting. The pictures transfer the feelings of the battle as best has any I have seen.

Waffen-SS Kursk 1943, Volume 6, by Remy Spezzano, is part of an astounding series devoted to photographs of the largest tank battle in history. The publisher has every right to be proud of this series: Using 28 rolls of recently discovered combat film, it has assembled a collection of unique, informative, and evocative images.The book begins with a very brief summary of Operation Citadel, the German army's last major offensive against Russia, but the reader needs no knowledge of the battle. The pictures here are universal in what they convey, and the explanatory notes are compact and informative.Many of the pictures are quite unlike the usual images one finds even in comprehensive pictorial books. Some of the photos, such as the SS NCO comforting a duckling, impart a sense of humanity to those who may not deserve it. A very highly recommended series.

great book