Books, Bender Publications

"The world's most beautiful uniform” is one contemporary description given to the Waffenrock. It was the most formal of the German Army uniforms, reserved for parades and ceremonial occasions. 87 examples of this important uniform are portrayed in beautiful, full-color professional photography…illustrating every branch-of-service Waffenfarbe for enlisted men, NCOs and officers. Included are rare uniforms such as worn by chaplains, Nebelwerfer smoke troops and the “Grossdeutschland” Regiment. Details of their insignia, interior markings and tailoring are covered for each uniform. Additionally, there are 300 crisp period photos showing the proper and improper wear of the Waffenrock. This massive “gem” of a publication comes in a beautiful, heavy-duty slipcase.

592 pages - large 8-1/2 x 11 format

1,140 photos, most in stunning color

deluxe binding with slipcase

Otto Skorzeny only rose to the rank of Colonel in the SS, yet is one of the best known and colorful figures of the Third Reich, in large part because of the faith Hitler had in the tall Austrian engineer. Many books have been written about his career, to include autobiographies, but before he died in 1975 he personally entrusted Bender Publishing with the formidable task of producing the most detailed, up-dated and best illustrated version of his incredible life story. A quarter of a century later, after painstaking research into the text and a hunt for unpublished illustrations, the ultimate story of “Scarface” Skorzeny, “the most dangerous man in Europe” and Hitler's “commando extraordinary” is finally available. Complete with an exhaustive index, providing biographical details not found in the text, this is likely to be the last word on this larger than life personality, one of the great characters of World War II.

528 pages, 248 photos, deluxe binding

Leaders of the SS & German Police,

Volume I: Ahrens to Gutenberg

by Michael Miller

Himmler's general officers were a diverse and fascinating group of men, consisting of brillliant and not-so-brilliant military strategists, highly educated members of the legal and medical professions, and yes, mass murderers on a grand scale. This first volume provides detained biographical sketches and photos of 71 senior leaders of the SS and German Police. You will know promotion dates, every position held during their career, decorations received, postwar prosecution, and personal data like family, religion, etc. For the autograph collector examples of signatures are also provided.

498 pages

288 photos / 51illustrations

deluxe binding

TANK KILLERS

Thomas Breyette & Roger Bender

This book covers the inception of anti-tank warfare on an individual basis in WWI, and its evolution through the last desperate days of May 1945. Full color obverse and reverse views are presented of issue and variant badges, to include embroidered and field-made styles. A fakes and reproductions chapter will help you detect bogus pieces. The method of wear is detailed for the wartime period as well as by recipients later in the Bundeswehr. Award documents plus Soldbuch/Wehrpass entries are studied. Recipients of the Hitler Youth, Volkssturm and Navy are also covered. Biographies and photos of 75 recipients help portray the heroism required to be awarded this badge. This book concludes with an excelent overview of all the weapons, both issued and makeshift, ulilized by Germany's "Tank Killers"

144 pages - 312 illustrations (badges in color) - soft cover

After numerous years of intensive research, this study is the most inclusive ever done on the subject. Manufacturing styles are explained, detailed obverse and reverse photos of every known buckle and their multiple varieties are shown, and the complex identification of brocade belts is covered in full color. All this is in a massive 656 page book with over 2,000 detailed photos. You will never need another book on belt buckles! Topics include: manufacturing techniques, information about all known manufacturers, an informative section about reproductions, and other important items.

656 pages - over 2,000 photos (all brocades in color) - deluxe binding

After six years of rewriting because of incredible new information discovered in the former East Germany, we are proud to announce this massive volume on political headgear. The complexities of this subject are unraveled with dates of introduction, of insignia changes, and a historical background showing headgear evolution from the 1920s to 1945. Order now and enjoy a feast for the eyes with this third volume's hundreds of unpublished photographs. Of special significance is a 60 page full-color addendum for ease of recognition.

Chris Armold

From the author of "Steel Pots: The History of America's Steel Combat Helmets" comes "Painted Steel: Steel Pots, Vol. II." This companion volume features detailed chapters on painted and unit marked helments of WWI and WWII, plus a variety of divisional, regimental and subordinate markings. Special full-color plates detail subordinate unit markings such as the tactical markings used by the U.S. 2nd Division in WWI. In addition, insignia and specialty markings such as USN beach battalion, Army engineers, medics, MP and airborne division tactical markings are examined. For those interested in American armored forces, a complete chapter is devoted to the history of the U.S. tank and combat vehicle crewman's helmet from WWI to present. Other chapters provide tips on reproductions and fake representations of U.S. helmets and accessories. With over 1,000 photos and images (many in color), "Painted Steel" will be a prized addition to any collector's reference bookshelf.

384 pages - 1,053 photos (hundreds in color) - deluxe binding

This volume, written by the world's foremost authority on Russian combat helmets, is the first comprehensive study of the most ubiquitous helmets of the twentieth century. "Russian Helmets" provides the keys to accurate identification of the various models of Russian and Soviet helmets, from steel to exotic metals and composite fiber. It is a comprehensive history of each model issued in any significant number to the troops; in addition it notes numerous rare experimental models and evaluates their contrubution to the evolution of subsequent production models. Included are never before published photos of the various models as well as cutaway drawings and diagrams. This book provides a reliable comprehensive reference for every serious helmet collector or student of twentieth century warfare.

128 pages -161 photos (most in color) -deluxe binding

Aaron L. Johnson

This work photographically covers the various headquarters from which Hitler conducted the German military effort during WWII. It also details all of his movements during the course of the war. Besides numerous unpublished photos and maps, material concerning the composition of Hitler's headquarters, its guards, plus its higher military and political staffs are included. The headquarters covered are the: Fuhrersonderzug, "Adlerhorst," "Felsennest," "Wolfsschlucht," "Tannenberg," "Berghof," "Fruhlingssturm," "Wolfsschanze," "Wehrwolf," "Wiesenthal" and the Berlin Reichs Chancellery. An incredible tool for the historian and researcher!

240 pages - 391 photos - deluxe binding

Packed with hundreds of color photographs, detailed specification diagrams and supported with meticulously researched data, this book takes the reader on a fascinating visual journey covering 80 years of American helmet design and development. From the classic Model 1917 "Doughboy" helmet to the distinctive ballistic "Kelvar" helmet, Steel Pots will introduce you to over 50 American helmet variations. Also, rare WWI experimental helmets to specialized WWII aircrew anti-flak helmets, plus liners, suspensions, chinstraps, camouflage covers, nets and even helmet radios! OUT OF PRINT

By George T. Wheeler

Contains full information on Weimar and Nazi bayonets as well as their accompanying knots and frogs. This book illustrates re-issued German and foreign bayonets utilized by both the Reichswehr and the Wehrmacht, and details the progression of newly manufactured bayonets produced after Hitler's rise to power. Photographs illustrate rarely seen bayonets worn by the Polizei, Reichsbahn, Postschutz, Hitler Jugend, and other civil and political organizations. German modified bayonets from Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, Poland, and other occupied countries are pictured and described. A color photograph section sorts out the confusion clouding bayonet knots. This book clears up the controversy that surrounds the Justizbeamte, HJ and Feldjager Seitengewehre; and it shows how to detect fakes. Contains an up-to-date price guide which gives current valuation of various Imperial, Weimar, and Nazi bayonets.

320 pages - over 480 photos - deluxe binding

By Klaus J. Peters

Vol. 2 of this series continues the in depth photo study with bi-lingual text (English/German) of Fallschirmjäger - Rgt. 3 during its participation in the bloody Crete campaign, action at the Neva River (Russia), the 1st Battalion in Africa, the second mission in Russia, the jump on Sicily, the battle for Cassino and the final struggles in central and northern Italy. The unit's Knight's Cross and German Cross holders are listed and illustrated.

By Adrian Forman

After several years of intense research by Adrian Forman, Volume 1 of his "document price guide" is now available to compliment his popular 2nd Edition of "Forman's Guide to Third Rech German Awards...and Their Values." This heavily illustrated book not only shows certificates/documents for every award illustrated in the 2nd Edition, but also numerous variations and their current values. The many variants will show comparisons of official stamps and printing styles, and original or facsimile signatures in relation to date, plus, the many types of design and size. An absolute "must have" if your interest is Third Reich decorations!

By Adrian Forman

This second volume of the series continues the coverage of the 3rd Reich military documents and all politacal and civil documents from the Orders of the German Eagle through the Female Railway Staff Service Badge. As before, this work illustrates all the documents with numerous variations and their current values, and is designed to compliment the author's "Forman's Guide to Third Reich Awards...and Their Values" (2nd Ed.). A "must" showing comparisons of official stamps and sinatures!

By Gordon Williamson & Thomas McGuirl

This single volume provides the collector, uniformologist and military historian with an in-depth reference work covering every known German military cuffband worn from 1784 to present. A careful twining of history, unit involvement, and descriptive text will give the reader a firm grasp of the purpose and use of each cuffband and its historical context. Many never-before published photographs of the bands in wear are an added bonus. Cuffbands of the following formations are detailed: The Hanoverian Army, Freikorps, Heer, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS/SS-VT, Bundeswehr and the Nationale Volksarmee der DDR.

By John R. Angolia

The first part of this book unravels the complexities of the uniforms and organization of the German Diplomatic and Government Officials. Various career levels are reflected by their piping, belts, insignia, etc. The second part details the uniforms, insignia, belt buckles, sidearms, awards plus flags and pennants of the German Red Cross. The specifics are based on the 1935 and 1938 regulations.

By Charles Hamilton

This book records the lives and activities of personalities associated with Nazi Germany. It contains a unique gathering of autographs, biographies, and rare photographs to give a personal view of Adolf Hitler and the individuals that influenced him, and those he captivated with his notions of a "Master Race" and "Thousand Year Reich." This historical document has been superbly researched and written and belongs in the library of every person that loves and cherishes the autograph hobby, both collector and dealer alike.

By Charles Hamilton

This companion book to volume 1 records the lives and activities of additional personalities associated with Nazi Germany. With their in-depth biographies appear scores of never-before-published photographs and hundreds of rare signatures and documents. Among the characters covered are the cohorts of the Nazis, many of them puppets who moved only when Hitler pulled their strings; the "dark" individuals whose deeds are unique in the annals of human depravity; in sharp contrast are the German leaders who plotted to overthrow the regime and paid the ultimate price; cultural leaders including philosophers, inventors, artists, actors and authors; the military leaders, many of them aloof from the politics, are described in chapters on the Field Marshals and Luftwaffe heroes; and the wily German spies who sometimes altered history with their clandestine activities. This historical document has been superbly researched and written and belongs in the library of every person that loves and cherishes the autograph hobby, both collector and dealer alike.

By Roger James Bender

A ten year study of Third Reich era postcards has resulted in a multiple volume series of which this is volume 1, covering the years 1923-1936. Three basic categories of postcards are chronologically covered: official issue, "printed to private order" for special events, and propaganda. These corful images depict a complex latticework of German culture and society. The basic cards are not only pictured, but all known variants are also listed or illustrated.

By Roger James Bender

This second volume continues the in-depth study of Third Reich era postcards. The highly productive years of 1937-1939 are covered in three basic postcard categories: Official issues, "printed to private order" for special events, and propaganda. As with Volume 1, all known variations are illustrated, plus special stamps and cancellations. This collector-fiendly book contains hundreds of full-color postcards. Postcards are historical, attractive, and one of the last reasonably priced Third Reich collectibles...study them and buy them before they are out of the working man's reach. This series will be your guide.

Roger James Bender

After extensive years of research, the third volume of this series is finally available. As with the first two volumes, it chronologically covers official issues, "printed to private order" for special events and propaganda cards for the years 1940-1945. For added interest, the colorful cards from annexed and and occupied countries are also included: Austria, Bohemia and Moravia, Poland, Alsace and Lorraine, Latvia, Ukraine, Serbia, Albania, the Island of Rhodes, just to name a few. This volume will be of particular value to collectors as it is almost 100% full color, to include all the imprinted stamps. This allows for close scrutiny of the various overprints and the identification of the numerous color variations. If you love the study of postcards, be prepared to be emersed in more color and variant details than ever before.