This Book is Signed and Inscribed by the Author!
Book Title ~ Hitler's Jewish Soldiers ~ The Untold Story Of Na*i Racial Laws And Men Of Jewish Decent In The German Military
Author ~ Bryan Mark Rigg
Publisher ~ University Press Of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.
© Date ~ 2002, probably a First Edition but not stated, no other date present. Number Line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2.
Cover ~ Black cloth hardcover with red gilt lettering on the spine. With Dustjacket.
Number of Pages ~ 433 pages with Index.
Illustrated ~ Yes, with a few charts and lots of photographs.
Book measures about ~ 9 1/8 inches X 6 1/4 inches X 1 3/8 inches.
Condition ~ Very Good. There is a small sticker from the American Military University on the bottom corner of the front flyleaf. There is an inscription and Author's signature on the title page (see photo). Otherwise the Book is in Very Good condition (if it weren't Signed and didn't have the small sticker, the condition would be Like New)! The DJ is in Like New condition!
About the Book ~
"In Hitler's Jewish Soldiers, historian Bryan Mark Rigg reveals that an estimated 150,000 men of Jewish descent ~ classified as Mischlinge ~ served in the Wehrmacht. Despite the regime's antisemitic ideology, these soldiers navigated divided loyalties, served to protect their families, and even secured Hitler’s personal exemptions allowing them to serve."
Rigg’s comprehensive study, grounded in over 400 interviews and deep archival research, details several key historical realities:
The Scope of Service: Tens of thousands of half~Jews and quarter~Jews, as well as some full Jews, fought in the German military. Many were veterans of WWI who considered themselves loyal Germans first.
The "Aryanization" Process: To retain valuable soldiers, Hitler personally granted exemptions (Aryanizations) that allowed hundreds of men with Jewish ancestry to remain in the ranks, including high~ranking generals and officers.
The Tragic Paradox: Serving in the military was initially seen as a shield against the Na*is' racial laws. However, as the war progressed and Na*i ideology took complete control, these soldiers were increasingly marginalized and could not escape the atrocities of the Holocaust.
Crises of Conscience: Many of these men struggled with the moral dilemma of fighting for the Third Reich while their own families were persecuted or sent to concentration camps. Rigg notes that while some of these soldiers witnessed atrocities, they generally did not fully comprehend that the systematic genocide of the Holocaust was taking place.