Campaign in Russia, Book Review

This book is an excellent piece of work by the leader of the Belgian Rexist movement of the inter war years. Leon Degrelle was a Belgian nationalist, who felt that Belgiums best policy was to earn the respect of Nazi Germany and try and work with Hitler, rather than mount a resistance which would, at the time, only be helped by Great Britain. Britain had avoided defeat in the Battle of Britain, but the colonial power was unlikely to be able to provide much support. America was supporting Britain, but was not involved in the war.

In 1941, Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of Russian. Degrelle helped establish the Wallonien Legion before taking his place as a private in the ranks of the Assault Brigade. Deployed into the Ukraine during October 1941, his book covers the struggle against the mud and the partisans during the winter, followed by the drive into the Caucasus in the summer offensive of 1942. The bitter retreat from the Caucasus following the encirclement of Stalingrad is covered, before
the Legion was pulled out and rebuilt as SS Sturm Brigade Wallonien.

Returning to the Eastern Front, Degrelle spent the winter of 1943 fighting along the Dnieper, before being surrounded at Cherkassy in January 1944. The description of the actions in the Cherkassy pocket are excellent. The sense of purpose and sacrifice are well covered during this desperate battle. With the SS Division Viking leading the break out and Assault Brigade Wallonien acting as rearguard, the shattered remnants of the surrounded divisions were able to break out.

Promised leave by Hitler, the survivors again reformed in Belgium, this time as the 28th SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division 'Wallonien'. However, with the Americans now firmly on the Allied side, and the defeats of Stalingrad and Kursk, volunteers were fewer and the unit never exceeded regimental strength. During the second half of 1944 Degrelle fought in Estonia, before the survivors were given an administrative role during the Battle of the Bulge. With the failure of the last attack in the west, the Walloniens were deployed back in Pomerania against the Russians.

With the final collapse in Germany during April and May, Degrelle made provision for his men by supplying false papers, before escaping to Denmark and then Norway ahead of the British. His final act of the war was to fly from Norway to the coast of Spain on the night of 7th May 1945. As allied pilots celebrated the end of the war on the Western Front, due to start on the 8th May, his pilots were able to fly across the North Sea, Belgium and France before crash landing on the Spanish Coast. Receiving asylum from Franco, he was able to write this and several other books.

The book would be worth reading if Degrelle was merely a holder of the Knights Cross with Diamonds. As an SS Major General, the book becomes more interesting. As one of many foreign volunteers in the first truly European Army, he adds yet another perspective. Finally though, as a well educated Catholic politician, the book becomes an excellent read, thoroughly recommended.