This publication covers the memoirs of Zvonimir Bernwald. He was a Yugoslavian national who began working as a translator for the Germans after the 1941 Balkans campaign. When he was at the legal age, he volunteered for service with the Waffen-SS. That service took him very briefly to the Leibstandarte SS-Adolf Hitler, then SS-Division Reich, before he was moved to the SS-Hauptamt. He was there for the formation of what became the 13. SS-Division 'Handschar' and he subsequently served in that division almost until the end of the conflict. His final posting, following NCO and then officer training, was with the 31. SS-Division.
Following the German surrender, he had an initially challenging time trying to reach Germany, before beginning a period as a prisoner of war.
This book details his experiences, but also has chapters on the mutiny in France, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, the Imams of Handschar and also the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Available in English for the first time, this book is a translation of, 'Muslime in der Waffen-SS, Erinnerungen an die bosnische Division Handschar (1943-1945)'.
- 320 pages
- A5, hardbacked book, full gloss internal pages
- Over 115 photographs / documents / maps
- Price is £25.00 (postage to be confirmed at the time of order)