Just Published--May 2003

The Ukrainian 14th Waffen-SS Division

Sol Littman

Portrays the 1st Division of the Ukrainian National Army: volunteer soldiers who defended their country,
or Hitler's 'willing executioners.'

Between 1950 and 1955, thousands of veterans from the notorious German-led, Ukrainian 14th Waffen-SS Division emigrated to North America with the full consent of the respective governments despite immigration regulations in force at the time that forbade entry to all who served in any branch of the SS. The Jewish community fought a brief, but futile, battle to persuade those governments to deny them entry, denouncing them as a "sinister legion" of "bloodthirsty murderers"--war criminals who had engaged in the mass murder of thousands of innocent civilians.

On the other hand, a well-organized body of Division supporters insisted there was nothing "sinister" or "murderous" about the young men who had volunteered to serve in its ranks. They declared them exceptional soldiers who obeyed the international rules of war, praised them for being dedicated soldiers who harboured no hatred for Jews, guarded no concentration camps, and committed no crimes against humanity.

At issue then was the nature of the Division and its war record. Were they "pure soldiers" as many of their supporters contended, or, were they, to use Daniel Goldhagen's phrase, among Hitler's willing executioners?

Pure Soldiers traces the 14th Waffen-SS Division's fortunes from its formation in April 1943 to its surrender to the British in May 1946, their subsequent stay as prisoners-of-war in Italy, and their eventual transfer as agricultural workers in Britain. In 1950 they began their immigration to Canada and the United States. Along the way they were recruited by the British as anti-Soviet spies and by the CIA as political assassins. In spelling out the Division's history, the author attempts to shed light on this acrimonious dispute that rages to the present day.

A very graceful literary style which is welcome in light of the somewhat dark and obscure machinations he [Littman] wants to illuminate.
--John Crow, University of Arizona

[Littman] has been able to piece together this sorry but powerful tale on the basis of meticulous reference to all key archives.
--Gerald Fleming, Emeritus Reader in German, University of Surrey

There have been few detailed studies of Nazi war criminals who came to Canada after WWII. Littman's book makes a welcome, if chilling, addition.
--Francis Henry, Emeritus, York University, Toronto

A definitive, compelling and deeply researched account.
--Richard Robbins, Emeritus, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Table of Contents

Sol Littman is the recently retired Canadian Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, author of  War Criminal on Trial, founding editor of the Canadian Jewish News and the first Director of B'nai Brith's "League for Human Rights." He also served as Assistant National Director of the Anti-Defamation League in the United States and has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with both the Canadian Jewish Congress and the World Jewish Congress. He has served as a reporter/producer with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and an editorial writer with The Toronto Star.

264 pages, 6x9, bibliography, index
Paperback ISBN: 1-55164-218-2 $26.99
Hardcover ISBN: 1-55164-219-0 $55.99

History / Military History / Current Affairs

May 2003

Sol Littman will be promoting his book on a limited author tour from May 29th through June 5th.

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