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Princes of Darkness is a unique illustrated account of the careers of the two 'fighting princes' of the Luftwaffe's night fighter force, Heinrich Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein and Egmont Prince zur Lippe-Weissenfeld, whose lives were often inter-connected. This book is the result of many years research on the part of its author, Claire Rose Knott, who has been granted unprecedented access by the princes' respective families to never before published diary notes, personal correspondence, logbooks, and family photographs. The work also benefits from research in archival resources, technical data and recollections supplied by the Princes' night fighter contemporaries. The text contains first-hand accounts by family, friends and fellow officers who offer unique accounts of the ambition, intensity and actions of the leading characters in time of war. The Princes have courted controversy with several conspiracy theories abounding regarding their deaths.The plausibility of such theories when viewed against their aristocratic family backgrounds and placed against the backdrop of intense social upheaval under the Nazi regime, merit investigation. Prince Heinrich Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein was the third highest scoring night fighter ace in the Luftwaffe. Serving from mid-1941 until his death in 1944. He was killed on 21 January while Kommodore of NJG 2, after shooting down four RAF bombers, when his aircraft was hit by return fire from a bomber or by an RAF nightfighter. Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein baled out but was killed by the impact of landing. His victory score at that time of his death was 83 - 29 in the East and 54 in the West. Prince Egmont zur Lippe-Weissenfeld, an Austrian, started his career as a daylight fighter pilot flying 'heavy' fighters with II./ZG 76. He became a nightfighter when serving under the famous Helmut Lent as Staffelkapitan of 5./NJG 2 in November 1941.He is accredited with 51 aerial victories while flying - mainly the Messerschmitt Bf 110 - with NJG 1 and NJG 5 and is ranked 21st among the German night fighter aces. He was killed while with the Stabsschswarm of NJG 5 on 3 March 1944 when his Bf 110 clipped the ground and crashed during a flight over the Ardennes. The text is supported by rare and fascinating photographs of the pilots' aircraft, weaponry (including the upward-firing 'Jazz Music' twin cannon) and radar equipment as well as others in their squadrons, together with commissioned colour artwork of Messerschmitt Bf 110 and Junkers Ju 88 night fighters.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
A well written and wonderfully illustrated book , the author having been granted the help of Wittgenstein and Zur Lippe-Weissenfeld the latter may not be as well known outside of a Bomber Command /NJ / Luftwaffe readership.
The book does fill a gap and whilst Zur Lippe has not been previously ( to the best of my knowledge) been the subject of a biography Wittgenstein has. ( "No laurels for Wittgenstein".
The author has reproduced correspondence which adds a uniquely human side to both men who were not ardent "nazis" , they were men defending their homeland and the book does focus on them as individuals.
I found this book to be worthwhile a change from a unit or champaign focused history
worth buying and reading , gets my vote.
The book does fill a gap and whilst Zur Lippe has not been previously ( to the best of my knowledge) been the subject of a biography Wittgenstein has. ( "No laurels for Wittgenstein".
The author has reproduced correspondence which adds a uniquely human side to both men who were not ardent "nazis" , they were men defending their homeland and the book does focus on them as individuals.
I found this book to be worthwhile a change from a unit or champaign focused history
worth buying and reading , gets my vote.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Nocturne
2 Jan 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Claire Rose Knott combines two stories from the operational history of the Nachtjagd with elements of Politics and History in keeping with her University Degree. Add to that discussion on the nature of the hero and all manner of social history and you have a background for two excellent Biographies. Heinz Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein and Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weissenfeld. Princes of Darkness becomes an amazing insight into not only the lives and brief careers of these two Luftwaffe Night Fighter pilots but also into the seldom if ever explored world of the European Aristocracy during World War 2. The book does not shy away from the difficult elements of not only the two protagonists personalities but also recognising "heroes" that though they might not have supported its ideals fought for the Nazi regime.
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