JG 2 book moved to July

[edwest]

At least a cover has been posted. Publisher is VDM.


http://www.christian-schmidt-fachbuc...ca6aea81273b67



Usual disclaimer,
Ed

[Chris Goss]

This puzzles me as there are a number of people who have much information on JG 2, such as myself, and I have not been approached by any authors of this book!

[edwest]

You can contact them. Here's their main page. Look on the left to get the English version.


http://www.vdmedien.de/



Regards,
Ed

[O.Menu]

Then we will have an updated English version

[SMF144]

Yeah, me too! I've never been approached either, so I'm looking forward to perusing the pages this publication.

Stephen

[Sergio Luis dos Santos]

Originally Posted by O.Menu

Then we will have an updated English version

English version of the VDM page, not the book!

[Erik Mombeeck]

Hello,

For several weeks, I have received many private messages regarding the announced books on JG 2.

Despite the fact that I really dislike promoting my own books on public forums, I will do it now in detail now.

1) The book announced by VDM and Christian Schmidt has nothing to do with the research I started together with my co-author Jean-Louis Roba more than 10 years ago and which will be published very shortly. As far as we know, this other book will be principally an edition of the well-known text written by Rothenfelder and Bigge on their unit around the 1970s. It forms a general text with tables. We were asked if we could provide photos for this project, which leads me to fear that the editor had no access to private material and "new" stuff.

2) Yes, Jean-Louis and I are working on a very large chronicle of JG 2 and the first volume should be available in the autumn of this year.

3) Unlike other books, we do not place the emphasis on tables (claims and losses) since we always give more importance to the human aspect than to the figures. We thus interviewed, corresponded with more than 100 veterans from JG 2 (or their families) and were able to collect about 5000 photos of which over 1000 will be published in "our" chronicle. We feel that, far from giving a real representation of aerial war, to publish tables without an appropriate text simply perpetuates myths. Thus, as with our previous books, we place the greatest emphasis on documentary sources (private and official), as well as on the personal memories of the veterans (even if they must sometime be tempered with historical data) rather than to listings.

4) Like other authors we wanted to write a chronicle of JG 2 for many years, but knowing that the veteran Gerd-Günther Voss had the same plan we started late not wanting to conflict with him (we even passed him a lot of material). Nevertheless for about 10 years, Helmut Wick's former Stk., Hennig Strümpell – whom I have met at least 10 times – confided me that he had serious doubts about the possibility of Gerd-Günther writing the unit’s history, and the bad health of the latter could certainly not be overlooked. At that time, Hennig already knew some of our books, and asked why we should not additionally write on JG 2. Our visits to Gerd-Günther confirmed Hennig's suspicions: the material he collected and received from former comrades was not publishable. As an example: he sent all the original photos he received to a (known) photo collector with a deal: the collector would keep the original and in exchange would undertake all the photo production work. The result was amazing: nearly every reproduction/copy he had was of poor quality and the subject itself was not publishable. Gerd-Günther's health also became fragile and it became clear that he would never reach his goal. So, Jean-Louis started working very hard on the subject, and I, as far as I was able, as far as my family, profession and the volume 3 of JG 5 permitted it, I assisted him.

5) To reply to Chris Goss: I am studying your excellent book on the Luftwaffe Jabos, and if I have not contacted you on that subject, it is because I have the same sources as you, but maybe some few more too (for example, I visited Limberg 2 months ago, only 2 weeks before he unfortunately passed away).

A message to everyone: if you feel that you could help us by providing interesting material on JG 2, your contributions will always be welcome.

In the hope to have clarified a few things and that you will accept our next book with the same interest as the former ones, I remain, yours faithfully

E. Mombeek

[Fredo Hara]

Thanks Eric for these good news !
Can you say to us in which language we will be able to read your marvellous work on JG2
Thanks
Fredo (a french reader...)

[Erik Mombeeck]

Hello Fredo,

thanks for your interest. You are a lucky man, the first version of "our" chronicle will be published in the Ronsard's language.

best regards

Eric

[Chris Goss]

Eric: Now things become clear. My interest in JG 2 is not limited to 10/JG 2 and might have some extra bits and pieces which I have collected over the years.

Shame about Limberg. He and Schroeter were appraoched by Nippa on my behalf but nothing came of it. Presume you have visited Liesendahl's son?

Chris