The Hangman's Crusade

The Hangman's Crusade
By James Barwick
Published: 1981

Jim Franklyn is an American correspondant in Munich during the first half of the Second World War. For most reporters Jim is a little too chummy with the Nazi regime. What they don't know is that Jim Franklyn is a (reluctent) agent of the OSS. The boozing, womanizer is lying low for the most part hoping to avoid having to do any real spy work, but a late night visit to the local Gestapo headquarters leads to a meeting with a German Countess. The Countess' possess contacts with dissident German Army officers, even more important, she possess knoweldge of the impending Holocaust. As Jim Franklyn finds himself stirred to action, Reinhard Heydrich, the most ruthless man in the Third Reich has arrived in Prague. Heydrich has been sent to carry out the opening stages of the Holocaust and prepare the way for Fall-Ost, an atrocity to dwarf even the Final Solution. When Hitler declares war on America, the cold calculating Heydrich will seek an alliance with the Vatican, itself torn with infighting, that could end the war, with Heydrich as Europe's absolute master

James Barwick second novel is much better then their first. Gone are the annoying moments of Deus Ex that plagued Shadow of the Wolf. Instead we have a chilling and compelling description of what might have happend in the Reich during late 1941- early 1942. Barwicks exploration of the machinations behind Heydrichs death is convincing, throughout I was convinced that they had probably struck closer to the truth then anyone will ever realize. Highly reccomended.

**** out of*****

For more information on Reinhard Heydrich

Heydrich at Wikipedia
Sicherheitsdienst The Agency Heydrich headed.
Possability of a Biological Agent in Heydrichs death (3rd Page)
A Short Bio of Heydrich

And some old footage of Heydrich



More photos of Heydrich



Documentry on Heydrich and the SS

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5


Part 6