Das reich the march of the 2nd ss panzer division through france june 1944 paperback jan 1 2013 by hastings max author 41 out of 5 stars 183 ratings see all 13 formats and editions. Das reich is sir max hastingss narrative of the atrocities committed by the 2nd ss panzer division during june of 1944 first the execution of 99 french civilians in the village of tulle on june 9 and second the massacre of 642 more in the village of oradour sur glane on june 10 throughout the book hastings expertly shifts perspective between french resistance fighters the british secret service who helped coordinate the french resistance from afar and on the ground and the . Within days of the d day landings the das reich 2nd ss panzer division marched north through france to reinforce the front line defenders of hitlers fortress europe veterans of the bloodiest fighting of the russian front 15000 men with tanks and artillery they were hounded for every mile of their march by saboteurs of the resistance and agents of the allied special forces. Germanys 2nd ss panzer division one of adolf hitlers most elite armor units had recently been pulled from the eastern front and relocated to france in order to regroup recruit more troops and restock equipment with allied forces suddenly on european ground the division das reich was called up to counter the invasion