One of the Lesser Known Panzer Generals of WWII

Bagdonas, Raymond.  The Devil's General: The Life of Hyazinth Graf von Strachwitz, "The Panzer  
       Graf".  Philadelphia: Casemate, 2013.  ISBN: 978-1-61200-222-4

If you go looking online, you can find tidbits of Hyazinth von Strachwitz's life and career, but not much, so the military history readers will find The Devil's General  a treat.  Raymond Bagdonas provides a life story, not just a World War II tale.  He brings out what details he can uncover of Graf von Strachwitz background and education, early military career, First World War experiences, and the interwar years before concentrating on his Second World War service and finishing with his life after the war. 

Raymond Bagdonas does a credible job of documenting sources when he finds them available.  But as he admits in the introduction,  some things are unknowable since Graf von Strachwitz did not keep a diary that survived, write a memoir or give many interviews after .  This lack of evidence leads to Bagdonas speculating without confirming evidence on why von Strachwitz joined the Nazi Party in the 1932.  He can only argue on what he thinks is the likeliest explanation.  He runs into the same problem in regard to von Strachwitz's joining the plot to overthrow Hitler, lack of documentation.

Overall, the reader of military history, especially those interested in the Eastern Front in the Second World War will appreciate The Devil's General.