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Black Tulip: The Life and Myth of Erich Hartmann, the World's Top Fighter Ace Hardcover – February 20, 2020

by Erik Schmidt (Author)
3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 235 ratings
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The story of the top-scoring ace in history, a Luftwaffe pilot named Erich Hartmann who totaled 352 kills.

Black Tulip is the dramatic story of history's top fighter ace, Luftwaffe pilot Erich Hartmann. It's also the story of how his service under Hitler was simplified and elevated to Western mythology during the Cold War.

Over 1,404 wartime missions, Hartmann claimed a staggering 352 airborne kills, and his career contains all the dramas you would expect. There were the frostbitten fighter sweeps over the Eastern Front, drunken forays to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, a decade of imprisonment in the wretched Soviet POW camps, and further military service during the Cold War that ended with conflict and angst.

Just when Hartmann’s second career was faltering, he was adopted by a network of writers and commentators personally invested in his welfare and reputation. These men, mostly Americans, published elaborate, celebratory stories about Hartmann and his elite fraternity of Luftwaffe pilots. With each dogfight tale put into print, Hartmann’s legacy became loftier and more secure, and his complicated service in support of Nazism faded away. A simplified, one-dimensional account of his life—devoid of the harder questions about allegiance and service under Hitler—has gone unchallenged for almost a generation.

Black Tulip locates the ambiguous truth about Hartmann and so much of the German Wehrmacht in general: that many of these men were neither full-blown Nazis nor impeccable knights. They were complex, contradictory, and elusive. This book portrays a complex human rather than the heroic caricature we’re used to, and it argues that the tidy, polished hero stories we’ve inherited about men like Hartmann say as much about those who've crafted them as they do about the heroes themselves.



Table of Contents

Introduction

Part 1: Inheritances
1. ‘The force that is devoted to death’
2. Harmony
3. The demolition function
4. Jugend
5. Into the Luftwaffe

Part 2: Hartmann’s wars
6. Kills
7. Against Stalin’s falcons
8. Recognition and attrition
9. Into captivity
10.The east and the west
11. Old gray ghosts

Part 3: Stories told
12. Marketing the Wehrmacht
13. The first, the last, the family
14: What we can say

Conclusion
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Casemate
  4. Publication date
    February 20, 2020
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 0.75 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1612008240
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1612008240
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

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luftwaffe, fighter ace, Erich Hartmann, world war ii, fighter pilot, black tulip

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Black Tulip Normandy 1944 Spying from the Sky Special Forces Berlin German Fighter Aircraft in World War I
Customer Reviews
3.7 out of 5 stars
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4.2 out of 5 stars
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4.4 out of 5 stars
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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Price $29.22 $10.98 $26.95 $22.96 $24.38
Military ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Aviation ✓ ✓ ✓
World War II ✓ ✓
Cold War ✓ ✓
Biography ✓ ✓

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a genuinely fascinating and often compelling book. I like Erik Schmidt’s honesty and his attention to detail. "
War History Online

"Portrays a complex human ... Black Tulip does much to fill in the backstory of the greatest fighter ace."
Flight Journal

"A fascinating insight into the making of a flying legend ... exposes through rigorous analysis how myths are made, and sometimes used, to excuse one of the most evil mass slaughters in history."
RAF News

“I am jealous. This is a wonderfully different—and wonderfully written—work. Schmidt is no fawning fanboy of the ‘Greatest Ace of All Time.’ Instead, he is a sympathetic and insightful researcher who has produced an engrossing and thoughtfully wandering analysis of the multi-dimensional Hartmann that is unlike, and better than, anything ever done. Get this one.”
Jay Stout, author of Vanished Hero and Unsung Eagles

‘’If you are attracted to the idea of a book that attempts to explore, lucidly, the Nazi period German serviceman’s mindset and which uses Hartmann as its fulcrum, then this might appeal.’’
The Aviation Historian

‘’Highly recommended for aviation fans…’’
Detail Scale View

‘’What sets this book apart is the in depth analysis of who Hartmann was and whether his reputation is apt and why he was and still is held in such high regard. It’s a fascinating book and I highly recommend it.’’
Aviation Enthusiast Book Club

‘’Well-written, thought provoking.’’
Aeroplane Monthly

"...especially appropriate for persona, professional, community, and academic library collections."
Midwest Book Review

"This book offers a clear look at a complex figure and the wider world of the Third Reich which surrounded him and used him for their propaganda. It is an interesting and well-done biography"
WWII History Magazine

“Enjoyed it.”
Historical Miniatures Gaming Society

About the Author

Erik Schmidt has made a career of researching complicated topics. A former magazine editor and senior marketing writer, he has an MFA in creative nonfiction and a lifelong love of history and aviation. He is a freelance writer living in Denver, Colorado with his family.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Casemate (February 20, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1612008240
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1612008240
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.18 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 0.75 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 235 ratings

About the author

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Erik Schmidt

Erik Schmidt

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A former magazine editor and senior marketing writer, Erik Schmidt holds an MFA in creative nonfiction and writes extensively in aviation, technology, education, the nonprofit sector, and history.

Aviation has always been his research passion, especially related to the history of the Cold War (a context he's exploring more in his second book). His first book, "Black Tulip: The Life and Myth of Erich Hartmann, the World's Top Fighter Ace," is a forthright exploration of a complicated and compelling life. In it, he uses historical characters not as excuses to make black-and-white declarations, but as case studies in the complexity and ambiguity that are so natural in history.

Customer reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars
3.7 out of 5
235 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

CDM
5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Different Aviation Biography
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
There is a lot I could say about this book; how it is unlike any German aviator's biography I've ever read; how it got to the crux of something that has been increasingly nagging at my mind for some time now, and that I could never quite adequately describe; how it left me feeling. Instead of reading all that, I'd rather you read this book instead - particularly if you're a Second World War aviation enthusiast (I am). There are indeed some technical errors in the text, but this isn't a technical book. There are plenty of those available. This is a book about context and complexity, it embraces ambiguity and refuses to come to neat conclusions. In the end the picture of Hartmann is complicated, human, realistic, unflinching, respectful, and tragic. Highly recommended.
2 people found this helpful
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ep
4.0 out of 5 stars Hartmann is complicated. It's about time someone elaborated.
Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2020
Verified Purchase
Sometimes, examination of a microscopic detail can illustrate a much larger image. Such is the case in this thoroughly researched biography of Erich Hartmann, the WW II pilot with the greatest number of kills. Hartmann dispatched more than 300 enemy airplanes while flying missions for Germany's Luftwaffe, more than double the war's next most successful pilot, and in general terms, ten times as many as an average pilot flying for any country during the war. Hartmann's unchallenged ability to knock an airplane out of the sky depended upon incredible close-flying skill, devastating sneak attacks, point-blank firing, and rapid escape to avoid hurtling shrapnel.

Hagiographers on both sides of the Atlantic have elevated Hartmann to idol status in the subsequent decades; a dueling knight of chivalry and honor. Which is why Schmidt's detailed analysis is so timely and important. Hartmann, after all, was flying in support of Hitler's offensives on the Western Front, the Eastern Front, and in support of a home bent upon extermination and annihilation of non-Aryan Europeans.

Beginning with an interrogation of Hartmann's own opinions regarding Nazism, Anti-Semitism, and nationalism (Hartmann left behind such a thin trail of interviews it is hard to say for certain to what degree he ever questioned the reason he was flying so many missions), Schmidt moves on to the more problematic question of Hartmann's over-the-top, post-war biographers. A great many have claimed to admire Hartmann through a finely-focused military lens, insisting their admiration is apolitical. Schmidt rightly points out that any historian claiming to ignore politics is in fact making a political decision.

Hartmann, skilled as he was, battered by ten years in Russian postwar detention camps, was in the end flying in support of Nazi world domination.
3 people found this helpful
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Marie
1.0 out of 5 stars Not about Erich Hartmann. Its a magazine article judging Germans by American 2020 moral standards.
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2020
Verified Purchase
3/4 of the book is crude and poorly presented with minimal effort, and uses Erich Hartmann as clickbait for financial gain. I will admit that the last 1/4 of the book is an interesting and deep discussion regarding German cooperation and guilt for the conduct of the Third Reich. While I do not agree with Schmidt's conclusions, namely that we should judge everyone in history based on our Modern American Morality, the final 50 pages are well put together and seem to be deeply researched and do not involve Erich Hartmann at all. The first 150 pages are terrible. It is worse than what a child would present for a book report. And that is what it feels like, like Schmidt spent 18 months writing 50 pages about German remorse and guilt. But then had to cram 150 pages worth of writing before a deadline. The inconsistencies, poor grammar and structure flaws are like having teeth pulled. One highly memorable example: Schmidt introduces you to Alfred Hartmann, Erich's father, then seamlessly continues rattling on about Alfred (Jr.), Erich's younger brother, without once ever mentioning that; A: Erich had a younger brother, or B: that the brother's name was Alfred. Another example, Schmidt gives a simple explanation to the differences between BF109 and ME109. It's a simple and straightforward answer he gives, but it will do. But then he continues and says BF109 for the rest of the book. Outside of training, Erich Hartmann only ever flew the ME109G. These may seem trivial, but the first 150 pages are packed full of these errors. Which makes me wonder, was Schmidt so pressed by his deadline that he couldn't click 'spell check'? Or have someone proofread his slop? All this can be forgiven if some good conclusion can be reached. But is it? No, we are left with Schmidt saying 'I don't know who Erich Hartmann was, but he was on the Nazi's side, so he must have been bad'.

In the end, I wish I could have my money back. This was a magazine article that Schmidt wrapped Erich Hartmann's name around so Schmidt could sell it for money. I would like to return the book but my conscience won't let me.

Please do not give Erik Schmidt money for this.

Note: My knowledge of this subject spans 20 years and over 130 books on WWII and its airwar. Including the majority of the books Schmidt references.
29 people found this helpful
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Andrew J Dugger
5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful Biography
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2020
Verified Purchase
This was a very good read. I tend to not like biographies sometimes because they seem to come with an agenda. I felt the author did a good job of seeing the world and Erich Hartmann objectively. When the subject of the biography was a Nazi fighter pilot there are some really loaded places to take the narrative. But I felt the author did a good job of placing things in context. He didn't shy away from the hard questions but then again didn't force feed any answers to them either. Personally I appreciate that. The author is both talented and objective...a great combination. I would highly recommend the book.
4 people found this helpful
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Andrew
3.0 out of 5 stars it’s ok!
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2024
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The book it’s entertaining enough and the author obviously puts much thought into it and writes in an honest manner. Unfortunately it’s hampered by the excessive complaining about other books written on the subject matter.
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Top reviews from other countries

C. T.
1.0 out of 5 stars More like a psychology thesis
Reviewed in Canada on April 20, 2021
Verified Purchase
Not at all what I was expecting - spends more time on the social / psychological background of Germany than actually dealing with Hartman. Definitely would not recommend - would give it a 0 star rating if I could.
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kstk
1.0 out of 5 stars Not much about Hartmann
Reviewed in Spain on February 9, 2022
Verified Purchase
The Author leverage's Hartmann topic, to write his thoughs and opinions over several WW2 topics and about other Authors books.
It surprised me how little about Hartmann is contained in this book.
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Carlos Priego
1.0 out of 5 stars Absolute waste of time.
Reviewed in Mexico on October 4, 2020
Verified Purchase
You start very excited about probably learning something new about thelis fighter ace.
Then you realize: An absolute misleading title.
It spends more than a third of the book discussing and cursing the Nazis rise to power and government, criticizing his first biographers and trying to make you feel guilt (a sort if criminal collaborationist) for admiring german veterans.
A sorry try to convince the reader in why you should not praise german combatants and their memorabilia. A sort of personal hate...
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Mikey D
1.0 out of 5 stars This is NOT a biography of Erich Hartmann
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
According to the Amazon blurb this book "started out as a grad-school thesis". And boy does it read like it. This is most definitely not a conventional biography. In fact, the name Erich Hartmann is often not even mentioned on many pages of this book (which, despite the Amazon claim of 240 pages is actually only 212 pages including endnotes, bibliography and index).
If you want to know about Erich Hartmann you would be much better off looking at Wikipedia - where it is told in a much more interesting way. The author is big on historical context but small on biographical detail.
He spends too much time trying to debunk the first real Hartmann biography by Toliver and Constable: "The Blond Knight of Germany", but manages direct quotes from the book and also paraphrases many of the T&C anecdotes. In fact, out of 319 endnotes a total of 53 are for "The Blond Knight of Germany".
His research is pretty poor. There are two mentions that he makes about talking to locals from Hartmann's hometown that bookend the story. The first one is a waitress and he freely admits his knowledge of German is too poor and he fails to ask all the questions he wanted to. The last one is about two women tending graves in the cemetery where Erich Hartmann is buried. Again he freely admits that his poor German lets him down again. So the only two actual interviews he admits to are both failures.
His research is very limited. He mentions fellow JG52 pilot Hermann Graf briefly but has clearly not read "Oberst Hermann Graf: 200 Luftsiege in 13 Monaten" which he could have used very constructively in helping to tell part of the story. And to avoid utilising the Bernd Barbas book on Hartmann's primary unit: "Die Geschichte der III.Gruppe des JG52" is poor judgement and downright lazy.
In conclusion I would say that this is a pointless purchase if you want the story of the life, career and motivations of Erich Hartmann. But if you want a dry grad-school thesis then go right ahead.
15 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars Opinionated author
Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2021
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A very big disappointment, excepted a book about Hartmann and his life. Instead all I got was the authors opinions loaded with inaccurate information. The only interesting part was imprisonment in the USSR.
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