Stalingrad

German Sixth Army Order of Battle

Effects of a 44th Infantry Division soldier from Stalingrad

Effects of a 44th Infantry Division soldier from Stalingrad

Sixth Army; Surrendered January 30, 1943

 

6th Artillery Command (Arko 6)

Sixth Army Engineer Replacement Battalion

Bridge Column B22

21st Bridge Construction Battalion (Mot)

25th Observation Detachment

28th Observation Detachment (Mot)

144th Artillery Command (Arko 144)

145th Artillery Command (Arko 145)

310th Higher Artillery Command (Harko 310)

413th Engineer Regiment

521st Army Signal Regiment

540th Office for Food Supply

541st Military Hospital Detachment

541st Medical Evacuation Detachment

542nd Medical Evacuation Detachment

542nd Supply Battalion

549th Army Signal Regiment

562nd Medical Evacuation Detachment

592nd Army Medical Detachment

593rd Motor Repair Detachment

601st Signal Regiment

608th Survey & Map Detachment

617th Survey & Map Detachment

790th Medical Evacuation Detachment

 

Corps

 

IV Corps; Surrendered January 31, 1943

 

44th Corps Signal Detachment

404th Artillery Command (Arko 404)

404th Supply Command

 

VIII Corps; Surrendered January 31, 1943

 

48th Corps Signal Detachment

408th Artillery Command (Arko 408)

408th Supply Command

 

XI Corps; Surrendered February 2, 1943

 

51st Corps Signal Detachment

411th Artillery Command (Arko 411)

411th Supply Command

 

XIV Panzer Corps; Surrendered February 2, 1943

 

60th Corps Signal Detachment

60th Pioneer Battalion (Mot)

414th Artillery Command (Arko 414)

414th Supply Command

 

LI Corps; Surrendered January 31, 1943

 

153rd Artillery Command (Arko 153)

451st Corps Signal Detachment

451st Supply Command

 

Divisions

 

3rd Infantry Division (Motorized) (PzA 103, GR 8 *, GR 29 *, AR 3, PiB 3, KrB 53, PzJA 3, NA 3, FlakA 312); Annihilated January 22, 1943

 

14th Panzer Division (PR 36 *, PGR 103, PGR 108, PAR 4, PzPiB 13, KrB 64, PzNA 4); Surrendered February 2, 1943

 

16th Panzer Division (PR 2, PGR 64, PGR 79, PAR 16, PzPiB 16, PzJA 16, KrB 16, PzNA 16); Surrendered February 2, 1943

 

22nd Panzer Division (August-September only) (PR 204, PGR 129, PGR 140, AR 140, KrB 24, PzJA 140, PzPiB 50, NA 140); Transferred to another command and survived

 

24th Panzer Division (PR 24, PGR 21, PGR 26, PAR 89, PzPiB 40, KrB 4, PzJA 40, PzNA 86); Surrendered February 2, 1943

29th Infantry Division (Motorized) (PA 129, GR 15, GR 71, AR 29, PiB 29, KrB 29, PzJA 29, NA 29); Annihilated January 22, 1943

 

44th Infantry Division (GR 131, GR 132, GR 134, AR 96, PiB 80, PzJA 46, AA 44, NA 64); Surrendered February 2, 1943

 

60th Infantry Division (Motorized) (PzA 160, IR (mot) 92, IR (mot) 120, AR 160, PzJA 160, KrB 160, NA 160); Surrendered February 2, 1943

 

71st Infantry Division * (GR 191, GR 194, GR 211, AR 171, PiB 171, PzJA 171, NA 171); Surrendered January 31, 1943

 

76th Infantry Division (GR 178, GR 202, GR 230, AR 176, AA 176, PiB 176, PzJA 176, NA 176); Annihilated January 22, 1943

 

79th Infantry Division (GR 208, GR 212, GR 226, AR 179, PiB 179, AA 179, PzJA 179, NA 179); Disbanded January 8, 1943

 

94th Infantry Division (GR 267, GR 274, GR 276, AR 194, PiB 194, AA 194, PzJA 194, NA 194); Disbanded December 10, 1942

 

100th Jäger Division (JR 54, JR 227, IR 369 (Croat), AR 83, AA 100, PiB 100, PzJA 100, NA 100); Surrendered January 31, 1943

 

113th Infantry Division (GR 260, GR 261, GR 268, AR 87, PiB 113, PzJA 113, AA 113, NA 113); Surrendered February 2, 1943

 

295th Infantry Division (GR 516, GR 517, GR 518, AR 295, PiB 295, PzJA 295, NA 295); Surrendered January 31, 1943

 

297th Infantry Division (GR 522, GR 523, GR 524, AR 297, PiB 297, PzJA 297, AA 297, NA 297); Annihilated January 22, 1943

 

298th Infantry Division; Transferred to another command and survived

 

305th Infantry Division (GR 576, GR 577, GR 578, AR 305, PiB 305, PzJA 305, NA 305; Surrendered January 31, 1943

 

371st Infantry Division (GR 669, GR 670, GR 671, AR 371, PiB 371, PzJA 371, NA 371); Surrendered January 31, 1943

 

376th Infantry Division (GR 672, GR 673, GR 767, AR 376, PiB 376, PzJA 376, AA 376, NA 376); Surrendered February 2, 1943

 

384th Infantry Division (GR 534, GR 535, GR 536, AR 384, PiB 384, PzJA 384, NA 384); Disbanded December 5, 1942

 

389th Infantry Division (GR 544, GR 545 *, GR 546, AR 389, PiB 389, PzJA 389, NA 389); Surrendered January 31, 1943

 

Sixth Army Independent Units; available for attachment to corps and divisions

 

1st Construction Battalion

2nd Heavy Werfer Regiment (I & III Battalions)

6th Armored Train

7th Artillery Observation Detachment

9th Machinegun Detachment

10th Armored Train

16th Fortress Construction Battalion

29th Artillery Observation Detachment

36th Artillery Observation Detachment

40th Light Artillery Observation Detachment

41st Pioneer Battalion (Mot)

43rd Engineer Battalion

43rd Light Observation Detachment

45th Pioneer Battalion (August, November onward)

2nd Battalion of the 46th Artillery Regiment (Hvy How)

50th Panzer Pioneer Battalion (November onward)

51st Werfer Regiment *

2nd Battalion of the 53rd Heavy Artillery Regiment (10cm Cannon)

53rd Werfer Regiment

2nd Battalion of the 54th Artillery Regiment

2nd Battalion of the 59th Artillery Regiment (Hvy How)

2nd Battalion of the 64th Artillery Regiment (10cm Cannon)

71st Pioneer Battalion

2nd Battalion of the 72nd Artillery Regiment (15cm Cannon)

101st Heavy Artillery Detachment (Hvy How)

110th Construction Battalion

130th Construction Battalion

161st Construction Battalion

162nd Pioneer Battalion (November onward)

177th Sturmgeschütz Detachment

243rd Sturmgeschütz Detachment (November onward)

244th Sturmgeschütz Detachment

245th Sturmgeschütz Detachment

255th Bridge Construction Battalion

294th Pioneer Battalion (November onward)

336th Pioneer Battalion (November onward)

413th Engineer Regimental Staff

430th Heavy Artillery Detachment (10cm Cannon)

501st Light Road Construction Battalion

521st Panzerjäger Detachment

521st Road Construction Battalion

522nd Bridge Construction Battalion

540th Road Construction Battalion

541st Army Supply Command

541st Military Police Detachment

542nd Guard Battalion

571st Military Police Detachment

602nd Flak Detachment (Mot)

604th Engineer Regimental Staff

605th Engineer Regimental Staff

608th Flak Detachment (Mot)

611th Panzerjäger Detachment

614th Flak Battalion (Mot)

616th Heavy Artillery Detachment (21cm Mortars)

627th Artillery Regiment Staff

631st Heavy Artillery Detachment (10cm Cannon)

635th Pioneer Battalion (Mot)

651st Pioneer Battalion

652nd Pioneer Battalion

655th Bridge Construction Battalion

670th Panzerjäger Detachment

672nd Pioneer Battalion

677th Engineer Regimental Staff

733rd Heavy Artillery Detachment (21cm Mortars)

754th Pioneer Battalion

800th Heavy Artillery Detachment (35.5cm Mortars)

849th Heavy Artillery Detachment (10cm Cannon)

851st Heavy Artillery Detachment (10cm Cannon)

855th Heavy Artillery Detachment (21cm Mortars)

912th Assault Boat Commando

 

Significant Luftwaffe Units with a Ground Combat Mission

 

9th Flak Division (FR 8, FR 25, FR 37, FR 91, FR 99, FR 104, FR 241, Air Signal Bn 129, Supply Regiment 9); Surrendered January 31, 1943

 

Battle Group Stahel (99th Flak Regiment)

 

Legend:

 

AA = Reconnaissance Detachment (Auflärungs Abteilung)

AR = Artillery Regiment

FR = Flak Regiment (Anti-Aircraft Regiment)

GR = Grenadier Regiment (Infantry Regiment in a regular Infantry Division)

IR (mot) = Infantry Regiment in a Motorized Infantry Division

JR = Light Infantry Regiment (Jäger Regiment; an infantry regiment in the 101st Jäger Division)

KrB = Motorcycle Infantry Battalion (Kradshützen Bataillon)

NA = Signal Detachment (Nachrichten Abteilung)

PAR = Panzer Artillery Regiment (Armored, Self-Propelled, Artillery Regiment)

PGR = Panzer Grenadier Regiment (Mechanized Infantry Regiment in a Panzer Division)

PiB = Pioneer (Combat Engineer) Battalion

PR = Panzer Regiment

PzA =Panzer Detachment (Panzer Abteilung)

PzPiB = Armored Pioneer (Combat Engineers) Battalion in a Panzer Division

PzJA = Anti-tank Detachment (Panzerjäger Abteilung)

PzNA = Armored Signal Detachment in a Panzer Division

German Sixth Army Order of Battle2016-01-19T07:57:12-06:00

German Army Ranks

305th Infantry Division soldiers at Stalingrad

 

The following German Army ranks, and their American Army equivalents in World War II, are provided for use when reading Stalingrad: The Death of the German Sixth Army on the Volga, 1942-1943.  They are also found in an appendix of the book.

 

Soldat [Soldier/Private]

Funker [(Radioman), Private in Communications]

Grenadier [Private in the Infantry]

Jäger [(Hunter), Private in the Light and Mountain Divisions]

Kanonier [(Gunner), Private in the Artillery

Panzerjäger [(Tank Hunter), Private in an Anti-Tank unit]

Pioneer [Private in the Engineers]

Panzerschütze [Private in the Motorized Infantry]

Reiter [(Trooper), Private in the Cavalry]

Schütze [(Private in the Infantry)

 

Obersoldat [Senior Private]

Oberfunker [(Radioman), Senior Private in Communications]

Obergrenadier [Senior Private in the Infantry]

Oberjäger [(Hunter), Senior Private in the Light and Mountain Divisions]

Oberkanonier [(Gunner), Senior Private in the Artillery

Oberpanzerjäger [(Tank Hunter), Senior Private in an Anti-Tank unit]

Oberpioneer [Senior Private in the Engineers]

Oberpanzerschütze [Senior Private in the Motorized Infantry]

Oberreiter [(Trooper), Senior Private in the Cavalry]

Oberschütze [Senior Private in the Infantry]

 

Gefreiter [Private First Class]

Obergefreiter [Acting Corporal]

Sanitäts-Obergefreiter [Acting Corporal in the Medical Corps]

Stabsgefreiter [Acting Corporal of Administration]

Unteroffizier [Corporal]

Unterfeldwebel [Sergeant]

Fahnenjunker [Sergeant who was also an Officer Candidate]

Unterwachtmeister [Sergeant in Artillery, Reconnaissance or Cavalry]

Feldwebel [Staff Sergeant]

Wachtmeister [Staff Sergeant in Artillery, Reconnaissance or Cavalry]

Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel [Staff Sergeant who was also an Advanced Officer Candidate]

Oberfeldwebel [Technical Sergeant]

Oberwachtmeister [Technical Sergeant in Artillery, Reconnaissance or Cavalry]

Oberfähnrich [Technical Sergeant who was also a Senior Officer Candidate]

Stabsfeldwebel [Master Sergeant]

Stabswachtmeister [Master Sergeant in Artillery, Reconnaissance or Cavalry]

 

Leutnant [Second Lieutenant]

Oberleutnant [First Lieutenant]

Hauptmann [Captain]

Major [Major]

Oberstleutnant [Lieutenant Colonel]

Oberst [Colonel]

Generalmajor [Brigadier General/1-star General]

Generalleutnant [Major General/2-star General]

General der Artillerie [Lieutenant General in the Artillery/3-star General]

General der Infanterie [Lieutenant General in the Infantry/3-star General]

General der Panzertruppe [Lieutenant General in the Armored Troops/3-star General]

General der Pioniere [Lieutenant General in the Engineers/3-star General]

Generaloberst [Colonel General/4-star General]

Generalfeldmarschall [(Field Marshal)/5-star General]

German Army Ranks2016-01-19T07:45:44-06:00

Stalingrad Article in “Desperta Ferro Magazine”

Desperta Ferro Edition Cover

Desperta Ferro Magazine out of Madrid, Spain has published an article by French in Spanish in their latest March-April 2014 issue.  The issue is entitled on the front Cover “Stalingrado (I) El as alto de la Wehrmacht.”  French’s six page article, beginning on page12, is titled, “El Sexto Ejército preparativos para la campaña.”

This excellent magazine can be ordered from:

Desperta Ferro Ediciones SLNE
C/Isabel Clara Eugenia 10, portal G, 4˚ B
28050 Madrid
CIF B-85964815
Tlf. 658 160824

An email address there is jesus_jimenez@despertaferro-ediciones.com

Their website is www.despertaferro-ediciones.com

The magazine, which is all in Spanish, has excellent maps and photographs.  If you are a Spanish-speaker interested in history, this is the magazine for you.

Sexto Ejército, preparativos para la campaña por French MacLean.  Ni el ejército alemán en su conjunto, ni el Sexto Ejército en particular, eran esos invencibles titanes que proclamaba determinada bibliografía de postguerra, aunque el Sexto Ejército fue con frecuencia el de mayores dimensiones de toda la Wehrmacht. Aquejado de una carencia de mandos experimentados, mientras operaba al final de una larga y precaria línea de suministros y con un equipo que fue rápidamente superado por el enemigo, el alemán fue en el fondo un ejército de la Primera Guerra Mundial en muchos aspectos –aunque llamado a cumplir con las expectativas de velocidad y profundidad de la Segunda Guerra Mundial– y, una vez más, condicionado por una guerra en dos frentes.

 

Stalingrad Article in “Desperta Ferro Magazine”2015-08-02T11:29:21-05:00

Southern Stalingrad Map

Southern Stalingrad Map

Sometimes the book uses maps that were generated from bits and pieces of information and put in a simpler format.  Southern Stalingrad is one of them.  Major locations are in red.  Distances between various locations are described in the accompanying text so the reader can get a good feel for the magnitude of the city.

Southern Stalingrad Map2015-09-08T15:34:23-05:00

Stalingrad Situation Map for August 16, 1942

Situation Map for August 16, 1942

The book uses many daily situation maps to show where the German divisions and corps were located.  This is one of the Lage Ost maps from the National Archives, where they are in photo format – the originals having been returned to Germany.  The maps were initially prepared by the German Army High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres [OKH]).  They were first printed by the Mapping and Survey Branch; the OKH Operations Branch then annotated then to indicate specific headquarters and unit locations.  New maps were prepared daily.

The good news is that for many of these maps, you do not have to go to Washington DC and the Archives.  Researcher John Calvin (WWII Aerial Photos and Maps) has put many on his own web site, as well as thousands of photos and other maps.

Stalingrad Situation Map for August 16, 19422015-09-08T15:36:35-05:00

Captured German Generals at Stalingrad

Captured German Generals

This and another similar photo came from Russia.  It is probably from very early in February 1943, as many men appear to be in shock at what is happening.  (Left, with peaked cap and monocle, facing right) is Generalleutnant Carl Rodenburg of the 76th Infantry Division; he was released from captivity on January 10, 1955.  (Center left, with “crusher” hat, facing left) is Generalmajor Martin Lattmann of the 14th Panzer Division; he was released from captivity in 1948.  (Center, in mountain cap) is Generalleutnant Werner Sanne of the 100th Jäger Division.  (Right, with crusher hat, facing left) is Generaloberst Karl Strecker of the XI Corps.  Many German generals, captured at Stalingrad, later agreed to assist the Soviets by renouncing the National Socialist régime in Germany.

Captured German Generals at Stalingrad2015-09-08T15:39:20-05:00

German “X” Squad at Stalingrad

German “X” Squad

The base photo is that of an infantry squad just west of Stalingrad in October 1942.  Their unit is preparing to move into the city, probably for the first time.  I have added the red Xs to the photo, indicating that in the aggregate, nine of every ten men going into Stalingrad would become casualties of one sort or another.

German “X” Squad at Stalingrad2015-09-08T15:40:09-05:00
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