Luftwaffe Officers at Feldkommandostelle "Steinbruch"

1942-1943: One side of a stereograph of Luftwaffe officials at a German Air Force headquarters location in Vinnitsa, Ukraine. Original caption in German reads: "Im fahrbaren und somit schnell beweglichen Hauptquartier der Luftwaffe werden die Operationen der Luftverbände geleitet" (In the mobile and thus rapidly moving headquarters of the Air Force, the operations of the combined Luftwaffe staffs are conducted). Hermann Göring's Feldkommandostelle "Steinbruch" was built during the same time when the "Werwolf" complex was built. It was blown up in 1944 by retreating German forces. Parts of the large bunker that stood here can be found in the forest north of the village of Hulivtsi (near Kordeliwka and close to the Luftwaffe airfield in Kalinowka – Google Earth: 49°29'51.85"N – 28°35'51.54"E). The complex was once attacked by a group of partisans, led by general Naumova, in February 1943.

Source :
https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/pa1180077
https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/64587/Remains-Headquarters-Hermann-G%F6ring-Steinbruch.htm

Pioneers Carrying an Extended Charge

Two Heer pioneers rush forward in training carrying an extended charge (Gestreckteladung) as their Unteroffizier looks on. This consisted of 200g charges wired to planks at 10-15cm (4-6in.) intervals.

Source :
Book "German Pionier 1939-45: Combat Engineer of the Wehrmacht" by Gordon L. Rottman

Crossing a Pontoon Bridge at Night

Crossing a pontoon bridge at night, under the supervision of the Pioniere during an exercise (note the coloured bands on helmets and caps). Brückengerät B bridge construction was a rather complicated procedure that required a reconnaissance of the area to determine the most suitable site to build the bridge and determine the type of bridge required. The Brückengerät B pontoon bridge sections could be assembled in three different configurations: a 130m-long version with a maximum capacity of 4 tons, an 80m-long version with a capacity of 8 tons, and a 50m-long version that could carry up to 20 tons.

Source :
Book "German Pionier 1939-45: Combat Engineer of the Wehrmacht" by Gordon L. Rottman

Inflatable Boats are Loaded with Troops

5.5m medium inflatable boats are loaded with German troops. It was these boats that were paddled across countless rivers to secure the far shore and allow a bridgehead to be established enabling the pioneers to build bridges and operate ferries.

Source :
Book "German Pionier 1939-45: Combat Engineer of the Wehrmacht" by Gordon L. Rottman

Corduroy Road in the Frontline

A completed corduroy road made by the German pioniertruppen was often settled in by running a tank or other heavy vehicle down it before the 'ribbon-cutting ceremony'. The guide rails on the edges were a standard fixture. Beneath the surface logs are at least five stringer logs running the length of the road surface. Depending on the depth of the mud it might require several layers of cross-laid logs. Ideally a layer of sand, earth, or gravel would be laid on the surface for a smoother ride.

Source :
Book "German Pionier 1939-45: Combat Engineer of the Wehrmacht" by Gordon L. Rottman

German Infantry Crossing the River

Improvisation and ingenuity were characteristic of the German Pioniere, even though their makeshift solutions could not always be fully appreciated by the men using them. This improvised footway, built using medium-sized inflatable boats, planks, and timber, enables the infantry to get across the river, but judging from the look of the machine gunner in the foreground something more stable would have been appreciated.

Source :
Book "German Pionier 1939-45: Combat Engineer of the Wehrmacht" by Gordon L. Rottman

Kriegsmarine Land Quarters

Many naval quarters on land were only a little less cramped than conditions on board ships. During training periods, each man was usually allocated a cupboard which had to be kept locked - the reason being that one should not tempt others to steal. The men are wearing white working denims over blue naval shirts with the large ‘Nelson’ collar.

Source :
Book "Wolfpacks At War: The U-Boat Experience In WWII" by Jak Mallmann Showell

Fun at Wilhelmshaven Naval Barracks

The Reichsmarine barracks in Wilhelmshaven around the time when Hitler came to power.‘Lord Muck’, lounging on the chair and being serenaded, claimed he was too hard worked to clean his locker properly prior to an inspection, so his mates are giving him a hand to make sure that the offending piece of furniture is spotless. Some punishment was called for and coping with a wet wooden locker was not terribly congenial because the offender could not lock his clothes away until it had dried out again. Consequently he was confined to barracks for a brief period while the rest of the ‘charmen’ had a run in town.

Source :
Book "Wolfpacks At War: The U-Boat Experience In WWII" by Jak Mallmann Showell

Leutnant Wolfgang Stein in Stalingrad

Leutnant Wolfgang E. F. Stein, commander of the 2.Kompanie / Pionier-Bataillon 635, remembers his experience in Stalingrad during the battle on 18 October 1942: “As the oldest lieutenant, I became company commander. We were ordered to blow up bunkers on the bank of the Volga in close combat. During the night we advanced through the Red Barricade gun factory, near the fuel depot. There I was severely wounded during the attack. I suffered a high loss of blood and was lying there senseless. At dawn my comrades brought me back while using smoke and hand grenades and brought me to the battalion command post. My friend, assistant doctor Dr. Lechtken, saved my life; I was flown out to Stalino severely wounded. In this action my friend and comrade Leutnant Fritz Bauch also was severely wounded; he lost his right leg. Of my unit, Oberleutnant Fröhlich, Leutnant Hartung, Gefreiter Bethke, Pionier Straubinger, and Pionier Fischbacher were killed.”

Source :
Book "Winter Storm: The Battle for Stalingrad and the Operation to Rescue 6th Army" by Hans Wijers

Helmut Walz Describes His Experience in Stalingrad

The fights at Stalingrad that the German 305. Infanterie-Division entered on 14 October 1942 were heavy and costly. At first they were fighting for the housing blocks between the Red Barricade factory and the tractor works. Then, from October 17, the fight shifted to the Red October gun factory. Snipers, infantry and artillery fire, aircraft bombs, rain, cold nights, dirt, insects, and lack of sleep reduced the Germans’ strength. Death was lurking everywhere in the dismal desert of the destroyed factories.

Helmut Walz, of the 7.Kompanie / II.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 577, describes the fighting: “On the morning of October 17, we were in the ruins of the factory. Then we were ordered to cross the open terrain to the factory halls. That was a desert of rubble in which everything lay scattered around. About fifteen meters away, I saw Soviet soldiers in a bunker. I was about ten meters ahead and only five to six meters from them, and I took cover behind a brick of concrete, a piece of rubble, but a big one. I huddled behind it and called over to them that they were to surrender. They didn’t do that. Fires were burning everywhere,  and then I threw a hand grenade in there. And then one came out who had blood running from his nose, his ears, and his mouth. I knew nothing about first aid, but I knew one thing: he could not survive. He aimed his submachine gun at me, a Soviet one with the drum in front (PPSH). I was saying to myself: ‘Boy, you won’t get me!’ I took aim at him with my pistol and then saw something small start hurtling through the air. For a moment, I was stunned—what was happening? Then I moved my hand over my face, and there was a big spurt of blood and teeth coming out. One of my comrades saw what was happening and jumped on a slab of concrete and then on top of the Soviet soldier. With his boots, he struck straight into the face of the Russian. I can still hear it crack today. He probably kicked him to death. Leutnant Hennes indicated that I was to crawl into the cover of a shell crater, where he bandaged me provisionally. At that moment, a Soviet soldier appeared over us. The Russian aimed his submachine gun at Hennes, and then his steel helmet was torn away, a bull’s-eye hit, straight in the head. His head was open—I could see the brain lying there, brain to the left and the right and water in between, no blood. Another soldier of our unit killed the Russian who had shot Hennes, and I crawled away to find a medic.”

Apparently, Soviet soldiers found Leutnant Hennes or at least took his field post letters with them, for the war diary of the Soviet 62nd Army reported: “On October 13, Lieutenant G. Hennes of the 305th Infantry Division proudly wrote: ‘We’re storming Stalingrad. The Führer said: Stalingrad has to fall, and we say, It will fall.’ But the pride of the Germans was premature. No efforts can topple the resistance of the protectors of the heroic city.”

Source :

Book "Winter Storm: The Battle for Stalingrad and the Operation to Rescue 6th Army" by Hans Wijers