Young Platoon Commanders from Pionier-Bataillon 25

Four young Zugführer (Platoon Commanders) from Pionier-Bataillon 25, pictured in the summer of 1942. From left to right: Leutnant Emil Gräf (1. Kompanie), Leutnant Anton Locherer (2. Kompanie), Leutnant Fritz Molfenter (2. Kompanie), and Leutnant Karl Vögele (2. Kompanie). The battalion was an excellent blend of experience and youth. Most of the officers had been soldiers or NCOs in the battalion during the Polish or French campaigns: the battalion was one of the fortunate few where men would spend their entire careers. If they were wounded, retrained or promoted, chances were very good that they would return to their beloved Pionier-Bataillon 45.

Source :

"Island Of Fire: The Battle For the Barrikady Gun Factory In Stalingrad November 1942 - February 1943" by Jason D. Mark

Wehrmacht Soldiers Pose with Abandoned Soviet Tank

Men of Pionier-Bataillon 45 pose atop one of the many Soviet tanks that littered the vast battlefield west of Kalach, summer of 1942. “We passed through the steppe near Kalach and saw the results of a clash between 6. Armee and a Russian tank army”, recalls Gefreiter Karl Krauss from 2. Kompanie, “about one thousand shot up and derelict Russian tanks – from T-34s up to the 152mm equipped KV2s – covered the battleground, and amongst all these were countless quantities of guns and other materiel. Did Ivan still have the power to resist?”

Source :

"Island Of Fire: The Battle For the Barrikady Gun Factory In Stalingrad November 1942 - February 1943" by Jason D. Mark

Oberst Herbert Selle

Oberst Herbert Selle (Armeepionierführer 6. Armee in Stalingrad) is a colorful and very interesting character (see also his Wikipedia entry): Police officer, Stahlhelm official, early but short-term NSDAP member, involved in the Braunschweig power struggle of March 1933, Holocaust witness, prominent figure of the Stalingrad battle, afterwards critical of Hitler and the Wehrmacht leadership, arrested and prosecuted for "staatsfeindliche Äußerungen" (along with his 17-year-old daughter) in 1943, cleared because of "Unzurechnungsfähigkeit" and returned to service in 1944, after the war honorary member of the Bund der Pioniere and longtime leader of the Deutscher Jagdschutzverband (the german hunting association). Recommendations from Paulus, Schulz and Schörner for promotion to Generalmajor were never acted upon (for obvious reasons).

Source :

"Island Of Fire: The Battle For the Barrikady Gun Factory In Stalingrad November 1942 - February 1943" by Jason D. Mark

https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=229640

German POWs Reaction to Holocaust Film

The immediate reaction of German Prisoners of war upon being forced by the US Army to watch to the uncensored footage of the concentration camps shot by the US Signal Corps, 1945. After the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps, films of the atrocities of the Holocaust were shown to the prisoners, which engendered shock, anger, and disbelief; amazed and disbelieving prisoners nicknamed them knocken films (films of bones). After compulsory viewing of an atrocity film, 1,000 prisoners at Camp Butner dramatically burned their German uniforms while a few prisoners even volunteered to fight in the war against Japan (the idea however was dropped by the American military). This forced process itself was part of the Allied policy of postwar denazification, meant to purge Germany of the remnants of Nazi rule and rebuild its civil society, infrastructure, and economy.

Source :
https://www.checkhookboxing.com/index.php?threads/eerie-creepy-photos-updated-the-story-behind-the-japanese-samurai-sword-assassination-photo.40853/page-96
http://www.historyinorbit.com/rare-historic-photos-n/13

SS General Jakob Sporrenburg

Jakob Sporrenburg was born the son of a gardener in Düsseldorf on September 16, 1902. He lost a brother killed and one seriously wounded in World War I. While training as a mechanic in 1919 he joined the Freikorps and served for 1 l/2years. He joined the NSDAP in 1922 and was arrested by the French for sabotage activities in the Ruhr for which he was in jail from March, 1924, to August, 1925. After his release he worked as a telephone installer in Düsseldorf. He joined the SA on August 25, 1925, and rejoined the NSDAP on December 15, 1925. As an SA-Truppführer he served with SA-Standarte 39 until late September, 1930. He also joined the Hitler Youth on August 1, 1929 and was the Hitler Youth leader for Düsseldorf for the remainder of 1929. On October 1, 1930, he joined the SS and was commissioned as an SS-Sturmführer on December 15, 1930. He then took command of SS-Sturm 54 until being promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer on November 21, 1931. After commanding the l./20.SS-Standarte from November, 1931 to early July, 1932, he took command of the entire Standarte until July, 1933, and was promoted to SS-Standartenführer on November 9, 1932. From September, 1933 to September, 1936. he commanded Abschnitt XX and also commanded the SS garrison in Kiel (November, 1933 to September, 1936) as well as holding a seat in the Reichstag from April / 938 until the end of the war. Promoted to SS-Oberführer on November 9, 1933, and to SS-Brigadeführer on January 30, 1936, during the autumn of 1935 he served as a reserve Leutnant in the Army with Infanterie-Regiment 26. Reassigned to the RSHA. from the start of 1937 to September, 1 939, he was Inspector of the Sipo and SD for Königsberg and was head ofSD Oberabschnitt "Nordost. " From September, 1939, to July, 1940, he led Oberabschnitt "Rhein " (see " Rhein-Westmark ") and was HSSPF "Rhein "from October, 1939, to July, 1940. Promoted to SS-Gruppenfuhrer on January 1, 1940, he led Oberabschnitt "Nordost" and was HSSPF "Nordost" from mid-June 1940 to the start of May, 1941. After training with the Ordnungspolizei and the RSHA he was assigned as SSPF "Weißruthenien" during July and August 1941 then became a special assignments officer to Gauleiter Erich Koch until mid-March 1943. Given the rank of Generalleutnant der Polizei on July 7, 1943, he was next with the HSSPF "Rußland-Mitte" and the anti-partisan command until mid-August 1943 when he became SSPF "Lublin" and held that posting until November 1944. In November, 1944 he was attached to the staff of Oberabschnitt "Ost" then held a transitional staff posting for two weeks with Oberabschnitt "Nord. " At the end of November 1944 he took the newly created post of SSPF "Süd-Norwegen " and held that assignment until the end of the war. He was awarded the Gold Party Badge on January 30, 1942, the Iron Cross 2nd class (June 20, 1941) and also the first class (November 30, 1944), both classes of the War Service Cross with Swords in 1943, The NSDAP Long Service Award in Gold on January 30, 1942, the Gold Hitler Youth Honor Badge, the SA Sports Badge in Gold and the Reich's Sports Badge in Silver. His involvement with Einsatzgruppen operations caused him to suffer from depression and have a breakdown in 1941. Despite this fact he was active in executions throughout 1943 and won high accolades from HSSPF Curt von Gottberg and Wilhelm Koppe. He was tried in Warsaw in 1950 and hanged there on December 6, 1952.

Source :
"Allgemeine-SS: The Commands, Units and Leaders of the General SS" by Mark C. Yerger

SS General Hans-Adolf Prützmann

Hans-Adolf Prützmann was born on August 31, 1901, in Tollkemit, East Prussia. He worked as a farmer and entered local politics, serving as a senator for East Prussia. On August 12, 1930, he joined the SS and first served with SS-Sturm 24. Commissioned as an SS-Sturmführer on November 10, 1930, he became adjutant of the 30.SS-Standarte in late March 1931 and was promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer on August 3, 1931. In August, 1931, he moved to the 19.SS-Standarte as administrative officer then took command until early September, 1932 during which time he was promoted to SS-Standartenführer on January I, 1932. From late August, 1932, to mid-December, 1933, he commanded the 18.SS-Standarte and was promoted to SS-Oberführer on June 26, 1933, and to SS-Brigadeführer on November 9, 1933. He was a member of the Reichstag from April, 1938, until the end of the war and also led Abschnitt X from mid-July to mid- November, 1933. Prützmann took command of Oberabschnitt "Südwest" in mid-November, 1933, and left that command at the end of February, 1937, during which he was promoted to SS-Gruppenführer on February 28, 1934. He commanded Oberabschnitt "Nordwest" (which became "Nordsee") and was HSSPF "Nordsee" from June, 1938, to May, 1941. He was then officially HSSPF "Nordost" and commander of the area Oberabschnitt until the end of the war but was in Russia and his duties were undertaken by substitutes. In Russia he served as the HSSPF "Rußland-Nord" from June to November, 1941, and then changed posts with Friedrich Jeckeln and became the HSSPF "Rußland-Süd" until mid-March, 1944. Becoming a Generalleutnant der Polizei on April 1, 1941, and promoted to SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Polizei on November 9, 1941, from October, 1943, to September, 1944 he was the also the HöSSPF "Ukraine." In June, 1944, he became Himmler's liaison officer with the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (Armed Forces High Command) and for all of 1945 he also was Inspector of special guerrilla units ("Wehrwolf"). He became a General der Waffen-SS on July 1. 1944, and during the final weeks of the war served with the Dönitz government as Himmler's representative. He was awarded the Gold Party Badge, the Iron Cross 2nd class in 1941, the Iron Cross 1st class in 1943, both classes of the War Merit Cross with Swords and the German Cross in Gold on June 16, 1944 for leading Kampfgruppe "Prützmann" in Russia (composed of Ordnungspolizei and foreign units under his command). His German Cross recommendation was personally submitted by Himmler. Prützmann was cultured, creative, a talented organizer, and was feared by subordinates. His command in Russia was also brutal and resulted in the deaths of more than 360,000 people from August to October, 1942 alone, more than the totals for several of the Einsatzgruppen in Russia. Captured by the British, he committed suicide on May 21, 1945.

Source :
"Allgemeine-SS: The Commands, Units and Leaders of the General SS" by Mark C. Yerger

U-995 Crew Now and Then

Surviving U-995 crew, now and then. German submarine U-995 is a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. She was laid down on 25 November 1942 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, Germany, and commissioned on 16 September 1943. During the war U-995's commanders were: Kapitänleutnant Walter Köhntopp (16 September 1943 to 9 October 1944) and Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Georg Hess (10 October 1944 to 8 May 1945). At the end of the war, on 8 May 1945, U-995 was stricken at Trondheim, Norway. She was surrendered to the British and then transferred to Norwegian ownership in October 1948. In December 1952 U-995 became the Norwegian submarine Kaura and in 1965 she was stricken from service by the Royal Norwegian Navy. She then was offered to the German government for the ceremonial price of one Deutsche Mark. The offer was refused; however, the boat was saved by the German Navy League, DMB. U-995 became a museum ship at Laboe Naval Memorial in October 1971.

Source :
"After the Battle Nr.36 - Walcheren"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-995

German Actor and a Luftwaffe Pilot Hannes Stelzer

This is a movie picture of the Austrian actor Hannes Stelzer (1910-1944). He played a highly decorated war pilot hero in the 1941 movie 'Stukas'. By 1943 the meanwhile jobless Hannes is forced to enlist in the German Army. He becomes a fighter pilot at the Luftwaffe, and between film roles he took on combat missions in World War II! On 27 December 1944, Stelzer died in a plane crash over the village of Zemné, Slovakia (not in Hungary as is often stated) in a snowstorm, according to a Wehrmacht report. He was 34 years old. His wife actress Maria Bard - who was married twice before - committed suicide earlier earlier at Berlin on April 1944.

Source :
http://www.germanfilms.net/hannes-stelzer/

German Soldiers Surrender at Vilnius

German soldiers surrender to the Red Army in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, 11 July 1944. The picture was taken by Fyodor Kislov. During the battle for the city, the Soviet 5th Army and 5th Guards Tank Army engaged the German garrison of Fester Platz Vilnius (consisting of Grenadier-Regiment 399 and Artillerie-Regiment 240 of the 170. Infanterie-Division, Grenadier-Regiment 1067, a battalion from the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 16, the anti-tank battalion of the 256. Infanterie-Division, and other units under the command of Luftwaffe Generalmajor Rainer Stahel. The Soviet 35th Guards Tank Brigade initially took the airport, defended by the battalion of paratroopers; intense street-by-street fighting then commenced as the Soviets attempted to reduce the defence. While the German aim of holding Vilnius as a Fester Platz or fortress was not achieved, the tenacious defence made a contribution in stopping the Red Army's drive west for a few precious days: most importantly, it tied down the 5th Guards Tank Army, which had been instrumental in the initial successes of the Red Army during Operation Bagration. This delay gave German forces a chance to re-establish something resembling a continuous defence line further to the west. Hitler recognised this achievement by awarding Stahel the 76th set of the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross awarded during the war. Nevertheless, the outcome fell far short of what the German command had hoped for, and the continuous frontline that was established only held for a short time. Without the traffic network based on Vilnius, the German position in the southern Baltics was untenable. By the end of July, the 3rd Belorussian Front was ordered to conduct the Kaunas Offensive Operation to further extend the gains of Operation Bagration.

Source :
http://albumwar2.com/german-soldiers-surrender-in-vilnius/
https://heroesandgenerals.com/forums/topic/92943-add-vilnius-on-the-map/

Russian Sniper Captured by the SS

Soviet Union, 1942: Waffen-SS soldiers captured a Russian sniper and dragged him from his hole (one of them smashes his rifle). There is little chance that this sniper would come out alive, because any sniper never fares very well when captured by the enemy, but captured by the SS? It's the worst scenario! BTW, The SS soldier on the left wears a Soviet padded Telogreika/Vatnik, a warm cotton wool-padded jacket.

Source :
https://www.reddit.com/r/HistoryPorn/comments/4a3wy4/waffenss_captured_a_russian_sniper_one_of_them/

A Pack-Mule Unit Takes a Much Needed Respite

The arduous terrain in which the German Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops) advanced into Poland in September 1939 can well be imagined and, as a consequence, sapped the strength from many of the men participating in the long march. In this photograph, a pack-mule unit takes a much needed respite.

Source :
"Images of War: Hitler's Mountain Troops 1939-1945" by Ian Baxter

Gebirgsjäger Cleaning Their Weapons

German Gebirgsjäger (Mountain troops) have occupied a village somewhere in southern Poland in September 1939, and are seen cleaning their weapons. This was known to the soldiers as, ‘Clean and patch hour’, which was a period of time allowed in order to clean weapons and repair clothes before resuming operations.

Source :
"Images of War: Hitler's Mountain Troops 1939-1945" by Ian Baxter

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