History 02/03/20 What Russian soldiers of Hitler fought in the battle of Stalingrad
In the ranks of the Wehrmacht during the battle of Stalingrad fought by representatives of different nationalities – Italians, Hungarians, Romanians, Finns, Estonians. Among them were the so-called “Jivi” – volunteers of the German army from among Soviet citizens.
After the defeat near Moscow, the German army still was a formidable force, however, began to experience staffing difficulties. Hitler made a difficult decision — to complete the German part of the Union divisions. So on the Eastern front were sent to 27 Romanian, 17 Finnish, 13 Hungarian, 9 Italian, 2 Slovak and 1 Spanish division. Many of them were deployed in the southern sector of the front where they planned the attack on Stalingrad.
However, the actual gain of the Wehrmacht “the Internationale” to no avail. Union troops were ill-equipped to handle prolonged fighting: they limped military discipline and in General they are not very eager to give their lives for the führer. After the rapid defeat of the flanks, which covered the Romanian division, by early February 1943, the Red Army was forced to capitulate and the 6th army of Friedrich Paulus.
Among the vanquished was not only Western allies of the Third Reich, but the Soviet citizens and white immigrants, who actively joined the 6th army on the eve of the battle of Stalingrad. It’s unfortunate that in the “international” of the German satellites “Russian units” of the Wehrmacht in numbers was the first. In some divisions the number of “Jivi” reached 27%. Soviet historiography preferred to keep silent about it.
the Large influx of volunteers into the ranks of the Wehrmacht occurred after the Nazi seizure of the lands of the don army: deserters the first time were used as porters, drivers, and porters of ammunition, sappers, and communications, but in colloquialar Stalingrad events have become increasingly involved in military operations.
the Commander of one of battalions of the Wehrmacht Jochen lezer recalled how two red army soldiers joined the ranks of its connection shortly after capture, and immediately joined in the fighting. One of them was the second room in the machine-gun calculation, and as soon as the first died he took over his place.
the Civilian population of the USSR, defected to the enemy, often used in government in German-occupied territories of the Stalingrad region and in the occupied districts of the Stalingrad. They served as prefects, burgomasters, and in the auxiliary police. Among them were many inhabitants of Ukraine.
At the final stage of the battle of Stalingrad said loudly about themselves division “Von Stumpfeldt” (named for its commander, Lieutenant-General Hans Joachim von Stumpfeldt), composed mostly of Russian fighters. Towards the end of the battle she has been actively replenished by former red Army officers who were appointed to command posts. For example, in January 1943, a former major in the red army of Tuhmanov headed Kamenskiy battalion.
Formed division was on 12 December, after contact with the 6th army surrounded. Place of dislocation – the Western Bank of the river Chir between the height 161 and the farm Lisinski – was an extremely important strategic springboard. To combat the attacks of Stanfield readily attracted the Cossacks, who knew thoroughly the area. Interestingly, the Cossacks, who were called “Volunteers of the Eastern troops” in this division in status were equated with soldiers of German nationality. The soldiers fought “Stanfield” mostly captured Soviet weapons. So, armed they had the 42 anti-tank guns of Soviet production.
the rout of the division happened shortly after the surrender of field Marshal Paulus and his 6th army. The last line of defense of the division “Von Stumpfeldt”, Tractor plant, could not hold out more than a week after the main part of the battle for Steelgrad.
However, after the defeat of the Germans at Stalingrad scattered, abandoned to their fate, “Russian formation” continued to resist the Soviet army. The position of the traitors was hopeless. They waited for a shot after getting captured, or death on the battlefield. For example, the Cossack division captain Nesterenko was trying to get to the West to connect with the surviving units of the Wehrmacht, but in the end found their death in war-ravaged lands of Stalingrad.
part of the “Jivi” along with the Nazis continued to carry out guerrilla war in a network of Stalingrad dungeon. The most significant was in the area of Confectionery factory, where on the eve of the surrender of the Germans with the involvement of prisoners of war and civilians built a underground city.
the Remains of “Russian entities” of the 6th army fought until the end of spring 1943. So, according to the testimony of one of the NKVD officers on may 4 near the town of Konstantinovsk, which is 300 kilometers West of Stalingrad, was detained a group of soldiers dressed in Soviet military uniforms. Later it turned out that five of them were German soldiers and two former soldiers of the red army. Russian after a brief interrogation he was shot, and the Germans transferred to the Department of the NKVD of Rostov-na-Donu.
the Exact number who fought on the side of the Wehrmacht Soviet citizens is unknown. Many of them died during the fighting, many died of disease and wounds in the first days of captivity, and someone still managed to break through to the West. But with most of the traitors of the Soviet regime were killed on the spot.
According to the records of the 6th army of the Wehrmacht in her team fought 20 300 Russian, some German historians put the number at 70 and even 90 thousand. In the works of Manfred Kariga and rüdiger Overmansa counts the number of surrounded by German forces. Russian there are about 50 thousand people. For comparison, the Romanians it was only about 5 thousand.
Taras Repin
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© Russian Seven
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