For the first Soldbuch thread of 2018 I'll start of with a Stalingrad/Battle of the bulge combination, a combination that you don't often come across.
Traügott kühne (°1916) was a "Wachtmeister" with a chemical warfare unit, because of the ban on chemical weapons of the 1920's the German army used all kinds of camouflage names, like "street decontamination battalion" to covert their secret chemical warfare program.
His unit changed names a couple of times from Straßenentgiftungsabteilung 133 over Schwere Werfer abteilung 133 to finally become Schwere Werfer Regiment 2 in April 1942, this Nebelwerfer unit was attached to the Heeresgruppe Süd for the summer offensive of 1942.
By this time Traügott had been promoted to Oberleutenant and was a battery commander in the II Abteilung, his unit was attached to the 24 Panzer Division for the battle of Stalingrad.
They are engaged in the fierce fighting on the factory grounds of Stalingrad, on September 7 1942 he is awarded an EKII, in early October 1942 they participate for example in the fighting for the Barricade factory.
When at the end of October most of Stalingrad is in German hands and the fighting slows down a bit, Traügott is one of the lucky ones that is given a leave to spend Christmas at home, but before he can enjoy his two week Christmas holiday, he has to follow a four week course in the Nebelwerfer Schule in Celle.
He departs from Stalingrad on November 8 1942, on November 19 the Red Army starts its counteroffensive, operation Uranus and on November 22 Stalingrad is surrounded and the death struggle of the 6th Army can begin.
After the Stalingrad his unit rebuild in Germany with new recruits and the remnants of those that survived the battle for Stalingrad.
On January 1 1944 he is promoted to Hauptmann; in March 1944 his battery is used for the formation of a new regiment: Schwere Werfer Regiment 14, with this unit he will participate in the battle of the bulge.
For operation Wacht am Rhein, his unit is attached to the II SS Panzer Korps, on January 5 1945 he is awarded the EKI by the 12 SS Pz Div - Hitlerjugend.
After the war the word "Hitlerjugend" has been censored but it is still slightly visible.
In the Soldbuch you can see all kinds of details such as the equipment of a battery commander: pistol, binoculars, compass, wristwatch, flashlight.
The Christmas leave that saved his life entered in November 1942 and also entries made by the Nebel Werfer school in the period his battery was being destroyed in Stalingrad.
Traügott kühne (°1916) was a "Wachtmeister" with a chemical warfare unit, because of the ban on chemical weapons of the 1920's the German army used all kinds of camouflage names, like "street decontamination battalion" to covert their secret chemical warfare program.
His unit changed names a couple of times from Straßenentgiftungsabteilung 133 over Schwere Werfer abteilung 133 to finally become Schwere Werfer Regiment 2 in April 1942, this Nebelwerfer unit was attached to the Heeresgruppe Süd for the summer offensive of 1942.
By this time Traügott had been promoted to Oberleutenant and was a battery commander in the II Abteilung, his unit was attached to the 24 Panzer Division for the battle of Stalingrad.
They are engaged in the fierce fighting on the factory grounds of Stalingrad, on September 7 1942 he is awarded an EKII, in early October 1942 they participate for example in the fighting for the Barricade factory.
When at the end of October most of Stalingrad is in German hands and the fighting slows down a bit, Traügott is one of the lucky ones that is given a leave to spend Christmas at home, but before he can enjoy his two week Christmas holiday, he has to follow a four week course in the Nebelwerfer Schule in Celle.
He departs from Stalingrad on November 8 1942, on November 19 the Red Army starts its counteroffensive, operation Uranus and on November 22 Stalingrad is surrounded and the death struggle of the 6th Army can begin.
After the Stalingrad his unit rebuild in Germany with new recruits and the remnants of those that survived the battle for Stalingrad.
On January 1 1944 he is promoted to Hauptmann; in March 1944 his battery is used for the formation of a new regiment: Schwere Werfer Regiment 14, with this unit he will participate in the battle of the bulge.
For operation Wacht am Rhein, his unit is attached to the II SS Panzer Korps, on January 5 1945 he is awarded the EKI by the 12 SS Pz Div - Hitlerjugend.
After the war the word "Hitlerjugend" has been censored but it is still slightly visible.
In the Soldbuch you can see all kinds of details such as the equipment of a battery commander: pistol, binoculars, compass, wristwatch, flashlight.
The Christmas leave that saved his life entered in November 1942 and also entries made by the Nebel Werfer school in the period his battery was being destroyed in Stalingrad.
Attachments
-
DSC00010.jpg83.8 KB · Views: 44
-
DSC00011.jpg106.5 KB · Views: 39
-
DSC00012.jpg119.2 KB · Views: 43
-
DSC00013.jpg89.7 KB · Views: 38
-
DSC00014.jpg103.5 KB · Views: 37
-
DSC00015.jpg101.6 KB · Views: 33
-
DSC00016.jpg94.8 KB · Views: 28
-
DSC00017.jpg90.8 KB · Views: 29
-
DSC00018.jpg111.2 KB · Views: 27
-
DSC00019.jpg117 KB · Views: 28