The History of the Panzerkorps Grossdeutschland, Vol. 2

505 Pages·1995·11.666 MB·English

by  Helmuth Spaeter

Vol. 2
Translated by David Johnston
THE HISTORY OF THE
PANZERKORPS GROSSDEUTSCHLAND
Volume 2
By Helmuth Spaeter
English translation by David Johnston
Copyright 1995 by
J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing
Originally Published in German as
DIE GESCHICHTE DER PANZERKORPS GROSSDEUTSCHLAND 2
In 1958, Bielefeld, Germany
English Edition published by
J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing Inc.
106 Browning Blvd.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada R3K 0L7
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The material in this book is copyright by
J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing Inc., no part of it
may be reproduced in any way without the
written permission of the publisher.
Printed in the USA
ISBN 0-921991-27-4
Typesetting by George R. Bradford
Printed and Bound by
Publishers Press
PUBLISHER 'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We wish to thank the following individuals who have contributed to the
publishing of this book.
David Johnston - Translation
Tom Wilson - Proof Reading
Brian Molloy - Cover & Signing Box
Matt Reinert - GD Cuffband
We also wish to thank you the reader for purchasing this book, and all
those of you who have purchased our other books, and have written us with
your kind words of praise and encouragement. It gives us impetus to contin­
ue to publish translations of the best German books and specially commis­
sioned books, as you can see by the additional books which are in prepara­
tion for publication in the near future. Other titles are either being negotiated
or seriously contemplated, many as a result of your helpful proposals. Such
proposals have also motivated us to pursue the start of a serious military art
print series, focusing on the Waffen-SS and German armor. More on these in
the near future, further suggestions are always welcome.
John Fedorowicz & Michael Olive
Books published by J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing
THE LEIBSTANDARTE (1 SS Panzer Division) volumes I, II, III and IV/1
EUROPEAN VOLUNTEERS (5 SS Panzer Division)
DAS REICH I (2 SS Panzer Division)
THE HISTORY OF PANZERKORPS GROSSDEUTSCHLAND I & 2
OTTO WEIDINGER
OTTO KUMM
MANHAY, THE ARDENNES; CHRISTMAS 1944
ARMOR BATTLES OF THE WAFFEN-SS 1943-45
TIGER: THE HISTORY OF A LEGENDARY WEAPON 1942-45
HITLER MOVES EAST
TIGERS IN THE MUD
PANZER ACES
FOOTSTEPS OF THE HUNTER
HISTORY OF THE 12 SS PANZERDIVISION HITLERJUGEND
GRENADIERS (Kurt Meyer)
HELD UNIFORMS OF THE GERMAN ARMY PANZER FORCES IN WW2
TIGERS IN COMBAT I
INFANTERIE ACES
FREINEUX AND LAMORMENIL - THE ARDENNES
THE CAUCASUS AND THE OIL
EAST FRONT DRAMA - 1944
HISTORY OF THE PANZERKORPS HERMAN GORING
DAS REICH II
PRINZ EUGEN, THE HISTORY OF THE 7SS MOUNTAIN DIVISION “PRINZ EUGEN”
THE WESTERN FRONT 1944 - MEMOIRS OF A PANZER LEHR OFFICER
Books in preparation:
MICHAEL WITTMANN AND THE TIGER COMMANDERS OF THE LEIBSTANDARTE
THE LEIBSTANDARTE IV/2
THE BRANDENBURGERS - GLOBAL MISSION
SS-POLIZEI, HISTORY OF THE 4SS PANZERGRENADIER DIVISION, VOLS. 1 & 2
J. J. Fedorowicz Publishing Inc.
CONTENTS
Introduction........................................................................................................1
PART I — KHARKOV 1943
Chapter 1
KHARKOV 1943................................................................................................3
In the Defensive Battle.........................................................................................3
Plan of Tachertkowe.............................................................................................6
Chapter 2
THE GREAT COUNTERATTACK..............................................................56
Chapter 3
REST TIME IN THE POLTAVA AREA......................................................80
Fortress Plan of Borrissowka.............................................................................83
Chapter 4
WACHBATAILLON GD................................................................................93
“Wolfaachanze” Watch Standing Orders........................................................101
Operation “Citadel” Map.................................................................................103
PART II — ZITADELLE AND THE AFTERMATH
Chapter 1
The Attack.......................................................................................................104
Army Group Centre..........................................................................................106
Army Group South...........................................................................................106
Chapter 2
In the Forest of Karachev.................................................................................134
Battles for the Karachev Forest Map...............................................................140
Chapter 3
With Army Group South Again.......................................................................146
Operation Natzmer............................................................................................164
Conversation in a Hole in the Ground..............................................................179
Chapter 4
Three Green Flares............................................................................................196
PART III — THE DNIEPER
Chapter 1
Battle Zone Krivoy Rog (from 30 Sept., 1943)................................................206
Fighting Along The Dnieper (Oct., 1943) Map................................................210
Withdrawals (Oct. - Nov., 1943)......................................................................221
Chapter 2
The Big Night Singsong...................................................................................232
Chapter 3
With the Großdeutschland Panzer-Fusiliers at Lyubimovka...........................242
Christmas 1943 with 2nd Battery, Panzer Artillery Regt. GD.........................253
The Southern Front, January 1944...................................................................263
PART IV — FROM THE KIROVOGRAD AREA TO JASSY
Chapter 1
The Overall Situation.......................................................................................266
Chapter 2
The Defensive Battle for Kirovograd...............................................................268
Chapter 3
On The Lower Dnieper....................................................................................277
Chapter 4
Führer-Begleit-Bataillon with Army Group North
(“Battle Group Bohrend” - FBB)......................................
Chapter 5
Großdeutschland in the South of the Eastern Front..........................287
Chapter 6
1029th Reinforced Grenadier Regiment (Mot.) GD.......................................292
Bitterberg Overview.........................................................................................298
PART V — IN RUMANIA
Chapter 1
Targul Frumos and Jassy.................................................................................307
Chapter 2
The Battle of Jassy............................................................................................312
Chapter 3
Defensive Victory at Targul Frumos................................................................317
Chapter 4
The Final Battles in Rumania...........................................................................336
Chapter 5
From Führer Escort Battalion (Führer-Begleiî-Bataillon)
to Grenadier Regiment and the Führer Escort Regiment (Führer-
Begleit-Regiment) ............................................................................................348
Chapter 6
Officer Candidate School Großdeutschland.....................................................355
PART VI — THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Chapter 1
The Assassination Attempt
in the Wolfsschanze on 20th July, 1944...........................................................360
Wolfsschanze Layout.......................................................................................362
Chapter 2
Berlin-Bendlerstraße.........................................................................................367
OKH Berlin-Bendlerstraße................................................................................371
PART VII — FROM VILKAVISHKIS TO MEMEL
Chapter 1
The Pz.Gren.Div. GD’s “Horizon Crawl”........................................................380
March from Wirballen to Schaulen Map..........................................................393
Attack on Wilkowischken Map........................................................................394
Chapter 2
With I (Panther) Battalion, Panzer Regiment GD............................................421
Chapter 3
Führer Grenadier Brigade (FGB)......................................................................429
First Action between Goldap and Gumbinnen.................................................429
Chapter 4
The Führer Escort Brigade (FBB)....................................................................446
Chapter 5
The Memel Bridgehead....................................................................................450
PART VIII — BATTLES IN THE WEST
Chapter 1
The Führer Escort Brigade and the Führer Grenadier Brigade
during the Ardennes Offensive........................................................................464
The Ardennes Offensive Map..........................................................................475