by Leo Barron
Still, it didn’t stop Hitler from drawing on all of his strength for this meeting, and exhorting his generals to win one final victory. He started his speech by reminding his audience of the sacrifices of the German people and the successes of National Socialism, and, even more important, that after five years of an exhaustive total war, the Allies had not defeated Germany.23
Then Hitler told Kokott and the others that this was the final gamble, for the fate of Nazi Germany depended on the success of this offensive. He repeated the goal of Antwerp, and he insisted on the destruction of Montgomery’s 21st Army Group. He explained how the Sixth SS Panzer Army was the decisive force in this operation. While the Fifth Panzer Army had to advance through Belgium to Antwerp, the Sixth SS would roll toward Liege with the ultimate mission of destroying the 21st Army Group.24 Kokott and the other commanders listened. They knew that it was a long shot, and the chances of victory were slim. Despite these dark predictions, they also knew that they did not have a choice. They had sworn an oath to the führer. Perhaps history would repeat itself, and the Americans would break, as the French had done when the German panzers crossed the Meuse near Sedan in those heady days of 1940.
Hitler concluded his speech with these words: “Gentlemen, if we are successful, the victory belongs to you, the generals. However, if we fail, I will shoulder the blame. If our armies push through Belgium, I will find a way to get you the divisions so that we can continue into France. We still have divisions in Norway that we could send to you. But, gentlemen, I must warn you that our German industries have been preparing for this operation for months, and in doing so, we have neglected the Eastern Front. It will take too long to replace these losses if we fail.”
Hitler’s voice rose in volume and intensity as he emphasized the last statement.
“There is no second chance. If we fail, it will be terrible for Germany.”
In response, the entire room erupted with a raucous, “Heil Hitler!”25
Kokott and the others could not predict it then, but the town of Bastogne would jeopardize all of Hitler’s grandiose plans.
Wednesday, 13 December 1944
Headquarters of the 26th Volksgrenadier Division
Waxweiler, Germany
Kokott returned to his headquarters near the Our River late on the following day. The thirteenth was spent dissecting the corps operations order and going over the details with his staff officers. There was not much time before December 16—Hitler’s “Null Day”—but Kokott wanted to make sure that he provided clear instructions and guidance to the commanders of the Volksgrenadier regiments before they crossed into enemy territory. On December 13, he convened his staff for his own map rehearsal, and each of his regimental commanders was there. They all had heard rumors, but now he was going to reveal to them the mission that would determine the fate of Germany itself.
Since he commanded an infantry division, Kokott had a different plan of attack from his panzer comrades in the Panzer Lehr and 2nd Panzer divisions. His main effort would be the 77th Volksgrenadier Regiment. The 77th would attack along an east–west axis on the division’s northern flank. The 39th Fusilier Regiment would conduct a supporting operation in order to secure the southern flank of the 77th. The third infantry regiment, the 78th Volksgrenadier Regiment, would be the division reserve, stationed at Affler, Germany.26
Kokott’s workhorse regiment, the 77th Volksgrenadier, had a short but epic history. The Wehrmacht established the 77th Infantry Regiment in the spring of 1936. It grew out of the Wehrkreis VI Military District, and many of the men who joined the division came from the Rhineland region of Germany. As further evidence of its Westphalian, Hanoverian, and Rhineland roots, its 1st Battalion received its start-up funds from the German state police district of Dusseldorf, while the 2nd Battalion received its funds from the state police district of Essen. It remained on the Western Front, and like its parent division, the 26th Infantry, it participated in the invasion of France in 1940. When Operation Barbarossa kicked off in June 1941, it marched into Russia and fought several battles around Moscow and Smolensk. In 1942, OKW designated the 77th as a grenadier regiment, and it fought as part of the 26th Infantry Division along the Don River. In 1943, the 77th Grenadier Regiment fought several battles around Kursk, and for the rest of the year and well into 1944, the 77th Grenadier Regiment retreated with the rest of the German army and fought delaying actions along the way. By September 1944, the constant fighting had wrecked the 77th Grenadier Regiment, and OKW decided to reconstitute it, along with the rest of the 26th Infantry Division, into a Volksgrenadier unit. In the autumn it had returned to the Western Front, where it had undergone its baptism of fire several long years before.27
The commander of the 77th Volksgrenadier Regiment was Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) Martin Schriefer, who had earned the Iron Cross while serving as the commander of the 168th Grenadier Regiment in June of 1944, when the Russians destroyed it in Hube’s pocket, fighting in the Ukraine. The 1st Battalion commander was Captain Weber, and the commander of 2nd Battalion was Captain Josef Raab, who also had earned the coveted Iron Cross in October of that year.28
Kokott was too much of a realist not to see that the time line handed to him at the briefing was going to be impossible to meet. It would be risky, but perhaps a risk worth taking for the brother-in-law of Heinrich Himmler. In order to make this work with his division, he would have to disobey the orders of his army group commander. With this in mind, he began his presentation.
“Gentlemen,” Kokott started as he directed their attention to the Our River on a nearby map of the Ardennes, “the engineers will move down to the river early, and then they will construct a sufficient number of infantry footbridges across so that our forces can traverse quickly. In addition, we will attach our mine locating and clearing detachments to the 39th and 77th regiments.”
Schriefer nodded as he studied the map. Kokott continued. “Also, as per our instructions from the corps, we will build a partially motorized kampfgruppe from our specially organized reconnaissance battalion. The battalion will be assembled in the Neuerburg area at the start of the attack, and it must be ready to move out with the Panzer Lehr Division as soon as the bridge near Gemünd is trafficable. This kampfgruppe will be a combined-arms unit, and it will have the following….” Kokott now pulled out piece of paper and proceeded to read from it. “‘…A company of Hetzers, a mechanized antiaircraft gun platoon with 37mm AA flak guns, a motorized engineer platoon, a motorized battery of towed 105mm howitzers, and a motorized platoon of 120mm mortars.’” Major Rolf Kunkel, the commander of the reconnaissance battalion, scribbled some notes, and then he traced the route of the battalion from Neuerberg to Gemünd.29 When he was finished, he looked back at Kokott and back-briefed his task.
Kokott next outlined several key tasks for each of his maneuver regiments. “Gentlemen,” he said, pointing to two circles on the map, “first, both the 77th and 39th regiments need to be in position in your forward areas west of the Our River before the start of our artillery barrage. Once the artillery opens up at exactly 0530 on the sixteenth, you will rush to your final attack positions. The barrage will last about twenty minutes, so make the most of it. Then your forward observers will radio in targets for targeted artillery strikes on those positions. Meanwhile, your assault battalions will rush westward over the Hosingen road along an extended front.”30
Kokott wanted to overwhelm the Americans. He determined then that a frontal attack was the best way. He figured that if the 39th and the 77th stepped off at the same time, then the Americans would not be able to block a double breach in their defensive lines.
Kokott now paused to let the information sink in. When his regimental commanders looked up from the map, he resumed his brief. “From there, the two forward infantry regiments will proceed to their next objectives.”
“Martin,” said Kokott, who now directed his attention to Lieutenant Colonel Schriefer, “I want the 77th Volksgrenadier Regiment to bypass the
town of Hosingen to the north and then isolate Hosingen from the west. After your regiment completes this task, I want the 77th to pass through Bockholz, then onto Drauffelt. Once there, it must seize a bridge on the Clerf River.” Kokott pounded his fist on the map for emphasis.
Lieutenant Colonel Schriefer snapped back, “Yes, sir!” His voice was as sharp as his clicking heels.
“In addition,” added Kokott, “I will give you priority of fires for the 77th. I will consolidate all the artillery and mortars from your regiment and the 78th and establish a series of batteries around the town of Affler.”
Kokott had estimated that the 77th had the most important mission and would likely face the stiffest opposition on its advance to Drauffelt.31 Therefore, he decided to provide the bulk of his artillery in a direct support role for the 77th Volksgrenadier Regiment. Removing his glasses and momentarily rubbing his eyes, Kokott went over the tasks for the 39th Fusilier Regiment, which had the mission to secure the southern flank of the 77th.
When he was finished, Kokott explained the role of the 26th Reconnaissance Battalion. “After the regiments have secured their objectives, the reinforced 26th Reconnaissance Battalion, together with 130th Reconnaissance Battalion from the Panzer Lehr Division, will then conduct a forward passage of lines, and exploit the penetration that the 77th achieved near Drauffelt.”
While he spoke, Kokott traced a circle around the town of Drauffelt on the map. “Gentlemen, the next part is crucial. From Drauffelt, this kampfgruppe must race along these roads and seize Bastogne through a coup de main.” He then mapped out the route and town on the map for his commanders, using a pointer.
After a brief pause, Kokott started again. “From there, the kampfgruppe will move westward on to Dinant. Its line of advance will be through Eschweiler, then to Niederwampach, or through Doncols-Bras, and then onto Bastogne.32 To ensure proper control, I will control both battalions of the kampfgruppe at the division level.”
Kokott continued his briefing for another hour or so. When he finished, the officers went over each of their tasks to ensure they understood Kokott’s intent. After that, the division commander reiterated that the key to the whole operation was speed and violence. Kokott could not afford delays, or Christrose would not work. Kokott indeed felt the pressure, for like a chain of dominoes, if Christrose did not work, Rheingold would also most likely fail. If von Manteuffel failed to reach the Meuse and cross it, all of Wacht am Rhein would collapse. Kokott knew his grenadiers needed to secure the crossing sites at the Our River, and that his improvised Panzer Lehr/26th Volksgrenadier kampfgruppe would need to race to Bastogne with utmost haste, regardless of its flanks. Kokott made it clear to his subordinates: The assaults must be rapid and use overwhelming force against the Americans. After all, the last thing Kokott wanted was to have to fight his way into Bastogne.
Evening, Friday, 15 December 1944
77th Volksgrenadier area of operations
Opposite the town of Hosingen, along the Our River
December 15 was a cold and misty morning among the hills and woods of the Ardennes. All was in place along the border of Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg. The soldiers were fed and armed, the vehicles fueled and loaded, the officers informed of their routes and initial objectives. All that remained was the anxious wait for the order to attack—“Vorwärts!”
Ludwig Lindemann, a young Unteroffizier (sergeant) in the 77th Volksgrenadier Regiment, was one of the many German soldiers who were surprised by the news of the impending offensive. Nicknamed “Lutz,” Lindemann had been a painter in the small town of Heyen, Germany, before the war. He had joined the Wehrmacht in October 1941. Now, more than three years later, in December 1944, Lindemann was already an experienced combat veteran who had been wounded fighting near the town of Woronesh in the frigid cold of the Russian winters of 1942 and 1943. He had also received the wound badge, close combat sword, and Iron Cross, First and Second Class, all before his twenty-second birthday.33
Recently, Lindemann had been forced to take over as Kompanieführer (company commander) of 6th Company, due to the death of his lieutenant right before the offensive. The promotion was unusual because of his NCO (noncommissioned officer) rank, but an indication of his experience and the manpower shortages in the German army. His unit, the 77th Volksgrenadier Regiment, was the main effort of Kokott’s 26th Volksgrenadier Division. The 77th had arrived in the Eifel region in October 1944 after traveling across Germany by train. As the trains rolled through Germany, many of the soldiers had their first look at the devastation wrought by Allied bombers on their cities and factories. Lindemann recalled the impact it had on his morale. It was not rage that overtook him, but a deep sadness. The war was destroying Germany.
When the 77th arrived in the Eifel, Lindemann and his men occupied several Siegfried Line bunkers along the German frontier. While the concrete bunkers were built to withstand direct hits from heavy artillery, they could not withstand the biting cold that was typical of autumn in northwestern Europe. Every day seemed to bring more rain, and the conditions were nearly intolerable. The added danger of reconnaissance patrols reminded him the Americans were out there, waiting to kill him.
As October faded into November, and November dragged into December, Lindemann began to notice odd changes taking place. Behind his company’s bunkers and back by his battalion headquarters, stacks of ammunition began appearing along the roads, in the nearby towns, and inside the woods. With each passing day, these piles multiplied, and some grew even larger. When he inquired about the piles at his battalion headquarters, no one knew anything, but unlike many of the replacements he was in charge of, Lindemann was a seasoned veteran. He figured something was in the offing, most probably another “push.”
Toward the end of November, higher headquarters had ordered the cessation of patrols, a command that required all messages to be delivered via courier, as radio silence was the order of the day. Lindemann noticed other changes. Artillery had been presited and camouflaged in positions in the nearby forests. Straw had even been thrown on the Rollbahns (main routes chosen for the attack) to reduce the sound of marching boots. Massive searchlights on trailers had been moved into position to provide light for what he assumed would be night attacks.
“Only two commanding officers knew of the mission,” Lindemann recounted in a recent interview, “the regimental commander of the 77th and the division commander [Kokott]. We, the regular troops, were informed the evening of December fifteenth during dinner.”34
For men like Ludwig Lindemann and the rest of the 26th Volksgrenadier Division, the night of the fifteenth was the last opportunity to move troops and equipment to the jump-off points. While Lindemann and his company made their precombat inspections, Oberst Kokott came down to the river to oversee the final preparations. Kokott felt the sting of the wind as he checked the status of his troops moving through the forests of the Eifel. Some of the unpaved roads were barely drivable due to the onset of ice, while the darkness of night further hampered efforts to move the men and weapons of war. To prevent the Allies from detecting the movement of heavy equipment, Kokott authorized his artillery to fire the occasional artillery barrage to drown out the sound of the revving vehicle engines. His tactic worked.
At this point, most of grenadiers were unaware of where exactly they were going. As soldiers do, they followed orders, trusting their officers and moving along the paths in a disciplined manner. They were good soldiers, thought Kokott. Still, as vehicles, men, and horses jockeyed for position along the narrow, winding roads, accidents happened, and congestion became an issue. The result was controlled chaos, but despite the massive number of men and matériel and the ever-present intermittent shelling from the Allies, few casualties occurred. Later in the evening, most of the units were in position at their specified time. While they waited for the next day, the individual company commanders informed their men of the great gamble as they read a message from Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt.35
“Sold
iers of the Western Front! Your great hour has arrived. Large attacking armies have started against the Anglo-Americans. I do not have to tell you more than that. You feel it yourself. We gamble everything! You can carry with you the holy obligation to give everything to achieve things beyond human possibilities for our Fatherland and our führer!”36
The soldiers received the news stoically, but without reservation. They knew what Germany was demanding of them, and they were ready for the task. Their morale and esprit de corps was excellent, and Kokott was confident that his division would succeed in its tasks. The spirit was becoming infectious, even to many of the tired foot soldiers who had previously been dubious of German victory.
Lindemann agreed, recalling, “Yes, in December 1944 I thought it was a good idea to fight this battle and to win the war.”37
The previous evening, Kokott had his staff move the division headquarters closer to the front, to a town called Herbstmuehle. From there, he could direct the actions of his regiments more efficiently. At the same time, outposts along the forward edge of the battle area screened the movements of the 77th and 39th regiments as they inched their way toward their final attack positions before the great artillery barrage. Kokott read over the final reports as he thought about the days ahead. It was all or nothing for Germany. They won, and they would deal a devastating blow to the Anglo-American alliance. They lost, and the war was lost. He knew that even though he drifted into skepticism, he would do his part. His division was ready to do its part for the Fatherland, and he would not let his men down. He wondered whether the Americans, across the way, would fight just as hard.38
