THE AXIS FORCES 1 (WW2 Axis Forces)
Page 4
Bibliography
Robert Forbes, “For Europe”, Stackpole books
Christophe Leguérandais, “Hitlers’ French volunteers”, Pen and sword
The SS-Division Wiking in the Caucasus: Autumn 1942
by Massimiliano Afiero
September 1942: well supported by their artillery, Soviet units returned to carry out attack after attack. Each time, despite heavy losses, the Soviet infantrymen were able to advance and gain a little ground. SS-Gruf. Steiner knew that he had to mount another attack, using the last of the tanks of the armored battalion and SS-Stubaf. von Hadeln’s soldiers: “…they will move during the night, taking up positions between the Westland and the Nordland” ordered the Wiking commander. The armored battalion had come out of the latest fighting in a very dejected state, there were dozens of dead and numerous damaged tanks. The tanks that could not be repaired were destroyed.
The advance of the Wiking in the Caucasus, 1942.
Night and day, the men of the field repair shops, directed by SS-Ustuf. Erich Weise, worked ceaselessly to get as many vehicles as possible in working order. The new attack temporarily eased the enemy pressure but did not move the front line forward. Progress of the German forces in the Caucasus was now stalled. This, on the eve of the autumn season, could be considered a real disaster. What worried the officers of the Wiking the most undoubtedly was the new attitude of the Soviet soldiers. The Germans now found themselves facing an enemy whose morale was high, well equipped with heavy tanks, aircraft and rocket launcher battalions.
SS-Ustuf. Erich Weise.
Resistance was not only courageous and bitter, but also well led. The Soviets had already shown their spirit of sacrifice, but now they knew how to fight as well.
Maintenance of a PzKpfw.III Ausf.N by Wiking mechanics.
The arrival of the “Germania”
For the time being, the Wiking Division had to give up any attack plans, because even in other sectors the units of von Kleist’s Panzerarmee had not been able to make any breakthrough. The Germanic volunteers accordingly continued to occupy defensive positions south of Malgobeck.
A PzKpfw.III Ausf. L of the Wiking.
The German command, however, assessed that Steiner’s units were stuck too far between enemy lines and that the front line had to be realigned by a new large-scale offensive. SS-Gruf. Steiner was puzzled by the realistic possibilities of a new attack. In a meeting with the Generaloberst, in answer to a request for reinforcements with which to mount an attack, von Kleist replied that: “…but with your third regiment, the ‘Germania‘, which has not yet been committed to this front”. SS-Staf. Wagner and his three battalions were expected to arrive the following day, coming from the western Caucasus.
SS-Gruf. Steiner in a cornfield.
Panzer and Soldiers before a new attack in the Caucasus, Autumn 1942.
This time the attack was to be made against Grozny. Once that oil region had been conquered, von Kleist hoped to be able to continue his advance to the east and reach the shores of the Caspian Sea. ‘Germania‘ arrived in the sector with two of its three battalions, those of Dieckmann and Jörchel. With them there was also a divisional artillery group. The attack date was fixed for 5 October. As support, SS-Gruf. Steiner provided what was left of the two armored companies, amounting to about twenty tanks in all. The other two regiments of the Wiking were also to participate, Nordland to protect the southern flank and Westland in reserve, ready to join as necessary.
General Ewald von Kleist.
At the same time the reconnaissance battalion under SS-Stubaf. Otto Paetsch took up positions west of Ssagopschin to protect the southern flank of the offensive. On the afternoon of 4 October, all of the unit commanders who were to take part in the new offensive gathered at SS-Staf. Wagner’s command post.
A PzKpfw.III Ausf.J of 1.Panzer-Kompanie.
The ‘Germania‘ commander had also asked for his regiment’s small unit commanders to be present. Discussions continued until late at night to iron out all of the details of the operation. On that same day of 4 October, General von Kleist, who was impatient for the Wiking to begin to attack, sent the following radio message to SS-Gruf. Felix Steiner: “The whole Army is looking to your division. You have the task of clearing the way to Grozny. I expect your armored spearheads to be in Ssagopschin at 18:00 this day“. During the night between 4 and 5 October, the Wiking units assembled in the area in front of the hilly area of Malgobeck.
Soldiers of the ‘Germania’ on the hills west of Malgobeck (Michael Cremin).
The attack against Malgobeck
The attack against Malgobeck began at 4:30 on 5 October 1942. In the lead position were the soldiers of 1.Kp./Germania commanded by SS-Hstuf. Hans Dorr, who a few days earlier, precisely on 27 September, had been awarded the Knight’s Cross for having distinguished himself in combat on the Kuban. Most of the unit commanders climbed aboard tanks to get a better view of the battlefield while at the same time acting in close cooperation with their comrades in the tank platoons. To support the attack from the air, the support of a squadron of Stuka dive bombers had been laid on. In addition. supporting infantry units consisted of the infantrymen of Infanterie-Regiment 70 (111.Inf.Div.) commanded by Oberst Tronnier.
SS-Stubaf. Dieckmann.
The two Gemania assault battalions, the I. and II.Bataillon, reached the outlying houses of Malgobeck around eleven, but were stalled by heavy enemy resistance. The panzers, which were stalled further to the rear because of the very rough terrain, were not able to provide any supporting fire. SS-Staf. Wagner then radioed a request for Stuka support; after about half an hour, about twenty dive bombers appeared and for about an hour devastated the town of Malgobeck. Soon after the air attack, the infantrymen of the Germania and of Oberst Tronnier mounted an assault against the Soviet positions, engaging in furious close-quarter fighting amidst the smoking ruins of Malgobeck.
Preparing for the attack against Malgobeck: from the left, SS-Hstuf. Hack, commander of III./Germania, General Ott, commander of LII.Armee-Korps and SS-Stubaf. von Hadeln of I./Westland.
The few enemy survivors of the Stuka bombardment fought like devils to the end, contesting the Germans for every foot of ground. It was not until about two in the afternoon that Malgobeck was firmly in German hands. Germania counted about thirty dead and more than two hundred wounded. It was a victory bought at a high price, but Wagner could feel satisfied for having succeeded where other German units had failed for days. With the fall of Malgobeck, the Soviets threw several armored formations into the battle along the Grozny road in an attempt to hit the Germania’s new positions in the flank. Thanks however to intervention by anti-tank units and the infantrymen of II./Nordland, the Soviet tanks were forced to withdraw. On 6 October, the German offensive resumed; there was a heavy mist throughout the area that gave the landscape a shadowy appearance, limiting visibility significantly. Following renewed close-quarter fighting, the Germania’s SS soldiers were able to seize all of the enemy positions east of Malgobeck, including a completely intact oil storage facility.
An SS soldier speaking with a tanker during the attack (NA).
Panzers from 1.Kompanie of the Wiking armored battalion.
An SS soldier drawing ammunition.
The Germanic volunteers had been able to reach the “Grusinische” road and to intercept several convoys of American materiel that the United States had sent to the Soviets via the Persian Gulf and Iran. At that point, the offensive thrust of the German units halted once again, because in the meantime the Soviets had been able to move an entire infantry division and numerous rocket launcher batteries into the area.
A rare photo of SS troops from ‘Germania’ entering into Malgobeck. (C. Trang collection).
On 8 October, the front stabilized once again, with both Soviet and German units assuming defensive postures, consolidating the positions that they had reached: for their part, the Wiking units established a continuous front between the villages of Keskem
and Malgobeck. That same day, the Wiking artillery regiment commander, SS-Oberführer Otto Gille, was awarded the Knight’s Cross for extreme valor demonstrated in combat.
Steiner awarding the Ritterkreuz to Gille.
The inferno on Hill 701
Unhappy with the results achieved by Wiking, von Kleist asked Steiner to wrest Hill 701, west of Malgobeck, from the enemy, in order to be able to continue the advance towards Grozny. From its heights, traffic along the Grusinische road could be controlled. For that action, upon personal suggestion by von Kleist himself, the III./Nordland, which was the Finnish battalion commanded by SS-Stubaf. Hans Collani, was designated. SS-Ostuf. Tauno Pohjanlehto, a native of Sunila, took part in the attack with his 9th Company. The hill, strongly defended by Soviet units, was attacked in vain for fully eight days by the Finnish volunteers of the Wiking. Among them were many veterans of the Winter War against Soviet Russia and many of them had already fought on the Eastern Front, but no one had ever seen such a hell before. After days and days of repeated assaults, the Finns were still at the foot of the hill, stalled by Soviet barrage fire after having suffered heavy losses; the 9th Company was left with a few dozen men, the 10th and 11th had been merged together to form a single assault unit consisting of about forty men. Only the 12th, the heavy company, was still at full establishment. SS-Ostuf. Pohjanlehto had found shelter in an abandoned Soviet bunker along with the remnants of his company; the men were all starving and filthy. During the night between 15 and 16 October, SS-Stubaf. Collani dropped into the bunker unexpectedly.
A Finnish defensive position in Malgobeck, October 1942.
SS-Stubaf. Collani with SS-Ostuf. Deck.
SS-Ostuf. Tauno Pohjanlehto.
A candle was quickly lit. The Finnish volunteers shifted to make room for their commander, there was nothing to eat, but a bottle of red wine suddenly appeared. The battalion commander reported that the next day there would be a new attack led by Pohjanlehto with the survivors of the Finnish companies, while the company led by SS-Ostuf. August Mühlinghaus would provide supporting fire with his heavy weapons, mortars and machine guns.
Officers of III./Nordland observing the effect of artillery fire against Soviet positions in the Malgobeck area.
Half of a Wiking armored company would also be in support. It was decided that the attack would be kicked off without any preparatory artillery fire in order to try to catch the enemy by surprise. At dawn, a thick fog blanketed the valley and the top of Hill 701; after having gathered their arms and equipment the Finnish volunteers prepared to attack the enemy positions for the nth time. After a few minutes, covered by the mist, they reached the edge of the first Soviet trenches, taking advantage of the effect of surprise. “Forward!” yelled SS-Ostuf. Pohjanlehto with all his might. His men followed him into the attack in the midst of the fog, quickly climbing up the slope. Then the Soviets reacted, shooting down on the Finns. At that moment the German artillery joined the action, which began to shell the top of Hill 701. Down in the valley, the Wiking panzers also provided fire support for the action. Hill 701 quickly became a smoking volcano. The Soviet soldiers, most of who were wounded, continued to fight on doggedly nevertheless. Collani’s volunteers were soon engaged in hand-to-hand fighting with the enemy. The panzers were called upon to bring the capture of the hill to its conclusion.
Volunteer Antero Lanerva of 10./Nordland in his trench in the hills near Malgobeck.
But only two tanks arrived, which after having loosed a few rounds against the toughest bunkers, were forced to pull back to escape the Soviet artillery barrage. The Finnish volunteers were thus left to fight for themselves. All of a sudden a Soviet shell landed in the midst of the Finns of Pyyhtiäs’ group; many men were killed or wounded and Sturmmann Kesti literally flew into the air due to the effect of the explosion. German SS-Uscha. Metz had picked up a Soviet hand grenade and while in the act of throwing it back to the sender was hit in the arm by an enemy bullet.
Finnish volunteers of III./Nordland prior to the attack on Hill 701.
The grenade fell to the ground, exploding between his legs. Shredded by fragments, the sergeant died a few moments later. Another Unterscharführer, the Finn Miettinen, managed to spring into the enemy positions, but when he was about to engage in hand-to-hand fighting, he was hit by a bullet full in the stomach. Before falling to the ground, however, he was able to fire off the entire magazine of his machine pistol, killing at least four or five Soviet soldiers. SS-Ostuf. Pohjanlehto looked around the area, he seemed to be in hell; his forehead was hot, his temples were pulsating and his throat was completely tightened. Around him were only men who were wounded or completely paralyzed by fear; enemy bullets whistled past in all directions. To escape the enemy fire, Pohjanlehto and volunteer Sakari threw themselves into a hole. Enemy bullets continued to pass over their heads.
An MG-34 of III./Nordland providing covering fire.
There was a Soviet soldier In another hole a few meters away. Recovering momentarily from the shock of the battle, Pohjanlehto discovered a large machine gun with a circular magazine on the edge of the enemy trench. He waited a few seconds, and when the enemy soldier tried to get out of his hole, he emptied his whole magazine into the soldier. Soon after that, he rallied his men to attack again; “Forward!” he shouted again at the top of his lungs. After having covered a few yards, the Finnish volunteers finally reached the crest of that damned Hill 701, after having destroyed several Soviet anti-tank guns with hand grenades. “Now our panzers can move up undisturbed” he was able to report with satisfaction. The Wiking panzers were again able to make their way up the slope, straining their engines. Their tracks bit into the ground, throwing up clods of dirt in all directions. SS-Ostuf. August Mühlinghaus, commander of 11./Nordland, also arrived along with the tanks. He brought ammunition, machine pistol magazines and hand grenades with him. With the arrival of the tanks, the Soviet survivors ceased all resistance and came out of their bunkers with their hands raised. The Finnish volunteers were able to capture a lot of equipment from the enemy: anti-tank guns, infantry support guns, heavy machine guns, individual weapons.
A 50mm anti-tank gun engaged in hitting Soviet positions.
In that brief moment of quiet, thoughts quickly went to the wounded and dead. SS-Ostuf. Pohjanlehto went to the lifeless body of his company adjutant, SS-Uscha. Sahlmann, who had fallen during the assault on the hill. After having been hit, he had enough strength to say a few final words: “Look, my Finnish comrades, how young Germans die…”. The following morning, the Soviets counterattacked with infantry and tanks in an attempt to recapture Hill 701. The Wiking panzers met them with their fire, destroying three enemy tanks and damaging many others.
A Soviet Degtyarev machine gun with round magazine, captured by an SS soldier and being used in the fighting on the Malgobeck front, September 1943.
An attack by Soviet tanks, on the Malgobeck front, September 1943.
An SS defensive position on the Malgobeck front.
A PzKpfw.III of the Wiking with several soldiers aboard.
A 1.Pz.Kp. panzer with its entire crew.
The survivors of Collani’s Finnish battalion continued to act as supporting infantry for the Wiking’s tanks, taking part in all of the following defensive actions to fend off the Soviet counterattacks. The Wiking Flak and Pak guns were unerring against the enemy tanks. The mountain slopes around Malgobeck were soon strewn with the hulks of many knocked-out Soviet tanks. With the arrival of the bad weather season the front stabilized, allowing the Germanic volunteers to take a few days of well-deserved rest after the tough autumn fighting.
Bibliography
Massimiliano Afiero, “Waffen SS in guerra, Volume I: 1939-1943“, Associazione Culturale Ritterkreuz
Massimiliano Afiero, “La SS-Division Wiking nel Caucaso 1942-1943“, Associazione Culturale Ritterkreuz
J. Mabire, “La division Wiking dans l’enfer blanc: 1941/43“, Fayard 1980
Charles Trang, “Division Wi
king, volume 2: Mai 1942-Avril 1943“, Editions Heimdal
FOREIGN VOLUNTEER LEGION STAMP PROPAGANDA
IN THE THIRD REICH
by Rene Chavez
The enlistment of foreigners in the German armed forces was partial successful because of the propaganda provided by the pro-Nazi countries. It was not until the German invasion of the Soviet Union that a substantial number of volunteers from Western Europe participated in the “Crusade against Bolshevism”. The Germans and the pro-Nazi groups that existed in Western Europe issued a number of stamps, post cards and posters eulogizing foreign volunteer legions. Much public interest was aroused by those colorful, imaginative, concise, and provocative propaganda postal labels and recruiting posters.