Stoßlinie

[Jeff Leach]

Does anyone have a good translation for what Stoßlinie means in the following paragraph (it has something to do with telephone land lines):

In dem Befehl über die Stoßtruppunternehmungen am 26.6. wird zur Erleichterung der Übermittlung getarnter Meldungen durch Fernsprecher entsprechend der Stoßlinie der Panzerverbände eine Stoßlinie für die Div. befohlen, die es ermöglicht, auch während der Durchführung von Stoßtruppunehmungen Standortmedlungen durch Fernsprecher durchzugeben.

Roughly:

In the command about the combat patrol operation on the 26th of June 1941 was, for facilitating the passing of coded telephone messages ...

entsprechend der Stoßlinie der Panzerverbände eine Stoßlinie für die Div. befohlen

... it allow, telephone communications to be carried out from base while the combat patrol is being carried out.

War Diary 239th Infantry Division (T315 R1713)

[Jeff Leach]

While talking about signal equipment, what is a 'Doppelleitungen' and 'Einfachleitungen'

again from the War Diary of the 239th Infantry Division

Die bisherigen Ergebnisse der Nachrichtenaufklärung haben zwar nichts über den russischen Nachrichtenverkehr ergeben, da der Russe anscheinend bis vorhin Doppelleitungen hat, so daß die Lauschtrupps nichts auffangen können. Wohl aber ergibt die Aufklärung erhebliche Mängel im rumänischen Truppennetz und in der rumänischen Sprechdisziplin. Hierauf weist die Div. in einer Meldung an das Korps hin und ersucht um Maßnahmen zur Abstellung des wilden Sprechverkehrs über Einfachleitungen in Frontnähe.

roughly

Up to now signal reconnaissance (Nachrichtenaufklärung) has revieled nothing about the Soviet signal network because the enemy appears to be using double circuit lines (Doppelleitungen). So far the signal interception troops (Lauschtrupps) have had nothing to listen to. The reconnaissance, however, reveals the defects in the Rumanian army’s signal network and the poor signal discipline of its troops. The division has sent a report to corps headquarters about the poor signal discipline over the single circuit net (Einfachleitungen) near the front and that measures be taken.

*Note: corps headquarters should be the Rumanian Cavalry Corps, which the division was subordinate too, but it may be the XI Corps. The division recieved its orders from the Rumanian Cavalry Corps but there was lots of consultation with the XI Corps.

[Natter]

Stoßlinie = Line of attack

[Jeff Leach]

I though it was some kind of special 'telephone land line' they were to lay. It is possible that they are defining to boundaries to facilitate communication during the patrol.

In any case 'line of attack' wouldn't be a good translation of Stoßlinie here. A more literal 'thrust line' would be better but still a poor choice. Maybe 'forward edge of a units sector' would be a decent choice.

[GregSingh]

While talking about signal equipment, what is a 'Doppelleitungen' and 'Einfachleitungen'

In this particular context, I think they meant "double wire line" or "single pair line " and "single wire line". Basically to avoid interception you must not use ground (earth) to close the circuit. So single wire is never recommended.
With a single pair cable (two wires) you have one circuit closed and no need to use ground.

When for some reason you need two circuits, you can use a double wire cable and have circuits closed by ground. And that configuration is also not secure.

Because they say "Doppelleitungen" is secure, "Einfachleitungen" is not; they talk about wires not circuits.

[history1]

I though it was some kind of special 'telephone land line' they were to lay. It is possible that they are defining to boundaries to facilitate communication during the patrol.

In any case 'line of attack' wouldn't be a good translation of Stoßlinie here. A more literal 'thrust line' would be better but still a poor choice. Maybe 'forward edge of a units sector' would be a decent choice.

I agree with Natter.
Stoßlinie = thrust line, line of attack (Tac).
Source: http://www.allworldwars.com/German-Engl ... onary.html
Arrows symbolise the thrust line:
http://fop-historyclan.ucoz.de/Bilder/C ... 021943.jpg

[Latze]

A Stoßlinie was not just the "line of attack". Instead it was a line (indicating the main axis of advance even if that wasn't necessary) drawn on maps that were then distrubuted to the relevant sub-units. These units then could reference their position relative to the Stoßlinie in the clear without the enemy being able to determine their position from this or where they were heading - as long as the marked maps did not fall into enemy hands.

[Jeff Leach]

thanks everyone. The last explanation by make a lot of for the context of the original message.

[Michate]

A Stoßlinie was not just the "line of attack". Instead it was a line (indicating the main axis of advance even if that wasn't necessary) drawn on maps that were then distrubuted to the relevant sub-units. These units then could reference their position relative to the Stoßlinie in the clear without the enemy being able to determine their position from this or where they were heading - as long as the marked maps did not fall into enemy hands.

Exactly. Related to that, it was one of the methods for designating targets for artillery fire by forward observers, and is mentioned as being particullarly suited for artillery observers riding in armoured observation vehicles.

[Urmel]

I have explained the system here: http://rommelsriposte.com/2009/03/18/th ... id-system/

Corrections welcome

[Urmel]

Here is an example of a Stosslinie on a map:

http://rommelsriposte.com/2014/12/29/an ... tosslinie/