II. Abteilung/SS-Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

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Giorgio
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II. Abteilung/SS-Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#1

Post by Giorgio » 13 Nov 2007, 19:02

According to Mark C. Yerger (Waffen-SS commanders Vol. II, page 162): “ Leading the “Totenkopf” artillery regiment in Russia, Priess won the German Cross in gold on January 6, 1942, and the Knight’s Cross on April 28, 1943., for the bitter Demjansk fighting. When again promoted, command of his regiment went to Josef Swientek who had taken leadership on the II.Abteilung in 1940”.
Can anyone tell me when did Swientek assume command of that Abteilung? Who did follow him and when?
Just I found Swientek as commander of II. SS-Artillerie-Abteilung "Totenkopf" from June 1940 to May 1943. But I found also the SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve Joachim Richter as commander of the same unit from 01 September 1940 to 20 April 1941 (see: Mark C. Yerger, same volume, page 176).
Did Richter deputize for a short period for Swientek ? If so, why ? Or are there any mistakes in the data I collected ? Or I get confused ?
Extra info are welcome. Thanks in advance.
Giorgio

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Georges JEROME
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#2

Post by Georges JEROME » 13 Nov 2007, 23:22

as kdr II./SS-T.Art.-Rgt. I've :
SS Stubaf Priess
SS Hstuf Martin Stange
SS Stubaf Brassack
SS Stubaf Swientek
SS Hstuf Pittschellis
SS Hstuf Gunther Neuman
SS Hstuf Lorenz Schmidbauer


Giorgio
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#3

Post by Giorgio » 14 Nov 2007, 10:57

Georges JEROME wrote:as kdr II./SS-T.Art.-Rgt. I've :
SS Stubaf Priess
SS Hstuf Martin Stange
SS Stubaf Brassack
SS Stubaf Swientek
SS Hstuf Pittschellis
SS Hstuf Gunther Neuman
SS Hstuf Lorenz Schmidbauer
Hello George, that’s all I have in my files:

HERMANN AUGUST LUDWIG PRIESS: as per Marck C. Yerger’s Book “Waffen-SS Commanders” (Vol. II, page 162): "SS-Sturmbannführer & Commander II.Abteilung/Artillerie-Regiment-SS-VT (part of Panzer Division "Kempf"): June 1939-16 October 1939.With his Artillery unit, transferred from the SS-VT to become the Artillery Cadre (II/Artillerie Regiment 3) of the newly formed SS-Totenkopf Division: 16 October 1939".

MARTIN STANGE: as per: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=109389
“Beauftragt mit der Führung der (Charged with command of) I.Abteilung/SS-Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment (mot.)/SS-Totenkopf-Division (mot.): 25 February 1941-15 January 1943”

KURT BRASACK (not Brassack): as per Marck C. Yerger’s Book “Waffen-SS Commanders” (Vol. I, page 96): "SS-Obersturmbannführer der Reserve & Commander I.Abteilung/SS-Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment (mot.)/SS-Totenkopf-Division (mot.): 01 December 1939-01 April 1941".

JOSEF SWIENTEK SS-Hauptsturmführer & Commander II.Abteilung/SS-Totenkopf Artillerie Regiment 3: June 1940-(1943).

ADOLF PITTSCHELLIS: as per
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=120230
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... ttschellis

SS-Obersturmführer & Chef 1.(Leichte) Batterie/I.Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment: May 1940-?
SS-Hauptsturmführer & Commander of IV.(Schwere) Artillerie-Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie Regiment: until October 1941?
SS-Hauptsturmführer & Chef 7.Batterie/III.Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment: 1942-1943 (?).

To conclude:
1) According to my sources only Priess and Swientek have been CO of the II.Totenkopf- Artillerie-Abteilung.
2) About G.NEUMAN and L. SCHMIDBAUER I have no data. So I don't know when they took command over the II.Abteilung and I have no data about the officers who preceded and followed them.
Corrections and extra infos are welcome, quoting - if possible - their sources.
Giorgio

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II Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#4

Post by Pena V » 06 Mar 2008, 18:50

Giorgio,

A little help/confusion from me. According to Frontkjemper Joachim Richter was 01 Dec 40 - 09 Feb 42 indeed a commander of II Abteilung/Artillerie-Regiment. Only the Regiment was not Totenkopf but Wiking. I think Frontkjemper has got it right.
:)
Pena V

Giorgio
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Re: II Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#5

Post by Giorgio » 09 Mar 2008, 23:23

Hi, Pena V
Pena V wrote: Giorgio,
A little help/confusion from me. According to Frontkjemper Joachim Richter was 01 Dec 40 - 09 Feb 42 indeed a commander of II Abteilung/Artillerie-Regiment. Only the Regiment was not Totenkopf but Wiking. I think Frontkjemper has got it right.
Pena V
SS-Oberführer der Reserve Joachim Richter:

SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve & Commander II.SS-Artillerie- Abteilung/SS-Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment SS-
Totenkopf Division (mot.): 01 September 1940-20 April 1941.

SS-Sturmbannführer der Reserve, transferred to the SS-Division “Wiking” (mot.) as CO of the II.Abteilung /SS-Panzer- Artillerie-Regiment 5: 20 April 1941-9 February 1942.

(Source: MarK C. Yerger, Waffen-SS commanders, vol. II page 176).

So my problem is still unresolved: if Swientek was effective CO of II.Artillerie-Abteilung-Totenkopf from June 1940 to May 1943, how Richter could have been commanding the same unit from September 1940 till April 1941?
I need a "Waffen-SS specialist"!
Greetings
Giorgio

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Re: II Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#6

Post by Phil Nix » 10 Mar 2008, 12:39

I have Richter as Batterieführer im II Bataillon der SS Totenkopf-Ersatz-Abt 1.9.40 - 1.12.40. then Kdr Leichten II Abt der Art Reg in SS Div Germania 1.12.40 1.1.41 Kdr II/Art Reg der Div Wiking 1.1.41 - 9.2.42 then Kdr IV Schweren Abt dedr Art Reg Wiking 10.2.42 16.3.43
Phil Nix

Pena V
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Re: II Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#7

Post by Pena V » 10 Mar 2008, 12:46

Giorgio,

I love your passion for exact information! I used AHF search engine and found this thread about him Artillery regiment in the Wiking Division. Nobody seemed to have any doubts about him being the CO of II Abteilung/Wiking-Artillerie-Regiment 01 Dec 1940 - 9 Feb 1942. Because there are contradicting dates one of the sources must be wrong anyway. It could be Mark Yerger - although it is very rare indeed.

So the current situation is Combined Forces (AHF thread + Frontkjemper) vs. Mark 2 - 1,5 (I count Mark alone as 1,5) :)

Let's see if there is someone who can settle this.

Pena V

Giorgio
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Re: II Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#8

Post by Giorgio » 10 Mar 2008, 19:11

Hi Phil Nix,
Phil Nix wrote:I have Richter as Batterieführer im II Bataillon der SS Totenkopf-Ersatz-Abt 1.9.40 - 1.12.40. then Kdr Leichten II Abt der Art Reg in SS Div Germania 1.12.40 1.1.41 Kdr II/Art Reg der Div Wiking 1.1.41 - 9.2.42 then Kdr IV Schweren Abt dedr Art Reg Wiking 10.2.42 16.3.43
Phil Nix
Your post looks very interesting and I'd like to follow this new path. May I know the source of your info?
And what's your opinion, Pena V ?
Thanks in advance,
Giorgio

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Re: II Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#9

Post by Pena V » 10 Mar 2008, 19:50

Hi Giorgio,

You have been productive today. You ask me what's my opinion. Unfortunately I do not have facts so opinions are the only thing I can offer. My opinion is that Combined Forces lead 3 - 1,5 and this time it seems that Mark is wrong. I have been known to be wrong sometimes so I have good company :)

Regards,

Pena V

John P. Moore
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Re: II Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#10

Post by John P. Moore » 11 Mar 2008, 06:03

I looked through the personnel files (Personalakten) of each of those officers. Mark Yerger has the same documents. My conclusion is that it is impossible to create starting and ending points with 100% certainty for these men, especially between Swientek and Priess since Swientek appears to have been acting regimental commander off and on during 42-43. You can pick information out of individual documents to support just about any position that you want to make. Unless one has taken the time to thoroughly study these period documents, then I would suggest that you be careful about calling someone "wrong" who likely has a lot more experience as a researcher than you do.

John

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Re: II Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#11

Post by Pena V » 11 Mar 2008, 13:50

Hi John,

Thank you for your opinion. I'm sorry if I have hurt you feelings by saying that Mark is wrong. I have a great respect towards both Mark ("I count Mark alone as 1,5") and yourself. You are absolutely right that you both have a lot more experience as researchers than I have. My only "achievement" is mere 45 posts to AHF. However, it is 100% sure that in a situation like this where two facts are controversal one of them is wrong. As I said "I do not have facts so opinions are the only thing I can offer. My opinion is that Combined Forces lead 3 - 1,5". Based on what you have just written it may well be that this puzzle cannot be solved. It does not mean that both facts are right so my opinion is unchanged. The alternative is that "Combined Forces" with its experienced researches are wrong. Either way it should not be felt as an insult.

With respect,

Pena V

Giorgio
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Re: II Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#12

Post by Giorgio » 11 Mar 2008, 20:29

I think Phil Nix could have settled the question by posting his data.
Indeed he says Richter has been:
a) Batterieführer im II Bataillon der SS Totenkopf-Ersatz-Abt 1.9.40 - 1.12.40 ,
b) Kdr Leichten II Abt der Art Reg in SS Div Germania 1.12.40 - 1.1.41
c) Kdr II/Art Reg der Div Wiking 1.1.41 - 9.2.42.

Mark C. Yerger wrote. “He (i.e.= Richter) remained with “Totenkopf” into early 1941. From early April 1940 to the start of September the same year he was with the Totenkopf Artillery Replacement Detachment in Oranienburg. Richter returned to field as commander of the II./Artillerie Regiment “Totenkopf” holding that post until leaving the Division.
Promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer on April 20 1941, he next transferred to the Wiking division as a commander of the II./Artillerie Regiment”.


Swientek was the CO of the II.Abteilung/SS-Totenkopf-Artillerie Regiment 3 starting from June 1940, whilst Richter was assigned to the SS-Totenkopf-Ersatz-Artillerie-Abteilung a month before.

Mark C. Yerger wrote. “He (i.e.= Richter) remained with “Totenkopf” into early 1941 ……. until leaving the Division. Must we suppose he left Totenkopf only on April 20, 1941 ? Why not before ? May that date be considered “early 1941”?

As per Phil Nix, Richter was the CO of the II.Abteilung/Artillerie Regiment in SS-Division Germania (which later became the SS-Division Wiking) from 1.12.40 till 1.1.41.

Well, Mark wrote Richter remained with “Totenkopf” into early 1941 and soon after that he returned to field as commander of the II./Artillerie Regiment “Totenkopf” holding that post until leaving the Division: may be that Mark did not know Richter have been instead transferred to “Germania” Division on 1.12.1940?

If so, there is no problem about the overlapping of different Commanding posts (Swientek and Richter). Therefore to have a clearer picture it’s better to go back to the sources of Phil Nix.

Thanks for your patience.
Giorgio

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Re: II Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#13

Post by Phil Nix » 12 Mar 2008, 13:31

The soruce of my data is Richters personal file plus data from Andreas Schulz. Could I also make a general comment, it is impossible to find exact dates for some of these changes, even the clerical staff at SS Pers Ha made mistakes. When officers were wounded or killed someone took over but in combat situations there was no one to write everything down and maybe the successor was then killed who would get it exactly right maybe days or weeks later. i.e.the Demjanks pocket situation all were more concerned with staying alive rather than keeping exact records and memoraries are not infalable. Example I served in the RAF Police at various stations during 1950's but I could not remember the exact date when I arrived at each post
Phil Nix

Giorgio
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Re: II Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#14

Post by Giorgio » 12 Mar 2008, 19:30

Hi Phil,
I sincerely thank you for your kindness, as usual.
Giorgio

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Re: II Abteilung/Totenkopf-Artillerie-Regiment Commanders

#15

Post by Jan-Hendrik » 13 Jul 2016, 08:30

Lorenz Schmidbauer succeed Pitschellis as Kdr. II./SS-Pz.Ar.Rgt. 3 in January 1944, exact date. Vopersal cites the personal diary of Pitschellis that means for me that he was on 29th January still in command. (Vol. 4A, p.255)

Jan-Hendrik

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