SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

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Giorgio
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SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#1

Post by Giorgio » 14 Aug 2008, 18:23

Hello All,
Can anyone help clarify the assignments of SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel from 01 March 1938 to 12 July 1941, (when he was given command of III.Bataillon/SS-Infanterie-Regiment “Nordland”/SS-Division “Wiking”) ?
Thanks in advance,
Giorgio

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Re: SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#2

Post by freddiefro » 16 Aug 2008, 14:17

Here are the assignments I have for SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel:

Eintritt in die SA: 01.09.1930
Eintritt in die NSDAP: 01.02.1931
Eintritt in die SS: 01.02..1931
Wachsturm Merkers: 01.04.1933 - 15.04.1934
9./III./35.SS-Sta.: 05.1933 - 09.1934
Führeranwärterlehrgang Ellwangen: 01.10.1934 - 31.03.1935
SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig: 15.04.1935 - 09.02.1936
Zugführerlehrgang Dachau: 01.03.1936 - 15.04.1936
Sachbearbeiter/SS-Oberabschnitt "Nord": 15.04.1936
Zugführer 3./SS-"Nürnberg": 01.09.1936
Btl.Adjutant/SS-"Nürnberg": 01.10.1937
Zugführer/SS-"Nürnberg": 01.11.1938
Zugführer/Krd.E.Btl.Ellwangen: 16.02.1939
SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig: 01.04.1939
Kp.Führer/Marsch-Btl.SS-V.T.:16.05.1940
Nz.u.Kp.Führer 13./SS-"Deutschland": 21.06.1940
Kp.-Führerlehrgang Elsenborn: 01.08.1940
Sachbearbeiter IIb/Stab SS-Div."Wiking": 16.11.1940
Rgt.Adj./SS-“Germania“: 01.03.1941
Chef 6./SS-"Westland": 16.03.1941
Gesundung: 07.1941
Chef 6./SS-"Nordland": 02.1942
Kdr.II./SS-"Nordland": 11.1942
Kdr.II./SS-"Norge": 04.1943
Temporary Kdr.SS-"Norge": 08.03.1944
Kdr.SS-"Danmark": 04.05.1944
Granted leave: 11.1944
Kdr.SS-"Danmark": (returned until KIA 16.03.1945)

Sources:
John P. Moore: "Führerliste der Waffen-SS" - Personalakten in Part 2
Mark C. Yerger: "German Cross in Gold - Holders of the SS and Police, Volume 3"

-Fred


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Re: SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#3

Post by Mark C. Yerger » 16 Aug 2008, 20:14

Fred:

Thanks for the courtesy of source credit. Volume 3 also contains specific award text data, posting predecessors and successors, as well as photos and documents related to Krügel. One of the best element commanders of "Nordland" and among the most decorated officers of that division.

Mark C. Yerger

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Re: SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#4

Post by Marc Rikmenspoel » 18 Aug 2008, 06:15

It is interesting that he performed so well during the war, because I recall Frank Delaglio once mentioning that in his research, he found that Krügel received some poor marks in pre-war evaluations. Then again, Florian Berger pointed out in his The Face of Courage that Hermann Buchner had some poor evaluation scores too.

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Re: SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#5

Post by Mark C. Yerger » 18 Aug 2008, 15:00

I've seen others with similar less than stellar comments at various times in their early service, including Stadler and Weidinger. Seems many blossomed after a period of serice for reasons of experience, age maturity gained, and similar factors probably.

Mark

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Re: SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#6

Post by Giorgio » 19 Aug 2008, 16:01

Hello Fred, thank you very much for your post and now some questions and requests for clarification:
1) What does "Wachsturm Merkers”and “Sachbearbeiter mean?
2) Gesundung = recovery? Do you know when Krügel was taken ill (or wounded)?
3) Was he the temporary commander of III.Bataillon/SS-Infanterie-Regiment “Nordland”/SS-Division “Wiking” (mot.) from 12 July 1941, replacing the formal CO Walter Plöw wounded that same day?
4) According to Mark Rikmenspoel “Arnold Stoffers was in command of Norge until he (Arnold Stoffers) was KIA on February 25, 1944 leading an attack on the West Sack near Narva. Albrecht Krügel was a battalion commander in Norge; I believe he held only emergency command of the regiment. Stubaf. Fritz Knöchlein had been commanding II./SS-PGR 36 at Anzio-Nettuno, and then came to Norge circa early April 1944.
More:
“Hermengild Graf von Westphalen was fatally wounded on April 9, 1944 while crossing the Narva-Kreenholm Bridge. Albrecht Krügel almost immediately replaced him as Danmark commander (Westphalen lingered on, in a hospital, until May 4)”.

“Krügel was KIA on March 15 at Altdamm, not the 16th.
See: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... t=nordland
Greetings,
Giorgio

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Re: SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#7

Post by freddiefro » 20 Aug 2008, 02:57

Hello Giorgio,

I will try & provide whatever clarification I can.

1) In one of Krügel's personal records (in John P. Moore's "Führerliste") under the title "Wehrausbildung vor Ernennung zum Führer der Waffen-SS," it has the following 4 items:

Wachsturm Merkers
Führeranwärterlehrgang Ellwangen
Junkerschule Braunschweig
Zugführerlehrgang Dachau

Mark C. Yerger's "German Cross in Gold - Holders of the SS and Police, Volume 3" identifies the first one simply as "…SS School Merkers…" (p.86). What appears in Krügel's Personalakten (in the "Führerliste") as "Sachbearbeiter" is identified in Mr. Yerger's book as a "formation officer."

2) As far his his illness in 1941, I only know that he was taken ill in July (replaced by Karl-Heinz Ehlert) and, "Following his recovery, he took command of the 6./Nordland in 1942" (Yerger, p.87).

3) I don't have any information about him being temporary commander of III.Bataillon. It's not mentioned in either Yerger or in his Personalakten in John P. Moore's "Führerliste."

John P. Moore, Viet Scherzer and E.G. Krätschmer all list his his date of death as 16.March.1945. However, Michael Miller (see http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... l#p1149140) and Mark C. Yerger give the date as 15.March.1945. Just another mystery, I guess.

-Fred

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Re: SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#8

Post by Regiment Norge » 21 Aug 2008, 12:11

Hi!

Stubaf. KRÜGEL was in command of the SS-Kampfgruppe KRÜGEL which consisted of 3 companies within the 11 SS-Frw.Pz.Gren.Div NORDLAND ( 7, 11./Norge and 7./Danmark). This combat group attacked the village of Siiversti in the night between 12/13.2.44. In some norwegian sources stated that KRÜGEl was wounded in the fighting and was releaved by SS-Hstuf. Michael THÖNY (formely Rgt.Adj NORGE - the combat-group then changed name to SS-Kampfgruppe THÖNY and was involved in combat around Siiversti until it was dissolved at March, 14, 1944). I beleive that Stubaf. KRÜGEL must have been slightly wounded between 13.2-25.2.44, some norwegian sources claimed that after Ostubaf. STOFFERS was KIA near Sirgala on 25.2.44 (leading SS-Kampfgruppe STOFFERS/NORGE in the Westsack-opeartion) when the Rgt.Gef.Stnd received a direct hit by a russian artillery granade, Stubaf. KRÜGEL took temporarily command of this combat-group.

In the KTB to Arme-Abteilung Narwa and the Anlagen to Verlustmeldungen I can read that 25.2.44 STOFFERS was KIA and replaced imidiately by Ostubaf. JÖRCHEL. Therefor KRÜGEL must only have lead SS-Kampfgruppe STOFFERS within the same day between Stoffers and Jörchel. There is also something mentioned in the DKiG-Vorschlag to Hstuf. Walter KÖRNER of 8./Norge that he received temporarily command of II./NORGE when KRÜGEL took command of NORGE. KNÖCHLEIN took command of NORGE on March 13, 1944 (this is confirmed in his SS-PA)

The fighting around the village SIIVERSTi took a heavy casualty rate among officers in both NORGE/DANMARK. The 7./Norge who was "lost" 27.1.44 near MARTYNOWO, and the entire company without the Kp.Stab and Tross elements was reported MIA. The company-commander the norwegian Ostuf. PRYTZ did not find his company again after he left it to get in comtact with the Btl. using the only pair of skies in the company. The "Verlorne Haufen" as the company later was called ended up in a heavy firefight in the night 1/2.2.44 and some bentween 20-25 went into captivuty, a rest of the company crossed the Narwa river at HUNGERBURG on February 10, 1944, but the leading officers Ustuf. HANSEN was KIA on the ice by frendly fire. A picture of the 21 luck souls was taken later in Hungerburg. The 7./NORGE was rebuild again by using Wehrmacht/Luftwaffe personell and attacked the SIIVERSTI on 13.2.44. Here the company schrunk in size again and the 7 and 11./Norge amalgamated together due to the heavy losses under the command of Ostuf. DEDERICHS (originaly Kp.Fhr 7./Norge). At one point in the fighting the 11./NORGE had three different Kp.fhr in one day, all had been KIA, when Hstuf. THÖNY came with the new Kp.fhr to the 11./Norge on March 7, 1944, this unknown officer had stepped on a mine almost within the same moment he took command of the company, so THÖNY had to flee back to the HVP with this officer on his back.

The german SS-KB Walter KALWEIT wrote an article on the battle called "Blutnacht an den Vereisten Narwa", he followed Zug.fhr Uscha. Ernst RICHTERS of the 7./NORGE on 12/13.2.44.

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Re: SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#9

Post by Reigo2 » 04 Jul 2015, 13:24

Some notes about the composition of KG Krügel at Siivertsi-Pähklimäe in February 1944.

2./Danmark - starting 12 Feb (source: summaries of pirsoner interrogation reports in 2nd Shock Army war journal)
Obersturmführer Landmesser's alarm company starting 12 Feb (Tieke, Tragedie)
16./Danmark - starting 12 or 13 Feb (Tieke, Tragedie)
11./Norge - starting 12 or 13 Feb (Tieke, Tragedie)
16./Norge - starting 12 or 13 Feb (Tieke, Tragedie)
7./Norge - starting from the night between 12 and 13 Feb (summary of a pirsoner interrogation report in 2nd Shock Army war journal)
7./Danmark - starting 22 Feb (summary of a pirsoner interrogation report in 2nd Shock Army war journal)

I suspect that Landmesser's alarm company is actually the same as 2./Danmark. Can somebody comment this?

One more thing: from the war journals of the Sponheimer group, brigade "Nederland"and Soviet 131 Rifle Division it becomes clear that Krügel's counterattack at Siivertsi (together with Nederland's units) started already during the day of 12 February and resulted the recapture of Siivertsi already on the same day. The night attack 12/13 February was actually the continuation of the counterattack and resulted the (temporary) capture of Vepsküla.

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Re: SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#10

Post by Regiment Norge » 12 Aug 2015, 10:03

Hi Reigo2,

Interesting, but the Verlustmeldungen to 16./Norge starts with losses at Siiversti on 14.2.44, not casualties found in this company at Siiversti on 13.2.44 and I assume that 16./Norge were reinforced with Kgr. krügel on 14.2.44.

You wrote about interrogation report on german prisoners taken by 2 Schock Army, at Siiversti could you make a PDF of these documents. I can have information to you in return from german files, do contact me on PM?

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Re: SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#11

Post by Reigo2 » 20 Aug 2015, 12:56

Hello,

Are there any losses at all reported for 16./Norge on 12.-13.02?

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Re: SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#12

Post by Regiment Norge » 01 Nov 2015, 21:00

Not as I can remember.

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Re: SS-Obersturmbannführer Albrecht Krügel (2)

#13

Post by Halfdan S. » 25 Apr 2021, 20:58

I'd be interested to know under which circumstances Albrecht Krügel fell - can anyone give details, or point at sources to his final battle?

Best
Halfdan S.

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