SS-Hauptsturmführer Hubert Kaufmann

[jeweste]

Hello,

does anybody have the personal file or know some details about
SS-Untersturmführer Hubert Kaufmann.

He served during the Battle of the Bulge in Kampfgruppe Peiper

as Platoon Leader and Tank Commander of a "Panther"
in 2./I./SS-Panzerregiment 1.

Any indications, that he was demoted?

Thank you
jeweste

[Tolga Alkan]

He was asked by Wolfking in the past.Here something about him:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=27588

[jeweste]

Thank you Tolga for this link,
and sorry for opening a new topic, perhaps the administrator can put this two topics togehter.

I learned, that Kaufmann, when he came under heavy American fire, was pulling back with his Panther at Stoumont, . He was blackmailed for this action by his Chief Christ and reported to Poetschke. Poetschke demoted him on the spot.

But I have this story reported only by one source and no double check yet. Perhaps somebody can confirm this story.

What followed is well known:
For the next attack on Stoumant Poetschke warned his tankers, that he would shoot down his own tanks by himself, if there is any retreat. So he took a Panzerfaust and observed the action. This story was higly praised by Peiper and even mentioned by Peiper in the proposal for Poetschkes Oakleaves.

Thank you
jeweste

[Tolga Alkan]

Interesting story indeed.This could be related with personal problems between Friedrich Christ and Hubert Kaufmann whether Kaufmann was really blackmailed by Christ.

Peiper described Poetschke's threatening order to his own panzer crew as resulted at total 150 prisoners,4 anti-tank gun,5 heavy anti-tank gun and 4 Shermans.This is also quite interesting I wonder that what was threatened panzer crew's reaction and opinion about their commander aftermath of the battle?

[Reader3000]

Ah, is it the same scene which we know from the Wochenschau footage showing Poetschke grabbing a Panzerfaust and some Fallschirmjäger in cover and firing, with a Pz. IV in the background?

[Tolga Alkan]

"Poetschke picked up a Panzerfaust and joined battle." stated in most of the resources.

[Reader3000]

Aha!! Thanks for confirmation, Tolga.

[Dimitrii]

"Poetschke picked up a Panzerfaust and joined battle." stated in most of the resources. :)

Which sources state that?

[Tolga Alkan]

For example I remember Patrick Agte wrote in his Peiper biography.

[Reader3000]

Also Pallud in Osprey Elite volume 11 "Peiper and Skorzeny" writes that he is about to grab a Panzerfaust "before returning to battle".

[jeweste]

The original source is Peipers proposal for Poetschkes Oakleaves. This is mentioned for example in the books of Weingartner, too. A good picture gives MacDonald:

"As he [Peiper] himself rallied the foot troops, he saw the incredible spectacle of many of his tanks backing up. At Peiper´s order, the tank commander, Major Poetschke, moved personally to get the vehicles moving again. Seizing a Panzerfaust, he went from tank to tank, threatening "every commander to shoot him down if he went back one more meter"."

Quote from: MacDonald, Charles B.: A time for trumpets. The untold story of the battle of the bulge. New York 1997. (Edition 2002) Page 439f.


Greetings
jeweste

[jeweste]

Hello,
by searching the homepage of http://www.volksbund.de it was now easy to find out something about the ending of SS-Untersturmführer Hubert Kaufmann, born on 02. august 1919.

http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/co ... 684519F1A0

He died on 19. april 1945 and is burried in a grave for soldiers at Straubing/Niederbayern/Germany.

So the "picture" for me is, that he was badly wounded in Hungary on 23. march 1945 and most likely transported to a hospital for further treatment. Most likely a hospital at Straubing, where he died from his wounds on 19. april 1945.

cheers
jens

[Wolfkin]

Hello!

Sorry, this is late, I have not been on the Forums lately!

This would be very interesting if it were true but I have always had a different understanding of the events. As well as a different rank for Kaufmann. As far as I know Untersturmfuhrer Hubert Kaufmann was never an Hauptsturmfuhrer but only an Untersturmfuhrer. Rottenfuhrer in 1940, Hauptscharfuhrer in 1943, Untersturmfuhrer in 1944 and 1945. Zugfuhrer in the 2nd Kompanie of SS Panzerregiment Leibstandarte from 1943 to 1945.

For the attack on Stoumont I was under the impression that Poetschke's anger was directed at Obersturmfuhrer Friedrich Christ, the Kompaniechef, and not Untersturmfuhrer Hubert Kaufmann, who was a Zugfuhrer. Apparently Poetschke went so far as to point the Panzerfaust at Christ's Panther and order him to get the attack going. Kaufmann still seemed to be leading his Panzerzug after the morning attack on Stoumont and it was his Panther and two others that were knocked out later in the day near the Stoumont Railroad Station. Kaufmann's was Panther #211.

Obersturmfuhrer Friedrich Christ seemed to have been transferred after the Ardennes as he does not seem to be in SS Panzerregiment Leibstandarte later on in Hungary. The 2nd Kompanie was lead by Hauptsturmfuhrer Hans Malkomes in Hungary, Malkomes also lead the 2nd Kompanie earlier in Normandy but was absent during the Ardennes. Christ took over for the Ardennes. Untersturmfuhrer Hubert Kaufmann was still a Zugfuhrer in the 2nd Kompanie in Hungary and still an Untersturmfuhrer, so there is no sign of a demotion. Interestingly, when Kaufmann was wounded on March 23, 1945 he was attending a hastly organized meeting of officers. Also present was Sturmbannfuhrer Werner Poetschke. A mortar bomb landed in the middle of the group. Poetsckhe and Kaufmann were among those wounded. Poetschke died of his wounds on March 24, 1945. Did Kaufmann die of his wounds on April 19, 1945 or was he killed in action in a different incident?

So, I am not too sure but it seems to me that it was Obersturmfuhrer Friedrich Christ that Poetschke was unhappy with and not Untersturmfuhrer Hubert Kaufmann but I could be wrong. But I am just going by the information that I have gathered over the years, information that is in no way complete. What do you think? It would be interesting to figure all of this out!

Cheers,

Wolfkin
AKA
Jon Fitzgerald
Calgary,AB,Canada

[Jochen S.]

I can confirm that Christ - after the Bulge - was transferred to the area of Rahden. Position is unknown. Malkomes took over 2./Kp. again.(Source: Rolf Reiser)


Jochen S.

[Wolfkin]

Hello!

Thank you, Jochen, for being able to confirm that Christ was indeed transferred. This means that I was correct in my assumption when I failed to find his name anywhere in the Panzerregiment for after the Ardennes. Thank you again!

Cheers,

Wolfkin