Commanders of Infanterie-Regiment 44. (11. ID) - 1939

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

This thread is related to the discussion which took place in the thread about KIA High ranking officers in the Polish Campaign of 1939 (pages 4 and 5):

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 0&start=45

It is said that the commander of Infanterie-Regiment 44. commited suicide or was KIA in the Polish Campaign - during the battle of Kałuszyn - which took place on 11th and 12th of September 1939 - mainly during the night.

Wikipedia (both Polish and English) says that his surname was Krawutschke and his rank was Major - Major Krawutschke.

Several sources also say about this:

Tadeusz Jurga, Władysław Karbowski - "Armia Modlin 1939" - page 283 (and also "Wojna Obronna" - page 1040):

"[...] As the result of the German defeat at Kałuszyn, according to general Kowalski - "first ring of encirclement of units which were surrounding the division, was victoriously broken [...] the commander of 44. Infanterie-Regiment [...] shot himself, while seeing the disaster of his units at dawn - as captured regimental aide-de-camp testified."

We can see, that the primary source for this information is the aide-de-camp of the German Infanterie-Regiment 44., who was captured during the battle of Kałuszyn - or - to be more accurate - his testimony in the Polish captivity.

The secondary source is the relation of general Kowalski - the commander of Polish 1. Legionary Infantry Division - soldiers of which captured the German aide-de-camp of Infanterie-Regiment 44. during the battle of Kałuszyn.

But general Kowalski in his relation gives the surname and rank of this commander of 44. IR as: "płk Fisher".

Płk = Polish pułkownik (Polish pułkownik in German army = Oberst).

This is probably because either he didn't remember his surname or he mistook him for some other German officer who was killed during that battle. He also might have not known the exact ranks in the German army and he might have translated his rank mistakenly as "pułkownik".

More over in "PSZ" ("Polskie Siły Zbrojne" = "Polish Armed Forces") - volume I/3, page 126 there is a note:

"[...] There were rumours (false), that commander of the German Infanterie-Regiment 44. commited suicide."

So "PSZ" says, that allegedly some rumour spread among panicked German soldiers of defeated IR.44, which was saying that the regimental commander commited suicide - and this rumour was then handed down to the Poles by the German aide-de-camp of Infanterie-Regiment 44., who was captured during the battle of Kałuszyn.

Also this source (quote Jan-Hendrik 06 Sep 2008 20:10):

NARA T311 R198, there you find all officers losses (KIA, WIA and MIA) for HGr. Nord per 27.9.39

- Does not mention Major Krawutschke.

So according to "PSZ" and source provided by Jan-Hendrik the information was not true. Really... ?

According to this site the commanders of Infanterie-Regiment 44. were:

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... IR44-R.htm

"Regimentskommandeure:

1935 Major Heisig

1939 Major Krawutschke

1939 Major Sudau"

We can see that - according to "Lexikon der Wehrmacht" - there were two commanders of Infanterie-Regiment 44. during the Polish Campaign - Major Krawutschke and Major Sudau (his name was Erich - Domen).

I also found info that Major Sudau took over command over the regiment on 12th of September 1939 - so after the battle of Kałuszyn.

It seems, that something yet really happened, because on 12th of September Major Sudau took over command over the regiment - commanders of regiments are just not relieving one another without reason...

What happened to Major Krawutschke during the Polish Campaign? Was there any Oberst Fisher and what happened to him during the Polish Campaign?

Cheers,

Domen

[histan]

post splitted off from the Poland 1939 : KIA... thread / Bernd, Mod

Gentlemen

The Rangliste des deutschen Heeres 1944/45 lists an Oberst Krawutschke 1.9.1942(43) as being in Gren Regt 44 at the start of the war.

Is this your man?

Regards

John

[Stauffenberg II]

Hi!

A have no info that Maj. Krawutschke was KIA. As already stressed by Histan he is duly listed in the 1944 rank list.

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

What about Major Sudau - because according to Feldgrau.net ("German Army 1st September 1939) - it was Major Sudau who was the commander of this regiment on 1st of September:

http://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopic ... 45&t=28526

..11. Infanteriedivision
...
IR 44
Kdr : Oberst Karl Klein
I. : Major Erich Sudau
II. : Major Schipp von Branitz (?)
III. : Oberstleutnant Gustav Wagner

Was he KIA?

And what about Oberst Fisher - was there any Fisher KIA from Heeresgruppe Nord?

[Rian]

There are three different names (from different sources) of IR 44 commander: major Krawutschke, oberst Fisher and oberst Klein.

I think - first we must know who was in fact commander of IR 44 until 12 Sept. 1939: Krawutschke, Fisher or mayby Klein?

In my opinion - Klein can't be commander of IR 44 becouse:

"Transferred to the Staff of the 44th Infantry-Regiment (10 Nov 1938 - 26 Aug 1939)
Fufrer-Reserve OKH (26 Aug 1939 - 06 Jan 1940)"

From http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/WEHRM ... _KARL.html

[Stauffenberg II]

Sudau was not KIA either. He was promoted Gen. Maj. on 01.10.1944, see:
http://www.unithistories.com/units_inde ... sonsx.html

The I. R. 44 leadership in the last peace rank list shows the following pic (notes in brackets):
Rgt. Kdr.: Oberst Eberhardt [Friedrich] 01.07.1935 (7)
RSt: Oberst [d. G.] Klein [Karl] 16.06.1937 Ern.
III. Btl.: Obstlt. Wagner [Gustav] 01.04.1937 (20)
I. Btl.: Obstlt. Heisig [Alfred] 01.04.1938 (14)
II. Btl.: Maj. Schipp von Branitz 01.04.1937 (8)
14. (PzAbw) Kp.: Maj. Krüger 01.02.1938 (26)
7. Kp.: Maj. [d. G.] Schäfer [Lothar] 01.10.1938 (5)

Hptm. Erich Sudau - not a Reichsheer pro - was only 2nd oldest Captain in seniority, 01.04.1934 (145), Cdr. 4. (MG) Kp.

Maj. Krawutschke - not a Reichsheer pro either - was Maj. 01.02.1938 (18), Kdr. 5. Kp./I. R. 23 - Officer in a peer regiment of the 11. Div.

I have no clue which Fischer this should be!

Only Klein is listed in the officers losses list of Army Group North ... WIA.

[Rian]

Only Klein is listed in the officers losses list of Army Group North ... WIA.

But on http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/WEHRM ... _KARL.html - oberst Karl Klein was not commanding officer of IR 44 in September 1939 - he was only staff officer and from 26 August 1939 he was in OKH Reserve... Lot, lot of different sources...

Sudau was not KIA either. He was promoted Gen. Maj. on 01.10.1944, see:
http://www.unithistories.com/units_inde ... sonsx.html

I know, that Sudau was not KIA during September 1939 Campaign. He was probably commander of 1/44 battalion and at 12 September he replaced any "mysterious" commander of IR 44. Why?? What problem was with this "mysterious" commander??

[Stauffenberg II]

Regimentskommandeure:

1935 Major Heisig

1939 Major Krawutschke

1939 Major Sudau

I think that these were not the Regiment Commanders but most obviously the Commanders of the I. Btl.

I think that the regiment was led by the former Austrian General Staff officer Karl Klein ... (getting officially WIA).

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

Btw - according to:

"Heeres - einteilung 1939" by F.Stahl - 1st of March 1939:

IR 44 - Oberst Eberhardt
I - Obsltn. Heisig
II - Maj. Schipp von Branitz
III - Obsltn. Wagner

Regimentskommandeure:

1935 Major Heisig

1939 Major Krawutschke

1939 Major Sudau

It seems that "Lexikon der Wehrmacht" (and some other sources as well) lists the next commanders of I battalion as the next commanders of the whole regiment...

And here is what I found on the feldgrau forum - allegedly as it was for 1st of September 1939... (but I suppose that it also can be for some other day):

..11. Infanteriedivision
...
IR 44
Kdr : Oberst Karl Klein
I. : Major Erich Sudau - [not Krawutschke ? - why ??!!]
II. : Major Schipp von Branitz (?)
III. : Oberstleutnant Gustav Wagner

So - finally - who was the commander of Infanterie-Regiment 44. on 1st of September until 12th of September - and who was its commander later - since 12th of September ?

Oberst Klein, Oberst Eberhardt, or someone else ? Was Oberst Eberhardt WIA or KIA during the Polish Campaign ?

It seems that Major Krawutschke was the commander of its 1st battalion - but when ? - before Sudau or after Sudau??

[Jan-Hendrik]

Maybe now you understand that the matters are a bit more complexe than beloved 'Wiki' wants to tell us

Jan-Hendrik

[Stauffenberg II]

Hi!

Was Oberst Eberhardt WIA or KIA during the Polish Campaign ?

Eberhardt went on to become Gen. Lt.
http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/WEHRM ... DRICH.html

Together with some others officers Eberhardt had to leave the regiment before / on outbreak of the war.

Eberhardt: Officer to / Commander of Danzig Forces, Juni 1939
Heisig: Commander of NCO-School Potsdam (replacing v. Stockhausen, becoming Großdeutschland Cdr.), 01.06.1939
Schäfer (Lothar): Ia 11. Div. (replacing Bucher who became Ia I. A. K.), 26.08.1939

It seems that Major Krawutschke was the commander of its 1st battalion - but when ? - before Sudau or after Sudau??

According to the list mentioned before Heisig, Krawutschke, Sudau ... which makes sense considering the rank seniority.

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

Hi !,

Jan-Hendrik:

Maybe now you understand that the matters are a bit more complexe

It seems - unfortunately - that they are pretty much complexe...

Here is what Ericv from feldgrau forum wrote during similar discussion on the same topic:

I'ld like to say that for me establishing the commanders of the 11. division was harder than for most of the other divisions that existed in 1939. I use a couple of sources some of which are sadly not 100 % reliable.

What i can say is that according to the 11. divisional history, Oberst Klein was commander of IR 44 until he was wounded at or around 3. september 1939 during fighting around the Mlawa. His succesor was Oberstleutnant Wagner (previous commander of III./44). So I am pretty sure about that.

I must admit that i am not 100 % sure about the name KARL (from Karl Klein, the regimental commander) though. According to Wolf Keilig's "Das Deutsche Heer" Karl Klein commanded I.E.R. 11 at or around sept 1939. So that might be a mistake.

With regards to I./44:
According to Keilig's "Das Deutsche Heer" on 1.9.39 it's commander was Erich Sudau.

2 remarks though about I./44 :
Keilig also mentions Alfred Heisig as the commander of I./44 in the prewarperiod until at least janauri 1939. Heisig was then put in command of IR 274 after the war started. So i don;t know what command Heisig had on 1 sept 1939.
I also came across the name Krawutschke when compiling the list: There is a very incomplete and not all too reliable listing of commanders up to bataillon level in the 11. ID history. Krawutschke is listed there is being commander of I./44 somewhere in 1939 or before or later. Might be januari, might be december. It's not listed there.

Best Regards
Eric Vosselmans

So it seems, dear Stauffenberg, that "your" Oberst Klein was wounded - but yet on 3rd of September - during the battle of Mława - not on 12th of September .

According to Eric he was replaced by Oberstleutnant Wagner - what happened to him later? How long was he commanding the regiment? Was he KIA / MIA / WIA on 11th / 12th of September? Or maybe on 11th / 12th of September yet someone else was the commander of the regiment - not Wagner?

Regards,

Domen

[Stauffenberg II]

Hi,

no Gustav was doing well in the campaign. No entry about sth. similar ... he later became Gen. Maj:

http://www.unithistories.com/units_inde ... sonsx.html

He went on to become Cdr. of the regiment from January 1940 to 1942.

Regards!

[jarek_g]

Something will explain, maybe (?):

Infanterie-Regiment 23 (I.R.23) D
Offizierstellenbesetzung 03.01.1939

Stab I.R. 23
Kommandeur Oberst Reuling
Adjutant Oberleutnant Annuß
Rgt. Stab Oberleutnant Toepke-Naumann
Ordonnanzoffizier Leutnant Brandes
Nachrichtenoffizier Leutnant Haase
Rgt. Veterinär Oberstabsveterinär Dr. Reinhold


I. Bataillon (I./IR23)
Kommandeur Oberstleutnant Schwalbe
Adjutant Leutnant Schulz

1. Kompanie
Chef Hauptmann Komm
Zugführer Leutnant von Knobelsdorff kdt. Wachbtl. Wien
Zugführer Leutnant Ring

2. Kompanie
Chef Hauptmann Peter
Zugführer Leutnant Loytvedhardegg

3. Kompanie
Chef Hauptmann Krüger
Zugführer Leutnant Hasford
Zugführer Leutnant Starbatty
Zugführer Leutnant Hasford

4. Kompanie
Chef Oberleutnant Knobloch
Zugführer Leutnant von Massow



II. Bataillon (II./IR23)
Kommandeur Major Hilger (IR22)
Adjutant Leutnant Krichauff

5. Kompanie
Chef Major Krawutschke
Zugführer Leutnant Engelmann

6. Kompanie
Chef Oberleutnant Hiemenz
Zugführer Leutnant Settner

7. Kompanie
Chef Oberleutnant Köhler (IR2)
Zugführer Leutnant Boege

8. Kompanie
Chef Hauptmann Weber
Zugführer Leutnant Quashowski



III. Bataillon (III./IR23)
Kommandeur Oberstleutnant Becher
Adjutant Leutnant Erdmann

9. Kompanie
Chef Oberleutnant Dietrichsdorf
Zugführer Leutnant Mex
Zugführer Leutnant Riech

10. Kompanie
Chef Oberleutnant Helms
Zugführer Leutnant Paul

11. Kompanie
Chef Hauptmann Köller
Zugführer Leutnant Wigand
Zugführer Leutnant Brauer

12. Kompanie
Chef Oberleutnant Habben
Zugführer Leutnant Faber


13. Kompanie (I.G.)
Chef Hauptmann Wendlandt
Zugführer Leutnant Thiede
Zugführer leutnant Bierfreund

14. Kompanie (Pz.Abw.)
Chef Oberleutnant Tamm
Zugführer Leutnant Abel


Ersatz-Bataillon (Ers.Btl./IR23)
Kommandeur Major von Oven
Adjutant Leutnant Boschinski

1. Kompanie
Chef Oberleutnant Weber (IR44)
Zugführer Leutnant Bunsen

2. Kompanie
Chef Hauptmann Keyser

3. Kompanie
Chef Hauptmann Weiß

4. Kompanie
Chef Hauptmann Dotzek


Standort:
Rgt.Stab, I. Btl., II. Btl., 13.Kp. u. 14.Kp.: Rastenburg(Ostpr)

III. Btl.: Lötzen
E.-Btl.: Lyck

Source: http://gliederungundstellenbesetzung.bl ... chive.html
best
Jarek

[Piotr Kapuscinski]

What i can say is that according to the 11. divisional history (...)

I've bought this book hoping to find more info about 1939 - but it was just a waste of money.

Description of all operations of the division during the Polish campaign covers just 2 pages.

The battle of Kalushin - the most notable battle of Inf.Rgt.44 in Poland - is described in just 2 sentences (page 13), in which author of the book still managed to commit factual errors (for example he writes that Poles attacked Kalushin from the east and south-east, while in fact the Poles attacked from the west and north-west... ).

He also writes that Inf.Rgt.44 at Kalushin was defeated by a Polish "brigade" - another error.

A battle that lasted 7 - 8 hours, was the bloodiest battle of Inf.Rgt.44 in Poland, was one of few German defeats and was more complex than just a frontal attack against a town, because in fact it was decided mainly by a Polish flanking movement and combats for neighbouring hills, deserves more than just 2 sentences.

I hoped - for example - to find info why Inf.Rgt.44 did not receive any support from other German units during that battle (apart from one company of 2cm Flak), but this book doesn't explain anything...