Combat near Wittring (France) December 1944, 11th Panzer?

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95. Division
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Posts: 60
Joined: 31 Mar 2008, 14:59

Combat near Wittring (France) December 1944, 11th Panzer?

#1

Post by 95. Division » 07 Apr 2014, 18:04

Hi all,
normally I only search for 1940 stuff but a friend of mine has asked me to help him with some research. He runs the Maginot casemate of Wittring, France and wants to set up a little museum in it for the Maginot Line combat there in 1940 and 1944. And for the combat in December 1944 the info is rather small. Of course I thought: now thats a question for Axis History and its specialists!

Therefore, let me explain what I seek: info on the German units who defended in early December 1944 (especially 8th and 9th December) the area directly east of the Sarre river and the combat on those two days.

I assume the 11th Panzer covered the area when the 26th US ID crossed the river there. Is that correct? I have found the name of a German soldier who died on December 9th and according to the Volksbund should have been part of the 11th Panzer but was buried in Hochfelden, quite a bit away from the area where I expected it to be.

Who can help me an shed some light on who did what during those early days in December 1944 around the Wittring casemate?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thank you very much and best regards,
Martin

95. Division
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Posts: 60
Joined: 31 Mar 2008, 14:59

Re: Combat near Wittring (France) December 1944, 11th Panzer

#2

Post by 95. Division » 19 Apr 2014, 16:23

Oh dear,
Not a single reply? Is that time period so badly documented on the German side that no info is left? No books to recommend? Could the American side have some info like the units of POWs taken there?

Any info would be very helpful in order to help make the Wittring museum an interesting place to visit. Please help us if you can.

Regards,
Martin


Tom Peters
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Joined: 04 Sep 2004, 22:18
Location: GA

Re: Combat near Wittring (France) December 1944, 11th Panzer

#3

Post by Tom Peters » 19 Apr 2014, 20:02

Very few German field command records exist for anything past ~July 1944. There are HrsGp G records that cover the time and place, but won't provide a lot of tactical details.

What US corps was involved (XII ?) ? G-2 periodic reports exist at NARA, some easy to find, some not.

thanks,

Mad Dog

95. Division
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Posts: 60
Joined: 31 Mar 2008, 14:59

Re: Combat near Wittring (France) December 1944, 11th Panzer

#4

Post by 95. Division » 19 Apr 2014, 22:52

Thanks Mad Dog, indeed the 12th corps should be correct. So the G-2 reports could contain that info?

I have a book which compiles the Hgr. G reports but it mentions no other unit but 11th Panzer.

Thanks,
Martin

histan
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Joined: 14 Jan 2008, 18:22
Location: England

Re: Combat near Wittring (France) December 1944, 11th Panzer

#5

Post by histan » 20 Apr 2014, 02:50

Martin

You need to bootstrap your way into this.

Starting with 11 Panzer Division go to the Lexikon der Wermacht website and find out which Korps it was under at that time - then look at that Korps to see what other formations it had under command. Then download from the Sturmpanzer website the guide to Foreign Military Studies. In there you will find what reports were written describing the operations of these formations that cover the time period of interest. These are available on the fold3 website (you may have to subscribe).

As a starter FMS Study B-416 is titled "11 Panzer Division (28 Oct - 17 Dec 1944)". It was written by the divisional commander. I think B-417 follows on and covers the next time period.

Mad Dog is correct - there seem to be no records for 11 Panzer Division available in NARA after31 Dec 1943.

You might find something - you might not.

Regards

John

Tom Peters
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Posts: 1545
Joined: 04 Sep 2004, 22:18
Location: GA

Re: Combat near Wittring (France) December 1944, 11th Panzer

#6

Post by Tom Peters » 20 Apr 2014, 20:16

Martin, if you can't find the FMS documents you want, PM me.

The US G-2 periodic reports contain identifications of enemy units, POW reports, sometimes the # of POW taken, etc. They can be very useful, although the US XII corps reports tend to be rather short. I have the December reports. PM me.

Mad Dog

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