Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

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Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#1

Post by crs1blue » 09 Nov 2011, 00:00

HI,
I am currently trying to trace my Grandfather who died near Chugeyev on feb 7 1943.
At the moment my best guess is that he was with the 298. Infanterie-Division as they seem to be in that area at that time. But the sources I have managed to track down so far are pretty vague.
Any help that someone could offer would be greatly appreciated.
Please let me know if this needs posting elsewhere.
Chris

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#2

Post by history1 » 09 Nov 2011, 15:36

Hi Chris,
I don´t know this unit but hopefuly they links may help you:
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... 98ID-R.htm
or
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/298._Infan ... hrmacht%29
Maybe you can find this books:
"Die Geschichte der 298. Infanterie-Division" by Theo Tebart, Selbstverlag.
298.Infanterie-Division Ruhm und Untergang 1940–1943, Selbstverlag
Good luck!

Roman


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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#3

Post by crs1blue » 10 Nov 2011, 00:34

Many thanks for your reply Roman.
I have found a copy of "298.Infanterie-Division Ruhm und Untergang 1940–1943, Selbstverlag" on ebay but may well have to find a translation. Also found this:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kNer ... e&q&f=true

which has quiet a bit of info, but the maps are hard to decipher.
I would like to find out which units where in the Chugeyev area on or around the 7th Feb 43 so that I can follow these back to a photo taken in Possnitz in Nov 42 .
His name is Oberfeldwebel Johan (Johannes? Hans?) Hirschberger . I have found a match on Gräbersuche Online but need more information.
Thanks again
Chris

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#4

Post by history1 » 10 Nov 2011, 13:19

Nachname: Hirschberger
Vorname: Johann
Dienstgrad: Oberfeldwebel
Geburtsdatum: 17.08.1914
Geburtsort: Suben
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 07.02.1943
Todes-/Vermisstenort: Tschugujew

Some info about this battle you´ll find here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Battle_of_Kharkov

You sure did note that not only this unit fought in the area? Which of your source states that your GF fought in the 298 ID? Do you have Feldpost - letters with a FP number on it? That would be the best and easiest way to ID his unit.

Nice find in the link to the e-book:
"The German 298th ID was at that time conducting a hazardous withdrawl westward toward German lines at Zmiyev", page 169.

I marked this village and the one where your grandfather died in the map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=zmiiv ... s&t=h&z=11

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#5

Post by crs1blue » 11 Nov 2011, 00:33

Hello History 1,
Thank you for replying to my post.
I am not sure if he was with the 298th div or with another unit. Sadly I have nothing to go on but a photograph of him taken in Nov 42 with a note on the back saying he died in march 43. I am also trying to find out which other units where in the area between Kharkov and Kupyansk on the 7th of Feb in the hope that i can cross check against him being in Prossnitz in Czech in Nov42.
See attached:
5-7-Feb-43-Chugeyev.jpg
Excerpt from " From Don to Dnepyr"
5-7-Feb-43-Chugeyev.jpg (126.04 KiB) Viewed 1777 times
Op-Star-7th-Feb.jpg
Map of Chugeyev 5-7 Feb 43
Op-Star-7th-Feb.jpg (77.98 KiB) Viewed 1777 times
There is also a possibility I guess that he could be attached to the "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" in some way. I guess as a Panzer Group they would have had infantry regiments with them? I would really like to find a more detailed map/drawing of that area for 7th Feb that may show the positions of German units.

Many Thanks again
Chris

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#6

Post by history1 » 11 Nov 2011, 18:33

crs1blue wrote:[...]Sadly I have nothing to go on but a photograph of him taken in Nov 42 with a note on the back saying he died in march 43.

But we know that he died a month earlier, right?
crs1blue wrote:I am also trying to find out which other units where in the area between Kharkov and Kupyansk on the 7th of Feb in the hope that i can cross check against him being in Prossnitz in Czech in Nov42.
I don´t see a connection to this czech village? Suben, where your GF has been born is in Austria, where did he live thereafter?
crs1blue wrote:There is also a possibility I guess that he could be attached to the "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" in some way.
As this unit operated in the same area it might be.
crs1blue wrote:I guess as a Panzer Group they would have had infantry regiments with them?
Correct. But in which smaller unit he fought we can only guess. Until you don´t offer a Feldpost number of him it´s not certain.
Sure in one of those http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... 1SSPGD.htm
or
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... 98ID-R.htm
crs1blue wrote: I would really like to find a more detailed map/drawing of that area for 7th Feb that may show the positions of German units.
[...]
I think in those books can be more maps.

The best what you can do at the moment is contact WAST with all your data which you have and ask for further details.

Regards,
Roman

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#7

Post by crs1blue » 14 Nov 2011, 23:15

Hi Roman,
I have sent the details off to WAST will wait and see what I get back.
Just to clarify although it says March 43 as the month he died on the back of the photo I have, the only match I was able to find was the one I posted. It's more than likely that the date on the photo was a rough estimate.
You are correct Johan was born in Suben in 1914 . The reference to Prossnitz is to do with the Photo which was taken there in November 1942. I thought I might be able to find a unit that was in the Chugeyev region in Feb 43 that may have been staged near Prossnitz in Nov 42.
The more I read the more I become aware of the scale of the conflict and also maybe how difficult it may be to trace my grandfather, one dead among so many million.
There is possibly one document out there relating to my grandmothers' widows pension that may have a feldpost number on it? I'm currently trying to track it down
Many thanks
Chris

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#8

Post by tigre » 15 Nov 2011, 00:02

Hello crs1blue :D; here goes a little contribution..............

Fighting along the river Oskol - Operation Gallop.

February 6, 1943.

Since midnight continuous enemy attacks at company and battalion level in the sector of: Skripai (Pz.GR 2.) And Petschenegi (Pz.GR 1.), The attacks were repulsed with heavy losses to the enemy. Before the AA LAH positions some 360 Russians were killed, including five officers. In the fighting fell in action Ustuf. Klingner, of Pi.Btl LAH, who was attached to the outpost with his section.

At 00:45 hours the 298 ID broke contact with the enemy and retreated to the west and northwest. The first column of march with the Commander and Ia - Ops Offr (led by Oberstleutnant Arnhold) reached the railway line Tschugujew - Kupjansk east of the station Korobotschino at 07:00 hours. A reconnaissance aircraft led the group westward as the spot was already occupied by the enemy. Except rifle fire there was no other reaction from the enemy. Counterattack in support of the withdrawal by the 3. / Pz GR 2 (Hstuf Beutler) and the 2. / AA LAH (Ostuf Weiser) reinforced with assault guns.

At 08:30 hours about 100 men of the 298 ID and scattered men of the 320 ID reached Skripai (3. / GR Pz 2) and 800 men of the 298 ID, including Oberst Michaelis came to Malinowka (2. / AA LAH).

Army Detachment Lanz required reports on the state of the 320 ID on their progress towards Andrejewka, but received only partial reports. Contact with the GR 586 was totally lost and rearguard fought in difficult conditions in Balakleja. The elements of the division had orders to assemble in Ssawinzy. The Soviet Rifle Regiment 172 expelled the Germans from Balakleja.

At 21:15 hours, Ostuf Guhl reported that Andrejewka was free of enemies. The 320 ID under pressure continued his retreat on the road Izjum - Smijew.

February 7, 1943.

The CP of the 298 ID at Tschugujew. The elements of the AA. 298, Pz.Jg.Abt.298, Kan.Btl.298., AR 298, NA 298, Pi.Btl. 298 which had reached Skripaj moved to Tschugujew and occupied an Assembly Area there.

Around noon the Commander of the 320 ID (known as the Berlin's Heart for its emblem), Generalmajor Postel, landed aboard one Fi-156 in Tschugujew, there he took a hot bath and changed his underwear thanks to Sepp Dietrich. After talking on the phone with the commanders of the Army and the Army Corps, Postel coordinated with the Ia (1st Staff Officer ) of the LAH the withdrawal ofthe 320 ID towards the German lines and then returned to his division.

It was ordered that the Pz GR 2 LAH was to retain Andrejewka for the 320 ID was gathering in Ssawinzy (30 kms southeast) and then had to march by Balakleja. Andrejweka had been abandoned but was recaptured by the 12. and 13. / Pz GR 2 with support from the 3. / Stug Abt LAH. At 22:00 hours the Ustuf Guhl required reinforcements in order to maintain the town of Andrejewka. The Pi Btl LAH was assigned the task of blowing the railroad bridges at Tschugujew.

February 8, 1943.

At 18:00 hours the elements of the 298 ID at Tschugujew moved towards Charkow (Nowo Bavarija).

Sources: Last Victory in Russia. Georg Nipe.
The Leibstandarte. Rudolf Lehmann
KTB 298 ID.

Cheers. Raul M 8-).

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#9

Post by grassi » 15 Nov 2011, 01:25

The situation concerning the retreat of 320 ID is covered by Sepp Prentl in his autobiography (Prentl, Sepp, Flak-Kampfgruppe Prentl. Ein Erlebnisbericht, (München) 1978, p. 67-83.). His Flakkampfgruppe Prentl was attachted to this division and he gives some details about the fightings and the retreat to Charkow from January 14th to February 15th 1943.
Maybe you can find some hints.

Best regards

grassi

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#10

Post by crs1blue » 15 Nov 2011, 03:10

Thank you Raul and Grassi,
That gives me much more detail - although " there he took a hot bath and changed his underwear" is maybe more detail than usual :)
I will post a reply when I have some more info but in the meantime will try and run down some of the units you've listed.
I have attached a photo of Johan and maybe if i can rule out the antitank divisions or other units that ( uniform?) That would be great.
Johan.jpg
Johan.jpg (29.41 KiB) Viewed 1714 times
I must also thank this forum everyone has been very helpful

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#11

Post by tigre » 15 Nov 2011, 03:36

Hello crs1blue :D; you're welcome and good luck with your research, hoping you can trace Johan's path. Cheers. Raúl M 8-).

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#12

Post by history1 » 15 Nov 2011, 11:23

Nice image of Johann, but be prepared Chris that WAST need a lot of time (in my case from 6 -12 month). It would be great if you can find any document with his Feldpost nr. on it, that would give us the chance to track him down to company level.

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#13

Post by crs1blue » 29 Nov 2011, 00:12

Thanks to everyone for their valuable information.
I'm now completely hooked by the whole experience - Studied ww2 at school but I guess its different when you have a personal connection in this way. Can anyone tell me which units may have been in or around Prossnitz in November 1942?

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#14

Post by crs1blue » 29 Nov 2011, 01:09

Hi,
Also found this . Seems to put 320th in same area will look further:
Kharkov-Feb1-to-19-1943-.jpg

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Re: Info on 298. Inf.Div. Feb 1943

#15

Post by crs1blue » 07 Mar 2012, 00:13

Hello all,
Have been unable to get back to this for a while but now have a bit more info.
It appears that after further research that my grandfather was caught in the 'Chertkovo pocket' in Dec 1942. He was part of the breakout march that consisted of elements of the German 298th ID and also the Italian Pasubio Divisions.
Of the the 30,00 soldiers that began the march only around 6,000 made it out, most having frozen to death.
Here is a part of a map of the situation on 31st Dec 1942 Part of a much larger map of the Southern area,( I've also got a large map of Northern positions for the same date)
31-Dec-42  298th-Pasubio.jpg
On the map it references 'GR Oberst Goller' who was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes in early 1943 (maybe for his role in getting the trapped divisions out of the pocket?)
Any more info about him would be much appreciated.

Chris

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