Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

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wgilliam
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Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#1

Post by wgilliam » 31 Jul 2016, 22:28

Hi All,
My grandfather served in the German army on the Eastern front, was fortunate to survive.(Minus an arm) I've been researching his journals, and trying to map his movements (1942-43) Seems as if he was stationed primarily in the Konstantinovo area, however he references a German cemetery next to the highway in the Bukarevo area. Bukarevo seems a bit far from Konstantinovo and not close to any major highways. Wondering if there is any documentation out there that would help me to locate on a map the cemetery that he is refering to? Any help or direction would be appreciated. Thanks.

GregSingh
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#2

Post by GregSingh » 01 Aug 2016, 01:59

:welcome:

A name of the unit your grandfather served with would help, also any other villages in the area he mentioned.
Those names are quite common, so we don't want to concentrate our efforts in the wrong place.
I found a reference to German graves in Bukarewo / Rshew, but with the info I have, it's just a speculation...


wgilliam
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#3

Post by wgilliam » 02 Aug 2016, 02:38

Thanks,

I don't have his unit, I have his Id number,(Army Postal Service No. 29152) I know he was in the 78th Division.
Below are some pieces and dates, and best guesses at locations.
Saturday, January 3, 1942
Konstantinowo (Konstantinovo)

Sunday, May 31, 1942
During a Russian fire attack on our village the following lost their lives for the Fatherland: Major v. Buschist, First Lieutenant, Pietzger Private 1st Class Walter E., Private 1st Class Maier J., Private 1st. Class Waechter (W.K.). Marksman Fleischhacker, badly wounded (leg ripped off), Private 1st. Class Mueller, W., shrapnel in upper thigh.

I was able to find a couple names of the above deceased fellow soldiers that i found referenced in the Volksbund website. Their ranks matched up along with the dates of their death. They are buried at the cemetery at Korpowo. Do you know if the cemetery at Korpowo was established back in 1942?
Below are the names of the locations listed for some of the above deceased. Do these locations make sense? Have any of the names changed?
Ssgilewo
Luschki
B.Sushki

Tuesday, July 21, 1942
After an all night march through marshy dirt roads we arrive towards morning in Worobij. (Vorob'i) Southern road crossing Gshatsk (Gagarin).

Hoping that maybe so of these locations and dates will help in determining his unit so I can track movements better and confirm the translation of his journal.

Thanks for the help!

GregSingh
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#4

Post by GregSingh » 02 Aug 2016, 04:34

Thank you for providing these details.

In case if you haven't done this already, as a family member you can ask at Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) for service record of your grandfather.

It seems that in the provided time frame (January - July 1942), 78.ID was withdrawing to the west from around Rusa (Ruza or Руза) to Gshatsk (Gagarin or Гагарин). That's around 80km.
Konstantinowo can be found 10km to the SSW from Ruza.

Ssgilewo does not exist anymore, it was 17km to the SSE from Gshatsk.
Luschki is now called Kolos or Колос, 10km to the SSE from Gshatsk.

Worobij or Worobji also does not exist, it was 21km SE from Gshatsk.

When exactly was Bukarevo cementary mentioned in his journal? Back in January 1942?

If you thinking about this cementary Korpowo, it's a new one and not in the area of 78 division at all.

wgilliam
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#5

Post by wgilliam » 02 Aug 2016, 13:03

I have made a request to Deutsche Dienststelle. We'll see what they come up with. Thanks for the help. This makes more sense then some of the other locations i was coming up with. Below is his reference to the cemetery. It seems now that the men who are currently buried in Korpowo may have been moved, since their ids and current location are confirmed.

Tuesday, June 2, 1942
This morning at 10 am the solemn funeral was conducted at our new military cemetery in Budajevo, (Bukarevo) located next to the Interstate. Now they are buried side by side

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hucks216
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#6

Post by hucks216 » 02 Aug 2016, 13:35

On this section of a German situation map for 2nd June 1942 you can see the position of 78.Infanterie-Division astride the main road from Moscow, which he mentions in the journal. If you go to John Calvin's site here (https://files.secureserver.net/0fJ3hK1ybeIgOd) you can download the situation maps (they are located in the North-Center folder) in a better resolution that will help you trace the movements.
2-Jun-1942.jpg

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hucks216
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#7

Post by hucks216 » 02 Aug 2016, 13:41

wgilliam wrote:
Tuesday, July 21, 1942
After an all night march through marshy dirt roads we arrive towards morning in Worobij. (Vorob'i) Southern road crossing Gshatsk (Gagarin).
21-Jul-42  North-Center.jpg

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hucks216
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#8

Post by hucks216 » 02 Aug 2016, 14:26

wgilliam wrote: Below are the names of the locations listed for some of the above deceased. Do these locations make sense? Have any of the names changed?
Ssgilewo
Luschki
B.Sushki
And on this situation map for 1st June 1942 you can see the postion of 78.Infanterie-Division and also the location of Luschki.
1-Jun-1942.jpg

GregSingh
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#9

Post by GregSingh » 03 Aug 2016, 00:25

And on this situation map for 1st June 1942 you can see the postion of 78.Infanterie-Division and also the location of Luschki.
I would think it should be in the area of 78.ID rather than 23.ID. That's why I thought it's the village 10km to the SSE from Gshatsk as I put earlier.

Budajevo was indeed right near the main highway Minsk - Moskva (and still is!)

This map shows area ESE of Gshatsk, 78.ID front line from June 1942 with villages mentioned in your grandfather journal.
Gshatsk mid-1942.jpg
Gshatsk mid-1942
Last edited by GregSingh on 03 Aug 2016, 00:31, edited 1 time in total.

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hucks216
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#10

Post by hucks216 » 03 Aug 2016, 00:31

GregSingh wrote:...
I would think it should be in the area of 78.ID rather than 23.ID. That's why I thought it's the village 10km to the SSE from Gshatsk as I put earlier.

...
Gshatsk mid-1942.jpg
That would make more sense.
But it does show the problems of trying to locate small villages when there were more than one in the same general area with the same name.

wgilliam
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#11

Post by wgilliam » 03 Aug 2016, 03:41

Wow, this is extremely helpful. GregSingh, what is the source of the map that you have shown? Something that I could download? Hucks216 Thanks for the link for the situation maps, a valuable resource for sure, now I just have to decide which ones to download! I have many other locations that are mentioned in his journals that I want to identify I would be happy to share the text of the translation(after I dress it up a bit) if there is interest. Pictures to follow after I get them from my mother.

GregSingh
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#12

Post by GregSingh » 03 Aug 2016, 04:40

Here is a link to historical maps: Gshatsk - Гагарин
Sunday, May 31, 1942
During a Russian fire attack on our village the following lost their lives for the Fatherland: Major v. Buschist, First Lieutenant, Pietzger Private 1st Class Walter E., Private 1st Class Maier J., Private 1st. Class Waechter (W.K.). Marksman Fleischhacker, badly wounded (leg ripped off), Private 1st. Class Mueller, W., shrapnel in upper thigh.
And this is from divisional records. Name of the killed Major was v. Busekist not v. Buschist ?
Lushki 31.May.1942.jpg
Lushki 31.May.1942
Awarded: German Cross in Gold
Busekist von, Hans Joachim, 25.03.1942, Major d.R., Inf.Rgt. 14
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... &start=540

wgilliam
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#13

Post by wgilliam » 05 Aug 2016, 02:59

I've attached a copy of my grandfathers translated Journal. I hope it helps provide some interesting details of events on those days. Thanks to all for the map leads, ideally I would like to find a .tiff of the maps that Gregsingh provided. I have access to some GIS software that I think will help me create a nicely detailed map.
Attachments
Erhard Sartor Eastern Front 42_43 Journal Translated.pdf
(99.89 KiB) Downloaded 75 times

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hucks216
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#14

Post by hucks216 » 05 Aug 2016, 11:54

That is a very interesting read, especially how he covers the hard fighting in just a single line. It is like he is exhausted after the fighting but feels that he must still get something down on paper. On Page 27 there is listed a Ti.kp & Ti.zug - I think they would be Pi.Kp (for Pionier-Kompanie) and Pi.Zug (Pionierzug)

wgilliam
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Re: Research Werhmacht cemetery Eastern Front

#15

Post by wgilliam » 07 Aug 2016, 03:10

Good catch on the Pionier-Kompanie. Now that I think about it my grandfather did mention Pioniere. Took a little jog to help me remember some of our talks. Thanks for the help.

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