origin of personnel serving with 162nd Turcoman Division

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stefan von ditner
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Location: toronto, ontario

origin of personnel serving with 162nd Turcoman Division

#1

Post by stefan von ditner » 12 Nov 2006, 18:02

Gentlemen:


Can anyone provide the precise location from which members of 162nd Infanterie Divisionen- Turcoman originated?

The information I have is quite vague, indicating only that all were Muslims.

Where did they come from and how did they wind up in Wehrmacht?

Cheers

Vitulf
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Location: Czech Republic, Budweis

#2

Post by Vitulf » 12 Nov 2006, 21:10

Formation was in the camp Romny in Ukraine. The soldiers were prisoners of war from Northern Caucausus and Central Asia. Nations had regiments and troops. They served in Italy from October 1943. They fought quite well. From Summer 1944 was the commander gen. Ralph von Heygendorff and division had following troops:
303th, 314th and 329th infantry regiment, 236th artillery regiment and 236th connecting, sapper and supply troops + 1 late Schuma battalion of Crimean Tatars. They were in 10th Army. They were captived in Northern Italy. Majority rode to Soviet Union and Gulag from Rimini.
I know a soldier of this unit. His names was Karl Stix, he was sergeant. Karl Stix was born in Rottenschachen (Rapsach)in year 1923. It is by Czech-Austrian frontier, today in Czech Republic. He was by division troughout. He was captived in 28th April 1945 by Padova.

Literaturure: for example Victims of Jalta by Nikolai Tolstoi.

And in these pages are photos.

PS: Sorry for my English.....


stefan von ditner
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Location: toronto, ontario

162nd turcoman div. personnel

#3

Post by stefan von ditner » 13 Nov 2006, 04:43

Vitulf:

Thank you for your help. I was unable to find any real information on the soldiers of this division.

Though I have read countless accounts of the battles in Italy, all of them simply described the 162nd Division as "muslim", which seems to have been spelled "Moslem" then.

Much appreciated. Your English was fine, I understood everything and it will help me with an account of the Canadian Army in Italy. 162nd Division appeared opposite the Canadians on the Adriatic Coast in '44.

Regards

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Kurt_Steiner
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#4

Post by Kurt_Steiner » 13 Nov 2006, 10:06

IIRC, the 162 (Turkestaniche) Division was formed with the members of the Armenische Legion, Azerbajdzansche Legion, Georgische Legion, Nordkaukasische Legion, Turkestanische Legion and Wolgatatarische Legion.

stefan von ditner
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Location: toronto, ontario

kurt steiner

#5

Post by stefan von ditner » 13 Nov 2006, 18:07

Thanks for the info. This rounds out what I already have quite nicely.

I was under the impression that Kurt Steiner was killed in action leading a small band of dashing fallschirmjager in an attempt to kidnap Winston Churchill. Or maybe that was Michael Caine?

Danke, Bruder

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ronzarion
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#6

Post by ronzarion » 13 Nov 2006, 20:00

From my notes:
162nd (Gen von Niedermayer) enstablished as a training center for Ostlegionen (summer 1942) with HQ at Mirgorod (Ukrainia).It trained number of Armenian, Azerbaijan, N. Caucasian, Georgian and Turkestan Legions.

Summer 1943, transformed once again into combat formation (162nd (Turk.) ID).

The 162nd kept its Stab/Training staff, soldiers were drawn from former depot Bataillonen of the Ostlegionen with the following Infanterie-Regiments:
IR 303 (1.6.43) (2. Turk. Legion, Turk. Feld-Bataillonen I./44 and I./384)
IR 314 (1.6.43) (Azerbaijani Legion and Azerbaijani Feld-Bataillonen)
IR 329 (6.9.44) (Azerbaijani Bataillonen 804 und 806)

Side note from CIA factbook: Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim population - was briefly independent from 1918 to 1920.

Rnz

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jarek_g
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#7

Post by jarek_g » 15 Nov 2006, 19:16

Several info about 162. Turk. Div., especially about artillery regiment and divisions units. Officers rang of CO according to order on June 1943.

162. (Turk.) Grenadier Division
13.05.1942 - formed Divisionsstab to Ostlegionsunits in Ukraine
25.12.1942 - Division moved to Neuhammer dla reforming in front unit
20.05.1943 - start reforming
CO: from 13.05.42 to 21.05.44 Gen. Maj. Oskar von Niedermayer
from 21.05.44 to May ‘45 Gen. Ltn. Ralph von Heygendorf

Grenadier Regiment 303
formed 4.06.1943 - Regimentsstab formed from officers of 2. Turk. Legion and Georgische Legion
I - from Turk. Feld Btl. I/44 - Hptm. Weber
II - from Turk. Feld Btl. I/297 - Hptm. Esper
III - from Turk. Feld Btl. I/384 - Htpm. Prinzbach, bn disbanded 14.06.1944
13. (IG) Kp. - from 4. (MG) Kp./ Turk. Feld Btl. I/101 (Jg.)
14. (Pz.Jg.) Kp. from Turk. Feld Btl. I/29
CO: from 4.06.43 - Oberstlt. Christiani

Grenadier Regiment 314
formed 4.06.1943 - Regimentsstab formed from officers of Aserbeidschanische Legion
I - from Aserb. Feld Btl. I/4 (Geb.) CO: Hptm. Hinz
II - from Aserb. Feld Btl. I/97 (Jg.) CO: Hptm. Simma, bn disbanded 14.06.1944
III - from Aserb. Feld Btl. I/101 (Jg.) CO: Hptm. Dannhauser, 14.06.1944 bn renamed II/314
13 (IG) Kp. - from Aserb. Feld. Btl. II/73
14 (Pz.Jg.) Kp. - from Aserb. Feld. Btl. II/73
CO: from 4.06.43 - Oberstltn. Pohle

Grenadier Regiment 329
formed 8.09.1944 - Regimentsstab from staff Div. Turk. Inf. Btl. 162
I - z Aserb. Infanterie Btl. 804 CO: ?
II - z Aserb. Inf. Btl. 806 CO: Hptm. Steffeg
13 (IG) Kp. - z kompanii Turk. Inf. Btl. 162
14 (Pz.Jg.) Kp. - z kompanii Turk. Inf. Btl. 162
CO: ? unknown for me

Artillerie Regiment 236
formed 2.06.1943 Regimenstsstab from officers 1. Turk. Legion German cadre of light batteries from Art. Ersatz Abt. 8 Königshütte, for heavy batteries from Art. Ersatz Abt. 44 Ohlau and turcoman personal from Turk. Ersatz Regiment 162 Bitsch.
I from ?, CO: Hptm. Wollny
II from ?, CO: Htpm. Fendesack
III from ?, CO: Hptm. Hoffmann
IV - from 1.-3. Turk. Feld Btl. I/100 (Jg.) CO: Hptm. Grosse-Hovest
CO: Obstl. Peter von LeFort

Divisions Bataillon 162
formed 1.06.1943 from Turk. Feld Btl. I/305
13.08.1944 - disbanded and using to formation of Gren. Rgt 329
CO: Maj. Kaminski

Panzerjäger Abteilung 236
formed 1.06.1943 - (two coys)
3.05.1944 - from 1st coy formed Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 1236
in November1944 - formed 3rd coy
CO: from 15.06.43 Hptm. Kiesler

Aufklärungs Abteilung 236
forming 1.06.1943 (3 cavalry squadrons and 4th cyclists squadron
CO: Rittm. Meyer

Nachrichten Abteilung 236
formed 1.06.1943 - 1. Funk and 2. Fernsprechen Kp
CO: Hptm. Neuber

Feldersatz Bataillon 236
formed 1.06.1943 (five coys)
21.11.1944 - 6. from Turk. Kp. 781
CO: Hptm. Jüttner

Pionier Bataillon 936
formed 1.06.1943 - (three coys)
13.10.1943 - new 4. (Bau) Kp.
CO: Hptm. Weidlich

Versorgungs Regiment 936
formed 1.06.1943 - Nachschubs Truppe 936
1.09.1944 renamed Versorgungs Regiment 936
CO: Hptm. Reich

Bestreg.
Jarek

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