CO Panzerjäger-Abteilung 559, Sept.44?

Discussions on all (non-biographical) aspects of the Freikorps, Reichswehr, Austrian Bundesheer, Heer, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Fallschirmjäger and the other Luftwaffe ground forces. Hosted by Christoph Awender.
Simon Orchard
Member
Posts: 743
Joined: 01 Jan 2003, 23:31
Location: Norway

CO Panzerjäger-Abteilung 559, Sept.44?

#1

Post by Simon Orchard » 20 Jun 2005, 15:11

Does anyone know who the CO of s.Pz.Jäg.Abt. 559 was around Sept 1944?
The unit was equipped with the Jagdpanther at the time and was involved in the fighting during operation Market-Garden.

User avatar
Revellations
Member
Posts: 340
Joined: 13 Jun 2004, 14:25
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Contact:

#2

Post by Revellations » 21 Jun 2005, 04:01

Simon,

I know the reason why you have posted this question here based on another question on another forum. I have got in contact with Phillippe about this. I am aware of two commanders for this unit in Sept 44. The first is unknown and the only information I have so far is that he was possibily a Hauptmann (based on the signed document) and the second is a Oberleutnant that took of the Abteilung on the 17th Sept 1944. I am speaking to the author of a book about this unit and awaiting his email with answers to your question. I am also awaiting an address for a Officer and veteran of this unit that is still alive and willing to help in this subject.

Cheers

Scott


Simon Orchard
Member
Posts: 743
Joined: 01 Jan 2003, 23:31
Location: Norway

#3

Post by Simon Orchard » 21 Jun 2005, 09:41

Scott

The question was to help Philippe as you know, i didn't see that he'd actually asked the same question here.

BTW, do you know what the TO&E of the stabs kompanie was around Sept. '44 and whether or not the unit was under the command of a particular division. I've seen what's been posted previously here and i know a little of the unit's combat history during Market-Garden but nothing immediately prior.

Philippe DB
Member
Posts: 2
Joined: 15 Jun 2005, 17:19
Location: Belgium

#4

Post by Philippe DB » 21 Jun 2005, 10:59

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the help, much appreciated :wink:

I think finding out who the CO was or finding other 559 doc's signed in August or September but before 17/09/44 is the only way to reach a definitive conclusion on the doc's.

KR
Philippe

User avatar
Revellations
Member
Posts: 340
Joined: 13 Jun 2004, 14:25
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Contact:

#5

Post by Revellations » 21 Jun 2005, 15:48

I do know what the TO&E was for the unit during Market Garden but really this doesn't come into it. Due to the document being signed on the 16th of Sept 1944 then we dont need to concern ourselves with Market Garden. Also, remember this soldier who won the PAB may have won it months ago when the Abt was attached to a division and this was the first quiet time to award the document. I really believe we need to source the CO of the unit on the 16th of Sept 44. I am chasing this up and will get back as soon as i know something.

Cheers

Scott

User avatar
PanzerBrigade
Member
Posts: 57
Joined: 11 Aug 2003, 15:19
Location: the Netherlands

#6

Post by PanzerBrigade » 24 Jun 2005, 14:43

Hello,

In September 1944, schw. PanzerjägerAbt.559 was commanded by Major Erich Sattler.
On Sept. 8 his Jagdpanther was immobilized by fire in te motorcompartment, after receiving some hits by a Cromwell. The crew had to bail out, and while doing so Major Sattler fell so unfortunate, that he was unconscious. After awaking after some time, he managed to get back to the own lines, where he was transported to a hospital, first in Eindhoven, Holland, and later to Karlsruhe, Germany.
Being eldest in rank, the Abt. was then commanded by Oberleutnant Franz Kopka.
In battles in and near Geel, Belgium, the Abteilung lost a lot of its Jagdpanthers and Sturmgeschütze, so it had little left during "Market-Garden".
(Source: "Missbraucht und gebeutelt" by F. Kopka; Chronik der s.PzjägerAbt.559)

Jan-Hendrik
Member
Posts: 8695
Joined: 11 Nov 2004, 13:53
Location: Hohnhorst / Deutschland

#7

Post by Jan-Hendrik » 30 May 2006, 22:07

Dear Gentlemen , could anybody provide more on Major Sattlers career ?

Jan-Hendrik

User avatar
PanzerBrigade
Member
Posts: 57
Joined: 11 Aug 2003, 15:19
Location: the Netherlands

#8

Post by PanzerBrigade » 06 Jun 2006, 20:06

Jan-Hendrik,

I don't have much on Sattler, other then what is written in the history of the Abteilung.
Hauptmann Erich Sattler came from the HeeresPersonalAmt to the 559.Abt. on 15.12.1943.
At that time the Abteilung was in such a bad shape, that the first thing he did, was asking for immediate rest and refitting. This was granted. After another tour in Russia, the Abteilung was withdrawn in summer of 1944 for re-equipment with the Jagdpanther.
As said above, Major Sattler was wounded at the early stages of the battles near the Belgian-Dutch border on 8 September, and was hospitalized until the beginning of November 1944, when he again took over the Abteilung. This means, that he missed the entire Market-Garden operation. Sattler survived the war, and was taken prisoner by the British, who handed him over to the French. He was forced to work in the mines, and was released in 1948.
Sattler went back to study at the Technical University (Technische Hochschule) at Karlsruhe, and later held some high regional government positions. He died at 23.12.1993 in Karlsruhe, 77 years old.

That's all I have from the book.
Records show that he held no Deutsches Kreuz in Gold or Ritterkreuz.
Unfortunately the book has no photograph of him. (..and neither do I have one, pity !!)

Perhaps more on his military career can be obtained from the WASt in Berlin.
Since he held some high positions in regional government places, it should theoretically be possible to search through the Archives of the Bundesland in question.
Perhaps the Tech.Hochschule Karlsruhe still has some yearbooks !!

Hope this helps.

Jan-Hendrik
Member
Posts: 8695
Joined: 11 Nov 2004, 13:53
Location: Hohnhorst / Deutschland

#9

Post by Jan-Hendrik » 06 Jun 2006, 21:06

Well , thank you very much for your help ! As I must recognize the Chonik of sPzJgAbt. 559 seems to be not only a rare one but an extremly rare one . Until now I failed to get a copy ...

Jan-Hendrik

Chris V K
Member
Posts: 58
Joined: 08 Mar 2006, 15:04
Location: Geel, province of Antwerp, Belgium
Contact:

Re: CO Panzerjäger Abteilung 559, Sept.44?

#10

Post by Chris V K » 19 Oct 2008, 21:38

Dear friends

I have known Major Erich Sattler very well . As he told me I was the first W.W.II resarcher who succeeded in tracing him after te war . Indeed, he was the Komandeur of the schwere Panzer-Jäger Abteilung 559 and we have been close friended .

During the Liberation Fighting of the municipality of Geel (8 - 23 September 1944), his 1. Kompanie equipped with Jagdpanthers took part in this very bloody battle from 10 till 21 September 1944 .

Kindly regards from,

Chris
Chris Van Kerckhoven
Geel - Belgium
http://www.bloggen.be/warresearcher

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

Re: CO Panzerjäger Abteilung 559, Sept.44?

#11

Post by Tom Peters » 20 Oct 2008, 05:21

Do you have any information on the 559 in early September, 1944 ? I am trying to establish vehicle strength during that time. From what I gather, the already published Chronik is virtually impossible to find.

thanks,

Tom

Chris V K
Member
Posts: 58
Joined: 08 Mar 2006, 15:04
Location: Geel, province of Antwerp, Belgium
Contact:

Re: CO Panzerjäger Abteilung 559, Sept.44?

#12

Post by Chris V K » 20 Oct 2008, 11:22

Dear friends

In his first letter Dipl. Ing. Erich Sattler wrote me on 25 january 1991

Sehr geehrter Herr van Kerckhoven

Ihr freundlicher Brief vom 22. Jan, erreichte mich heute . Ich war natürlich sehr überrascht, von Ihnen wegen der so lange zurückliegenden Kämpfe des Jahres 1944 einen Brief zu erhalten . Es stimmt, ich war bis zum Ende des Krieges Kommandeur der schw. Panzerjägerabt. 559 .
Ich wurde aber am 2. September bei Beverloo (=Beverlo)/Belgien verwundet, war also in der Sie interessierenden Zeit vom 8. bis 23. September 1944 nicht bei meiner Abteilung, sondern in Deutschland in einem Lazarett !
Deshalb kann ich Ihnen leider keine Einzelheiten der Kämpfe meiner Abt. bei Geel schildern .
Ich kehrte erst Ende Oktober 1944 nach Genesung zu meiner Abt. an die Front in Holland zrück . Leider kan ich Ihnen auch keine Anschrift eines heute noch lebenden Angehörigen (Offiziers) meiner alten Abteilung mitteilen, da ich keinerlei Kontakt zu den Angehörigen der ehemaligen s. Pz. Jäg. Abt. 559 mehr habe . Ein Traditionsverband dieser Abt. ist meines Wissens nie gegründet worden . Auch Kameradentreffen haben, soweit mir bekannt, nie nach dem 2. Weltkrieg stattgefunden .
Ich könnte Ihnen allenfalls die Einsatzorte der s. Pz. Jäg. Abt. 559 ab Nov. 44 bis Kriegsende Mai 45 mitteilen, aber dies wird Sie kaum interessieren .
Ein von mir signiertes kleines Foto von mir lege ich, wie von Ihnen gewünscht, bei . Es ist zwar in Russland aufgenomen, aber ich besitze kein anderes mehr . Der Krieg liegt für mich so unendlich lange zurück !
Das leben nach dem Krieg, die Sorgen des beruflichen Fortkommens und um die Familie liessen die Zeiten des Krieges sehr rasch in Vergessenheit geraten . Ich hoffe, Sie können meinen in Deutsch geschriebenen Brief verstehen . Ich selbst kann englisch geschriebene Briefe lesen und verstehen, aber nur mit Fehlern Briefe in Englisch schreiben .
Mit freundlichen Grüssen verbleibe ich
Ihr
E. Sattler

P.s. : another photo of Sattler, taken by me in April 1991, is published on my blog (photo nr. 14) .
[attachment=0]SAVE0620.JPG[/attachment]

With my kindest regards,
Chris
Chris Van Kerckhoven - Geel - Belgium
http://www.bloggen.be/warresearcher
Attachments
SAVE0620.JPG
Original signed photo of Erich Sattler in Russia, 1942 . Photocollection Chris Van Kerckhoven - Geel - Belgium .
SAVE0620.JPG (15.4 KiB) Viewed 9878 times

User avatar
Bernd R
Member
Posts: 4637
Joined: 01 Feb 2006, 16:12
Location: Bavaria, Germany

Re: CO Panzerjäger Abteilung 559, Sept.44?

#13

Post by Bernd R » 20 Oct 2008, 12:47

Chris,
thank you very much for this great posting !

@all,
I don't know if all / much more is known in the meantime. Of interest - the connection to another thread / pieces of info :
German Units in Gheel,Belgium,1944
with : 1./s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 559 ; Olt. Franz Kopka

of note : two German Crosses in Gold were handed out for these actions / time period :
König, Franz, 18.12.1944, Oberfeldwebel, 1./s.Pz.Jäg.Abt. 559
Kopka, Franz, 13.12.1944, Oberleutnant, Pz.Jäg.Abt. 559
So, one of the Jagdpanther-Kommandanten was Oberfeldwebel Franz König.

Bernd

RolandP
Member
Posts: 514
Joined: 25 Dec 2007, 01:00
Location: Germany

Re: CO Panzerjäger Abteilung 559, Sept.44?

#14

Post by RolandP » 20 Oct 2008, 23:16

Hello dear Chris,
maybe Mr. Sattler was wrong, what Mr. Franz M. Kopka told me on a telephone call in 2006, after receiving his chronicle, and what I found in his chronicle is that:
“ Die schwere He.Pz.Jg.Abt 559 erhielt ihre ersten fünf “Jagdpanther”, als diese per Bahn am 18.Mai 1944 das Heereszeugamt verlassen hatten. Danach entstand eine längere Pause in der Zuführung von gepanzertem Material; und erst zwischen dem 21.und 25.August 1944 wurden 28 Sturmgeschütze III und 11 “Jagdpanther” per Bahntransport an die Abteilung in Marsch gesetzt. Der letzte der insgesamt 17 “Jagdpanther” kam verspätet und verließ das Heereszeugamt am 3.September 1944, um die Abteilung auf ihrem Marsch an die Westfront zu erreichen.
Die schwere He.Pz.Jg.Abt 559 verließ am Donnerstag, den 31.August 1944, Mielau, entlud mit Teilen bereits am 2.September in Utrecht und meldete sich am 6.September 1944 einsatzbereit.

Stand 1.9.1944
Abteilungskommandeur Major Erich Sattler
Adjutant Olt.Seitz
OO Lt.Redlich
Ia Ofw. Lothar Heinz 3 Jagdpanther

Stabskompanie: Olt.Wetzler
PzFla-Zug Lt. Räder 4 “Wirbelwind”
Pz.Nachr.-Zug Lt.Jäger 1 SPW
Pz.Pi.-Zug Lt.Ahrends 4 SPW
Pz.San.-Zug Oberarzt Dr.Reichel 2 SPW

1.Kompanie Okt.Zoske für erkr.Hptm.Ludolph 2 Jagdpanther
1.Zug Lt.Ressel 4 “
2.Zug Lt.Koch 4 “
3.Zug Lt.Kossack 4 “

2.Kompanie Olt.Edmund Haile 2 StuGesch III
1.Zug Lt.Dankwosky 4 “
2.Zug Ofw.Kaiser 4 “
3.Zug Fw.Probst 4 “

3.Kompanie Olt.Franz Kopka 2 StuGesch III
1.Zug Lt.Pauers 4 “
2.Zug Lt. Haeske 4 “
3.Zug Ofw.Albert Dürr 4 “

Versorgungs-Kp. Hauptmann Häfner

22 Offiziere, 4 Beamte, 222 Uffz, 476 Mann = Soll 720 Mann
(Missbraucht und Gebeutelt 1939 – 1945- Schicksal einer selbständigen Einheit schwerer Panzerjäger als Heerestruppe, FPNr. 10 509, Militärhistorischer Dokumentarbereicht, verfaßt von Franz M. Kopka, Brühl/Köln 1993-1995, 4.(Mini) Auflage 1999,S.152, s.a. Walter J. Spielberger, Schwere Jagdpanzer – Entwicklung – Fertigung - Einsatz, Band 15 “Militärfahrzeuge”, Motorbuchverlag Stuttgart, 1.Aufl. 1993, S.49-50, s.a. Jan Vincx/Viktor Schotanius, Nederlandse vrijwilligers in Europese krijgsdienst 1940 – 1945, Deel 1: De Landstorm, Uitgeverij Etnika,, Herentals, Belgien, o.J, S. 106, 118)

Ab dem 6.9.44 folgte der Einsatz 1.u.2.Kp/559 bei Antwerpen bei der 719.ID, GenMaj.Sievers, LXXXVIII.AK, Gen.d.Inf. Hans Reinhard, FschAOK 1 Generaloberst Student.
Die 3.Kp. kämpfte am Albert-Kanal bei der 85.ID, GenLt.Chill, Ia Oberstleutnant Schuster.
Die PzJg Abt 559 verlor vom 6.bis 12.9.1944 innerhalb von 6 Tagen 23 Panzerfahrzeuge, so dass man folgende Stärken annehmen kann:

1.Kompanie Totalverlust 8 Jagdpanther Ist 6
2.Kompanie Totalverlust 5 Sturmgeschütze vermutlich Ist 9
3.Kompanie Totalverlust 10 Sturmgeschütze Ist 4
Der Kommandeur, Major Erich Sattler, war am 8.9.44 abgeschossen und schwer verwundet worden. Olt.Kopka übernahm als dienstältester Kompaniechef zunächst die Führung der Abteilung, wurde aber ebenfalls am Abend des 8.9 abgeschossen und musste im Lazarett in Tilburg operiert werden. Der dann die Abteilung führende Offizier war der Oberleutnant Edmund Haile. Der Stab der Abteilung lag nach Ende der Kämpfe am Albert-Kanal ab dem 12.9.1944 höchstwahrscheinlich in Ersel, zusammen mit dem Stab des FschJgRgt 6, v.d. Heydte, die Abteilung unterstand aber dem LXXXVIII.AK…“
(Missbraucht und Gebeutelt 1939 – 1945- Schicksal einer selbständigen Einheit schwerer Panzerjäger als Heerestruppe, FPNr. 10 509, Militärhistorischer Dokumentarbereicht, verfasst von Franz M. Kopka, Brühl/Köln 1993-1995, 4.(Mini) Auflage 1999,S.157 ff, 199, 202, 178, 193, tel. Rücksprache mit F.Kopka durch RolandP)

So Sattler couldn’t be shoot on September the 2nd, but maybe on September the 8th, like Kopka wrote and told me ..
The mentioned commander after Kopka was Oberleutnant Haile. I am interested in this matter because of the action of the SS-battle group Heinke at Neepelt (I wrote an article in “Der Freiwillige” in 2006 about that battle group and did some research that year at BA-MA Freiburg as well) and the action of the SS-Pz.Jg.Abt 10, often mentioned in some books, which was never in this area in this time period (see Timm Haasler, “Den Westwall halten oder mit dem Westwall untergehen” – Die Geschichte der Panzerbrigade 105 – Aufstellung – Einsatz – Auflösung Juli bis September 1944, Verlag Wolfgang Schneider, Uelzen, 2005) … So the mentioned Stug.III at Neepelt seems to belong to PzJg.Abt 559 …

Regards yours Roland

Chris V K
Member
Posts: 58
Joined: 08 Mar 2006, 15:04
Location: Geel, province of Antwerp, Belgium
Contact:

Re: CO Panzerjäger Abteilung 559, Sept.44?

#15

Post by Chris V K » 21 Oct 2008, 08:56

Dear colleagues

Dear Roland

Thank you very much for your very interesting information on Pz. Jäg. Abt. 559 . Indeed Satler was wrong when he said that he got wounded on 2 September 1944 . The fighting started in that area (Beverlo, Beringen...) on 6 September 1944 when the British succeeded in crossing the Albert canal there .
More than 20 years ago I already ordered in the U.S.A. the war-diary of the German LXXXVIII Armeekorps on 35-mm film . The month September 1944 I also have in a printed in version. September 1944 only, and if I remember well, includes more than 500 pages ! Lots of information deals with this heavy tank destroyer battalion .
Copies of the month September 1944 I have also given to my close friend the late Jan Vincx of Herentals, as well as to several other researchers/historians . Some of this information (extracts of this war-diary) is used in the book : "Nederlandse Vrijwilligers in Europese krijgsdienst 1940-1945 . Deel 1 . De Landstorm", by Jan Vincx/Viktor Schotanius .
Please, be understanding of Eric Sattler's point of view when he wrote me in 1991 ! Meanwhile much more information is available for researchers/historians .
I have another nice war-time photo of Erich Sattler, taken in 1941 . Those who are interested, please, contact me by mail . I have problems to load the picture .
I also have some interesting pictures of knocked-out Jagdpanthers in the Geel area .

Kindly regards to everybody,

Chris
Chris Van Kerckhoven
www.bloggen.be/warresearcher

Post Reply

Return to “Heer, Waffen-SS & Fallschirmjäger”