Rebuilding the 14. Panzer-Division, 1943

[Sid Guttridge]

Hi CNE503,

For direct access to a redacted version of Dennis's source on 16. Panzer Division try https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=22x ... am&f=false

This might be your go-to source on 14. Panzer-Division: http://www.fortress-books.com/en/catalo ... -1940-1945

Cheers,

Sid.

[CNE503]

Sid,

Thank you for these links.
Unfortunately, I hardly read German... I don't know if it would be a good idea to purchase such a book. I will think about it!

Cheers,

CNE503

[dshaday]

Hi

Delighted to see your positive contribution on the subject!

Yes, they were posted to demonstrate how your comparison of the 9/10 SS div to the rebuilt army Pz.Div. after Stalingrad is heavily flawed.
You don't seem to have picked that up.

The decision to rebuild all the Stalingrad divisions was a prestige political one and was possible because the resources were still available within the Ersatzheer.

Later on, when the Germans had less resources available and losses mounted, they had to make differential decisions as to which divisions to rebuild, as you say.

The author I gave as a source, does not share that opinion.

The Waffen-SS divisions raised at the same time from scratch were comparitively slow to field because the SS did not have the infrastructure to do so quickly. ...By contrast, the Army did have the infrastructure. The same men, fed into the Ersatzheer at the same time, would probably have been fielded much more quickly. This is one factor that calls into question the utility of the Waffen-SS as a force independent of the Army and particularly of its creation of new Reich-raised divisions in mid war.

This is just a repeat of your initial opinion with, again, no proof.
Just as before, you are quite wrong in your final conclusion.

As I have already pointed out:
[*]The Army's restrictive quota on W-SS recruitment was a major factor in "W-SS infrastructure" in it's ability to build up the new divisions in 1943.
[*]Severe equipment shortages (again the responsibility of the army) is another. As I pointed out, the Army made it abundantly clear that it would plan and order all heavy equipment required by the W-SS (hence this issue is their responsibility).
[*]The new W-SS Divisions in 1943 were built as Pz Gren Divs, and then converted to Pz.Div.s. This is not the case of the 3 re-built army Pz-Divisions just after Stalingrad.
[*]The Re-built army divisions started off with a surviving cadre that was significant (see my last posts). The W-SS divs did not.

Your logic in criticising the existence of the W-SS (in favour of the Army), when the artificial issues you raise are mostly created by the Army, is badly flawed.

Dennis

[Kelvin]

Hi, everyone,
I want to know how many veteran left for rebuilding in 24. Panzer-Division and 3. and 29. Panzer-Grenadier-Divisions ?
Thank