Stoß-Tanks "Danzig"

[JARDIN DAVID]

Hello,
I need some help to find the right german unit called "Stoß-Tanks Danzig". It was located in vicinity of Senones (Vosges-France) at the early beginning of october 1944.
Names we know :
1/ Leutnant HORNY, tall, thin, blue eyes, 1m75, dark skinned, form Hamburg. Dog called Paulus (!),
2/ Leutnant BURGSTALLER, 1m70, one leg missing after wounded in Etival, blue eyes, brown hair
3/ KORKY or KORSKY, warrant officer (?), tall, blue eyes, light brown hair (he was perhaps in Senones some days before, 24th of september).
4/ Fritz BODE, Unteroffizier or Feldwebel

It is almost certain that this unit was retreating from Dompaire (part of 112. Pz.-Brigade ?) or was supposed to take part of the 112. Pz Brigade.

We have three FPN : 17 687, 15 103 and 39 940 A.

Do you think it is possible that HORNY was Leutnant Gustav HORNY ? http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/de ... 70f86226d2

Thanks for your help !
JD

[JARDIN DAVID]

Excuse me, but there is a mistake ! No relationship between Kriegsmarine and a Tank Unit .... "Heer" is the right section but it's impossible for me to correct.
JD

[Marcus]

(Moved)

[Jan-Hendrik]

First question: where do you get this unit name from?

Jan-Hendrik

[JARDIN DAVID]

This name "Stoß-Tanks Danzig" appears three ou four time in a in a french legal proceeding as potential witnesses.
No more details in it.
Thanks for moving the post.
JD

[Jan-Hendrik]

I ask because it makes no sense...

Jan-Hendrik

[JARDIN DAVID]

Why ? There is always an explanation !
Perhaps is the name Dantzig incorrect ? Just a name given by a soldier ?
A have a picture with two Felposnummers, so are they true.
In your opinion, what means stoss-tanks ? Panther ? Stug ?
JD

[CNE503]

Feldpostnummer 17687 in 1944: Stab I, Stabskompanie u. Fla-Zug, Panzer-Regiment 100;
Feldpostnummer 15103 in 1944: 8. Kompanie Panzer-Regiment 100;
Feldpostnummer 39940 in 1944: Stab, 1.-3. Kompanie, Festungs-Pionier Bataillon 54 or Stab, 1.-4. Kompanie, Festungs-Infanterie Bataillon 1430.

It looks like your unit was part of the Panzer Regiment 100, 21. Panzer Division. A Kampfgruppe of this division was incorporated to Panzer Brigade 112 in Dompaire area on September 12th, 1944.
Maybe the term "Stoss-Tanks" was only a pitiful translation from the French "char d'assaut" to the German? Don't mean anything to me, because the term Stoss was not so usual for a unit in 1944, neither was the use of the English word Tank in the German army at this time.

Is it possible that Danzig wasn't the name of the famous Hansa city, but the name of a German officer instead?

Cheers,

CNE503

[JARDIN DAVID]

Thanks captain !
Dantzig is perhaps the name of the highest german officer, it's a strong lead. In fact an Oberstleutnant or Oberst (name unknown) was nearby.
Another question : is it possible to find assistants (as supplements ...) coming from north-africa or another arabic country aroud this kind of unit ?
JD

[CNE503]

Have a glance to unit such as Sonderverband 287 or Sonderverband "Brandenburg" (and derivated units: Baulehr-Bataillon zbV 800 "Brandenburg" then Lehr-Regiment zbV 800 "Brandenburg", then Division "Brandenburg", then Panzergrenadier Division "Brandenburg), they had specific Arab-speakers subunits. I don't know whether "Hilfswilliger" (Hiwis) could have been from Arab origin instead of Soviet one, but why not?

I never heard anything like that in the 21. Panzer Division, though.

I think that your unit name, "Stoss Tanks", is only a very bad translation from a non-German speaker. But its real German name - whatever it was - could have been a cover name for a special unit, indeed.

Amicalement,

CNE503

[GregSingh]

Surnames HORNY and BURGSTALLER come up as members of I./Pz.Rgt.22 in June/July 1944.
So it was 21 Pz.Div.

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=173227

[JARDIN DAVID]

HORNY and BURGSTALLER come up as members of I./Pz.Rgt.22 in June/July 1944

I don(t understant. According to the Lexikon der Wehrmacht : Das Panzer-Regiment 22 wurde 1945 aufgestellt. Das Regiment wurde durch die Umbenennung und Erweiterung der Panzer-Abteilung 22 aufgestellt. Also Pz Rgt 22 or Pz Abt 22 ?

In your opinion, is HORNY the same as the one dead in Halle ? See the link above. Was Pz Div 21 near Halle at this time ?

Stoss-Tanks is sure a bad translation. Dantzig ??? In the testimonies, soldiers were wearing black clothes with skulls on the jacket. Many units were here at this time, such as Einsatz Kdo Ernst, Wenger, Redzek ... and some arabic people around the tanks.

JD

[Harro]

You mention above that the unit you're looking for was in Senones in October 1944. Panzer-Abteilung 22 was raised in Lorraine in September 1944 and saw action in Lorraine and the Saarland before it was transformed to Panzer-Regiment 22. Sounds like a perfect match.

[JARDIN DAVID]

Yes, that seems to be the right direction !
JD

[hoot72]

HORNY and BURGSTALLER come up as members of I./Pz.Rgt.22 in June/July 1944

I don(t understant. According to the Lexikon der Wehrmacht : Das Panzer-Regiment 22 wurde 1945 aufgestellt. Das Regiment wurde durch die Umbenennung und Erweiterung der Panzer-Abteilung 22 aufgestellt. Also Pz Rgt 22 or Pz Abt 22 ?

In your opinion, is HORNY the same as the one dead in Halle ? See the link above. Was Pz Div 21 near Halle at this time ?

Stoss-Tanks is sure a bad translation. Dantzig ??? In the testimonies, soldiers were wearing black clothes with skulls on the jacket. Many units were here at this time, such as Einsatz Kdo Ernst, Wenger, Redzek ... and some arabic people around the tanks.

JD

Bear in mind the Indian Legion 950 was retreating through the area in September-October 1944 and contained muslims, hindu's and sikh's so it could very well have been some of these soldiers that were referred to. There have been notes I have seen where somali, indian, and other foreign waffen SS soldiers were captured at Bruyères on the 20th October 1944.