I’m just looking for some help in confirming some information recently received from Deutsche Dienststelle about my wifes great uncle – Karl Niessler, born Karlsbad 27 Jul 1908.
The letter says that his papers are lost but they have pieced together the following:
Diensteintrittsdatum: nicht verzeichnet
Erkennungsmarke: - 2215-3./Fl.Ausb.Rgt. 53
Truppenteile:
Laut Meldung von Aug 1941 – 3./Flieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment 53
Laut Meldung vom 30.10.1942 – 8./10. Luftwaffen-Felddivision
Laut Meldung vom 14.01.1944 – 8./Jäger-Regiment 19
Dienstgrade:
Laut Meldung von Aug 1941 – Flieger
Laut Meldung vom 14.01.1944 Obergefreiter
(keine Beförderungsdaten)
Vermisst:
14.01.1944 – Gostilizy/Russland
Kriegsgefangenschaft: keine Unterlagen
My translation and research from the above is as follows. Can someone please let me know if I have made any wrong assumptions.
Karl Niessler’s service number was 2215-3
We don’t know when he enlisted but in August 1941 he was a member of Flieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment 53 (Aviation Training Regiment 53), he was an airman, which I presume was the equivalent of an army private.
From 22.02.40 this Regiment was based in Gutenfeld/East Prussia. (In March 1942 the Regiment moved to Belgium).
By 30 Oct 1942 Karl was serving with (8 Company?) 10. Luftwaffen-Felddivision (it was a Division formed at this time from Luftwaffe ground troops to support the Army).
The division was transported in December 1942 to the Eastern Front to Heeresgruppe Nord and used in the fighting around Leningrad-Oranienbaum.
The Division was involved in fighting around Oranienbaumer Kessel (enclosure ring of the Gulf of Finland-Kernowo-Gorbowizy-Voronina-Lopuschinka). After replacement by the 11. SS-Pz.Gren.Div. "Nordland" the division over the section Lopushinka-Saostrowje-Petrovskaya (Oranienbaumer Kessel).
Defensive fighting at Sherebjatki, Illino and Saostrowje. Retreat battles over Djatlezy, Modolizy, Begunizy, Opolje and Kingisepp into the Narva section.
Serving on the Oranienbaum Bridgehead, outside Leningrad. From October 1943 the Regiment moved to Gostilizy at Peteho.
In November 1943 they were transferred to Army command and became Jäger-Regiment 19.
Karl went missing on 14 Jan 1944, by this time his rank was Obergefreiter. On 14 January 1944, the 2nd Shock Army attacked out of the bridgehead during the Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha Offensive. Part of the Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive, it helped break the Siege of Leningrad. Karl’s Luftwaffe division wiped out in this action at Gostilizy.
It is presumed that he was killed in this action as there is no record of him becoming a prisoner of war.
I would be interested to know if this is a reasonable summary.
Karl’s picture is attached.
10. Luftwaffen-Felddivision and Jäger-Regiment 19
Re: 10. Luftwaffen-Felddivision and Jäger-Regiment 19
This book was written by a member of the same regiment:
"Vom Kessel von Oranienbaum bis zu den Endkämpfen in Ostpreußen: Meine Erlebnisse als Funker bei der 10. Luftwaffen-Felddivision und der 170. Infanteriedivision"
"Vom Kessel von Oranienbaum bis zu den Endkämpfen in Ostpreußen: Meine Erlebnisse als Funker bei der 10. Luftwaffen-Felddivision und der 170. Infanteriedivision"
-
WilfrBecker
- New member
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- Joined: 16 Apr 2019, 14:58
- Location: Hamburg, Germany
Re: 10. Luftwaffen-Felddivision and Jäger-Regiment 19
You got it right. When the Soviets attacked on 14 January 1944, they chose Gostilizy because it was where the sectors of the 10the Felddivision (to the left) and the 9th (to the right and up to Peterhof) met. Obergefreiter (private 1st class) Karl Niessler was last seen on the day of the attack. He was probably killed on that day and there is no grave (i.e. nobody bothered to bury him).
Some minor corrections to your text and the assumptions you made (with further references):
Karl Niessler’s service number was 2215
We don’t know when he enlisted but in August 1941 he was a member of 3 Company Flieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment 53 (Aviation Training Regiment 53), he was an airman, the lowest rank in the air force. He was probably promoted to the rank of Gefreiter (private) after 6 - 10 months of service.
From 22.02.40 this Regiment was based in Gutenfeld/East Prussia. (In March 1942 the Regiment moved to Belgium).
By 30 Oct 1942 Karl was serving with 8 Company, Jägerregiment 19, of the 10th Luftwaffen-Felddivision. This was a division formed at this time from Luftwaffe ground troops to support the Army (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe_Field_Divisions).
The division was transported in December 1942/January 1943 to the Eastern Front to Heeresgruppe Nord and used in the fighting around the Oranienbaum pocket/bridgehead (whichever way you look at it).
The Division was stationed around Oranienbaumer Kessel (enclosure ring of the Gulf of Finland-Kernowo-Gorbowizy-Voronina-Lopuschinka) which was a quiet part of the Eastern front during the summer and fall of 1943. After replacement by the 11. SS-Pz.Gren.Div. "Nordland", the division moved further east over to the section Lopushinka-Saostrowje-Petrovskaya. In November 1943 they were transferred to Army command and became Jäger-Regiment 19 (L). and in December 1943 Jägerregiment 19 (L) moved even further east to Gostilizy (south of Peterhof/Petrodvorets).
On 14 January 1944, the Soviets (2nd shock army) attacked out of the Oranienbaum pocket (as expected; for details, see the book by Ferdinand Müller who as a radio operator had seen the intelligence reports predicting the exact day and location of the attack).
Karl went missing on 14 Jan 1944, by this time his rank was Obergefreiter (private 1st class).
On 14 January 1944, the 2nd Shock Army attacked out of the bridgehead during the Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha Offensive.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krasnoye_ ... _Offensive), part of the Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive. It helped break the Siege of Leningrad. Karl’s Luftwaffe division was wiped out in this action at Gostilizy (Ferdinand Müller, the author of the book mentioned in the other post, and my father, both radio operators, were also there on that day but unlike the majority of their comrades they both survived the attack).
The division was ordered to retreat to the "'Panther" defensive line that had been fortified, initially against Hitler's will, from the Baltic north of Narva along Lake Peipus and further south (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panther–Wotan_line). Retreating, the remainder of 9th and 10th Luftwaffenfelddivisions and the SS division "Nordland" together fought rearguard battles over Djatlezy, Modolizy, Begunizy, Opolje and Kingisepp into the Narva section. There, on the Panther line, the Germans were able to stop the Soviet offensive (for more than 6 months).
On 29 January 1944, Hitler sacked the commander of Heeresgruppe Nord, Field Marshal von Küchler, presumably for having ordered the retreat to the Panther line.
Some minor corrections to your text and the assumptions you made (with further references):
Karl Niessler’s service number was 2215
We don’t know when he enlisted but in August 1941 he was a member of 3 Company Flieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment 53 (Aviation Training Regiment 53), he was an airman, the lowest rank in the air force. He was probably promoted to the rank of Gefreiter (private) after 6 - 10 months of service.
From 22.02.40 this Regiment was based in Gutenfeld/East Prussia. (In March 1942 the Regiment moved to Belgium).
By 30 Oct 1942 Karl was serving with 8 Company, Jägerregiment 19, of the 10th Luftwaffen-Felddivision. This was a division formed at this time from Luftwaffe ground troops to support the Army (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe_Field_Divisions).
The division was transported in December 1942/January 1943 to the Eastern Front to Heeresgruppe Nord and used in the fighting around the Oranienbaum pocket/bridgehead (whichever way you look at it).
The Division was stationed around Oranienbaumer Kessel (enclosure ring of the Gulf of Finland-Kernowo-Gorbowizy-Voronina-Lopuschinka) which was a quiet part of the Eastern front during the summer and fall of 1943. After replacement by the 11. SS-Pz.Gren.Div. "Nordland", the division moved further east over to the section Lopushinka-Saostrowje-Petrovskaya. In November 1943 they were transferred to Army command and became Jäger-Regiment 19 (L). and in December 1943 Jägerregiment 19 (L) moved even further east to Gostilizy (south of Peterhof/Petrodvorets).
On 14 January 1944, the Soviets (2nd shock army) attacked out of the Oranienbaum pocket (as expected; for details, see the book by Ferdinand Müller who as a radio operator had seen the intelligence reports predicting the exact day and location of the attack).
Karl went missing on 14 Jan 1944, by this time his rank was Obergefreiter (private 1st class).
On 14 January 1944, the 2nd Shock Army attacked out of the bridgehead during the Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha Offensive.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krasnoye_ ... _Offensive), part of the Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive. It helped break the Siege of Leningrad. Karl’s Luftwaffe division was wiped out in this action at Gostilizy (Ferdinand Müller, the author of the book mentioned in the other post, and my father, both radio operators, were also there on that day but unlike the majority of their comrades they both survived the attack).
The division was ordered to retreat to the "'Panther" defensive line that had been fortified, initially against Hitler's will, from the Baltic north of Narva along Lake Peipus and further south (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panther–Wotan_line). Retreating, the remainder of 9th and 10th Luftwaffenfelddivisions and the SS division "Nordland" together fought rearguard battles over Djatlezy, Modolizy, Begunizy, Opolje and Kingisepp into the Narva section. There, on the Panther line, the Germans were able to stop the Soviet offensive (for more than 6 months).
On 29 January 1944, Hitler sacked the commander of Heeresgruppe Nord, Field Marshal von Küchler, presumably for having ordered the retreat to the Panther line.