SS-Festungs-Rgt. 1 "Beßlein"

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K.Kocjancic
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SS-Festungs-Rgt. 1 "Beßlein"

#1

Post by K.Kocjancic » 17 Aug 2003, 15:16

This unit was under command of SS-Ostubaf. Beßlein, Georg-Robert and was fighting in "Festung Breslau".

What was unit's TO&E?

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Juha Hujanen
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#2

Post by Juha Hujanen » 17 Aug 2003, 20:51

CO-SS-Obersturmbannführer Georg-Robert Besslein
Adjutant-Hauptman Eberhad Seiffert

1st Battalion-SS-Hauptsturmführer Greger
2nd -SS-Hauptsturmführer Zielske
3rd-Hauptman Sommer
4th-SS-Obersturmbannführer Scharpwinkel

Regimental Artillery:
1st Battery-88 Flak
2nd Battery-88 Flak
3rd Battery-75mm guns
4th Battery-75mm guns
5th Battery-75mm guns

1st Battalion:
HQ Company
1st Company
2nd Company
3rd Company
4th Company
Inf.Gun Company-150mm

2nd Battalion
HQ Company
5th Company
6th Company
7th Company
8th Company
Inf.Gun Company-75mm

3rd Battalion
HQ Company
9th Company
10th Company
11th Company
12th Company
Inf.Gun Company-75mm

4th Battalion
HQ Company
13th Company
14th Company
15th Company
Mortar Comapny-120mm

Lehr Company
Lehr Company
Signals Platoon
Regimental HQ Company

At first Regiment had:6 heavy inf.Guns,12 light inf.guns,16 120mm mortars and 8 88mm flak guns.On 21st January 12 light howizers were added.

Cheers/Juha


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K.Kocjancic
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#3

Post by K.Kocjancic » 17 Aug 2003, 20:53

Thanks a lot!

Regards,
Kocjo

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Marcus
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#4

Post by Marcus » 17 Aug 2003, 21:02

Thanks Juha for that detailed oob.

What is the source?

/Marcus

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Juha Hujanen
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#5

Post by Juha Hujanen » 18 Aug 2003, 20:34

It's from Antonio Munoz-Forgotten Legions.Obscure Combat Formations Of The Waffen-SS.

Never leave home without it :wink:

Best Regards/Juha

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Marcus
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#6

Post by Marcus » 18 Aug 2003, 20:58

Thanks. I have that one too, I guess my memory was playing tricks on me when I did not recongnize the oob.

/Marcus

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past
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#7

Post by past » 26 Aug 2003, 12:45

I'm looking for all information about 11 company from SS Besslein . all about battle near Peiskerwitz (near Oder River)

pawel

Wolf
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Re: SS-Festungs-Rgt. 1 "Beßlein"

#8

Post by Wolf » 07 Jul 2016, 10:49

Is it known what elements of SS-Rgt Beßlein were used against the Peiskerwitz bridgehead, and the actual outcome of the battle was?
My sources are conflicting. Also, was the Oder river frozen at the time of the Peiskerwitz fighting or not...?

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Re: SS-Festungs-Rgt. 1 "Beßlein"

#9

Post by GregSingh » 08 Jul 2016, 04:40

German counter-attack resulted in elimination of Soviet bridgehead near Peiskerwitz / Piskorzowice, 15km NW from Breslau / Wrocław.

Bridgehead was created during the night 29/30 of January 1945, when 2nd battalion / 936 Rifle Regiment / 254 Rifle Division / 73 Rifle Corps of 52 Army, crossed river Oder / Odra on timber boats.
2nd battalion captured village Peiskerwitz, moved further south-west, captured village Schreibersdorf / Pisarzowice and cut railroad Breslau - Brieg.

During the 30th of January two remaining battalions from 936 RR and two more from 929 RR crossed Oder.
In meantime 2nd battalion at Schreibersdorf had been surrounded and eliminated by the 1st of February.

The rest of the bridgehead was gone by 10th of Feb, when 254 RD was ordered to move to different location and 50 Rifle Division took over.

Hendrik C. Verton's book In the Fire of the Eastern Front mentioned 11th company of Reg. "Besslein" fighting in Peiskerwitz, but I doubt it was the only German unit there during 30.01.45 - 10.02.45...
Also I couldn't find anything about any Soviets tanks being ferried across the river to Peiskerwitz (Verton mentioned disabling Soviet 46 tonne tank). But that needs more research.
Soviet sources only mention several regimental guns in the bridgehead.
Peiskerwitz.jpg
Peiskerwitz bridgehead - 30 January 1945
Map from 12th February 1945 shows no bridgehead...
Peiskerwitz2.jpg
Peiskerwitz - 12 February 1945

Wolf
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Re: SS-Festungs-Rgt. 1 "Beßlein"

#10

Post by Wolf » 09 Jul 2016, 19:36

Thank you Greg!

I have the Swedish translation of von Ahlfen/Niehoff's So kämpfte Breslau. The German counterattack against the Peiskerwitz bridgehead is here described as a success where SS-Rgt Besslein won a victory important for the confidence of the Breslau garrision while it was (in comparision with the other fighting in the city) lead to "limited losses". The use of what is described as considerable indirect fire assets being used against the strongly defended, but in size limited brigdehead is mentioned. If all of these belonged to SS-Rgt Besslein is not clear (it says twelve light field howizters, eight 88mm AA guns, six heavy 15cm infantry-guns, twelve light 75mm infantry-guns and sixteen heavy 12cm mortars. Two other batteries of unknownd equipment are also supposed to have taken part supporting the German attack. A map in the book indicates that SS-Rgt Besslein was deployed west-north-west of Peiskerwitz between 1 feb and 15 feb. Assuming this is correct I guess not the entire regiment could have been availiable for the counterattack - mabye only the III. Btl was used...

I also have Hargraeves' Hitler's Final Fortress where the counterattack is described more like a confused clash - and seems to draw mostly on Verton, who is said to have spent 10 days at Peiskerwitz. The mood among the German troops here is not at all described as confident and the impression you get is that the losses have been heavy - "100 men killed, no more than two dozen SS-men make it out of Peiskerwitz".

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Re: SS-Festungs-Rgt. 1 "Beßlein"

#11

Post by smetanin albert » 13 Nov 2017, 12:36

SSO Greger
Attachments
0561.jpg
SSO 030A

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