Kriegsmarine Infantry?

[PaulReck]

Hello everyone, I have aquired a Kriegsmarine Infantry tunic, overseas cap, and belt/buckle. I know very little about this branch of service and was even more dumbfounded by the lack of information on this topic. I have been able to find that there were several units created toward the end of the war, to include a few fictional units. Other than that, I have no idea about this group of men. How did they perform in the field? How many members were there? Where did they fight? Who were some prominant members? I do know that their man power was far less than that of the SS, so how much should I insure the uniform for? If anyone could be of any assistance, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul Reck

[Stephan]

I think, way in sept 1939 and germans assault on Poland. Danzig, the transit-station Westerplatte held by about 190 Polish soldiers. against them Stukas, artillery, the old heavy cruiser schleswig holstein. Infantery assaults among others an battaljon made of the german Danzig police;
AND marine infantry-troops (brought over with the S.H.).
- It is possible this marine infantery were cadets, the future fleet officers???

So. If the memory dont conceive me, there must have been some marine infantery troops already 1939.

(And the Westerplatte-crew? They held out in almost 7 whole days; they did surrender when they understood there would be no rescue actions.)

[PaulReck]

Thanks for the reply. It seems when I aquire an item, I want to know everything about it. What book did you get that information from? I would like to buy it and read more.

Paul

[Brig]

Not big on the Kriegsmarinces, But I know that a few divisions (2, I believe) were deployed on land to fight in the Ardennes Offensive due to lack of men. A man I've dealth with found the body of one such soldier metal detecting a couple years back in Germany.

[Andy H]

The Germans by the wars end had raised 5 formal Naval Infantry Divisions (1ST,2ND,3RD,11TH 7 16TH), none of which reached full strength, but the 2nd fought well in the defence of Germany on the Western Front under the command of Kapt.z.S Hartmann.

During the war several ad-hoc naval btn's and brigades were formed from ships companies and surrounded naval personnel on both western & eastern fronts.

Andy

[Stephan]

PaulR, you do want to read about Westerplatte?
I did have read the books when a young cub in polish, but the happenings are very well known in the polish history of 1939 campaign, you won´t have any great difficulties to find books or internet-material.
Westerplatte, schleswig holstein, danzig.

Have a nice time!/S

[Christoph Awender]

Hello!

A good book about the Marinestoßtruppkompanie and following units is:
Jörg Benz, Die Deutsche Marineinfanterie 1939 - 1945, Husum Verlag

\Christoph

[Andy H]

No Triumphant Procession by John Russell (ISBN1854092340) details some of the actions fought ny the 2nd Marine Division between April-May'45.

Andy

[Madsen]

I know Dietl used naval personell in the battle for Narvik.
But they was from wrecked ships and im not sure if they got any formal unit name.

[Andy H]

They were named after their former ships or Commanders name

Andy

[Panzermahn]

I read another article from internet that thearound 90-100 kriegsmarine naval infantry and officers were sent to Berlin under the orders of Hitler to Karl Donitz...
is it true and what happened to them after the war? How does the Russian troops treated captured naval troops? is it the same treatment meted out the waffen ss?

[KASHANKA]

I know Dietl used naval personell in the battle for Narvik.
But they was from wrecked ships and im not sure if they got any formal unit name.

No, they were just sailors from sunk ships who were given rifles and served as a sort of light infantry reserve. It was a purely ad-hoc unit.

I read another article from internet that thearound 90-100 kriegsmarine naval infantry and officers were sent to Berlin under the orders of Hitler to Karl Donitz...
is it true and what happened to them after the war? How does the Russian troops treated captured naval troops? is it the same treatment meted out the waffen ss?

Sorruy for reviving old threads, but this was exactly the question I wanted to ask, as I've been unable to find an answer to it elsewhere.
How many naval soldiers were sent to Berlin in 1945, how did they arrive (by airlift?) and what they were armed with?

[Ironmachine]

This may be what you want:
http://www.ww2f.com/battle-europe/13351 ... erlin.html

but please note that the author of the article posted in http://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopic ... &sk=t&sd=a what follows:

BUT I have to say I have to rewrite this article, as I got some new sources considering the Navy in Berlin.
Two years ago, I got a mail from Henrik Krog (webmaster of Armies!), who wrote to me that a veteran (or son of a v.) contacted him and told him an additional story.
BUT only yesterday I found some other sources to support the vet's statement.
The GrRmTSta (Ju 352) & StadF (Fw 200 & Ju 290) flew in some 100 - 150 navy soldiers.
Other Transport squadrons (w/ Ju 52 & He 111) flew in at least 100 soldiers. (4 landings are known at that moment)

Summa sumarum, it seems as if the statement of a weak Naval battalion (2 coys) is a correct one.

[KASHANKA]

OK, thank you for the spedy reply, this helped a lot to clarify some discrepancies I've came across.

[pzrwest]

Paul do you have pics of the items be nice to see them.