Czechs in the Wehrmacht

Klemen L. · Post by **Klemen L.** » 11 Feb 2005 12:53

Czech (or German, Hungarian, Pole) by origin, Germans by nationality. I think we can stay on this point .

Yes, this or Czech (German, Hungarian, Pole) by origin and German by citizenship. There were certainly a few Czechs who stayed in the Sudetenland after the annexation, received German citizenship and were later drafted into the German Army.

There is a maybe useful map:
http://www.fronta.cz/mapa.php?mapa=csr_ ... 8c31ed95c1

I don't know if it is just me but I cannot access this map.

Can you check its URL again, please?

Abouth memories, there is a book by Franz Weber (14.PzD)
http://www.militaria.cz/index.php?ac=re ... l&pozice=0

Thank you. I didn't know for this book. It seems that Franz Weber was Sudeten German and not Czech. I would be in this case more interested in any memoires or diaries of any Czech or let's say Sudeten German who remained living in Czechoslovakia after May 1945. Especially any memoires from any of the Hultschin men would be wonderful. You don't know any, do you?

Thanks you like the article abouth Polish Airforces in 1939. I have to finish the article about 9.Armee in 1945, and than i maybe start the article abouth 1938 - What if. Nothing abouth France in 1940.

That's too bad.

Do you have any good books about Czechoslovakian 1st Light Division in France and her performance that you can suggest? There's Cajka's book about Czechoslovakian on the Western Front... Anything else?

ut i have a book from Mr. Zdráhala - he escape form Bohmen-Mahren to France, served as Artilleryman in some czech formation )can´t remember the name from my head now) and ended the war in French liberty Forces near Bir Hakeim, were he was taken prisoner.

Please tell me more about this book. When did the author joined the Legion Etranger? After the fall of France 1940? Was he with it (13e DBLE) in Gabon, Dakar, Eritrea and Kamerun? I haven't heard for this book. I know or have heard for Karel Hora, Otto Janka and Otto Wagner's book, but not for this. Otto Wagner was a company or battalion commander in the French Foreign Legion at Bir-Hakeim.

Do you have any other memoires of Czechs who escaped from CSR in 1938 and joined the Foreign Legion?

Has anyone any information on the size of the Vládní vojsko in Italy?

In the spring of 1944 (during 22-25th May 1944 to be more exact), the highest organs of the Third Reich decided to send eleven battalions of Czech Government troops (ca. 5,000 men) via Plzen-Mnichov-Innsbruck-Brenner-Verona to Italy for use as a guard service for railway lines, and for the protection of various civil and military facilities (power stations, waterworks, factories, munition stores etc.). By May 28th, 1944 the eleven battalions were in place in Italy and deployed as follows:
* 2n, 3rd and 6th Battalion in Cremona
* 4th and 5th Battalion in Bologna
* 7th, 8th, 9th, 11th and 12th Battalion in the Torino area and
* 10th Battalion in Aosta

Hope this helps.

lp,

Klemen

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 12 Feb 2005 13:26

Klemen,
Thanks for the information on the Czechs in Italy.

Regards,
Peter

Glynwed · Post by **Glynwed** » 14 Feb 2005 08:38

Hallo, abouth book:
Richard Zdráhala
Válèil jsem v poušti (I was fighting in a desert)
Praha, 1990

The author was in Czechoslovak army as an artillery officer. In 1939 he escape to Poland (Krakov), but was ordered to come back to Prague for money to finance the Czech and Slovaks resistance. he wasn´t succes, and the break of the war catch him in protectorate. He help organize the escape of czech officers wia Slovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Greece and syria to France. In autumn 1939 he escape too and entered france at Marseille. In France he was a member of Antitank Company of 1.Artillery Regiment. The company don´t take an action in battles and was ewacuate to Englad. In spring 1940 he and other 120 officers send registration to French Free Forces, and in April 1940 he enter this unit as an Antitank Officer. He was send do Afica (Syria) and then he fight with other units at Bir hakeim, were he was taken prisoner, and until the end of war he was at Colditz prison.

Klemen L. · Post by **Klemen L.** » 14 Feb 2005 15:46

Richard Zdráhala Válèil jsem v poušti (I was fighting in a desert), Praha, 1990

Thank you very much for this title and a short review, Jan. I wasn't aware of the existence of this book until now. I have to add this book to my wish list.

In autumn 1939 he escape too and entered france at Marseille. In France he was a member of Antitank Company of 1.Artillery Regiment. The company don´t take an action in battles and was ewacuate to Englad. In spring 1940 he and other 120 officers send registration to French Free Forces, and in April 1940 he enter this unit as an Antitank Officer. He was send do Afica (Syria) and then he fight with other units at Bir hakeim, were he was taken prisoner ...

Yes, I have somewhere an article about Czechs in the Free French Army. It seems that surplus Czech and Slovak officers were given opportunity to see their service and action in the Free French army and many accepted this opportunity (surplus Polish officers were for example send to British West Africa to serve in the British colonial forces). As I said I have somwhere a very good article about a couple of Czechs who served in the 2nd French Armoured Division. Very interesting subject, no doubt.

I have run a quick net research and have come up with this shrot article about Czechs in African warfare, where there are also a couple of lines dedicated to Richard Zdráhala and his experiences at Bir Hakeim.

URL: http://www.army.cz/mo/tisk/areport/2002/7/18.htm

BTW: Who is this Lieutenant Karol Jaroš who was on Sinai in 1917?

One more question: Does this book of his include any personal recollection from France Campaign 1940 or is it entirely dedicated to his service in North Africa?

If you find any new titles about Czechs in the Foreign Legion or German Army, don't be shy to contact me.

Klemen

Glynwed · Post by **Glynwed** » 15 Feb 2005 08:42

There is "detailed" describe hir experience since 1938 until the end of the war. In France 1940 he don´t take an action, but he describe the training of his unit, his "experience" with french officers etc....

Klemen L. · Post by **Klemen L.** » 15 Feb 2005 11:03

There is "detailed" describe hir experience since 1938 until the end of the war. In France 1940 he don´t take an action, but he describe the training of his unit, his "experience" with french officers etc....

Ok, I get it... I was just wondering because of the title "Válèil jsem v poušti", which can be a bit ambiguous. Anyway as I have said if you find any new interesting titles you know who to contact, don't you?

Glynwed · Post by **Glynwed** » 15 Feb 2005 12:02

Sure, no problem

Glynwed · Post by **Glynwed** » 07 Apr 2005 06:40

One memories of Czech from Hlucin area (still alive):
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/

Klemen L. · Post by **Klemen L.** » 18 Apr 2005 22:40

One memories of Czech from Hlucin area (still alive):
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/

Thanks for remembering, Glynwed. Much appreciated.

Great memoires by the way.

Glynwed · Post by **Glynwed** » 19 Apr 2005 07:46

I have a contact to grandson of this veteran, so if you are interested....?

Petterson · Post by **Petterson** » 22 Apr 2005 06:10

Maybe You should look at also this below:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=43865

Glynwed · Post by **Glynwed** » 27 Jun 2005 15:00

To Klemen: Hope you can read Czech...

http://www.senio.cz/index.php?w=art&id= ... bce444ed3c

Petterson · Post by **Petterson** » 24 Aug 2005 12:07

In a book "The Engineer of Human Souls" - written by Josef Skvorecky - a Czech man named Daniel (the author`s alter ago) feels sorry that the Germans don`t recruit Czechs to the Wehrmacht. Daniel thinks that serving in some German front line unit would be a good trick to escape problems!

Helmut Von Moltke · Post by **Helmut Von Moltke** » 19 Oct 2005 14:45

In Saving Private Ryan when the Americans execute Wehrmacht prisoners on the beach one of the prisoners seemed like a Czech, so there were at least a few Czechs in the Wehrmacht.

maxxx · Post by **maxxx** » 19 Oct 2005 17:50

Helmut Von Moltke wrote:In Saving Private Ryan when the Americans execute Wehrmacht prisoners on the beach one of the prisoners seemed like a Czech, so there were at least a few Czechs in the Wehrmacht.

A Hollywood epic is not really a good source for historic research, is it?