Dealing with the Dead

Discussions on all aspects of the USSR, from the Russian Civil War till the end of the Great Patriotic War and the war against Japan. Hosted by Art.
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Dann Falk
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Joined: 02 Mar 2009, 19:34
Location: California - USA

Dealing with the Dead

#1

Post by Dann Falk » 22 Aug 2020, 00:05

Greetings all,

I was just asked by my editor about the dead on the battlefield during WW II. She asked "Who took care of all the dead bodies after a battle". She ask if there were special teams that were sent out or even civilians that were assigned to inter them. I'm asking about both the Soviet and German dead during the war, 1941-45.

I would think the troops in the field would deal with most of the dead, but I just don't know.

So any ideas? Please include any references if you can.

Thanks in advance for you answers.

Dann

Art
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Re: Dealing with the Dead

#2

Post by Art » 22 Aug 2020, 13:42

There were provisional burial squads at regiment-division level with tasks like collecting and burying corpses, collection of documents and dogtags, registration of graves etc. One can't help an impression that the Soviet military had a rather slack attitude to burials, at least in the first phase of the war. See a relevant article and characteristic documents here:
https://history.wikireading.ru/413782
http://rkka.ru/docs/spv/SPV11.htm
http://xn--b1afa8admefdd2c.xn--p1ai/norm/003/010.htm


OpanaPointer
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Re: Dealing with the Dead

#3

Post by OpanaPointer » 22 Aug 2020, 13:51

The US had the Graves Registration Units. Americans would be buried and disinterred again up to seven times.

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/ref ... M10-63.pdf
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Dann Falk
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Joined: 02 Mar 2009, 19:34
Location: California - USA

Re: Dealing with the Dead

#4

Post by Dann Falk » 22 Aug 2020, 20:30

Great info Art and Opana. This is the type of information I was looking for.

Much Thanks.

I think I need to post this same question in the German section.

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