german tanker's story

8/12/2019 German Tanker's Story

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http://web.archive.org/web/20100128092950/http://home.att.net/~w.tomtschik/WW2OBin

e!.htm"

#n$one ca""ing me a hero is mistaken. % have met some g&$s' who sho&" be ca""e

heroes. %n m$ case' % got what % eserve' b&t when $o& think o( )2 times going into

batt"e' an ever$ time $o& know amn we"" that this engagement co&" be $o&r "ast one'

then $o& s&((ere (rom a ver$ high p&cker (actor. *o& +&st co&" not (orget how $o&r

b&ies so&ne over the p"atoon (re,&enc$ as the$ roaste beca&se the hatches were

twiste o&t o( shape an the$ co&" not escape.

% was ra(te into the -erman Wehrmacht in ear"$ #&g&st 190' an "earne how to be a

tr&ck river' that is' a(ter the (&"" (o&r months as a recr&it s&((ering thro&gh the peacetime

r&ssian Basic an #%. % swear to $o& % sti"" can recognie ever$ sing"e b"ae o( grass

on that wie meaow on which we ha the p"eas&re to "earn how to hit the irt' craw"

an a"" the other e"ights o( Basic. % a"so "earne how to isassemb"e the a&ser 98k

ri("e b"in(o"e an' as a bet' with m$ "e(t han tie behin m$ back. #(ter those bab$3(at

ki""ing months % "earne how to rive a tr&ck. 4emember' % am (rom entra" 6&rope an

this was 71 $ears ago motor vehic"es were sti"" not a"" that common. o this a$' % hate

with a p&rp"e passion the bastar o( an instr&ctor who e"ighte in making me c"imb &p

the po"e o( tra((ic signs % ha neg"ecte to hee' an c"ean them with m$ hankerchie(.

ate in 190' +&st be(ore hristmas' % was trans(erre to a new"$ (orme ivision' the

100th ight o&ntain %n(antr$ ivision' which ie at ;ta"ingra. Being rea""$ sha(te (or

the (irst time' % a"so wo&n &p in the in(antr$. We went as #rm$ reserves (rom 4&mania

thro&gh B&"garia an wo&n &p near ;a"oniki in -reece. We never (ire a shot an

nobo$ is"ike &s eno&gh to pop a (ew ro&ns at &s. %n -reece' % ha time to poner

an % ecie that wa"king was not m$ pre(erre activit$. hat was short"$ a(ter rete'

an the ver$ high "osses o( the (irst wave o( the paratroopers ha to be rep"ace. he

ca"" went o&t (or vo"&nteers an g&ess who was &mb eno&gh to (ig&re ("$ing into

combat was a better iea than wa"king mi"es an mi"es.


2/14

stick an behin me came the +&mpmaster Asa$ the wors +&mp pa$' goo b&$>. #n

so we ("oate own (rom ear o" CD 52 a"" was serene' "ove"$' an % a"rea$ ha visions

o( a smart &ni(orm' new"$ minte E wings' an CD #*>>

#s % was on"$ a (ew meters awa$ (rom other 6arth' there was a s"ight p&(( o( win it

t&rne me aro&n an tosse me towar that amne bo&"er. ;"am bam' no thank $o&'

maFam. #n % ha two broken thighs. he +&mpmaster was worse o(( he s&((ere a

broken pe"vis. Both o( &s wo&n &p in the station hospita"' he in a sing"e room. ;ince we

ha the oors open &ring the a$' % "earne an awesome amo&nt o( bran new' an

ver$ innovative c&ss wors (rom the +&mpmaster' who was right ne!t oor (rom o&r (o&r3

patient room. #bo&t three a$s a(ter we went to this hospita"' the +&mpmaster an % ha

the great +o$ o( "istening as the combat engineers b"ew &p that bo&"er. 6n o( m$ career

as a paratrooper % was o((ere a trans(er back to the #rm$ an chose aners.

C&st so&th o( Gienna is a sma"" p"ace ca""e oe"ing ABeethoven an ;ch&bert (ans' be

a"ert> an that p"ace was then the rep"acement batta"ion (or the ) -erman #rm$

aner ivision = one o( those who (roe ha"( to eath between osha$sk an oscow.

#(ter training' an % mean training that was peacetime t$pe' what with cross training as

river' "oaer' g&nner an in (irst an secon eche"on maintenance' a b&nch o( &s were

sent to the 6astern Eront as rep"acements (or combat "osses. We were set &p as a

marching batta"ion at Warsaw an went a"ong 4o""bahn H1 to ;mo"ensk. 4iing (rom

Warsaw to insk' we stoppe one night in the Eorest o( ;"onim.

%n one o( his speeches abo&t the attack on the ;oviet Dnion' Iit"er state that the

;oviets ha p"ace a h&ge n&mber o( ivisions a"ong the -erman3;oviet borer. What %

saw when trave"ing thro&gh that (orest were h&ge masses o( we""3camo&("age tanks'

arti""er$' tr&cks' an other war materie". ;"onim was then on"$ some )0 km. (rom the

-erman3;oviet borer an % m&st be"ieve Iit"er when he spec&"ate that he ha taken

the +&mp against the ;oviets beca&se a (ew a$s "ater' the$ wo&" have attacke. o

+&ge (rom that m&ch war materie"' % am inc"ine to be"ieve Iit"er. 4emember: the


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he to" me that he ha be"onge to an #rm$ rep"acement batta"ion at Warsaw when

some ;; o((icers came an trans(erre the who"e b&nch o( g&$s to the Wa((en ;;. Ie

prove this b$ showing me his o" #rm$ a$ Book an the new ;; a$ Book. Ie went

to the Kas 4eichL ivision' which' in 191' was sti"" an in(antr$ ivision. he ne!t a$ we

were picke &p b$ some g&$s (rom the ) aner ivision an % never saw the man

again he perishe &ring the terrib"e winter o( 191/2' so his mother to" me in springo( 192. he ) aner was origina""$ &ner -&erian an we (o&ght some bitter batt"es

at G$asma' -shatsk' Ore" an Br$ansk' be(ore we co&" break thro&gh an move in the

irection o( osha$sk.


4/14

One time we came onto a scene o( what we then consiere &nbe"ievab"e horror.

6ighteen -erman so"iers' in(antr$men apparent"$' witho&t boots an +ackets' ha their

th&mbs wire together behin their backs an ha been ki""e b$ the (amo&s

Kommissar3shotL: the back o( the hea. Dnti" then' the (ighting ha been re"ative"$

c"ean we ha hear o( s&ch previo&s cases' b&t now we saw what the 4es rea""$ i to

o&r men. ict&res were taken' an ever$bo$ in the neighborhoo was aske to see thescene o( this crime. he 4es even ha taken the % ags (rom the m&rere men. #(ter

that' things change.

We kept s"ogging o&r wa$ a (ew ki"ometers a a$ Agas was tight> an then' one a$' we

c"eane &p a sma"" batt"e site an o&r tanks stoppe (or re"ie( meas&res Awe""' co((ee

agitates the kine$s' right@.


5/14

horri(ie how m&ch b"oo the b"ack &ni(orm ha been encr&ste with. he$ were he""3

bent to b&rn the aner &ni(orm 33 over m$ ea bo$>

4ec&perating in vario&s hospita"s a(ter &wigsb&rg' % was (ina""$ sent to a ;tation

hospita" at in' m$ hometown. Eor abo&t two months % was at the in ;tation Iospita"'

an then was sent on rec&perative "eave (or two months to m$ home. % ha a g"orio&s

time e!tra ration as a combat wo&ne hero' an a stea$ s&pp"$ o( wi""ing gir"

vo"&nteers who took care o( man$ o( m$ other nees. #"most hea"e' % was sent back to

oe"ing where % +&st co&" not make it' % was sti"" too weak. # recor search revea"e

that % ha been traine as a tank river an so % ha to accompan$ a tank (rom ;t.

oe"ten to the Dkraine. We got there +&st be(ore the enem$ starte his isastro&s spring

o((ensive. he in(antr$ ha prepare the positions there' an a"" we ha to o is p&t the

tanks into the (ie" revetments the$ ha b&i"t. # (ew a$s a(ter that' a"" Ie"" broke "oose.

Ie"" hath a name: Operation ;tar' the (ai"e Mh&kov &nertaking.

% ha seen man$ 4&ssian ea b$ then a(ter the entire roa to oscow was not "ine

with happi"$ smi"ing (aces. What came at &s in the Dkraine were waves a(ter waves o(

in(antr$ = the (irst two waves ha weapons' the thir an (&rther waves ha to pick &p

the ri("es (rom their ea an wo&ne an contin&e in o&r irection. he secon a$ o(

that o((ensive' % was to" there ha been seventeen waves' a"" o( them rotting in the (ore

(ie". ho&sans o( them.

#n $et' in a"" that s"a&ghter' the worr$ing abo&t whether we wo&" have eno&gh

amm&nition' the stench o( the b&rnt power' in a"" that &st an noise' one (&nn$ episoe

sticks to m$ min.

O&r tanks were space abo&t 70 to J0 meters apart. he spaces between the tanks

were &s&a""$ (i""e with a s,&a o( in(antr$. % was he"ping the "oaer trans(er some

amm&nition (rom the bottom we"" an' with the hatches open' $o& co&" see an hear

prett$ we"". ;&en"$' % hear the most horri($ing scream % "ooke o&t o( the open hatch

an saw the weirest thing. here' between o&r tank an the ne!t one' a ;ergeant was

r&nning in circ"es an screaming "ike a banshee' ho"ing his rear en an ho""ering &nti"he (ina""$ co""apse. onFt (orget' there sti"" was sporaic 4&ssian ri("e (ire. ;omebo$

(rom this s,&a ragge him behin o&r tank an we (ina""$ (o&n o&t what happene.

Iis stee" he"met ha receive a irect hit the stee" ha been pierce' b&t the b&""et ha

"ost a"most a"" its spee an ha trave"e %


6/14

e!ite' went a"ong the spine an "oge' hotter than he""' right between his cheeks

where it si"e to a stansti"". r&st me: never in the rest o( m$ "i(e i % hear s&ch

&nearth"$ screaming.

#(ter the ;oviet ;pring o((ensive co""apse' we t&rne the aners over to some aner

ivision' % onFt remember which' an those o( &s who ha bro&ght the aners' went

home again. Beca&se o( m$ know"ege o( a (oreign "ang&age' % was trans(erre (rom

oe"ing to Gienna' the ing&ist 4ep"acement ompan$. ;tatione right in the mi"e o(

the cit$ % ha e!change he"" with paraise. -oo an p"ent$ (oo' an a"" those

woner(&" $o&ng gir"s who "ove to take care o( the nees o( a man who ha been to the

6ast Eront twice> #s % sai' #4#%;6.

#h we""' what can % sa$ even earth"$ paraises o not "ast (orever' an "ate in 192' %

was ret&rne to oe"ing an the h&mr&m o( garrison "i(e. # "i(e which i not "ast

(orever either' beca&se in arch 19) % was trans(erre to


7/14

an increib"e 8'000 po&ns in the co&rse o( an engagement that mae $o& go into batt"e

three times a a$. ;ince there was so ver$ "itt"e space' the "oaer was the on"$ one who

ha to manhan"e the she""s. Ds&a""$' a(ter ever$ combat r&n' % c&r"e &p on the ("oor

an was gone. et someone e"se (ee the beast with gas an grease' ammo was m$

on"$ concern an % mae that ver$ c"ear to g&nner an river. #(ter % ha a "ength$

isc&ssion with a ver$ snott$ r&ssian g&nner' we arrive at the so"&tion Awhich' "ater'was inc"&e in the g&nnersF man&a": a(ter the (i(th shot' the t&be wo&" be "ai ("at an

the "oaer wo&" have a m&ch easier wa$ o( serving the t&be.

Iaving been &n"oae at Ore"' we proceee to the N&rsk sa"ient. O&r positions were at

the northern ben o( the sa"ient' (acing a"o #rkhange"sk. %t was c"ear (rom the ver$

beginning that we wo&" an co&" o nothing b&t in(antr$ s&pport in the (orm o( a K(ire

brigaeL o&t(it' an thatFs what we i amirab"$ so. When we went into action' no e$e

remaine r$. C&st imagine 73inch t&bes (iring sim&"taneo&s"$ at the enem$. #"" $o&

saw was rippe3apart boies. We save man$ a -erman "i(e when we were ca""e intoaction. O( co&rse' a(ter the (irst attacks' we &s&a""$ were &se piece3mea"' a p"atoon at a

time.

%6 OD> Whatever % am going to te"" $o& (rom now on' is seen (rom the viewpoint o(

the "oaer o( this beast. #"so bear in min that the 217th ;t was' to some e!tent' a

pi"ot pro+ect that neee n&mero&s changes in the co&rse o( the rest o( the war. Eor

instance' m$ p"atoon ha two or three o( them with 1) (orwar gears an that t&rne o&t

to be nonsense that gear was soon rep"ace with the stanar heav$ gear. Bear a"" this

in min an $o& wi"" better &nerstan the i((erences in vario&s acco&nts.

N&rsk was o&r (irst batt"e' an what a s"a&ghter it t&rne o&t to be = on both sies.

;#GN#' on"$ recent"$' amitte to having "ost more than J'500 armore vehic"es o( a""

kins. he -erman "osses are p&t at over )'500 armore vehic"es' with the tr&e n&mber

&nknown. he reason given b$ the new B&neswehr historians is that' at the ver$ en o(

the war' the ;oviets capt&re Mossen near Ber"in' the main site o( the ONW A;&preme

omman o( the Wehrmacht' an the$ ha estro$e m&ch on site' an sent the rest to

archives in the ;oviet Dnion.

ate in the evening o( C&"$ 19)' it starte raining prett$ har an the (ine b"ack earth

t&rne into s"&sh$ st&((' as we went (orwar to o&r (ina" +&mp3o(( sites. he entire

#btei"&ng Abatta"ion was there an at 0)0' 5 C&"$ 19)' he"" broke "oose. #"" the t&be

arti""er$' the rocket o&t(its' the heav$ mortars "et "oose in a s"ow"$ ro""ing barrage that

t&rne the (ore (ie" into a wet' irt$ p"ace with inn&merab"e she"" craters. ompan$ b$


8/14

compan$ we were p&""e o&t o( the (irst attack "ine to be s&pp"ie with ammo an gasse

&p' sent into batt"e again' as the "ight got better an the "arger (ie" (orti(ications became

visib"e' on"$ to be b"own to bits b$ &s. hat (irst a$ we went into batt"e three times'

shooting over 100 ro&ns o( 1503mm she""s. B&t that a"so was the (irst a$ we ha the

p"eas&re to meet the new 85 mm g&n on h&nres o( 3)s. ots o( them were

estro$e b$ the tank estro$ers attache to &s an to the attacking in(antr$. C&stremember' C&"$ in the 4&ssian "ains' )5 to 0 egrees Acentigrae' o( co&rse that

makes it 95 to 10 egrees Eahrenheit o&t in the open. %nsie' with "itt"e air c&rrents' it

became &nbearab"e. he stench o( b&rnt power' sweat an (ear' p"&s the baking s&n?

tr$ it some time>

he (irst a$ we a"most got to a"o #rkhange"sk. #n the secon a$' % be"ieve we (ina""$

were at the rai"roa station o( that vi""age = what was "e(t o( it. ea 4&ssians intermi!e

with -ermans' b&rnt vehic"es o( both sies' with the score at abo&t 2:1 (or &s it was a

he"" o( a (ight (or that tin$ p"ace. #n &st' choking &st ever$where.

#n so it went on' the secon a$' the thir. #n on that thir a$' +&st as % ha (ire o((

another ro&n' there was a ver$ "o& bang' smoke' an % was o&t o( the hatch. #sk an$

#""ie tanker o( WW%% how he knew his tank ha been shot own. B&$' when that

happens' $o& N $ p"atoon commaner' 2t ;ieg(rie Iirthe Aa$ #""ah be kin

to the so&" o( a (ine man' a great o((icer an a tr&e warrior to" me "ater that his ;t

ha been some 25 meters behin m$ tank an hear the hit. % shot o&t o( the hatch "ike a

cork (rom a champagne bott"e an hit the earth r&nning. 4emember how hot it was@ %

was c"a in bo!er shorts an boots an that was a"". % ran the he"" awa$ (rom the smokingh&"k. $ (ace was b"oo$' m$ nose broken an m$ e$es covere with b"oo an so % ran'

not towar o&r rear' b&t para""e" to the main (ighting "ine' with ever$bo$ taking a pot shot

at me. When % (ina""$ came to' % was in one o( the "arge she"" craters' somewhat o&t o(

breath.

hree ea: river' g&nner an commaner. he 853mm ro&n (rom a 3) ha

smashe thro&gh the view3s"it o( the river' ecapitating him the "e(tovers then went

thro&gh the be""$ o( the g&nner an (ina""$ ki""e the commaner right behin the g&nner.

;ince the tank i not e!p"oe or even b&rn' +&st smoke' the repair crew ha a "o&s$ +obo( scraping o(( the remains (rom the inner s&r(aces an repainting them. Oh $es' the

beast was combat rea$ in another two weeks or so' b&t b$ that time N&rsk was over

an we ha gone so&theast' to e!ting&ish some other (ires.

hen came st&nning news: o&r compan$ commaner' who ha been espise (or not


9/14


10/14

;ts an A% be"ieve this was tr&"$ a Eirst' to te"" the makers o( the tanks what was

wrong' what was right' an what m&st be mae better' or easier. he res&"t o( this

interaction was that the secon batch o( ;ts was better in man$ wa$s than the

origina" moe"s. heir si"ho&ette was "ower' an th&s the tanks were "ess top heav$

a"so' the new moe"s receive a riverFs periscope' the seat o( the commaner was

move' a machine g&n was ae' an so on.

%t was ear"$ in arch 19' when % was again consiere hea"th$ eno&gh to ret&rn to m$

&nit' which ha been sent to %ta"$ in the meantime. ;ome companies were sent to the

Erosinone area' the iri va""e$' an m$ compan$ was at the #nio/


11/14

whi"e in the train' we stoppe some )0 km short o( resen' which was being po&ne

into &st. We stoo an waite (or two a$s be(ore the$ co&" move &s to eipig' an

then (rom eipig to Namen.

#(ter arriving at m$ new station' % was aske abo&t m$ rivers "icense an since it

showe % was ab"e to rive a tr&ck' was iss&e a tr&ck' a bo$3so"ier riing shotg&n an'

with a oen other tr&cks' we were sent to resen. here' we went to the co""ecting

points (or the ea. I&nres o( OWs AN&rt Gonneg&t' the D; a&thor' was one o( them

he wrote abo&t it in his K;"a&ghterho&se EiveL' crimina" prisoners as we"" as a "arge

n&mber o( NM inmates were going thro&gh the r&bb"e' co""ecting the ea. #s -o is m$

witness' o( a"" the ea" peop"e % ha&"e'


12/14

4&ssian smoke. he %van i not care abo&t &s' the$ co&" hear on"$ two vehic"e

engines an so the$ went on their merr$ wa$. Dnti" the proverbia" oooo hit the (an. %n

"ess then three min&tes m$ tank an the other knocke o&t 28 ;oviet 3)s on"$

beca&se we ha those b"esse night sight gimos. anemoni&m on the other sie'

heav$ machine g&n (ire (rom &s an o&r in(antr$ an the %van vamoose' "eaving merri"$

b&rning tanks behin. hat was the "ast time % co&" smi"e happi"$' beca&se short"$therea(ter % was capt&re be(ore b"owing &p o&r tank % onFt know what happene to the

other 4o$a" iger.

#t Namen' be(ore % ha been sent to pick &p the new tanks' % ha scro&nge &p a set o(

%n(antr$ &ni(orms. his % i in the hope that % wo&" have time to change into gra$s. his

save m$ "i(e' beca&se the 4&ssians hate -erman tankers with a p&rp"e passion. %'

persona""$' know o( no aner man who was taken prisoner b$ the 4&ssians an

ret&rne home.


13/14

barking "ike ma. Ie m&st have sme""e me' beca&se % stank to heaven b$ then' a""

those weeks witho&t soap the on"$ bath % ha was when we crosse that sma"" river.

#n so % became a OW again.

he$ p&t me on the +eep an bro&ght me to a -erman #rm$ garrison the$ ha taken

over' a batta"ion hea,&arters' % g&ess. he$ ha an ai station attache an the (irst

thing the$ "et me o was get some o( the -erman #rm$ &ni(orm pieces "a$ing aro&n'

boots' an a piece o( soap. #n that was m$ (irst bath a(ter a "ong' "ong time. #(ter %

"ooke a "itt"e more than a man "ost in the woos' the$ bro&ght me to the mess ha"" an

(e me. he$ "et me eat as m&ch as % wante' with the inevitab"e res&"ts. % got severe

stomach cramps an vomite a"" the goo (oo o&t. % was taken to the ai station an

answere whatever ,&estions in m$ poor 6ng"ish. he octor prescribe three a$s o(

white brea' eggs' an mi"k an s"ow"$ % became h&man again' weighing 107 po&ns. %

am 5F10L' with a broa bone str&ct&re.

#(ter abo&t (ive a$s at that D; &nit' % was bro&ght to the h&ge OW compo&n at


14/14

vo"&nteer. hese men wi"" be ischarge "ike an$one e"se. 6

german tanker's story

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