Jeff Rutherford: The German Army on the Eastern Front: An Inner View of the Ostheer's Experiences of War

Sönke Neitzel, Abgehört. Deutsche Generale in britischer Kriegsgefangenschaft 1942-1945 , p. 11.

Personal File in BA-MA RH 6/300324.

Information about Werner Ziegler’s career from BA-MA Pers 1/99823.

73. Infanterie-Division/Ia, KTB, 6.9.1942, BA-MA RH 26-73/18.

Panzer-Aufklärungsabteilung 13/Ia, Gefechtsbericht für den Angriff des Zuges Sassenberg am 19. Aug. 1941, 24.8.1941, BA-MA RH 27-13/46.

While focusing on Panzer tactics, Rudolf Steiger, Panzertaktik im Spiegel deutscher Kriegstagebücher 1939-1941 , provides a good introduction into German tactical thinking. See also Gross, Mythos und Wirklichkeit.

See Williamson Murray, Adaptation in War , pp. 74-118. Alexander Hill’s The Red Army and the Second World War , also argues along these lines.

A profund study on German military learning culture before 1914 can be found in: Markus Pöhlmann, ‘Das unentdeckte Land. Kriegsbild und Zukunftskrieg in deutschen Militärzeitschriften,’ in Stig Förster (ed.), Vor dem Sprung ins Dunkle. Die militärische Debatte über den Krieg der Zukunft 1880-1914 , pp. 21-131.

Armee-Oberkommando 6/Ia, Nr. 4387/42 geh., 5.11.42, BA-MA RH 20-6/228.

For a more detailed approach on German experience reporting, see Wettstein, Die Wehrmacht im Stadtkampf, pp. 245f and 317-325.

Oberstleutnant Freiherr von Uslar-Gleichen (Wa Prüf 1), Verbindungstrupp zur Heeresgruppe Nord, Abschlussbericht über das Kommando zur Heeresgruppe Nord vom 9.6.-18.7.42, 25.7.1942, BA-MA RH 19-III/780.

This was a questionnaire given by the Second Department of the Army Ordonannce Office, responsible for infantry weapons and equipment.

This refers to the Fourth Deparment of the Army Ordonance Office, Group for Development and Testing, responsible for artillery, often abbreviated to Wa Prüf 4 in German.

This refers to the Fifth Department of the Army Ordonannce Office responsible for fortresses and engineer weapons and equipment.

The Stielgranate 41 (literally ‘stick shell’) was an fin-stabilized shell with a hollow charge bigger than that of the barrel of the weapon, with which the German army wanted to upgrade its outdated 3.7cm ATG. Its low velocity, as well as the need to load it from the front of the barrel, rendered it relatively ineffective.

For an overview on the development of the Sturmartillerie and its changing tasks, see: Adrian Wettstein, ‘Sturmartillerie – Geschichte einer Waffengattung,’ http://portal-militaergeschichte.de/wettstein_sturmartillerie.

Markus Pöhlmann, Der Panzer und die Mechanisierung des Krieges. Eine deutsche Geschichte 1890 bis 1945 , pp 404-407.

Armee-Oberkommando 6/Ia, Betr.: Sturmgeschütze Sfl. mit s.I.G., 3.11.1942, BA-MA RH 20-6/227.

The development and the use of the Assault Rifle 44 has produced a considerable amount of literature, though much of it consists of technical books. Few have examined the testing process. The most comprehensive work is Dieter Handrich, Sturmgewehr 44 .

1. Infanterie-Division/Ia, Erfahrungsbericht über Grossversuch mit M.Pi. 44, 14.9.44, BA-MA RH 12-2/139a.

Less is known about German small unit tactics. A brief but comprehensive approach is Gerhard Elser, ‘Von der “Einheitsgruppe” zum “Sturmzug”: Zur Entwicklung der deutschen Infanterie 1922 bis 1945’, in Truppendienst 36/1997, pp 118-124. ‘Small unit action during the German Campaign in Russia’ , anonymously published as part of the studies produced by German officers and generals under the US Army’s Historical Division after World War II, also provides numerous insights into German tactical thinking at the lowest levels.

Das Deutsche Reich und der Zweite Weltkrieg , Volume 5/2, p. 688. The effects of that flood of modifications on production is discussed in the same book, pp. 684-688 and p. 918f.

More detailed in Pöhlmann, Die Mechanisierung , pp. 420-423.

For a comprehensive approach to German urban warfare practices in the early war, see Wettstein, Die Wehrmacht im Stadtkampf 1939-1942 .

305. Infanterie-Division/Ia, Merkblatt für den Ortskampf, o.D. (Herbst 1942), BA-MA RH 26-305/14.

VI. Armeekorps/Kommandierender General, Nr. 2939/42, 29.11.42, BA-MA RH 26-205/32.

Anlage zu XIII. Armee-Korps/Ia, Nr. 725/42 g.K., 30.11.42, BA-MA RH 24-13/100.

XXXXVIII. Panzer Korps/Kommandierender General, Erfahrungen aus den Angriffs- und Abwehrkämpfen im Raume Shitormir-Berditschew vom 15.11.43-21.1.44, 26.1.1944, BA-MA RH 10-125.

This meant a ratio of 1 NCO to 7 soldiers. On higher levels, the notion was normally officers/men (including NCOs).

Kampfstärkennachweis is comparable to the US Table of organization and equipment (TOE).

This references the German Kursk summer offensive in 1943, codenamed Operation ‘Citadel’, in which the XXXXVIIIth Panzer Corps also participated.

The classic study on the German army’s logistics in the East is still Martin van Creveld, Supplying War. Logistics from Wallenstein to Patton . The issue is also discussed for the Eastern Front in 1942 in Germany and the Second World War , Volume 6, pp. 878-882. We still lack both detailed studies and a general overview of the German supply situation on the Eastern front.

7. Infanterie-Division/Ib, Leistungen der Versorgungstruppen während der Kämpfe um Mogliew (20.-26.7.41), 16.8.41, NARA T-315, Roll 376. For a more detailed approach to the battle, see Wettstein, Die Wehrmacht im Stadtkampf , pp. 121-134.

Army troops were units subordinated to the Army High Command and temporarily attached to other formations to create a main point of emphasis for various operations. Important army troops included the heavy and heaviest artillery units, engineer units and anti-tank units. Later in the war, tank hunter and heavy tank units were also formed as army units.

OKH/Generalquartiermeister/Gruppe Munition/IIa, Munitionsverbrauch in to. Osten, 10.12.1944, BA-MA RH 3/135. For an analysis see also Heinz Rullkötter, ‘Munitionseinsatz des deutschen Heeres im Zweiten Weltkrieg,’ in Wehrkunde , Dezember 1973 (22), pp. 648-651.

For the most comprehensive approach to German war production, see the sections by Rolf-Dieter Müller in Germany and the second world war , Volumes 5/1 and 5/2 with many helpful tables and charts. A very readable, though sometimes too pointed, account is Adam Tooze, Wages of Destruction. The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy .

In his Waffen und Geheimwaffen des deutschen Heeres 1933-1945 , Volume 1, pp. 147ff., Fritz Hahn lists 49 types and versions of 10.5cm light field howitzer shells. While many of those were special training shells or prototypes, around 20 were in production for longer periods of time and sent to the front.