Feldersatz & Feldausbildung Divs. in Ersatzheer or Feldh

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sid guttridge
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Feldersatz & Feldausbildung Divs. in Ersatzheer or Feldh

Post by sid guttridge »

The ersatz (replacement) and ausbildung (training) functions belonged to the Ersatzheer (Replacement Army).

However, the prefix "Feld-" implies incorporation into the Feldheer (Field Army).

Did the the Feldersatz and Feldausbildung Divisions belong to the Ersatzheer or the Feldheer?

Many thanks,

Sid.
Roger Griffiths
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Post by Roger Griffiths »

Feldausbildung Divisions belonged to Field Army. I don't really know the purpose of having training formations in operational areas. Listed on 10 December 1943 were 52, 147, 153, 388, 390, and 391 FAD's. A pure guess would be that replacements would be available closer to hand than having to come from Ersatzheer bases within Germany.

Roger
sid guttridge
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Post by sid guttridge »

Hi Roger,

The Ersatzheer had already moved part of its training organisation nearer the front. There were seven reserve divisions undertaking training and replacement activities in the General Government, Ostland and Ukraine from summer 1942, which is about the time the Feldausbildung Divisions were formed.

As far as I can see, theoretically speaking, from mid 1942 men were recruited and kitted out in the depots of 400-series Ersatz Divisions in the home wehrkreise. They were then sent to 140-190 series Reserve Divisions in occupied territories, where they received their basic training. They were then forwarded to 380-390 series Feldausbildung Divisions immediately behind the front, where they received final operational training before going to their Feldheer division.

So, it seems that the dividing line between Ersatzheer and Feldheer lay between the Reserve Divisions and the Feldausbildung Divisions.

Many thanks.

Cheers,

Sid.
Achilles
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Post by Achilles »

It is very much the exception to the rule to find a soldier going from his
ersatz unit to a Feldausbildungs division and then to a field unit.

Usual case was straight from ersatz to field unit. I have also seen more cases of men going straight from induction to a Ausbildungs division than the scenario above. Once in the Feldausbildungsdivision they seemed to have remained there far longer than was neccessary for training - anti-partisan operations taking up most of the time.

The situation on the Western Front ion 1943-44 was somewhat different - soldiers were more likely to go to a Reserve Division before moving onto a field unit.
sid guttridge
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Post by sid guttridge »

Hi Achilles,

That is interesting. So there were cases of men actually undergoing their basic training in Ausbildungs divisions. How common was this? Did it only happen at particular times of the war, perhaps more towards the end?

Have you any idea how long men typically stayed in each type of division? I know that it differed depending on arm of service.

Cheers,

Sid.
Achilles
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Post by Achilles »

Sid,

Sent you a PM.
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Kaiser116
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Re: Feldersatz & Feldausbildung Divs. in Ersatzheer or Feldh

Post by Kaiser116 »

Hello Achilles and others posting here,

Thought I would share with you some information about one of my uncles, Oswald Arendt, who was drafted into the German Army late in the war; October 1944. He was 22 years old and was a trained mechanic and had been working with the Deutsche Reichsbahn for several years on the Eastern Front, in a supply and logistics capacity. He was also married at the time and he and his wife were expecting their first child, living in the Reichsgau Wartheland (the Warthegau as it was called). He was first sent to a recruit depot at Mielau Trübplatz in what was then East Prussia, to be “in-processed” and kitted out with uniform and basic equipment. From what I gather, there were many men (both Reichsdeutsche and Volksdeutsche) with him who were also recent draftees from the northeastern part of Germany. Apparently he didn’t stay there long, matters were very hectic and at times somewhat confusing…he was abruptly given orders to move to Gotenhafen (Gydnia) on the Baltic Sea coast, get on a ship that transported them to Kurland, where he joined the Ersatz und Ausbildungs Division Nord to do basic training followed by advanced individual training. As well, he said his unit was tasked with guard duties along the Baltic Sea coast. The local Latvians were actually friendly and greatly feared the Soviets. He spent the winter of 1944-45 in a rear area capacity, subsequently tasked with fixing one mechanical thing or another at the numerous rail and repair shops in Kurland’s hinterland. He said he was fortunate to not be sent to the very front-line where many German units were desperately fighting to survive. There came a time, in February 1945, when his unit was ordered to prepare to provide replacements for the 121st Infantry Division, which had been badly mauled during previous battles in Kurland. Some men did go to that Division, however, he was again spared. By March and April, everyone on the peninsula knew the jig was up and all 200,000 men in Kurland were facing death or time in Siberia or both. Oswald said his Battalion commander was no fool and did everything he could to provide for the safety of his men. Somehow, his unit was assigned to port security duty at Windau, on the Baltic coast, where in a stroke of luck, he and other men of his unit were allowed to board a ship, the Rudolf Albrecht, in what turned out to be the last convoy of transports to leave Kurland bound for Germany. The war ended that very night and as they sailed towards Kiel they threw their weapons and ammunition overboard. Upon arrival they surrendered to British forces. He was never more thankful to be spared Soviet captivity.
Es geht um das Reich...Kurt :beer:
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John W. Howard
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Re: Feldersatz & Feldausbildung Divs. in Ersatzheer or Feldh

Post by John W. Howard »

Hello Kaiser:
Your uncle was a lucky man!! Good for him. I cannot imagine the omnipresent sense of doom hanging over those folks trapped in that region. Best wishes.
John W. Howard
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