Russian POWs

[sdr633]

Russian troops are encircled by Panzers and motorized infantry. The surviving Russians surrender, and are marched back behind the lines to whereever they would be processed.

Who is guarding the columns of marching POWs?

Stephen

[jerijerod]

i could be wrong on this but if i remember correctly:

If a prisonner surrenders he is held under guard by a detachment of infantry from the unit that captures them. If the unit is to move out they are either handed over to a unit that is staying put or marched out with the unit.

As soon as possible the prisonners are handed over to the Feldpolizei who would then guard them until they could be processed and put on trains back to Germany to be disperssed to POW camps or worse.

On the other hand it is not always possible to take prisonners. I had a friend whose father had served in the 8th British army and he had told him that they rarely took prisonners as rations were low enough, if a guy did surrender to them he was walked behind a sand dune.

[tigre]

Hello guys ; here goes the actions within the Korück 559 at Juchnow 1941-42........

On Oct 10 1941, the 137 ID became subordinated to Korück 559 in order to accomplish the guard of the prisoner of war and roads, bridges as well as the pacification of the rear area of the 4 AOK. Within the range of Juchnow all prisoners had to bring to Armee-Gefangenen-Sammelstelle (army prisoner collecting point) 2 under Hauptmann Reeber. How did this camp look? An inspection by the Kriegsgefangenen- Bezirkskommandanten (District's prisoners of war Commander) Oberst Marshall on Nov 5 1941, resulted in the following condition properly winter accommodations. However provisions and supply food for this winter are neccesary.

Up to Oct 25 1941, the 137 ID had collected the unbelievable number of 300.000 soviet pows. Since the camp in Juchnow had only place up to 10.000 prisoners, they had to march in several columns towards Smolensk (Dulag 126) and Roslawl (Dulag 130)*. Till Oct 17 1941 had arrived at Roslawl 90.518 prisoners; with these numbers was a miracle that at all still sufficiently food supplies were available for them.

* Dulag = Durchgangslager (Transit Camp).

The guard in Juchnow was carried out by the Staff and 1.Company of the Wach-Bataillons 591. in addition Staff and 1. Company of Feld-Gendarmerie- Abt 697. A prisoner of war's military hospital was set up at Spas Demenskoje in the road to Roslawl. For avoiding partisan's actions was issued the following directive: to take up and bring to the camps all persons between military serviceable ages 17 to 65. For further security tasks also the Genesenen-Bataillone (recovering-battalions) were employed in order to save the fighting troops for combat actions.

Source: Ernst Gerber: Im Dienst des Roten Kreuzes. Tagebuch. Teil 2. Juchnow

Hope it helps you in same way. Cheers. Raúl M .

[Christoph K]

Most interesting....my grandfather served with the 137 ID in 1941 and I have a picture very similar to the one posted above. What I find most interesting about the scene is how few guards were sent with the POWs