With the ID 132 in the East. From the Balkans to Crimea.

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With the ID 132 in the East. From the Balkans to Crimea.

Yugoslavia.

Following the events of March 27, 1941 (coup in Belgrade and repudiation of the pact with the Axis), the German 2 AOK was newly organized and ready to operate according to Directive No. 25 issued by the Führer. This army was composed of the XXXXVI AK (Mot), the XVIII Geb K, the LII AK and the LI AK to which was subordinate the 132 ID, along with the 183 ID and 101 Le. ID, the latter Army Corps would be the main effort in the southern direction. The LI AK after forcing the passage of the River Drava was to advance first on Zagreb and if necessary was to reinforce there the units of the Army Corps Vietinghoff (XXXXVI AK), then it would follow behind the Armored Army Corps to Belgrade.

While the date of attack for the forces that operate against southern Yugoslavia and Greece had been set for April 6, 1941, the 2 AOK attack would be launched only on April 10, 1941. However from April 6 onwards it will conquer some bridgeheads on the Drava.

Sources: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/ETO/Eas ... index.html
The Balkans Campaign, invasion of Yugoslavia. General d. Infanterie v. Greiffenberg
Geschichte der 132. Inf.Div. in Bildern und Dokumenten.
http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the Balkans.

Transport and assembly of the division.

The 132 ID would be transported by rail directly from Germany. The boarding of the division took place on April 2 1941 and on April 6 1941 one third of the unit had been detrained in Graz, being completed the transport on 09 April 1941.

This division was organized on October 5, 1940 with elements of the 263 ID, 268 ID and parts of the horse-drawn elements of the 27 ID which had been converted into an armored division (17 Pz). Its Commanding Officer was Generalleutnant Rudolf Sintzenich and it was composed of the IR 436, IR 437 and IR 438, AR 132, Pz Jäg Abt 132, AA 132, Pi Btl 132 and NA 132.

The Campaign.

April 6, 1941.

The LI AK crossed the Yugoslav border by Murk and Radkersburg, capturing intact both bridges over the river Drava. The 132 ID captured Sejanska, while a cyclists detachment of 183 ID entered in Murska Sobota.

At about 07:30 hours was secured the elbow on the border due west of Gerogenberg with the Height 510 (Platsch). The wooded high ground west of Zierberg was secured also.

In the afternoon the enemy resistance was broken on the road Graz - Marburg taking several forts. The fighting ceased at 16:00 hours, here distinguished Oberleutnant Wack belonging to the 2. / Pi Btl 132.

Sources: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/ETO/Eas ... index.html
The Balkans Campaign, invasion of Yugoslavia. General d. Infanterie v. Greiffenberg
Geschichte der 132. Inf.Div. in Bildern und Dokumenten.
http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the Balkans.

The Campaign.

April 7, 1941.

A combat patrol secured Ober-St.Kunigund without casualties. The infantry was delayed by the destruction of roads although it reached the road bridge in Kamnitz. When trying to enter the valley Pößnitz received intense fire from fortified positions on the ridges located nearby. The Bridge on the Pößnitz destroyed.

April 8, 1941.

The path towards Marburg was heavily mined so the advance was delayed. Later in the day Marburg was occupied without resistance however.

Sources: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/ETO/Eas ... index.html
The Balkans Campaign, invasion of Yugoslavia. General d. Infanterie v. Greiffenberg
Geschichte der 132. Inf.Div. in Bildern und Dokumenten.
http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the Balkans.

The Campaign.

April 9, 1941.

Two infantry regiments of the 132 ID and the engineer battalion crossed the river Drau/Drava by Marburg/Maribor using assault dinghies.

April 10, 1941.

The division reached Pogorje-Hoce-Sv.Miklavz south of Marburg.

Sources: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/ETO/Eas ... index.html
The Balkans Campaign, invasion of Yugoslavia. General d. Infanterie v. Greiffenberg
Geschichte der 132. Inf.Div. in Bildern und Dokumenten.
http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the Balkans.

The Campaign.

April 11, 1941.

The 132 ID conquered the towns of Windisc-Freistritz and Jurovzi. At 11:00 hours it was reached the town of Windisch - Landsberg. Advance through Satteldorf - Krapinske - Toplice. The vanguard advanced to the bridge over the Sava River about 6 kilometers of Agram (Zagreb). The AA 132 established a bridgehead on Rann about 25 kilometers northwest of Agram (Zagreb).

Sources: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/ETO/Eas ... index.html
The Balkans Campaign, invasion of Yugoslavia. General d. Infanterie v. Greiffenberg
Geschichte der 132. Inf.Div. in Bildern und Dokumenten.
http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the Balkans.

The Campaign.

April 12, 1941.

The 132 ID reached Agram (Zagreb), the area west of the city.

April 13, 1941.

The AA 132 in Klinkaselo with spearhead in Sorace - Maja. The Division advanced along routes in poor road conditions. As an Armoured Division used the same routes traffic jams and delays occurred.

Sources: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/ETO/Eas ... index.html
The Balkans Campaign, invasion of Yugoslavia. General d. Infanterie v. Greiffenberg
Geschichte der 132. Inf.Div. in Bildern und Dokumenten.
http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the Balkans.

The Campaign.

April 14, 1941.

The Division was in Kristinja Dl. Kirin (45 km southwest of Agram - Zagreb). Elements of the 132 ID reached the river Una and established bridgeheads on Krupa, Otoka and Novi.

April 15, 1941.

Vanguards of the 132 ID reached Sanskimost and Prijedor on the River Sana.

April 16, 1941.

The Division was assembled in area of Bos-Krupa - Glina. Its CP was located in Bos Krupa.

Sources: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/ETO/Eas ... index.html
The Balkans Campaign, invasion of Yugoslavia. General d. Infanterie v. Greiffenberg
Geschichte der 132. Inf.Div. in Bildern und Dokumenten.
http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the Balkans.

The Campaign.

April 18, 1941.

The vanguard of the 132 ID took Jajce around 07:30 hours. At 12:00 hours armistice.

April 19, 1941.

The Division took a break to regroup.

Sources: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/ETO/Eas ... index.html
The Balkans Campaign, invasion of Yugoslavia. General d. Infanterie v. Greiffenberg
Geschichte der 132. Inf.Div. in Bildern und Dokumenten.
http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.......................After finishing its participation in the campaign in the Balkans, the 132 ID began its long march to take part in Operation Barbarossa.

With the 132 ID in the East, from Poland to Crimea.

March to the front.

The Campaign in the East had begun several days ago and we talked little about the prospect of engaging in battle because we were sure that this new campaign, as before in Poland and France, would end in a few weeks.

At dawn we saw the walls and towers of Cracow, the holy city of Poland, where it lay the heart of the Mariscal Pildsudski. Slowly the convoy stopped in the dusty courtyard of the station and there I got a tattered newspaper in exchange for a piece of bread. There it was highlighted the news about the progress of the campaign, Lemberg, Grodno, Brest-Litovsk, Vilna, Kowno and Dünaburg quickly had fallen into German hands and headers mentioned that 2582 aircraft and 1,297 Soviet tanks had been destroyed. Soon the military police ordered us back to our wagons and the journey continued towards our unknown destination.

Sources: Die Reichsbahn im Zweite Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
In deadly combat: a German soldier's memoir of the Eastern Front. G.H. Bidermann.
Krim-Kurland mit der 132. Infanterie-Division 1941 - 1945 - G.H. Bidermann.
WWII GERMAN ARMY PHOTO PHOTOGRAPH AGFA HUGE 333 PC LOT! eBay

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the East, from Poland to Crimea.

March to the front.

On July 1, 1941, we stopped about 10 kilometers west of Pelkinie (near Jaroslaw) and descended from the train to continue on foot toward the east, our anti-tank gun was moving ahead of us pulled by a small caterpillar tractor (called chenillette) captured during the Western Campaign. After marching for a while, we stopped alongside a temporary bar where Red Cross nurses filled our canteens with cold coffee from a horse-drawn field kitchen. Continuing the march in the evening we stopped in the lee of a trees lined up on the side of the march road.

On July 2, 1941 at dawn we were surpassed by endless columns of supplies, we spent another day in the wake of these columns and in the evening we met the enemy for the first time. The dusty road was filled with rows of Russian prisoners marching in the opposite direction with their tattered khaki uniforms. Before us they hardly seemed soldiers in a strange mixture of White-Russian, Caucasian, Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, and so on. At school we were taught that the Ural mountains separating Europe from Asia, but here we saw Asia in what we thought was the heart of Europe. The miserable column vanished behind us and when night fell we stopped.

Sources: Die Reichsbahn im Zweite Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
In deadly combat: a German soldier's memoir of the Eastern Front. G.H. Bidermann.
Krim-Kurland mit der 132. Infanterie-Division 1941 - 1945 - G.H. Bidermann.
WWII GERMAN ARMY PHOTO PHOTOGRAPH AGFA HUGE 333 PC LOT! eBay

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the East, from Poland to Crimea.

Enemy soil.

The 14. Company (Panzerjäger) had been subordinated to the advanced guard and on July 03, 1941, at exactly 05:00 hours we marched again. We went through Jaroslaw and their houses in ruins due to the struggles of the 1939 campaign. Crossing the river San by Radymo tread Russian soil for the first time. We went through an old German cemetery of WWI, on a wooden sign, half erased by the time, we could read: to our fallen comrades in Dubroviza. We soon found fresh dirt mounds marked by the characteristic German steel helmets, we try to look away but inevitably our eyes rested on the tombs that seemed to say "do not let us, do not abandon us in a strange land" .... The distant rumble of guns could be heard in the direction of Lemberg. At dusk we stopped again near Krakovize.

Sources: Die Reichsbahn im Zweite Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
In deadly combat: a German soldier's memoir of the Eastern Front. G.H. Bidermann.
Krim-Kurland mit der 132. Infanterie-Division 1941 - 1945 - G.H. Bidermann.
WWII GERMAN ARMY PHOTO PHOTOGRAPH AGFA HUGE 333 PC LOT! eBay

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the East, from Poland to Crimea.

Lemberg.

The next day, July 4, 1941, our odyssey continued to an uncertain fate. Only primitive villages were found along the path from which the women and children watched to us from the shadows of the lintels; the only men we saw were veterans of previous wars.

On July 5, 1941, we passed through Lemberg, the city had been severely damaged and through the morning mist we could see the burned factories, ruined houses and destroyed tanks, whose hot carcasses, still gave off a wisps of black and greasy smoke.

In one of the few intact sections of the city, the residents lined up in front a deposit of bread. As we passed, we note their looks lost on us. The air base at Lemberg was crippled by our Stukas and blackened remains of aircraft and equipment were scattered throughout the area.

Sources: Die Reichsbahn im Zweite Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
In deadly combat: a German soldier's memoir of the Eastern Front. G.H. Bidermann.
Krim-Kurland mit der 132. Infanterie-Division 1941 - 1945 - G.H. Bidermann.
WWII GERMAN ARMY PHOTO PHOTOGRAPH AGFA HUGE 333 PC LOT! eBay

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the East, from Poland to Crimea.

Towards the Stalin Line through Galitzia.

On July 8, 1941, as we approached to Brody, we met with logistic units and signal men of the 71 ID, the latter told us that their division had taken Lemberg suffering about 600 casualties and they trusted us that the campaign would end in a few weeks.

Our progress was stopped on the old frontier of Galitzia and Russia. We expected to find strong enemy positions when the 6 AOK and the 17 AOK should attack the Stalin Line, consisting of a series of bunkers and strong points. But again we were disappointed to learn that the 132 ID would remain in reserve. We wanted to take action before the inevitable surrender of the Soviet Union.

On July 14, 1941 the day passed without incident. Our environment consisted of dust, mud, hot sun and storms ... ...

Sources: Die Reichsbahn im Zweite Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
In deadly combat: a German soldier's memoir of the Eastern Front. G.H. Bidermann.
Krim-Kurland mit der 132. Infanterie-Division 1941 - 1945 - G.H. Bidermann.
WWII GERMAN ARMY PHOTO PHOTOGRAPH AGFA HUGE 333 PC LOT! eBay

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the East, from Poland to Crimea.

Towards the Stalin Line through Galitzia.

First Battles. Kargarlyk, Ukraine, 1 Aug 1941 Source: Bidermann (2000), p. 19-23.

On July 30, 1941, the IR 437 was bivouacking in Michailovka. During the night of 30 to 31 July 1941, the riflemen companies and horse-drawn subunits, executed a forced march of 65 kilometers in order to be able to attack Kargarlyk.

At dawn on August 01, 1941 the Regiment was in position. Artillery and mortar fire unleashed its preparation at 06:50 hours while the infantry began to move through the fields with wheat and potato crops. The Regiment attacked in broad front. The anti-tank Platoon (organized with two guns of 37 mm) Bidermann (the author) moved to the village along a sandy path. The 5. Company moved to its right in the fields and the 7. Company on the left, both were part of the II. / IR 437.

The defenders responded and soon the attackers began receiving machine-gun fire from 400 meters ahead. The panzerjägers deployed their weapons and began to answer the fire. The 5. / IR 437 was briefly engaged in a hollow but thanks to the fire support of one Platoon of the 14. / IR 437 was able to continue its progress soon. The rest of the anti-tank weapons brought its fire on the hostile positions which were located in the collective farm Klein-Kargarlyk, about 600 meters away. According the German attack proceeded ahead, the Soviet artillery bracketed its fire closer and closer. The 7. / IR 437 finally engaged in combat with the enemy, the Russians soon began to surrender or to flee to Kargarlyk. The Regiment reached the target set for the day, the railway embankment that ran in front of the hamlet.

Sources: Die Reichsbahn im Zweite Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
In deadly combat: a German soldier's memoir of the Eastern Front. G.H. Bidermann.
Krim-Kurland mit der 132. Infanterie-Division 1941 - 1945 - G.H. Bidermann.
WWII GERMAN ARMY PHOTO PHOTOGRAPH AGFA HUGE 333 PC LOT! eBay

Cheers. Raúl M .

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With the 132 ID in the East, from Poland to Crimea.

Heights 197 and 160, Dnieper river, Ukraine August 6, 1941. Bidermann (2000), p. 26.

On August 6, 1941 at 05:50 hours, the artillery of the 132 ID began firing smoke grenades on the Russian strong point located on the Height 197. Many Soviet soldiers fled because they thought mistakenly that the Germans were using chemical grenades (poisonous gases). At about 08:50 hours, the infantry already had cleared up the objective, suffering very few casualties; but the struggle continued, because the Russians fought savagely while they retreated to the next position, located on Height 160.

Despite the hostile air raid launched by fighter-bombers at dusk, next morning on August 07, 1941, the division had taken up positions near Balyka, just 100 meters short from the shore of the Dnieper River. The lack of supplies, however, forced the Germans to retreat.

Sources: Die Reichsbahn im Zweite Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
In deadly combat: a German soldier's memoir of the Eastern Front. G.H. Bidermann.
Krim-Kurland mit der 132. Infanterie-Division 1941 - 1945 - G.H. Bidermann.
WWII GERMAN ARMY PHOTO PHOTOGRAPH AGFA HUGE 333 PC LOT! eBay

Cheers. Raúl M .