Boot Camp

[GCFD]

What was Boot Camp like for each branch of the service?

[Helmut Von Moltke]

here is what I know, Heer and Waffen SS from reading posts of veterans on forums. In basic training and training camp, the "spiess", the NCO, would usually be harsh. And there are other details on training methods elsewhere on the forum and on the AHF is you do more searching. Maybe Haen or Rudi could help you. hope this helps.

cheers,

Kevin.

[haen2]

Although this topic has been discussed before in great detail, in short:
Just like any army, of any country, bootcamp is a procedure to "break them down, so you can build them up".
The higher the expectation they have of the troops, like the Marines, the Commandos, the Paratroopers, etc. the more gruelling the bootcamp.
The reason behind this is to let the recruits experience as much misery as possible, under controlled circumstances, to get used to and be able to use their survival skills in a real war.
Makes sense ?
HN

[Rudi S.]

Hello HN,
a brief and very good explanation with which I agree completely.
Gruesse,
Rudi S.

[haen2]

Thanks Rudi,
I remember with "great fondness" the "Sturmbahn"
But later when I needed the skills to survive, I was thankful that I had learned "how to".
Realize HOW LONG ago that was ? Oh boy !
Freundliche Grüsse !
HN

[Rudi Welz]

Hallo HaEn,

as you said, during training you hated the people who ordered it, but when the first sharp bullets came from the other side you thanked them that they had told you how to get down as quick as possible.

Freundliche Grüsse
Rudi

[TimoWr]

In addition to HaEn, this is what a veteran from the AA LSSAH told me. May 1943, a member of the "Goering-Spende"...

Alle Neuen kamen […] in einen Rekrutenzug. Gruppenführer waren drei bewährte Unterscharführer, alle mit dem EK 1. Die Rekrutenzeit bei der Luftwaffe war HJ-Dienst gegenüber dem was wit jetzt erlebten. Aber nur dieser harten Ausbildung hatten wir es zu verdanken, daß die Meisten von uns den Krieg überlebt haben. Wir erhielten über einige Wochen hinweg eine harte feldmarschfähige Ausbildung. Die endete mit einer Verlegung der Kompanie nach Skoworodinowka.

Six weeks later they attacked at Kursk. I suppose this is exactly what HaEn means.

Another veteran from the AA LSSAH who also joined this unit in May 1943. He recalls basis training in Berlin-Lichterfelde West as a young recruit...

Die Hauptausbildung bestand aus Gefechtstraining, Marschieren, Schießen, wie man in Gefechtssituationen am Leben bleibt. Alles mussten wir in der doppelten Geschwindigkeit erledigen: Rennen, Marschieren, Schießen, Deckungslöcher Graben, aber ich glaube wirklich, dass alles den Sinn hatte, uns abzuhärten. Die Ausbilder waren sehr harte Männer. Wir dachten dann, dass die Ausbilder nur gehässig wären, aber später wußten wir, dass es nicht so war. Vom ersten Tag an wurde eine Menge herum geschrieen, aber es muß ziemlich hart sein, so viele unterschiedliche Männer zu einer Gemeinschaft zu formen, in der sich jeder auf den anderen zu verlassen hat. Unsere Ausbildung war sehr hart, da wir in Rußland eingesetzt werden sollten. Ein normaler Tag fing um 05:00 Uhr an. Wecken, Stuben Säubern, Rasieren und Waschen. Frühstück. Gegen 06.00 Uhr war Appell, und dann Waffendurchsicht von der Pistole bis zu den 20 mm Flak-Geschützen. Instruktionen in Uniformkunde, Kriegsführung und Selbstverteidigung. Wir übten aber nie mit scharfer Munition. Waffen- und Uniformputzen wurde jeden Tag durchgeführt, alles hatte hundertprozentig sauber zu sein, denn jeden Abend war eine Durchsicht. Wir mussten sogar unsere Zehen und Unterwäsche waschen, weil Sauberkeit ja die oberste Priorität hatte! Die Mahlzeiten wurden in einem großen Saal eingenommen und am Eingang wurden die Hände, Stiefel und die Uniform auf Sauberkeit überprüft. Das Essen selbst war gut, aber zu dieser Zeit als junge Soldaten hatten wir immer Hunger.

Hope this helps.

[haen2]

Thanks Timo.
It sure does help, to put the dots on the I.
HN

[Helmut Von Moltke]

more about the "Spiess", the "hard" trainer. Not as bad as everyone woudl think a NCO is. From "Expereinces of War - The Third Reich" by James Lucas.

At the lowest military level the "Spiess", the equivalent of a warrnat officer, was concerned not so much with discipline as morale and was expected to represent very strongly to his superiors the views of the rank and file. The Spiess was a military welfare officer, the sort of "agony aunt", that it has been proposed should be introduced into British service. Examples will be found in these pages of officers and NCOs acting upon their own initiative to save a situation or protect their men.

And the main subject of boot camp. The complete paragraph about it is long, so I will just explain it overall. Recruit training was hard and unremitting until each soldier, sailor or airman handled his weapon or carried out his duty thoroughly and without hesitance. Like The old Imperial and Reichswehr armies, each soldier was trained to do his superior's job, for example in case if his superior was killed. Barracks were mainly old structures, but had modern facilities, for example shower facilities, baths with constant hot water, emphasis was laid among personal hygeine, the orderly Corporal at each meal would check the men's hands to see they were clean, there were basic but well cooked plentiful meals, etc. However some of this comes a bit from a Heer veteran's description of barracks. Rudi or Haen, did that veteran describe it well generally, or was it just fortunate for him that he happened to have a nice barracks? thanks.

Regards

Kevin

[GCFD]

Hi thanks for all your reply's. It was especially great that the actually German WW2 vets answered. I can't tell you how much I wish that I could just get to meet one of you guys or talk to one of you. Don't get me wrong I love talking and meeting all veterans but its a nice change of things to get to see things from the other side of the war.

[Willhelm Gruber II]

i am not sure if this is true but i was told that the German Armed Services did not learn close order drill after 1942




-Willie

[haen2]

Perhaps not "as much" as before the war, but certainly enough to teach us to act as "one".
I do remember lengthy hours of marching and rifle drill and woe to the one who did not do it right.
Hinlegen - Auf march march !
Oh well.
HN

[K2Commander]

Hello, Newbie to this forum here,
Please could some provide me with some answers to these questions please.

1. would a 17yr old have been conscripted into the Heer 1939??
2. if so where would he have trained?

any info is greatfully appreciated

Karl

[Christoph Awender]

Hello, Newbie to this forum here,
Please could some provide me with some answers to these questions please.

1. would a 17yr old have been conscripted into the Heer 1939??
2. if so where would he have trained?

any info is greatfully appreciated

Karl

1) No
2) Recruits were trained in the various Ersatz-units e.g. Ersatz-Bataillone of his military district (Wehrkreis)

\Christoph

[K2Commander]

Thanks for replying

Would the WehrKries have been his area, sorry, I've just started to gather information of this type so I'm not 100% sure
Thanks