Hi
I would be most grateful if anyone can give me any relevant information about the following aspects of the Germany Army between 1920-1945.
1 Pay and Conditions of Service
a) what was the standard of pay for officers and men during this period
b) what increments were paid for the gaining of proficiency badges, etc
c) what pension or other benefits were available for long-service
personnel
d) what type of camp facilities was there for officers and men at their
home stations (ie was it the same as in the British Army, with separate
messing arrangements for Officers, NCOs and other ranks)
e) what were the arrangements for taking leave during peace-time and
during the war
2 Discipline
a) what type of field punishment could be imposed on service personnel
whilst serving at the front.
b) what type of punishment could be imposed on service personnel whilst
not at the front.
3 On The March
a) what was the length of a normal day's march for the infantry
b) what was the maximum length of a day's march for the infantry
c) what was the average rest period allowed during a march and how
often did they occur
4 Personnel Equipment and Clothing
a) what did a typical soldier's personnel equipment and clothing consist of
b) what equipment comprised the marching order of a typical infantryman
(in peace and war)
5 Rations
a) what was the basic active service ration for officers and men, what did
it consist of, and in what quantity was it provided
b) what was the normal ration, what did it consist, and in what quantity
was it provided
c) did the army have any kind of emergency ration, and if so what did
it consist of, and in what quantity was it provided
Thanks in advance
Bob
General German Army Info Required 1920-1945
-
Robert Hurst
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Christoph Awender
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many questions..
Hello Bob!
Many (difficult) questions. I try to help a little bit.
1a) This is a huuuuge topic with many, many regulations. The manual about "Besoldung" is several hundred pages long. I try to give you an example:
Member of the Field-army who lives in a town with "Sonderklasse" status Berlin.
Local special-addition 3 v.H. = yes
Rank: Oberleutnant = Besoldungsgruppe C9
Rank- or promotion-date: 1.1.1940 = Dienstalterstufe 1
Family-status: married, 3 kids
Basic-amount = 371,07 RM
Addition for 3 kids = 55.- RM
----------------------------------
= 406,07 RM
minus TAX (Lohnsteuer): 11,96 Kriegszuschlag 5,98 = 17,94
406,07 - 17,94 = 388,13
388,13 + Zehrzulage 15,04 which makes him earn 403,17 Reichsmark per month
1b) I was not able to find any regulations saying that they got more money
1c) don´t quite understand these regulations, sorry :-)
1d) Yes, in the garrison there was the Soldatenheim, Unteroffiziersmesse and Offiziersmesse
1e) Basically 2 weeks per year with one week travelling time. Of course many, many special leaves and additions.
2a and b) No difference. Also over 100 pages in the regulation :-). Basically there were: Einfacher Verweis (normal reprimand), strenger Verweis (sharp reprimand), Stubenarrest up to 4 weeks, sharp arrest up to 4 weeks, light arrest up to 5 weeks, special discipline sanctions (work)
3) This depended highly on the circumstances. I would say a normal march was between 30-40 km. I know examples where they marched the whole day sometimes more than 12 hours. They could well make 60km a day. The rest period depended on the temperature and the commander. In France during hot weather they rested every hour.
4)
The personal equipment of a soldier didn´t change much between war and peace. The Ausgehanzug was not taken into the field.
1: Stahlhelm 2: Rucksack (Tornister) 3: blanket (in Rucksack) 4: Zeltbahn 5: training-suit 6: sports-equipment 7: laundry 8: handkerchiefs 9: Field-cap 10: visor-cap 11: gloves 12: cloth-brush 13: food-drawer 14: safe 15: washing-utilities, rasor, hairbrush 16: writing equipment 17: laundry.bag 18: cleaning-equipment 19: sewing-equipment 20: weapon-cleaning equipm. 21: Drillichanzug/OVerall etc.. 22: Feldbluse 23: Ausgehanzug 24: coat 25: flap 26: Meldetasche 27: boots 28: shoes 29: sport-shoes 30: bajonet 31: Y-straps 32: towels 33: ammo-pouches 34: bread-bag 35: field-flask
hope this helps a little bit,
Christoph
Many (difficult) questions. I try to help a little bit.
1a) This is a huuuuge topic with many, many regulations. The manual about "Besoldung" is several hundred pages long. I try to give you an example:
Member of the Field-army who lives in a town with "Sonderklasse" status Berlin.
Local special-addition 3 v.H. = yes
Rank: Oberleutnant = Besoldungsgruppe C9
Rank- or promotion-date: 1.1.1940 = Dienstalterstufe 1
Family-status: married, 3 kids
Basic-amount = 371,07 RM
Addition for 3 kids = 55.- RM
----------------------------------
= 406,07 RM
minus TAX (Lohnsteuer): 11,96 Kriegszuschlag 5,98 = 17,94
406,07 - 17,94 = 388,13
388,13 + Zehrzulage 15,04 which makes him earn 403,17 Reichsmark per month
1b) I was not able to find any regulations saying that they got more money
1c) don´t quite understand these regulations, sorry :-)
1d) Yes, in the garrison there was the Soldatenheim, Unteroffiziersmesse and Offiziersmesse
1e) Basically 2 weeks per year with one week travelling time. Of course many, many special leaves and additions.
2a and b) No difference. Also over 100 pages in the regulation :-). Basically there were: Einfacher Verweis (normal reprimand), strenger Verweis (sharp reprimand), Stubenarrest up to 4 weeks, sharp arrest up to 4 weeks, light arrest up to 5 weeks, special discipline sanctions (work)
3) This depended highly on the circumstances. I would say a normal march was between 30-40 km. I know examples where they marched the whole day sometimes more than 12 hours. They could well make 60km a day. The rest period depended on the temperature and the commander. In France during hot weather they rested every hour.
4)
The personal equipment of a soldier didn´t change much between war and peace. The Ausgehanzug was not taken into the field.
1: Stahlhelm 2: Rucksack (Tornister) 3: blanket (in Rucksack) 4: Zeltbahn 5: training-suit 6: sports-equipment 7: laundry 8: handkerchiefs 9: Field-cap 10: visor-cap 11: gloves 12: cloth-brush 13: food-drawer 14: safe 15: washing-utilities, rasor, hairbrush 16: writing equipment 17: laundry.bag 18: cleaning-equipment 19: sewing-equipment 20: weapon-cleaning equipm. 21: Drillichanzug/OVerall etc.. 22: Feldbluse 23: Ausgehanzug 24: coat 25: flap 26: Meldetasche 27: boots 28: shoes 29: sport-shoes 30: bajonet 31: Y-straps 32: towels 33: ammo-pouches 34: bread-bag 35: field-flask
hope this helps a little bit,
Christoph
c) what pension or other benefits were available for long-service
personnel
After a minimum 12 years of service you could leave the Reichswehr and take a lump sum pay out.
More popular though was that after 12 years of service the government would place you in the civil service usually Railroad or post office administration what ever your choice with entitlement to pensions and benefits there.
e) what were the arrangements for taking leave during peace-time and
during the war
There was also Sontag Urlaub- weekend leave : was limited to 5% of the base personnel at anyone time during peace time.
a) what was the basic active service ration for officers and men, what did
it consist of, and in what quantity was it provided
Wehrmacht tended to have more field kitchens than rations, However there were special rations or at least entitlements for heavy battle days- extra sausage, tobacco, and spirits. These would be delivered to the front eventually.
More detail on rations
b)what was the normal ration, what did it consist, and in what quantity
was it provided
Field rations: HOT: up to 250g meat, 1000g potatoes,250 g fresh veggies or 150 tinned veggies+ 125g of rice , noodles, barley. 8 g of coffee(beans)or 10g of coffee- ersatz or tea.
COLD rations: 750g bread, 150g fat- (butter, margarine, bacon fat) to be used for spreads and cooking. 120 g sausage(fresh or canned)or tinned fish or cheese. Up to 200 g of jam
or ersatz honey. Plus 7 cigarettes (or two cigars)
In addition when available eggs,fruit, chocolate.
c) did the army have any kind of emergency ration, and if so what did
it consist of, and in what quantity was it provided.
Emergency ration- Eiserne portion
The Feldkuchen (fieldkitchens) carried two full emergency rations per soldier. They were specially packaged to resist the elements.
One ration consisted of 250 g Zwieback (hard dry double baked bread, probably still edible today), 200g tinned meat, 150g soup concentrate, 20g ground packaged coffee.
Soldiers also carried with them a (one only) Emergency ration in their bread kit- 250g Zweiback and 200g of tinned meat. To be used only with proper orders.
personnel
After a minimum 12 years of service you could leave the Reichswehr and take a lump sum pay out.
More popular though was that after 12 years of service the government would place you in the civil service usually Railroad or post office administration what ever your choice with entitlement to pensions and benefits there.
e) what were the arrangements for taking leave during peace-time and
during the war
There was also Sontag Urlaub- weekend leave : was limited to 5% of the base personnel at anyone time during peace time.
a) what was the basic active service ration for officers and men, what did
it consist of, and in what quantity was it provided
Wehrmacht tended to have more field kitchens than rations, However there were special rations or at least entitlements for heavy battle days- extra sausage, tobacco, and spirits. These would be delivered to the front eventually.
More detail on rations
b)what was the normal ration, what did it consist, and in what quantity
was it provided
Field rations: HOT: up to 250g meat, 1000g potatoes,250 g fresh veggies or 150 tinned veggies+ 125g of rice , noodles, barley. 8 g of coffee(beans)or 10g of coffee- ersatz or tea.
COLD rations: 750g bread, 150g fat- (butter, margarine, bacon fat) to be used for spreads and cooking. 120 g sausage(fresh or canned)or tinned fish or cheese. Up to 200 g of jam
or ersatz honey. Plus 7 cigarettes (or two cigars)
In addition when available eggs,fruit, chocolate.
c) did the army have any kind of emergency ration, and if so what did
it consist of, and in what quantity was it provided.
Emergency ration- Eiserne portion
The Feldkuchen (fieldkitchens) carried two full emergency rations per soldier. They were specially packaged to resist the elements.
One ration consisted of 250 g Zwieback (hard dry double baked bread, probably still edible today), 200g tinned meat, 150g soup concentrate, 20g ground packaged coffee.
Soldiers also carried with them a (one only) Emergency ration in their bread kit- 250g Zweiback and 200g of tinned meat. To be used only with proper orders.