Stalin's Nemesis

by Michael James Melnyk

  256Letter to author O. Kulchysky, 22 August 1998.

  257See Kurt Mehner, Die Geheimen …, p. 354.

  258Letter to author O. Sokolsky, 26 December 1997. This is corroborated by an account which states on ‘2 April 1945, crowds of Ukrainian SS-men went begging [for food] from house to house.’ Kriegsende …, op cit.; p. 14.

  259These men had graduated from Posen Treskau and gone on to attend an advanced weapons training course at Leshany which was completed on 17 March 1945. A complete list of all 86 men can be found in a document dated 10 December 1944, Berlin-Wilmersdorf, Kaiserallee 188, SS-Führungshauptamt Abt XI, Betr; 16.Kriegs-junkerlehrgang an der Waffen-Junkerschule Braunschweig. SA. Returning to the Division, the men split up into small groups which travelled independently by various forms of transport both military and civilian which explains why they arrived within a few days of each other at different times. Letter to author J. Kunycky, 19 October 1997.

  260This group travelled via Vienna to the Training and Reserve Regiment at Deutscheslandsberg and then to Maribor before joining the Division in Austria around 10/12 April . For his part, Wächter was very friendly towards the young Ukrainians and is reported to have said ‘Look around you gentlemen’, (pointing to the mountainous landscape), ‘the area resembles our [sic] beautiful mountains near Stryj’ (a provincial town in western Ukrainian at the foot of the Carpathians mountains). Evidently, Wächter considered himself a fellow country man rather than a representative of an occupying power. Letter to author W. Motyka, 17 September 1997.

  261Commodities such as alcoholic beverages, soap, toothpaste, shaving supplies etc supplied to soldiers on special occasions.

  262Email to author Osyp Holynsky, 15 July 2015.

  263Under these extenuating circumstances some (both German and Ukrainian) found it difficult to cope with the demands placed on them and subsequently made errors which cost them their lives. The Ukrainians were said to be emotional. Verbally to author M. Klymchuk, 30 August 1997 and interview O. Holynsky, Rutherford, USA, 25 June 1999.

  264As early as 8 March 1945, Wächter’s immediate superior SS-Obergruppenführer Wolff, the HSSPF in Italy, had already agreed with the Americans with whom he had been negotiating, to a capitulation of all the German armed forces in Italy. Despite this agreement, both German Army field commanders, Kesselring and later his replacement Vietinghoff continued to postpone the actual signing as long they could. For additional details see Höhne, The Order …, pp. 527-529.

  265Heike, Eng. ed., op cit.; p. 120.

  266VI Guards Rifle Corps was comprised of 20 Guards Division, 61 Guards Rifle Division, 113 Rifle Division, 299 Rifle Division, 864 Assault Gun Rgt.

  26773 Guards Div., 10 Guards Luftlande Div., 104 Rifle Div., 32 Guards Mech. Brigade, 52 Tank Rgt.

  268For details of the German and opposing Soviet forces involved and their relative positions in relation to each other see the maps in Puntigam: Vom Plattensee …, op cit.; p. 80 (map 38). Map 49, p. 251. and Lagekarte der Heeresgruppe Sud vom 20 April 1945, Ausschnitt, BA-MA.

  269Heike, Eng. ed., op cit.; p. 118.

  270Verbally to author P. Jacyna, 31 August 1997.

  271Heike, Eng. ed., op cit.; p. 119.

  272The Soviet 57 Army which faced 2 Panzer Army had one tank brigade with a total of sixty five tanks and one Tank Corps consisting of two hundred tanks (most of which were the ubiquitous T34) at its disposal. The bulk of the Soviet armour and mechanised forces which faced the German Army Group South in April 1945, were concentrated within the 27 Army, which was deployed north of Feldbach. See Kriegsende …, op cit.; p. 29. The presence of occasional tanks in the vicinity has however been confirmed in the memoirs of veterans, for example Chomicky, Memoir, op cit.; p. 6.

  273Volodymyr Vashkovych ‘At Gleichenberg’, Visti Kombatanta, Nr. 1, 1972, pp. 41-47.

  274Keczun, Memoir, op cit.; p. 31.

  275Puntigam, Vom Plattensee …, op cit.; p. 176.

  276Volodymyr Vashkovych, ‘Pid Gleichenbergom: Kviten-traven 1945’, Visti Kombatanta, 1972, Nr.1 (57).

  277 Motyka, Memoir, pp. 12-13 and letter to author 17 September 1997.

  278For a map detailing all the units involved in the counterattack against the Soviet units from 20 Guard Rifle Division in Trautmannsdorf See Puntigam, Vom Plattensee …, op cit.; pp. 175-176.

  279Letter to author 22 August 1998, from the commander of the Jagdzug attached to III./WGR 29, Waffen-Untersturmführer Omelan Kulchysky. This unit played an active part in the fighting at this location.

  280See ‘Fights for the Gleichenberg Castle’, Visti, Nr.4 (6), April 1951. W. Kosak.

  281Email to author Osyp Holynsky, 15 July 2015.

  282Waffen-Untersturmführer Bohdan Kutny serving with 2 company of the Pioneer Battalion wrote ‘one night we had Soviets attack our line and I recall they came within about 10 ft of us. In the morning I saw two bodies in front of our positions’. Letter to author B. Kutny, 20 June 1994.

  283In his account W. Kosak confirms that on 6 April the Soviets broke through the lines of WGR 30 regiment, ‘Fights for the Gleichenberg Castle’, Visti, Nr.4 (6), April 1951. W. Kosak.

  284Like WGR 30, a token force was left behind in Slovenia by WGR 31 guarding a depot in a town near Maribor. Surrounded by partisans at the end of hostilities this unit refused to surrender and eventually its personnel were escorted under the protection of Australian soldiers to Austria. Verbally to author P. Jacyna, 31 August 1997.

  285Emails to author W. Mykula, 14 July 2010 and 21 July 2010.

  286Herasymowycz, The History …, op cit.; p. 4.

  287 Letter to author P. Trotch, 15 March 1998. For a full account of Troch’s exploits see Melnyk, To Battle …, op cit.; pp. 254-255.

  288Literally ‘Riding master’,—a military rank of a commissioned cavalry officer in the Germany Army.

  289Puntigam, Vom Plattensee ..., op cit.; p. 175.

  290Hawrylak, Memoir, op cit.; p. 29.

  291Heike, Eng. ed.; op cit.; p. 117.

  292Kutny, The Pioneer …, op cit.; p. 7. and Schmitt, Pioniereinheiten …, op cit.; p. 12.

  293 Emails to author W. Mykula, 14 July 2010 and 21 July 2010.

  294Puntigam, Vom Plattensee …, op cit.; p. 158.

  295Two separate accounts by witnesses of how Pannier received his wound concur that it was due to his arrogance and failing to conduct himself properly when in an exposed position. See Hawrylak, Memoir, op cit.; p. 30, and W. Mykula, Memoirs, op cit.; p. 197.

  296Letter to author V. Veryha, 10 January 1998.

  297Hawrylak, Memoir, op cit.; p. 30.

  298See Mehner, Die Geheimen …, op cit.; p. 363.

  299Kuk, The 5 ..., op cit., pp. 33-35.

  300Mehner, Die Geheimen …, op cit.; p. 366.

  301Heike, Eng. ed., op cit.; p. 117.

  302Puntigam, Vom Plattensee …, op cit.; p. 158.

  303Ibid., p. 176.

  304Letter to author J. Hnatkiv, 20 September 2000.

  305The Jagdzug was formed in February 1945, from about 50 men who were former members of the Volhynian Legion.

  306At this time the Fusilier Battalion was staffed as follows:

  Battalion commander: Sturmbannführer Karl Bristot.

  Adjutant- Untersturmführer Karl Strasser (Slovak-German).

  Medical : W. Ustuf. Dr Alexander Farion

  Ordonnanz Officer: W.Ustuf. Kyril Hryhorowych

  Jagdzug (bicycles), Kdr. W.Ustuf. Orest Liashevych (killed at Radkersburg).

  1 Company: (158 men + officers)

  Kdr. W.Ustuf. Ivan Sarytsky:

  other officers:

  W.Ustuf. Jaroslaw Rybalt 1 plat.

  2 Company

  Kdr: : Ustuf. Franz Kraus

  other officers:

  W.Ustuf. Myroslav Prontschak,

  W.Ustuf. Stephan Dobriansky

  W.Ustuf. Konstantin Aleksewytsch,

  3 Company

  Kdr: W.Ostuf. Stephan Hulak,

  other officers:

  W.Ustuf.
Mychailo Niniovsky

  4 Company:

  Kdr: W. Ostuf. Roman Bojcun

  other officers.

  W.Ustuf. Volodymyr Malynovych

  W.Ustuf. Theodor Klymiw

  4 plat. W.Ustuf. Volodymyr Kudla

  307Letter to author W. Kudla, 24 September 2000.

  308Ibid.

  309Ibid.

  310For details and personal accounts of the fighting in this area see Kriegsende …, op cit.; pp. 126-136 and pp. 149-152.

  311Fighting at Radkersburg 1 company Fus. Btl. by Waffen-Unterscharführer Petro Cisarsky, plus letters to author 4, 18 and 24 September 2000.

  312Kudla had difficulties with his commanders for firing too many mortar shells at once. However he obtained a separate supply form a Wehrmacht unit which had no use for them and thereafter experienced no further shortages.

  313Letter to author W Kudla, 24 September 2002.

  314Letter to author W. Kudla, 24 September 2000.

  315Letter to author I. Sadovey, 24 October 1998.

  316Heike, Eng. ed., op cit.; p. 118.

  317Letter to author W. Kudla, 2 October 2000.

  318Ferkuniak, Spomyny …, op cit.; p. 32.

  319All sources are agreed that the Division had a strength of 14,000, however there is some debate as to whether this included its Training and Reserve Regiment. At the time of the Führer conference 23/24 March 1945, the Division’s table organisation strength was given as 11,000, with an actual strength of 14,000. Felix Gilbert Hitler Directs …, op cit.; p. 149. In all probability the 14,000 included its Training and Reserve Regiment stated by Shandruk in his memoirs to have had a strength of 3,000 as of April 1945. Shandruk, Arms …, op cit.; p. 264. Heike maintains the Division had 22,000 men, which is accurate if his figure of 8,000 for the Training and Reserve Regiment is added to the 14,000. In either case the maximum combat strength of the Division at the time is unlikely to have exceeded 14,000.

  320Heike, Eng. ed., op cit.; p. 118.

  321Kuchta had only recently assumed command of a battalion having graduated from the 26.Btl. und Abt. Führer-Lehrgang an der Heeresschule Güstrow which took place from 03.01.–10.02. 1945.

  322About the death of Kuchta Roman Chomicky wrote; ‘[…] We caught up with our company when everyone reached the mountain and began to dig in on the mountainside. Kuchta called Rottenführer Kowalsky and they both sat down on the hillside by the road. When I looked at them again they were both lying. When we checked them with another soldier, both were dead. We dragged their bodies back to our grove […]’. Chomicky, Memoir, op cit.; p. 6.

  323Krywulak, The Medical …, op cit.; p. 3.

  324Heike, Eng. ed., op cit.; p. 118.

  325On 9 April 1945, the Verbindungsoffizier der SS beim OKH (SS Liaison Officer to the Army High Command) has recorded verbatim in the Verordnungsblatt der Waffen-SS, ‘The 14 Waffen Gren.Div der SS (Ukr Nr.1) is not to be disarmed. German personnel will be reinforced by inclusion of 3–4,000 soldiers (ground crew) of the Luftwaffe. The Division is to remain part of the Waffen-SS’. [Tg.Buch-Nr Il 1890 gk v.9.4.45.]. AA. See also BA-MA document N 756/170 (Sammlung Vopersal). The order from the SS-FHA which followed the next day was a direct result of this order.

  32610 April 1945, Geheim! an 14.Waffengren.div.d.SS (UKR Nr. 1), from SSFHA, gez Blume. HW 16/71, GPD 4065, NA, PRO, Kew.

  327Heike, Eng. ed., op cit.; p. 120. Ex Luftwaffe personnel were sent to augment other SS formations or units under the command of the SS, for example the 16 Reichsführer SS received four Luftwaffe draft battalions (Marschbataillone der Luftwaffe) on 3 April 1945, while in February 1945, plans were afoot to assign the 11 Luftwaffe Field Division to the newly created Cossack Cavalry Corps. Samuel J. Newland, Cossacks …, p. 164.

  328Heike, Eng. ed., op cit.; p. 120.

  329Ibid., p. 121.

  330Ibid.

  331Interview M. Klymchuk, London, 7 October 1990.

  332Letter to author R. Kolisnyk, 17 April 1996.

  333Verbally to author M. Scharko, 18 October 1997. Forstreuter’s mistrust of the Ukrainians was so pronounced that he had already taken steps to ensure that all radio and communications operatives with WGR 30 were German.

  334Heike, Eng. ed., op cit.; p. 121.

  335Verbally to author M. Scharko, 4 July 2015.

  336Letter to the author O. Sokolsky, 23 June 1992.

  4: The Final Act

  1See Puntigam. Vom Plattensee …, op cit.; map No. 49, p. 251.

  2Ibid., map no 48, p. 250.

  3Stephan Hulak, ‘Easter in the Front in 1945’, Visti, Nr.5-5, April–May 1955, pp. 18-19.

  4The 2 company was the first to be replaced by an infantry company. The two other pioneer companies were withdrawn some days later. Schmitt, Pioniereinheiten …, op cit.; p. 12.

  5While building the bridge one man from 2 company was swept away in the strong current and presumably drowned as his body was never recovered. Letter to author B. Kutny, 24 November 1997. A considerable amount of material was needed for the construction of both bridges which was simply not available at that time.

  6Schmitt, Pioniereinheiten …, op cit.; p. 13.

  7Ibid.

  8Keczun, Memoir, op cit.; p. 37.

  9One such example was given to the author in a email from Theo Andruszko dated 28 June 2015.

  10Ibid., p. 35. W. Mykula email to author 14 July 2010.

  11Heike, Eng. ed., op cit.; p. 119.

  12Letter to author M. Pasij, 29 September 1998.

  13Interview M. Klymchuk, London, 6 October 1990.

  14Chornij, Memoir, op cit.; p. 59. For a rather humorous incident during one such raid concerning the theft of two pigs by a group of fusiliers see M. Paziuk, Victim …, op cit.; pp. 95-97.

  15As the fighting took place day and night, the infantry units were given four or five hours in the rear to rest, eat and attend to basic hygiene before being re-committed at the front. Interview M. Klymchuk, London, 6 October 1990, letters to author J. Kunysky, 9 September 1997, and 22 August 1997.

  16Shandruk, Arms ..., op cit.; p. 264. Although the Regiment may previously have had 8,000 men, at the time of capitulation 3,000 is a more likely figure.

  17To forward their cause, the partisans frequently resorted to unorthodox methods. One veteran relates in his memoirs how during a patrol in mid April 1945, a young girl exploited her feminine charms on a Divisional soldier, only to pull out a pistol from her undergarments and fire at him. Fortunately the bullet struck the edge of his belt buckle and embedded itself in his leather belt. Paziuk, Victim…, op cit.; pp. 99-100.

  18F. Tsymbaliuk-Obychenko ‘Ostannii bii pid Feldbakhom’, Visti Kombatanta 1971, Nr.5 (55) pp. 33-34.

  19Hawrylak, Memoir, op cit.; pp. 33-34.

  20V. Vashkovych ‘At Gleichenberg’, Visti Kombatanta, Nr. 1, 1972, pp. 41-47.

  21Do Boyu, Nr.6, 28 April 1945. AA.

  22Keczun, Memoir, op cit.; p. 32.

  23Letter to author J. Kunycky, 9 September 1997.

  24Letter to author Bohdan Kutny, 30 October 1995.

  25For example no desertions were recorded from the Pioneer Battalion, Schmitt, Pioniereinheiten …, op cit.; p. 12. Verbally to author B. Kutny, 26 September 1997.

  26Motyka, Memoir, p. 14 and letter to author 13 May 1993.

  27Verbally to author M. Klymchuk, 30 August 1997.

  28Bohdan Pidhayny, ‘The End of the war 1945 and the Beginning as a Prisoner of War in Italy’. Visti Kombatanta, 1979, Nr. 1, p. 66.

  29Heike, Eng. ed., op cit.; p. 119.

  30According to a statement given to the Polizei on 29 December 1961, by one of his brothers Jakob who also served with the Division in the Nachschub-Truppen, Heinrich Wiens was last seen in Steiermark in March 1945 and was presumed to have been killed (certificate of presumed death of Heinrich Wiens, 31 December 1945). AA. Notwithstanding this a relative of Heinrich Wiens informed the author that a family member confirmed that Heinrich had survived the war, gone into hiding and successfully evaded capture. AA.
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br />   31Verbally to author M. Scharko, 18 October 1997. Within the Division disciplinary cases were dealt with by SS-Sturmbannführer Hans Ziegler (see HW 16/43, GPD 4040 Addendum III, 2 March 1945, An 14.Waffengren.div.d.SS.Ukr.Nr 1, Marburg/Drau, zHd.SS-Stbaf Ziegler, NA, PRO, Kew), and later from 6 November 1944 SS-Hauptsturmführer Gerhard Herrmann, see BA NS 7, p. 191. Cases have been recorded of Ukrainians receiving a reprieve, Verbally to author M. Scharko, 18 October 1997. Vashkovych—Ordonnanz Offizier to Wildner—opened secret telegram mail in Feldbach asking why had no one been shot in his battalion as an example to maintain discipline. Volodymyr Vashkovych ‘At Gleichenberg’, Visti Kombatanta, Nr. 1, 1972, pp. 41-47.

  32Several veterans witnessed executions by firing squad for desertion; Q8: Melnyk. Q1: Dmytryk. Q2: Havrych.

  33Letter to author J. Kunycky, 9 September 1997.

  34Two men were hanged by a railway bridge. Letter to author O. Sokolsky, 23 June 1992, and two by a main road, Hawrylak, Memoir, op cit.; pp. 32-33.

  35Isolated instances of Red Army desertion were recorded in Austria for example four Red Army soldiers are reported to have deserted to Waffen-Untersturmführer Orest Yarymovych (1./I./WGR 29) Pidhayny, Kinets’ Viiny 1945 r.i Pochatok Taboru Polonenykh v Italii (The End of the War in 1945 and the Beginning of Being a Prisoner of War in Italy), Visti. 1979, Nr. 1, p. 66. Interview M. Mochnaty, Hempnall, England, 17 January 1990. In his memoirs Volodymyr Keczun refers to a former Red Army soldier who deserted near Gleichenberg, and without the Germans knowledge was provided with uniform and put to driving a supply wagon, in the same company in which his son was serving. Keczun Memoir, op cit.; p. 32.

  36Ibid., p. 37.

  37The front page of the penultimate edition of the Divisional newspaper Do Boyu, of 28 April 1945, carried the following short article headed ‘The First Iron Crosses Ist Class for Poruchnyks’ [Ukrainian rank equivalent to 1 Lieutenant], which described the awards as follows;

  ‘1 Ukrainian Division Volodymyr Kosak and Ostap Czuczkewycz.

  1 Lt Volodymyr Kosak, who received the EK-II for bravery in the battle of Brody, excelled again in fighting of the Division. On April 15 at the head of his soldiers in a frontal attack on the castle Gleichenberg, he cleared a path in hand to hand fighting and freed the surrounded troops in the castle, and at the same time re-established the previous front line.