stalingrad map. better.jpg stalingrad map. better.jpg
FRITZ HOYER
Radfahr-Abteilung 1 (1.Kavallerie Division)
Later
3/Kradschützen-Abteilung 4 (24 Panzer Division)
I got this really interesting document group recently, of a soldier named Fritz Hoyer who fought and (most likely) died in STALINGRAD. The groupd consists of the following documents: EK1, EK2, ISA and a note which states his EK1 and EK1 document has been sen home to the nearest relative.
Fritz Hoyer served at the beginning of Operation Barbarossa in Radfahr-Abteilung 1 in the 1.Kavallerie Division. Von Edelsheim was at the time of Operation Barbarossa the commander of the Radfahr-Abteilung 1. Von Edelsheim’s recomendation for the Knight’s Cross (awarded 30th July 1941) states the following of the battles the unit took part of.
”At the start of Operation Barbarossa Oberstleutnant Edelsheim commanded the Vorausabteilung of the 1. Kavallerie-Division. Its initial orders were to march through Hwoznice, Maloriyta, Mekrany and Dywin. Along the way it was to capture any important bridges and break through any enemy forces encountered. Despite the tough enemy resistance that often outnumbered the Vorausabteilung itself, Edelsheim and his men were able to fight their way through the Soviet forces and clear the way for the rest of the Division. The Division was ultimately able to reach the area south of Sluck as ordered and fulfill its mission of providing flank protection for the XXIV. Armee-Korps. Oberstleutnant Edelsheim would subsequently be awarded the Knight’s Cross for the invaluable service he rendered in this capacity.”
Fritz took at least part of the Battle of Kiew that started 25. August 1941. As Fritz’s award document for the Iron Cross 2.Class is dated 26. August 1941. Because he was a part of a recon troop, it’s very likely he was one of them who took an important brigde that crossed the Desna-river unharmed. After the smashing German victory at Kiew, 600-700 thousand Soviet soldier’s has fallen in to German captivity. Rest was short after Kiew, the same month in September, the Division fough the ”Doppelschlacht bei Wjasma und Brjansk” which ended 30. October 1941, with another 600-700 thousand Soviet prisoners taken. After the battle, the Division was withdrawn from the front to be reformed. The Division was renamed 24. Panzer Division in 28. November 1941. Along the reformation to a Panzer Division, the Radfahr-Abteilung 1, was renamed in December 1941 to Kradschützen-Abteilung 4. Fritz served in 3./Kradschützen-Abteilung 4. Due that the Division was withdrawn from the front and returned to the Eastern Front, after the terrible winter in May 1942, they didn’t receive the Ostfrontmedaille 1941/42 (explains the abscence of it). The men of the Division hadn’t a clue what laid ahead of them, when they begun to chase to retreating Red Army in the summer of 1942 across the steppe. Fall Blau had begun for their part, the lack of resistence truly was the calm before the storm. They were marching towards the Volga, in order to secure the flank, of the Army Group that was securing the oilfields of the Caucasus. Little did they know when they reached the outskirts of a small city on the Volga, that they had reached the Hell’s Gates and soon all hell would break lose; the had reached the outskirts of STALINGRAD, and they would be right in the middle of it!
Below, pictures of his documents and a "special" map of Stalingrad where I've pointed out points of interest.
FRITZ HOYER
Radfahr-Abteilung 1 (1.Kavallerie Division)
Later
3/Kradschützen-Abteilung 4 (24 Panzer Division)
I got this really interesting document group recently, of a soldier named Fritz Hoyer who fought and (most likely) died in STALINGRAD. The groupd consists of the following documents: EK1, EK2, ISA and a note which states his EK1 and EK1 document has been sen home to the nearest relative.
Fritz Hoyer served at the beginning of Operation Barbarossa in Radfahr-Abteilung 1 in the 1.Kavallerie Division. Von Edelsheim was at the time of Operation Barbarossa the commander of the Radfahr-Abteilung 1. Von Edelsheim’s recomendation for the Knight’s Cross (awarded 30th July 1941) states the following of the battles the unit took part of.
”At the start of Operation Barbarossa Oberstleutnant Edelsheim commanded the Vorausabteilung of the 1. Kavallerie-Division. Its initial orders were to march through Hwoznice, Maloriyta, Mekrany and Dywin. Along the way it was to capture any important bridges and break through any enemy forces encountered. Despite the tough enemy resistance that often outnumbered the Vorausabteilung itself, Edelsheim and his men were able to fight their way through the Soviet forces and clear the way for the rest of the Division. The Division was ultimately able to reach the area south of Sluck as ordered and fulfill its mission of providing flank protection for the XXIV. Armee-Korps. Oberstleutnant Edelsheim would subsequently be awarded the Knight’s Cross for the invaluable service he rendered in this capacity.”
- Traces of War
Fritz took at least part of the Battle of Kiew that started 25. August 1941. As Fritz’s award document for the Iron Cross 2.Class is dated 26. August 1941. Because he was a part of a recon troop, it’s very likely he was one of them who took an important brigde that crossed the Desna-river unharmed. After the smashing German victory at Kiew, 600-700 thousand Soviet soldier’s has fallen in to German captivity. Rest was short after Kiew, the same month in September, the Division fough the ”Doppelschlacht bei Wjasma und Brjansk” which ended 30. October 1941, with another 600-700 thousand Soviet prisoners taken. After the battle, the Division was withdrawn from the front to be reformed. The Division was renamed 24. Panzer Division in 28. November 1941. Along the reformation to a Panzer Division, the Radfahr-Abteilung 1, was renamed in December 1941 to Kradschützen-Abteilung 4. Fritz served in 3./Kradschützen-Abteilung 4. Due that the Division was withdrawn from the front and returned to the Eastern Front, after the terrible winter in May 1942, they didn’t receive the Ostfrontmedaille 1941/42 (explains the abscence of it). The men of the Division hadn’t a clue what laid ahead of them, when they begun to chase to retreating Red Army in the summer of 1942 across the steppe. Fall Blau had begun for their part, the lack of resistence truly was the calm before the storm. They were marching towards the Volga, in order to secure the flank, of the Army Group that was securing the oilfields of the Caucasus. Little did they know when they reached the outskirts of a small city on the Volga, that they had reached the Hell’s Gates and soon all hell would break lose; the had reached the outskirts of STALINGRAD, and they would be right in the middle of it!
Below, pictures of his documents and a "special" map of Stalingrad where I've pointed out points of interest.