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Researching SS-Panzer-Division Wiking in Isjum battles

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    Researching SS-Panzer-Division Wiking in Isjum battles

    Hello,

    I am working with Russian archive documents to establish participation of their units and losses. These battles were fought around Isjum in the second half of July 1943 and early August.
    The first engagements took place near villages such as Sawodskoje, Ssrednij and Andrejewka SW of Isjum.
    Later the fighting took place around Golaja Dolina.

    So far I have come across some very interesting information. To my knowledge no western historians have been able to use these documents as they were classified until 2006/2007. These are documents from Central Archive of Russian Ministry of Defense.

    Let me just say that for example claims by battalion Narwa regarding destroyed tanks seem to be quite true. Previously the large number of destroyed tanks gave ground to some doubts.
    I have found combat reports of several units of corps, division and brigade level who describe their fight against Wiking and their losses.
    Also several schemes/maps. In addition also specific lists of fallen Red Army soldiers with names.

    I hope one day all this information might be available to you all in a book.

    For this I need a fair level of detail from both sides and so far I have very little details from German side in my opinion.

    I've checked what books are available to me but perhaps someone can help me by pointing out or providing some other, possibly more detailed accounts.

    The books I have read and which contain some useful details:
    The history of Battalion Narwa. Contains accounts of several combatants and maps.
    Jean Mabire "SS Tank division Wiking". A few pages of good information mainly about Germania regiment's actions.
    Ewald Klapdor "Viking Panzers". Some specifics.

    A lot of books concerning Waffen SS or Wiking in general are TOO general or contain no useful specific details. But I must confess I have only read a couple others.
    I have not had a pleasure of reading Rolf Michaelis book about Wiking for example.

    I do know archive documents of Wiking combat records are unavailable or destroyed so I'm not asking for these.
    I'm interested in memoirs. For example Mabire mentions a certain Hauptsturmführer who brought word to Dickeman of unsuccessful attempt to reach and aid bat. Narwa during the night. It is said he had a diary/journal. Any idea who it is and is it published somewhere?

    Also Paul Hausser wrote his perspective of these battles in his memoirs.

    If anyone has anything which might be of help to my research in their shelves please help me out.

    Best regards,
    Toivo

    #2
    This campaign is VERY under-reported. My Swedish friend Petter Kjellander is also researching these battles. He has done work in Estonian archives and with Estonian veterans. He would probably enjoy the details you found in Russian, and perhaps you two could assist each other. If you don't know him, PM me and I'll help you get contact.

    As to books, do you have all three volumes of the Narwa Bataillon history? I can't read them much at all, but volume 2 is full of personal accounts, beyond those in volume 1.

    Do you have the English-language book published in Canada, Estonian Freedom Fighters in World War 2? This has extensive information on these battles, but I'm uncertain if it is the same information that is in the Estonian-language Narwa Bataillon history.

    The English-language book, I Was A Dutch Volunteer, by Jan Munk, describes his participation in these battles, as part of Reg. Westland. He had the bad luck to be quickly wounded both in July and in August, but survived to pass along his experiences.

    That's what comes to mind now.

    Comment


      #3
      Hi Marc,
      Thank you for your reply!
      Yes I know Petter, have helped him in his research (translations) previously. I will talk to him again. I'm also talking to some other researchers for co-operation.

      I am reading Narwa history again right now.

      I do not think I have ever read the English-language book you mention. I will see if my library has it. Perhaps University library has it. Unless someone can help with scans or photocopies I can only order any books University doesn't have from other European Universities as I'm still studying and I'm on a budget.
      It wouldn't be very economical to buy potentially useful books on this subject since they contain only a few pages of Isjum.

      Best regards,
      Toivo

      Comment


        #4
        Hello Toivo,

        The war diary of a Dutch Obersturmführer, who originally signed up for the Freiw.Legion Niederlande but somehow ended up in the I./Germania, survived the war and is kept at the NIOD archives in Amsterdam. Among others, he gives a day-by-day eye witness report of the Isjum battles and specifically mentions the Estonian Narwa battalion. Part of his war diary was published in the Vincx and Schotanius books about Dutch Waffen-SS volunteers.

        I can help you with the translation if needed. Drop me a PM if you are interested.

        bkossen@hotmail.com

        Regards,
        Bert

        Comment


          #5
          Hello Bert,

          Sure would be interesting, thank you!

          Regards,
          Toivo

          Comment

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