I thought I'd share with you this addition from the Ciney show last sunday. It is, in my opinion, a nice original Wehrpass of a KIA officer from the Battle of Stalingrad.
Bernhard Kleinjohann served as a Leutnant in Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 16 (16. Panzerdivision). He received the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen, Verwundetenabzeichen im Schwartz and the Ostmedaille. Serving in the 6th Armee, he was KIA on 23rd of August 1942 in the Kessel of Stalingrad, about 20 miles west from the city. He was burried in the Rossoschka cemetary and promoted to Oberleutnant posthumously.
If you're interested in the whole story, here it goes.
Any of you who have a better sight on what happened with the 16th Panzerdivision by the end of August 1942?
All comments are warmly appreciated
Bernhard Kleinjohann served as a Leutnant in Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 16 (16. Panzerdivision). He received the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen, Verwundetenabzeichen im Schwartz and the Ostmedaille. Serving in the 6th Armee, he was KIA on 23rd of August 1942 in the Kessel of Stalingrad, about 20 miles west from the city. He was burried in the Rossoschka cemetary and promoted to Oberleutnant posthumously.
If you're interested in the whole story, here it goes.
Bernhard Kleinjohann from Dortmund worked shortly as a mercant's employee after he left school. Then he volunteered for the RAD, and made it up till Truppführer there in 1938. Then he was drafted into the Heer, sent to a pioneer batallion and seen fit after one year and a half to follow the officers' training. In october 1940 he was promoted to Leutnant and transferred to Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 16, the pioneers of the 16th Panzerdivision, which was sent to Romania only a few months later. From there on, they marched into Bulgaria.
A couple of months later, they moved to Poland and pushed into Russia during Barbarossa. In july 1941 they saw some heavy action with Heeresgruppe Süd near Uman in the Ukraine, resulting in an EK2 and an IAB for our young officer, only 21 years old. During these combat days he got shot in his chest as well. Fortunately no vital parts were hit, but he was sent back to the Reich for a few months to recover from his injury. Having pinned on his wound badge, he returned to his unit in january 1942, while it was pushing for Stalingrad with the 6th Armee. On the 23rd of August 1942 he was killed about 20 miles west from Stalingrad. No precise cause of death is given. He was burried in the Rossoschka cemetary, only 2 miles south from where he fell, and got promoted posthumously to Oberleutnant.
A couple of months later, they moved to Poland and pushed into Russia during Barbarossa. In july 1941 they saw some heavy action with Heeresgruppe Süd near Uman in the Ukraine, resulting in an EK2 and an IAB for our young officer, only 21 years old. During these combat days he got shot in his chest as well. Fortunately no vital parts were hit, but he was sent back to the Reich for a few months to recover from his injury. Having pinned on his wound badge, he returned to his unit in january 1942, while it was pushing for Stalingrad with the 6th Armee. On the 23rd of August 1942 he was killed about 20 miles west from Stalingrad. No precise cause of death is given. He was burried in the Rossoschka cemetary, only 2 miles south from where he fell, and got promoted posthumously to Oberleutnant.
All comments are warmly appreciated
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