What Steiner's men really looked like

[naxos]

Willi Heinrich the author of "The Willing Flesh" or "Cross of Iron" based his novel, about Corporal Steiner and his men, on his own experiences serving with J.R.228 of 101. Jäger-Division during the spring of 1943 at the Kuban bridgehead.

We all know the Sam Peckinpaw's movie version of Steiner, played by James Coburn (love that movie), but what did they really look like?

Here are a couple of pictures from 8./ Jg.Rgt.228 at the Kuban




Here is their bunker-home at Krimskaya on the Kuban-bridgehead in Spring of 1943
(note the russian sub-machinegun hanging outside)

[naxos]

Interesting is that one of the men in the photograph, Ofw. Hieber perished in the very battle that is the theme of "Cross of Iron".

Oberfeldwebel Friedrich Hieber, in civilian live a Carpenter in Ulm, was last seen in May 1943 in Krimskaya.

[Johnny R]

Echte Frontschwein, nice photos.

[naxos]

Echte Frontschwein, nice photos.

... and Peckinpaw was not far off in his interpretation.

[naxos]

Oberjäger Leonard Hellenbrandt was dead three weeks after the picture was taken.

[naxos]

Pictures from the fighting at the Kuban Bridgehead, May 1943

101. JD divisional history

[corporalSteiner]

thanks for this fascinating thread, gentlemen.

[Richard T]

Interesting stuff, thanks for posting

Richard

Captain Stransky: A world without women. It's an old theory of mine. Men can get along without women easily. Easily. I tell you a man's true destiny is not just breeding children, all this childbirth and chocolate, but to be free. To rule and to fight. In other words: to lead a man's existence. Women are no more than a nuisance. Sometimes necessary.

[naxos]

Krimskaja Kuban Bridgehead (note: this is spring of 1943 and none are wearing the Jäger patch yet)

[Schulterklappen]

Schwerdfeger

Great thread and pictures! I thought it was interesting that Steiner was loosely based on Johann Schwerdfeger. Is he still alive?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Schwerdfeger

[naxos]

No Jäger sleeve badge in May 1943, however, we can see the Eichenlaub on the hat already and the Waffenfarbe had changed from white (101. leichte ID) to green (101. Jg.Div.)

Gefreiter Ludwig Augenstein 7./Jg.Rgt.229 from Langensteinbach, a friend of my Uncle, MIA since the battle in Krimskaja May 26, 1943

[naxos]

Great thread and pictures! I thought it was interesting that Steiner was loosely based on Johann Schwerdfeger. Is he still alive?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Schwerdfeger

It was me that suggested this in the first place back in 2000 - I had phone conversation with the late Willi Heinrich in 2002 were he stated that Steiner is not based on Feldwebel Schwerdfeger, but by then my little article, first posted on feldgrau.com, had taken on its own life.

Here is a link to my original article: http://moebius.freehostia.com/cross.htm

.

[Schulterklappen]

Gerhard Huber

Is the page about your father still active?

[naxos]

Is the page about your father still active?

No, but I posted his bio here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=263911

[PANZERPIONIERE]

Wonderful thread, thank you.