The Axix Forces 3 Read online

  Editorial

  With this third issue of the magazine we take another step forward with our publication, which we hope will continue to spread all over the world, both in digital format and in paper format, in the name of historical truth. Finally, we have begun to receive comments and advice on our magazine sent by our readers, all fortunately positive, but also suggestions on the editorial line to follow in the coming issues. Many readers have asked us to provide more coverage in the magazine to the formations of all the countries of the Axis, to keep faith with the title of the magazine, dealing in addition to the military units of Italy, Germany and Japan, also to units from Romania, Hungary, Finland And Slovakia, as well as of course foreign volunteer formations. Another suggestion is that in addition to addressing only ground units, aviation and Navy topics, which thus far have been excluded from discussion, should also be covered. Of course, we will take into account all of these suggestions, to meet the needs of our readers and we promise you that beginning with the next issue something new will be seen. In this third issue, I hope you will find interesting articles and topics, but as always, we invite you to send us further tips and suggestions to better meet your military history enthusiasts needs. A warm greeting to everyone and welcome to the next issue.

  Massimiliano Afiero

  The publication of The Axis Forces deals exclusively with subjects of a historical military nature and is not intended to promote any type of political ideology either present or past, as it also does not seek to exalt any type of political regime of the past century or any form of racism.

  The Editor hereby declares that every effort has been made to trace the owner’s right of the photographic material published on this issue. Unfortunately every search and query has been unsuccessful. If and whenever the proprietor(s) of the these rights would contact us producing documentation testifying such rights the Editor will recognise the appropriate fee.

  Contents

  Attack against the ‘Stalin Line’

  Karl Nicolussi-Leck, Italian Volunteer in the Waffen-SS

  The “MONTEROSA” Alpine Division of the R.S.I.

  Spanish in the Waffen SS

  German perception of volunteers of the Muslim division of the SS

  A Swedish Hero: Gösta Hallberg-Cuula

  Colophon

  Attack against the ‘Stalin Line’

  by Massimiliano Afiero

  The ‘Stalin Line’ was a fortified line consisting of concrete bunkers, machine gun nests, tanks buried up to their turrets, mine fields and other defensive works of all types, with a depth of about eight kilometers. It had been built along the Soviet border with Latvia and Estonia.

  March of the Totenkopf June-July 1941.

  The fortifications of the “Stalin Line” were protected by miles of barbed wire and many minefields (NA).

  It was a formidable but not totally insurmountable obstacle. This was due in part because the Soviets had not had enough time to complete all of the work and there were many “weak” points, on paper, that would be easy to break through. By order of Manstein, it was to be the Totenkopf itself that would smash through the Soviet defenses of the Stalin Line, a sacrificial mission. On 6 July 1941, following a violent artillery bombardment, the Totenkopf troops went on the attack: moving from the Rosenov area, the SS troops attacked the positions at Sebesh. The enemy defenses in that area were very strong: thick coils of barbed wire, minefields, dug-in tanks transformed into fixed artillery positions, bunkers and anti-tank ditches.

  Totenkopf engineers worked very hard to clear lanes through these positions (NA).

  Totenkopf soldiers attacking the “Stalin Line” (NA).

  These positions extended for six or seven kilometers in depth. Every individual bunker had to be attacked and taken with great determination. Grenadiers and assault engineers were able to make headway thanks to the support of mortars and flamethrowers. Each enemy position was cleaned out with hand grenades and machine pistol fire. Hand-to-hand fighting erupted everywhere. The troops of SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.3, commanded by SS-Staf. Kleinheisterkamp, led the assault; I. and II.Bataillon ran up against several enemy positions that had not been touched by the Stuka attacks, and encountered stiff resistance.

  SS troops moving to attack against an enemy position, July 1941.

  The III./SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.3, commanded by SS-Stubaf. Otto Baum(1), led the other two battalions in the capture of a hill, supporting the attack with fire from its heavy weapons. The Soviet artillery continued to hit the attack front of the German units without letup, significantly slowing down the advance.

  SS troops on the outskirts of a recently captured village in flames.

  SS-Gruppenführer Eicke had gone up to the front line himself to observe the attack by his men, following the 9./SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.3. An enemy artillery shell fell quite close to the Totenkopf commander, causing killed and wounded, but miraculously leaving Eicke unharmed. Covered with dust, more furious than before, he yelled to his men: “..continue to advance”.

  The leading German assault groups soon reached a concrete bunker with walls up to two meters thick; the assault engineers from Ullrich’s battalion blew up several bunkers using explosive charges. At the same time, the SS engineers were also busy building makeshift bridges over the Velikaya River to allow the division’s troops to cross. The advance to Opotschka now seemed possible, but the fighting was not yet over.

  The attack against the second defensive line then began. By the end of the evening, the SS troops had established positions near Waselkowa. A bridge was thrown over the Welikaja River thanks to the efforts of 2.Kp./SS-Tot.Pi.-Btl. led by SS-Ostuf. Monich(2). The Soviets mounted fierce counterattacks throughout the night, attempting to reorganize their defenses.

  SS troops attacking enemy positions, July 1941.

  Around midnight, following a conference at von Manstein’s headquarters, Theodor Eicke’s vehicle hit a mine along the road to Zastino; the Totenkopf commander and his driver were seriously wounded. After his initial treatment, Eicke was transferred to a hospital at Lauderi, with his right hip, leg and foot full of fragments. Command of the division was then assigned temporarily to SS-Staf. Kleinheisterkamp, the officer with the most experience in the Totenkopf. The next day, 7 July, SS-Ostubaf. Becker assumed command of SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.3.

  Eicke in his Kubelwagen (Bundesarchiv).

  To resume the attack against Sebesh, his regiment was reinforced by II./SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.1 of SS-Stubaf. Schulze. Meanwhile, SS-Kampfgruppe “Simon”, formed with the other two battalions of SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.1, the 1.Kp./SS-T.Pz.Jg.-Abt. and the 1.Kp./SS-T.Pi.-Btl., was sent to assault Durbrowka and Opotschka. The I./SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.1 led the attack against the enemy positions.

  A Totenkopf Pak on the outskirts of a village.

  In the afternoon the attack by the SS troops was once again stalled by the strong Soviet resistance. The enemy attempted to counterattack, using some tanks as well, but without much determination. That allowed the SS troops to enter the outskirts of Opotschka towards nightfall, where they dug in soon afterwards in order to repel yet another enemy counterattack. Subjected to strong enemy pressure, the SS troops were finally forced to withdraw again, to as far as Max Simon’s command post.

  An MG-34, against Soviet positions on the “Stalin Line“.

  The commander of SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.1 had meanwhile been ordered to hold his positions regardless of cost. Bitter defensive fighting ensued, with the SS soldiers fighting like devils, hanging on doggedly to their positions. In the end the Soviets were thrown back, but SS troop losses were high. The infantrymen of SS-Tot.Inf.Rg.3 ran into serious difficulties in front of the Sebesh positions and also had to face violent counterattacks mounted by Soviet infantry. It was only after several hours
that the SS troops managed to resume their advance, after neutralizing the enemy defensive positions.

  SS-Hstuf. Ruppmann (Bundesarchiv).

  Also on 8 July, the Totenkopf troops continued their attacks against the Stalin Line fortifications. The Soviets threw fresh troops into the battle and for the first time since the beginning of the campaign, the SS soldiers had to face massive numbers of tanks, in particular KV-1 and KV-2 types, whose armor was too thick to be penetrated by the 37 mm Pak. However, these tanks were heavy and not very maneuverable, making easy targets for the Panzerjäger who were able to immobilize them by firing at their tracks, then leaving it to the engineers to destroy them with magnetic mines. The fighting was ruthless. II./SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.3, which was attacking to the left of the railway line leading to Sebesh, suffered heavy losses, among which was the loss of its commander, SS-Hstuf. Ruppmann(3). Command of the battalion was assumed by SS-Hstuf. Their(4). Around 19:00, SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.3 was finally able to report to division headquarters that Sebesh had been captured. Support provided by an army assault gun battery was a determining factor.

  The remains of a KV-1 tank destroyed.

  SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.1 meanwhile still had not been able to get close to Opotschka, having had to deal with a counterattack by Soviet armor. SS-Staf. Simon was wounded during that fighting and was replaced as regimental commander by SS-Ostubaf. Becker, while command of SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.3 passed to Karl Hermann. The following day, SS-Kampfgruppe “Hermann”, consisting of SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.2 and SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.3, was to attack from Sebesh towards Opotschka to go the aid of SS-Kampfgruppe “Simon”. The SS troops were able to get to the outskirts of Opotschka, only to find themselves surrounded by the enemy.

  Totenkopf troops under Soviet artillery fire.

  Thanks to supporting fire from German artillery, the Soviet grip was broken and towards evening, after several hours of bitter fighting, SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.3 was able to re-establish contact with the division headquarters. On 10 July, SS-Kampfgruppen “Simon” and “Hermann” resumed their attack against Opotschka. II./SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.3 managed to circle the Soviet defenses from the west and to invest Opotschka from the north.

  Around 11:00, the city fell completely into the hands of the SS troops. It was a great success, but it cost the division 164 killed, 340 wounded and 34 missing.

  A 20 mm Flak piece being used against ground targets.

  Since the beginning of the campaign on the Eastern Front, the division had suffered 490 killed (20 officers), 1,373 wounded (58 officers) and 34 missing. Many of the infantry companies were down to only about fifteen men fit for combat.

  SS-Ostubaf. Becker, wounded in the shoulder, continues to remain in command.

  It was because of these high losses that SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.1 and 3 were reinforced with personnel from I. and II./SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.2, and the support companies of SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.2 were all disbanded. In any event, the Stalin Line, which was the first great obstacle along the road to Leningrad, had finally been breached and the Soviets were withdrawing to the northwest.

  “Stalin Line” bunkers captured by Totenkopf troops.

  Totenkopf troops in the forest south of Opotschka.

  Notes

  (1) Otto Baum, born on 15 November 1911 in Stetten-Hechingen, SS Number 237 056. He had served previously in 5./Sta. “Germania” and following an officer’s course at the SS-Junkerschule in Braunschweig he joined the Leibstandarte commanding 7./LSSAH.

  (2) Paul Monich, born on 26 March 1913 in Nuremberg, SS Number 120 904.

  (3) Kurt Ruppmann, born on 29 December 1912 in Kirchheim-Teck, SS Number 105 642. He had served previously in 7./Sta. “Germania” and in command of 12./SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.3.

  (4) Karl Their, born on 10 June 1911 in Strasburg, SS Number 94 248. He had served previously as commander of SS-Tot.Inf.Rgt.3.

  Bibliography

  M. Afiero, “3.SS-Panzer-Division Totenkopf, vol.I – 1939-1943“, Associazione Culturale Ritterkreuz

  Karl Nicolussi-Leck

  Italian Volunteer in the Waffen-SS

  by Peter Mooney

  Born in Pfatten, Bozen, on the 14th of March 1917, then a region that was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At the end of the war, that area moved to the control of Italy. Nicolussi-Leck’s youth had a predominantly German ‘feel’ to it, but also one that was undergoing transformation by the new Italian rulers. By the late-1920s, all traces of the German influences were being banned and replaced with overt Italian ones, including Italian nationals moving into this area. He finished secondary school in late-July 1936, then in the autumn of the same year, began a three-year stint at university in Padua; he studied law and science there.

  SS-Ustuf. Karl Nicolussi-Leck.

  In these pre-war years, he was active in the Volkischer Kampfring Sudtirols, a political organization that had a pro-German outlook and he was one of the prominent leaders. In the wartime images of Nicolussi-leck, you can see him wearing a Hitler Youth pin, which was given for his service in that organization, as he was never a member of the Hitler Youth itself. His increasing pro-German political leanings also ran parallel to the Italian and German negotiations, which resulted in the South Tyrol region being ceded to Italy by Adolf Hitler. Part of that agreement allowed for the resettlement of the pro-German population; Nicolussi-Leck was one of those. At the end of 1939, he opted to move to Germany and looked for a new outlet for his pro-German views; he found one in the shape of the SS. He volunteered for, and was accepted into the SS in early-1940, being given the SS Number 423 876. After his basic training, he was promoted to the rank of SS-Rottenführer and posted to the SS-Regiment Deutschland. With them, he went back southwards, only this time to the southeast, where he took part in the Balkans campaign. He had clearly showed aptitude early on, as by the time of his first military action, he had been promoted further and was holding SS-Scharführer rank. Remaining with SS-Division Reich, he was moved to the SS-Regiment Der Führer by the time of the invasion of the Soviet Union. He moved with that unit through central Russia, towards its capital. He had shown leadership qualities and was selected to to take part in an officer’s preparatory course, following that by attending Bad Tolz between November 1941 and January 1942. He graduated there and was promoted to SS-Untersturmführer on the 20th of April 1942. By then, he was with the Panzer Regiment within SS-Division Wiking, serving initially with the 2.Kompanie who were equipped the Panzer IVs.

  SS-Stubaf. Muhlenkamp.

  This principal armoured unit of the Waffen-SS was being trained in Germany in early 1942, but in June they embarked for the southern reaches of the eastern front, with Nicolussi-Leck in tank number 221. The commanding officer for Wiking’s Panzer Battalion was SS-Sturmbannführer Johannes Rudolf Muhlenkamp.

  In the Caucasus

  In July 1942, they were advancing towards Rostov and the approach route is where Nicolussi-Leck engaged in this first armour-related actions; also his first for Wiking. His capabilities came to the fore during the engagements with their Soviet enemy and recognition quickly followed. The Second Class Iron Cross was awarded on the 25th of July, for actions in helping to push through to Rostov. That objective had been the scene for the Leibstandarte’s attempts (where Heinrich Springer has earned his Knight’s Cross) the previous November, but this time, the Heer’s 13.Panzer Division captured the objective. The push into the Caucausus region was now the order of the day and Nicolussi-Leck’s actions at Krapotkin, north of the Kuban River, earned him the First Class Iron Cross, on the 9th of August. The Black Wound Badge was approved on the 2nd of September and the Tank Assault Badge on the 11th. He continued to lead his platoon as they advanced against the determined enemy, knocking out enemy positions along the way, and earning an increasingly good reputation as a daring and capable tank commander. He was known also for his development of effective tactics and even penned a training manual on these.

  Panzer of Wiking marching, Summer 1942 (U.S. NARA).

  In late-September they were fighting for the objective of Sagopschin a
nd during that battle, Nicolussi-Leck’s tank was hit and disabled, although all of the crew baled out and survived. Into October and Malgobek came under the control of the soldiers from Wiking.

  A Wiking PzKpfw.III (NA).

  On the 15th of that month, Nicolussi-Leck was given command of the 1.Kompanie, due to the combat loss of many of the 1.Kompanie’s former commanders. The enemy were providing very stiff resistance and his objective at the head of his Kompanie, was Hill 701. That target fell to his men and they accounted for many enemy tanks and infantry, as well as other equipment. The defense of that hill had only begun though and during that heavy fighting, Nicolussi-Leck was shot in the arm, after bailing out of his tank, which was hit and began to smoke. That wound resulted in him being moved to Germany for the required treatment.