Hatten and Rittershoffen January 1945 Pictures and more infomation?

hello all,

I have been researching my Grand fathers WW2 history for just under a year and have found out alot through this site and was hoping to find more by posting this. Please bare with my questions.

My grand father served in the 315th infantry regiment in company I. He received a bronze star in the battle for hatten and Rittershoffen not sure which one. He also received a purple heart there. My questions are these. I would like to find out what happened to him to be rewarded the purple heart. I have the some brief paper work that kind of explained how he got his bronze star but nothing for the purple heart. Is there some where I can go or look for this information? Also I am looking for any kind of decent quality photos from these campaigns and more information on them. I have read the thread here <a href="http://www.ww2f.com/western-europe-1943-1945/13285-hatten-rittershoffen-january-1945-a.html">Hatten and Rittershoffen January 1945</a> and are still thirsty for more information. Can any one help me?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Josh

 

Hello Josh,
I´ve been reading your thread and the story about your grandpa already. I guess I will have a lot of informations (also some pictures) for you. My grandpa served in the german 220th engineer bataillon (25th armored division) and is missing in action till the battle of Hatten and Rittershoffen - so I collected a lot of informations over the time. I will try to write a longer report a little later - I hope my english will be good enough.
Michael

 

Ok,
let´s give you first a little overview about the situation in Hatten:
on 9th of january the germans (25th Panzer-Grenadier-Division) attacked Hatten. The 242 US ID. tried to defend Hatten. Till the evening the germans were able to take 2/3 of Hatten in possession - but not still the whole village. The 2. and 3. bataillon of 315th infantry regiment was shifted in alert stand-by on evening of 9th of january and was sent on 10th of january from Kuhlendorf in the area of Rittershofen. On 11th of january, at 5:30 pm the 2. Bataillon, 315 IR replaced the 1. bataillon, 242. IR in Hatten. 20 of the GI´s didn´t want to leave Hatten and fought further with the 315. IR for the next few days there. The mission of the 1. Bataillon, 242 IR lastet for 52 hours - the bataillon started the fight with 33 officers and 748 soldiers, in the end the bataillon had 11 officers and only 253 men ... The Germans judged about the fighting of the US soldiers: "It was the best defence fighting the german officers had seen during the war ..."
(so far for now ... I will give more details a little later)
Michael
The 3rd Bataillon 315 Infantry had moved to Rittershoffen late on the 10th of january. (Little explanation for Josh: the "I" company was a company of the 3. Bataillon, 315 IR). Company I was in the northeastern part of the town and Company K in the southeastern part, with Company L between them. Two tankdestroyers guarded thecreek running between Rittershoffen and Hatten, which was going to be used as supply route by the germans. Two other tankdestroyers were farther up north. Tanks of the 48th Tank Bataillon were posted on the Rittershoofen-Hatten road twelve 57mm AT guns coved all junctions. Three 57mm AT guns were in positions at the 3nd Bataillon command post in Rittershoffen.
When K company 315 IR had effected its move in the afternoon, jet-propelled planes had flown over the area: the first time the GI´s have seen or heard of these jet planes (the type of the german jet planes: Messerschmidt 262).

On January 11th the Germans launched an assault on Rittershoffen, the 2nd bataillon 315th IR will be encircled in Hatten (in the next days I will edit this post again).

 

Hi everyone,
before I will write some more about the fighting at Hatten/Rittershofen in January 1945 I send you the URL of a German "Wochenschau" (weekly news which were shown at the movies). This little Wochenschau film showed pictures of Hatten in January 1945 (please look 1:15 of the film).

[video=youtube;yLMqYO4G4q8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLMqYO4G4q8[/video]
Michael

 

Hello, nice footage, I'll have to study some 'stills' of the towns to see if the locations can be identified.

I've done some internet research on the NORDWIND offensive and the Battle of Alsace Plain. Here's a link to the thread at ww2Talk

Yanks in the Vosges, 1945 - World War 2 Talk

If there is any interest I can move some posts and maps here. I think it provides a good overview and background.


I'm about to look more carefully at the Rittershoffen-Hatten battles, starting with the research paper found at CARL online library. What I would really like to find is some detail on the movement of German units. I know the US Army did some detailed studies in preparation for the their official history but I have not found those sources.


The best account of fighting at R-H I found were in the book The Final Crisis by Richard Engler

Aberjona Press: The Final Crisis

Here's one of the maps they published.

http://www.aberjonapress.com/englermap/a1.jpg

View attachment 14685

 

Hello Earthican,

the little footage shows the centre of Hatten (if you have a pic of the "mainstreet" you could identify the position ... pictures at 1:21)

I didn´t know the book "Final crisis" by Aberjona Press. I am sure that this book provides a good overview of what happened between 01st of january 45 and late 20´s... I will try to get this book, although I guess it´s hard to get it from here ...

I have collected some material about operation "Nordwind" - especially naturally german material cause I am looking for my grandpa and what happened to him when he served in the 21st Tank division (220 engineer bataillon) - he´s missed in action till the beginning of january 45. If you´re looking for special informations - just asked. Maybe I can help you...

There are several After-action reports of the operation "Nordwind" ... you may find them at NARA or for example the Historical division. If you need the numbers - just ask me.

 

To be honest I don't have any photos of R-H. I thought I might try to determine the location from maps (road layout) and landmarks (such as church steeples). If you would like to share any photos that you have that would be great.


"If you´re looking for special informations - just asked. Maybe I can help you..."

Just what I wanted to hear. I'm still getting started in my second look at this battle. It may take some time before I am able to formulate at question. If it's OK with you, I'll send you a PM.


"My grandpa served in the german 220th engineer bataillon (25th armored division)..."

"....grandpa and what happened to him when he served in the 21st Tank division (220 engineer bataillon) ..."

220. Panzerpioneer(?) Abtl. but was that 25.PzGD or 21.PzD?

Pardon if I mangle the German unit designations. US/English writers started with half-German designations but more recently they seem to be using the full German. It helps the reader keep track which units the writer is referring to and what side they are on (US/British/German).


"There are several After-action reports of the operation "Nordwind" ... you may find them at NARA or for example the Historical division. If you need the numbers - just ask me. "

Are you referring to AAR's from US units or the reports that the US Army got from German officers after the war?

Are there any reports here that you would recommend?

Sturmpanzer.com - Sturmpanzer and WW2 German Army Research


Don't worry about making a long reply. It's probably not fun to write in a second language but I appreciate the opportunity to share information with you. If you would like any help getting a copy of "The Final Crisis", let me know.


There is this photo of Hatten taken from Rittershoffen. Not much to see but trees. Note the three tanks (probably Shermans) in the foreground.

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-E-Riviera/img/USA-E-Riviera-p519.jpg

View attachment 14692

 

Hello Earthican,
let me answer your questions first:
the 220. Panzerpionier (220. tank-engineer? bataillon) was a unit of the 21.PzD (I will post the whole structure of the tank division a little later if of interest). The 25. PzGD and the 21 PzD. were the main units on the german side which took part on the tank-battle near Hatten/Rittershofen.
There are AAR´s from US units as well as AAR´s reports that the US Army got from German officers after the war (for eyample A871 by General Feuchtinger the general commander of 21PzD)
A copy of "Final crisis" would be great naturally - so I could compare with details and informations I´ve already collected ...
I know this picture of Hatten taken from Rittershofen ...
I will try to edit my report from time to time ... I know that my english isn´t that good ... but I will try my best.

 

At the hazard of hijacking this thread I'll continue the conversation. I do have a few more R-H related pieces of information that might be of interest to the person that started this thread.

I think I got it: 220. Panzerpionier Bataillon of the 21. Panzer Divisionen(?). I checked after I posted and found the PzGD would have a Pionier Abteitlung (mot). The difference between Battailon and Abteilung escapes me. But the US equivalent would be XX Armored Engineer Battalion


If I recall correctly, General Feuchtinger left 21.PzD before R-H ? I have read Colonel(?) von Luck's account published under the title "Panzer Commander". I don't recall much of what he wrote so I will have to re-read that too.


I look forward to any account you could provide of the German view of the battle at R-H but perhaps you should post it to this thread:

http://www.ww2f.com/western-europe-1943-1945/13285-hatten-rittershoffen-january-1945-a.html

The original poster here was looking for accounts of the 315th Infantry and photos.

I am working on a vector graphic sketch of R-H based on a contemporary French 1:25K map. Perhaps through several posts we could detail the movement of units on both sides.

 

First I let us talk a littlebit more about the units I mentioned: My grandpa served as a engineer (pionier) in the 220. Armored Engineer Bataillon. This bataillon was a unit of the 21st Armored Division which fought in Hatten! The 21st Armored Division had these units: (Tank-) Armored Regiment No. 22, Panzergrenadier Regiment No. 125, Panzer-Grenadier Regiment No. 192, Armored reconnaissance unit No. 21, Armored (Tank) hunter "unit" No. 200, Assault gun "unit" No. 200, Armored (Tank) artillery regiment No. 155, Army air defense unit No. 305, Armored Engineer Bataillon 220, Armored (Tank) oh direction unit No. 200 and Supply troop unit No. 200. I hope I haven´t forgotten a unit. An Armored division like the 21 PzD is diffrent to an PzGD. The developing history of a PzGD like the 25. is different than a normal Armored Division. I can´t explain in all details because I wouldn´t find the right english expressions for the differences ...
Naturally I could post informations of the battle at R-H at the other thread, but if your read my first post carefully, you will mention that I am talking about what happened to 315 IR in Rittershoffen ... I don´t want to talk about the "whole story" what happened at H-R here ... because I know that Josh who started the thread is looking for informations about this unit (especially pics ...).
Nevertheless I will post information about the battle, especially the plans and moves on the german side on the thread you suggest, okay?
Yes, youre right: General Feuchtinger wasn´t at his headquarters when the fight was going on ... it was the second time that he was absend during a very important moment for his division (the first time it was during the operation Overlord I guess)

 

You are right. After I posted my previous message, I went back and saw that you had added to your post regarding the fighting in Rittershoffen. That is a very good write-up with many details. I look forward to more.

I'm re-reading von Luck now and may post something on the other R-H thread today or tomorrow.

Thank you very much.

 

Nordwind511,

Firstly I wish to offer my compliments on your grandfather's service with the 21st Panzer Division. Was he among the veterans who joined those of the 14th AD for a reunion dinner at Hatten-Rittershoffen in the early 1990s?

As I recall General Feuchtinger was actually relieved of command and ordered to stand court martial by General Blaskowitz, the commander of Army Group G, for a lack of aggressive leadership during the initial attacks against the American MLR along the Maginot Line. A long-time member of the Nazi Party with strong connections within the German government, General Feuchtinger was either found "not guilty" of the charges, or was allowed to spend the rest of the war somewhere relatively out of the way.

Jim

 

Nordwin511,

Wonderful video! I have not seen it before. Towards the end, where there are scenes shot in Hatten, one is, I believe, of the infamous "Bend." According to veterans who fought in Hatten, it was certain death for men on either side to try and pass this slight bend in the road due to the number of guns which commanded it. However true, the "Bend" is a little misleading since the actual front lines were often only the width of a street, or worse, the thickness of a house wall.

Thank you for sharing the video.

BoA

 

Hello Jim,

no, my grandpa wasn´t among the veterans who joined for a reunion dinner at Hatten-Rittershoffen - he is missing in action after the tank-battle of Hatten/Rittershoffen. The last letter my grandma received was written on 4th of january 45 ... There´s no message that he´s killed in action, so my family already didn´t know where his way of life ended. Maybe was killed in action and he´s one of soldiers who were buried at the cemetery of Niederbronn (114 german soldiers were taken to this cemetery after the battle ... I don´t know. I am sure that I will probably will not find out what happened ... all the traces were blown away. One of the reasons is also that lots of the german soldiers who took part on the fightings in Hatten/Rittershoffen didn´t wear identity discs ... they only had a piece of paper with their name, etc.. So it was probably more difficult to identify the killed soldiers in 1945.

Yes, you´re right. Feuchtinger was orded to stand court - because he was nearly 400 miles away from his units and only took care for his love (a latin belle from southamerica). He was found guilty by the court and condemned to death - but Hitler pardoned Feuchtinger. He orded him to the Seelower Hights-the place where the russians started their attac on Berlin- as a simply artilleryman (this means he lost his rang as General). But Feuchtinger never arrived at the 20th Panzer-Grenadierdivision he was orded to ... he simply disappered till end of war ... Nevertheless he wrote a AAR for the Historical Division about the fighting of the 21th Armored divison ...

 

Nordwind511,

Sorry to hear that your grandfather was MIA/KIA at Hatten/Rittershoffen and his body was never identified. It is one of the great tragedies of war when a soldier disappears into the maelstrom of battle, never to return or to be heard of again by his family.

General Feuchtinger was in Paris and unavailable to his division when the allies landed in Normandy. However, I believe he was actually with the division in the field until on or about 8 January, and was relieved of command by General Blaskowitz for the reasons I mentioned previously. According to Feuchtinger's FMS report, MS A-871, as of 8 January he was still reporting to higher authorities the division's failed attacks against the Maginot Line to the north of Hatten-Rittershoffen, saying "that continued attempts to attack here would be absurd....." From this I find it impossible to think he was doing this while entertaining a mistress at some great distance from the front lines. I am not surprised to hear Feuchtinger failed report to the 20th Panzer Grenadier Division after his court martial, as this sort of shirking (avoiding) of duty seems to fit well with his previous behavior.


General Blaskowitz also brought similar charges against General Burmeister, the recently appointed commander of the 25th Panzer Grenadier Division, or at least threatened to do so, but apparently dropped the idea when the division broke through the American MLR at Hatten on the 9th.

 

Earthican,

This is a little off topic, but I think it interesting to note that Col. von Luck was made an honorary member of the 14th Armored Division Association in 1993. Somewhere in my files I have a photograph of Col. von Luck taken with my dear friend Col. George England (USMA 1940) during the reunion at Hatten or Rittershoffen. (If I can remember where I put it I will post a copy of the photograph on this thread.) At the time of the Battle of H-R Col. England was the XO of the 48th Tank Battalion, 14th Armored Division. George earned his Silver Star in Rittershoffen doing what really good combat leaders do when things start going to hell. Of course, he never mentioned it, and the only way I learned the details was from one of the tankers who saw what he did. I also have copies of some of their correspondence. It is touching to see the affection and respect these two former adversaries had for one another.

 

I guess you´re not right. When the 21st Armored Division started its attack (after the aussalt of the 17. SS division failed) in the night form 5th to 6th of january when the units of 21 PzD reached their operation sector for the assault. The 21st PD was ready for the assault at 06:00 am on 06th of january. General Feuchtinger was already been arrested on 5th of january (!) and they took him to prison in Torgau (500 miles from Alsace but not far the place he was with the "latin" mistress (he was in Celle, in the lower-saxony near Hanover) - Feuchtinger was never been a commander who stand near his troops - nor when Operation "Overlord" was going on, nor during the Battle of Alsace ... commanders like von Luck had to do his job ... maybe an intelligent decision, because he had no practice in leading an armored regiment or division ... I agreeY with you that if you read the FMS report of Feuchtinger MS A-871 it seemed that he was "in position" till 8 of january ... but like I said he wasn´t. I doubt that he was able to give orders from jail ...

 

Given the amount of specificity in your reply, I may well be mistaken. It is just these sorts of things that make the study of history interesting. However, there seems to be a need to reconcile the conflicting sources on this topic.

On pages 203-204 of his book Panzer Commander, von Luck tell his readers that in late December 1944 Feuchtinger was ordered to High Command West to provide information on why he was away from his division on 5-6 June 1944. Fuechtinger was at home when this order arrived, and had to be fetched from there by a staff member on 24 December, and accompanied to the higher headquarters. Does this fit with your source/s?

I finally located the source which says General Blaskowitz ordered Feuchtinger to stand court martial on 8 January. Will post it later today.

OK, the source is MS R-134 of Charles V.P. von Luttichow's unpublished manuscript dealing with the Battle of Alsace. (von Luttichow was a highly respected historian/translator at the US Army Center of Military History for many years following WWII.) ON page 19 von Luttichow relates the following: General Feuchtinger reorganized his attack forces. He formet two combat teams." On the following page, von Luttichow writes that on 8 January: Blaskowitz, who had earlier reproached the 21st for it inadequate and somewhat less than aggresive leadership, upbraided the division during the attack and after it had failed [Blaskowitz was in the division's front lines with the reconnaissance unit witnessing the attack.], ordered courts martial proceedings against Feuchtinger, both commanders of the panzer grenadier reigments and a battalion commander." (And Here is where my memory went awry.) Blaskowitz told the accused that if the planned attacks for the following morning against the American MLR at Hatten, did not lead to a breakthrough towards Surbourg to the east, "the axe would fall." (The sources cited are: Army Group G Intentions of 8 January, KTB, 8 January 1945, Chefsache, and Anl. 10.) I think it safe to assume at this point that General Blaskowitz was attempting to motivate the senior officers of the 21st Panzer Division to be more aggressive in their attacks since the axe did not fall after the American MLR was penetrated at Hatten.

Here is the problem as I see it. If Feuchtinger was already in prison some 500 miles away on 8 January, how could he have reorganized his attack forces, and why would General Blaskowitz threaten to court martial him?

 

Intersting news, but look here:
Generalleutnant Edgar Feuchtinger

and I have several other sources which tells that Feuchtinger was arrested on 5th of january. I will send another document of the court later. It doesn´t prove that he was arrested on 5th of january but it describe which kind of charakter Feuchtinger was ...

 

Here a picture of the 315 IR on it´s way to Rittershoffen. The picture should be taken on 9th or 10th of january 1945 ... View attachment 14723