13 January 2013

German Pioneer Officer at the Ruins of Stalingrad


Image size: 1600 x 1075 pixel. 370 KB
Date: Friday, 16 October 1942
Place: Stalingrad, Stalingrad Oblast, Soviet Union
Photographer: Kriegsberichter Kurt Heine

Hauptmann (note missing pips on his right shoulder!) Dipl.-Ing. Wilhelm Traub, Kommandeur of Pionier-Bataillon 305/305.Infanterie-Division, take cover among the rubble of the gun factory "Barrikady", Stalingrad, before Operation Hubertus (9-12 November 1942). Note the 1938 Soviet Amoeba camouflage cover (green base) of the officer's helmet, of little use in an urban environment, and the captured Russian PPSh-41 (Pistolet-Pulemyot Shpagina) sub machine gun, an excellent weapon that remained in use well after the end of the war. The few remaining parts of Krasnaya Barrikady (Red Barricades) ordnance factory was defended by shattered units of Russian 138th, 308th, and parts of 244th Rifle Division. They held less than 10% of that factory. At the time of the attack, Pionier Bataillons 305 had been already fighting for weeks in Stalingrad and they were down to more or less company sized battlegroups! Wilhelm Traub (Dipl. Ing.) was born on the 14th November 1895 in Helmstedt. He was the much loved Bataillonsführer of Pi.Btl.305 which he took command of on the 16th October 1942. He started the war with Pi.Btl.22 were he would climb through the ranks to Hauptmann. Missing in action 5th January 1943 and posthumously promoted to Major in 1944.

Source:
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2012/09/album-foto-pertempuran-stalingrad.html
http://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/archives/barchpic/search/_1358010608/?search[view]=detail&search[focus]=6
http://www.stalingrad.net/german-hq/operation-hubertus/hubertus.htm
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/btl305#announcements/detail/974100094305481282
http://waralbum.ru/25218/


9 comments:

  1. I was familiar with the first picture, but not who was depicted and his story. Thanks so much for filling in those blanks and for posting the second picture, which I had never seen previously.

    Thanks again.

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  2. You're welcome GrumbleJones. I've found the name myself after thoroughly research to the units and date of the picture from a couple of sources...

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  3. I found picture showing Wilhelm Traub, I believe, in a Stalingrad picture showing another captain (hauptman) of the 305th, Hauptmann Friedrich Winkler (Friedrich Konrad Winkler). If you look at the soldier just in back of Winkler's right hand, he appears to be Wilhelm Traub. Note the cammo-cover on his helmet and weapons match exactly the details in these two photographs. Go to this web page and scroll down to the ninth photo, and you will see what I mean. I'd say it's a match.

    http://gallimafry.blogspot.com/2012/02/lest-we-forgetbattle-of-stalingrad.html

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    Replies
    1. Look at the camouflage pattern. No two are alike, and the one worn by the soldier behind Winkler's right hand is a dead-match for the one Traub is wearing in your two photos. It's even clipped on the helmet in the exact location.

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  4. EN LA FOTO DEL OBERLEUTNANT FRIEDRICH KONRAD WINKLER ( NO ASCENDIO A HAUPTMANN HASTA EL 1 DE DICIEMBRE DE 1942 ) SACADA POR EL PK KURT HEINE A PRIMERAS HORAS DEL VIERNES 16 DE OCTUBRE DE 1942 EN EL SECTOR NORTE DE LA FABRICA DE MUNICIONES KRASNAYA BARRIKADY , EL QUE APARECE A SU DERECHA ES EL HAUPTMANN DIPL.ING. WILHELM TRAUB CON FUNDA DE CAMUFLAJE EN SU CASCO Y SUBFUSIL SOVIETICO . JUNTO A ELLOS OTRO LEUTNANT TAMBIEN CON FUNDA DE CAMUFLAIE ( APARECE EN MUCHAS FOTOS DE ESA MAÑANA ) Y OTRO SUBOFICIAL DE LA 6./ 577.ES UNA REUNION ,SEGURAMENTE PARA COMPARTIR OPINIONES Y DICTAMINAR ACTUACIONES A SEGUIR EN EL DASARROLLO DEL ATAQUE EN ESE SECTOR.

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  5. No esta muy bien que el comentario este en español, bravo . Ya vale de tanto ingles para todo.

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  6. What buildings are in the background? They are also in the YouTube video "Attack on the Red October Factory, October 1942" at 0:42.

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  7. In the background on higher ground west of the factory are some factory-worker training buildings.

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