On the nineteenth place in this list there is a name of general Hermann Balck's. 1. Oberst Werner Mölders Apparently, from May, 1942 till March, 1943 general Hermann Balck was the commander 11th Panzer Division. Brief history 11th Panzer Division About oustanding victories 11th Panzer Division under the direction of general Hermann Balck after war in the West there were legends. Here, for example, about victories which general Hermann Balck has reached on fields of state farm 79, american military historian R. H. S. Stolfi tells. At that time the commander XLVIII Panzer Korps was Panzer General Otto von Knobelsdorff, and the chief of a staff of the Corps was von Mellenthin. Von Mellenthin writes about it in the memoirs: [Major General F.W. von Mellenthin, Panzer Battles: A Study of the Employment of Armor in the Second World War (New York: Ballantine, 1971)]. And here it is told about enormous successes of general Hermann Balck and him 11th Panzer Division in battle for state farm 79. Even some tens years later after the ending of war German generals Hermann Balck and von Mellenthin continued to assure all around, that in battle for state farm 79 they have gained above Russian a full victory. However, to put it mildly, these German military leaders strongly exaggerated the victory above Russian which they, ostensibly, have achieved in fight for state farm 79. In the beginning of December, 1942 in area of the bottom watercourse Chir River in structure of forces XLVIII Panzer Korps entered: Except for regular Panzer and Infantery Divisions in structure of forces XLVIII Panzer Korps have come various KampfGruppen (Kpf. Gr.) List KampfGruppen and their numerical structure are given below: Grand Total XLVIII Panzer Korps: 80,600 men, 235 tanks All divisions and all KampfGruppen had in battle for state farm 79 big losses. Especially big losses had 7th Luftwaffe Field Division, 336th Infantry Division and Kpf. Gr. "Waike". Thus, trying to destroy the Russian forces which have occupied the right bank of the river Chir on a site between station Surovikino and settlement Lisinsky, XLVIII Panzer Korps not only could not carry out the task, but also itself had the big losses in people and combat material. Also it turns out, that German military leaders Hermann Balck and von Mellenthin have given out the defect for the virtue! Differently, German military leaders have presented the defeat as the great victory. I have copies of archival documents which give battles clear and full a picture on December, 7 and 8, 1942 in area of state farm 79. From these documents it is visible - what there were forces on the side of Germans and what forces were on the side Russian. Their these documents it is visible also, what successes the side have achieved during fight. Among available archival documents there are also such, which Russian soldiers have grasped in German Staffs. Under these German documents it is possible to restore the plan of approach of forces of German XLVIII Panzer Korps on jumping-off place of Russian armies in area of the bottom watercourse Chir River. On this Japanese map the course of battle for state farm 79 in that kind as this battle was described by German generals Hermann Balck and von Mellenthin is reflected. If you have desire I can send you archival documents, archival maps on which circuits where on hours the course of battle for state farm 79 is restored are made. You could place these documents on the site. Yours faithfully, Yury.
The list of the German military leaders and commanders awarded with the supreme award of the Third Reich - Ritterkreuzes with oak leaves, swords and brilliants:
2. Generalleutnant Adolf Galland
3. Oberst Gordon M Gollob
4. Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Marseille
5. Oberst Hermann Graf
6. Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel
7. Kapitän zur See Wolfgang Lüth
8. Major Walter Nowotny
9. Generalmajor Adalbert Schulz
10. Oberst Hans-Ulrich Rudel
11. Generalleutnant der Reserve Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz
12. General der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille
13. Generaloberst Hans Hube
14. Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring
15. Oberst Helmut Lent
16. Generaloberst der Waffen-SS Sepp Dietrich
17. Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model
18. Major Erich Hartmann
19. General der Panzertruppe Hermann Balck
20. General der Fallschirmtruppe Hermann B. Ramcke
21. Major Heinz Wolfgang Schnaufer
22. Fregattenkapitän Albrecht Brandi
23. Generalfeldmarschall Ferdinand Schörner
24. General der Panzertruppe Hasso von Manteuffel
25. Generalleutnant Theodor Tolsdorff
26. Generalleutnant Dr. Karl Mauss
27. General der Panzertruppe Dietrich von Saucken
Here brief biography Hermann Balck is given:
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERbalck.htm
As general Hermann Balck has received Oak leaves to Ritterkreuzes on December, 20, 1942, hence, it has received this award for a victory over battle for state farm 79 (area of the bottom watercourse Chir River).
http://www.panzercampaignsclub.com/htdocs/ax/11thPz.html
(Russel H. S. Stolfi is Professor of Modern European History at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. With the distinguished German military writer, Frederick William von Mellenthin, he is the coauthor of NATO Under Attack).
http: // www.magweb.com/premium/countera/3/ck03chi4.htm
In December, 1942 when sewed fights on fields of state farm 79, German 11th Panzer Division was part of forces XLVIII Panzer Korps.
The commander 11th Panzer Division general Hermann Balck and von Mellenthin assert, that, ostensibly, German 11th Panzer Division for one day on December, 8, 1942 during battle for state farm 79 has destroyed 53 Russian tanks from structure of forces of Russian 1st Tank Corps!
«By late afternoon, Balck's division had destroyed the Soviet 1st Tank Corps, countinig 53 Soviet tanks " shot up " on the steppe».
http: // www.11thpanzer.com/dsp_balck.htm
So, for example, both these German the military leader praised to the skies the successes on a symposium which passed on May, 19-23, 1980 (« GENERALS BALCK AND VON MELLENTHIN ON TACTICS: IMPLICATIONS FOR NATO MILITARY DOCTRINE »)
http://wi.informatik.unibw-muenchen.de/_portal/_content/professorships/systemScience/armedForces/Balck_Mellenthin.pdf
Actually, on December, 7 and 8, 1942 in battle for state farm of 79 forces of German XLVIII Panzer Korps (including, 11th Panzer Division) had the big losses and could not overcome resistance of Russian armies.
11th Panzer Division (Gen. Hermann Balck) - 12,000 men, 160 tanks
336th Infantry Division (Major General Lucht) - 12,000 men
3th Regiment AA (?) - 3,500 men - include in 336th Infantry Division
7th Luftwaffe Field Division [Air Force Infantry Division] (?) - 8,000 men
9th Luftwaffe Field Division (?) - 8,000 men
========================================================
Subtotal: 43,500 men, 160 tank
Kpf. Gr. "Hallmann" (division, commanded Colonel Hallmann) - 8,000 men
Kpf. Gr. "Sauerbruch" (regiment, commanded by Captain Sauerbruch) - 3,500 men
Kpf. Gr. "Adam" (division, commanded by Colonel Adam) - 10,000 men, 18 tanks. At the end of December Kpf. Gr. "Adam" it has been transformed in 384th Infantry Division (Lieutenant General von Gablience)
Kpf. Gr. "Stumpffeld" (division, commanded by Lieutenant General von Stumpffeld) - 8,100 men
Kpf. Gr. "Selle" (regiment, commanded by Colonel of engineers Selle) - 1,000 men, 35 tanks
Kpf. Gr. "Waike" (regiment, commanded by Captain Waike) 1,500 men, 22 tanks/1th Panzer Compania 301th Panzer-Abteilung, commanded Ober-Lieutenant Abenddrot/
Kpf. Gr. "Schmidt" (regiment, commanded Colonel of engineers Schmidt) - 3,500 men
======================================================
Subtotal: 37,100 men, 75 tanks
It became that reason why XLVIII Panzer Korps could not take part in operation «Winter Storm». According to this plan of force XLVIII Panzer Korps should beat to attack Stalingrad on the part of the bottom watercourse Chir River whereas forces LVII Panzer Korps should come from side Kotelnikovo.
As a result of defeat which XLVIII Panzer Korps has sufferred in the beginning of December in fights for state farm 79, in approach to Stalingrad (according to the plan of operation «Winter Storm») on December, 12 has passed only German LVII Panzer Korps, and as two Infantry's and one Cavalry Corps 4th Romanian Army.
Also it turns out, that actually general Hermann Balck has been awarded with Oak leaves to Ritterkreuzes for an imaginary victory.
Actually, in state farm 79 Germans had no victory.
In the beginning of December, 1942 this jumping-off place have grasped 333th Rifle Division and 1th Tank Corps.
Russian jumping-off place was on a site between station Surovikino and settlement Lisinsky and included settlements Golovsky, Ostrovsky and Sulącky.
It is well visible on the Japanese map (phase 7) which is present at you:
http://members.boardhost.com/stalingrad/msg/1145144640.html
(phase 7)
However, as already it has been told earlier, these German generals give completely incorrect picture of battle for state farm 79.
Thus, visitors of your site could learn, how actually there were fights in course Stalingrad Battle, in particular, as actually passed battle for state farm 79.
And during the present moment Your site reflects only that German military leaders told already after war about this fight. That is your site is completely deformed.
German military leaders the big amateurs to embellish the achievements.
They frequently even represented the defeats as the success.
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