30. Mai 1943
A few days later, I am once again reported of Russians in front of the position. This time I want to start more cleverly. I assign two squads to enter the forest to the left and right of the reported Russians. We then want to meet up behind the Russians after a pincer movement and cut them off. But they must have smelled a rat and are retreating in flight.
It is striking that the Soviets never got involved in a battle. They did not even fire at close range, which they could have done several times with success. Their mission was undoubtedly only to observe.
Of course, I try to analyse the Russians’ behaviour and draw conclusions from it, as far as that is possible with the Russian. I also subject my own behaviour to a retrospective "manoeuvre critique". As I calmly reflect on the skirmishes down here in our bush war, it did seem to me that I was a little careless in the first clash. What if the men had not followed me quickly enough? Caution is good, of course, but a guardian angel is better. And that I have a guardian angel is an incontrovertible certainty to me. Of course, that doesn’t mean that I put myself in unnecessary danger by trusting in him. He only helps in cases of stupidity, like with children who run unsuspectingly into danger. And he has often enough opportunity for that with me.
Caution has nothing to do with cowardice. But foolhardiness has nothing to do with courage either. Courage, however, is an absolute requirement for the military leader. I am thinking of a particular case. A young lieutenant with little experience of the front is sent with a messenger to the positions in front to deliver orders. There is scattered enemy artillery fire in the area. The messenger notices that the lieutenant is a little hesitant and offers to walk the last stretch to the front alone and meet the lieutenant here again. The lieutenant agrees and stays behind to wait for the messenger to return. And so it happened. But later the messenger recounted that the cowardly lieutenant had stayed behind and he had gone forward alone. No, I’d rather stick to the principle of a French military officer: “Périssez dans le combat plutôt que de faire douter de votre courage!” Better to perish in battle than to raise doubts about your courage. Admittedly, it’s easier said than done when the time comes. But sometimes, in the heat of battle, you don’t even think about the danger and afterwards you are amazed that you have accomplished a courageous deed.
|
Editorial 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 Epilog Anhang |
|
January February March April May June July August September October November December Eine Art Bilanz Gedankensplitter und Betrachtungen Personen Orte Abkürzungen Stichwort-Index Organigramme Literatur Galerie:Fotos,Karten,Dokumente |
|
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. Erfahrungen i.d.Gefangenschaft Bemerkungen z.russ.Mentalität Träume i.d.Gefangenschaft Personen-Index Namen,Anschriften Personal I.R.477 1940–44 Übersichtskarte (Orte,Wege) Orts-Index Vormarsch-Weg Codenamen der Operationen im Sommer 1942 Mil.Rangordnung 257.Inf.Div. MG-Komp.eines Inf.Batl. Kgf.-Lagerorganisation Kriegstagebücher Allgemeines Zu einzelnen Zeitabschnitten Linkliste Rotkreuzkarte Originalmanuskript Briefe von Kompanie-Angehörigen |