The Road to Berlin (136 page)

This, however, does not end the need for further explanation. Inevitably there is the problem of abbreviation and identification. While it is impossible to provide an exhaustive list of German military abbreviations, I have selected those which occur most frequently and where amplification will assist the reader in evaluating the significance of the document, particularly the level of command at which it originated. I have already referred to the
OKW
—
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
(the
Webrmacht
High Command)—to which must be added
OKH, Oberkommando des Heeres
(Army High Command). Next comes
Hgr. (Heeresgruppe)
, with a specific designation (
Süd
—South,
Mitte
—Centre, etc.) identifying Army Group(s); the army/army commands
(AOK: Armee Oberkommando
, with the requisite number,
AOK
9 thus identifying the German Ninth Army);
Pz. A. (Panzer Army
, with its appropriate number); and
AK (Army Corps
, with its number).

For further convenience I have listed below all the ‘Record Groups’ which I consulted:

Records of Headquarters, German Armed Forces High Command

Records of Headquarters, German Armed Forces

Records of Headquarters, German Army High Command

Records of Headquarters, German Navy High Command
(OKM)

Records of German Field Commands—Army Groups, Army, Division

Records of the Reich Leader of the SS and Chief of the German Police

Records of the Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories 1941–1945

Records of Former German and Japanese Embassies and Consulates, 1890–1945

Records of Nazi Cultural and Research Institutes

Last, but very far from least, comes
FHO, Fremde Heere Ost
(Foreign Armies East), with its counterpart,
Fremde Heere West
(Foreign Armies West). The correct designation of this major intelligence organization is
OKH/GenStdH/Abt. FHO:
Army High Command/Army General Staff/Section–Foreign Armies East, which I have duly foreshortened to
FHO
to avoid cumbersome repetition. Nevertheless, I have in many instances added what I might best call the ‘branch identification’ after the notation
FHO
, as in
FHO
(Ia). This is not mere pedantry but indicates the type of material, as in:

FHO
(Ia.) Führungsabteilung/taktischer Führungsstab
(Operations)

FHO
(Ia/Mess)/Karten/Vermessungswesen
(Maps/Surveys)

FHO
(Ic) Feindnachrichten
(Intelligence
(Ic/A.O. denotes
Abwehroffizier))

FHO
(ld) Ausbildungsoffizier
(Training)

Following standard German staff organization, other numbers (Roman numerals) and designations proliferated, though here I have confined myself to the most prominent and usual; for those interested in looking more closely into
Fremde Heere Ost
, procedures and internal administration are detailed in one folder covering the period 8 February 1941 to 4 December 1944 (see T-78/R480, 6463933–4331). I have also made substantial reference to the collection
Lageberichte Ost
(compiled under the auspices of
FHO)
, the daily Situation Reports for the Eastern Front, not to be confused with the
Lageberichte OKH
printed in the volumes of the
OKW
War Diary, situation reports which cover every war front as well as the east
(Osten)
.

Soviet materials do not present the same problem and I trust that simply giving the full title or description, followed by an abbreviated form (as with the military newspaper
Krasnaya Zvezda
, hence
KZ)
will suffice. Such tides and desaiptions are also expanded in the Bibliography.

1 ‘SURRENDER IS RULED OUT’: THE END AT STALINGRAD

Introduction: Encirclement pp.
1
–
22

Adam, Colonel Wilhelm,
Der schwere Entschluss
(E. Berlin: Verlag der Nation 1965). See ‘Finale des Schreckens’, pp. 277–344.

Doerr, Hans,
Der Feldzug nach Stalingrad, Versuch eines operativen Überblickes
(Darmstadt: E.S. Mittler 1955; Russian translation,
Pokhod na Stalingrad
, Moscow, 1957).

Guillaume, General A.,
La guerre germano–soviétique (1941–1945)
(Paris: Payot 1949), pt 1, pp. 33–57, on Stalingard.

Irving, David,
Hitler’s War
(London: Hodder & Stoughton 1977), pt 4, ‘Total War’, pp. 453–70 (on Stalingrad). This work is invaluable for the precision of its treatment of contemporary German documentation.

Jacobsen, H.A. and Rohrwer, J. (eds),
Decisive Battles of World War II: The German View
(London: Deutsch 1965; orig.,
Entscheidungsschlachten des Zweiten Weltkrieges
, Frankfurt, 1960). See W. Görlitz, ‘The Battle for Stalingrad 1942–3’, pp. 219–51.

Kehrig, M.,
Stalingrad. Analyse und Dokumentation einer Schlacht
(Stuttgart: DVA 1974). Virtually unrivalled sources/documentation plus eye-witness evidence, establishing this volume as the most authoritative and comprehensive account of German operations in the offensive and defensive phase.

Manstein, F.M. Erich von,
Lost Victories
(Chicago: Regnery 1958; orig.,
Verlorene Siege
, Bonn: Athenäum–Verlag), ch. 12, ‘The Tragedy at Stalingrad’, pp. 289–366.

Philippi, Alfred and Heim, Ferdinand,
Der Feldzug gegen Sowjetrussland 1941 bis 1945
(Stuttgart: Kohlhammer 1962). See pt 2 (F. Heim), Stalingrad und der Verlauf des Feldzuges der Jahre 1943–1945, pp. 179–200.

Schröter, Heinz,
Stalingrad
(trans. C. Fitzgibbon) (London: Michael Joseph 1958; orig.,
Stalingrad … bis zur letzten Patrone
, Lengerich, 1953).

Seaton, Albert,
The Russo–German War 1941–45
(London: Arthur Barker 1971), ch. 20, ‘Defeat at Stalingrad’, pp. 306–40.

Warlimont, Walter,
Inside Hitler’s Headquarters
(London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson; New York: Praeger, 1964; orig.,
Im Hauptquartier der deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–45
, Frankfurt, 1962), pt V, ch. 2, ‘Stalingrad to Tunis’, pp. 282–96.

Werth, Alexander,
The Year of Stalingrad
(London: Hamish Hamilton 1946), bk IV, ‘The German Rout’, pp. 342ff. Much important contemporary Soviet material.

German materials

Kriegstagebuch des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht (Wehrmachtführungsstab) 1940–1945
, ed. Greiner, H. and Schramm, P.E. In 4 vols (also part volumes). Cited henceforth as
KTB
, with volume identification and publication date. See
KTB, 11/2.1942
, ed. A. Hillgruber (Frankfurt: Bernard & Graefe 1963), pp. 1018–1212, for 25 Nov.-31 Dec. 1942.

German Military Documents (GMD)

FHO
(I)
Kurze Beurteilung der Feindlage vom 26.8.43–31.12.42
. Microcopy T-78/Roll 467, frame nos. 6447108–7653. Esp.: Feindlage vor Gruppe Hollidt, 5.12.42 (6447115); Feindlage vor 3 rum. Armee, 22.11.42 (6447117); Feindlage vom 29.12.42 (6447129–31); Interrogation: Maj.-Gen. Krupennikov, Deputy Cdr, 3rd Guards Army. Rostov as main Soviet objective, 22.12.42 (6447163).

FHO
Nr 1000/45 Beilage 1,
Teil A. Zusammenstellung (1942–1944). Beurteilung der Feindlage
… , T-78/R466, 6445899–5939 (for period Nov. 1942-Feb. 1943).

FHO
(I)
Gesamtbeurteilungen bis 3.6.43
. T-78/R466, 6446293–6320. Esp. Soviet reserves Feb. 1943 (6446293); diagrams, maps (Soviet intentions) (6446316–6320).

FHO
Nr 5845/42 (Ic–Dienstes/Ost),
Erfahrungen bei dem russischen Angriff im Donbogen u. südlich Stalingrad
, 26.12.1942, 8 pp.

FHO
Nr 5734/42 (Ic–Dienstes/Ost),
Entwicklung der neuen sowjetischen Angriffsgrundsaetze …
, 24.11.1942, 15 pp. (Infantry attack method prescribed by Stalin Order No. 306.)

FHO
(II)
Sonderakte Verhalten der Rumänen
. T-78/R459, 6437425–7470. Esp.: Haltung der Rumänen bei der russischen Angriffsoperation beiderseits Stalingrad, 26.12.42 (6437465–70); über den Zusammenbruch der 3. rumänischen Armee, 13.1.43 (6437428–34).

Reichsführer SS/Records

Interrogation reports:
Maj.-Gen. P. Privalov (Cdr, 15th Rifle Corps). Fegelein to Hitler: also Generalkommando XXIV
Panzer Corps
, Ic 1230/42, 23.12.42. T-175/R66, 2582895–948.

Soviet sources and materials

Official histories

Istoriya Velikoi Otechestvennoi voiny Sovetskovo Soyuza 1941–1945
(Pospelov, P.N., Chairman Editorial Commission), 6 vols. Cited henceforth as
IVOVSS
, with volume number and publication date. See vol. 3 (Moscow: Voenizdat 1961), Soviet encirclement operation, pp. 32–42.

Istoriya Vtoroi Mirovoi voiny 1939–1945
(Grechko, Marshal SU A.A., Chairman Main Editorial Commission), 12 vols. Cited henceforth as
IVMV
, with volume number and publication date. See vol. 6 (Moscow: Voenizdat 1976), on Soviet strategic planning, pp. 26–31; build–up of Soviet reserves, pp. 31–4; relative Soviet–German strength, pp. 34–8; Soviet encirclement operation, pp. 43–61.

Wartime press

Soobshcheniya Sovetskovo Informbyuro
, vols 1–8 (Moscow, 1944–5). Here vol. 3, entries 19 Nov.-31 Dec. 1942, pp. 316–427. (Cited henceforth as
Sovinformburo.)

‘Itogi 6-nedel’novo nastupleniya nashikh voisk na podstupakh Stalingrada’,
Krasnaya Zvezda
, 1 Jan. 1943. (Also map.) (Cited henceforth as
KZ
.)

Soviet War News
, published by press dept, Soviet Embassy, London. ‘Stalingrad over Hitler’, see nos. 420–50 (24 Nov.-31 Dec. 1942). (Cited henceforth as
SWN.)

Histories, monographs, memoirs

For Soviet publications on Stalingrad, see
Istoriya SSSR. Ukazatel Sovetskoi literatury za 1917–1967 gg
., vol. III: ‘SSSR v gody Velikoi Otechestvennoi voiny’ (Moscow: Nauka 1977), pp. 228–39 (bibliographical entries nos. 2405–2600). (Cited henceforth as
Istoriya SSSR
, ‘SSSR v gody VOV’ 1977.)

For wartime literature, see Lt.-Gen. V.F. Vorob’ev (ed.),
Sbornik materialov po istorii Sovetskovo voennovo iskusstva v Velikoi Otechestvennoi voine
(Frunze Academy) (Moscow: Voenizdat 1956), pp. 137–55. See also: Talenskii, Col. N.A.,
Velikoe srazhenie pod Stalingradom
(Moscow: Gospolitizdat 1943), 32 pp.; Zamyatin, Col. N.M.,
Srazhenie pod Stalingradom
(Moscow: Voenizdat 1943), 44 pp.