STAUDEGGER, Franz (RK)
(1923 - 1991)
SS-Unterscharführer:
Born: 12. 02. 1923 in Bleiburg b. Klagenfurt / Kärnten, Österreich.
Died: 16. 03. 1991 in Frankfurt am Main.
Promotions:
Assignments:
Decorations & Awards:
Ritterkreuz des E.K.: 10. 07. 1943 (Immediately awarded), as SS-Uschaf., 13.(schwere-)Kp./SS-Pz.Rgt. der SS-Pz.Gren.Div. "LSSAH"/Heeresgruppe Süd, Eastern Front;
1939 EK I: 6.07.1943; 1939 EK II: 20.03.1943;

The Soviet 3rd mechanized Corps launched a fierce counter attack, the main weight of which fell on a single Tiger of 1st Panzer Regiment´s 13th Company commanded by Lieutenant Staudegger who, in a two-hour battle, claimed over twenty T-34´s destroyed...

The following battles took Tigers and their crews to the honors. The SS-Unterscharfuhrer Franz Staudegger was one of them, destroying 22 Russian tanks in single day's clash. The SS journal, Das Schwarze Korps, so described his exploit.

[...] a strong Soviet armored unit is spotted. The Unterschrfuhrer Franz Staudegger, a big and large Carinthian, jumps on the turret of his Tiger and heads for the front. On the ridge, a grenadier signal to him that five Soviet tanks have already been destroyed by Panzerjagers in close assaults. In a few minutes the Tiger's gun destroys other three T-34s. Staudegger moves his Panzer towards the noman's land.

Two other T-34s appeared on the railway. In the space of a minute they are reduced to flaming wreckage. Other five tanks are after the rear side of the rail-ridge. They are also destroyed in a fierce exchange of gunfires. Continuing to advance Staudegeer finally see the announced Soviet armored formation in a large downhill. Rapid as an eagle, the gun fires round after round from a protected position. 22 tanks are destroyed, the anti-tank projectiles are exhausted. The remaining tanks are hit by explosive rounds which damage a big number of them.

Staudegger returns on rear-march with his Tiger tank, maintaining the opponents to a security distance. The ammunitions are exhausted, the engine is giving some troubles and the fuel is nearly out. The grenadiers hails with enthusiasm the Tiger passing through their positions. Sponteneausly the Regimental commander bestow the 1st Class Iron Cross to the audacious panzer commander. The Fuhrer confers him the Cross of Knight of the Iron Cross for his extraordinary courage and engagement

http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/qu...er1/tiger1.htm

__________________

Staudegger!

__________________

I guess the Russians that saw this never recovered...

On 12 th July by the early afternoon 2nd Guards and 2nd Tank Corps had broken into the woods west of Belenichino and the farms east of the village Kalinin.The battle for the railway embankment at Belenichino was particularly intense, and not without those surreal moments which punctuate heavy fighting. A company report from Das Reich´s Der Fuhrer Regiment records that Second-Lieutenant Krueger, who had been wounded twice in the previous day´s fighting, was struck by a rifle bullet which set one of his incendiary grenades on fire. Tearing off his trousers and underpants, Krueger continued to fight, naked from the waist down, at the head of 10th Company until its objectives were taken.
( Krueger was KIA on the 14th ).

__________________

And what Soviets that were able to make it through Kursk most likely got killed when they attacked the 2nd SS Pz. during the battles for the Mius in August of 43.

E

Thanks for his picture--I like the shot with him wearing his Dot-pattern Camo.

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

It is interesting to note that this one piece dot pattern unit was worn as standard for W-SS Panzer and Stug crews only to be replaced later around Normandy with the two piece in summer and fall/winter dot and blotch patterns. I've even got pics of the one piece being worn in the Ardenne.

E

On Luftwaffe action from Robin Cross´ "Battle of Kursk":

In contrast the air battle in the south on the 5th July seemed like a re-run of the drubbings regularly inflicted by the Luftwaffe on Soviet aviation.It had yielded German claims of 432 Soviet aircraft destroyed, 77 by II/JG3 alone. Flight lieutenant Johannes Wiesse of JG 52 claimed 12 victims, in spite of having force-landed five times during the course of the day´s fighting (?). Close behind was the claim for eleven kills made by the ebullient Flying officer Walter Krupinski, also of JG 52, whose penchant for high living prompted his comrades dub him
" The Count ". Admitted German losses were no more that twenty-six aircraft. Seen solely in terms of aircraft claimed shot down, 5 July 1943 was the greatest single day of air combat in WW2, unequalled even by the air fighting at the height of the " Marianas Turkey shoot" in the Pacific in June-July 1944.



[ 22. January 2003, 07:03 AM: Message edited by: Kai-Petri ]

__________________

Erich--that is a RARE pic--I thinks your collection is much better than mine and grateful for it

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

pics of Das Reich Panzer members right before detraining in Belgium in late 44. Some of the chaps are also appearing with the similiar U-boot Lederjacke with epaulette's.

E.

I can only drool at the thought of imagining what all is in your photos

Also--im trying to drum up participation in a new Poll in the Free Fire forum on having a photo section here. Im turning the screws on Otto now

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Well grab a bucket friend ! just kidding. There are defiantely a few pics around the office and my wife's garden room much to her dismay. I've got about a dozen photo albums and you can guess that it's mostly on Luftwaffe subjects, a/c and personal pilot/crew photos.
I'm all for maybe the guys taking personals and submitting to Otto as I would love to see everyone in their Sunday finest or at least clothed.....ha, ha ! in front of their collections or bookshelves/office, etc.....think it was great of Otto to include member profiles for those who have submitted their interests as this always at least me to figure somewhat as to whom I am chatting. Thinking about seriously having a freind come over with his digital and take some pics of little ol me and the office and then send through to Otto or at least figure how I can post images on the forums.....then all of you can get a real good laugh at Mr. red haired hippie !

E

Heh heh heh, and if you want a better laugh--go to the Google Search Engines and type in u 181 and go to the UK Munchen 1926: site--there is both german and English pages. Im in the second pic (im slightly smaller in weight now) and Dieter Hille is standing to my right, and next to him is Micki Muller. My friend Susanne is on the otherside of the pic with my friend Karl Kaiser just behind her and to Susannes right is Gunther Bartussek.

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Spring 1943-preparing for Kursk

On 1 February 1943 during a conference in his headquarters Hitler spoke the prophetic words: I shall think it over yet, but I can say that the possibility of winning the war in the East through offensive operations does not exist any more. We should realise it very clearly. Soon however the desire to build up his prestige and revenge for Stalingrad won again over the sober mind. The new 6th Army, created on the basis of the hitherto Army Group Hollidt, had been even christened as the "Army of Avengers" by the Göbbels' propaganda.

In May 1943 the German military industry was at its peak of tank production: it produced 5.7 times more tanks than in an average month of 1941, and 3.1 times more than in 1942. Simultaneously the quality leap was also made: serial production of modernized tanks Pz.Kpfw.T-III and Pz.Kpfw.T-IV, as well as new types - Pz.Kpfw.T-V Panther and Pz.Kpfw.T-VI Tiger had started. In the T-III the 37mm gun was replaced by the 50mm one, and the T-IV was fitted with a 75mm long-barrelled gun.

Yet in 1943 the Luftwaffe's Achilles' heel was not as much the machines as the crews. A severe shortage of experienced pilots had occurred. While in March 1942 the bomber aviation had a reserve of 127 crews, a year later it was already lacking 364 crews.

And the thing I was looking for on this site:

The only source of reserve divisions could be the passive, or so-called "uneconomical", sectors of the front. There were three of them: Demyansk bulge in the Army Group North, Rzhev - Vyazma bulge in the Army Group Centre, and Kuban bridgehead in the Army Group A. Although thereto Hitler opposed any ideas of "rectifying" the frontlines, now he was forced to authorize them. On 21 February units of the 16th Army started a secret withdrawal from Demyansk bulge, completed successfully by the beginning of March; belated Soviet pursuit could not challenge it. This way the Army Group North moved nine divisions to its reserve. On 1 - 23 March the command of the Army Group Centre also successfully carried out the operation of withdrawal of the 9th Army from Rzhev - Vyazma bulge to a new, shorter position. This way they moved to its reserve one army command, four army corps commands, fifteen infantry divisions, three armoured divisions, two motorized divisions, and one SS cavalry division. Whereas did not succeed the withdrawal of the forces from Kuban bridgehead, widely advertized as the Wehrmacht's reinforcements' reservoir. Active operations of the North Caucasian Front and the Black Sea Fleet in the vicinity of Novorossiysk and in Taman peninsula engaged the entire Germano-Romanian 17th Army in a protracted and exhausting defence. Only two armoured divisions managed to pull out of the deadly trap.


http://2ndww.tripod.com/Kursk/total.htm

__________________

This thread has been incredibly informative, you guys have done great work. Can i get a good detailed description of the overall terrain of the battle, ive checked out the http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/avenue/vy75/maps.htm page but it only has good terrain map of the Prokhorovka area. Was it mostly a steppe? I've heard talk about marshes and swampy roads and stuff...thanks

I could not find anything on the net yet... but if you read F.W. von Mellenthin's "Panzer Battles" I believe he gives a description of the area with some hand drawn maps.

__________________

American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

Just love to bring this thread back...



On Frankson-Zetterling book on "Battle of Kursk" from 2002 an estimation on battle of Prokhorovka:

Lasted 12.-16.7.

Losses:

Red Army

334 Tanks ands assault guns totally destroyed
21,000 men dead

German Army

25 tanks and assault guns totally destroyed
5,500 men dead

__________________

Holy cow! How long afterwards did the Germans take to do their victory parade on the Red Square?

__________________
Everly Brothers - What I Have To Do Is Dream
"Never wrestle with pigs, you both end up getting dirty and the pig likes it."

Actually I myself was in the illusion of the Prokhorovka battle being losses ca 800 tanks for Russians and 500 for Germans until 2002 ( and still in many newer war books ) so I am still a bit angry on this matter...propaganda *#%&"*!

[img]graemlins/no.gif[/img]

__________________

The thing I'm most flabbergasted about is the fact that nobody really bothered to write/dispute anything about the overhyped battle, and most particularly the Germans in this case. One would think people like von Manstein would have found the opportunity to write about yet another phyrric victory too good to be true. Very odd indeed.

__________________
"Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go..."
- Iron Maiden, "Paschendale"

It's all about research and taking the time to visit living vets and care to take the time and monies to visit the world's archiv's.

the information is there but still in our high-tech age some authors play the simple way out and re-post old news which for the fact that much of it is incorrect.

Suggest a copy of Geoge Nipes book on the fighting at Kursk and the River Mius during 1943.

I've also read about those figures at Prokhorovka, which only confusse me... [img]graemlins/no.gif[/img]

But after some research I think there are some true things about both versions. The Soviets lost a very large ammount of tanks and were running out of reserves while Von Manstein still had his units almost complete and still had numerous reserves. However, in the northern flank, Model didn't have reserves and most of his tanks had been destroyed because of mines and AT guns.

In the south, we know about the Panthers being lost to mechanical failures and certainly, there were some very large tank-to-tank battles in which there were many vehicles ramming each other. But the German Tigers, new Pz IVs and AT Stukas made the Red Army paid dearly.

What is NOT in discussion is that Kursk's cost was 100.000 casualties for the Germans and more than a thousand tanks lost.