Description
Soldbuch Set to Oberleutnant Horst Winfried Lasenga
Born in 1914, in Breslau.
His Soldbuch was issued in 1938.
Lasenga had a long career in many Flak Units.
The main one being with Flak Regiment 49, stationed in Mannheim Germany.
In Early 1944, Lasenga was assigned to the third Battalion of:
Fallschrim Flak Regiment ‘ Hermann Göring ‘ -Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1 Hermann Göring
Later February 1945 :
Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 3 Hermann Göring
Divisional Synopsis
As the Allies pushed further north toward the monastery of Monte Cassino, parts of the division evacuated the monastery’s art treasures to Rome. When the Americans landed at Anzio on January 22, 1944, the division attacked the landing forces. From February to April 1944 she fought in Cisterna, on the Rio Rappido and in Minturno. In April 1944 the division was withdrawn from the fighting in Tuscany. During this period, units of the division were jointly responsible for the massacres around Monte San Giula (March 18), in Villaminozo (March 18-20), Monte Falterona (March 13-17), Valdarno (Province of Arezzo), Cavriglia and Castelnuovo dei Sabbioni (July 4, 1944), during which 73 men were shot in revenge for attacks by the Resistenza, as well as for the massacre in the small town of Civitella in Val di Chiana and its surroundings on June 29, 1944, during the 250th civilians were shot. Since the beginning of May she was in the area south-east of Pisa. It was to be transferred from here to southern France in order to be able to meet the Allied landings expected here. However, the Allied offensive against Rome on 12 May thwarted these plans and Hermann Göring’s Parachute-Panzer-Division was again deployed in Italy. On May 23, the division received the order of OB West to transfer to the area south of Rome. The division’s request to cover the march only at night was rejected. In addition to failures due to technical damage, this meant that 20% of the heavy weapons and 30% of the transport space were lost by the time the Panzergrenadiers of the division arrived in the assigned assembly room, primarily due to Allied air raids. The tank artillery regiment lost 18 guns and the tank destroyers lost 30% of their guns and self-propelled guns. Of the division’s 60 Panzer IVs, only 11 initially reached the target. Stragglers increased the number of tanks to 18, of which only 8-10 were operational. The division was first deployed at Valmontone. An enemy advance on Artena could be stopped, but a subsequent attack to gain the high ground near Artena also failed. On June 1, the division suffered considerable losses from Allied attacks, in particular the 2nd Panzer Grenadier Regiment was practically wiped out. After combing out all the hawsers, etc., the division was left with only about 50% of the personnel, 4 operational Panzer IV, 12 Pak mot.Z and 8 self-propelled guns. The remaining parts again suffered heavy losses on June 2nd and 3rd, so that the division was only able to hold out resistance like a base. On the evening of June 4, it was on the following line: Rome Airport (Aerop) – Secro Nordrand – Settecamini – Lunghezza. From June 4th, the retreat went through Rome, which had been declared an “open city” to avoid destruction, to Florence. On July 15, the division was pulled out of the front and prepared for transport to the Eastern Front. In July 1944 the division was finally renamed Parachute-Panzer-Division 1 “Hermann Göring”. At the same time, parts of the division were handed over to set up the 2nd Parachute Panzergrenadier Division “Hermann Göring”. At the end of July the division reached the Vistula front, where it was assigned to the 9th Army. From October 1944, the division was then subordinate to the newly formed Parachute Tank Corps “Hermann Göring” on the Vistula. The Panzer Corps was moved to the East Prussia-Kurland region to stop the Soviet offensive, which had already surrounded Army Group North and was pushing further into East Prussia. The Panzer Corps was involved in heavy defensive fighting near Gumbinnen. When the Soviet offensive faltered in late November, the Panzer Corps withdrew to solid defensive lines. During the Battle of East Prussia, the “Hermann Göring” Parachute Tank Corps was trapped in the Heiligenbeil tank together with parts of the 4th Army in early 1945. After several unsuccessful attempts to break out, the corps had to be evacuated by sea to Swinemünde in Pomerania. After landing, it was immediately ordered to defend the Oder-Neisse line against the Soviet attacks in mid-March 1945.
What happened to Lasenga?
It seems Lasenga was a Company Commander with, Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 3 Hermann Göring. Wounded in February 1945 according to his Wounds Badge Certificate and Wounding Tag in Eastern Prussia. He was able able to escape the Eastern Front!
Awarded:
- Medal for the Memory of 10. 1938
- War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords
- Iron Cross Second Class
- Wounds Badge in Black
Summary
A very nice complete set to an experienced Officer, great to get the wound tag, Soldbuch and ID Tag all in one. A rare sought after unit.
