Stabsfeldwebel Müller – Battle of Bautzen 1945 – ‘Kampfgruppe Moser’
Issued to Stabsfeldwebel Rudolf Müller born on the 9th of February 1911 in Penig in Sachsen into a Protestant family. Müller was a Machine Engineer in his civilian life.
Wehrmacht Soldbuch – 2nd Issue – 14 July 1944 in Fulda, Germany with Grenadier Ersatz Batl 88.
One month later (August 1944) Müller was assigned to the Stabsbat IV./Artillerie Regiment 1544 (under the 544 Volks Grenadier Division) fighting with Heeres Gruppe A and Mitte into Poland and Oberschlesien in 1945.
Equipment & Weapons: Issued a Luger P08 9mm Pistol, Compass, Visor Cap, Winter Boots. Also Ration entries: December 1944 x1 Iron Portion. Also in April 1945.
Müller served with Feld Ersatz Batalion 208 (208 Infanterie Division) sometime in 1945, but by February Müller arrived in Hospital in Amstetten in Austria with a code 34 wound (Accident or Self Mutilation) but was sent back to another unit in March 1945 after leave.
He was sent to Dresden, which must have been at this late state nearly completely destroyed by the Allied Air Raids. Müller arrived with the Artillerie-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Abteilung 40 in Dresden. They were mobilised in April 1945, and attached to Division Nr 404 fighting under Kampfgruppe Moser. Müller was issued Rations for April 1945 to prepare for combat operations. The division was fighting on Two Fronts, with both the US Army and the Red Army.
April and May 1945 Battle of Bautzen, Löbau
The battle took place during Ivan Konev’s 1st Ukrainian Front’s push toward Berlin, which was part of the larger Soviet Berlin Offensive. The battle was fought in the town of Bautzen (Polish: Budziszyn) and the rural areas to the northeast situated primarily along the Bautzen–Niesky line. Major combat began on 21 April 1945 and continued until 26 April although isolated engagements continued to take place until 30 April. The Polish Second Army under Karol Świerczewski suffered heavy losses, but, with the aid of Soviet reinforcements, prevented the German forces from breaking through to their rear.
After the battle both sides claimed victory and modern views as to who won the battle remain contradictory. Because the war was almost over and the battle had no strategic impact on the ongoing Battle of Berlin, German historiography has focused more on its tactical aspects. The German operation successfully recaptured Bautzen and its surroundings, which were held until the end of the war.
An interesting late war Soldbuch to an experienced NCO who was transferred from the Luftwaffe to the Wehrmacht. Nice Period applied photo. Included is a photograph of Müller before his transfer to the Wehrmacht still in his Luftwaffe Tunic.
