Description
Wehrpass issued to Heinz Seltz, from Berlin.
He served in many units, he was first stationed out of Döberitz (1934-1935)
As the war broke out he would serve with:
Panzerjäger Abt 176
Grenadier Regiment 535
and Lastly with:
schw. Heeres-Panzerjäger-Abt. 657 (212 Volksgrenadier Division)
A complete list/Order of creation for the unit can be seen here:
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/HeeresPzJAbt/Gliederung.htm
Armed with 8.8cm Heavy Motorised P.A.K, according to one book (Advance and Destroy: Patton as Commander in the Bulge, By John Rickard) it seems they had 16 Panzer Jäger (unknown what type of armoured vehicle).
They were to fight under, the 212 Volksgrenadier Division in the Battle of the Ardennes 1944/45.
The 212. Infanteriedivision was destroyed in August 1944 in Lithuania and these survivors were combined with the 578. Volksgrenadierdivision at Schieratz in Poland. Keeping with the make-up of the original division most of the personnel were from Bavaria and were most young men, many of who were just seventeen years old.
In November 1944 the division was moved west and joined the Seventh Army across the Sauer from Echternach. It was commanded by Generalleutnant Franz Sensfuss. It was at full-strength and its morale was high. However, like many of the other Volksgrenadierdivision is only had a portion of it armoured vehicle allocation. Just five StuG assault guns were available. It also only had two of its three infantry regiments available at the start of the Ardennes offensive as the third had been put in the Seventh Army reserve.
The initial attacks on 16 December 1944 went well from Echternach towards Berdorf, Dickweiler and Osweiler. The Volksgrenadiers were well behind the American lines before the command of the US 4th Infantry Division were able to react.
Echternach was finally taken on 17 December after Sensfuss personally led an assault by the 212. Füsilier Bataillon. The division also took Berdorf the same day, forcing a task force of the US 10th Armoured Division out of the village after bitter fighting.
As more units of Patton’s US Third Army began to arrive the Volksgrenadiers were forced over to the defence. They hung on to their gains, but were eventually forced to retire and were back on their start positions by the end of January 1945.
However, even with companies reduced to 25 to 30 men they continued to fight stubbornly. They defended the West Wall in February against Patton’s forces. The small kampfgruppe they had become didn’t surrender until May 1945 in Baumholder, Bavaria.
Awards:
- Medal for 1.10.1938
- Eastern Front Medal
- War Merit Cross with Swords
- Rumanian Medal against Communism – with Silver Bar
- Drivers Badge in Gold
