I crawled up to a soldier who was on sentry duty in a foxhole on the Warthe, and so on the front line. I tried to have a chat with him, as in other such cases, but he would hardly say anything. When I asked him what his task was, he still remained silent. I must accept that perhaps my brown uniform put him off. He stared at me stupidly. When I finally offered him a cigarette and then got closer to him and asked how long he had been on sentry duty, he answered since early yesterday. He had been on duty for a day and a half without being relieved. He was completely exhausted, overtired and half asleep. Such a soldier cannot do much if the Russians should really come. This case was reported by me and investigated further.
One always had the impression that those who are really able, if they are unassuming and do not like putting themselves in the limelight, make little progress in the Wehrmacht. Those holding positions on the staff often have high decorations, but act very pompously and boastfully in their manners and appearance.
Most of the senior officers in Küstrin stemmed from the police. In my opinion, they lacked the tactical knowledge needed for commanding troops that the majority of the Wehrmacht officers had learnt on their way up through the ranks. When they belong with the competent officers, then they should wear Wehrmacht uniform. For the Wehrmacht, especially the officers, it must have been sickening to be commanded by police officers. The battle commander in the Neustadt was Police Colonel Walther, and in the Altstadt, Police Major Kulla. While they knew each other well, they had naturally filled other officer posts in their sectors with police officers. In the current situation it is important, without regard to the body one belongs to, to put the most able men in the right place; in this case, they should have donned Wehrmacht uniform and set aside their police ones.
Often very young SS officers were allotted posts that other officers of the Wehrmacht had to step aside for. An 18-year-old SS second lieutenant had, for example, to lead a combat group that included Wehrmacht and Flak captains and lieutenants. These officers were not only old enough to have been the fathers of this SS second lieutenant, but even gave the impression that they possessed ability well above that of the SS officer set over them. Most of these young SS officers were daring types, not weaklings, and certainly engaged bravely in every situation. However, such men should be given special assignments for which they are better suited. Appointments for which knowledge, and not least experience, are required belong, however, to other people. Here is an example:
A fire threatened to spread across from a neighbouring building. This was reported to the SS second lieutenant. He immediately ordered the building to be blown up. When the NCO reported that there was clothing in the cupboards and washing hanging around that someone must have brought there, he ordered the building to be demolished a second time. The NCO came back again and reported that about 70 soldiers who used the cellars were at the moment in action, but all their property, packs, clothing, etc. was lying around in the cellars. The NCO was reprimanded and was told once more to blow up the building. Only a few minutes perhaps would have been necessary for a few men to remove these soldiers’ items. Apart from this the fire was in no way so far advanced that the demolition was so urgent. The order had been given without any consideration whatsoever by a young man who had surely never had to buy underclothes with his own money. Thank God the soldiers in this situation were much more sensible and saved their comrades’ things before blowing up the building.
The soldiers’ lack of fighting spirit was also illustrated in the way that they always quickly let themselves be disarmed. We often went into the cellars when there was a smell of burning with a pistol in the hand to winkle out skivers. It was sufficient with two or three men to round up groups of eight to nine men, who timidly obeyed and willingly dropped their rifles, belts and steel helmets. I collected up many weapons for the Volkssturm in this way with my Party comrades and caught cowardly soldiers. When Gauamtsleiter Party Comrade Dame came to Küstrin and I told him, he did not want to believe it. I suggested that he tried it himself. Party Comrade Dame, who was in civilian clothes, rounded up six soldiers who had fled to the Altstadt from the Neustadt. There was a short interrogation and then Dame forcefully demanded that the soldiers immediately lay down their rifles, belts and steel helmets. All six soldiers obeyed and were apparently pleased to be without their weapons. If a single German civilian can so overwhelm six soldiers, what would happen when these soldiers were confronted by Russians? Whether this failing morale can be restored, I do not know. However, what is possible in my opinion, is that by continually relieving those soldiers who are weary, tired and grown apathetic with the fighting, one can give them back an inner equilibrium before they are sent back into battle, and advise them of the urgency and significance of their fight.
I could say a lot about the looting carried out by German soldiers. One was often ashamed at how senseless and how mean German soldiers were to loot the homes of their countrymen. Often I heard it said: ‘The Russians could not be worse!’ I presume, however, that the higher commands have been informed of these deeds also from other places.
Heil Hitler!
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