In the spring of 1945, when the enemies penetrated deeper and deeper into the empire, German women and girls took up arms to defend their homeland. We will share one such particularly successful episode.
Between 8 and 12 March 1945 near Greifenhagen in Pomerania, heavy fighting raged with the addicted Bolsheviks. Non-commissioned officer Herbert Junge was the commander of the 8, 8-Flac gun. *
Junge was born on February 17, 1918 in Berlin. After graduating from high school and studying as a carpenter, Junge fulfilled his duty in the arbeitsdinst (labor service - ed.) In Saarland and volunteered for the Luftwaffe. On September 2, 1939, he was enlisted in the 3rd battalion of the 31st training regiment.
After initial training, Junge was assigned to the ground personnel service of the 103rd Fighter Squadron. He met his first battles on a campaign against Denmark and Norway. In 1942, an accident occurred - he shattered his hand. From March 1943 to September 1944 he was undergoing medical treatment in the 102nd reserve infirmary in Guben.
After recovering, he was transferred to Frankfurt an der Oder for training as the commander of the gun 8, 8-FlaK. As a gun commander, he participated in the air defense of Berlin and Stettin (now Polish Szczecin - ed.).
In January 1945, the Red Army managed to break through the Eastern Front in many places and penetrate into the territory of the empire. The 326th heavy anti-aircraft gun squad, to which Jung belonged, was thrown into ground battles to support the guards. 8, 8s were also excellent weapons at the final stage of the war and could, in most cases, be used for direct fire over long distances against heavily armored enemy vehicles.
In early March 1945, the 4th battery was transferred to the Greifenhagen area in Pomerania for use against enemy tanks. Greifenhagen itself was defended by only ten people of Junge's crew and a woman who voluntarily joined this group, Jadwiga Koettel, the gunner's wife.
Ground battles on the Eastern Front
On March 8, 1945, when Soviet tanks broke through the German front, Jung's gun knocked out 7 tanks. The next day, NCO Junge was wounded, but showed a desire to stay with the team.
Subsequently, for this battle, he was awarded the Iron Cross of the 1st and 2nd degrees.
The next powerful attack happened on March 12th. Again the gun crew went through a rigorous test and knocked out five enemy tanks. The sixth tank was destroyed by Junge at very close range - by the Panzerfaust. **
On the same evening, the command presented Junge to the award of the Knight's Cross for the successful use of his 8, 8, which saved an important section of the Pomeranian front from a rupture.
The very next day, March 13, 1945, non-commissioned officer Herbert Junge was awarded the Knight's Cross for courage and, at the same time, was promoted to the rank of sergeant-major. The entire crew of the cannon, including the woman Jadwiga Koettel, were awarded the Iron Crosses of the 2nd degree.
In the evening of March 13, sergeant-major Junge received a high award in Stettin from the hands of General Odebrecht of anti-aircraft artillery.
The press then wrote: “A heroic fight of a woman. She helped destroy nine Soviet tanks. Jadwiga Koettel from Greifenhagen didn't think long when she heard the panzer alarm. Her husband was an anti-aircraft gunner at the city walls. She quickly came by bike. The men were surprised at first. The gun commander Junge wanted to send her home, but in the end she was able to stay and is now bringing the shells to the gun.
Jadwiga Koettel fights ahead of everyone
When Soviet tanks attacked and the shells flew over the field, she learned to hide, jump, and bring shells under fire. If one of the artillerymen is wounded, she assists him and immediately, without stopping, brings the shells to the non-commissioned officer Herbert Jung from Berlin, who in two days stopped 15 Bolshevik tanks, and her husband trimmed the Soviet steel colossi so that they lie a pile of scrap metal. Jadwiga Koettel took part in the destruction of seven tanks and two more in the afternoon. She carried shells, and during the pauses she helped the wounded until she herself was wounded by a shrapnel."
During the retreat, Herbert Junge fought his way with his team to Schwerin and there on May 2, 1945, he was captured by the Americans. In September he was released and released home to Guben.
After the war, Junge was persecuted by the authorities of the Soviet Occupation Zone because of his clear position of loyalty to the people. And from 1951 to 1954, a terrorist court held him in Cottbus prison.
After the Changes of 1989, he immediately contacted the Luftwaffe community and announced his combat path in the spring of 1945. On July 10, 1999, Junge went to the Grand Army.
* German 88 mm gun, also known as "eight-eight", one of the best anti-aircraft guns of the Second World War. Official name: 8, 8 cm FlaK 18, 36, 37, 41 and 43.
** Panzerfaust, "armored fist" - German single-use grenade launcher during World War II. It came to replace the faustpatron and was used by German troops until the end of the war.
