European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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The 999 Bataillon
The 999 Bataillon
Strafdivision 999 -
The political prisoners, who were unworthy for the army, were living in Germany.
The political prisoners, who were unworthy for the army, were living in Germany.
Der Sinn war: die Politischen, die jetzt wehrunwürdig waren, die lebten in Deutschland. -
And the Germans were dying at all possible fronts.
And the Germans were dying at all possible fronts.
Und die Deutschen, die starben an allen möglichen Fronten. -
Slowly but surely, they were short on personnel.
Slowly but surely, they were short on personnel.
Nun fehlte ja mit der Zeit Mannschaftspersonal. -
So there was the idea to establish these as kamikaze mission you just throw in.
So there was the idea to establish these as kamikaze mission you just throw in.
Da war dann die Idee, die aufzubauen, als Himmelfahrtskommando, die man reinwirft. -
That was why we were militarily equipped like a self-dependent unit,
That was why we were militarily equipped like a self-dependent unit,
Deshalb waren wir ja auch militärisch so ausgerüstet. -
we were able to absorb counter strikes of the allies.
we were able to absorb counter strikes of the allies.
Wir konnten als selbständige Einheit Gegenstöße der Alliierten auffangen. -
If we would have moved back, we would have been shot down from behind.
If we would have moved back, we would have been shot down from behind.
Und wenn wir zurückgegangen wären, hätten sie uns von hinten auch zusammengeschossen. -
We were downright kamikaze missions.
We were downright kamikaze missions.
Also, das waren regelrechte Himmelfahrtskommandos. -
That is how it was meant for the bigger units, for divisions.
That is how it was meant for the bigger units, for divisions.
Das war so bei denen die Grundidee gewesen – nicht -. Also, so war das für die größeren Einheiten, für Divisionen, gedacht. -
And that was how the operations were.
And that was how the operations were.
Und so war ja auch dann der Einsatz. -
Typical: our operation on a hillside,
Typical: our operation on a hillside,
Typisch: unser Einsatz an einem Hang, -
were we would have been shot down by the American artillery straight after our first shot.
were we would have been shot down by the American artillery straight after our first shot.
wo wir nach dem ersten Schuss von der amerikanischen Artillerie zusammengeschossen worden wären. -
No one would have survived.
No one would have survived.
Keiner hätte überlebt. -
So was the military operation on many sections of the front.
So was the military operation on many sections of the front.
So war dann auch der militärische Einsatz von vielen Frontabschnitten. -
Literature about this does exist.
Literature about this does exist.
Da gibt es ja auch Literatur drüber. -
The principle was: extermination of the politicals; they were to perish in the war and not survive.
The principle was: extermination of the politicals; they were to perish in the war and not survive.
Das war das Prinzip: Vernichtung der Politischen, die sollten im Krieg zu Grunde gehen und nicht überleben. -
The companies were assembled as follows:
The companies were assembled as follows:
Die Kompanien waren ja so zusammengestellt: -
1/3 political prisoners, 1/3 criminals and 1/3 officers, corporals
1/3 political prisoners, 1/3 criminals and 1/3 officers, corporals
ein Drittel Politische, ein Drittel Kriminelle und ein Drittel Offiziere, Unteroffiziere -
and lance-corporals who were mainly Nazis.
and lance-corporals who were mainly Nazis.
und Gefreite, die zum großen Teil Nazis waren. So war die Zusammensetzung.