life for the German troops was nowhere near this Grim picture when in June 1941 they crossed the Soviet border to launch operation Barbarosa one of the largest military campaigns in the history of humankind hidden in the forests of East Prussia and Poland 3 million troops waited for the signal to attack some officers even toasted the coming battle with champagne and cognac confident in their Victory they read old war books sang songs and built fires to keep away mosquitoes many soldiers believed they would quickly defeat the Soviets they thought the war would last only a few weeks they remembered easy victories in Poland and France and this boosted their confidence their leaders had assured them they would not have to worry about winter Quarters at 3:15 a. m. on June 22nd the attack began artillery barrages and air strikes hit Soviet positions German troops crossed rivers and seized Bridges before the Soviet guards could react stuckers bombed Soviet tank parks and headquarters Panza divisions moved forward to encircle and trap the enemy German infantrymen driven by the belief in their strength and speed Advanced into Soviet territory with high hopes and determination they aimed to capture the very heart of Russia the cities of Leningrad and Moscow indeed the German attack was impressive above all expectations the Luft vaffa gained air superiority by destroying 3,000 Soviet aircraft in the first days German tank tanks and infantry Advanced rapidly capturing vast territories they surrounded and captured hundreds of thousands of Soviet soldiers one by one Soviet cities were falling with absolute ease by August the Army group Center only had taken 850,000 prisoners while their troops reached the gates of Leningrad and Kiev the Germans believed the victory was close however as the Germans moved further into the Soviet Union they began to face serious challenges the vast distances and poor infrastructure slowed their Advance roads were often dirt tracks turning to mud in the rain and dust in the summer the supply lines stretched too thin making it hard to get food Fuel and ammunition to the front lines partisans local Soviet Fighters began to disrupt German supply lines and communication networks they ambushed convoys destroyed Railways and attacked German troops whenever possible their actions forced the Germans to divert troops from the front lines to guard supply routes and conduct anti-partisan operations further stretching their resources and the worst was Yet to Come As Autumn turned to Winter the German troops found themselves unprepared for the severe Russian weather the brutal cold took its toll with most soldiers lacking proper winter clothing they had to endure temperatures dropping to -13° C wearing only thin coats and whatever they could find to wrap around their bodies even the equipment failed in the freezing temperatures lubricants in guns and vehicles thickened and froze rendering them unusable German soldiers suffered from frostbite with many being hospitalized due to the extreme cold the harsh Russian winter slowed down the German advance and made them struggle to maintain their positions the Red Army meanwhile welld dressed for the occasion regrouped and launched counterattacks German casualties relatively Low by that point began to pile up The Campaign which started with high hopes and Rapid gains stopped at Moscow it turned into a nightmare one that was going to last for some time Germans learned the Hardway what many other generals learned before them Russia can't be conquered with ease yet the Germans persisted in the summer of 1942 they launched a new offensive aiming to capture the oil fields in the Caucasus Mountains however this was easier said than done in his frustration to reach the precious oil Hitler created a fixation to capture the city of Stalingrad the city that bore the name of the leader of the Soviet Union in this city the Germans would learn the true meaning of the horrors of War on the Eastern Front raten Creek the rat war of Stalingrad on August 23rd 1942 the German 6th army with 360,000 elite soldiers reached the vulgar River river near Stalingrad that evening hundreds of German bombers launched a massive attack on the city the bombers hit Stalingrad with wave after wave of bombs creating a hellish landscape of fire and smoke large oil storage tanks in the industrial area along the banks of the vulga river were hit and burst into flames tons of burning oil flew toward the vulga setting its entire surface on fire there was hardly a piece of land or water in Stalingrad that wasn't caught by a fire the Relentless bombing continued for weeks leaving no building undamaged absolutely none homes factories and schools were destroyed or in the best case heavily damaged streets and sidewalks were covered in rubble and debris the sky was filled with smoke and the air was thick with the smell of burning buildings and bodies almost 40,000 people died and 150,000 were wounded in the bombings survivors sought shelter in basements and sewers trying to escape the Carnage above for the people of Stalingrad the constant bombing was a nightmare the Relentless attacks created a sense of fear and helplessness civilians lived in constant Terror unsure if they would survive the next raid they struggled to find food and clean water they drank from broken pipes and collected rainwater the streets were filled with rubble making movement difficult civilians risked their lives searching for basic necessities Soviet soldiers in the city faced the same Horrors but despite this they were determined to defend the city the German attacks aimed to break their Spirit but instead the solders determination to resist grew stronger they used the ruins of the city to create defensive positions turning Stalingrad into a fortress of rubble the destruction of the city turned Stalingrad into an unusual Battlefield in which soldiers had to fight in close quarters Within the Ruins of the city the Germans called this Warfare ratton Creek or rat war with the entire city turned into a landscape of destroyed buildings burnt out tanks and Rubble the fighting became too exhausting soldiers had to battle street by Street and even room by room German soldiers particularly found this house-to-house combat psychologically disorienting they were used to open field battles not fighting in tight spaces the enemy was hiding anywhere in basements behind walls in wreckages of vehicles everywhere soldiers never knew where the next attack would come from which created a constant state of fear and tension Soviet soldiers were skilled at camouflage making them hard to spot they set up ambushes from basement and hidden bunkers the German soldiers often couldn't see their enemies which added to the fear the Soviets fortified sections of the city creating strong points that funneled German troops into kill zones the Relentless noise only aggravated the situation with explosions and gunfire echoing through the ruins day and night the Germans especially feared the hissing sound of Soviet rocket launchers the Stalin's organs whenever they heard the sound they knew death was coming upon them in such conditions many German soldiers as well as Soviets were breaking down because they had little rest and were constantly Under Fire the sense of fatalism was omnipresent soldiers were detached and resigned to their fate believing it was just a matter of time before they would be killed those who were more optimistic hoped for a home wound a serious but non-fatal injury that would send them back home rat war was not taking only a psychological toll on soldiers it was also very physically exhausting soldiers had to climb over Rubble crawl through destroyed buildings and navigate through narrow corridors the close quarter combat was grueling requiring constant alertness and quick reactions soldiers hated this kind of fighting as it was dirty chaotic and terrifying the lack of clear front lines made it difficult to know who controlled which parts of the city the combat was based on the use of grenades submachine guns and knives assault squads often just six or eight men armed with these weapons would charge against enemy strongholds often unaware of the strength of the enemy that was awaiting in situations where the opposite side was making too much of a resistance flamethrowers were used these weapons were terrifying for both the users and their targets a chaotic inv environment only added to the misery the city was filled with smoke and dust soldiers often fought in complete darkness relying on flares and search lights they crawled through sewers and tunnels not knowing if the enemy was waiting around the next Corner the smell of death was everywhere and rats fed on the corpses in no man's land hell on the vulgar the battle for MV kugan and Pavlov's house that the Battle of Stalingrad would become one of the most terrifying chapters of World War II became evident already in the first months of the battle that lasted for half a year the most severe fighting took place during September when German forces took control of most of the city particularly Fierce and bloody was the battle for mamayev kugan this hill appearing in military Maps as height 102.
0 in was a critical point for both the Soviet and German forces the Germans initially attacked and managed to capture the summit on September 13th this High Ground offered them a clear view of the city and the vulgar River however for the same reason the Soviet forces were determined to reclaim it despite facing a well-defended German position the Soviets organized an attack on September 16th interestingly they planned to attack in broad daylight the attack was planned for 9:00 a. m. catching the Germans by surprise however everything seemed to go wrong for the Soviets their artillery support was inadequate and the expected tank Brigade consisted of only four malfunctioning tanks hundreds of Soviet Guardsmen charging up the hill were completely exposed to German bombers and artillery they were dying in masses but they kept pushing against well- entrenched enemy the Germans had fortified the summit with machine guns and were spraying fire across the entire Hill the battle turned into a clash of Soviet resolve to defend the motherland and German determination to endure and kill as many Soviets as possible miraculously the Soviets succeeded in reaching the summit of the Hill throwing grenades and engaging in brutal hand-to-hand combat with the Germans they managed to conquer it with a heavy casualty toll though Ivan shiev a Soviet artillery coordinator recalls The Fierce and chaotic struggle for the hill soldiers were clubbing each other with rifle butts and stabbing with bayonets the summit of the hill was covered in blood and dead bodies but the red flag was risen to announce the Soviet victory unfortunately for men on both sides mamayev Kyan and the nearby railway station were about to become a scene of even more ferocious battles as the Soviets tried to push the Germans away from vulga and as the Germans tried to recapture the hill by the end of the day out of 10,000 soldiers of the Soviet 13th guards rifle division that attacked the hill only a small number survived the rest of them left their bones on the slopes of the hill on September 27th after launching more than 100 assaults on the hill Germans recaptured the summit however the Soviets managed to hold their positions on the Eastern Slope the horror of Mamay kran was prolonged until the very end of the battle when the battle ended the relief of the hill was completely changed the Hill's formerly steep slopes had been flattened by months of intense shelling and bombardment in the following spring the hill remained black as no grass grew on its scorched soil until this day Mamay have could remained a symbol of the severity and dreadfulness of the Battle of Stalingrad Less Than 3 km away from the hill was another Battlefield that although far smaller symbolized the ferocity of the fighting in Stalingrad this small Battlefield was limited to a single building the Pavlov's house inside this Residential Building captured by Junior Sergeant Yakov fotovich pavlof and his Squad the Soviets decided to create a stronghold as it had a good overview of the nearby by area a platoon of 31 men organized a defensive perimeter by placing barbed wire and laying a Minefield around the house machine guns and anti-tank rifles were placed in positions by the damaged walls while a spotter was placed in the attic to direct the artillery fire the improvised Fortress became the scene of a brutal battle for the next 58 days during which the Germans persistently assaulted the house sometimes a couple of times per day each German attack was preceded by artillery shelling during which Soviet Defenders sought shelter in the basement leaving only observers and the positions on the upper floors as soon as the shelling stopped they rushed to their positions to meet the German troops with devastating Firepower from their machine guns for almost two full months with scarce food and ammunition in a building that was half demolished from heavy shelling a group of soldiers along with civilians who were hiding in the basement managed to hold out against a much larger German Force the soldiers remained in the building until November 25th when they left during the night to support the counter offensive launched by the Red Army they left a building barely standing with hundreds of bodies of dead Germans at its doorstep out of nowhere the Unseen masters of Stalingrad snipers life in Stalingrad during the battle had little or no value people were dying all day every day whether it was on the slopes of mamayev Cur or in the building ruins of many death was omnipresent even when soldiers were not engaged in combat or were not shelled and bombed not for a minute Soldier was allowed to relax because every wrong move was seen through the sights of enemy snipers the sniper war in Stalingrad was yet another dimension of the ruthless conflict that took place in the city the city was a maze of ruined buildings tunnels and trenches making it a perfect Battleground for snipers it allowed snipers to approach enemy positions within very close distance to blend in with their surroundings German snipers wore camouflage clothing they used smoks and field caps that could be covered with netting or foliage when winter came snipers made their own camouflage and winter gear as they needed to stay both warm and hidden to survive usually they operated in pairs with one using a periscope and the other resting snipers would stand for hours waiting for a Target the fighting was conducted mostly at Short ranges under 300 M German snipers were quick and precise they often worked ahead of their own lines and targeted enemy soldiers both during and in pauses between attacks when they saw one they aimed and fired every shot was a chance to eliminate the enemy preference was given to officers as their loss would create confusion and break the chain of command sometimes they could even stop the attack very often snipers aimed to wound rather than kill knowing that the cries of the Wounded would demoralize the enemy in the first months of the battle the Germans were very successful in Sniper fighting which prompted the Soviets to employ more snipers of their own to counter the threat so apart from targeting enemy infantrymen Soviet and German snipers were tasked with fighting each other which was a particularly challenging task by the time the battle was in full swing there were so many snipers in Stalingrad that the fear of their fire overwhelmed men on both sides soldiers hesitated to move knowing that a sniper could be watching they knew that stepping into the open could mean sudden death a moment of carelessness a head protruding a few centimeters too high could cost a soldier his life this fear disrupted combat plans and lowered the morale of men not a step back Stalin's unyielding command at Stalingrad even before the Battle of Stalingrad and the Horrors that came out of it the Soviets had problems with morale in their ranks it seemed as if men were reluctant to oppose German Advance believing that Retreat to vast Russian lands was a better solution it was a phenomenon that the Soviet government didn't look upon with delight but when the Germans arrived at the doorstep of Stalingrad the time came to react on July 28th 1942 Stalin issued the famous order number 227 in which he called for panic mongers to be eliminated and urged all soldiers of the Red Army to make not a step back indeed at the time when the order was issued the Soviet Union was in big problems as more and more soldiers found the resistance to be futile especially given that their commanders were first to retreat however Stalin's orderorder hardly boosted their morale instead it put them in a tight spot between the German artillery and machine guns and accusal of being a traitor and thus a certain death to to gain the maximum effect and make sure people followed his order Stalin devised two types of units penal battalions or straf bats and barrier troops the introduction of straf bats was the primary effort to reinstall discipline in the Panic infested Red Army these units were composed of disgraced officers and soldiers convicted under order number 227 who were demoted and assigned to these battalions in November 1942 the Soviet standardized Soviet Penal units penal battalions were set at 360 men commanded by mid-range and Senior officers and political officers penal companies with 100 to 150 men were led by sergeants and privates penal units included both permanent Personnel such as staff officers and political officers and temporary Personnel known as straf Niki who were sent to these units to redeem themselves through their service units comprise those convicted of desertion or cowardice convicts could have their sentences commuted and be reassigned to regular units if they were injured in combat or performed heroic Deeds however those with political disloyalty often faced continued persecution after the war in reality policies regarding the release of straiki varied from one unit to another while some commanders released all those who fought bravely others rehabilitated only those who got severely injured or were killed in battle General pavl bov only rehabilitated those killed or wounded in action while General Alexander gatov released all who fought bravely penal Battalion service was often seen as a death sentence because straf Niki were almost exclusively positioned at the Forefront of battles they acted as shock troops leading the charge in attacks and often absorbing the initial and most intense enemy fire apart from these roles straf Niki were engaged in whatever high-risk dangerous missions existed these tasks often involved reconnaissance assaulting heavily fortified enemy positions clearing Mine Fields and other dangerous operations given the ferocity of the Battle of Stalingrad the chances of returning from one such Mission were minimal the first penal Battalion that was sent to the Stalingrad in August 1942 comprised 929 officers after 3 days of heavy fighting only 300 men were still alive penal squadrons in the Air Force were in an even worse position pilots and Gunners were sent on the most dangerous missions such as attacking vulgar Bridge Crossings and enemy tank concentrations to be rehabilitated they had to be wounded but the first injury in air combat was usually the last Gunners had to survive 10 missions to clear their sentences but they were often transferred to penal mine clearing units before reaching this total with no way out straf bat units Advanced frenetically often running into minefields artillery or heavy machine gun fire if they survived and occupied their objective they were used again in the next assault at Stalingrad however there was no room for retreat all those who wanted to escape the battle with German Invaders were to be handled by the barrier troops these units also known as blocking units or anti- Retreat forces were stationed behind the main forces to maintain military discipline and prevent soldiers from fleeing the battlefield their job was to stop any servicemen trying to escape capture spies sabots and deserters and return those who lagged behind to their units all in all barrier troops ensured that soldiers remained in the fight no matter how desperate the situation was they were a constant reminder that retreat was not an option as was clearly stated in Stalin's order contrary to popular belief barrier troops did not stand directly behind charging men shooting at everyone who even ran in the opposite direction they simply manned the rear positions and captured all those who tried to escape the battlefield such Personnel were either returned to their units or more usually transferred to straf bat battalions aside from deserters barrier troops also dealt with sabots instigators spies and traitors at Stalingrad the role of barrier troops was particularly harsh the battle was intense with brutal conditions and high casualties soldiers were under immense pressure watching hundreds of their comrades being cut down by German machine guns the temptation to flee was strong this created a situation where soldiers felt trapped between the enemy in front and their own forces behind them with no way to retreat they had no choice but to advance and fight however small the chance to survive the assault on German positions was certainly higher looking at the big picture barrier troops played an important role in ensuring that Soviet forces held their ground and continued to resist the German advance despite the heavy losses and dire circumstances however their presence only aggravated the sense of Despair among the Soviet soldiers and their hopes that they would survive the Stalingrad hell fight for the death the Relentless struggle for the heart of Stalingrad demoralization and the complete absence of Hope were soon to engulf the German troops on November 19th Soviet forces launched operation Uranus a counter offensive aiming to p the Germans from Stalingrad and Caucasus more than 1 million soldiers attacked German positions north and south of the city after only 3 days of fighting Soviet mechanized spearheads linked at the town of kalak West of Stalingrad and encircled 290,000 German soldiers the enemy had caught them off guard and the Germans found themselves in a deadly trap if they wanted to survive they had to withdraw as quickly as possible for many German soldiers this was perhaps a sign of relief as they were about to leave behind all the horrors of the fighting in the ruin of a city unfortunately for them the furer in whom they believed so much didn't see things that way German soldiers in Stalingrad became victims of Hitler's Obsession to conquer the city in response to his troops being surrounded in Stalingrad Hitler issued the same order as Stalin not to retreat at any cost German soldiers were to fight to the last man standing General palus command of the sixth Army in Stalingrad was set aback by the order but being a loyal Soldier he followed it fura had sent him a message to hold on and promised him relief already at that point General pulus must have daunted that was ever going to happen contrary to him ordinary soldiers were sure their fate was sealed in Stalingrad if they didn't withdraw the order threw them into complete desperation indeed the sixth Army's Destiny was Dire and communication with other units was limited the LT wafer made efforts to resupply the trapped German sixth Army in Stalingrad and ease their misery but the operation proved to be more than difficult the air Bridge was established with six airfields within the pocket but the bad weather and constant artillery attacks constantly hindered the operation on good days Germans managed to land hundreds of tons of supplies but such days were rare young and inexperienced Pilots were deeply shaken by the sights they saw in Stalingrad the wounded waited by the runway for evacuation surrounded by piles of Frozen corpses the frustration led to mistakes which added to the frustration a shipment that contained only spices caused an outrage among soldiers Soviet attacks on airfields reduced the supply drop the failure of the airlift was inevitable weather enemy attacks and logistical failures doomed the effort from the start the Luft waffer attempts to resupply the sixth Army could not overcome these overwhelming obstacles the soldiers trapped in Stalingrad faced harsh desperate conditions and the operation ultimately ended in Failure as the situation in Stalingrad worsened discipline and Order within the German sixth Army began to break down General palus and his staff struggled to maintain control as Soviet forces closed in soldiers already weary from Battle were further demoralized by the harsh winter conditions and the lack of supplies communication was poor and the encircled troops felt increasingly isolated some officers such as general Fon seidlitz defied orders and ordered their men to burn their supplies and Retreat this led to even greater chaos as the Red Army attacked the retreating German troops within the encircled area discipline continued to erode troops were disheartened by the lack of supply drop and the severe conditions they endured the promise of relief by Hitler began to ring Hollow as days turned into we weeks soldiers started to realize that the promised relief was never going to come the morale among the troops plunged many felt abandoned and betrayed by their leadership the sixth Army was surrounded and the Soviet forces were tightening their grip the breakdown of order was evident in the behavior of the troops there were reports of soldiers looting and Scavenging for food some officers struggled to enforce discipline While others equally disheartened turned a blind eye the once formidable German military machine was now a shadow of its former self crippled by a lack of supplies harsh conditions and low morale rumors spread quickly and the sense of hopelessness grew the slogan hold on the furer will get us out lost its meaning as it became clear that German soldiers were on their own desperation LED some to consider surrender but the fear of Retribution kept many from openly expressing this thought knowing that surrender was inev able many soldiers faced a moral and psychological crisis they were Torn Between the duty to fight and the instinct to survive this inner conflict further deteriorated the unity and discipline of the sixth Army as the Soviet forces continued their Relentless Advance the sense of Doom among the German troops was palpable General Winter's grip Frozen struggle for Stalingrad then came winter a centuries old Ally of the Russian people the living conditions for the German soldiers in Stalingrad became extremely harsh they had to endure severe cold living in makeshift bunkers that offered little protection the ground was frozen solid making it almost impossible to dig proper trenches even with fires the Earth barely softened enough for digging the shortage of wood made the situation worse as there was not enough material to build adequate shelters wooden houses near the front lines were quickly dismantled by the soldiers in desperate need of wood to make things even worse many soldiers had not received proper winter clothing since the winter was relentless they were forced to improvise by using Soviet uniforms and civilian clothes buttonless tunic shirts baggy quilted trousers and quilted jackets were highly prized for their warmth steel helmets turned into freezer compartments in the cold and had to be lined with putties scarves and even foot bandages some soldiers killed stray dogs to make fur gloves others tried to make tunics out of horsehide but these were often crude and uncomfortable the conditions for soldiers outside the city in the step were even more brutal soldiers slept in holes in the ground covered by tarp poins infections spread rapidly with dentry becoming a major issue lice infestations were widespread soldiers could find hundreds of lice in their helmets because of the extreme cold there was almost no opportunity to wash or change clothes excerpts from a Diary of a captured German Soldier show the extreme hardships faced by the German troops trapped in the Stalingrad pocket apart from describing the harsh reality of sleeping on Frozen Ground suffering from frostbite and the lack of proper shelter the diary reflects a deep sense of Despair and longing for home despite these conditions German soldiers tried to keep their morale High many believed that they would be rescued soon and officers assured them that the lft vafer would bring in the supplies they needed when they realized rescue would never arrive soldiers plunged into despair on Christmas Day the temperature fell to minus 25° the battlefield was completely covered in snow chaplain held field masses or communion in the snow to the sound of tent canvas flapping and cracking in the wind the holiday spirit offered some comfort to German soldiers but not to 3,500 Soviet prisoners of War due to the scar it of supplies they were given almost no food they died on mass sometimes even 20 per day desperate prisoners began to resort to cannibalism but nothing was done to improve their conditions because that meant taking food from German soldiers on New Year's Eve soldiers received a greeting message from Adolf Hitler the furer had sent them heartiest good wishes for the new year expressing his concern for their perilous position the heroic stand of your TR troops has my highest respect you and your soldiers however should enter the new year with the unshakable confidence that I and the whole German vermar will do everything in our power to relieve the Defenders of Stalingrad and that with your staunchness will come the most glorious feat in the history of German arms skeptical soldiers noticed that the fur's New Year's witch lacked strong guarantees that they would be saved it gave them no hope that such a day would come starvation and surrender the final Agony as the battle for Stalingrad was nearing its end German morale was on a serious decline while the Soviets were spurred by the prospect of imminent Victory yet it was obvious that both sides were on the verge of physical and psychological collapse both sides suffered from severe shortages of food and medical supplies and diseases spread rapidly among the troops German soldiers were constantly hungry Food Supplies were scarce and what little they had was often not enough to sustain them they ate thin soups made from whatever they could scavenge often resorting to eating horses when things got really bad soldiers were seen gnawing on pieces of bread that were hard as rocks the constant hunger weakened them making it difficult to fight and maintain their positions medical supplies were almost non-existent wounded soldiers lay in makeshift hospitals without proper care bandages were reused and there was no anesthetic to ease their their pain infection was uncontrolled and many soldiers died from wounds that could have been easily treated in normal conditions dentry spread through the ranks causing severe dehydration and further weakening the troops soldiers suffered from frostbite due to the freezing temperatures and without proper Medical Care many lost fingers toes and even entire limbs the cramped filthy conditions made it easy for diseases to spread quickly lice were everywhere spreading typhus among the soldiers the lack of Sanitation meant that diseases like typhoid and chalera were common killing many soldiers who were already weakened by hunger and exhaustion Soviet soldiers faced similar hardships food was in short supply and they often had to survive on rations that were barely enough to keep them alive they ate whatever they could find including rats and birds the lucky ones received small portions of bread and watery soup many soldiers went days without eating and and the constant hunger sapped their strength and morale medical supplies were also scarce for the Soviets wounded soldiers had to rely on whatever improvised treatments their comrades could provide there were not enough bandages and many soldiers bled to death from wounds that could have been treated infections were common and without proper medical supplies many soldiers died from Gang Green and other complications the cold weather only made things worse as frostbite claimed the limbs of many soldiers who could not find shelter diseases spread rapidly among the Soviet soldiers as well the lack of clean water and proper sanitation meant that diseases like dysentry and typhus were widespread soldiers were often too weak to fight and many died in their makeshift trenches and bunkers lice and rats were everywhere spreading disease and adding to the solders suffering the constant presence of death and disease took a heavy toll on the solders morale both German and Soviet soldiers endured unimaginable suffering during the battle of Stalingrad the lack of food medical supplies and the constant threat of disease made their lives a living nightmare they fought not only the enemy but also hunger disease and the brutal cold the dire living conditions left them weakened and demoralized but they continued to fight driven by the hope of survival and the desire to protect their comrades the last days in Stalingrad were terrible there were thousands of dead bodies and many wounded soldiers dying in the streets because the hospitals were over crowded ultimately it was the Germans who first succumbed to such a dire situation the horrors they suffered caused them to disregard even the orders of their fura after months of Relentless fighting extreme cold and starvation Germans faced the inevitable on January 31st 1943 paulus decided to surrender to the Soviets this was the first time a German field Marshal had ever surrendered in history he was followed into captivity by 91,000 of his his men from Battlefield to Gulag the harsh reality of life in captivity the act of surrender for most Germans was a mixture of disgrace and relief they were on the verge of victory in Stalingrad yet they ended up on their knees however the horror of fighting was finally over and the death stopped looming over their heads at least that was what they thought after the surrender the Germans were forced to march in Long columns toward collecting points they walked through snow and ice often without proper food or rest the marches were harsh with little shelter and freezing temperatures many men were weak from hunger and exhaustion at collecting points German prisoners stood for hours in the cold waiting to be processed they were searched and anything valuable was taken from them from there they marched to holding areas like bokin and B roska the roads were difficult and many men fell behind those who couldn't keep up were beaten or left to die in the snow in the holding areas German prisoners faced terrible conditions they were crammed into small spaces often standing shoulder toh shoulder in one Dugout 60 men were packed so tightly that no one could sit the air was dark and stifling and the only light came from a small blocked window the prisoners stood for hours unable to move surrounded by Earth and walls that allowed No Escape food was scarce and of poor quality they received hard frozen bread and half half a salt Herring each the bread was so hard it couldn't be bitten sometimes they got a mixture of rotten potatoes and venison in a pot cooked by Romanian prisoners hunger was constant and their bodies weakened each day the weather was harsh with temperatures dropping below freezing most soldiers wore thin clothing and inadequate Footwear at night they tried to sleep huddled together for warmth but the cold seeped through their blankets lice were a constant problem that forced prisoners to spend their day searching for and killing them however it was a pest that never went away in some holding places prisoners had no shelter and stayed in Open Fields marked out by guards they lit small fires with grass and scraps of wood but such fires were weak and did little to warm them many prisoners lay down in the snow trying to rest but the cold and exhaustion made sleep impossible the holding areas were places of Relentless suffering and despair from holding places prisoners were ultimately sent to larger prison camps over there life was equally hard prisoners worked long hours in difficult conditions in the zilow camp they cut wood in the forest in cold winter and without proper clothing prisoners had to keep moving to stay warm food was scarce they got small portions of bread and watery soup hunger was constant in the salon dosk Camp prisoners worked on a collective Farm they planted and harvested crops often working from dawn until dusk the work was backbreaking and the prisoners were always tired without proper nutrition and rest their strength and overall health quickly deteriorated at the Sapar roia Camp prisoners were put in the punishment section for not working hard enough the conditions there were even worse they were given very little food and were often beaten the work was dangerous and involved moving heavy materials and working in hazardous environments all these camps were overcrowded and unsanitary making it easy for illnesses such as typhus to spread as expected medical care was limited causing many prisoners to die from their illnesses or simply from exhaustion however nothing was comparable to the conditions of prisoner camps located in the vastness of Siberia the harsh Siberian weather made life a true misery Winters were long and brutally cold with temperatures going down to- 60° in such conditions it was extremely difficult for prisoners to stay warm especially when they did not have proper clothing prisoners were housed in overcrowded Barracks with little space to move these Barracks were poorly equipped with insufficient water supply and no proper toilets people had to use makeshift facilities which were often just holes in the ground food was scarce and inadequate leaving prisoners constantly hungry and weak the bread deliveries were always insufficient and the meager rations did not provide enough nutrition for the hard labor expected of them work was grueling and unending prisoners were forced to perform backbreaking labor with minimal tools they dug holes for fence posts in frozen ground which was a slow and exhausting process the work was made even harder by the melting ice which created muddy and slippery conditions the guards were strict and often brutal they enforced discipline with physical punishment prisoners were frequently counted and checked both day and night any sign of Disobedience or attempt to escape was met with severe punishment guards would use wooden hammers to keep prisoners in line and even minor infractions could lead to beatings amid all this horror prisoners still held on to hope and the belief that one day they might regain their freedom this Hope was a small but significant part of their daily struggle helping them endure the harsh conditions of prison camps indeed such a day did come unfortunately only for a small portion of prisoners the repatriation of German prisoners of War Began already in 1945 but it took more than 10 years for all of them to return to their Homeland out of 91,000 soldiers captured at Stalingrad only 5,000 lived to see their families again the city of Stalingrad was silent and Eerie after the battle ended on February 2nd 1943 the destruction was everywhere with mounds of rubble and deep bomb craters railway tracks lay twisted Ed and tanker wagons were overturned like dead horses about 3,500 civilians worked to clear the dead bodies stacking Frozen German corpses like Timber they used improvised sleds and hand carts to move the bodies to bunkers or a huge anti-tank ditch 1,200 German prisoners also helped with the burial work but many died from typhus or were shot by their escorts the bodies didn't disappear quickly even after the vulgar River thawed in Spring blacken skin washed up on the banks it is estimated that as many as 850.
