When and why did this conflict start?
Marko
Conflict between Gruppenführer Gille and Gen.Maj. Gaedcke
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Marc Rikmenspoel
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Gaedcke was a corps level staff officer at Cherkassy, where Gille and his staff headed SS-Wiking. Gille and his staff claimed to see Gaedcke fleeing during the Cherkassy breakout, abandoning his men in a cowardly way.
A year later, Gaedcke was on Balck's 6. Armee staff in Hungary, where Gille and his staff officers (such as Manfred Schönfelder) now commanded the IV. SS-Panzerkorps as a component of 6. Armee. Supposedly, the Gille circle was critical of Gaedcke, while Gaedcke resented this, and fostered an anti-Gille feeling in Balck in retaliation. This was supposedly one of the causes of the bad blood between Balck and Gille during the late winter and spring of 1945.
My main source for this is Perry Pierik's Hungary 1945 : The Forgotten Tragedy, and I have not looked into the matter further.
A year later, Gaedcke was on Balck's 6. Armee staff in Hungary, where Gille and his staff officers (such as Manfred Schönfelder) now commanded the IV. SS-Panzerkorps as a component of 6. Armee. Supposedly, the Gille circle was critical of Gaedcke, while Gaedcke resented this, and fostered an anti-Gille feeling in Balck in retaliation. This was supposedly one of the causes of the bad blood between Balck and Gille during the late winter and spring of 1945.
My main source for this is Perry Pierik's Hungary 1945 : The Forgotten Tragedy, and I have not looked into the matter further.
Hello guys!
Most interesting story. I have heard vaguelly about this, but was unaware as to the causes. Has there been a book published about Gille? He seems to have been a very competent general, and highly decorated soldier. Hopefully someone can enlighten us more as to the specifics of this disagreement with this staff officer.
Al Carter
Most interesting story. I have heard vaguelly about this, but was unaware as to the causes. Has there been a book published about Gille? He seems to have been a very competent general, and highly decorated soldier. Hopefully someone can enlighten us more as to the specifics of this disagreement with this staff officer.
Al Carter
Death solves all problems - no man, no problem. ~Joseph Stalin~
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heinz kling
Balck and Gille
In Ziemke and Bauer's book Stalingrad to Berlin, it was recorded in the Army KTB that Balck was not happy with the IV. SS Pz Korps, that Gille was always in the front and his staff officer was incompetent and had to be replaced by a Heer officer. But I won't read too much into that book, as the authors have an ingrained bias against Germans in general, the SS in particular ( the authors even say that one claim of a German female refugee who claimed to be raped 25 times by the Russian marauders in East Prussia was pathetic !).
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Mitch Williamson
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- Location: Perth Western Australia
Interesting Heinz
This 'bias' is continued in Richard Brett-Smith's 'Hitler's Generals'.
On page 11 he pontificates: 'What sort of men were the generals...In some the underlying flaw of character may be caught, and it is not hard to guess the SS commanders.'
Then later on Gille: Ziemke has described him as 'a well-meaning bumbler who spent most of his time at the front'.
Mitch comment: What, like Model did?
British officer 'dastardly Hun' attitude coming through.
Regards
Mitch
On page 11 he pontificates: 'What sort of men were the generals...In some the underlying flaw of character may be caught, and it is not hard to guess the SS commanders.'
Then later on Gille: Ziemke has described him as 'a well-meaning bumbler who spent most of his time at the front'.
Mitch comment: What, like Model did?
British officer 'dastardly Hun' attitude coming through.
Regards
Mitch
Thanks guys, especially Marc!
According to Balck, Gaedcke turned pale when he heard his "old buddy" Gille is coming in town with his IV.SS-Pz.Korps.
He sure didn't wait and started to express his true friendship from day one (in Hungary of course). And this tight bond between them lasted till the very last day of the war.
Balck and Gille were really made for each other, you almost get the feeling they competed who is going to be more critical regarding the Waffen-SS.
I've got just one more question, where did it start this for Balck (I mean his hate towards the Waffen-SS). My guess is while commanding Army Group G, though he had several (close) encounters with Bittrich during the failed Tarnopol relief attempt.
Cheers
Marko
According to Balck, Gaedcke turned pale when he heard his "old buddy" Gille is coming in town with his IV.SS-Pz.Korps.
He sure didn't wait and started to express his true friendship from day one (in Hungary of course). And this tight bond between them lasted till the very last day of the war.
Balck and Gille were really made for each other, you almost get the feeling they competed who is going to be more critical regarding the Waffen-SS.
I've got just one more question, where did it start this for Balck (I mean his hate towards the Waffen-SS). My guess is while commanding Army Group G, though he had several (close) encounters with Bittrich during the failed Tarnopol relief attempt.
Cheers
Marko