| The official history of the 62nd Volksgrenedier Division by Leutnant Gerhard Wurms
Allerbesten Dank für die Übersetzung geht an Erich Craciun...Very best thanks for the translations goes to Erich Craciun... The 15th / 16th December moves closer. These are days we soldiers will never forget, can never forget. We spend the night full of uncertainty in the local church. At approximately 4:30 the regimental commander gave us our orders. Then our artillery tore the silence of the night with loud salvos. An enormous reign of fire fell on the American lines. Searchlights lit up the night and illuminated the paths of the attacking grenadiers. With the course of time, the opposing fire became stronger. We are waiting for our orders to attack, which we received later. Only isolated American artillery fire goes up, to which we hardly take notice.
16th December: Enemy machinegun- and rifle starts fast fire, by a war inexperienced division (106th) was to expect with tough resistance.
16th December, progress report for the early morning: 190th Regiment took the wooded hilltop south of Grosslangenfeld and could temporary penetrate Grosslangenfeld. The edge of the forest northwest Eigelscheid was reached.
16th December 7.00 o’clock: Regt 190th reported to division staff, that the Forrest edge at Eigelscheid was reached and the resistance in the area was decreased, grenadier regiment 164 received orders to move on... they run into already by 190th overrun field fortifications at and west of Weissenhof and in the Forrest lengthways the road leading to Winterspelt and received new enemy resistance, which first must be broken… Minefields and barbed-wire entanglements at Grosslangenfeld and Heckhuscheid hold back for days.
Concept of the enemy: 16th December: In Grosslangenfeld stands a reconnaissance unit (106th), at Winterspelt and in Heckhuscheid very strong resistance, particular Tanks in Winterspelt.
Along the road from Eigelscheid we pushed in a northerly direction toward Grosslangenfeld and received such heavy fire from 37 mm cannon, mortars, and light- and heavy infantry weapons, that we withdrew into the forest on the right river bed to the left. At the same time the Americans are attacked from west from parts of the Regiment 190, which stood on the tree covered Hill 508. A courier from the neighboring company sent orders to coordinate the next attack, which now should start at the same time in order to deny the Americans the possibility of a concentrated defense of their positions and force them to surrender. Our company should start the attack and 5 minutes later the other company attacked from Hill 508 and is suppose to push into the village.
However the attack does not go as planned. The resistance is much stronger than we had expect and coordinated very well tactically. The defenders of the town seem to be everywhere and defend against one wave after another. We take heavy losses and there are rumor, that our two companies are facing an entire bataillon. Until the late evening it is not possible to penetrate the town and the fight goes relentless on until 10 o’clock, when an American armored car get hit by an Panzerfaust and begins to burn. And then "peace" falls over the village, but I do not want to leave my foxhole because every movement draws direct fire and so I hoped for break in the fire, since I would like to take a look at the rest of my platoon. I creep up and down our positions and see a high number of wounded and dead in their foxholes. From my platoon is not much left, only some 8 men were still fit for action and most of their ammunition had been used up. Under these circumstances we await the next morning in icy cold weather.
Just even with the dawn the attacks resumed. The battle now took on a gruesome form, as now we could see the bodies of our comrade who were killed the day before and during the night, which were strangely frozen, preserved n their death throes by, their blood turn the surrounding snow pink. A few looked like they were only sleeping, but among others, one recognized the hideousness of death immediately.
Just only a line up and short orders. Everyone in the "company" knew what he has to do...and we attack our old target from the forest again. As soon as I saw the muzzle flash, it was too late. I tried to throw myself into the snow, into the turned up soil, but I get hit in the chest by two .30 caliber rounds. My attempt to crawl back into the forest were foiled due to my fading strength. For me the war was over. I wake up three day later in the hospital at Daun. I entered captivity around the 6th or 7th March 1945, after the Americans take the town.
Again the official History:
16th December, progress report for the Night: 190th Regiment without one amplified company, which stand at Grosslangenfeld, took high ground north of Winterspelt and the height northeast of Ihren.
164 reached Wallmerath, where an enemy command post could be occupied…In Winterspelt the enemy was pushed into the west part of the town, furthermore on Heckhalenfeld. He defends oneself ever brave.
Concept of the enemy: 17th December: At Grosslangenfeld the resistance slows down. The enemy in front of 190 and 164 must be worn down by Artillery and heavy infantry weapons before he withdraw. In western part of Winterspelt still opponent, who disturbs reinforcements. Heckhuscheid is still enemy territory.
Concept of the enemy: 18th December: Enemy in Grosslangenfeld has withdrawn. The "Ardennenoffensive" did not bring the hoped-for success. Apart from me, I have only met one surviving member of the company, Josef Graf, who was captured around noon of December 17th. In conversation with other comrades of the division, I learned years after the war, that our company was up to 90% destroyed and was sent to break the toughest resistance faced the hardest fighting in the bataillon’s area. The defenders of the town were outnumbered and already shattered by our artillery fire. Nevertheless they fought bitterly and held out beating back the attack of 2 full companies. To these American soldiers I can only pay my fullest respect. |