Oberstleutnant i.G. Friedrich-Wilhelm Meisner.

 

Oberstleutnant i.G. Friedrich-Wilhelm Meisner.

Born : 28 October 1911 - Berlin

Missing in Stalingrad since 24 January 1943.

Wife : Erica Meisner

Children : Unknown

 

Ia (operations officer) of the 29. Infanterie Division (mot.)

Fieldpostnumber in the Stalingrad encirlement :

Kdo. 29. Inf. Div. (mot.) : 03602

 

Last peace time assignment : Füsilierregiment 27 in Rostock.

 

 

Oberstleutnant i.G. Friedrich-Wilhelm Meisner promoted major on 1 January 1942.

He was promoted Oberstleutnant posthumously on 1 November 1943.

 

Stalingrad

Generalmajor Hans-Georg Leyser (commander 29. Infanterie Division (mot.) during the battle for Stalingrad) wrote in his Stalingrad memoirs (published in the Divisional History “Das Buch der Falke-Division - 29. Infanterie Division (mot.)) that he saw Oberstleutnant i.G. Friedrich-Wilhelm Meisner for the last time when he ordered him on 24 January 1943 to make contact with XIV Panzerkorp headquarters (superior formation of 29. Infanterie Division (mot.) commanded by Generalleutnant Helmuth Schlömer.)

 

 Generalmajor Hans-Georg Leyser (left) after he was captured at Stalingrad.

 

The headquarters of the XIV Panzerkorp were in the GPU cellar (prison). The headquarters of the 29. Infanterie Division (mot.), by then a Kampfgruppe, was located in the Tigoda balka. (Tigoda gully). Friedrich-Wilhelm Meisner never returned to the divisional headquarters from his mission.

 

Generalmajor Ernst Leyser noticed in his memoirs that he was informed about a commander’s attempt to break out of the Stalingrad “pocket” (he mentioned no name). This took place on 26 January 1943 with officers and soldiers of units belonging to the XIV Panzerkorp likely including Major Friedrich-Wilhelm Meisner. However, this was not an order from Generalleutnant Hans-Georg Leyser.

 

In fact, Leyser could not believe this when he heard about the attempt to break out. He was informed beforehand that there would be practically no chance of success. The nearest German frontline was about 300 to 400 km west from the Stalingrad “pocket”. With no clothes or food to survive the cold and almost no ammunition, Leyser never heard from this group again.

 

That his Ia (Meisner) took part in this attempt was unthinkable for Leyser because to him Oberstleutnant i.G. Friedrich-Wilhelm Meisner would mentally and physically not be able to overcome the odds.

 

Friedrich-Wilhelm Meisner was an intelligent General Staff Officer who as Ia worked together well with his fellow officers. However once in the Stalingrad “pocket” he became ill and had a nervous breakdown. Officially he stayed Ia of the 29. Infanterie Division (mot) but after his physical and mental exhaustion,  his work was taken over by the 01 of the division (Hauptmann Fritz Schott) and Major von Berg (Ib of the division)

 

Oberstleutnant i.G. Friedrich-Wilhelm Meisner was declared officially dead on 8 Juli 1952.

 

* On 29 December 1942 Meisner wrote a letter to a friend of his who was an Oberst. He gave the letter to his aide, Oberleutnant Herchentröther whom he ordered to deliver this letter. What was in the letter and to which Oberst it was addressed to remains unknown to this day.

 

 

Sources :

“Das Buch der Falke-Division - 29. Infanterie Division (mot.) :

www.stalingrad.net by Geert Rottiers.

Three scenes of Barbarossa - The Cast - by Ronald M.A. Hirst.

 

Copyright Pictures :

Geert Rottiers - www.stalingrad.net

 

Research :

Geert Rottiers

 

Thanks to :

Elwyn Wong

Kai

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