Wigand Wüster - An Artilleryman in Stalingrad: A Soldiers Story at the Turning Point of World War II

STACKPOLE BOOKS

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Copyright 2007 by Leaping Horseman Books (Australia)

First Stackpole edition published in 2021 by arrangement with Leaping Horseman Books

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Maps and illustrations by Jason D. Mark

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Wster, Wigand, 1920 author. | Laursen, Torben, translator. | Mark, Jason D., translator. | Steinmller, Harald, translator.

Title: An artilleryman in Stalingrad / Dr. Wigand Wster ; translated by Torben Laursen, Jason D. Mark and Harald Steinmller ; maps and illustrations by Jason D. Mark.

Other titles: Gttingen-Stalingrad-Mnchen. Selections. English

Description: First Stackpole edition. | Guilford, Connecticut : Stackpole Books, [2021] | Includes index. | Summary: In this brutally honest account, Wigand Wster provides a glimpse into the Eastern Front of World War II rarely seen before. With frankness, humor, and perception, Wster takes the reader from the heady days of the German 1942 summer offensive into the icy hell of Stalingrads final hoursand finally into his Soviet captivity Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021017391 (print) | LCCN 2021017392 (ebook) | ISBN 9780811770385 (cloth) | ISBN 9780811770392 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Wster, Wigand, 1920 | World War, 19391945CampaignsEastern Front. | Stalingrad, Battle of, Volgograd, Russia, 19421943. | Germany. Heer. Artillerie Regiment 171. | Germany. Heer. Infanterie-Division, 71. | World War, 19391945 Personal narratives, German. | Prisoners of warGermanyBiography. | Prisoners of warSoviet UnionBiography.

Classification: LCC D764.3.S7 W87 2021 (print) | LCC D764.3.S7 (ebook) | DDC 940.54/21747092 [B]dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021017391

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021017392

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

Dedicated to all the dead and missing soldiers of Artillerie-Regiment 171 (71. Infanterie-Division)

In some memoirs, every soldier is a likeable fellow who is fearless in the face of the enemy and regarded as heroic by his peers; the unit operates flawlessly, officers are firm but fair and personal rivalries, petty jealousy and bastardisation are virtually unknown. It is open to debate whether this state of martial harmony and mutual respect actually existed or if the author just omitted the unpleasant facts, because in most situations in life, we meet some people we simply dont get along with, for one reason or another. Politics, rivalry and favouritism inevitably bedevil most human gatherings, be it a military unit, the workplace or even social events. It is therefore refreshing to read Wsters account. He pulls no punches. He tells it like he sees it: the petty victimisation by his battalion commander; his distrust of certain soldiers; the unwillingness of his men to attack. This same openness also allows Wster to express opinions about sensitive subjects that still haunt Germans today. Some may not agree with certain statements made throughout the book but they are conclusions that Wster has drawn after a long life.

Wster was proud to be an officer in the German army. He believed it was an honourable career path for a young man and knew that being in the service was not just about snappy uniforms and glittering parades: war was part and parcel of being a soldier. However, he was glad that his front-line duty was at the beginning of his career, rather than later on, when he might be married and have children. As the prospect of victory in the east deteriorated, Wster was still prepared to do his duty, come what may, and never shirk his responsibilities as an officer and a commander. The ultimate proof of this was his dogged determination to fly into the Stalingrad pocket in late December to rejoin his men, even though it would have been easy for him to remain outside.

I first had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Wigand Wster in September 2005. He was amazingly spry, both mentally and physically, for a man of 85, going up and down two flights of stairs to fetch refreshments for my wife and I. Apart from being talented with the pen, Wster is also a keen photographer, artist and model builder: his collection of massive scratch-built boats needs to be seen to be believed. His passion is evident in everything he applies himself to and his wit, intellect and rebellious spirit shine through in this book.

There are several people who are to be thanked for making this book possible. First and foremost, I would like to thank Dr. Wigand Wster for recording his experiences and for permitting me to have his remarkable story translated and released in English. This book is compiled from selected excerpts of his detailed memoir (over 700 pages) called Gttingen-Stalingrad-Mnchen: berleben war fr uns nicht vorgesehen, which is currently only available in German as an e-book.

Heartfelt thanks go to Wigands son, Manfred, for being the personable link between his father and myself, and for answering my questions. In an age where many German families simply ignore their fathers war-time sacrifices, it is impressive to find a son who takes such a great interest in the tragedy and turmoil that embroiled his father.

My appreciation to Albrecht von Stumpff for supplying many insightful photos of his grandfather, Oberst Karl-Leberecht von Stumpff.

My deepest gratitude goes to Torben Laursen for selflessly translating the initial draft. Torben was already familiar with the text, having translated it for a Danish edition of the book. Without his assistance, it is doubtful this book would ever have been ready. Thanks also to Harald Steinmller for proofing the translated text and making other valuable contributions.

Im indebted once again to Tim Whistler for visiting the archives in Washington and securing the vital personnel files of Wster, Oberst Balthasar and Oberst von Stumpff.

And finally, my thanks as always go to you, the reader, for purchasing this book. It gives us the incentive to keep producing original titles and translations of lesser-known German language books in a high-quality format.

Any comments, criticism, corrections or additions will be greatly appreciated. Write to us as

Jason D. Mark

Sydney, Australia

June 2007