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Battle Group - German Kampfgruppe of WWII

  • Last updated: 12/12/2024
  • Review
Battle Group - German Kampfgruppe of WWII

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No re-enactment event is complete without a battle scenario being presented, and it is the show’s highlight. Whatever period, from the Romans to the Vietnam War, the visiting crowds enjoy the thrill of watching live-action displays, and the louder it is the better they like it. After all, this is what they have come to see, and they expect to see the Union army defeat the Confederates and Wellington win the battle of Waterloo. When it comes to scenarios set against the backdrop of either world war, the Allies invariably win. There are some limitations which restrict these presentations for the sake of safety, but even the smallest battle re-enactment displays are exciting.

The show must go on
These displays set during WWII offer the greatest range of scenarios, including as they often do, vehicles, artillery, and lots of explosions. Staging them often involves several groups participating in the show, and includes vehicles driven by their owners to add dynamism. These presentations show weapons from rifles to machine guns and artillery being used in the ways they would have been in action, with re-enactors using tactics taught to the troops. The Allies usually fought as separate units, but as the war progressed, the Germans developed a new type of formation known as the ‘Kampfgruppe’ or battle group. In fact, it is this type of formation which the German re-enactment groups demonstrate when they take part in a battle re-enactment.

Kampfgruppe
Battle groups were improvised formations created in the field by an officer combining the remnants of several units into one cohesive fighting unit. Such formations could be formidable and taught the Allies they could never underestimate the German’s ability to regroup and fight back. These tactics had been formulated and proven during WWI, but they were to realise their full potential after 1941 and came to be used in all theatres of war from Russia to North Africa and Italy to Western Europe. Because of its nature, using whatever manpower and weaponry was to hand, the battle group could range in size from company strength, with 200 to 300 men, up to divisional strength with several thousand men, or more. In exceptional circumstances, this could include air force and naval personnel fighting in an infantry role.
The Germans were able to achieve this due to the training the troops received and the ability to absorb all branches into the unit, including artillery and armoured vehicles, from scout cars, such as SdKfz 223, through to tanks. During the war, there were many demonstrations as to the capabilities of such units, some achieving favourable results, but others, such as Kampfgruppe Peiper, gained notoriety for their conduct during the Battle of the Bulge. One of the better examples of what battle groups could achieve comes from the actions of Kampfgruppe 1001, which was formed in March 1945 and included 500 men and 43 vehicles. On 16 April it was deployed against Russian units advancing towards the Seelowe Heights outside Berlin. During the fighting, it lost 90% of its manpower and was left with only 18 vehicles. It withdrew into Berlin, where, between 24 April and 1 May, it was surrounded and destroyed.

Re-enactment
Seeing an eclectic mix of re-enactors depicting different types of German troops, supported by an equally varied range of vehicles deployed in the display arena, they look reminiscent of such battle groups. Anti-tank guns are sited to engage the advancing American tanks, machine-gunners take up positions to fire on the infantry, and mortars are also deployed. Vehicles are placed ready to go into action when they are given the ‘all clear’, meaning it is safe to move into the crowded arena. In reality, such a deployment would be dispersed to take advantage of natural cover such as trees and bushes. However, for a display within a confined area, like a production on stage, watching crowds must use their imagination and believe that the Germans are taking cover to lie in wait for the ‘unsuspecting’ Allies. At the given signal, the German ambush is sprung, and everything opens up.
It was this ability to reorganise and consolidate to form such units that slowed down the Allied advance. The Allies came in for a great shock when German resistance during Operation Market Garden, at Arnhem, inflicted heavy losses to the British 1st Airborne Division. Such displays of battle group tactics have been presented by re-enactors styled as Germans at shows such as Military Odyssey, Tankfest and Wartime in the Vale, along with many other events.
For example, at this year’s Tankfest, the range of vehicles deployed in the battle group scenario included a replica SdKfz 222 and an OT-810 converted to look like an SdKfz 251 troop carrier. Supporting them was a 1937 French Citroen U23 truck that was towing a former Russian 76.2mm M1927 regimental gun, both fully refurbished by the company of History in the Making, which supplies props to the movie industry. The company also supplied a replica Stower Kfz 1 Type 40 liaison vehicle based on a Russian GAZ 69 vehicle. In preparing for the displays, they all made a show of deploying by driving around the arena, as though looking for a suitable place to deploy, for the benefit of the visiting crowds. When the Allies approached, the Germans opened fire with pyrotechnic explosions, adding to the drama. In previous displays, such battle groups have included PaK40 anti-tank guns, Hetzer tank destroyers and other tanks. Inevitably, the Allies won the day, but the demonstration showed how brief some actions could be, sometimes lasting only minutes.

Tactics
For military history enthusiasts or those with a general interest, displays such as this give an insight into German tactics. They may not be the exact thing, but with all the action going on, it really doesn’t matter. As long as things went according to plan, without any accidents, it counts as another successful show. Blockbuster films have the edge when it comes to scale for action scenes, but seeing live-action displays, with all the noise and smells, surely beats anything two-dimensional films can offer. Then, of course, there is the added plus of being able to see the vehicles up close once they have cleared the arena and are parked. Talking with the re-enactors who took part is possible, allowing visitors to learn a bit more about the weapons, and this interaction has often led to new members joining a group.
It is possible to collect items of equipment, kit, and even weapons such as rifles and pistols as used in the display and seen in books on the many campaigns fought during WWII. However, trying to understand the tactics and how the weapons were used, is something which does not always come through in books. Watching a battle re-enactment scenario provides some of the answers, and watching how a battle group probably functioned fills in some of the gaps in understanding German tactics in WWII.

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