leon21 Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Regiment 962 and 961 were formed at the end of 1942 in Belgium as Disciplinary 999 Brigade and were based in the Antwerp Region. A so called "Bewahrungseinheit" or "Strafbattalion" were German soldiers who had done some kind of failure ( Theft's, almost Deserter's, or so called "Cowards in the front of the Enemy", and so on. Being in this unit was the only chance of Rehabilitation, it's debated as to whether this unit was a penal unit, dispite this assumption the ordinary ranks were not permitted to wear the National Eagle, collar patches or cockade on their uniforms, nor were they allowed to wear the traditional army belt with the National Eagle displayed on them. In March 1943 the unit had reached up to Division size and became 999 Division, at the same time 961 and 962 rifle Regiments ( MOT ) were sent to North Afrika and were redesignated as the 999th Leichte Afrika Division. Actual units in N.Afrika were. 961 Afrika-Schutzen-Regiment ( MOT ). 962 Afrika-Schutzen-Regiment ( MOT ). 999 Artillerie Battalion ( MOT ). 999 Pioneer- Battalion ( MOT ). 999 Astronomischer-Messtrupp ( MOT ) ( Navigation ). 999 Krankenkraftwagen-Zug ( MOT ) ( Ambulance ). 999 Feldgendarmie-Trupp ( MOT ) ( Field-Police ). Initially fighting as individual Regiments, and then assigned to the D.A.K. and fought as such until the end of the campaign in Afrika. and during their short history and dispite the fact they were supposedly a penal unit they committed themselves fairly well, those units of the Division not sent to N.Afrika were posted to Greece. Here's a few pages from a Wehrpass to Hermann Knaack of 962 Regiment, Hermann served from Dec 1942 to Oct 1943 With 6th Kompany, the unit was assigned some of the worst duties such as mine clearance in the face of the Enemy and military actions which had little chance of success ("Forlorn Hope Engagements"). Hermann Knaack was wounded in action soon after his arrival and was repatriated for recovery before the Afrika Korps surrenderd. Due to the severity of his wounds he was finally discharged on 25.10.44 as medically unfit for active service. He was awarded the wound badge in black. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 interesting that they could not wear the eagle yet still could be awarded for wounds! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon21 Posted February 25, 2015 Author Share Posted February 25, 2015 Officers and enlisted soldiers sentenced to these units were stripped of all insignia, instead they wore a red triangle on the sleeve indicating they belonged to a penal unit. These units were under the control of the Feldgendarmerie, convicted felons were granted a clean slate if they volunteered to serve in these units, and any prisoner that survived their missions would be deemed "Fit to Fight" and returned to the field with the "Rights" of a combat soldier and gain back all awards/rank ect- this also applied to civilian prisoners who volunteered to serve in these units. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon21 Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 963 Afrika-Schutzen Regiment. The 963 regiment was put together in Heuberg at the beginning of 1943, and was to be sent to Africa/Tunisia to join with the 961 and 962 regiments as part of the 999 Afrika Division. But were not ready in time to be sent there before the surrender of D.A.K. in Tunisia, so were sent instead to Greece. Below is a photo of Afrika-Schutzen Regiment 963, on parade at the "Vereidgung"- ( "OATH" Ceremony ) swearing-in at Heuberg in 1943. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewy Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I have an Afika 999 battalion group, he was staff though. Ended up in Gren. Div Rhodos. I'll post it in a while. Stewy 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicolasEll. Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 My grandfather was in the Stab if this unit, more on this here: https://enanosin.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/iii-afrika-schutzen-regiment-963/ 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Very interesting, perhaps you could post some of his documents? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 On 23/02/2015 at 22:15, Greg said: interesting that they could not wear the eagle yet still could be awarded for wounds! No eagle, no collar patches, no insignia, and apparently there was a special belt buckle for penal battalions, with a blank centre medallion. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joerg Erichsen Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 I have a book "Die Mit dem blauen Schein" by Hans Burkhrdt, and Guenter Erxleben, and it shows troops training at the base "dem Heuberg" and the trainees all ex offenders of the Reich justice system are in fact wearing shoulder boards with the waffenfarbe and they are wearing the collar Wehrmacht symbols. No eagles in uniforms however. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Uniforms were normally "abgerissen" with penal units, i.e., no collar Litzen and no shoulder pieces, as previously mentioned. What is a "blauer Schein", similiar to an "Extra-Wurst"? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Andrew Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 Hi Joerg, welcome to the forum, could you post the picture from the book? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 Belt buckle, often stated as "Strafbataillon", here with maker's mark(internet photos) There are not many photos of such personnel to be found 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 Die mit dem blauen Schein über den antifaschistischen Widerstand in den 999er Formationen d. faschist. dt. Wehrmacht (1942 - 1945)Burkhardt, Hans; Günter Erxleben und Kurt Nettball, Berlin/ Militärverlag der Dt. Demokrat. Republik, 1982, Leineneinband Wer waren die Leute mit dem "blauen Schein", was verbarg sich hinter dieser Bezeichnung? Die Bescheinigung, mit der die "Wehrunwürdigkeit" für die faschistische deutsche Wehrmacht amtlich dokumentiert wurde, hatte eine blaue Farbe....As found in internet book lists 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 Background: The Ausschließungsschein was a document given to those who were found to be unworthy of service in the Wehrmacht, either the result of a criminal offence or some other reason 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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