H.G. Kaulbars, Der Krieg

“A world catastrophe can serve many purposes. One is to furnish an alibi when God asks:

‘And where were you, Adam?’

‘I was in the war.’”

~ Theodor Haecker, Tag und Nachtbuecher: 1947

This reconstruction of Lieutenant Kaulbars war record is only possible because his Soldbuch somehow survived the war and captivity.

Nov 23, 1939: Inducted into the Army, Sanitäts-Ersatz-Kompanie 3/8, Breslau, (now Wrocław, Poland).

Dec 1939 – Dec 1940: San Komp 248 / Sanitätskompanie 248 (Medical Company), 168. Infanterie-Division, Battle of France

Dec 1940: 3/ Inf Ersatz Batl 472 / : 3 Komp Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 472, Freystadt, Schlesien (now Kożuchów, Poland)

Jan 1941: Infanterie-Regiment 676, 332. Infanterie-Division, Bretagne

Feb 1941: Bef Gefreiter (promoted to PFC)

May 2, 1941: Bef Unteroffizier (promoted to Corporal)

May 1941: Infantrie Schule Doeberitz, Berlin

Aug 19, 1941: Bef Feldwebel und Leutnant (promoted to Sergeant and Lieutenant)

Sept 1941: Inf Ers. Batl. 38 / Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 38, Duss, Westmark (Dieuze, Lorraine)

Oct 1941: Infanterie-Regiment 485, 263. Infanterie-Division, 4th Army, Army Group Center. The Battle for Moscow

Dec 1, 1941: NW of Serpukhov, on the Oka R. about 50 km SW of Moscow

Jan 20, 1942: Pushed back by Soviet counter-offensive; wounded with frostbite, Juchnow (Yukhnov)

Jan 20 – 18 Feb, 1942: Reserve-Lazarett (reserve hospital) Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland).

Feb 18 – May 1942: Inf Ers. Batl. 697 / Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 697, Saint-Mihiel, France.

May 13, 1942: 71. Infanterie-Division*, 6th Army, Second Battle of Kharkov, wounded by sniper bullet to the head while moving up to take his new post.

*Notes with his Soldbuch say “No entry in Soldbuch because I got directly into the 2nd Charkov battle and was wounded immediately after arrival.” He suggests his posting was with the 72 Inf Div, but with a “?” Actually the 72 Inf Div was much farther south at Odessa; it was the 71. Infanterie-Division that was at Kharkov (OoB Second Battle of Kharkov).

May 13 – June 1942: Lazarett Charkov, Res Laz Kreuzburg (now Kluczbork, Poland)

Jul – Oct 1942: Inf Ers. Batl. 697 / Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 697, Saint-Quentin, Aisne, France

Oct 1942: Inf Reg 699, 342 Inf Div (and here), 4th Army, Army Group Center

Oct 1942: The Battle of Rzhev Joins the 699th in a salient east-south-east of Sytchowska (Sychyovka), Smolensk District

Mar 27, 1943: Eisernes Kreuz, 2 Klasse

Apr 1943: The line is pushed back to Romashkovo, NE of Jelna (Yelna), East of Khlysty by the Russian 5th Army

May – Aug: The line is pushed steadily back south west towards Jelna on the Desna River

Sept 1943: Jelna falls, 342nd is pushed straight west.

5 Sept 1943: Kaulbars is wounded in the legs just West of Jelna; a machine gun bullet in each upper leg, but the bullets do not damage either bone or major blood vessels.

5 Sept – 27 Oct, 1943: Reserve-Lazarett (reserve hospital) Sokolov near Warsaw.

Nov 1943: rejoins Inf Reg 699, 342 Inf Div at Jerygi west of Mogilev. Through Nov they are pushed back to north of Tschaussy (Chavusy)

Dec 1943: The 342nd is just south of Gorki (Horki), southeast of Orsha. Dec 6th Kaulbars is wounded again.

Dec 6, 1943 – 19 Feb 1944: Kriegs-Lazarettabteilung (Military Hospital) 4/581 Suwalki, Poland

Dec 1944: Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber

Mar – Apr 1944: Inf Ers Batl 697, Gren. Ers. Reg. 552, Div. Nr. 462 (462 Replacement and Training Division) in Diedenhofen (Thionville); served as a Eisenbahnoffizier (Railroad Transit Officer)

Apr – 11 July 1944: Officer with Inf.-Bataillon 540 z.b.V. (zur besonderen Verwendung) (for special use), Army Group North. The Battle_of_Narva

Apr – Jun, 1944: Narwa

July 1944: Dünaburg (Daugavpils)