German Army
1943 – 1945 Organizational
Symbols |
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Explanation of German Units and Organizational
Symbols
The symbols in this work are based on the official German handbook of military
symbols (H.Dv. 272) of 23 May 1943, and the symbols of the organizational charts
(Kriegsgliederung des Feldheeres – 1.07.1943) .
The 1943 organizational
symbols were simplified. The anti-tank units now also used a representation of
the basic anti-tank gun symbol itself. The weapons symbols themselves were no
longer modified, but instead had information placed next to them.
In
German organizational charts (and, as reflected in this work), the headquarters
symbol represents two purposes. First, it indicated the size, function, and
mobility of the unit.
And, second, it also indicated the headquarters of that echelon itself. I.e.,
there was no separate symbol for this echelon's headquarters. For all
headquarters units with (and sometimes important units without) separate KStN,
the corresponding symbols were placed to the right of the echelon's symbol. The
same applied to those units that were directly assigned to the echelon's
headquarters.
The different functions and mobility additions were used to
enhance the echelon's symbol to indicate a specific purpose. Company-sized units
and sub-units symbols were also modified in a similar fashion.
An
interesting feature of company and sub-unit symbols is that their size and shape
dimensions could be altered to fit the diagram being depicted with them. Several
infantry companies, for example, were placed side-by-side, elongated upwards,
(so that all weapons symbols could fit within), and only the left-hand company
had the thickened edge used to indicate its size (more of this below). The
variations in size and shape followed the original configuration, so that the
basic symbol was still recognizable as such.
The symbols were intended to
be mnemonic. The headquarters symbols reflected the units' pennants used on
vehicles or the standards themselves. (These flags and pennants were of
different colors to represent the various combat arms, and usually had a number,
letter, and/or heraldic symbol superimposed upon them). Hence, any German
looking at one of these symbols could immediately recognize the unit type being
depicted. The colors in real life were substituted by the unit function and
mobility modifiers above and below the symbols. In addition, a simplified
version of the organizational symbols was, for example, painted on unit
vehicles.
The mobility of the unit was also quickly recognizable. The two
small circles ('wheels') underneath a symbols identified the unit as being
motorized. In case these wheels were over the symbol (applied only to
artillery-type units), this indicated that the unit was motorized by
half-tracked prime movers. Elongated ovals ('tracks') applied underneath the
symbol meant that the unit was self-propelled. A wheel and a track symbol
indicated a half tracked armored
vehicle.
The lozenge symbol represented armor. All tank units
used this symbol. It was shaped to reflect World War I tanks, and hence provided
a good memory assist.
Aside from a very few specialized symbols, which
were quickly memorized, all company-sized and smaller unit symbols tended to
reflect the units' function or at least their main weapon. In most cases, a unit
too difficult to depict easily was instead represented by a box with a
corresponding abbreviation inside. In case it belonged to a particular arm, the
arms symbol could be placed on top of or within this box. Where various
modifiers applied, these were all added to the symbol.
Company-sized
units had, somewhere within their symbol, a thickened part, usually a
side.
Artillery Inspectorate and Army Anti-Aircraft firing artillery
(tube, rocket-launcher, and anti-aircraft) batteries used the basic symbol
without thickening. (Firing artillery in units smaller than battery size were
depicted on a smaller scale).
Weapon identification was by means of
information placed alongside the symbol: caliber to the left (if no modifier was
indicated, it was a light weapon), identification to the right, the number of
weapons were placed below.
None-firing batteries of the artillery arm
followed the normal form of thickening a portion of the symbol to indicate their
size.
Infantry anti-aircraft companies followed the normal practice, and
the weapon symbols representing these types of companies had the upright stems
thickened accordingly.
Where several columns, platoons, or detachments
were gathered under a company headquarters, (such as a heavy company) – and each
of these sub-units had its own KStN – these symbols were placed side-by-side
within a box, with the left side thickened accordingly.
The Germans
numbered their units on organizational charts from the right. I.e., the first
company was on the far right, and the last company was on the far left. The same
applied to battalions and regiments.
Units smaller than companies
appeared on organizational charts only if they had their own Table of
Organization. Exceptions occurred, particularly if headquarters sub-units had
specialized equipment. They were depicted on a smaller scale than company-sized
units.
Staffel
(Detachment) An elastic designation for several
components under a headquarters section, these components being from section to
platoon size. Often this was merely an administrative grouping, and the
components were distributed to other sub-units in combat. It could either have
its own small headquarters section, or one of the components' leaders could
carry out a dual function.
Kolonne
(Column) An independent
transportation unit, varying from company to platoon size, transporting
equipment or supplies such as a bridge column (which in fact did not actually
build the bridge it was transporting), or even as an light 'infantry' column
(which consisted of a set number of horse-drawn vehicles capable of transporting
a fixed tonnage).
Zug
(Platoon) An independent unit or the
typical main sub-division of companies and batteries. Usually, the 1st and 2nd
platoons in each company-sized unit, and also of independent platoons, were lead
by a lieutenant, while the other platoons were headed by a senior
NCO.
Trupp
(lit. Troop; Section) A small unit, equipped with
specialized equipment; it could also be used as the designation for a
headquarters echelon unit (Kompanie-Trupp: Company Headquarters;
Zug-Trupp: Platoon Headquarters, etc.).
The units indicated below
were not depicted as separate symbols.
Halb-Zug
(lit.:
Half-Platoon) Some platoons, for example HMG Platoons, could be divided into two
parts.
Gruppe
(Squad, Section) This was normally the smallest
sub-unit that existed in the German Army. In this work, the word "Squad" has
only been used for infantry and reconnaissance infantry units. All other units
of this size have been designated as
"Sections".
Halb-Gruppe
(lit. Half-Squad, i.e. Team) In the
case of infantry and reconnaissance units, squads could be broken down into two
parts. Infantry and reconnaissance squads were built up around the squad LMG.
Where only one LMG was provided, the LMG team provided cover while the other
team was the movement element. Where two LMG were available, the teams covered
each other in turns. Reconnaissance teams, on the other hand, were trained to
work independently, although they too could function as a squad.
Please note that although these organizational symbols are similar to the
tactical symbols used on vehicles to indicate their unit, they are NOT
identical. The tactical symbols used on vehicles had a simplified system. |
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