Bobruisk (narration)
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Bobruisk is a short story by Dieter Bänsch that appeared in Marburg in 1989 .
After graduating from high school in 1943, the author was drafted and deployed on the Eastern Front. In this autobiographical report, Dieter Bänsch tells how, as a gunner in the German artillery regiment 134, on his 19th birthday, June 24, 1944, he broke out of the Red Army pocket around Malitschi westwards towards the Belarusian town of Bobruisk on the Beresina .
history
In the course of the summer offensive " Operation Bagration " , the Russians regained the city of Bobruisk, which was occupied by the Germans in 1941, on June 29, 1944.
action
The Germans die during their desperate cauldron eruption. These units are not only being decimated, but also smashed. Few Germans reach the saving Bobruisk. Once there, a surprise awaits the soldiers. This city is also surrounded by the Russians and must be evacuated on the spot. The last, desolate sentence in the shocking report of the first-person narrator Dieter Bänsch is indicative of the confused situation in the ranks of the retreating Wehrmacht: "I went in some direction."
The 134th Division has given up the Drut bridgehead. There has been no food for days. The non-commissioned officers have recently been on the terms of the crew . The scattered Dieter Bänsch is lying on the back of a truck. The latter transports grenades to an artillery position that no longer exists. The column is shot at. The lead vehicle "bursts apart". A German runs across the meadow, burning. The Fiihrer had leaflets dropped with slogans to the address of his brave grenadiers : Max Schmeling will jump off together with the 1st Parachute Army.
A German shot himself in the head with a carbine on the side of the road. A German hand grenade tears off Sergeant Heyer's arm. Dieter Bänsch is caught by the remains of some 8th company. Company commander Korn orders “move west!” Wounded comrades are apparently left lying. A lieutenant from Dieter Bänsch's new company lies in his blood on the street. During the breakthrough, a German who ran in front of the first-person narrator suddenly ran out of his head in the hiss of bazookas . A neighbor stops; suddenly has no hands. The encouraging slogans did not stop - the Feldherrnhalle division would attack, promised the major. At least there is still time on June 24, 1944 for a birthday schnapps for the benefit of the first-person narrator. When the Russians get serious, some Germans throw away their carbines, but Dieter Bänsch docks. In the turmoil, nobody is safe from controls by the field gendarmerie. The unit of the first-person narrator only consists of around 75 men. Hooray! The 20th PD is approaching. Two of their armored personnel carriers are put out of action by the enemy. The tank crews jump off and run into Russian machine-gun fire.
literature
- Used edition
- Dieter Bänsch: Bobruisk. Report. Basilisken-Presse, Marburg 1989, ISBN 3-925347-10-0
- Secondary literature
- Dieter Bänsch: Else Lasker-Schüler. To criticize an established image. Diss. University of Marburg 1969. 271 pages