Oberst i.G. Bernd Leonid von Pezold

Ia (operations officer) of the 14. Panzer Division

Born : 23 September 1906 - Reval/Estonia

Died : 12 July 1973 - Niederfüllbach

Mother : Hedwig von Schmidt

Father : Bernhard von Pezold

Married : 14 May 1932

Wife : Elisabeth von Schack

Children : 4

Fieldpostnumber in the Stalingrad encirlement :

Kdo. 14 Panzer Division : 28125

Military career

At the outbreak of the second World War Bernd von Pezold was attached tot the Generalstab des Heeres, Quartiermeister III 2.Abteilung. Later het was transferred tot Oberquartiermeister IV 12. Abteilung. Fremde Heere Ost. Foreign Armies East, staff intelligence specialist on the subject. On 31 July 1942 Major von Pezold was assigned tot the 14. Panzer Division as Ia.

Stalingrad “pocket”.

By the start of the Russian offensive near Stalingrad Generalmajor Johannes Baessler was commander of the 14. Panzer Division. From Willhelm Adam “Der schwere Entschluß”.

Paulus to Adam : ‘Adam you know that just a few days ago Major General Baeßler has taken over the 14th Panzer Division. Today this gentleman has reported himself sick. (picture left : Generalmajor Johannes Baessler)

Allegedly an old heart problem that gets acute these days. He has asked me for permission to leave for Germany. I have agreed 'This well fed gentleman was already unsympathetic to me the first time I saw him. Despite that I would not have expected him to leave his troops on their own in the moment of danger. That's desertion.'

(our note : the divisional doctor (Oberstabarzt Kindermann) stated that there was no reason to give Baessler a permission to leave)

'Sorting this out will be the job of the Army Group. I have informed them about this incident. General Baessler was in such a hurry that he will arrive there very soon. The Ia officer of 14th Panzer Division (Bernd von Pezold) has informed Schmidt that Baessler is already en route to Tschir railroad station by car. He didn't even think it necessary to wait for his successor to arrive. A shame that such a person is a General!'

'Baessler is not only an officer derelicting duty. Already two days ago upon first enemy contact he got scared and didn't do anything to spare his forces unnecessary losses. A courier officer of 14th Panzer division told me, that there had been a severe clash between Baessler and his Ia officer (Bernd von Pezold) because of this, I'm very sceptical about this desease. In soldier's language this is called cowardice. This gentleman is afraid for his precious life.'

The 14. Panzer division was not attached to any of the encircled German Army Corps and was used during the first two months in the encirclement as a “fire brigade”. When in any sector of any division a russian attack on fortress Stalingrad took place the 14. Panzer Division was called to rienforce and to help stopping the Russian attack and to try to recapture the ground the was eventually lost by this russian attack.

Only parts of the 14. Panzer Division were trapped in the Stalingrad encirclement.

When the Stalingrad “pocket” became smaller and smaller the remants of the 14. Panzer Division were pushed in the direction of the Red Square of the city of Stalingrad. On 28 January 1943, after the Russians splitted up the “pocket” in three smaller ones the soldiers of the division were trapped in the southern encirclement together with the staff of A.O.K. 6 (high command of the German 6.Army) and the several units of the 71. Infanterie Division under command of Generalmajor Friedrich Roske.

On 13 Janaury 1943 Oberstleutnant i.G. Bernd von Pezold took temporary command of the remnants of the 14. Panzer Division as the divisional commander Lattmann took over command of the also trapped 389. Infanterie Division. Generalmajor Magnus of 389. I.D. was not capable anymore to command his 389. I.D. after a nervous breakdown. A few days later Oberst Günther Ludwig took over command of the 14. Panzer Division.

On 20 January 1943 Generaloberst Hans Hube requested to A.O.K 6 over Heeresgruppe Don following officers who were trapped at Stalingrad to be flown out and assist him to coordinate the Stalingrad Airlift. Rudolf Sieckenius (kommandeur Panzer Regiment 2), Bernd von Pezold (Ia 14. Panzer Division), Heinrich Seidel Ib (14. Panzer Division), Erich Domaschk (Kompanieführer Panzer Regiment 103), Erwin Engelbrecht (01 14. Panzer Division) and Wolfgang Ledig (IIa 14. Panzer Division). Generaloberst Hans Hube himself flew out of the encirclement for the second time on 19 January 1943.

Seidel (flight 17 on 20 january 1943), Sieckenius, Domaschk flew out. Pezold, Engelbrecht and Ledig went in Russian captivity.

On 30 january 1943 Bernd von Pezold was promoted Oberst. By then the 14. Panzer Division was already bled to death. From several sources we know that in the last days of the German 6. Armee at Stalingrad Pezold became Ia of Kampfgruppe Wolff. (Oberst Wilhelm Wolff – 9. Flak ? or was it another Wolf(f) Kampfgruppe ? )

Oberst i.G. Bernd Leonid von Pezold went in Russian captivity on 31 January 1943. He was released from Russian captivity disabled on 16 January 1956.

Sources

Stalingrad by Manfred Kehrig.

www.stalingrad.net by Geert Rottiers.

Three scenes of Barbarossa - The Cast - by Ronald M.A. Hirst.

http://www.thepeerage.com/

Pictures :

www.stalingrad.net by Geert Rottiers.

Privat Stalingrad archive – Geert Rottiers

Please respect the copyright.

Research :

Geert Rottiers

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