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His birthday - July 7, 1955 - is not associated with any significant event in the country. Just on this day, the Ministry of Defense of the Federal Republic of Germany was created and, accordingly, military construction began. The legal basis for this was the agreements signed in Paris in 1954 with Western countries under which the occupation regime was abolished in West Germany and state sovereignty was restored. Germany became a member of NATO. On November 12 of the same year in Bonn, the first 100 volunteers swore allegiance to the Fatherland. However, the name "Bundeswehr" appeared only in 1956. The word "Bundeswehr" means an association of defenders of the fatherland. And in the broad sense of the word - the army of Germany.

For the first forty years after its creation, the Bundeswehr, according to the Constitution of the country, did not participate in hostilities outside its borders. This constitutional restriction was lifted on July 12, 1994. The Bundeswehr has repeatedly been involved in UN-sanctioned peacekeeping operations (Bosnia - 1995, Kosovo - 1999. Afghanistan - from 2001 to the present day).

The German army began as a professional one, but a year later, due to the confrontation between NATO and the Warsaw Pact, universal conscription was introduced. Initially, the draft was for a year, and from 1962 to 1972 - for one and a half. Then began the reduction of service life: 15 months, 12, 10, 9 and, finally, six months. However, the number of contract soldiers and re-enlisted in the army prevailed.
By 2011, according to the Bundeswehr, there were 253,885 military personnel in it. In the same year, after a heated debate in the Bundestag, conscription was abolished and the army became fully professional. Its strength has also been reduced: now it is 204,000 military and 75,000 civilians (service personnel).

What prompted this reform? First of all, the easing of military tension in Europe after the cessation of cold war"(then the number of the Bundeswehr reached 500 thousand people). Germany is no longer in danger. She developed normal relations with Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Another thing is the threat of Islamic terrorism, which has already become a global problem. But it does not require a huge army to repel it. There are other forces at work here.

Structure

Fewer soldiers means less military spending, which had a positive effect on the state budget. A significant reduction in the size of the Bundeswehr and a complete transition to a contract system contributed to its qualitative strengthening. The German army is the most combat-ready army in Europe. It has a three-service structure: ground forces, air force and naval forces. As individual components in its composition in 2000, a joint support force and a medical and sanitary service were created.

The head of the Bundeswehr is the federal minister of defense. He is also the commander-in-chief in peacetime. (The position of commander-in-chief does not exist as such.) In case of need for defensive actions, command passes to the German chancellor.

Higher military rank in the Bundeswehr - Inspector General.

According to military planning, in 2015. 185 thousand people will remain in the Bundeswehr. But this does not mean its weakening. Here they follow the principle “better less, but better!”.

Now the German army is made up of contract soldiers whose service life is from 12 to 33 months. (Contract may be extended.)

Ground forces consist of subdivisions (detachment, platoon, company), units (separate battalion, regiment), formations (brigade, division, corps) and associations (separate corps, army). As part of the cyxopathic troops - various types of troops, special troops and services. These are nine deployed mechanized brigades, two airborne, two logistic support brigades, mountain infantry, air-mechanized, artillery, engineering, air defense, army aviation, three mechanized brigades of reduced strength and economic services.

Air Force (Luftwaffe includes three fighter-bomber divisions, a reconnaissance division, four air defense squadrons, three squadrons of military transport aviation, an air transport group of the Ministry of Defense, two logistics regiments, a battalion of protection of objects, an armaments service center. The total strength of the Luftwaffe - 34 thousand military personnel.

Naval forces - fleet, naval aviation and special forces (including marines).

The fleet consists of four flotillas - frigates (cruisers, destroyers), missile and torpedo boats, minesweepers, and submarines. All ships are German made.

The total number of military personnel is 19 thousand people.

Contract service incentives

As in any country in Germany, a lot is being done in the field of patriotic education. Military service is considered honorable, its romance for the average young people has by no means faded away.

But there are also material incentives that attract people to the army. First of all, these are official salaries. Eyes increase with seniority. Private receives 1283-1608 euros per month, corporal - 1616-1842, non-commissioned officer - 1731-2074, lieutenant - 2088-2738, captain - 25 75-3786, colonel 4622-6472, brigadier general 8088 euros.

Military personnel with children receive monthly child allowances.

In addition, the Bundeswehr provides for various allowances, the amount of which depends on the position, rank, specialty, etc. For example, for each hour of service in excess of the working hours established by the regulations, a soldier receives from 0.68 to 2.88 euros, depending on the position.

Surcharges for Air Force pilots can reach up to 470 euros per month. Regular skydiving is subject to a monthly surcharge of 115 euros per month.

In the Bundeswehr, you can also master civilian specialties. It provides about 1,400 vocational training places for high school graduates in 60 different trades. In particular, there you can master the specialties of a system administrator, electrical engineer, aircraft mechanic, mechanic-mechanic, specialist in maintenance of heating systems, computers, etc.

During the years of military service, a serviceman can improve not only military, but also civilian qualifications. Therefore, after being discharged from the army, former military personnel, as a rule, have no problems with employment.

All this contributes to maintaining high morale in the Bundeswehr.

Combat training of a mountain infantry company

The main slogan of reforming the German army is readiness and mobility. This implies the creation of a rapid reaction force capable, after receiving an order and in a short time, to be deployed in Germany or anywhere in the world. This is due to the participation of the Bundeswehr in peacekeeping missions under the auspices of the UN. Hence the emphasis on the development of mobile units, which include mountain infantry troops. They are able to lead fighting in the mountains, settlements, forests, and also as an airborne assault.

Already at the beginning of training, military personnel master ways of surviving in extreme conditions, infiltrating enemy positions, and acting as part of security and reconnaissance groups day and night.

Particular attention is paid to the training of personnel in the methods of fighting in the highlands. The performance of marches along mountain paths, off-road with the crossing of rivers and lakes is practiced.

Personnel learn to equip positions in the highlands, to act as part of a strike group, a cover squad, to conduct offensive and defensive battles in any area, in settlements.

The plans for the combat training of the mountain rifle company are to teach soldiers to correctly assess the terrain, occupy and equip positions for ambushes, fight in ambush, suddenly fall on military installations in the mountains and settlements, and land from helicopters.

In the mountains, the transportation of goods and equipment is mainly carried out by personnel. A mountain infantry company does not always act autonomously. Its training system provides for interaction with artillery, tanks, engineering units, and helicopters. This weight is worked out in various exercises.

Particular attention is paid to physical training. Crosses, forced marches with full gear while carrying certain loads at the same time are in the order of things.

The command of the Bundeswehr believes that by the end of the fourth quarter of training, the personnel of the mountain infantry company is fully prepared to perform various combat missions.

Educational and material base

In the Bundeswehr, it is well thought out. Here military-technical thought worked fruitfully. Numerous simulators, layouts, obstacle courses with sound and light effects, and target dynamics contribute to bringing combat training as close as possible to the realities of modern combat.

Take, for example, fire training. The acquisition of the necessary skills in shooting is carried out on a special simulator using models of rifles, pistols, machine guns and grenade launchers. Recoil is simulated by compressed air. Aiming - by a laser beam directed at the screen, where an imitation of the terrain is displayed (mountains, forest, locality etc.). The data is displayed on the computers behind which the instructors sit. The standards are passed on the simulator and only then - admission to live firing.

Another example: practicing instant recognition of “friend or foe”. Remote-controlled puppets in camouflage clothes move, wave their arms and suddenly fall on the fighter. This is where you need to instantly recognize the enemy or your own and just as quickly respond: shoot or not. This process is brought to automatism without any reflection. Emotions fade into the background, and the fighter, if necessary, shoots (imitation) in cold blood and accurately.

The solid material and technical base of the German army is well known. Representatives of many armies of the world come here for experience. By the way, an agreement has been reached: Germany will build in Russia ( Nizhny Novgorod Region) center for combat training of the ground forces.

Armed forces of the countries of the world

German Armed Forces

One of the main goals of the creation in 1949 of the NATO bloc was control over Germany, at that time only Western. At the same time, the FRG found itself on the potential front line, and in the main direction of the failed attack by the Warsaw Pact troops. Therefore, the Bundeswehr became the main strike force of NATO in Europe, in addition, powerful contingents of the US, British, French, Canadian, Dutch, and Belgian armed forces were deployed on German territory. These forces were combined into two army groups of ground forces and two air armies.

After the unification of Germany in 1990, the Bundeswehr reached a huge combat power - 7 thousand tanks, 8.9 thousand infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, 4.6 thousand guns, mortars and MLRS, 1 thousand combat aircraft. In addition, 5.9 thousand American tanks, 5.7 thousand infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, 2.6 thousand artillery systems, and more than 300 aircraft were on German territory. Even before 1.5 thousand tanks, the same number of infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, at least 500 artillery systems, other NATO countries had here.

All this is in the distant past. Army groups and air armies have been disbanded. The French, Dutch, Belgians and Canadians left Germany long ago. In 2015, the British contingent also left it.

Today the composition of the German Armed Forces is as follows.

Ground troops include 3 divisions and a number of other units and subunits. This is the 1st tank division(headquarters - in Oldenburg) (it includes the 9th (Munster) and 21st (Augustdorf) tank, 41st (Neubrandenburg) motorized infantry brigades, as well as the 43rd mechanized brigade of the Dutch Armed Forces), 10th tank division (Vaitsshöhheim) (12th tank (Amberg), 23rd mountain infantry (Bad Reichenhall), 37th motorized infantry (Frankenberg) brigades, as well as the 4th brigade of the RRF of the Czech Armed Forces) and the RRF division (Stadtallendorf) (1 1st Airborne Brigade (Saarlius), SOF Command, 36th Combat Helicopter Regiment, 10th and 30th Transport Helicopter Regiments, as well as the 11th Airborne Brigade of the Dutch Armed Forces and the 81st Mechanized Brigade of the Romanian Armed Forces ).

The tank fleet includes 241 Leopard-2s (221 A6, 20 A7). In addition, 380 Leopard-2A4/A5 and 191 Leopard-1 are in storage.

There are 170 BRM "Fenech", 65 "Dingo-2A3.2".

The number of Marder infantry fighting vehicles has been reduced to 778, they should be replaced by Puma infantry fighting vehicles in the amount of approximately 400, now there are 26.

Armored personnel carriers and armored vehicles are becoming the dominant class of armored vehicles in the German army. Today, the Bundeswehr has 359 TpZ-1 Fuchs, 144 Boxer (there will be 256 in total; there are also 137 auxiliary vehicles based on this armored personnel carrier), 100 Wiesel (it is, however, sometimes classified as a BMD), 537 "Dingo ", incl. 137 "Dingo-1" and 400 "Dingo-2" (as well as 73 ARVs based on it), 76 Swedish BV206S (and at least 111 auxiliary vehicles based on this armored personnel carrier), 629 Swiss "Eagle" (and 20 auxiliary vehicles) .

Artillery includes 129 PzH2000 self-propelled guns (up to 20 more in storage), 119 self-propelled 120-mm Tampella mortars and 59 MLRS MLRS. 2 old M109 self-propelled guns and 10 towed M101 guns remain in service.

It is armed with 311 of the latest Israeli Spike-LR ATGMs, 113 Tou self-propelled ATGMs on the Wiesel chassis.

Military air defense includes 50 Ocelot air defense systems, also known as ASRAD (these are 4 Stinger MANPADS on the chassis of the Wiesel vehicle), and 865 Stinger MANPADS in the "original" portable version.

The army aviation has 59 UHT Tiger attack helicopters (another 5 in storage), up to 129 multipurpose UH-1Ds (another up to 70 in storage), 19 EU-135, 62 of the latest NH-90 (another 1 in storage; total should be 82). Up to 196 Vo-105 multipurpose helicopters are in storage.

In addition to the above equipment, up to 2247 M113 armored personnel carriers, up to 39 M109 self-propelled guns, up to 134 M101 guns and up to 177 FH-70, up to 100 MLRS MLRS, up to 87 Roland air defense systems, up to 340 Gepard ZSU can be stored. All this equipment is no longer on the balance sheet of the Armed Forces, it is intended for disposal, disassembly for spare parts and sale abroad.

air force Germany (Luftwaffe) includes Operational Command and central administration(both are in Cologne). The Operational Command has 6 tactical air wings (31st, 33rd, 51st, 71st, 73rd, 74th), 3 transport air wings (61st, 62nd, 63rd) , 64th Helicopter Wing, 1st Air Defense Wing.

The basis of the combat power of the Luftwaffe is European (German-English-Spanish-Italian) Typhoon fighter-bombers. According to the original plans of 1986, the German Air Force planned to purchase 250 Typhoons, in 1998 this plan was reduced to 180 vehicles, in 2003 to 143. Today, 139 Typhoons have been delivered (including 31 training combat). Up to 111 Tornado bombers remain in service, up to 28 more are in storage in Germany itself, 1 is in storage in the United States at the Davis-Monthan base. Up to 41 old F-4F fighters are in storage (up to 26 in Germany, 15 in the USA), but they will be disposed of. 20 American B-61 nuclear bombs are deployed at the VVB Buchel, which in case of war will be used by Tornado aircraft of the German Air Force itself.

Transport aviation includes 28 latest A400Ms, 2 A319s, 1 A321s, 2 A340s, 6 A310s (including 4 tankers), 56 S-160s (up to 9 more in storage), 4 Global Express 5000s, as well as 88 helicopters - 85 CH-53G (up to 5 more in storage), 3 AS532. The Luftwaffe does not have training aviation; pilots are trained in the USA on American training aircraft.

Ground air defense includes 20 batteries of Patriot air defense systems (8 launchers in each, 4 missiles per launcher). There are also 2 reserve and 2 training batteries of the same air defense system.

Navy Germany (Bundesmarine) has less than 50 combat units. The submarine fleet includes 6 submarines, project 212, which became the first submarines in the world with VNEU. In addition, 3 decommissioned submarines, Project 206, are in the sludge. modern type"Brandenburg" and 2 old type "Bremen" (another 4 ships of this type were withdrawn from the Navy). In addition, the Bundesmarine has 5 Braunschweig-type corvettes and 12 minesweepers (10 pr. 332, 2 pr. 352 (2 more in the sludge, 1 is used as a stationary training one); 5 pr. 333 in the sludge). In the sludge - 9 missile boats of the "Gepard" type.

Naval aviation includes 8 R-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft, 3 Do-228 patrol aircraft, 42 helicopters (20 Sea Kings (1 more in storage), 22 Super Links). It is planned to purchase 18 NH90 helicopters.

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the grouping of foreign troops in Germany has drastically reduced over the past 20 years. It now includes the British 20th Motorized Infantry Brigade and the remnants of the American contingent. The US 7th Field Army (headquartered in Wiesbaden) includes the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (equivalent to the Stryker Brigade), the 12th Army Aviation Brigade, the 41st Artillery Brigade, the 7th Air Defense Regiment, 16 1st support brigade, 405th and 409th support brigades, 598th transport brigade, 30th medical brigade, 18th military police brigade, 66th reconnaissance brigade, 2nd communications brigade.

The 3rd Air Army of the US Air Force (Ramstein) includes the 52nd Air Wing (Spangdahl) with F-16 fighters and the 86th Air Wing (Ramstein) with C-130, C-20, C-21A, C-37A transport aircraft.

In general, having decreased by several times or even by orders of magnitude in all classes of military equipment over two decades, the Bundeswehr remains one of the largest European armies, since the rest were reduced almost as radically. However, the German army is no longer the main striking force of NATO in Europe. This definition in relation to the current European armies is no longer applicable in principle.

While the situation with Syria continues to escalate menacingly, in the center of Berlin at the headquarters of the German Ministry of Defense, the military, armored personnel carriers, Patriot systems appeared, the latest military developments of the Bundeswehr and NATO were uncovered and prepared. Coincidence? We try to figure it out and get acquainted with the German army.

After World War II, Germany had its own army in 1955.

The Ministry of Defense is the highest command agency of the armed forces and, from an organizational point of view, belongs to the federal government. A very important point in the command structure is that most of the top positions, including the Minister of Defense (currently Thomas de Mizière, Thomas de Maizière), are held by civilians. The decision to conduct military operations is not made by one person (for example, the chancellor or president), but by the Bundestag.

The structure of the Ministry of Defense is quite simple: the Bundeswehr consists of two constituent parts: military and civil (civilian). Civilian includes management, department for personnel, weapons and equipment, infrastructure, security environment, legal support and concern for the state of mind of the military. To the military - three main types of armed forces (ground forces, air and naval forces), as well as the central medical and sanitary service and support forces.

Since 2011, there has been no conscription in Germany, the entire army is on contract. As of the summer of 2013, 185,000 soldiers are serving in the Bundeswehr.

Now the Ministry of Defense is located in the so-called Bendlerblock (German: Bendlerblock). The Bendlerblock is a complex of buildings that at various times housed the Wehrmacht High Command, the Navy High Command, military intelligence, city defense command, ground forces reserve headquarters. In addition, it was here that Klaus von Stauffenberg was involved in the preparation of the Valkyrie plan (you must have watched the film Operation Valkyrie?) and the assassination attempt on Hitler on July 20, 1944. This plan provided for the transfer of control of the country to the headquarters of the reserve of ground forces in the event of internal unrest.

Once a year, the Ministry of Defense holds an open day, which is why it became possible to get to know the latest NATO technology better.

This is what the latest 45-kilogram uniform of Bundeswehr soldiers serving in Afghanistan looks like.

The soldiers do not have a microphone in the usual sense now. Special multifunctional headphones are used through which sound is transmitted. And even when high level noise, the soldier can easily negotiate with colleagues.

Modern light reconnaissance armored car "Fennec".

Multi-purpose armored personnel carrier GTX Boxer.

I've been noticed.

Rocket launcher of the Patriot complex.

Automatic G36C.

G82 sniper rifle.

laser module.

Bundeswehr soldiers are happy to talk about various technical details. Many things can be touched, held.

NATO caliber - 5.56.

Dry pack.

Field kitchen.

Mobile military hospital.

MUSECO unmanned helicopter.

Armored Mowag Eagle

Monument dead soldiers Bundeswehr.

The holes are not random. As conceived by the architect, they symbolize life and death. Our individual military badge is oval, consists of two parts fastened together. When a soldier dies, the tag is broken, one part is sent home, the other remains on the soldier. In addition, through these holes, those who own Morse code will be able to read the encrypted repeating text.

Since 1955, more than 3,100 soldiers have fallen during military operations, 54 of them in Afghanistan.

A few more photos:

On that day, many ministries had an open day. Hans-Peter Friedrich - Minister of the Interior.

In conclusion, I want to show a short video from the Bundeswehr channel on YouTube about the open day. You can find me at 1:25.

P.S. At the moment I am continuing my European tour of the countries of the Visegrad Four, stuck in the Slovak city of Kosice. Something already appears in the social. networks, instagram and twitter. Keep in touch!

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HISTORY REFERENCE
In the military field, the Treaty of Versailles established the following restrictions for Germany.
The number of the army was not to exceed 100 thousand people of permanent and variable composition. The army was to consist of 7 infantry and 3 cavalry divisions(while on August 1, 1914, Germany had 25 army corps of two divisional composition). The army was intended only "to maintain internal order" in the country and to police the borders. Compulsory military service was abolished; The army was to be made up of volunteers. To prevent the preparation of large trained reserves, the service life was set at 12 years. The General Staff and the Higher Military School were abolished. The fortifications on the western border have been demolished, and a strip 50 km wide east of the Rhine has been demilitarized. It was forbidden to build any fortifications on the eastern and southern borders of Germany. With regard to the German navy, it was allowed to maintain no more than 6 battleships of 10,000 tons each, 6 light cruisers and 24 destroyers. The personnel of the fleet was determined at 15,000 people. The armament of the army was defined as 84,000 rifles, 18,000 carbines, 792 heavy and 1,134 light machine guns, 252 mortars, 204 77 mm guns and 84 105 mm guns. It is forbidden to keep submarines, tanks, military aircraft, chemical means of war.
From the very beginning of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany sought to circumvent it. Taking advantage of the differences among the allies, she violated the treaty step by step, until, finally, by the law of March 16, 1935, on the introduction of mandatory conscription she officially announced the final removal of military restrictions. From 1921 to 1935, Germany, contrary to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, achieved the equipment of its army with all types of military equipment, which were used by other armies, and brought the number of units and their strength to such a level that allowed the German government in 1935 to restore compulsory military service.
Forced to build its army within the terms of the peace treaty, Germany tried to equip it in such a way that, if necessary, each division could turn into a corps. The Germans used the 12-year term of service established by the agreement (in order to limit the accumulation of trained reserves) for the training of command personnel: more than half of the entire army turned into commanders of the future deployed army. As defined by the Germans themselves, this small army had as its purpose "to be a ready army of commanding cadres" (Das Fuhrerheer). Officers and non-commissioned officers were systematically trained to occupy higher command positions, soldiers - to occupy non-commissioned officer positions.
The organizer of this "army of command personnel" was Colonel-General Seeckt. In order to speed up the preparation of trained reserves, a whole network of voluntary, seemingly sometimes "harmless" organizations was created, within which military training was intensively carried out. These organizations included: "Union of Former War Veterans", "Steel Helmet", youth tourism organizations, "Emergency Technical Assistance" and others.
In 1927, German diplomacy achieved the withdrawal of the Allied military control commission, and in 1929, the withdrawal of the Allied occupation troops from the Rhineland. This made it possible for the German command to significantly strengthen the armament of the infantry and cavalry. Thus, the number of automatic weapons in the company was increased by 50%.
Starting in 1933, from the moment Hitler came to power, the armament went even faster. And although the army still continued to be recruited from volunteers, the service life was reduced to 1-42 years.

German soldiers in Paris

Wehrmacht invasion of Holland

By the end of 1935, the size of the army had already reached 400,000 people. Aviation was created. The army was armed with heavy guns and tanks. The completion of the elimination of the military restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles and the beginning of the creation of the modern German army can be considered the law of March 16, 1935 on the introduction of universal military service and the establishment of the size of the army in 12 corps and 36 divisions.
Shortly before this law, namely on February 26, 1935, Germany announced the creation, by it military aviation. On June 18, 1935, the Anglo-German Naval Agreement was signed, according to which Germany received the right to maintain a fleet equal to 35% of the English fleet. On July 1, 1935, the General Staff was restored. On March 7, 1936, German troops occupied the demilitarized Rhine zone and began building permanent fortifications here. The law of August 24, 1936 established a two-year period military service.
On June 1, 1937, 850,000 people were under arms in the German army.

Map of Europe before World War II

Organization of the Armed Forces
At the head of the armed forces is the Supreme Commander-in-Chancellor Hitler. At the head of the headquarters of the high command of the armed forces, in the rank of minister, is Colonel-General Keitel. The headquarters of the High Command of the Armed Forces is the working headquarters of Hitler and performs the functions of the abolished War Ministry.
The armed forces of Germany are composed of three main parts: the land army, air and navy. At the head of each of these units is the supreme command (high command of the land army, supreme command of the air force ^ supreme command of the navy), headed by the corresponding commander in chief (commander in chief of the land army, commander in chief of the air force, commander in chief of the navy).
Headquarters of the High Command of the Armed Forces (Aviation has its own ministry):
Chief of Staff (with the rank of minister) Colonel General Keitel.
Directorate of the main headquarters with departments: propaganda, communications, defense of the country.
Directorate of intelligence and counterintelligence - with four departments.
Office of general management of the departments: general, internal, allowances and benefits, educational institutions, scientific.
Management of the economic headquarters with departments: price control and contracts, raw materials, military economic, weapons.
Army High Command:
Commander-in-Chief of the Land Army - Colonel General Brauchitsch.
Chief of the General Staff of the Land Army - General of Artillery Halder.
General military administration with the following departments and inspections: inspections of types of weapons, inspection of artillery and technical property, legal department, budget department, statutory department, central department, recruitment department, military department, clothing allowance department. (The last three departments are combined into a special group, through which they are part of the general military command.)
Armaments Directorate with departments:
1) improvements and testing of weapons and
2) procurement.
Administrative management.
Office of Personnel.

The General Staff includes the following institutions: military Academy, research military-historical institute, military archive, five quartermasters with their subordinate departments.

Ministry of Aviation:
Minister of Aviation (aka Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force), Field Marshal Goering. He is directly subordinated to: his deputy, Colonel-General Milch; Chief of the General Staff, Major General Eshonek; Major General Bodenschatz, Head of Department of the Ministry of Aviation; Chairman of the Air Force Commission, Air Defense General Ryudel; head of the military Air Academy Lieutenant General Volkman; head of the National Socialist Aviation Corps
(NSFC); Vice President of the Imperial Air Defense Union; Secretary of State and Inspector General of the Air Force (Deputy Minister Colonel General Milch); commanders of four air fleets.
Naval High Command:
Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces, General Admiral Raeder.
He is directly subordinate to:
Fleet Commander, Naval Station Commander North Sea; Commander of the Marine Station of the Baltic Sea; representatives of the naval command in Hamburg, Bremen, Stettin, Koenigsberg.
Naval Command Department with departments: operational, organizational, combat training, etc.
Administrative management of departments; administrative, military, legal.
General maritime administration about departments; technical and shipyards.
Office of Naval Weapons.
Department of military shipbuilding with departments: mechanical engineering and shipbuilding.
Medical management.
Office of Personnel.

Land Army
In terms of numbers, maneuverability, technical equipment and firepower, the German army was one of the strongest modern capitalist armies.
A feature in the development of the German armed forces is the creation of fast-moving light motorized divisions with the assignment of a specific role to them - the role of the strategic cavalry of the recent past.
Particularly great changes in quantity and quality in the German land army have occurred in the last two or three years.
These changes were reflected in an increase in the firepower of the infantry battalion (currently the infantry battalion has: 12 heavy machine guns, 36 light machine guns, 6 heavy and 9 light grenade launchers, 9 anti-tank rifles), in an increase in artillery in the infantry regiment (six 75-mm guns and two 150-mm guns), in creating a fairly strong anti-tank artillery and in strengthening the motorization of an infantry division.

Organization and strength:
In 1939, that is, before Germany entered the war, the German land army consisted of 6 army groups and 18 army corps, three of which (XIV, XV and XVI) were motorized.
The territorial division into army corps corresponds to the division into military districts (with the exception of the above three corps, which do not have their own territory and are deployed in peacetime on the territory of other corps); There are 15 military districts in total. The corps commander is also the head of the district.
In total there were 55 divisions, including: 39 infantry, 3 mountain, 4 light and 5 tank.
Part infantry divisions motorized.
The composition of the XIV, XV and XVI army corps, which do not have their own territory, apparently included for operational use. light, tank and motorized divisions assigned to other corps.
The total strength of the armed forces of Germany before the start of the war with Poland (that is, the strength of peacetime) was over 1 million people.
By the beginning of the war with Poland, according to the foreign press, Germany deployed 120 divisions. In the spring of 1940, the German army had 180-200 divisions, of which 120-150 divisions participated in operations in the west.
The total number of persons liable for military service (aged 18 to 45) in Germany is about 16 million people.
Separate types of weapons:
The land army consists of: infantry and rangers, cavalry, artillery, engineering units, motorized mechanized troops, communications units, horse transport units, railway units, chemical units, sanitary units, etc.
a) Infantry
The basic unit of the infantry is the regiment.
An infantry regiment consists of: a headquarters with a communications platoon; 1 cavalry platoon; 3 battalions; 1 company of infantry guns; 1 motorized anti-tank company.
The infantry battalion consists of: headquarters with a communications platoon; 3 rifle companies; 1 machine gun company.
A rifle company consists of: a control team; 3 rifle platoons; 1 squad of anti-tank guns - 3 guns.
A rifle platoon consists of: 4 squads (one light machine gun in each squad) and 1 squad of grenade launchers with one light mortar.
A machine gun company consists of: 3 machine gun platoons of 4 heavy machine guns each and 1 heavy mortar platoon (three squads)—6 mortars.
as special units in the infantry there are: fully motorized infantry regiments, fully motorized machine gun battalions, mountain chasseur regiments, border infantry regiments, infantry training regiments.

The scheme of the composition of the division of the Wehrmacht

b) Cavalry
Due to their mobility, the cavalry is intended mainly for reconnaissance and security purposes.
In the cavalry, cavalry regiments and cavalry regiments are distinguished.
The cavalry regiment consists of; regiment headquarters with a communications platoon; 1st regiment with 4 squadrons; 1 machine gun squadron; 2nd semi-regiment with 2-3 scooter squadrons; 1-2 heavy squadrons.
The cavalry regiment consists of: the headquarters of the regiment with a communications platoon; 4 cavalry squadrons; 1 machine gun squadron; 1 heavy squadron (platoon of anti-tank guns, engineer platoon, platoon of cavalry guns).
Several cavalry regiments, together with scooters, motorized reconnaissance units, light horse artillery and communications units, are reduced to a cavalry brigade.

c) Artillery
The main organizational unit of artillery is an artillery regiment. An artillery regiment consists of a headquarters with a communications platoon and 3-4 divisions.
the division has a headquarters with a communications platoon and 3 batteries. The battery has 4 guns.
In artillery there are: light horse-drawn artillery divisions; light battalions of mountain artillery; light motorized divisions; light divisions of horse artillery; heavy horse-drawn artillery divisions; heavy motorized artillery battalions.
Light batteries are armed with light (105-mm) field howitzers.
Heavy artillery is armed for the most part with heavy (150 mm) field howitzers, and some batteries with 100 mm cannons. The ARGC is armed with 210-mm mortars, 210-mm and 280-mm guns.
Wehrmacht artillery used a variety of means for target reconnaissance and sighting. Along with aviation, the most important of these means were divisions of AIR (artillery instrumental reconnaissance).
The AIR battalion includes a headquarters with a communications platoon and batteries: photometric, sound metric, topographic and, in most AIR battalions, a battery of balloons.

d) Engineering units
Engineer units are formed into separate battalions, sometimes into separate companies. Each division has a partially motorized sapper battalion, consisting of a headquarters with a communications platoon, three sapper companies, one of which is motorized, an engineering park (motorized) and a bridge column.
In addition to the partially motorized engineer battalions indicated, there are also fully motorized engineer battalions.
A sapper company (motorized or troop) consists of a control section and 3 platoons of 3 sections. Each section has one light machine gun.
e) Motorized parts
In the spring of 1940, the German army had 13-15 mechanized divisions with 7-8 thousand tanks. During the decisive battles in France, these divisions played an outstanding role. The composition of motorized parts includes:
Motorized reconnaissance detachments, each of which has a headquarters with a platoon! communications and several companies (reconnaissance, motorcycle rifle and heavy auxiliary weapons).
Armored regiments of two divisions. Each division consists of a headquarters with a reconnaissance platoon and several companies. Several regiments make up an armored brigade, and the last with a motorized rifle brigade - an armored division. In service with tank units by the spring of 1940 in in large numbers heavy tanks appeared, against which the French army did not have effective means of defense.
Motorized rifle regiments and motorcycle rifle battalions.

PTO divisions.
The task of motorized reconnaissance detachments is to conduct operational (long-range) reconnaissance. Their weaponry allows them to break through weak enemy forces.
Motorized rifle and mutocycle rifle units provide and hold objects or areas of terrain conquered by armored forces.
PTO divisions are used for defense against tanks and armored vehicles in the main direction.
f) Communication
Communication in the German army is carried out both by communications units (platoons), organizationally connected with the headquarters of the units (each headquarters of the regiment, battalion, etc. has a communications platoon), and communications battalions that serve divisions and larger formations and form, in fact, communication parts.
Each communications battalion consists of a headquarters and several companies, mainly a telephone and radio company. A company is subdivided into platoons, and platoons into different units. The telephone company has light and heavy telephone units, telephone construction and telephone operational units; in the radio company - heavy and light links, links of knapsack radio stations and others.
All parts of communication, with the exception of a few telephone companies, are motorized.

Scheme of the composition of the motorized division of the Wehrmacht

The scheme of recruitment of the German army and the order of service

The recruitment of the army and the order of service.
The rank and file of the German army is completed both on the basis of the law on universal military service, and by recruiting volunteers.
All male citizens between the ages of 18 and 45 are liable for military service, and for East Prussia - up to 55 years.
Army units and formations in peacetime are recruited mainly according to the territorial principle. To this end, Germany is divided into 17 military regions. Districts are subdivided into military conscription inspections, inspections into conscription districts, and the latter into conscription districts.
Military service consists of serving labor service, active service in the army and a state in the reserve.

paramilitary organizations.
In addition to the regular army and its reserves, there are various paramilitary organizations in Germany. These include; assault and defense detachments, some of which are located in the barracks, are armed and trained in the same way as in the regular army.
The National Socialist Automobile Corps promotes the development of motorization; the National Socialist Aviation Corps trains personnel for aviation; the youth organization - Hitler Youth - conducts among its members a solid program of pre-conscription training.

Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Under the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was not supposed to have an air force. However, the development of aviation and the training of aviation personnel, although in a roundabout way (the activities of German aviation firms in other countries, the training of personnel in the civil air fleet, etc.), nevertheless went forward so that in May 1933 a ministry was created aviation, and on February 26, 1935, the creation of military aviation was officially announced. By this time, there were already about 1,000 military aircraft.
At present, German military aviation is the most powerful means of warfare. According to American data, by the spring of 1940 it numbered 8-9 thousand aircraft in service.
Air force organization.
The German Air Force is an independent branch of the armed forces. The air force is the highest operational unit of the Air Force. All parts of the German military aviation (with the exception of military aviation, naval aviation and East Prussian aviation) are consolidated into four air fleets. The headquarters of these fleets are located;
1st (Eastern) in Berlin;
2nd (Northern) in Braunschweig;
3rd (Western) in Munich;
4th (South) in Vienna.
The headquarters of the military aviation command is located under the supreme command of the land army, the headquarters of the naval aviation command is in Kiel, and the headquarters of the East Prussian aviation command is in Konigsberg.
Each air fleet consists of: command with headquarters, two air divisions, anti-aircraft units and air defense units, communications regiment, air district headquarters with their subordinate units, air force schools, etc.
An aviation division consists of squadrons, a squadron consists of groups, and a group consists of detachments.
According to their combat mission, the Air Force is divided into: bomber, fighter and reconnaissance aircraft.
The highest tactical unit of reconnaissance aviation is a group of fighter and bomber aviation - a squadron.
The squadron consists of a headquarters and three groups, a group consists of a headquarters, a headquarters company or a technical company and three detachments. The detachment consists of 9 aircraft in service and 3 spare aircraft. In addition, the detachments have transport and training aircraft.
Attaching serious importance to airborne landings behind enemy lines, the German aviation command created a parachute landing division and a landing airborne division.

air defense
The management of all active and passive air defense systems is centralized and is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Aviation.
All means of ground-based active air defense are included in the Air Force as defensive means of air combat.
The territory of Germany is divided into 11 air regions.
The chiefs of the air regions are at the same time the chiefs of the air defense.

Means of active air defense.
Active air defense includes fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft artillery, anti-aircraft machine guns, anti-aircraft searchlights, sound detectors and barrage balloons.
Aviation in the air defense system is used not only to repel enemy air raids, but also to prevent them by destroying enemy aircraft on the ground.

It is divided from the point of view of the possibility of movement into stationary, motorized and railway; in terms of caliber for light and heavy. Anti-aircraft artillery also includes searchlight units.
Anti-aircraft artillery regiment consists of; headquarters, communications platoon, one heavy and one light artillery division.
The heavy artillery battalion has: a headquarters, 4 heavy batteries, 1 searchlight battery, 1 headquarters battery with a communications platoon, a meteorological team, and an intelligence data processing team.

Scheme of the leadership of the air defense of the German army

The light artillery battalion consists of: headquarters, 4 batteries and 1 headquarters battery.
By the middle of 1939, there were about 70-75 anti-aircraft artillery regiments in Germany.
Main and best type The German Anti-Aircraft Armament (FLAK) is a heavy 88 mm anti-aircraft gun. A large place in parts of the German anti-aircraft artillery is also occupied by a 20-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun mod. 1930\38 and a 37 mm light automatic anti-aircraft gun. In addition, the anti-aircraft artillery is armed with a 105-mm anti-aircraft gun.
Parts of anti-aircraft searchlights consist of divisions that are part of anti-aircraft artillery regiments, and separate anti-aircraft searchlight divisions.

Barrage balloons are mainly used for air defense of large points, air barrier zones and individual important objects.
Passive air defense.
Passive air defense is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Aviation and is organized locally by the police, together with the fire brigade and the population.
Passive air defense includes: measures to protect against aerial bombs, collective and individual chemical protection, security measures (organization of surveillance and alarm, camouflage), sanitation and evacuation, degassing and recovery, fire fighting, etc.

Naval Forces (Kriegsmarine)

Heavy cruiser "LUTZOW"

The German Navy, like air Force, are an independent type of weapon.
In 1939, the navy had the following composition: ships of the line: Deutschland (flagship), Admiral Scheer, Graf Spee (sunk in early 1940), Gneisenau, Scharnhorst.
The reconnaissance forces included cruisers: Nuremberg (flag), Leipzig, Cells, Karlsruhe (sunk in May 1940), Koenigsberg, Blucher (sunk in May 1940), 3 fleets (6 ships each) and a separate division (3 ships) of destroyers, 3 fleets of MyNb-carriers, the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin. The destroyer commander was given two fleets of torpedo boats.
The connection of submarines in 1939 consisted of 43 submarines. By the middle of 1940, the number of submarines had increased significantly.
Naval bases.
The main base of the fleet on the Baltic Sea is Kiel, which is well protected from the winds, roomy and with great depths bay, good repair and shipbuilding facilities. The ports of Stralsund, Swinemünde, Stettin, Pillau and others can be used as operational and maneuvering bases on the Baltic Sea.
The main base of the German fleet on the North Sea is Wilhelmshaven, where there are well-equipped shipbuilding factories that build battleships.

Prologue
At the medical examination, I was asked in which troops I would like to serve. I replied that I was in the airborne troops, to which they told me that these troops were the best in Germany and it would be difficult to serve there, to which I replied that I was a boxer and an athlete in general, and they answered me: - well then, of course! Two months later I received a referral to the Third Tank Anti-Aircraft Missile Battery.
Start
With a backpack and a summons in the book, I was approaching the place of my service by train. It was written on the agenda that I should appear by 18:00 at the station of the town in which I would be doing military service and they would pick me up and take me to the barracks. It was also that I needed a double change of linen and two padlocks to lock my locker.
Leaving the station at 17:00, I saw an army truck and a uniformed pepper beside it. Having readily handed him my agenda, I realized that fate was not as favorable to me as it seemed to me. He said that he was from another unit and that everyone had left my unit for a long time ...
Yes... - I said. - What should I do?
Wait a bit, maybe they'll come again.
After waiting until 18:00, I gradually began to worry ... The army still did not Primary School, you can’t be late ... In general, I found a phone number and began to call the orderly. He told me that he was not in the know and that he also could not connect me with someone who was in the know, but advised me to get to the barracks on my own. To the question "how can I get there?" he hung up. After interviewing local natives, I came across an aunt who was on the way and she said that she would tell me which bus stop to get off at. So I finally got to the barracks. The gefreiters, who stood on the clock at the entrance, checked my summons and passport and treated me favorably, explained how and where to go.
Arriving at the building of the third battery, I saw with horror that my future brother-soldiers had already dressed in blue-blue sports uniforms of the Bundeswehr with a fascist eagle, they were already running around breathing heavily and stomping along the corridor back and forth, and such a small non-commissioned officer loudly yells at them, about my shoulder . Glancing at me angrily, he yelled to the athletes: halt! tsuriuk! nokhmal! Dust was rising.
A clerical bloke in uniform impolitely asked me where I came from. I showed resourcefulness and said that from the station. He was surprised, but after thinking a little, he said that he could not do anything for me, since I apparently got to the wrong place, since the battery was fully staffed and all the recruits had been in place since twelve o'clock in the afternoon. After reviewing the contents of the agenda, he was even more surprised. Strange - he told me - it says here that you must come to us. I tactfully kept silent. The bloke hovered for a while, then he told me to wait and, having disappeared for a couple of minutes, reappeared, bringing with him another bloke in uniform, with whom they began to talk about what a mess, why we don’t know anything about him, and him to they sent us, etc. Without deciding anything, they decided to continue their discussion in private, and I was sent to room number 168, assuring me that they would figure everything out.
Thus began the nine-month history of my ordeals ... By the way, I wonder why exactly nine months? Is this an allegory? Like after that you become a man or are you reborn? Don't know. It was so that they sent me to the room, but they didn’t begin to figure out where I came from and why I wasn’t listed in their papers, apparently they were tired of thinking, so when we went to the equipment the next day, they called everyone by name until I stayed one. Then the bastards from the warehouse thought hard how could this be? That 52 people were supposed to get uniforms, but for some reason 53 arrived ... In the end, of course, I got everything, but it lasted an hour longer than planned ...
The next day, during the morning roll call, the first army incident occurred. We stood in the corridor and yelled “here” to the non-commissioned officer, who was shouting out names, when a young man of our conscription walked between the formation and the non-commissioned officer, but in civilian clothes and with his hands in his pockets. The non-commissioned officer, temporarily speechless, nevertheless managed to control himself and loudly began to yell at him saying what is it, building something for you, hands out of pockets, quickly change into uniform, two minutes, go !, and the valiant warrior answered proudly: "I don't want to be a soldier anymore." The unter's jaw dropped. "What?" he asked almost sentimentally. “I just went to the captain's office and applied for refusal of military service because I don't like being a soldier,” the now former soldier answered. “But this is only the second day of service, you haven’t figured everything out yet,” the non-commissioned officer murmured. “No,” the refusenik said firmly, “I won’t be a soldier anymore,” and left along the corridor. Twenty minutes later, he left the barracks with his belongings forever to take up alternative service in some kind of hospital for the mentally ill or a nursing home.
The morale of the battery was shaken... Unter was quietly sad.
It's been about ten days of service. Get used to it. We met. There were six people in my room with me. One huge, beefy, good-natured simpleton, two frail whiners, one bespectacled intellectual and a Pole, with whom we immediately found mutual language. In the mornings, before breakfast, they went in for sports - went out into the corridor to do exercises - did push-ups with the non-commissioned officer, squatted, their favorite exercise was to press their backs against the wall, as if sitting on a chair, so that the knees were bent at a right angle and stand like that with the whole platoon (the non-commissioned officer, of course, too) until, despite the menacing shouts of the non-commissioned officer, the first one falls to the floor. Of course, my legs got tired and trembled out of habit, but the first one to fall was the same one - a fat man with a down face from the next room, who in the future would have the misfortune to get into my room and suffer hard from my Russian nature.
After charging - cleaning the room and the territory entrusted to cleaning (our room had a corridor and stairs), then breakfast, then either theory where they talked about something tediously and for a long time and it was necessary to fight sleep, or practice - crawling or running across the field with and without a gas mask, automatic G3 - assembly and disassembly, etc., until ten in the evening with a break for lunch and dinner, then again cleaning and lights out.
The Germans suffered. “They can't be yelled at... No personal life, at any moment they can order something to be done and you have to do it,” they complained. I laughed and said that they were all toys... They pouted.
When we were once again cleaning the machine guns - standing in the corridor with our backs to the wall, laying out the parts on the chair that stood in front of each, one of our whiners leaned back against the wall, not noticing the sergeant major walking along the corridor, and then it began. As in American cinema directly, I could hardly contain my laughter. The sergeant major approached the fighter, brought his battle grin as close as possible to his sadly frightened mug and began to yell, they say the wall itself stands, you don’t need to prop it up, where are you from, you can bring a cocktail, but don’t recoil without an order, myrrh! Oral must be said professionally. Loudly and menacingly, looming over the fighter until he rested his head against the wall, after which he spoke freely and went on. Animal horror was written on the face of the whiner, his hands and knees were trembling, it seemed to me that he was about to sob. But he sobbed only at night. I was awakened by sobs and excited whispers. The Ghanaians, huddled around his bed, consoled him and asked what was the matter, he said that he could not stand it, that no one had ever treated him like that, that he wanted to go home or die. I was bursting, but out of philanthropy I restrained myself so as not to hurt the soul of an impressionable fighter with my hysterical giggle even more.
The next day there was a theory... We were told the first law of the statute - kameradshavt. Like all comrades should respect each other, help, etc. told interesting fact that everyone is responsible for the state property that is loaned to him, and that everyone must always keep his locker locked, even when he is in the room, and unlock it only when necessary. If, due to sloppiness, you forgot to lock the closet, then this is a crime in the army called “incitement to steal”, and that if something is stolen from you, it’s not the one who stole it, but the one who, without locking his locker, seduced him into this business .
At this time, a sergeant major looked into our training room, called the lieutenant, who was revealing to us the amazing depths of the German charter, to himself and whispered something in his ear. The lieutenant exclaimed loudly: how? can't be! But looking again at the sergeant's shy face, he must have decided that he could, so he told us to sit and wait and hurriedly ran away. He ran in a couple of minutes, and there was no face on him, and said that everything, complete alles, the terrorists attacked the Pentagon and the world trade center and so that we quickly ran to dinner, for everything about fifteen minutes, then back again and there we say what's next.
Quickly and excitedly, we tried to eat something in ten minutes, while panic and chaos reigned throughout the barracks. Crowds of soldiers ran back and forth across the yard and the parade ground, someone yelled something incessantly, and above all this a dense cloud of cawing crows hovered. There was despondency among the Germans ... That's it, the war, - one said dejectedly. (Everyone was running and yelling very picturesquely, probably this is what happens when the war starts).
- I'm not going to fight! one said.
Yes, I have nothing else to do. - another.
- And I, too... If there is a war, then I will immediately take the train and go home, I will take my parents to Greenland, there will be nothing there. - confidently said the third
- Are you russian? they asked me.
- And I'll do what they tell me to do. - I answered honestly - although even if there is a war, we will not be sent anywhere.
But the valiant defenders of their Fatherland said that all this was garbage, they would not send it right away then, and in general they saw all this in a coffin and that they should immediately bring down.
Without getting enough fat, we ran to the television room, where, without stopping, under the synchronized gasp of the military personnel, they showed how the plane flies into the skyscraper. Clinging. Confused, frightened faces all around.
The non-commissioned officer yelled, saying that after 5 minutes the general battalion formation in the yard, uniform: takes and overcoat. The lieutenant colonel, the battalion commander, made a fiery speech about world terrorism, which penetrates civilian life and destroys thousands of civilian lives, and that this will not work, it must be fought. Here you see! whispered excitedly around. Also, the Lieutenant Colonel told us that Chancellor Schroeder had already reacted and promised any possible assistance to the American allies in the fight against terrorism in his television message. A sigh passes through the ranks.
After the speech, we were ordered to go back to the training room and wait there. After about 20 minutes, when the poor soldiers were already languishing from ignorance of what would happen next, the lieutenant came and continued the lecture as if nothing had happened. Outside the window, they were still running, but not so fast, and they didn’t yell so loudly ... Later, I thought that the officers were probably competing in efficiency, who would quickly gather their own and push their fiery speech.
The lecture went on for another two hours, the movements outside the window gradually stopped and nothing interfered with the peaceful appearance of an ordinary German barracks, which stood to protect world society from world terrorism and was filled with soldiers ready for any losses in the name of peace and the defense of the fatherland.
In about a week, all the unrest subsided, everyone forgot about the terrorists, only the rank and file how we suffered from this unheard of terrorist attack, because we had to carry sandbags, erecting a one and a half meter high parapet near the checkpoint, and even doubled all the posts, because the enemy does not sleep . We suffered from this, because the watch was carried by the old 20 people, but all the posts were doubled, so that during the watch we managed to sleep half as much, about three hours a night.
A Bundeswehr soldier must look neat. It is allowed to have hair, if it does not hang over the ears and on the collar, the bangs should not fall over the eyes. You can have a beard, but you can't walk with stubble, so if you come with a beard, you can keep it, or grow a beard while on vacation.
A Bundeswehr soldier must be disciplined and obey orders. We are told long and tediously about the expediency of orders and about which orders a soldier must follow, and which he has the right to refuse. Every now and then, discussions flare up between soldiers and non-commissioned officers about whether they should follow orders given or not; the poor sergeants are yelling and sweating, but this is of little use. Soldiers know their rights. Every day they go over the ears, telling that a soldier is also an inviolable person in the first place and how to protect this person from bullying by seniors or non-existent hazing. In the corridor hangs a box for anonymous complaints about command staff or other personalities, the key to which is held by the captain, the "chief" of the battery. You can also go to him at any time to chat about this and that.
The non-commissioned officers are still not stupid either, they came up with a trick how to make soldiers do what they should not do. A non-commissioned officer comes out into the corridor and yells that one volunteer is required from each room. In the form of an order. Then volunteers are sent according to their needs - some to the cafe for buns or hamburgers, some to clean up their office premises ... Which is typical, there is usually no shortage of volunteers.
The first two months are training. Service until ten or eleven in the evening, getting up at five, exercising, cleaning, breakfast, then “formal service”. This is when they prepare you for the oath. They drill. You put on your overcoat and take it, you clean your boots, and on orders you run from the third floor to the line in front of the building. While you are running up the stairs, some freak steps on your cleaned boot. With the toe of this boot you angrily kick him in the shin, hissing curses, he apologizes, but there is nothing to do, you try to wipe the mark with your sleeve, you can see it anyway. At the formation of the non-commissioned officer, I carefully examine each recruit from head to toe, ask permission to straighten the beret or hood, and send the boots to be cleaned. It looks like this: you run to the third floor, unlock the locker, take out the brush and cream, lock the locker, run downstairs, brush your boots there, run upstairs, lock the brush and cream, run downstairs in order to appear before the bright eyes of the non-commissioned officer. He meticulously examines the boots and, if necessary, sends them again. Some ran three or four times. Once I "ran" twice - I ran into the building, around the corner, looked at the stands with tanks along the walls for a minute, took out a brush from my pocket, ran out and cleaned my boots. Then he ran around the corner again, rested, hid the brush, ran out, presented boots. But it was punished. Once, they caught such a clever man and yelled at him for a long time ... After the inspection, we march. Many people have trouble turning left or right. Wild cries, stupid jokes when everyone turns to the left, and some kind of ram to the right and finds himself face to face with another. Unter joyfully runs up and asks the ram if he wants to kiss another. Laughs. We march for two or three hours, but every half an hour there is a pause, since discipline does not allow non-commissioned officers to smoke when we march. And they want to smoke often. After a month of training, for the first time, the end of the service hours is at six in the evening. You can go out into the city and buy beer. Drinking in the room is strictly prohibited. It can be in the TV room or "free time room". Well, or in a bar on the territory of the barracks.
The Pole buys a Zubrovka bubble and we go to the drinking room. It inserts tightly without snacks and under cigarettes, we are drunk with half a liter, and there are still two fingers left at the bottom. At ten yelling lights out, the Pole and I are arguing about the leftovers - he says pour it out and throw the bottle out of the window, I suggest hiding it in my locker and drinking it later. Everyone frightenedly persuades me not to fool around, they say storage is prohibited, you will get caught and set us all up. I proudly send everyone away, saying that my religion does not allow me to pour out vodka. One wise guy respectfully asks, “what’s yours?”
I put the bottle in the pocket of my spare overcoat, lock the locker, and in the following days I drink a sip before bed. The Germans are shocked that I am doing this.
On Tuesdays we run a circle around the barracks - about six kilometers. A dumb fanjunker - a future lieutenant, running around with us yells - "men, the Russians are behind us, give way!" (Interestingly, does everyone associate Russians with the word draped?) I succumb to the move, catch up with him and yell: “The Russians are already here!” He stumbles. After a run, a warm-up, during which our Turk, a platoon jester and pissed off, vomits at his feet at the expense of the funjunker. He bent down once, vomited a little bit, straightened up twice, made two half-turns with his body, bent down once, vomited again. Fanjunker yells at him: “get out of line! Puke somewhere else! Get out into the bushes!" After the warm-up, he invites me to step aside and, looking into my face, says that he did not want to offend me with his cry about the Russians, and that he deeply regrets this, and asks for forgiveness. I generously forgive him.
On Friday after breakfast, run three kilometers in sportswear. The oldest from our draft is Momsen, he is 25 years old, and apparently he is a little out of his mind. On a run, he amazes and frightens people, but I and the Pole are delighted. The order was given to run, the time was set - a circle of 400 meters. Momsen runs the first lap, equals the non-commissioned officers at the stopwatch and shouts on the run: “I ...! Not....! I can...! Run...! More!!!" Unter in three words advises him to be silent and run on, and Momsen runs, and suddenly starts just sobbing. Right on the run, and it looks rather strange, like running, a drawn-out sob, then a drawn-out s-s-s-s-s-s, then again a sob and s-s-s-s-s-s. So the whole circle runs, sobbing aloud, and again equals the non-commissioned officer. While the non-commissioned officer is staring at him in disbelief, his eyes and ears, he runs on. Unter wakes up from his lethargy and yells, "Momzen, don't run if you can't!" But Momsen stubbornly runs on. And sobs. The sergeant rushes in pursuit, catches up with him, runs alongside and shouts: “Momsen, stop!”, and so they peacefully run side by side half a circle, until the sergeant finally realizes that this can go on for a long time and with a gentle gesture takes Momsen by the elbow and carries him away away from the treadmill and carefully takes him into the room. For the rest of the day, Momsen lies on a bunk in his room and doesn't talk to anyone. Compassionate Germans offer him a drink or a talk, but he just shakes his head.

By the way, when Momsen first came to the barracks, he immediately told everyone that his son would be born not today tomorrow and kept fussing about whether they would give him a couple of days off when this happens. Every week, when Momsen returned to the barracks, he was asked if he finally became a father, and every week he invariably answered that he had not yet, but this week for sure ... He was mocked, cackled and hooted when six months had passed, and he was so he said that the doctor said exactly this week and smiled like an idiot ... Then he got tired, but after 9 months of service, no one was born to him, and opinions were divided. Someone said that he was just a down, but people thought more gently that some kind of tragedy had apparently broken out in him, but we never found out the truth.
After jogging until noon, cleaning of the room and the territory entrusted to the cleaning. Our territory - a corridor and a staircase - I took part in cleaning only once in two months of training. The Hans swept and washed the floor twice every day, and complained that I was not helping ... Well, to clear my conscience, but more for the sake of appearance, once I pretended to wipe the dust from the railing. What kind of dust is there?
Every Friday it's the same story, but the Germans from my room believe it every time and almost go into hysterics, go out of their way. The story is that until twelve o'clock in the afternoon there should not be any garbage or dust in the room, and then we will be sent home on time. If there is dust somewhere, then woe to everyone, for they will force us to clean further and detain us for an hour longer. The problem is that no matter how hard you try, there will be dust. Anyway. And every time the same performance is played out - at about eleven, a check comes in, usually in the face of two non-commissioned officers, and they are looking for dust, which they find quite quickly. Professionals - on a ceiling lamp, or lint on a chair leg, between frames in a window, or on a window sill outside, on door hinges, under a trash can, on the soles of boots, and so on. They know a lot of such hiding places, and even if the long-suffering Germans remember them all and carefully wipe everything, non-commissioned officers easily find more. Then follows a well-played resentment of non-commissioned officers. They are just in shock, what a pigsty we have and yell for about two minutes and are indignant that because of us now the entire battery is delayed for another hour.
Panic bordering on despair among the Germans. They blame each other, and mostly me, because I don’t show much enthusiasm when cleaning, because now we, and because of us, the whole battery will miss the train. I say that they say the same thing in every room, and they will let us go as usual, regardless of whether dust is found or not, but they do not believe me ... The performance is repeated again. The Germans almost cry. And finally, at exactly twelve, the check again, the non-commissioned officers with approval say “it would be so long ago!” and after a couple of minutes they yell that the service is over.
Everyone happily changes into civilian clothes and rushes to the bus stop. To my “well, what did I say?” no one pays attention.
The next Friday, everything repeats again. Unless the episode with Momsen is unique, because he is freed from jogging.
The food here is bad. By German standards.
Breakfast and dinner consists of bread, rolls and several types of cheese and sausage. Well, vegetables such as tomatoes - sliced ​​cucumbers and a lot of fruits: apples, pears, bananas, sometimes watermelons and melons. Every Thursday, a hot dinner is either fried potatoes with onions, or a slice of pizza, or baked Hawaiian toast with ham, pineapple puck and cheese. For lunch, the standard set is a piece of meat with diluted sauce, boiled potatoes and some boiled or stewed vegetables. Well, sometimes there, of course, pasta or rice ... Every Wednesday is a soup day - they give a thick Eintopf with sausage, usually oversalted.
But it's in the barracks. In the field, they feed differently. Bivak - such a beautiful, Yesenin word. In the fourth week we go to the forests, "to fight." On Monday night, a huge beefy simpleton wakes us up from our room and whispers excitedly that something is wrong, that there will probably be an alarm rise, because the light is not on in the corridor, as usual, but it is dark and there are small candles in the corners. People start to worry and panic. I am indignant, I say so as not to interfere with sleep, that if there is an alarm, then we will not miss it in any way, so that we shut up. The jock says that he will not sleep anymore, but will wait ... I tell him to wait in silence and not rustle and fall asleep again.
An unbearable howl beats in the ears. Siren. I jump up and down on the bed, I don't understand anything. The jock turns on the light and rushes around the room. No one knows what to do, since we have never heard of anxiety before, much less how to behave. Someone yells: "ABC-Alarm !!!" (atomic-biological-chemical alarm) and we all grab gas masks as one - fortunately they are on the cabinet from the edge - and put them on. At this time, the door swings open with a roar and with a cry of “Alarm, everyone is building!” unter flies. At first, he still yells that we turned on the light in vain, but falls silent in mid-sentence, because he sees five idiots in shorts and gas masks and one in uniform but also in a gas mask (this is a cowardly jock put on his uniform, made the bed and sat waiting while everyone else was sleeping) . Unter is trying to make a formidable face, but it is clear that he is bursting with laughter. Construction! he yells and takes off. Another flies in and yells: “Building! Turn off the lights! Alarm! ”, But he also notices the comicality of the situation and begins to frankly laugh, though bashfully covering his non-commissioned face with his palm. Runs out. We are still in a stupor, standing in gas masks and unable to move. Here the staff sergeant officer Schroeder, the deputy platoon commander, runs in, completely devoid of humor and imagination, and starts yelling loudly and angrily that this is a mess, why did we put gas masks on ourselves, when it’s not an abs-alarm, but a combat alert, quickly take off gas masks, put on a uniform, soon construction. And without light, the main thing! Slams the door.
Only then do I understand what the matter is and I start to laugh, I rip off my gas mask, feverishly pull on my pants and boots. The order is given to build, I put on my tunic on the run. There is a diverse crowd in the corridor. Who is in the same trousers and slippers, who is in uniform but barefoot, there is even one specialist in a tunic and boots but without trousers. Schroeder frowningly paces in front of the formation. “I have never seen such a shame!” he is ruined. “Not soldiers, but a crowd of peasants! Quickly through the rooms, put on the uniform, as expected, take paper and pencil! Whoever turns on the light will regret it! One minute, let's go!" he yells with genuine malice.
A minute later, everyone is dressed in uniform, standing. Schroeder yells that now he will read out the disposition, only once, silently write it down for everyone, then he will personally check it with everyone. The disposition is such that country X, bordering our country Y, is concentrating troops to a common border on the Z river, a violation of the border is possible, our battery is ordered to take a position on the right bank of the Z river and is preparing for defense. Try to write something standing in line on a piece of paper with a pencil. I don't even try, I rely on memory. I'll write it down later.
Schroeder orders to disperse to the rooms, immediately the order is given to “prepare to build in front of the armory”, pause, “build up in front of the armory!”. Stomp on the stairs. Our armory is one floor up. We line up in front of it, we go in turn, we say the number of the machine, we get it, we give a card with the same number, it is hung on the place where the machine was. For accounting. When you return the machine, you get the card back. My machine gun is 64 years old, battered. At the shooting range, where we were taken before, there was such a problem: in order to determine the aiming point (not a single machine gun shoots as it should, but a little to the side, at least with us) from a hundred meters you fire three bullets, large, one and a half by one and a half meters of the target, aiming at ten. If all the bullets fell more or less closely, for example, on the seven to the left of the ten, then the aiming point (where it is aimed to hit the ten), respectively, on the seven to the right. I fired all three bullets, aiming at the bullseye, but not a single hole was found on the target. They asked me where I was rushing, I answered that ten, as it should be. Unter grinned, ordered to shoot three more times. I fired with the same result. The non-commissioned officer, on whose face it was clearly written what he thinks of me, with an air of superiority took the machine gun, and carelessly firing three shots, said, “Now let me show you this point.” When we got to the target, it was my time to smirk. There were no holes on the target. Unter scratched his pear-shaped head. In the end, this point was found - it was necessary to aim at the ground below the lower right corner of the target in order to hit it at all.
After we received the machine guns, we were ordered to go to our rooms and wait for the order. We had to wait a long time. The alarm was at four in the morning, at about half past five we went to our rooms with machine guns, put on combat equipment (two pouches with clips, a shovel, a bag with a gas mask, a rubber cape and rubberized mittens, a bag with a bowler hat, a flask - on the belt and a backpack with spare things and a sleeping bag strapped to it) and sat down to wait. We made a sortie into the corridor - to smoke. Everything is quiet. It gradually dawned. At six in the morning there was an order to line up, we were ordered to go to the canteen to have breakfast, just so loaded and went, pushed, crowded, clung to each other, to tables, chairs and other household items with machine gun barrels and backpacks. After breakfast, we sat for another half an hour, and then there was an order to build in front of the building, and finally, such a colorful green ikarus was served. Lucky.
Each fighter has half a tent. You choose a partner from your department, build this structure with him and rejoice. You rejoice, because one was left extra and he has only half of the tent. When asked what to do, he is reasonably noticed - put half! He put half the poor fellow, but as luck would have it, the nasty northern rain began to drizzle in the evening, and so it went on for the next four days that we were stuck there and he, accordingly, could not sleep, it was too wet, because he was not assigned to play soldiers (to lie in a puddle at night in ambush for two hours, bypassing positions with weapons at the ready, etc.), but they put him at the fire, which he was supposed to follow. All day long. So he sat there, near the fire, and he was a very, very harmful and bad person, so everyone spat on the cameraman and no one offered him their tent. On the third night, he fell asleep and fell into the fire and probably would have burned himself terribly if another shift on the clock had not passed by, which promptly pulled him out, he only scorched his eyebrows, eyelashes and the visor of his cap.
Went combat weekdays - four days. During the day, we learned to disguise ourselves with grass and branches broken by the wind - you can’t rip off a tree, smeared our muzzles with black paint, crawled, ran, jumped, fired blanks, took off gas masks and a rubber poncho - dressed, trained to capture and disarm suspicious individuals (who were mainly played by me or a Pole - you walk with a pistol in your bosom, a patrol meets you, yelling “stop, hands up”, and you yell “yes, you all went there and there”, in Russian, of course. The patrol is taken aback and stands with its mouth open, and you at this time, you curse them, their commander, the entire German army and everything you see in general. Then one of them aims at you with a machine gun (as if, in general, it’s impossible to aim at people, so he only pretends that he aims at you, and he aims at the ground) and the other one comes up, searches, takes the gun and you are taken away. then it occurred to him he filed special sign, everyone hid in the bushes or behind a tree and drove the muzzle of a machine gun back and forth - they say the enemy is not asleep. Once they simulated a fight. At first we were sitting in the forest, and another squad ran across the clearing at us, we fired blanks and drove them away, then vice versa. And at night there were two tasks, or two hours of patrol - you go around the bivouac in a circle - together, and the non-commissioned officers sometimes feigned an attack and you had to react correctly - raise the alarm with shots and everyone woke up, grabbed weapons and ran in all directions, firing blanks, and shoot without plugs it was forbidden in the ears - damage to state property, which is a soldier, therefore they went on patrol with their ears plugged (they gave out special plugs), and there were three stations where you had to stop, pull the plugs out of your ears, and listen if the enemy was sneaking. Then plug your ears again and go on. Another task is just an ambush - you lie down and look in the direction of the alleged enemy, if you see him, then you raise the alarm with shots.
Not far from the clearing with tents there were two red plastic portable toilets, in which you had to go with cover. In general, two soldiers sneak up to the toilets, then one takes off his machine gun and a belt with equipment, and the other squats and looks around vigilantly, guarding the rest of the first.
The food was also very romantic. There was an order to find a long strong stick, make inscriptions on it according to the number of soldiers in the squad and hang bowlers wrapped in scarves on the stick so that they would not rattle. A truck with grub would arrive and the movement would begin: two soldiers from the squad, with bowlers on a stick, were sneaking up to the car, which was standing in the middle of the field. Nearby, at least two were sneaking around with machine guns at the ready, covering those with a stick. They approached the car, got grub, sneaked back and ate, then sat by a big fire and smoked.
Every day we lost about two or three people from the platoon sick. They were taken to the barracks.
On the third day of the bivouac, on Wednesday, we were loaded onto a bus and taken to the barracks to wash, otherwise how could three days without a shower? At the same time, they grabbed a second pair of boots there, because the first one did not dry out due to the rain. By the way, romance also reigned in the barracks - those of the patients who were not very sick (there is a concept of internal service, this is when you serve inside, in a room, and you don’t have to go outside), put up tents in the corridor, stretching them out like on electrical tape and they slept in them, they brought heaps of grass from the street so that they would disguise themselves, they smeared their faces black and also patrolled the corridor at night, where the treacherous non-commissioner sometimes waited for them, or lay on the clock near the room with weapons. Only now they were not allowed to shoot in the corridor, so they only pretended to shoot. Also, two of them with bowlers on a handle from a mop went to the canteen and brought them to eat for the rest. In general, equality. Everyone has to bivouac during training, and everyone has done it, just a few in the building.
When we took a shower and changed into clean clothes (each had three sets of uniforms), we were taken back to the forest and we continued our hard field service. If it were not for the lingering September rain, always wet things, sleeping bags and legs, it would be generally fine.
On Thursday, we had a little celebration - they brought pickled stacks and sausages and from eight o'clock in the evening there was a grill - each with a stack and two sausages and two small cans of Faxe beer. Those who did not want beer could get two cans of cola or forfeits, respectively. Then to sleep, at five in the morning on Friday, the last combat alert - non-commissioned officers ran, yelled, shot and threw foam firecrackers in the form of grenades, we fired back and repulsed the reptiles.
And then they dismantled the tents, packed their belongings and marched to the barracks - eleven kilometers in full combat uniform and with a machine gun on their shoulder - and the bivouac behind.
After the march - bloody blisters. Boots - new, made of good leather, hard and unusual, wash your feet in the blood. A huge bubble appears, immediately bursts, then a new one, on the next layer of skin, bursts too, then the skin is already over and then the heel itself is erased. But nothing, eleven kilometers is nonsense, and almost everyone reaches it. Those who say they can no longer receive orders to stop and wait for a truck that is on the road. They are not yelled at, but hinted that they are weaklings. I tolerate. A Russian cannot be weak.
When I finally take off my boots in the barracks with relief, both socks are covered with brown blood above the heel and approximately to the middle of the foot. Carefully I peel them off my body - it looks bad, but better than I thought. The Germans stare at me, asking why I didn't take the truck. I chuckle proudly, they chuckle shaking their heads. After cleaning and cleaning the uniforms, the end of the service. Cautiously limping in my sneakers, I walk to the bus stop.
On Monday, many go to the medical unit - they show the corns, they are washed, they are given special "corn patches" and they are given exemption from boots. Specialists with such a release go either in slippers or in sneakers. They laugh at them - all the same, the sight is still the same - in uniform and in slippers. On the drill on the parade ground, where we are being prepared for the upcoming oath, screams full of pain are heard every now and then. They don’t know how to march, they stomp like a flock of sheep, they step on their heels, and those who wear slippers have a hard time. Boots still soften the pain a little, but not pleasant. The Turk walking behind me is one of those. After he kicked me in the heel a second time, I turn to him and say: "keep your distance!" After the third time, I turn around and push him in the chest, hissing viciously: “If you step on it again, you will get right here in the face!” He stews, the expression on his face shows that he does not doubt my words. The non-commissioned officer yells at me. The Turk is one step behind, breaks the line, they yell at him, but I am more terrible for him than the non-commissioned officer. So, to shouts and lectures, he walks half a step farther from me than it should be and looks longingly into the eyes of the sergeant yelling at him.
Before the oath - the so-called recruitment exam. We are again raised on alarm at four in the morning, but this time our fussy and suspicious jock sets the alarm for fifteen minutes to four, goes out into the corridor, sees that the light is off and there are candles in the corners and wakes us up. After that, he takes out the same candles stored in advance from his locker, lights them, places them on the table so that there is enough light and we dress neatly, make the beds and sit down at the table. When the siren begins to roar, the door swings open, a non-commissioned officer runs in and, opening his mouth to shout “siren, to the formation”, slams it again, shakes his head and goes out again. Another one runs in, yells that it's a mess, takes all the candles and leaves. We sit in the dark until the order to build is heard. Again, the same disposition, only