Deutsche Volkstrum ‘Civilian Volunteers’:
Civilian Volunteer in Volkssturm:
This is just another example of one of the local civilians, working people, and kids, retired people, who, maybe tried to ignore politics and the war, but were drawn into it none-the-less, and fought to the death, often the order, and shot if you ran or gave up, against horrendous invading armies from all over the world, in generally a city completely blown to peices.
Typical “Fortress-City” Volkssturm Combatant:
Volkssturm Wehrmacht Section leader:
Volksturm- ex-Hunting Club member, now section leader:
Ritterkreuztrager ‘Ernst Tiburzy’ Volkssturm Battalion Commander Konigsberg:
Ernst Tiburzy (26 December 1911-14 November 2004) was a German Volkssturm-Batailonsfuhrer (Major) who received the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross for his performance fighting alone, and a number of destroyed T34 tanks with Panzerfausts during the defense of Konigsberg on February 10, 1945. He is one of only four Volkssturm members to have been awarded the decoration. He was mentioned in the addendum of the Wehrmachtbericht on 3 February 1945. The ‘Volkssturm’ or roughly the ‘Storm of People’ or ‘The Peoples Army’ was a German national militia of the last months of World War II.
It was not set up by the German traditional Wehrmacht, but rather by the NAZI Party itself, by the orders of Adolf Hitler on October 18, 1944. It conscripted males between the ages of 16 and 60 years of age, who were not already serving in some other military unit as part of the German Home Guard.
Eight Volkssturm Bataillions fought in the besieged and surrounded “Feestung” Konigsberg. The Volkssturm units fought at the different front sectors under the overall command of the Heer Sector Commanders. The Commander of the Volkssturm in Konigsberg was the NSDAP Kreisleiter (and Leutnant d.R.) Wagner.
As am the ideal example for all drave soldiers, from the 13-year-old Jungvolk Volunteers to the Olm worn-out men, was the Konigsberger Volkssturm-Bataillonsfuhrer und SA- Hauptsturmfuhrer Ernst Tiburzy. The then, 34-year-old had already been seriously wounded once before, was East Prussian, and received the Knights Cross on February 10, 1945. Tibuzy was the Bataillonsfuhrer of Volkssturm-Bataillon 25/82 in Festung Konigsberg.
When the Russians were making an armored assault, He attacked with a panzerfaust knocking one of the tanks out. When one of his cowardly platoon commanders tried to escape, Tiburzy shot him, grabbing more panzerfausts and going into the gauntlet, knocking out 4 more Russian Tanks.
The coming back he led his bataillon in a counter-attack on the Russian positions, and took them, then held his sector front lines.
In the Wehrmachtbericht of February 28, 1945, it said that; “The awarding of the Knights Cross to SA-Hauptsturmfuhrer Tiburzy, Commander of the Konigsberg Volkssturm Bataillon, for the destruction of 5 Russian Tanks”.
Tiburzy wears a cap cut like an M43 but with a fur-lined flap and a political national eagle on it, embroidered onto feldgrau material, which leads to the conclusion that there was some plan for uniforms for officers of the Volkssturm. Photos seem to show there was a rank system devised, Soldbucher (ID Booklet) was printed and Erekennungsmarken (ID Tag) was issued to some. Volkssturm members used civilian clothing or a mix of old military or paramilitary, and civilian clothing, many dressed up in their best suits or WWI uniforms. It is reasonable to think that many wounded and retired / veterans unfit for active duty, but having experience on their side, were drawn back into service to lead the local citizens to war!
A standard double claw buckle officer belt with pistole holster, breeches, boots, and a helmet of some sort of weapon, completed Tiburzys combat uniform. Thousands of German civilians, old and beyond their soldiering years placed themselves in harm’s way to defend their homes.
