Question to Warhorse about German snipers

[frank1970]

This days was a report about this stalingrad-sniper-film on German TV. The report said, that the Wehrmacht did not have any snipers before 1942, but that all German infantrists had an extremly good shooting drill.
Are these facts represented in the new OoB files?

PS This is only a friendly question and I do not want to hurt anyone´s feelings, especially not Arralen´s. (Nix für ungut) 8D

[jerrek]

i was watching a east front program this last week (not the new one, an older one). And in that a russian sniper talked about a 3 day sniper battle against what he said turned out to be the "head off german sniper school" - battle was at a water hole (like african praiire here". I Can't make to much comment about how much it was true, but that is what he said.

[Dedas]

Maybe you are right, maybe not!

[Warhorse]

Hey Frank, the German Infantry Handbook said that usually one man of the platoon was a specified sharpshooter, although interestingly enough, the best marksman was normally the number one machine-gunner, the whole squad revolves around the machine-gun!! I'll check for positive info on this when I get home tonite, I'm at work, and have not the book. I believe the 1942 was when the snipers were begun to get issued the Gewehr 41 Rifle, as there were not enough to go around for everyone, it was a heavy rifle, and not much preferred by the schutze. More later

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Mike Amos
Meine Ehre Heisst Treue

[Warhorse]

Frank, I was correct about the marksman being at the platoon level, only it was one of the three messengers in the Platoon troop, not the actual platoon itself. And the rifle specialy machined for the scope was the Gewehr 43, available in '43, it mounted the Zundblickfernrohr 4 telescope. This rifle was used extensively on the Eastern front, and in much smaller numbers elsewhere. Can't find anything with a quick look about snipers though! Hope this helps a little.

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Mike Amos
Meine Ehre Heisst Treue

[frank1970]

Thanks a lot, Warhorse!
I know that the German rifle platoons were grouped around the MG, because this is still so in the Bundeswehr. But the infos on the rifle are superb.

[Warhorse]

Vielen Danke!!

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Mike Amos
Meine Ehre Heisst Treue

[frank1970]

You are welcome.

[K_Tiger]

I read today in a newspaper....no german snipers in stalingrad..!!!!!!!!!!

They spoke about the film and the sniper duell...the regisseur sayd..all fiction..only the russian sniper did exist in real.

The good part of the film is...a german company rebuild a complete PzIII..no replic..no plastic..full funktionally...may with fake gun..i think.

The grandpa from my girlfriend was in stalingrad...got a shoot in the brest..and was rescued with one of the last aircrafts..he was half death..and if he hade not his best friend with him..hwo helped him into the ju...

I tried to get more information..but he hase problems with his ears..and heared only things he would and could heare. He served from the beginning to the end...but unlike my grandfather...they have real problems to tell anything about the war...