On 2) B Training of the officers by regimental and battalion commanders
Purpose: To provide guidance on the attitude and concept of being an officer, to teach about the principles of education and training, to train as a tactical leader of their unit, to guide the handling of routine service in a company (battery).
Head: In the present tactical conditions, the officers’ training rests mainly in the hands of the battalion commanders. It is their most important task during the pause in operations.
[…] Time: In December 2-3 times weekly (main focus of this time to lay the foundation). From January once weekly.
[…] Duration: the whole winter
Participants: all officers, platoon leaders and officer’s candidates of the battalions.
To 2) C Training of NCOs
It is divided into: a) The training of NCOs by the company commanders and b) The regiments’ NCO candidate courses.
To a) NCO training by the company (battery) commanders
Purpose: instruction in the treatment and education of subordinates, direction as an instructor, training as a leader, strengthening of their position as a superior by developing [the necessary] personality and acquiring increased professional knowledge and skills.
[…] Participants: all NCOs and NCO candidates of the companies.
To b) Regimental NCO candidates courses
Purpose: To instruct on NCOs’ duties, to provide the service knowledge, to provide guidance in handling the practical service, to train as a leader of a detachment, to strengthen the military conception and attitude. In the case of NCO candidates, check for suitability to become NCO.
Leader: 1 experienced officer by order of the regiments
Course duration: 14 days
[…] Participants: All NCO candidates as well as young NCOs by order of the regiments
To D) Map exercises
Purpose: Clarification of tactical questions and terms, training in decision-making, exercise in the giving of orders, instruction in the interaction of the different weapons, guidance in the leading of one’s own and the next higher unit.
Head: Regimental commanders
Beginning: January 1942. The number of map exercises is left to the regiments.
Participants: The officers of the regiments according to instructions of the regimental commanders. In infantry map exercises, officers of the artillery, engineers, anti-tank and signal units are to be principally involved as well as infantry and engineer officers in map exercises of the artillery. […]
4) It is envisaged to set up a divisional company leaders’ course. The final decision on this question [will be taken], as soon as it becomes clear whether and which company leader training courses take place in the army or in the Heimat. The divisional company leader course could not be established before February 1942.
Leadership training was understood as a key factor of combat power. The training was carried out level by level. The divisional commander gathered his regimental and battalion commanders in the commander’s course not only to lay the foundation for leadership training, but also to achieve a unified understanding among his officers. The regimental and battalion commanders would then train and educate their officers, the NCOs of their units. To train and mould the younger NCOs and NCO candidates, special courses were carried out in each regiment. The same was intended for new or designated company leaders. While not mentioned here, battalion commanders’ courses were also soon ordered (normally at army or army group level due to the need for an instruction troop of several companies), as were staff officer courses. Finally, to provide advanced tactical training, but also again to unify understanding, the army held map exercises.
Looking at its subject matter, the order included as much on tactical themes as it did on daily services and the issue of leading men. Also important was the education of officer values. This is more clearly indicated in the annex to the order:[11]
I. Guidelines and aspects for carrying out leadership training
1) Basic principles
The training of the leaders and NCOs is divided into the following areas:
a) Instruction as an educator, b) Instruction as an trainer, c) Training as a leader
A major error, which is to be found again and again, consists in too much one-sidedness in leadership training. It is often found that it [training] is exhausted only in tactical discussions, map exercises and war games, that is training only as a leader. In addition to training as a leader, the areas of guidance to trainers and educators with their questions of treating and leading human beings, the handling and arrangement of the service as well as spiritual and mental care have the same importance.
2) Reasons for the inadequacy of the sub-leader training
a) Local difficulties, wide dispersion to villages, lack of rooms. These difficulties must be overcome.
b) Lack of insight of the commander in the necessity of training leaders and NCOs. Idea that it is not worthwhile to start within a short or indeterminate longer rest period. Through a fresh start, much can be achieved in a short time.
c) Commander’s doubts about what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. These doubts will be solved by the commanders’ course.
3) Carrying out sub-leader training
A) Instruction as an educator
These include:
a) Instruction of proper treatment of people. No swearwords, no ridicule of the awkward. Irony is always wrong. Individual treatment. Identify the men’s performance limits and properly assess their readiness. Release men early who have worked particularly hard or are have the ability to work in a special field. Always insert dexterity exercises to keep the mind fresh. Bring people to the realization that the entire training is done only for their own benefit. (Superiority as a soldier and as a fighter opposite the opponent).
b) Discussion of the great questions and the meaning of this war. Education for fighting spirit and the will to win. (See leaflet on national political education).
c) Design the class on the duties of the soldier. Hereby making clear: the moral values, the spiritual backgrounds, and the tasks of being a soldier. Position of the soldier in the state. (See the knapsack brochure: ‘The nature of the soldierly education’).
d) Handling the disciplinary authority. Briefing on soldierly concept and conduct. Violations and infractions.
e) Handling the teaching on the Military Criminal Code, on offenses and crimes. (To d) and e) see the knapsack brochure: ‘The nature of the soldierly education’).
f) Arrangement of the topic ‘Behaviour in public’. […]
g) Instruction in the execution of spiritual care. […]
B) Instruction as a trainer
The instruction covers:
a) Teaching of the content of the relevant regulations […].The individual sections are to be gone through one after the other and hereby the recognition of errors and their correction by the proper means is to be discussed. The instructor must be able to master the content of the regulations, but must not rattle it down by heart. Opposition of incorrect and correct is most instructive.
b) Ensure a uniform view of contentious issues or open questions. Experience has shown that certain activities are carried out differently by the instructors as a result of different interpretations of the regulations. Uniformity within the battalions is necessary. For more important questions, ask the regiment’s decision.
c) Instruction in the teaching. Principle: To teach the subject matter in the easiest and most comfortable way. The NCOs tend to make the easiest things appear difficult and to teach them in such a way that the motivation to serve suffers as a result. Always give people something new! Variety! No time to kill. Short, instructive, and tight! Mistakes observed again and again: To harp on things long mastered (‘do the same again’). Well-trained soldiers with beginners in the same training detachment, rather than separating them in high performer and training classes.
11
Anlage zum Divisionsbefehl für die Führerausbildung der 58. Infanterie-Division im Winter 1941/1942, BA-MA RH 26-58/37.