LOSSES

Soviet soldier killed in the field of battle

For their parents: the irreplaceable loss of their beloved child.
For their fellow soldiers: the farewell of a comrade that saved your life.
For their army: the costly casualty of an experienced veteran and 6 months of training.
For their nation: a hero if on the winning side or a forgotten memory if on the losing side.
For others: Another picture that commands scant attention

German soldier killed in the field of battle
Anguished family saying goodbye to young Russian soldier
Mother receiving the bad news

The loss of a friend in the field of battle was a harrowing psychological experience.
Guilt because he survived and his comrade did not and the inability to give him help in the heat of the combat could be a heavy burden for the soul.
The German army used a song for soldier’s burials that helped catharsis.

German soldier mourning a dead comrade
Soviet soldier mourning a dead comrade
The corpses of fallen Soviet Soldiers killed within the Kholm Pocket are stacked in a heap by German forces.
German
Ich hatt' einen Kameraden


Ich hatt' einen Kameraden,
Einen bessern findst du nicht.
Die Trommel schlug zum Streite,
Er ging an meiner Seite In gleichem Schritt und Tritt,
In gleichem Schritt und Tritt.

Eine Kugel kam geflogen:
Gilt's mir oder gilt es dir?
Ihn hat es weggerissen,
Er liegt vor meinen Füßen
Als wär's ein Stück von mir,
Als wär's ein Stück von mir.

Will mir die Hand noch reichen,
Derweil ich eben lad'.
"Kann dir die Hand nicht geben,
Bleib du im ew'gen Leben
Mein guter Kamerad,
Mein guter Kamerad!"

English translation
I had a comrade


I had a comrade, A better one you will never find.
The drum called us to battle,
He marched on (by) my side,
In the same step and stride,
In the same step and stride.

A bullet came flying:
Is it meant for me, or you?
He was torn away,
and lies at my feet,
As if it were a part of me,
As if it were a part of me.

His hand reaches up to hold mine,
While i reload my rifle.
"I cannot give you my hand,
You will stay in eternal life,
My good comrade",
My good comrade.

BARBAROSSA LOSSES


Wehrmacht

Ground Forces (22 June 1941)
Initial Strength 3,138,000
Initial Reserves 321,000

Sources: Nigel Askey operatiobarbarossa.net. When Titans Clashed. Glantz/House.



HEER PERSONNEL CASUALTIES BARBAROSSA 22 June - 31 Dec 1941

Up to 3 July 1941 Up to 13 August 1941 Up to 31 December 1941
Total
Officers only
Total
Officers only
Total
Officers only
Wounded
38,809
1,403
287,088
9,616
621,308
19,016
Killed
11,822
724
83,517
3,874
173,722
7,120
Missing
3,961
66
19,319
362
35,873
619
54,592
2,193
389,924
13,852
830,903
26,755

Sources: The Halder's War Diary. F. Halder.


LUFTWAFFE PERSONNEL CASUALTIES BARBAROSSA 22 June - 1 Nov 1941
Avg. month.
Strength
crews
Avg. month
Crew
Losses
Close Recce 539 51
Long-range Recce 270 31
Single-engine Fighters 800 73
Twin-engine Fighers 84 11
Twin-engine Bombers 901 126
Single-engine Bombers (Stukas) 345 24
Coastal Aircraft 24 2
TOTAL IN EASTERN FRONT 2,963 318

Source: The Luftwaffe. Strategy for defeat. W. Murray.

Replacements up to 31 August 1941
(Received and in transit inc. Replacement divisions)
Repl.
AGp.South 119,000
AGp.Center 131,000
AGp.North 67,000
Norway 6,000
323,000

Source: The Halder's War Diary.

HEER EQUIPMENT LOSSES ALL 1941 ALL FRONTS 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1941

1941
Tank losses 2,578

Source: Red Army Handbook 1939-1945. Zaloga/Ness.

LUFTWAFFE EQUIPMENT LOSSES ALL FRONTS 1941 (excluding November)

Destroyed Aircraft
Aircraft
Authorized
Jan. '41
Actual
Strength
4-Jan.-41
Due to
Enemy
Action
Due to
Accidents
TOTAL
Close Recce 372 384 165 98 263
Long-range Recce 276 356 195 95 290
Single-engine Fighters 1.202 841 622 705 1.327
Twin-engine Fighers 435 384 246 217 463
Twin-engine Bombers 1.715 1.339 1.154 644 1.798
Single-engine Bombers (Stukas) 467 456 225 141 366
Transport 444 415 159 155 314
Liaison 200 40 56 96
Coastal Aircraft 162 122 43 42 85
TOTAL 5.273 4.297 2.849 2.153 5.002

Source: The Luftwaffe. Strategy for defeat. W. Murray.


Aircraft Damaged
Aircraft
Authorized
Jan '41
Actual
Strength
4-ene.-41
Due to
Enemy
Action
Due to
Accidents
TOTAL
Close Recce 372 384 97 134 231
Long-range Recce 276 356 36 122 158
Single-engine Fighters 1.202 841 246 813 1.059
Twin-engine Fighers 435 384 61 196 257
Twin-engine Bombers 1.715 1.339 317 977 1.294
Single-engine Bombers (Stukas) 467 456 56 130 186
Transport 444 415 47 166 213
Liaison 200 12 135 147
Coastal Aircraft 162 122 5 12 17
TOTAL 5.273 4.297 877 2.685 3.562

Source: The Luftwaffe. Strategy for defeat. W. Murray.

GERMAN AIRCRAFT LOSSES 1941 ALL FRONTS
AS % OF JANUARY 1941 DEPLOYED STRENGTH
Month % loss
all-types
% loss
bombers
% loss
fighters
Campaign
January 2,6% 4,8% 2,1% B.of B.
February 3,6% 5,5% 3,6% B.of B.
March 4,9% 8,6% 4,7% B.of B.
April 7,2% 10,6% 6,4% Balkan
May 7,5% 12,0% 6,8% Balkan
June 11,6% 12,2% 14,2% Russia
July 16,1% 18,4% 22,9% Russia
August 9,8% 9,7% 13,4% Russia
September 8,8% 8,6% 12,6% Russia
October 7,7% 10,3% 6,0% Russia
November 6,5% 11,2% 7,1% Russia
December 7,1% 15,3% 10,2% Russia

Source: The Luftwaffe. Strategy for defeat. W. Murray.

Detail of bomber and fighter losses in Nov NA. Italics show interpolation of these categories

LUFTWAFFE AIRCRAFT LOSSES BARBAROSSA 22 June - 1 Nov 1941


Avg. month.
Strength
a/c
Avg. month
Losses
(Damaged & Destroyed)
Close Recce 323 92
Long-range Recce 238 54
Single-engine Fighters 661 240
Twin-engine Fighers 77 22
Twin-engine Bombers 836 268
Single-engine Bombers (Stukas) 293 60
Coastal Aircraft 34 5
TOTAL IN EASTERN FRONT 2.462 741

Source: The Luftwaffe. Strategy for defeat. W. Murray.

Lost Damaged
22 June 1941 - 2 August 1941 (42 days) 1.023 657
3 August 1941 - 27 September 1941 (56 days) 580 371
28 September 1941 - 6 December 1941 (70 days) 489 333
7 December 1941 - 8 April 1942 (123 days) 859 636
TOTAL 2.951 1.997

Source: The Luftwaffe War Diaries. Cajus Bekker.



Red Army



Ground Forces (22 June 1941)
Initial Strength 5.104.000
Initial Reserves 14.000.000

Initial Strength - source: Nigel Askey operatiobarbarossa.net. When Titans Clashed. Glantz/House gives 4,901,800 Million.
Initial Reserves - source: When Titans Clashed. Glantz/House.

RED Army and Air Force Personnel Losses 22 June 1941 to 30 March 1942

Period Average Strength (monthly) Killed or
Missing
Wounded
or Sick
Total
1941, 3rd Quarter 3.334.400 2.067.801 676.964 2.744.765
1941, 4th Quarter 2.818.500 926.002 637.327 1.563.329
1941 Total 3.024.000 2.993.803 1.314.291 4.308.094


1942, 1st Quarter 4.186.000 619.167 1.172.274 1.791.441

Source: When Titans Clashed. Glantz/House.

RED Army and Air Force Equipment Losses 22 June to 31 December 1941
RKKA
1941
Tank losses 20.500
Guns and mortars 63.100

Tank losses - source: Red Army Handbook 1939-1945. Zaloga/Ness.
Guns and mortars - source: When Titans Clashed. Glantz/House.

VVS
1941
Fighters 5.100 In combat
Bombers 4.600 In combat
Ground-attack 600 In combat
Other type 300 In combat
All types 10.600 including "unaccounted decrease", on the ground and non-combat ops
Total Aircraft lost 21.200

Source: Barbarossa, the air battle July-December 1941. Christer Bergstrom.


Soviet fighters destroyed in airfields by Luftwaffe attack 1941
Stuka shot down in the Eastern Front