Herbert-Otto Gille and Franz Hack at Kovel

SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert-Otto Gille (left, Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") is watching friendly bombers flying in the sky, which are flying to bomb the Soviet positions, in an observation trench outside the besieged Kovel, 27 April 1944. Gille flew into the encircled Polish city of Kovel to command its forces while Wiking and Heer units fought to the rescue. In the fortress, he requested assistance from the Luftwaffe, since a lengthy defense of the city would not be possible without supply from the air. The SS-Sturmbannführer at right is Franz Hack (Kommandeur III.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"). Photo by SS-Kriegsberichter Alois Jarolim.

In the historic battle for the Cherkassy Pocket in January 1944, Wiking Division held out against superior Soviet forces before successfully breaking out. Subsequently ordered to take command of the Fortress Kovel, Gille refused to take his battered division into what he knew was a death trap; but he himself flew into Kovel, where the garrison under his command held out against repeated armoured assaults by four Soviet armies - despite not having a single remaining tank of their own - until a relief force from the Wiking Division broke in and later with the help of two Panzer divisions and a infantry division established a permanent linkup. For this remarkable achievement Gille was decorated with the Brillanten to his Ritterkreuz on 19 April 1944.

SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert-Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") is watching friendly bombers flying in the sky, which are flying to bomb the Soviet positions, in an observation trench outside the besieged Kovel, 27 April 1944. Gille flew into the encircled Polish city of Kovel to command its forces while Wiking and Heer units fought to the rescue. In the fortress, he requested assistance from the Luftwaffe, since a lengthy defense of the city would not be possible without supply from the air. The Fernglas (binoculars) he used in this photo are not Germans, and it looks like it was ex-WW1 French-made (probably made by Chevalier, Verdi, Huet, or Jumelle). Photo by SS-Kriegsberichter Alois Jarolim.

SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert-Otto Gille (left, Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") is watching friendly bombers flying in the sky, which are flying to bomb the Soviet positions, in an observation trench outside the besieged Kovel, 27 April 1944. The Fernglas (binoculars) he used in this photo are not Germans, and it looks like it was ex-WW1 French-made (probably made by Chevalier, Verdi, Huet, or Jumelle). SS-Obersturmführer Hermann Kaufmann (centre, adjutant Divisionskommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") also used a non-standard 10x50 binoculars (like Carl Zeiss), although they are from more modern type. The third officer with binoculars at right (cropped) is SS-Sturmbannführer Franz Hack (Kommandeur III.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"). Photo by SS-Kriegsberichter Alois Jarolim.

SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert-Otto Gille (left, Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") is watching friendly bombers flying in the sky, which are flying to bomb the Soviet positions, in an observation trench outside the besieged Kovel, 27 April 1944. The officer with camo is SS-Sturmbannführer Franz Hack (Kommandeur III.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"), while other officer behind him is SS-Obersturmführer Hermann Kaufmann (Adjutant Divisionskommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"). Photo by SS-Kriegsberichter Alois Jarolim.

SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert-Otto Gille (centre, Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") surveys the map in an observation trench outside the besieged Kovel, 27 April 1944. The SS officer in camo at left is SS-Sturmbannführer Franz Hack (Kommandeur III.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"). Photo by SS-Kriegsberichter Alois Jarolim.

SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert-Otto Gille (right, Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") surveys the Russian position in an observation trench outside the besieged Kovel, 27 April 1944. The SS officer in camo behind him is SS-Sturmbannführer Franz Hack (Kommandeur III.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"). Photo by SS-Kriegsberichter Alois Jarolim.

SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert-Otto Gille (second from right, Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") surveys the Russian position in an observation trench outside the besieged Kovel, 27 April 1944. The SS officer in camo behind him is SS-Sturmbannführer Franz Hack (Kommandeur III.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"). Photo by SS-Kriegsberichter Alois Jarolim.

SS-Sturmbannführer Franz Hack (in camo, Kommandeur III.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") surveys the Russian position in an observation trench outside the besieged Kovel, 27 April 1944. The picture was taken by a staff member of the Germania Regiment, SS-Unterscharführer Ernst Baumann.

Source :
NARA Archive photo collection
Douglas E. Nash photo collection
https://www.alamy.com/5th-ss-panzer-division-commander-gruppenfhrer-generalgille-wih-binnoculars-with-sturmbannfhrer-major-hack-in-an-observation-trench-on-the-eastern-front-1944-image255373110.html
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