Staffelstab?

[dksck]

I'm really having trouble understanding the meaning of the word "Staffelstab" and the numbers often associated with that word.  For example, in a regimental history there is a passage, explaining that a newly formed M.G. platoon received equipment from Staffelstab 26.  Your assistance is greatly appreciated. 

[The Prussian]

Hello!

The word "Staffelstab" was translated in the book "Vocabulary of german military terms and abbreviations" (19189 with: "Divisional train échelon". It was the divisonal staff of supply matters.

[dksck]

Thank you for the help.  I had found that book as well as a couple of other German/English military dictionaries, but just wasn't certain that I was understanding it properly.  

 

Now, I find myself with another question.  What does "Nachersatz" mean?  I can find it in a few places but most often, the source says something like "subsequent replacement" but I really don't understand what that means.  In at least one other place, I found the word translatted as "draftee" and in yet another source there was a longer explanation about a man who reported for duty during his assigned year, but for some reason was not accepted for service at that time, but then later was called up again and put in uniform.  Any help in explaining "Nachersatz" to me would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

[GreyC]

Hi,

according to the German Meyers encyclopedia:

Nachersatz, im deutschen Heer Ersatz der alljährlich bis 1. Febr. durch Abgänge entstandenen Lücken durch Einstellen neuer Rekruten. Die Einstellung des Nachersatzes kann auch in einem gewissen vom Kriegsministerium zu bestimmenden Prozentsatz von vornherein beim allgemeinen Einstellungstermin erfolgen, da erfahrungsgemäß stets Abgänge eintreten und die spätere Einstellung Schwierigkeiten für die Ausbildung macht.

 

So it means replacements that were drafted later than normal (nach=after) to fill the gaps that resulted because of early discharged soldiers.

Edited February 15, 2022 by GreyC

[dksck]

Thank you for the help.  I'm still not sure that I understand.  How is it that these men came to be "drafted later than normal" if all males that had been born within a given year reported for service at the same time?  It's also a little unclear about the timing of the replacements.  How does the Feb.1 date fit into this?  Were these men accepted "after"  ie "nach" the date of the normal reporting date in the fall up to Feb. 1?  Does that mean that they missed the assigned date to report in the fall or had they been found unsuitable in the fall and then recalled between the end of the fall training period and Feb. 1 ?  What is the significance of the Feb. 1 date?  What happened after that if new men were needed to fill the gaps?  The units that needed troops  just had to wait until the normal reporting date in the fall for men born that year?  I'm also unclear about that part of the information you provided about "a certain percentage to be determined by the Ministry...."   So.... does this all simply mean that the "Nachersatz" was a replacement that didn't follow the pattern of traditional replacements who showed up on the specified day in the fall and went through training with all the other men who were born in that year?  Sorry to be so dense, but it's just not clear to me why an author would specifically write about "Nachersatz" in this instance when previously he simply wrote about "Ersatz" troops.  He seems to be trying to tell me these troops were different and I don't understand how they were different and why that might be important.   You may have hit upon it in your quote from Meyer -- "Schwierigkeiten für die Ausbildung macht."   I'll keep trying to understand but any additional information or clarification certainly would be appreciated.

 

Finally, how would you translate it?  "supplementary replacement men,"  "after replacement men" ?   With my sincere thanks!  

 

PS.  I realize that Meyer's German Encyclopedia is something like 29 vol. but is it available online anywhere?  I used to have access at the University, but that was many, many years ago.  Thanks again.

[v.Perlet]

Hello dksck,

 

I don't quite understand your questions or rather questioning.

 

Ersatz - "replacement" is a German term that refers to everything in daily life not just military issues. E.g. Ersatzrad - replacement/spare tire, Ersatzteil - replacement/spare part.

A front-line commanding officer would call for Ersatz due to reduced/insufficient numbers of soldiers This request for Ersatz would however need to be directed towards his immediate superior command, e.g. Company to Battalion, Battalion to Regiment, and so on. - This Ersatz would then come form either Reserve Battalions or via redirecting troops within the existing strength of e.g. a Division.

 

The Army High Command would also need to request or demand for Ersatz towards the bureaucratic institutions governing the subject of draftees and basic training.

 

Nachersatz would be the term used within the bureaucratic institutions - e.g. the draft recruiting department

Soldiers called up via draft can be found to be unsuitable later on, or e.g. badly hurt during basic training, or simply forwarding an official letter stating that they are urgently needed for non-military related matters and as such are no more available for service = therefore they are no more considered to be Ersatz.

 

In that case these "Abgaenge" discharged persons or outflow need to be replaced via Nachersatz. These in turn coming in as new draftees or from the Ersatz Reserve who's members were serving or had served in the Landsturm.

 

I hope this helps to answer your question

 

Regards

v.Perlet

Edited February 16, 2022 by v.Perlet

[Bayern]

Its clear what Nach Ersatz mean in military, but why existed ? well among the Draftees each year were those who in the Phisical and mental exams resulted as fit for all service , others were not so high qualified a third Group were those with deficient aptitudes but not handicapped and finally those who resulted Unfit for any service . normally only those FaS were recruited either first or second class aptitudes , those DPA were not recruited and of course the UFAS also were not . But , if Necesity arose for the reason that was, the criterias and qualifications were revised . with this i want to complement v Perlet answer