Carl Kimling on the Russian Front

Carl Kimling on the Russian Front

Veterans

Eugene Kimling

Conscientious Objector at the Battle of Stalingrad

"He had frozen feet and was sent to the hospital."

“During the war Carl was classified as a conscientious objector and was assigned to a special troop division. These were troops used to hold a line while other troops were pulled back. He fought outside of Stalingrad and his position was overrun; he spent two days in his foxhole position. The Germans counterattacked and pushed the Russians back and he got out alive, but he had frozen feet and was sent to the hospital.”

Editor's Note: A few years older than Eugene, Carl had a more terrible time during the war in Germany. He was drafted into the Wermacht and became part of the invasion force sent to the Soviet Union. He fought what was later considered one of the most brutal battles in history near Stalingrand and fortunately survived. Near the end of the war, when Carl was assigned to hold the crumbling line again, he took an SS officer's car and drove to the American front line, where he surendered to the American troops.

February 2, 1943

Kimling, Eugene. A Life to Live: The Autobiography of Eugene Kimling. Marietta, GA: Self-published, 2016, p. 58.