“Roscke’s regiment, like the entire 71st Infantry Division and its neighbors on the left and right, have been engaged in fierce close combat for several weeks. His tenacity is evidenced by an episode that my companion told me about on the way back to the command post.

— The assault groups of our left neighbor entered one building and drove the Russians out of the lower floor. But the enemy is still holding out on the top floor. For many days our people have been fighting with all means, but they have not been able to push back the Russians. It’s just a mystery to us how they are supplied there. They should have starved there long ago and used up all their ammunition. But nothing like that! A handful of Russians don’t even think about capitulating!

She didn’t think about it for the next few weeks either. The brave little garrison held out until the German troops in this area of the city were destroyed or captured. We later learned from Soviet military history that it was Sergeant Pavlov’s group.”

(Wilhelm Adam, “The disaster on the Volga. Memoirs of Adjutant F. Paulus”)