By Thomas Kalter
During the years of German air superiority, the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS could rely upon the Luftwaffe to provide much of their required intelligence. However, as the control of the sky fell to Allied airpower, the ground forces of the Third Reich began to rely increasingly more upon the skill of their land reconnaissance units. These units were required not only to be the eyes of their parent division, but also able to carry out a wide variety of operations. For this reason only the most capable and exceptionally qualified of soldiers weres elected for Aufklärung units. A German handbook explained:

Cunning, versatility, ability to grasp orders rapidly, skill at driving vehicles across any type of terrain, the offensive spirit, resourcefulness under all circumstances and especially at night, cold bloodedness, and the ability to act quickly and independently should be characteristics of men selected [for reconnaissance units].

1: Purpose and Duties

Overall, the aim of a reconnaissance unit was to use its superior mobility to “to attack the flanks and rear of the enemy and achieve surprise, todeliver repeated attacks at different points, to concentrate its forces quickly, to destroy small, isolated enemy detachments, and to employ part of its strength as a mobile reserve or for counterattacks in defense.”²  The strength of the Aufklärung-Abteilung lay in its agility. Thus, they excelled at offensive operations such as probing, attacking, and pursuing a fleeing enemy. Certain situations, however, could demand that the unit temporarily adopt a defensive position.