War II, an office held by Colonel (Oberst) Edgar Petersen late in the war. Kesselschlacht – lit. "cauldron battle" encirclement often shortened to Kessel e.g. "Kessel von Stalingrad" Kette – chain, in the air force a sub-unit of 3—6 aircraft Ketten – chains, chain-drive, tracks (e.g. Panzerketten) Kettenantrieb – track, such as a tank track; tracked vehicle. Kettenhund – "chained dog", slang for a Military Policeman (derived from the metal gorget worn on a chain around the neck). Kettenkraftrad – a tracked motorcycle; also Kettenkrad. Kindersärge – "children's coffins", slang term applied to small, wooden antipersonnel box-mines. KLA: Kriegsschiffbaulehrabteilung – was a warship-construction training division that supervised a Baubelehrung. Kleinkampfverband (K-Verband) – special naval operations unit, comprising a few frogmen. Kleinkrieg – guerrilla war. Knickebein – "crooked leg", also "bent leg" (in the sense of "dogleg"); German navigational system using radio beams to guide bombers. Knochensammlung – gathering the bones of dead soldiers. Kochgeschirr – mess tin Koffer – in the Bundeswehr a derogatory term for a raw recruit Koffer, schwerer – large calibre shell, similar to the British coal box or the American trash can Kolonne – column, also supply units (e.g. leichte Infanterie-Kolonne) Kommandanten-Schießlehrgang – U-boat Commander's Torpedo Course. Kommando (Kdo.) – command; detachment; detail. Kommissarbefehl – the notorious 6 June 1941 "Commissar Order" to kill all political commissars in the Red Army and civil government. Kompanie (Kp.) – company, unit. Kompaniechef – company commander Kompaniefeldwebel – company first sergeant Kompanieführer – substitute company commander in case of absence or if the ‘Kompaniechef ’ is only an honorary function (similar to a colonel-in-chief) Kompanietruppführer – company headquarters section leader Konteradmiral – naval rank of rear admiral. Konzentrationslager (KZL) – concentration camp. Korvettenkapitän (K.Kpt) – naval rank of (literally) "corvette captain". The grade senior to Kapitänleutnant; frequently translated as either lieutenant commander or commander. Typically commanded a destroyer. Krad (Kraft-Radfahrzeug) – motorcycle (dated in civil use, but still common in the Bundeswehr). Krad-Melder – motorcycle dispatch rider Kradschütze(n) – motorcycle unit or soldier. Kraft – strength. Kraftei – literally "power-egg", used both for the unitized aviation engine installation system that combined all major engine ancillary components (radiator, oil cooler, etc.) with the engine itself, into a single interchangeable unit for ease of field maintenance and rapid replacement, or as a slang term for the short-fuselaged Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet rocket fighter. Krankenstation – sick bay of a ship. Krankenträger