After the first major German losses in the Eastern Front in 1941, divisional cemeteries were set up behind the front lines. Here the dead were brought for burial, with the Divisionskommandeur and other officers attending to pay their respects. A total of 2.7 million German soldiers died on the Eastern Front, and 1.4 million German civilians were killed. These numbers are dwarfed by the 11.4 million missing and killed Soviet soldiers, including 3.5 million prisoners of war who died in captivity. Soviet civilian losses were even higher at 15.2 million. One can justifiably describe the German-Soviet war as the bloodiest war in history!
Source :
"The Onslaught: The German Drive to Stalingrad Documented in 150 Unpublished Colour Photographs" by Max Hastings
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/germany-to-open-last-wwii-war-cemetery-in-russia-a-914093.html
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