Ssuchinitschi - Winter 1941/42.
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2020 11:42 am
Hello to all ; a multi-sided grout ......................................
Soviet winter offensive of 1941.
On December 16, 1941, Kalinin was liberated by the Red Army. On December 19, Hitler removed von Brauchitsch (OKH). On December 25, the Red Army liberated Istra, Rusa and Wolokolamsk. These days, Guderian withdrew his troops on his own against express orders to hold positions and was therefore relieved of his command and transferred to the Führer's reserve. On December 30, Kaluga finally fell into Soviet hands. While this was happening, from December 14, 1941, the 18th Panzer had to retreat in the face of the Soviet winter offensive and on December 25, 1941 it reached the southern bank of the Suscha east of Mtsensk.
For its part, in December 1941, the 216th Infantry Division was transferred to the eastern front from France by rail transport. The divisional formations split into three battle groups as they arrived and were deployed to the front under the command of other units. The division's HQ and a group at the regimental level were deployed in the Ssuchinitschi "Fortress", the other division regiments fought in Medy, Rzhev, Kirov and the Rollbahn Juchnow - Rosslawl.
A look at Battle Group Gilsa, on December 29, 1941 with the first transports of the 216. ID, the IR 396 arrived in Ssuchinitschi under the command of Oberstleutnant Schaer and his Adjutant, Hauptmann Hans Niebuhr. Both officers became the organizers of the successful defense, which was an energetic and continuous improvisation. The Division Commander and his Ia, Maj. Cossmann, arrived on December 30, but without a General Staff and without means of command. On December 31, 1941 / January 1, 1942 the encirclement of the Russians materialized. The Combat Group had about 5,000 men, of which about 3,400 were combat forces, which had to maintain a front of about 14 km, with the support of the Luftwaffe.
The combat mission given was: "Order of the Führer, the place will stand under all circumstances." It is doubtful that local conditions were clear. The order was given by the Ia of the Fourth Army, Oberstleutnant i.G. Stieff (conjured July 20, 1944) by telephone. The slogan of the Commander of IR 396 was: "Whoever is cast out of a village in a snowy desert is lost." He left no doubt about the hard fight that was expected.
Apparently the enemy was initially of the opinion that the defense of the site could quickly break down, as it had recently been successful in Kosielsk. Therefore, he attacked very energetically in the early days because he was very interested in quickly taking possession of the important railway hub for his supplies. He later switched to the tactic of attrition and threw most of his forces westward toward the old front of the invasion, convinced that Ssuchinitschi would fall into his lap like ripe fruit.
Sources: https://deacademic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/1209591
Soldatenjahrbuch 1967. Page 52.
http://bernhardschulz.de/die_befreiung_ ... tschi.html
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /216ID.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /208ID.htm
Cheers. Raúl M .
Soviet winter offensive of 1941.
On December 16, 1941, Kalinin was liberated by the Red Army. On December 19, Hitler removed von Brauchitsch (OKH). On December 25, the Red Army liberated Istra, Rusa and Wolokolamsk. These days, Guderian withdrew his troops on his own against express orders to hold positions and was therefore relieved of his command and transferred to the Führer's reserve. On December 30, Kaluga finally fell into Soviet hands. While this was happening, from December 14, 1941, the 18th Panzer had to retreat in the face of the Soviet winter offensive and on December 25, 1941 it reached the southern bank of the Suscha east of Mtsensk.
For its part, in December 1941, the 216th Infantry Division was transferred to the eastern front from France by rail transport. The divisional formations split into three battle groups as they arrived and were deployed to the front under the command of other units. The division's HQ and a group at the regimental level were deployed in the Ssuchinitschi "Fortress", the other division regiments fought in Medy, Rzhev, Kirov and the Rollbahn Juchnow - Rosslawl.
A look at Battle Group Gilsa, on December 29, 1941 with the first transports of the 216. ID, the IR 396 arrived in Ssuchinitschi under the command of Oberstleutnant Schaer and his Adjutant, Hauptmann Hans Niebuhr. Both officers became the organizers of the successful defense, which was an energetic and continuous improvisation. The Division Commander and his Ia, Maj. Cossmann, arrived on December 30, but without a General Staff and without means of command. On December 31, 1941 / January 1, 1942 the encirclement of the Russians materialized. The Combat Group had about 5,000 men, of which about 3,400 were combat forces, which had to maintain a front of about 14 km, with the support of the Luftwaffe.
The combat mission given was: "Order of the Führer, the place will stand under all circumstances." It is doubtful that local conditions were clear. The order was given by the Ia of the Fourth Army, Oberstleutnant i.G. Stieff (conjured July 20, 1944) by telephone. The slogan of the Commander of IR 396 was: "Whoever is cast out of a village in a snowy desert is lost." He left no doubt about the hard fight that was expected.
Apparently the enemy was initially of the opinion that the defense of the site could quickly break down, as it had recently been successful in Kosielsk. Therefore, he attacked very energetically in the early days because he was very interested in quickly taking possession of the important railway hub for his supplies. He later switched to the tactic of attrition and threw most of his forces westward toward the old front of the invasion, convinced that Ssuchinitschi would fall into his lap like ripe fruit.
Sources: https://deacademic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/1209591
Soldatenjahrbuch 1967. Page 52.
http://bernhardschulz.de/die_befreiung_ ... tschi.html
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /216ID.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /208ID.htm
Cheers. Raúl M .