Infanterie Division 52 in Russia.

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Infanterie Division 52 in Russia.

Post by tigre »

Hello to all.

I'm trying to get a detailed map/sketch showing the disposition of this unit's regiments during the conquest of Rogastchev and the rivers Druth and Dniepr crossing operations, aug 1941. Can someone help me with this? TIA. Regards. Tigre.
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Post by cpa95 »

Hi tigre,

there is a book, written by GenOb. Lother Rendulic, "Gekämpft, Gesiegt Geschlagen".
He was commander of the 52nd Infantry Division during the campaign in 1941 and describes the battle of Rogatschew.

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Infanterie Division 52 in Russia.

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Thank you Thomas. Regards. Tigre.
Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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Post by cpa95 »

Hi tigre,

i will take a look into the book at the weekend.
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Post by cpa95 »

Hi Tigre,

Rendulics report has 4 pages. No regiment is described in detail.
He said, that he had built up a motorized group (PzJäger, Pioniere, Aufklärungsabteilung from 52th ID). This group had to move fast forward after the breakthrough and had to take the two bridges.
The attack was supported by a heavy Stuka-bombing at 6am, 16.8.1941. The german troops N-E (Kritschev-Roslawl) attacked one day earlier, on 15.8.1941, so the attack on Rogatschev was supported from this side.
On 16.8. the 52th ID crossed the Druth, without a heavy fight. The russian troops had moved back and were standing on the eastside of the Dnjepr. The motorized group moved forward and captured the bridge across the Dnjepr. The russian troops tried to destroy the bridge, but they failed.
Rogatschev was totally destroyed, the civilian people had fled. After capturering Rogatschev, the Aufklärungsabteilung was immediatly send S-East, using a big road. The rest of the russian lines (after withdrawing from Rogatchev) stood 15 km to the south of Rogatscheff on the eastern side of the Dnjepr. So the mass of 52th ID turned south and was preparing for an attack on 17.8.1941 in a southern direction.

Greetings
Thomas

P.S. Rogatschev was captured without heavy fighting. On 15. and 16.7.1941 were was a russian counterattack from Rogatschev against german troops, which moved forward from Bobruisk (LIII. AK). The engagement of 52th ID, against the right flank of the russian troops (north of the street Bobruisk-Rogatschev) stopped the counterattack. The battle went on for 14 days.
Last edited by cpa95 on Sun Jul 30, 2006 10:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Infanterie Division 52 in Russia.

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Thank you very much Thomas, great post and info indeed. Cheers. tigre.
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LIII AK - July and August 1941

Post by tigre »

Hello to all folks, some info or KTB from that Unit (LIII German AK)regarding the fights sustained on July and August 1941 along the Dniepr and Druth rivers. All kind of info would be appreciate and really would help me a lot. TIA. Tigre.
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52 ID and the LIII AK in Barbarossa 1941.

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Hello to all people; for hucks216 and someone else who could be interested in this subject. Besides the 52 ID was engaged opposite to the 31 ID during the fights that taking place in the Rogatschew area............

The 52 Infanterie Division in the East Front.

Organization.

This Unit was raised on Aug 26 1939 as a second wave division from the Infanterie Kommandeur 9 at Siegen.Its Divisional Commanders were:

1. September 1939 Generaloberst Karl Adolf Hollidt
2. 8. September Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen von Arnim.
3. 5. October 1940 Generaloberst Dr Lothar Rendulic.
4. 1. November 1942 Generalleutnant Rudolf Peschel.

The Division was organized as follows:

Infanterie Regiment 163, which was raised on Aug 26 1939 at Eschwege; the II. Battalion at Witzenhausen and the III. at Heiligenstadt.

Infanterie Regiment 181, which was raised on August 26 1939 at Siegen from the 9 ID Staff in Freudenberg; I. Battalion in Weilburg, II. Battalion in Haiger and III. Battalion in Siegen.

Infanterie Regiment 205, which was raised on August 26 1939 at Frankfurt am Main, mainly from the Infanterie Regiment 81; its II. Battalion in Offenbach and its III. Battalion in Babenhausen.

Artillerie Regiment 152, which was raised on August 26 1939 at Frankfurt am Main; its I. Abteilung in Babenhausen, its II. Abteilung in Biedenkopf, its III. Abteiulung in Meldungen and its IV Abteilung in Siegen.

Pionier Bataillon 152, which was raised on August 26 1939 in Hannoverschen-Munden Wehrkreis IX.

Aufklarungs Abteilung 152, which was raised on August 26 1939 in Lüneburg from the Kavallerie Regiment 13.

Panzerabwehr Abteilung 152, which was raised on August 26 1939 in Mülhausen.

Narichten Abteilung 152, which was raised on August 26 1939 in Wetzlar.

Source: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... n/52ID.htm

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52 ID and the LIII AK in Barbarossa 1941.

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Hello chaps, the story follows.......................................

On the Bug river.

Early on 1941, the mass of the German forces were located west of the Rhin river, one part was deployed in Poland and other troops stayed in Norge. On March 1941 the force needed for the Balkans were taken mainly of France.

The 52 ID (General Major Rendulic, Ia Major in Generalstab Dienst Worgitzky) comprising the following regiments: IR 163, IR 181, IR 205 and AR 152, was deployed in Borgoña (France) at that time. It had been there since the 1940’s fall and remained in that area untill about the middle of Jun 1941, when one hot day on the first half of that month the Division’s Commander received a warning order with regard to the unit movement by rail.

On Jun 18 1941 the division started the journey and in about 70 trains was conveyed through Germany toward Poland; the Unit’s Commanding Officer travelled by car to Viena on Jun 22, and after the farewell of his wife and son proceeded toward Lodz via the lower Austria, Moravia and Silesia. At a little Silesian village he knew about the state of war between the III. Reich and the Soviet Union.

On Jun 23 1941, Rendulic traveled through Warsaw to Minsk - Wolhyinsk, following the big road heading to Brest Litowsk. At Minsk - Wolhyinsk was located the XXXV Army Corps’s HQ and there he received the first reports about the situation in the East Front. The 52 ID’s assembly area was located on the Bug River to the southwest of Brest - Litowsk. At the city, still offered resistance the old fortress’s core, called “Citadel”; the fights lasted until Jun 28 1941, when the last 350 defenders gave up. On Jun 25 the divisional commander surveyed the infinite plain stretched up to the horizon, from the church’s tower of a nearby town; the terrain was gently sloped in that area and save a few isolated woods the landscape was covered with farming fields; through it ran the big paved motorway leading towards Smolensk.

Cleaning the weapons, soon the action would pay back
Image

Source: "Luchas, Victorias y Derrotas" Lothar Rendulic. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires.
Photo taken from: "Der Zweite Weltkrieg". Janusz Piekalkiewicz.

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52 ID and the LIII AK in Barbarossa 1941.

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Hello fellows; the story follows.........................................................

Advance towards the Dnieper river and first fights.

On Jun 26 the bulk of the division went across the Bug River through a big wood made bridge located at the southern edge of Brest - Litowsk and then proceeded towards the East along a poor and sandy secondary road north of the big paved motorway heading towards Smolensk.

The division followed the panzers’ tracks by means of long and strenuous marches over secondary roads. Sometimes the fights’ traces could be seen, wreckages of Soviet tanks and destroyed anti-tank cannons. After crossing the old border established between Poland and the Soviet Union in 1939, we got across the so called “Stalin line”. In the old frontier zone we marched through a farming area dotted with poors villages.

Along the road Bobruisk - Rogastchev was moving onwards the German LIII AK with two divisions, one of them the 52 ID. Around Jul 10 1941, the division approached the Beresina river, crossing it on Jul 12 at Swislotsch.

Image

After crossing the Beresina, that lasted all day long (the march column stretched over 35 kilometers), the Unit marched another day reaching at last a firm road (13 Jul 1941), which from Bobruisk headed northeast to Mohilev; as it was ordered the Division followed that way moving away from its Army Corps.

On Jul 15 at dusk, the Division halted for a rest along the road. There were no villages in that area, the day was hot and without even a breeze. The bulk of our Army Corps (the LIII) with the 255 ID and 267 ID, had met strong enemy forces, well supported by artillery, west of the Dniepr river and its tributary the Druth river. Worse yet, shortly after that the soviets attacked. This very day at nightfall the Corps ordered the 52 ID should resume immediately its march and reach the area of Oserany. This represented for the units a movement of 15 to 25 kilometers; once there the Division should be ready to gain the river Druth eastern bank and advance on Rogatschev while the IR 497 (from the 267 ID) should prevent the Druth crossing by the enemy.

Image

Source: "Luchas, Victorias y Derrotas" Lothar Rendulic. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires.
Sketches taken from: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... highlight=

Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal.

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52 ID and the LIII AK in Barbarossa 1941.

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Hello chaps; the story follows......................................

Oserany was, at that time, a village located on the western bank of the river Druth, 25 kilometers to the north of Rogatschev. One regiment should be moved forward by trucks to reinforce the left wing, especially threatened, of the corps. The tail regiment (IR 205) was the chosen one, for being favorably located according the road net.

On Jul 16 1941, at 05:10 hours the 255 ID radioed that it was attacking towards Weritscheff and towards Zapolje.

At 06:00 hours the bulk of the Division reached the ordered zone (the village of Oserany) by means of a strenuous night march following a marshy road through a wooded land. There the Unit was around 12 kilometers from the Corps’s left flank. Here also ended the wooded ground being replaced by fertile cultivated land. The Unit was in need of some rest and during that time the reconnaissance were carried out.

At 06:45 hours warning order to the Pi commander with regards to bridge construction over the Druth.

At 08:10 hours the 255 ID informed that the IR 497 had taken Weritscheff.
At 09:00 hours, the AA 152 went across the river Druth through a ford in order to reconnoiter towards east and northeast and gained a foothold on the eastern bank and shortly after that knocked against some enemy forces of unknown strength at Hf Kordon. A soviet battery, placed on the eastern bank opened the fire over Oserany, where the Division’s CP was just established.

At 11:00 hours another artillery blow over Oserany, one house after another were set afire so the CP was shifted quickly towards other village (Saserje), located further to the west on the wood’s edge. Parts were to Bolschaja Kruschinowka The enemy battery ceased its fire when was shelled by one German Artillery Abteilung. There was not communication with the Corps HQ, because our radio set was out of service. It seemed the Corps’s HQ was yet at Bobruisk on the river Beresina far around 45 kilometers as the crow flies. One officer was sent there but around noon he did not came back yet.
At 12:10 hours AA 152 radioed that the 1./ AA 152 (cavalry squadron) suffered casualties due to artillery fire (5 KIA and 7 WIA).

At 13:00 hours, arrived an officer of the Division (255 ID) which was fighting on our right and requested urgent help due to the enemy pressure. He stated that Weritscheff had been lost and the eastern edge of Lejtschizy could not be hold anymore. Although the Divisional Commander knew the Corps Commander intention about to cross the Druth and to press against Rogatschev, only one resolution was left, to attack towards the south inmediately. The Commanding Officer (General Rendulic) decided then to advance with the Division after the lunch, attacking toward south. The assault would be directed against the right flank (stretched around 10 kilometers) of the Soviet troops which were advancing towards the west. Shortly after, the Corps ordered the attack towards south. The terrain was gently sloped and covered by cereal’s farming’s and amidst them potatoes. That day, Jul 16, was sunny; the first combat was waited with expectation, nevertheless we were optimists.

Source: "Luchas, Victorias y Derrotas" Lothar Rendulic. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires.
http://www.rogachev.de
Hinze's "Bug - Moskwa - Berezina"

Happy New Year - Feliz Año Nuevo - Gutes neues Jahr - Feliz Ano Novo - Bonne Année.

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52 ID and the LIII AK in Barbarossa 1941.

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Hello chaps; the first combat of the 52 ID.......................................

16 July 1941.

The orders were issued and at 13:00 the frontline elements (IR 181 and IR 163) moved forward in loosing formation. The frontage of the Russian defensive front was around 10 kilometers, disposed between its attack’s front to the west and the western bank of the river Druth. Two hamlets and a little wood could be seen along that line. That little wood was one strong point as we knew later.

At 14:00 hours the IR 181 jumped off, a little after the IR 163.

At 15:00 almost all of the batteries had opened the fire.

At 17:40 hours the IR 181 had seized Weritscheff and was advancing towards Manjki. In spite of the strong resistance by nightfall the north and east fronts had been wiped out; only in the stretch of terrain along the river bank we could not gain any ground due to the flanking fire furnished by machine guns and the artillery shells fired from the eastern bank. We could not seize the little wood, the enemy key point, during the first assault. After several artillery barrages were concentrated there anew attack wiped out all the resistance and the little wood was finally grasped. We could see the trenches dug out on the wood’s edge filled with Russian corpses, great number of Russian soldiers had killed themselves cutting his throat with his pocketknife. The terrified soldiers were told that they would be shoot by our troops. We knew also about the fear to the soviet commissars.

At 21:00 hours AA 152 radioed that Tesnowoje was free of enemy; one vehicle of ammunition was destroyed.

At 22:30 hours Manjki was seized.

When the darkness came the fire fights diminished but the traffic to the front increased, the wounded were moved back and the supplies and all kind of vehicles were moved forward, rations, ammunitions, field kitchens, ambulances, etc.. At dawn with the sunlight, all the movements ceased and the ground looked dead.

Image

Source: "Luchas, Victorias y Derrotas" Lothar Rendulic. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires.
http://www.rogachev.de
Hinze's "Bug - Moskwa - Berezina"

It follows. Cheers. Raúl M 8) .
Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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52 ID and the LIII AK in Barbarossa 1941.

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Hello to all; the story follows..............................

17 July 1941 (before noon)

On Jul 17 1941, at 04:00 the attack was resumed with IR 181 and IR 163; the IR 205 was under the division's framework again.
At 05:00 hours, the I./ IR 205 took over the security of Podsjoly. The Divisional CP advanced to Point 152.
At 05:12 hours an order was radioed to the IR 163, it was to press forward to support the IR 181.

At 06:00 hours the IR 181 reached the northern edge of Sapolje.
At 06:12 the IR 163 radioed that was pushing on slowly due to strong enemy actions against its flank; great losses in men and equipment.
At 06:20 hours an aerial attack towards Blisnezy was carried out.
At 06:50 hours the enemy retreated towards Kostjanschowo (informed by IR 163).

At 07:10 AA 152 sent one Reconnaissance patrol to Madora.
At 07:45 hours PC towards Hf. Michajleff. The IR 163 informed about strong artillery fire on Kostjanschowo and west of the village. Also the road Kostjaschowo - Chapany was under strong artillery fire.

At 08:00 hours III./ AR 152 informed that hostile Infantry had entered Ssemenkowitschi, Sapolje, Nordrand Chapany. Also the height 1000 meters southwest of Manjki was grasped.
At 08:30 hours the II./ IR 205 (less its 7. Company) which was fighting with the IR 497 in the Masaloff area (12 kilometers southwest of Rogatschev) took Tscheremucha.
At 08:45 hours a radio message was sent to Pi.Btl.152 it pointed out that the Brücko T 152 should march off on Division orders by Falewitschi - Markowo - Nowo Alexandrowski - Straße Buda to Molinoje Kupowje.

At 09:20 hours The 52 ID’s command informed to German LIII.AK that IR 181 had reached the line Ssemenkowitschi, Sapoliskoje, bridge 2 kilometers southeast Manjki and IR 163 had seized Kostjaschowo at 6:50 hours; the town was under strong artillery fire.

At 10:30 hours as ordered by the Divisional Commander, two Pz Jager Platoons were to advance towards Rogatschev and avoid, as they were able, the railway bridge destruction. Both Platoons ran against strong resistance west of Sstrenki and took up fire positions there.
At 10:40 hours IV./ AR 152 informed that the IR 181 had reached the motorway with its II.Battalion.

The Division decided to follow the Army Corps order about the attack on Rogatschev. The Divisional CP was moved to Sabolotzkij. The enemy was compeled to retreat towards one position stretched 5 kilometers west of the Druth. Around noon, the higway running between Bobruisk and Rogatschev was reached and surpassed towards south where defensive positions were established.

At 12:00 hours orders to IR 181 (given by General Rendulic in person), it was to seize the road bridge at Rogatschev and then establish a bridgehead on the east river bank. To IR 163 (Orderly) it was to seize the rail bridge at Rogatschev and then establish a bridgehead on the east river bank.

Image

Source: "Luchas, Victorias y Derrotas" Lothar Rendulic. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires.
http://www.rogachev.de
Hinze's "Bug - Moskwa - Berezina"

It follows. Cheers. Raúl M 8) .
Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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52 ID and the LIII AK in Barbarossa 1941.

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Hello to all; the story follows..............................

17 July 1941 (Afternoon).

At 13:00 hours the II./ IR 205 informed about one strong enemy attack with tanks south of the motorway. Also it was observed that one artillery group that left Bronnoje towards south turned back to the town.

At 14:00 hours the IR 181 had seized Ssemenkowitschi, Rudnja Bronskoje and Chapany, then stormed ahead with combat patrols along the road to Rogatschev. The stormtroops advanced to Kolotowka however fall under well directed artillery and infantry weapons fires and came back.

The IR 163, deployed between Chomitschi Sapolskije and Sapolje attacked from Chapany towards east. After reaching the heights east of Chapany, the assault fall under strong artillery fire.

At 16:30 hours the AA 152 radioed Stajnkoff free of enemy. Recon patrol surveying the road Balaba - Rogatschev.

At 17:30 hours the Regiments could not attack yet. The following report was delivered to the Army Corps: Strong enemy resistance on both sides of the road Bobruisk - Rogatschev supported with artillery. The resistance could not be break with Stormtroops.

At 19:45 hours the IR 497 radioed that it had engaged 4 enemy tanks 3 kilometers southeast Nowaja Konopliza, 3 were destroyed the last one retreated in southeasterly direction.

At 21:45 hours the Army Corps ordered to establish defensive positions on the line reached.

At 22:00 the division ordered to defend the sector Jassenowka - Myk. The 52 ID should seize and defend the ground gained, the division occupied a frontage of 16 kilometers.

At 22:30 a message was radioed to AA 152, it was to secure the sector that stretched from the south of Oserany to Weritschev.

Source: "Luchas, Victorias y Derrotas" Lothar Rendulic. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires.
http://www.rogachev.de
Hinze's "Bug - Moskwa - Berezina"

It follows. Cheers. Raúl M 8) .
Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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52 ID and the LIII AK in Barbarossa 1941.

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Hello folks; the story follows..........................................

18 July 1941 (Morning)

Enemy offensive in Rogastchev area.

After only few days for improving and reinforce its defenses over the ground conquered, the Division was fighting again; the soviets attacked from its positions located on the western bank of both rivers (Druth and Dniepr). Those attacks lasted two weeks and every day around three or four enemy divisions (once five) stormed the 52 ID’s sector.

On Jul 18 1941, south of Rogatschev, at Blisnezy and at Sborowo 6 hostile batteries of artillery were discovered, 4 were successfully engaged. At 05:00 hours the IR 163 radioed: strong enemy attack with tanks. requested urgently strong artillery support . Need of reserves immediately because of heavy losses at humans and material.

At 06:00 hours the following divisional order was issued: the 52 ID was to defend the sector between the motorway and west of Rogatschev.

At 07:15 hours the following radio message arrived from the IR 497: lack of contact with the IR 163. So far there only reconnaissance patrols. Contact according to the situation south of Myk was needed urgently. The regiment had only one reserve company.

At 07:30 IV./ AR 267 took up fire position. At 08:00 hours message to IR 163: one stuka attack was to be carried out at 10:00 hours over the wood south of Blisnezy. The 11./ IR 181 carried out an reconnaissance in force over Kolotowka. III./ AR 152 furnished support. Kolotowka was found free of enemy. During the morning strong artillery fire on the IR 181’s sector as a whole with light and heavy batteries. It lasted all day long.

At 09:00 hours, the Divisional CP was shifted to Shilitschi. At 10:00 hours, order in writing to the 9./ IR 205: it was to take on the security of the Liskowskaja’s bridge. Later the company was reinforced with the 1./ Pz Jg 152. The Company Commander reported the fulfilment of this task to the new Divisional CP at Trozkij. The scheduled stuka attack was cancelled due to a sudden weather change. During the morning it was ordered that the IR 205 (less the I./ IR 205 deployed at Podssojoly) should be at division disposal in the sector Falewitschi, Boljschaja, Kruschinowka and Malaja Kruschinowka.

Source: "Luchas, Victorias y Derrotas" Lothar Rendulic. Círculo Militar. Buenos Aires.
http://www.rogachev.de
Hinze's "Bug - Moskwa - Berezina"

It follows. Cheers. Raúl M 8) .
Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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