Festung Cholm

[AMVAS]

I merged a new thread on Cholm into the existing one to keep discussion focussed.

All the best

Andreas

Just for information.
I have a large set of daily records of the 33rd Rifle Division which took part in Cholm assault.
But I can't share them for free, because of different obligations.
If you are interested in getting those, contact me.

Regards
Alex

[Cesarewitch]

Does anyone have any information regarding the fighting in the Polisto-Lovatskoe Swamp immediately to the west of Kholm? I gather that the 8th Guards Rifle Division detachments fought in the region roughly between Mazury and Pustynki, immediately to the west of Kholm, but I cannot find which of the Soviet units liberated the Rdeisky Monastery (NW of Kholm, deep in the wetlands) -- or which of the German units did oppose them, for that matter.

[AlifRafikKhan]

Soldiers in front of Cholm road sign, the one on the front holding AVS 36...

Source : http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... &start=540

[tigre]

Hello to all ; after a while a little complement.............

Soviet offensive south of Lake Ilmen - Winter 1941/42.

Cholm 105 days of siege.

The Soviet offensive began suddenly and silently, without fire support on the night of January 8, 1942, the regiments of a Soviet Army went to the assault over the ice of Lake Ilmen towards the support point of Staraja Russa deep into the the German deployment. The next night on January 9, the great effort of four Soviet armies broke out westwards against the overextended front of Lake Seliger(11th, 34th 3rd and 4th Assault with the 22º protecting the southern flank). In this sector was deployed the 123. ID, which had to defend a front of 80 kilometers, the German soldiers were overwhelmed. The German northern front was broken and a catastrophe was expected. The Maps in the OKW were filled with red arrows pointing west, but a blue circle still remained south of the lake, in the fishing village of Vsvad (troops of Pz. Jäg Abt. 290; Kradsch. Btl 38; a company of Wach-Btl. 615 and the 6. / Lw Nach. Reg. 1 about 543 men under Hauptmann Pröhl and 80 Russian inhabitants). Besides all attacks against the front in Staraja Russa (18. ID Mot) had been repelled so far.

On January 13 two others Soviet armies went on to the offensive on the Wolchow's front and in ten days moved 100 km westwards. On January 18 the defenders of Vasvad could break out of the Soviet encirclement and got in contact with the Spanish company under Hauptmann Ordás, which had came to their rescue. On February 8, 1942 the Soviet ring closed around the II. AK under General Graf Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt and 100 thousand men in six divisions remained in the pocket of Demiansk. But south of Lake Ilmen yet another point of resistance stayed against the red tide, the small town of Cholm.

Source: 105 Tage im Kessel Cholm. Heinz Trantow. Das III Reich. Sondersheft 11. Grenadiere. Die Deutsche Infanterie von 1939-1945.
Richard Muck. Kampfgruppe Scherer. 105 tage eingeschlossen.

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - Feliz Ano Novo - Gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo - Szczęśliwego nowego roku!!!.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.............

Soviet offensive south of Lake Ilmen - Winter 1941/42.

Cholm 105 days of siege.

Thus Staraja Russa, Demiansk and Cholm remained as resistance nests blocking the route of advance westwards between the Lakes Ilmen and Seliger. The town of Cholm was more a resting point that a nest of resistance and in the impoverished town of 12,000 inhabitants were all kinds of soldiers, including those of the rear service, unaccustomed to the demands of the combat. Shortly before the Soviet ring closed around the town, some troops were moved over there from the west; thus reached the town a group of Gebirgsjägers in a battalion strength (called Jagdkommando 8 under command of Hauptmann Spittäler) and at last moment arrived from Denmark the IR 386 (Oberstleutnant Manitius); the regimental motto was "Von der Schlagsahne in die Scheisse" (From the mousse to the sh..).

The Leutnant Hofstetter, Junior Assistant in the regiment, recalled: we were pressed in all types of light vehicles and transported to the front, it reminded me of the year 1914 during the Battle of the Marne with the French taxis, with us traveled some trucks driven by old comrades in naval uniform. When the column stopped,we were in Cholm; That was on January 28 and shortly after our arrival the ring was closed. However, the IR 386 had only the full I. Battalion, two companies of infantry and half machine guns company of the II. Battalion, some groups of the III. Battalion and two light infantry howitzers of the 13. Company.

As Commander of the strongpoint was appointed Generalmajor Scherer, commander of the 281. Sicherungs-Division (Security Division), while the Oberstleutnant Manitius was commander of the troops. In all there were about 5,000 men. Apart from Jagdkommando 8 and IR 386, there were also some remnants of the 123. ID, the IR 553 of the 329. ID (*), the Police Battalion Reserve 65, belonging to the 285. Sicherungs-Division and 20 naval drivers. Shortly afterwards part of the MG Btl 10 (about 200 men) were also added.

(*) As of February 20, 1942 the IR 553 was transferred by rail to the Eastern Front, to the area of responsibility of the 16. AOK. In Pskov, it was separated from the division, pushed to Cholm and airborne inside the encirclement.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... R553-R.htm

Source: 105 Tage im Kessel Cholm. Heinz Trantow. Das III Reich. Sondersheft 11. Grenadiere. Die Deutsche Infanterie von 1939-1945.
Richard Muck. Kampfgruppe Scherer. 105 tage eingeschlossen.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[lufty1]

What about Jason Mark's book?

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.............

Soviet offensive south of Lake Ilmen - Winter 1941/42.

Cholm 105 days of siege.

Remember that Cholm had two peculiarities, first it was a fortress without artillery, all its fire support came from outside and secondly it was supplied by air, even though it did not have any aerodrome within its perimeter.

On January 23 came the first 11 Soviet tanks and were rejected losing three vehicles. While Cholm was besieged by three Soviet Rifle divisions, a German kampfgruppe under General Uckermann advanced up to 10 kilometers from the town and was halted there, but almost along the frontline deployed the batteries of the AR 218 and the schw. Art. Abt. 536 in order to support the defenders from the outside; as forward observers were airborne by gliders Oberleutnant Feist and Leutnant Dettmann. Later a track of 70 x 25 meters was built within the perimeter; it allowed the operation of the German Ju-52 that transported weapons, ammunition, supplies and evacuated 700 wounded. The German planes were able to land for the last time on February 25. Then the air supply was performed by gliders and by dropping supply bombs type containers. In total about 80 gliders reached its goal, often in no man's land and the defenders' patrols should keep the Soviets at bay.

Source: 105 Tage im Kessel Cholm. Heinz Trantow. Das III Reich. Sondersheft 11. Grenadiere. Die Deutsche Infanterie von 1939-1945.
Richard Muck. Kampfgruppe Scherer. 105 tage eingeschlossen.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.............

Soviet offensive south of Lake Ilmen - Winter 1941/42.

Cholm 105 days of siege.

Dropping the supply bombs was a serious risk for the crews of transport aircrafts, as they should fly no more than 200 meters high in order to throw them in an area of 200 x 500 meters inside the fortress under constant fire of the Soviet antiaircraft artillery, but also was a mortal trip for the group that should recover them in the ground, for just a release was carried out, the opponent unleashed an intense artillery fire on the area seeking to destroy the cargo and men trying to retrieve it. If supplies fell into no man's land the defenders had to hold off the Russians retrievers by machine gun fire and at night an shock patrol was sent out in order to rescue the container.

Equally important and difficult struggle like to regain supplies was the fighting against the lice, Leutnant Hofstetter scored in the KTB of Kampfgruppe Scherer: March 12 first case of typhus. The kampfgruppe now had another insidious enemy against which to fight. Apart from the ghost of typhus, were the wounded who were treated under the care and leadership of Stabsarzt Dr Ocker and surgeon Oberarzt Dr. Muck, who was to operate day and night under hostile fire. The wounded were lying on the bare ground in the huts still standing, attended by the sanitary personnel. Those slightly wounded had to donate blood for their most serious wounded comrades. The Soviets tried systematically to burn the houses still standing with incendiary grenades. One night the Main Aid Station was wrapped in flames and an unknown number of wounded were trapped in it. More than 1,500 wounded had to be now housed in the basement of the ruins.

Source: 105 Tage im Kessel Cholm. Heinz Trantow. Das III Reich. Sondersheft 11. Grenadiere. Die Deutsche Infanterie von 1939-1945.
Richard Muck. Kampfgruppe Scherer. 105 tage eingeschlossen.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.............

Soviet offensive south of Lake Ilmen - Winter 1941/42.

Cholm 105 days of siege.

The Jagdkommando 8 was created on December 22, 1941 in the Wehrkreis XVIII. This command was first organized with three companies as a Valkyrie Unit in that district. Then the battalion was used in northern Russia in the fight against partisans. Apparently the command was used within the 281. Sicherungs-Division (Security Division). This command was disbanded in the early summer of 1942 and its elements used to form the Pz. Jäg. Abt. 218 and the Aufkl. Abt. 218.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... ndo8-R.htm

On February 13, 1942 took place the first major Soviet attack but it was rejected after heavy fighting. The radio station of the IR 386 was destroyed by a direct hit and the regiment suffered heavy casualties. The Oberstleutnant Manitius moved the HQ from the prison of the GPU to the edge of the Lowat. The prison was now a strong point under the command of Hauptmann Biecker and was occupied by the company of Leutnant Frenzel.

On February 23, 1942, the Red Army's day, the Soviets conducted another great assault. From dawn the eastern edge of the town was subjected to continuous artillery fire and the ruins of the sector had only a 50/80 cm high. A Soviet Rifle Division, supported by tanks, attacked in successive waves. Soviet infantry reached the limits of the town and the fight developed in hand to hand struggles; the fighting was particularly intense in the area of the prison, until the attack was repulsed. The attack was repeated the next day. Leutnant Hofstetter wrote: February 24 our artillery opened fire and out of 100 shells, 75 of them did not explode. In the following days the Soviets attacked eighteen times and eighteen times were rejected.

Source: 105 Tage im Kessel Cholm. Heinz Trantow. Das III Reich. Sondersheft 11. Grenadiere. Die Deutsche Infanterie von 1939-1945.
Richard Muck. Kampfgruppe Scherer. 105 tage eingeschlossen.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.............

Soviet offensive south of Lake Ilmen - Winter 1941/42.

Cholm 105 days of siege.

By gliders the reinforcement were sent into the cauldron, men and heavy infantry weapons, among the latter an anti-tank gun of 50 cm. In the sector of the southern cemetery, Oberfeldwebel Behle saw five Russian tanks rolling to his position. Behle aimed quickly through the gun barrel, loaded and fired, hit at the first shot. Oberfeldwebel Behle destroyed five tanks with twenty shots using that primitive aiming system.

In April came a warm wave and snow and ice melted; all the positions were filled with water and the mud was the king of the land. Cholm became an island in the middle of a vast swamp. As clearly described it General Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt, the isthmus between the Ilmen and Seliger-See lakes off the road was impassable.

Source: 105 Tage im Kessel Cholm. Heinz Trantow. Das III Reich. Sondersheft 11. Grenadiere. Die Deutsche Infanterie von 1939-1945.
Richard Muck. Kampfgruppe Scherer. 105 tage eingeschlossen.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[AlifRafikKhan]

Great story Raúl , as usual... I've readt in das-ritterkreuz that Dipl.-Ing. Albert Biecker is "Hauptmann der Landwehr". Maybe you know what is that mean?

[tigre]

Hello AlifRafikKhan ; thanks for your comment.......Possibly because Hauptmann Albert Biecker was part of the IR 386 in the 218. Infanterie Division, which in turn was formed as a division of the third wave by the Landwehr-Kommandeur Berlín (Territorial Command). No more clues. Cheers. Raúl M .

[AlifRafikKhan]

Thank you Raúl...

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.............

Soviet offensive south of Lake Ilmen - Winter 1941/42.

Cholm 105 days of siege.

It began to hear the rumor that General von Arnim was approaching with his divisions. However on May 1st optimism faded out and Cholm again received a large Soviet assault. The artillery fire barrage lasted one hour and then followed the infantry, wave after wave, supported by tanks. The Russians approached up to a few hundred meters from the Lowat's shore, but could not overcome the last 100 meters. The Stukas attacked. From the outside the German artillery opened fire. The infantry of Cholm, veterans of the First World War and the youth fought for survival and freedom. The Russians failed and on May 2 only small isolated blows were recorded.

On May 3 at 03:00 the Russians attacked again, but this time the defenders of Cholm also heard the sound of fighting due southwest. Friendly troops were approaching and the rescue was near.

Source: 105 Tage im Kessel Cholm. Heinz Trantow. Das III Reich. Sondersheft 11. Grenadiere. Die Deutsche Infanterie von 1939-1945.
Richard Muck. Kampfgruppe Scherer. 105 tage eingeschlossen.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; last part.............

Soviet offensive south of Lake Ilmen - Winter 1941/42.

Cholm 105 days of siege.

On May 4th combat noise approached and Stukas dropping bombs outside the fortress. On May 05 two assault guns of the "Greif" Group commanded by Oberleutnant Tornau attacked over the road to Cholm. Behind followed members of the sappers Platoon of the IR 411. After 105 days Cholm was free. Joy among the German defenders, joy among Russian civilians, about 60 men, women and children came out of their hiding places. They should have been evacuated to a safe place, but they did not want leave their broken homes.

But even Cholm was in the front line. Of the nearly 5,000 soldiers who had started the fight, 1,200 were combat ready yet, 2,200 were injured and transported to hospitals in rear and some 1,550 German soldiers remained in Cholm buried in three mass graves. The front-line at Cholm was held until the beginning of 1944.

Source: 105 Tage im Kessel Cholm. Heinz Trantow. Das III Reich. Sondersheft 11. Grenadiere. Die Deutsche Infanterie von 1939-1945.
Richard Muck. Kampfgruppe Scherer. 105 tage eingeschlossen.

Cheers. Raúl M .