Moscow who got closer?

[LAH]

I have a number of books that say that a motorcycle unit of
Das Reich Division got to within 10 miles of Moscow and overan the terminus of the Moscow trams.

I thought that was the closest but I may have been mistaken.

Can anybody tell me which unit did get closest to Moscow?

[ChristopherPerrien]

I have heard the same about Hans von Luck's Pz Recon Battalion.
It was not an SS unit.

If anyone has his book "Panzer Commander" please find the Appropriate page this would be the other unit that got that close.

I got the book but I don't know which of the 25 boxes of books of my library it is in. knowlegde can be cumbersome

[John W]

Pages 61-62 from Chapter:The Russian Campaign, June 1941 to January 1942 of Panzer Commander by Hans von Luck

I was lying just east of Klin. The Moscow-Volga canal was still about 50 kms away. i was summoned to division.

"Luck, you will assemble shortly after dawn with both battalions and try to take, intact, the bridge over the canal at Yakhroma. If that comes off, you form a bridgehead on the east bank and wait for the bulk of the division to arrive. You must anticipate powerful counter-attacks. Winter is upon us. We must gain our objectives before then."

The divisional adjuant took me aside.
"Luck, stricktly between ourselves, you have been asked for by Rommel to take over the 3rd Panzer Recon. Battalion in North Africa. There is an order to that effect from Personnel. the General won't release you at this juncture. He'll negate the order and not mention it to you. But I wanted you to know about it."

I was astonished. How did Rommel come to pick me in particular?There must have been enough commanders available at home in the so called "officer-reserve". To exchange Moscow for tripoli struck me as breath taking. but as yet, nothing was official;only one thing was immediately before us: the next arduous attack.

The following morning, we assembled while it was still dark. It was already distinctly cold. With masked headlights, which gave only a crack of light so that the men in the front and back could at least recognise each other, we felt our way forward alsong byways. Shortly after dawn, we reached the canal; on the east back lay the town of Yakhroma. Of the enemy, there was neither sight nor sound. The advance patrols found the bridge intact and at once drove over to the east bank. Suddenly, we heard some rather haphazard fire from the town and then the sound of motors going away. I followed up immediately with both battalions and occupied the town, which had been abruptly abandoned by the Russians.

I gave out my orders. "The town is to be searched at once; the motorcycle battalion, with the support of scout cars, will see to securing the outskirts of the town. The bridgehead is to be held at all costs." I asked my adjuant to find a house in the center of the town in which to set up my command post and from there I could report to division.

"Welcome to a Russian breakfast," said my adjuant, coming up to me and pointing to a house. To my suprise, we found there a table laid with samovar, bread, butter, eggs, and naturally, cured ham.

"What a nice reception!" i cried. At which the proprietor of the little inn appeared and explained that he had breakfast there for the Russian commander. but he had had to leave it all behind when we had appeared in the little town so unexpectedly. Hungry and highly delighted, we sat down to breakfast. That breakfast was to play a surprising role for me later.

Our little bridgehead was not attacked, strangely enough. the division moved up and extended it. Tanks and artillery were brought into action. the way forward, south and southeast to Moscow, seemed to be open.

In our rear, the infantry closed up and took charge of securing the road connecting Moscow and Leningrad. Much later - in Russian captivity - I met "Kobes" Witthaus and when I saw him again, in 1984, he told me, "I, too, was close to Moscow that winter. Our 35th Infantry Division was thrown into the campaign for that road from Kalinin to Moscow. I managed to penetrate with a patrol right into the subarbs of Moscow. There, I was cut off but we were able to remain hidden for two days until we were forced to withdraw by a Russian counterattack."

That, therefore, was how close the German Wehrmacht came to it's first objective.

All typos are mine

During this time, he was in command of the Armoured Reco. Battalion of the 7th Panzer Division, part of Hoth's Panzer Korps.

Regards,

John

[ChristopherPerrien]

So I suppose both the 35th In Div, and 2nd SS Pz Div got about as close.

I had thought it was Luck's actual unit (7th Pz Div) that got closest.

[Gen. Erwin Rommel]

I heard in several ocasions that the front troops were able to see kremlin towers, before the soviet conter-attack, but i think this may be a little bit speculation.

[ckleisch]

That would be an awesome before and after picture location if it could be photoed. really, would be interesting to see the same perspective today.

[Big]

Agreed.

[JC]

7 Panzer Division reached Yakhroma and captured the bridge over the canal on Nov. 27, about 35 kilometers north of Moscow. Northwest of Moscow SS Das Reich reached Lenino on Dec. 2, about 27 kilometers from Moscow. Its running mate in 40 Pz.K. reached Manichino, about 25 kilometers from Moscow. Between the northern group and northwestern group, 2 Panzer Division, on Nov. 30, reached Himki, Ozeretskoye, and Lobnya, about 10 kilometers from Moscow.

Jeff

[Vladimir S.]

The closest point to Moscow which was reached by Germans - Khimki. The bridge of Khimki is now official border of Moscow but until 1960 it was about 7 kilometers from border of Moscow. And about 15 kilometers from the Kremlin.

And I don't think that from there could see the Kremlin towers.

[Gen. Erwin Rommel]

The closest point to Moscow which was reached by Germans - Khimki. The bridge of Khimki is now official border of Moscow but until 1960 it was about 7 kilometers from border of Moscow. And about 15 kilometers from the Kremlin.

And I don't think that from there could see the Kremlin towers.

I dont think they were able to see the towers from 15 km distance aswell, but i heard that in several war documentarys, maybe a small unit got closer, maybe some unit with a special mission, i dont know it is just a possibility. I was never in Moscow i cant tell, but i think that with a clean view it is possible to see the towers for some Km.

[Vladimir S.]

Gen. Erwin Rommel - so you mean not combat units but spy groups? But in any case - towers of Kremlin are not so tall.

[ChristopherPerrien]

I imagine all German soldiers "REALLY WANTED" to see the towers of the Kremlin. Alas it was just a mirage of victory.

I seriously doubt Stain would have sued for peace, It may have caused a severe moral problem for the Soviets if the Germans had taken Moscow, but I know Stalin would not have let this become a well-known event if it had happened.

It would have been a nicer historical "High water " mark for the Germans to take Moscow rather than just a another piece of dirt in Russia.
In a way it seems fitting.

Question:Where did the Germans get in their war with Russia?
answer: Nowhere

[JC]

Question:Where did the Germans get in their war with Russia?
answer: Nowhere

True enough. But, the one thing that might have changed that was the capture of Moscow in December 1941.

Jeff

[eindhoven]

The closest point to Moscow which was reached by Germans - Khimki. The bridge of Khimki is now official border of Moscow but until 1960 it was about 7 kilometers from border of Moscow. And about 15 kilometers from the Kremlin.

And I don't think that from there could see the Kremlin towers.

Vladimir,

I've been to Khimki and also Partisan Bridge. I believe Partisan Bridge is also closer and from there one might have been able to see the spires of the Kremlin. With modern construction in that area it's no longer visible. At the time it was very likely visible though.

[Shane6969]

My Grandfather was part of the II Battalion, 6 Pz Gren Rgt, 7 Panzer Division from the start of the Barbarossa Campaign until his death in September 1943 near Poltava, Ukraine. I believe the Panzer Grenadiers of the 7 P.D were formed into an ad-hoc formation known as "Kampfgruppe Manteuffel" when they took the bridge over the Moscow-Volga Canal. Apparently my Grandfather told my Dad that saw the outskirts of Moscow through some field glasses.