eastern most german unit.

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1jasonoz
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eastern most german unit.

#1

Post by 1jasonoz » 22 Apr 2003, 13:32

First i'd like to say hello to everyone on here. First posting.

I would like some information on the most easterly german unit in ww2. My understanding is that is was south of Stalingrad, and came withing site of Astrakhan on the Caspian sea. Of the top of my head they may have been a PZ Grenaider Div, that was acting as a sort of floating patrol, between the forces in Stalingrad, and the forces south, taking the oil fields. Would be keen to read/ re-read about those exploits, and any online sites anyone would know about, tks jason

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KG Erwin
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#2

Post by KG Erwin » 22 Apr 2003, 17:21

If memory serves, I read in Paul Carell's "Hitler Moves East 1941-43" that the recon detachment of the 16th Mot Inf Div was the unit that basically rode off into the steppe, and came within a few kilometers of Astrakhan.


daveh
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#3

Post by daveh » 22 Apr 2003, 18:45

KG Erwin is correct in remembering P. Carell's Hitlers War on Russia as his source. P565 on describes a long range reconnaissance by Motor cycle Battalion 165 of the 16th Mot. Inf Div. It got within 20 miles of Astrakhan and about 4 miles from part of the lower Volga river.

When asking about German units I have assumed land units were meant as a German naval unit appeared in all the oceans of the world.

I dont know what Luftwaffe unit ventured furthest east. I know that there were plans at one stage for a trans russian flight to Japan.

okw
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#4

Post by okw » 24 Apr 2003, 21:57

the book by albert speer says this about this period of the war for the nazis:

"Our troops had taken the oil fields of Maikop. the leadinf tank colums were already fighting along the Terek and pushing on, over a roadless steppe near Astrakhan toward the southern Volga."

What stopped them were their lines thining out over too large a terrain and the inequities of the armaments program that would only reach maximum in 1944. Also not enough parts for the tanks.

Hitler projected this:

"these difficulties can be overcome as all difficulties can be overcome! First we must conquer the road. Then the way is open to the plains south of the Caucasus. There we can set up our armies freely and set up supply camps. The, in one or two years, we'll start an offensive into the underbelly of the british empire. with a minimum of effort we can liberate Persia and Iraq. The indians will hail our divisions enthusiastically."

All i can is, what a guy! How the world could have been different with the nazis in power but i wonder how long this empire could have lasted. Lets hope the germans can begin again now that the wall has fallen and the communists are no more. There is no use in protecting the already conquered lands as the army and ss were on the new borders of the reich push the frontiers against their enemies. Hitler would have been finished sooner had the brits landed in italy instead of n. africa since that would have cut off rommel and italy and sourthern france had no army divisions in those areas.

Hitler about russia:

"one need only kick in the door and the whole rottn structure will crumble!"

weiwensg
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#5

Post by weiwensg » 25 Apr 2003, 09:55

I'm not sure about eastern most, but I do know that the few strips of land along the Volga captured during the Battle of Stalingrad were the only fulfillment of Barbarossa's initial objective.

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Andy H
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#6

Post by Andy H » 26 Apr 2003, 18:35

The most eastern Russian village captured and held by the Germans was that of Khalkuta, some 80km from Astrakhan.

A recce element under Oberleutnant Gottlieb got within 25kms of Astrakhan whilst another recce unit got to within 5km of Sadovska on the banks of the Volga some 60km north of Gottlieb.

Andy

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Maple 01
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#7

Post by Maple 01 » 26 Apr 2003, 20:25

Weren’t there some Branddenburgers dropped well behind the lines on some raid (memory's a bit fuzzy, might have had some Ost truppen as well)

Regards

-Nick

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Furtherest East

#8

Post by [email protected] » 11 Jun 2003, 14:11

There is an interesting article on http://www.stalingrad.net. Go to Enter the Headquarters of A.O.K. 6 and find the cookie The long-range patrol to Astrachan. This gives a good detail of where the Germans went.

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