Soviet assault troops at Markendorf on 16 April, 1945

[Mattias Rönnblom]

On 16 April 1945 elements of the Soviet 33rd Army penetrate Hohenwalde and attacked Markendorf, located about 8 km south-west of Frankfurt (Oder). According to Das Ende zwischen Oder und Elbe, the assault troops came from 95th and 339th Rifle Divisions. However, I have a map from http://www.fronta.cz/ which seem to suggest that 89th Rifle Division was at Markendorf at that time.

Does anyone know which of the divisions were there? I'm also interested in knowing, what other (supporting) units were likely to be involved in the fighting. I believe the 33rd Army had two independent tank regiment and two SU regiments, and I would assume that at least some of the armor assets were attached to the Rifle Divisions' assault troops.

[Mattias Rönnblom]

Here's a link to the map I was referring to:
http://www.fronta.cz/pics/clanky/9armee/03/16-4-45.gif

[Denis1973]

As from book Isaev "Berlin 1945", Markendorf was captured by forces of 383th RD from 16th Rifle Corps/33 Army.
Here is a map from this book (i hope you understand russian terms)

s24.gif (58.79 KiB) Viewed 1940 times

[Mattias Rönnblom]

Excellent! Thank you. That answers my question on what Soviet rifle forces were involved in the fighting for Markendorf.

I think I know enough Russian abbreviations to be able to understand the map.

I'm still curious to know what (if any) armor were in support of 383rd Rifle Division, and also, in case anybody know, if the 383rd had any organic AFVs. I know that the -45 Rifle Division TO&E called for SU-76m assault guns, but I think I've read somewhere that very few Soviet Rifle Divisions were converted to this new TO&E before the war ended in Europe.

[Art]

As some addition to what Denis have said: there were three Soviet divisions operating in the first line in the vicinty of Markendorf:
89 Rifle Division of the 38 Rifle Corps;
383 and 339 Rifle Divisions of the 16 Rifle Corps
In addition 38 RC had 64 Rifle Division in the second echelon and 16 RC - 323 Rifle Division. 129 Rifle Division temporary "borrowed" from the 3 Army and subordinated to the 38 Rifle Corps defended a passive sector of the front near Frankfurt. According to the daily operational report prepared by the Front Staff by the end of 16 April:
"89 Rifle Division - after a 30-minutes artillery preparation attacked opposing enemy in the sector from railway bridge (1 km east of Tsetschnow(?)) to the point 22.5 Overcoming enemy fire resistance and having repulsed two counterattacks by force up to an infantry battalion with 10 tanks from the area of Tsetschnow(?) and up to an infantry company with 6 SP-guns from an area of Frankfurter-Heue, by 22.00 conducted combat on the line 400 m south of railway bridge (2,5 km south-east of Frankfurt), southern edge of Tsetschnew, (except) railroad south of Tsetschnew.
...
16 Rifle Corps - commencing an offensive, broke through enemy defense in the sector: railway platform (2 km west of Swetig, (except) point 63.2 and after having repusled by the 339 Rifle Division an enemy counterattack made by a force of up to an infantry battalion with 10 tanks and SP-guns from an area of Lossow, captured Lossow and by the end of the day conducted combat on a line:
383 Rifle Division - railroad (2 kms west of Tsetschnow), northern and wetern edge of the forest (1 km east and south-east of Markendorf-North)
339 Rifle Division - western edge of the forest (2 km north-west of Markendorf-South), western edge of the forest (east of Markendorf-South), Malchow.
According the the same source 64 and 323 Rifle Divisions were not committed to action on 16th, and 95 Rifle Division was in the Army reserve.

Regarding AFVs: according to the directive by Zhukov of 12 April, the 33 Army was to be supported by the following non-organic units:
22 Artillery Division (without 41 Guards Mortar Brigade), 33 AT Artillery Brigade, 56 Guards Mortar Regiment, 64 AA Artillery Division, 257 Tank Regiment, 360 and 361 Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiments, 6 Pontoon Battalion (from 7 Pontoon Brigade), 1 Pontoon Battalion (11 Pontoon Brigade), 15 VSO (seems to be construction detachment), 283 Battalion of amphibious cars, 25 Chemical Defense Company and some misterious 10 ompob (don't know what it is). In addition each of 9 divisions of the Army (except 129th which as I have allready said was borrowed from the 3 Army) had an organic SU-76 battalion. In all the Army had 158 tanks and SP-guns (without subordinated 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps) - that is from "Berlin operation of 1945". I have no breakdown by types, units and tactical attachments.

P.S. These Czech maps seem to be pretty good.

[Mattias Rönnblom]

Thanks Art. I'm trying to piece your information together with what I have in terms of German sources.

I have some trouble with the place names. Swetig is Schwetig (today Świecko, Poland) - that was easy.

But what is the German name for Tsetschnew? Your sources say there's a railway bridge, and 1 km east of this railway bridge is Tsetschnew. There is a railway bridge between Kaisermühl and Müllrose (about 1 km east of Müllrose and a bit less than 1 km west of Kaisermühl) where the railway crosses the Oder-Spree canal. Your sources mentions counter-attacks being launched from the area of Tsetschnew, which fits well. SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 561 is located just south of Müllrose, and make various counter-attacks during the day. The "tanks" mentioned are most likely Hetzer tankdestroyers or StuG III/StuH 42 assault guns.

However, you say that 383rd Rifle Division conducted combat along the railroad (2 km west of Tsetschnow). This doesn't fit well with Tsetschnow being Müllrose, since the railway is east of Müllrose. Hmm. Complicated. There's also a railway bridge just north of Weisenau...

Frankfurter-Heue I can't find either. Any help is appreciated.

[Denis1973]

ome misterious 10 ompob (don't know what it is).

I suppose (as from "Боевой состав СА 1945"), that most likely this unit is the 10 oob - 10th separate flamethrower battalion (may be rated as motorized due attachment of some trucks).

[Denis1973]

But what is the German name for Tsetschnew?
Frankfurter-Heue I can't find either. Any help is appreciated.

You can find both on map, that i posted in this topic:
Tsetschnew is the Цшецшнов - just south of Frankfurt, in front of 38th RC positions
Frankfurter-Heue is the Франкфуртер-Хез - near Frankfurt on the highway wia Markendorf.
Hope this helps

[Denis1973]

Some more help:
1. Tsetschnew is more correct Tzschetzschnow = Guldendorf. This name came from polish pre-war map, most likely captured in 1939 by Soviet forces in Eastern Poland. The polish maps, i suppose, were used to create soviet wartime maps of German territory.
This polish map can be wiewed here http://www.mapywig.org/m/wig300k/52_ZBA ... T_1935.jpg (warning 15 MB traffic)
2. Frankfurter-Heue is Frankfurter-Hohe (in Grossblatt named Frankf.-Hohe) can be easily found on this map
_"http://www.mapywig.org/m/German_maps/19 ... lenzig.jpg" (32 MB traffic)
Cheers!

[Art]

Thanks for the correction of place-names. I tried to locate them on a modern map but it seems that Frankfurt have swallowed a part of these villages.

[Mattias Rönnblom]

I think I've got a firm grip on the chain on events now. Thanks to both of you. You have been very helpful.

According to Zhukov at the Oder (Le Tissier), all GHQ armor resources (meaning, the tank regiment and the two SU regiments) were allocated to the northern-most of the 33rd Army attacks (meaning, 38th and/or 16th RC, I would assume). My guess for the reasons would be the wooded and marshy terrain further south.

[forttravel]

Denis1973 is correct, Цшецшнов = Güldendorf currently a part of Frankfurt am Oder city. Attached detailed plan and list of fortifications/weapons there.