Unternehmen “Barbarossa“ (8/10)

Soviet Union 1941 ▶ Unternehmen “Barbarossa“ Барбаросса (Part 8/10) 29. Infanterie-Division (Autumn 1941) Bryansk Pocket Tank Panzer @GERMANHISTORYARCHIVE Playlist ▶ Part 8: Bryansk Kesselschlacht: The 29 infantery division mot. was tasked to advance on Seredina Buda on the extreme left off panzergroup 2 attack line. After its succesfull capature it advanced further to the mouth of river Revna (15 km south east of Bryansk) and achieved this on 7th october 1941. Meanwhile 2nd army was approaching Bryansk from the west and so a pocket was formed. Guarding the eastern ring of the kessel (together with 17th panzer north east, 10th ID mot. east 25th ID mot. east 293th ID south east 262 ID south) fierce counterattacks by sovjet troups accurred who were trying to break out. This continued until 11th october when a crisis arose between the boundary of 25th ID mot. and 29th ID mot. (sovjets created a gap in the defences). But the hasty arrival of the 5th machine gun battalion rescued the situation. The High Command of the Wehrmacht changed its strategic objectives according to Hitler’s will and in accordance with the new situation on the northern wing of Army Group South. Not Moscow, but the Ukrainian industrial areas on the Donbass were to be taken first. The troops west of Moscow were to be put on defense for the time being, while in the Kiev area a new encirclement battle was to be prepared to surround the Soviet southwestern front. Colonel General Guderian was ordered to headquarters in Rastenburg for 23 August; contrary to his misgivings, he was ordered to disengage his three armored corps from the fighting east of Smolensk and swing south. Das Oberkommando der Wehrmacht änderte nach Hitlers Willen und gemäß der neuen Lage am nördlichen Flügel der Heeresgruppe Süd ihre strategischen Ziele. Nicht Moskau, sondern die ukrainischen Industriegebiete am Donbass sollten zuerst genommen werden. Die Truppen westlich von Moskau sollten vorerst in Verteidigung übergehen, während im Raum Kiew eine neue Kesselschlacht zur Umfassung der sowjetischen Südwestfront vorbereitet werden sollte. Generaloberst Guderian wurde für den 23. August ins Hauptquartier nach Rastenburg befohlen, entgegen seinen Bedenken, wurde ihm befohlen seine drei Panzerkorps aus den Kämpfen östlich von Smolensk zu lösen und nach Süden abzuschwenken. The 29th Infantry Division was reorganized with substantial participation of the old 15th Infantry Regiment of the Reichswehr in October 1936 at Erfurt in Wehrkreis IX. In the fall of 1937, the infantry division was motorized, i.e., equipped with trucks, and henceforth designated the 29th Infantry Division (motorized). Mobilization took place on August 24, 1939. During the invasion of Poland, the 29th Infantry Division (mot.), as part of the XIV Army Corps (mot.) of the 10th Army, participated in the encirclement of Polish forces at Radom. It was through members of the division that the Ciepielów Massacre was perpetrated. As part of the 16th Army, the division took part in the Western Campaign. It advanced near the English Channel and was in the strategic reserve at the Battle of Dunkirk. Later it made a rapid advance into eastern France with Heinz Guderian’s Panzer Group. As an occupation force, it remained stationed there until early summer 1941. As part of Panzer Group 2, the 29th Infantry Division (mot.) participated in the attack on the Soviet Union beginning on 22 June 1941. It was involved in the Kessel Battles of Minsk, Smolensk, and Bryansk, and supported Guderian’s tank units at Tula. During the Battle of Tula, the division suffered heavy losses and lost many vehicles. In the first half of 1942, the 29th Infantry Division (mot.) was in action near Orel. From June onward, the advance followed via Kharkov to the Don River bend until shortly before Stalingrad (cf. Fall Blau). According to contemporary accounts (see, e.g., Memoirs of Colonel General Heinz Guderian), the 29th ID (mot.) was one of the best mobile divisions of the Wehrmacht. Russland, Wehrmacht, Barbarossa, Operation, war, ww2, wwii, 29 infantry division, simple history, military, army, combat, tank,Panzer, Барбаросса #history​ #ww2​ #Barbarossa​ #Россия​ #Germany​ #military​ #Барбаросса​ #worldwar2​ #tank​ #Panzer​ #wwii​ #simplehistory​ #army