10 october
Kalininskaya began defensive operation right wing troops Western Front against the German fascist troops.

12 october
A deep breakthrough of the formations of the 3rd German tank group between Sychevka and Vyazma and the exit of one motorized corps to the rear of the armies of the right wing of the Western Front forced the Soviet command to withdraw the 29th Army from the front and deploy it along the left bank of the Volga to cover the Rzhev group from the southeast ... By order of the Headquarters, seven rifle divisions were withdrawn from the army of the front's right wing for their transfer to the Mozhaisk line of defense and to the Kalinin area.

October 14
The troops of the Western Front left the city of Kalinin. The formations of the 3rd German tank group immediately after the capture of the city tried to develop an offensive on Torzhok, go to the rear of the troops Northwestern Front, but were rebuffed by the operational group of the North-Western Front N.F. Vatutin.

17 October
The Kalinin Front was created from the troops of the right wing of the Western Front (22, 29 and 30 armies) and the group of Lieutenant General N.F. Vatutin, headed by Colonel-General I.S. Konev. Corps commissar D.S. Leonov, chief of staff I.I. Ivanov.
At the direction of Stavka, the troops of the Kalinin Front launched a counterattack on the 41st motorized corps of the enemy, which was trying to break through from the Kalinin area to Torzhok, to the rear of the troops of the North-Western Front, and threw it back to starting position... The 8th tank brigade of Colonel P.A. Rotmistrova, staffed by Leningrad volunteer workers.
The 21st separate tank brigade made a heroic raid from the area of ​​the village of Turginovo in the direction of Kalinin. 27 T-34 tanks and 8 T-60 tanks headed for Kalinin, but met heavy fire from anti-tank guns and were continuously bombarded from the air. Only 8 tanks reached the southern outskirts of Kalinin, and only the T-34 tank under the command of senior sergeant S. Gorobets broke into the city and made the legendary raid across the city. He appeared from the direction of the "Proletarka", passed through the city, fired at the commandant's office, caused a stir among the Germans and went to his troops.
The brigade destroyed up to 38 tanks, about 70 guns and mortars, 170 vehicles, and up to 500 enemy soldiers and officers during the day of the battle.

19 october
From the evening message of the Sovinformburo; “In all districts of the Kalinin region, captured by the Germans, partisan detachments are actively operating. Their number is growing every day. Tens and hundreds of workers and employees of enterprises and institutions, hundreds of collective farmers join partisan detachments and, not sparing their lives, fight the fascist invaders. "

The 20th of October
From the morning message of the Sovinformburo: “Our unit operating in one of the sectors of the Kalinin direction, in one day on October 18, destroyed 17 German tanks, 30 vehicles with ammunition and 15 vehicles with fascist infantry. In another section of the Kalinin direction, on October 18, about three hundred German vehicles were destroyed, of which more than 200 vehicles with infantry and about 100 vehicles with fuel and ammunition. "

October 30
From the morning message of the Soviet Information Bureau: “In the battles in the area of ​​Kalinin, our units captured a large group of German soldiers. The extensive correspondence found among the prisoners speaks of the ever-growing dissatisfaction of the German masses with the war against Soviet Union»

October 31
From the morning message of the Sovinformburo: "In one of the sectors of the Kalinin direction, a long-range battery under the command of Lieutenant Belikov defeated an enemy airfield, destroying 14 enemy aircraft."

Nov. 1
By this day, 56 partisan detachments with a total number of 1724 people were operating in the occupied districts of the region.

November 5
From the morning message of the Sovinformburo: "One of our units operating on the Kalinin front, in one day of fighting destroyed 15 German tanks, 10 armored vehicles, 13 guns, several mortar batteries and about 600 enemy soldiers and officers."

7 november
The Military Council of the Kalinin Front awarded combat orders and medals to 88 tank crews of the 8th tank brigade.

17 november
From the evening message of the Sovinformburo: "... Particularly fierce battles took place in the Kalininsky and one of the sectors of the Southwestern Front."
“In one of the sectors of the Kalinin front line, our scouts found 20 corpses of German soldiers in the enemy's rear. As it turned out from the testimony of the prisoners, these German soldiers were shot for refusing to go on the offensive. The captured fascists report that over 280 soldiers deserted from the 253rd and 102nd Infantry Divisions within a month. Recently, an order from the German command was read to all units. The order stated that every soldier who lagged behind his unit for whatever reason would be considered a deserter and would be shot when caught ... "

November 25
From the evening message of the Sovinformburo: “Part of Comrade. Maslennikov in 10 days of combat. Destroyed 38 enemy tanks, 19 guns, 19 mortars, 230 motorcycles and captured 5 tanks, 10 guns, 32 vehicles, 116 motorcycles and 53 enemy machine guns. "

4 december
The Kalinin defensive operation of the troops of the Kalinin and Western Fronts against the German troops of the 9th Army and the 3rd Panzer Group ended. By the end of the operation, the enemy was stopped at the line to the north settlements Selizharovo, Chernogubovo, Mishutino, Moshki, Volyntsevo, northern outskirts of Kalinin, Yurievskoe.

5th of December
Kalininskaya began offensive(5.12.1941-7.01.1942) the troops of the Kalinin Front against the troops of the left wing of the Army Group "Center", which marked the beginning of the Soviet counteroffensive in the battle of Moscow. The front was supposed to strike at the 9th enemy army, free Kalinin and go to the rear of the troops operating against the Western Front.

7 december
The 29th Army of the Kalinin Front, attacking the enemy southwest of Kalinin, crossed the Volga here on the ice and wedged into the enemy defenses.

9th December
The 31st army of the Kalinin Front, after three days of stubborn fighting, broke through the enemy defenses on the Volga south of Kalinin, entered the Koltsovo, Mozzharino, Chupriyanovka, Koromyslovo line, and cut the Kalinin-Turginovo road.

December 13th
The formations of the 29th Army (commanded by Major General V.I.Shvetsov) and the 31st Army (commanded by Major General V.A.Yushkevich) entered the path of withdrawal of the Kalinin group of Germans. The garrison of fascist troops in Kalinin was asked to surrender.

December 16
At dawn, forces of the 31st Army struck the retreating enemy from the Negotino area, the 252nd Division of the 29th Army attacked the enemy north of the village of Danilovskoye. By three o'clock, the 243rd division of the 29th army occupied the northern part of Kalinin. By 11 o'clock the right-flank units of the 256th division broke into the city. By 13 o'clock the city was completely liberated from the German troops. It was the first liberated regional center.
“AT THE LAST HOUR. ANOTHER HIT ON THE ENEMY'S TROOPS. After fierce battles, the troops of the Kalinin Front captured the city of Kalinin. In the battles near the city of Kalinin, our troops inflicted a major defeat on the 9th German army of Colonel-General Strauss, defeating 86, 110, 129, 161 and 251 infantry divisions that were part of this army. The remnants of the defeated enemy divisions are retreating to the west. In the battles for the city of Kalinin, the troops of Lieutenant General Comrade Maslennikov and Major General Comrade Yushkevich distinguished themselves. Large trophies are captured and are being counted. Our troops pursue and destroy the retreating enemy. SOVINFORMBURO ".

December 17
“TROPHIES OF OUR TROOPS AT THE TAKE OF THE CITY OF KALININA. When the city of Kalinin was captured, according to preliminary and incomplete data, the troops of the Kalinin Front captured the following trophy from the Germans: guns of various calibers - 190, of which 4 heavy twelve-inch, tanks - 31, aircraft - 9, cars - about 1,000, mortars - 160, machine guns - 303, machine guns - 292, bicycles - 1,300, motorcycles - 47, rifles - 4,500, shells - 21,000, mines - 12,500, cartridges - over 500,000, radio stations - 18, battle flags - 4. In addition, two ammunition depots, a warehouse with uniforms, carts, cables and many other military equipment. The trophy count continues. In the battles in the Kalinin area, the Germans lost more than 10,000 soldiers and officers only in killed. SOVINFORMBURO ".

December 18
A red flag was solemnly raised on Lenin Square in Kalinin.
The first meeting of the city committee of the CPSU after the liberation of the regional center took place.

December 27th
“TROPHIES OF THE KALININSKY FRONT FORCES FOR THE PERIOD FROM 17 DECEMBER 27 TO 27 DECEMBER. In battles with the German invaders, the troops of the Kalinin Front from 17 to 27 December captured the following trophies: tanks and tankettes - 103, armored vehicles - 6, guns of various caliber - 180, machine guns = 267, automatic rifles - 135, mortars - 86, flamethrowers, rifles - 659, cars - 1323, motorcycles - 348, bicycles - 213, airplanes - 8, radio stations - 6, carts -115, horses - 130, shells - 12200, mines of various calibers - over 8300, rifle cartridges -778480, grenades - 1270 and other military equipment.
During the same period, 38 tanks, up to 20 guns, 75 machine guns, 400 vehicles, 23 motorcycles, 295 wagons with cargo and others were destroyed. military equipment».
In the city of Kalinin, a bathhouse was opened.

December 30th
In the Kalinin House of the Red Army, orders and medals were presented to the soldiers and commanders who distinguished themselves in the battles for Kalinin.

Bibliography

Messages from the Soviet Information Bureau. Vol.1: June-December 1941 - M .: [Type. gas "Pravda" them. Stalin], 1944. - 456 p.

Chronological information about the military actions of the Red Army for the defense and liberation of the city of Kalinin in 1941 / comp. P.F. Anisimov. - Tver: TSTU, 2000 .-- 208 p.

Boshnyak Yu.M. Kalinin operational direction in the battle of Moscow: military-ist. essay / Yu.M. Boshnyak, D.D. Slezkin, N.A. Yakimansky // On the right flank of the Moscow battle. - M .: Mosk. worker, 1991. - S. 7-60.

Brief Chronicle of Events // Pages of People's Feat. - M., 1974 .-- S. 287-293.

Chronicle of the battles for Kalinin // Political agitation. - 1981. - No. 21-22. - S. 28, 31, 34, 39, 41, 54, 57-58.

Khetchikov M.D. Defensive and counter-offensive operations carried out in 1941 on the Tver land // M.D. Hetchikov; Tver. region societies. Memor Support Fund. a complex of glory to the Siberian warriors. - Tver: Communicator. company, 2010 .-- 158 p .: maps.

Khetchikov M.D. Military glory of the Kalinin battles of 1941. - Tver: Pyramid XXI century, 2009 .-- 54 p .: maps.

Kalinin defensive operation [Electronic resource] // Wikipedia. - Access mode: http: //ru.wikipedia.org/Kalininskaya_defensive operation

Kalinin Front [Electronic resource] // Wikipedia. - Access mode: http://ru.wikipedia.org/w/Kalinsky_front

Defense of Kalinin [Electronic resource] // Wikipedia. - Access mode: http: //ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oborona_Kalinina

Occupation of Kalinin [Electronic resource] // Wikipedia. - Access mode:

The western part of the Kalinin region became the arena of fierce battles between Soviet troops and the Nazis in the summer of 1941. Kalinin (now Tver) was located between Moscow and Leningrad, three strategically important roads converged in it: the October railway, the Moscow-Leningrad highway, and the waterway - the Moscow-Volga canal. In 1939, the population of Kalinin was 216 thousand people, and the city itself was a large regional industrial center - various industries were developed in it, from the cotton industry to car building. All this made the city an attractive target for the German command.

German troops rushed into the city swiftly. In just a few days, from the rear, he became front-line, and a few more later - it was occupied by German units.

Despite the resistance of Soviet troops and fierce battles that did not stop for three days, on October 17 the city completely passed under the control of the Germans.

The fire brigade and about a thousand police officers and employees of the NKVD department deserted from the city. The shelling caused fires that there was no one to extinguish.

The military prosecutor of the 30th Army, Berezovsky, noted in his memorandum: “By 10 pm on October 13 of this year, there were no police, no fire brigade, no NKVD officers in the city, with the exception of the state security major comrade. Tokarev. This last circumstance was caused by the cowardice of the deputy head of the NKVD, the captain of state security, Comrade. Shifrin and the head of the regional police captain Zaitsev. "

At that time, about 35 thousand people remained in the city, the rest were evacuated. In the first week of anarchy, the local population looted, robbing shops, businesses, factories. The Germans did not interfere with this. The situation was tense even before the occupation - residents panicked, fled the city, those who remained were afraid of hunger and tried to stock up on everything they could.

Inna Bunina, a relative of the Russian writer Ivan Bunin, who was only nine years old at the time of the occupation, recalls: “We lived then in house number 10 on Vagzhanov Street, in the so-called Krepza building, from the windows of our apartment the exodus of residents from the city was clearly visible.

The commanding staff were allocated cars on which they loaded their belongings, furniture, up to tubs of figs. Ordinary people left on foot, taking only their hand luggage with them, along the side of the street walked the wounded in bloody bandages, many on crutches, women with children, old people.

It was a terrible picture. By the evening of October 14, motorcycles with Germans appeared on the street, followed by tanks. They entered an almost empty city. "

The city was imposed a curfew from 4 pm to 8 am. It was possible to cross the Volga and Tvertsa rivers only by bridges, those seen on the ice were shot on the spot. The partisans were hanged, those suspected of being connected with them were publicly shot, leaving the bodies lying at the place of execution. Citizens who seemed suspicious were exiled to camps and forced labor. At the end of October, the Germans resettled all residents to the central part of the city and forbade them to leave.

Prices in comparison with the pre-occupation prices have skyrocketed hundreds of times. A kilogram of rye flour, instead of 1 ruble, 60 kopecks per kilogram began to cost 375 rubles, eggs rose from 5-6 rubles per ten to 700 rubles, milk - from 2 rubles per liter to 100-200 rubles. After the occupation, of course, the cost decreased, but it was still several times higher than the original one - milk could be bought for 50-60 rubles, a dozen eggs - for 140-200 rubles.

At the same time, the highest salary for employees of the enterprise was up to 800 rubles a month - it was received by executives. Many others received hourly wages, for skilled workers it reached 4 rubles per hour. The others usually did not exceed two.

Some citizens went to cooperate with the Germans. They were driven to this by the contradictions between the authorities and the people, generated by the situation, considerations of practical expediency, anti-Soviet sentiments of a number of residents. One of the residents subsequently detained by the NKVD authorities explained the motives of her collaboration with the occupiers as follows: “My social origin (noble) was the reason that I was repeatedly fired from my job, and as a result I had to experience financial difficulties. In addition, I had two brothers, both officers of the tsarist army. One of them, fearing reprisals from the Soviet regime, committed suicide at the beginning October revolution, and the second, a little later, being repressed by the Soviet authorities, died in prison ...

All this aroused in me hatred of the Soviet regime, and with the arrival of the Germans in the city of Kalinin, I willingly embarked on the path of treacherous activity. "

Representatives of the intelligentsia also tried to establish contact with the occupiers. One of the reasons was the desire to preserve scientific and cultural values ​​in the occupied city. The German authorities took advantage of this and used the intelligentsia to create pro-German newspapers and leaflets to propagate their ideas. After the occupation, of course, they were all arrested.

The Russian National Socialist Movement tried to use the Germans for its own purposes. Its representatives hoped, with the help of the invaders, to create an independent Russian state, to establish organizations throughout the country and in the future to turn into the Russian National Socialist Party. However, due to the transience of the occupation, they were unable to carry out these plans, and after its withdrawal, the activities of the movement came to naught.

Immediately after the German troops occupied the city, an anti-fascist underground appeared in Kalinin. Its representatives killed individual soldiers and sentries, disrupted communications, disabled military equipment, and conducted reconnaissance work.

The population actively cooperated with the units Soviet army when establishing communications - with the help local residents managed to build four bridges on the Tvertsa River.

Soviet troops launched an offensive on December 5. Their goal was not only to defeat the Germans and occupy Kalinin, but also to reach the rear of the enemy units operating north-west of Moscow. Step by step, they took the Germans into a ring, cutting off the path of retreat and communication with the rear. By December 14, the Germans had only one road left, connecting them with their own rear - Staritskoe highway, which Soviet soldiers they still could not be recaptured. The German garrison was asked to surrender, but the invaders rejected this offer. On December 16, they hastily withdrawn the main forces from the city, finally forming a battalion of torchbearers who set the city on fire at night.

The Soviet units began the assault on the city at 3.30. And by 13 o'clock in the afternoon, the city was completely liberated from German troops.

Galina Nikolaeva, one of the residents, says: “At the end of December I went on foot to the liberated Kalinin. The city was in ruins. What scared me the most was the sight of the German cemetery on Revolution Square.

Corpses were piled vertically into shallow graves. They froze and swayed in the wind, squeaking disgustingly.

The victory over the invaders played an important role in preventing the German troops from encircling Moscow. Despite the fact that Kalinin was badly damaged - more than half of the city's buildings were destroyed and more than 70 enterprises were put out of operation - within a few weeks six bakeries, a bakery and a hydroelectric power plant started working in it. By February 1942, another hydroelectric power station and a thermal power station were launched, the post office started working, trams began to run, and the water supply was restored. Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR Mikhail Kalinin said at a meeting of the city's party activists in January: “First of all, everything must be done to put the available resources into the production of weapons and ammunition. I think the more you develop military equipment, the sooner you will build up. I will even tell you that if you want to make your city not only a city of the textile industry, but also of the metal industry, this is a good moment for you when you can establish a metal industry. "

By the end of the war in Kalinin there were 78 industrial enterprises, including eight new ones. In the restored factories, workers made shells and ammunition.

In the postwar years, the streets of Konev, Rotmistrov, Agibalov, Lukin, Pichugin were named after those who fought for Kalinin.

I came across information about the existence of another organization called the Russian National Socialist Movement (RNSD). The organization was founded in October 1941 in Tver.

In general, the period of the German "occupation" of Tver is very interesting. During the red occupation, Tver had the name Kalinin; under the Germans, the historical name returned. Russian self-government was created in the city - power belonged to city ​​government led by burgomaster. Burgomasterwas the official and administrative head of all officials subordinate to him, subordinate organizations and institutions. On October 25, at a popular gathering, Valery Yasinsky was elected burgomaster by the residents of Tver.

Valery Abrosimovich (Amvrosievich) Yasinsky (1895-1966?) - nobleman, staff captain in the Kolchak Army, collaborationist, burgomaster of the city of Tver in 1941, knight of the Iron Cross 2nd class, lieutenant colonel of the Wehrmacht, Vlasovets, active leader of the ROA.

After his election on October 25, 1941, the burgomaster V.A. for an even distribution among honest citizens. " The newspaper "Tverskoy Vestnik" was created in the city (editor K. I. Nikolsky), which published materials of propaganda and anti-Soviet content.

Particular attention was paid to the eradication of Soviet ideology. Books of Marxist and communist content were seized and destroyed from libraries. Other books were not destroyed. In school textbooks, employees of the education department replaced the words: "collective farm" - "village", "collective farmer" - "peasant", "comrade" - "citizen", "master", "USSR" - "Russia", "Soviet" - "Russian". The city statues of Lenin and Stalin were thrown down. On Lenin Square, a large swastika was installed instead of an idol.

The Ascension Cathedral, closed by the Bolsheviks, resumed its work.
Among the people who were actively involved in the work to establish a new order were the head of the Department of Literature of Kalinin pedagogical institute V. Ya. Gnatyuk, teacher of the Kalinin Pedagogical Institute S. N. Yurenev, artistic director of the Kalinin Drama Theater S. V. Vinogradov.
Citizens of various social strata went to cooperate with the Germans.

In Tver, a fairly large organization, the Russian National Socialist Movement (RNSD), was created. The main organizer was the officer of the German army V.F. Adrias (the son of a landowner who emigrated to Germany in 1918). The program of the organization provided for the creation of an independent Russian state with the help of the Germans, the restoration of private property. It was planned to create primary organizations of the RNSD throughout the country, involving mainly young people, and upon reaching a sufficient number of the organization, to reorganize it into the Russian National Socialist Party. These plans could not be implemented due to the transience of the "occupation" of Tver, after which the RNSD's activities came to naught.

The Germans were not going to stop there. According to the plans of the command of Army Group "Center", the 1st Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht was to develop its success, advancing on an important transport hub - the city of Torzhok, and further, on Vyshny Volochek. The Soviet command was not going to concede without a fight.

Task Force Vatutin and Battle Group Heidenbrand

The defensive battles in Kalinin on October 13-14, 1941, which resulted in the loss of two important bridges (railway and highway) and most of the city, forced the Soviet command to accelerate the transfer of reserves to the combat area in order to restore the situation.

The "donor" for the Kalinin direction was the North-Western Front (NWF), from which five formations were allocated at once (183rd and 185th rifle, 46th and 54th cavalry divisions, 8th tank brigade), as well as the 46th Motorcycle Regiment. They were combined into an operational group led by the chief of staff of the North-Western Front, Lieutenant General N.F. Vatutin.

Of all the formations and units of this group, the most mobile were the 8th tank brigade of Colonel P.A. Rotmistrov and the 46th motorcycle regiment of Major V.M. Fedorchenko.

The commander of the 8th tank brigade, Colonel Pavel Alekseevich Rotmistrov with the soldiers and commanders of the brigade. Autumn 1941 ("They Protected Us": photo album)

It was they who, having completed a two-day 250-kilometer march, according to the NWF combat log, "By 14:00 on October 15, they concentrated in the Kalikino area", which is 6 km north-west of Kalinin. Today it is the village of Zavolzhsky. According to the memoirs of the commander of the 8th tank regiment of the brigade A.V. Egorova, "44 tanks made the march".

However, the brigade's reconnaissance units approached the city earlier, in the evening of October 14. In the combat log of the 8th brigade, it was noted:

“Having approached the city, the reconnaissance found the city already occupied by the enemy. As a result of the battle, it was established: [the enemy] occupies the intersection of a highway and a railway (north-western outskirts of Kalinin) with forces up to an infantry battalion, anti-tank batteries and mortar batteries. Night reconnaissance heard the noise of engines in the town of Kalinin. It is assumed that enemy tanks are concentrated in the southern part of Kalinin. "

However, the intelligence of the brigade did not quite correctly assess the forces of the Germans. As of the morning of October 15, the enemy of Rotmistrov's tankmen in the northern part of Kalinin was not only the motorized infantry of the 1st Panzer Division (1st Motorcycle Battalion and 1st Battalion of the 113th Motorized Infantry Regiment) and the 900th Motorized Training Brigade, but also parts of the 1st tank regiment.

Tanks Pz.Kpfw.II and Pz.Kpfw.III of the 1st tank division of the Wehrmacht on the march. Early October 1941 (Kolomiets M.V. The first tank victories of Stalin. Armored vehicles in the battle for Moscow)

The Germans were not at all going to confine themselves to the capture of Kalinin. Already on October 14, having received information about the occupation of the main part of the city, the command of Army Group Center issued an order to continue the operation against Moscow. In accordance with it, the 3rd Panzer Group, "Holding Kalinin, reaches the Torzhok area as soon as possible and advances from here without delay in the direction of Vyshny Volochek in order to prevent the passage of the main enemy forces across the Tvertsa River and the upper course of the Msta River to the east."... Thus, the immediate target of the 1st Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht and the units attached to it was an important transport hub - the city of Torzhok.

In this regard, the battles on the northwestern outskirts of Kalinin already on October 15 turned into an oncoming battle on the Leningradskoye Highway, in which mobile formations with dozens of armored vehicles participated on both sides. So, for example, in accordance with the combat report of the headquarters of the 8th tank brigade, dated 23:00 on October 15, the 8th tank regiment "In combat readiness has 2 KV tanks, 9 T-34 tanks, 10 T-40 tanks, 2 T-26 tanks".

German aerial photograph of Torzhok taken in June 1943. Highway bridges across Tvertsa are clearly visible (http://warfly.ru)

The first battle on October 15, judging by Rotmistrov's memoirs, lasted "About four hours"... In its course, Soviet tankmen and motorized riflemen, who acted together with the infantry of the 934th rifle regiment of the 256th rifle division and the soldiers of the 16th border regiment of the NKVD, managed to advance to the city limits and even, perhaps for a short time, capture the Gorbaty bridge, located at the intersection of the highway and railways. However, by a counterattack of tanks and motorized infantry, the Germans restored the situation in the evening, dropping the Red Army units 600 meters north-west of the bridge.

The reconnaissance of the 1st Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht quite accurately identified the arriving Soviet units as "A motorcycle regiment transferred from the Valdai region with attached tanks of the 8th tank brigade".

Faced with strong resistance, the Germans planned a new offensive in the direction of Torzhok on October 16. At the same time, unlike the previous day, it was not supposed to be conducted by individual units, but by a full-fledged "Heidebrand battle group", named after its commander, Colonel Hans-Christoph von Heydebrand und der Laz (Obst. Hans-Christoph von Heydebrand und der Lasa).

The humpbacked bridge on the north-western outskirts of Kalinin, photo from the beginning of the twentieth century

It consisted of: 1st battalion of the 113th motorized infantry regiment (on armored personnel carriers), part of the 1st battalion of the 1st motorized infantry regiment (the so-called "company on armored personnel carriers of the 1st motorized infantry regiment", which included most of the combat-ready armored personnel carriers of the regiment ), units of the 1st Panzer Regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Grampe (Obstlt. Alfred Grampe), as well as the 900th Motorized Training Brigade. In addition, the group was given a fairly powerful artillery fist, consisting of the 2nd and 3rd divisions of the 73rd artillery regiment of the 1st TD.

It should be emphasized that the 1st Battalion of the 113th Regiment was commanded by Major Dr. Franz Jozef Eckinger, Knight's Cross Knight and one of the most distinguished officers in previous battles for Kalinin.

During the offensive, the 1st Motorcycle Battalion of the 1st Tank Division was supposed to join the battle group, whose initial task was to provide the left flank of the training brigade in the Nikolo-Malitsa-Cherkassovo sector.

"The 934th rifleman brings only trouble ..."

A completely logical action for the Germans was to strike at the weakest point of the defensive formations of the Soviet units, or rather, at the battalions of the 934th Infantry Regiment, exhausted by continuous battles.

Powerful offensive from the area railway station Doroshikha on Nikolo-Malitsa started at 12:00. According to the NWF combat log, “The Malitsa area was defended by the 934th Regiment of the 256th SD, which, having suffered heavy losses, was dispersed. The enemy occupied Malitsa, but was stopped by a counterattack of the 8th Tank Brigade and border guards. ".

Map of the area north-west of Kalinin with marks made by the headquarters of the 8th Tank Brigade (https://pamyat-naroda.ru)

As noted in the brigade's combat log, "At 16:00 the brigade attacked the enemy ... with one platoon of T-34 tanks in the direction of Malitsa, by the end of the day the 1st battalion of the 8th Tank Brigade captured Malitsa"... However, at the same time, the Germans launched an offensive on Kalikino, in which, according to the combat log of the 2nd tank battalion of the 8th brigade, participated "Up to an infantry battalion, reinforced by a regimental artillery battery, and up to 15 tanks, with active aviation support"... As a result, the battalion had to counterattack in diverging directions (to Malitsa and Kalikino) without infantry support, but with a completely predictable outcome. According to the NWF combat log, the enemy had occupied Kalikino by the end of the day. Judging by the magazine of the 1st Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht, this settlement was captured by units of the 900th brigade.

The combat log of the 8th Tank Brigade noted that “By 19:00 the tanks were withdrawn to the forest west of Kalikino, because there was no support from the infantry "... Complaints about the 934th Rifle Regiment, which failed to contain the enemy's offensive, are also present in Rotmistrov's report sent to the commander of the Kalinin group of forces, Colonel-General I.S. Konev: « So far, the 934th joint venture brings me only trouble "... However, later in his memoirs, the future chief marshal armored forces clearly indicated that the outline of the defense line was formed in the evening of October 15 - before the start of the German offensive:

"The 46th motorcycle regiment was entrenched on the southern outskirts of Doroshikha, our motorized rifle battalion took a position to the right of it, the 934th rifle regiment concentrated in Malitsa, saddling the highway to Torzhok, and behind it, in Kalikin, the tanks of our 8th regiment stood up" ...

One of the constant participants in the October battles for Kalinin - the Bf 109E-4 / B fighter-bomber from the combat training squadron LG 2 with four 50-kg fragmentation bombs on a suspension (John Weal. Luftwaffe Schlachtgruppen)

Thus, the brigade commander, in order to try to change the location of the units (for example, to move the motorized rifle battalion of the brigade closer to the highway), had the whole night and the first half of the day on October 16 at his disposal. Apparently, derogatory assessments of the combat effectiveness of the infantrymen of the 256th Rifle Division appeared already after the day's battle.

Meanwhile, the Germans continued their offensive and in the evening advanced to the area of ​​the village of Mednoe. According to the entry in the combat log of the 2nd tank battalion of the 8th brigade, "At 22:00 the battalion, by order, went to the area of ​​the village of Paustovo", which is 8 km north-west of Medny. The brigade's combat log states that "On the basis of the verbal order of the commander of the army, the brigade from the Kalikino region moves to the new concentration area Mednoe, saddling the Leningradskoe highway in order to prevent the breakthrough of enemy tanks at Maryino".

In reality, it was not about the entire brigade, but only about its tank units - the motorized rifle battalion and the 46th motorcycle regiment remained in the Kalinin area. Judging by the entry in the combat log of the motorized rifle battalion, he "I had the task of stopping at the reached line, having trenches of a full profile with a full construction of the bunker, and stubbornly defending it until the arrival of new units".

The "army commander who gave a verbal order" most likely meant N.F. Vatutin. True, it is not entirely clear by whom and why the tankers were sent to Polustovo, without trying to gain a foothold in Mednoye and hold on, leaning on the bank of the Tvertsa River, the bridge across which was located near the village. At that time, one KB, five T-34s, six T-40s and six T-38s remained combat-ready in the 8th Tank Regiment - a very impressive force by the standards of the fall of 1941! Judging by the brigade combat log, the combat losses on the evening of October 16 were three T-34s and three T-40s wrecked.

Destroyed Soviet tanks T-34 and T-40, October 1941 (Kolomiets M.V. The first tank victories of Stalin. Armored vehicles in the battle for Moscow)

The tanks reached the indicated area by 02:00 on October 17, the Germans did not undertake any attacks at night, and in theory, Rotmistrov had some time to prepare the defense. Perhaps the decision to withdraw the tanks beyond Tvertsa was caused by the constant raids of German assault aircraft: most likely, it was considered more reliable to act from ambushes in a wooded area near Polustovo than, with practically no infantry, to defend the crossing in a relatively open area near Mednoye.

Heidebrand's battle group went on the offensive on the morning of October 17, starting at 08:00. However, the advance units of the 900th brigade, reinforced by the 1st motorcycle battalion and the 1st battalion of the 1st tank regiment, came into contact with the Red Army units only after 10:15, in the area of ​​Mermerino and Poddubka.

Major for Major

By noon, having knocked down the Soviet outposts, the Germans captured the undamaged bridge across the Tvertsa near Medny. This was a major success for the 2nd Company of the 1st Tank Regiment, advancing in the vanguard of the forces of the 900th Brigade. As noted in the journal of the 1st Panzer Division, "The troops are supported by their aviators, acting at the forefront of the attack"... These raids were also noted in the battle report of Rotmistrov, written the very next day: “8th Tank Brigade was attacked on October 17 tank division enemy with the support of motorcyclists and aviation, which bombed the brigade all daylight on October 17 ".

In the combat log of the 8th brigade, there is next post: “At 12:00, five enemy tanks broke through the highway to Mednoe. Tanks, supported by enemy aircraft, began to develop an offensive on Yamok ".

Another frequent "guest" in the Kalinin sky is the Hs 123 biplane attack aircraft, which performed well in the battle for the city.

Considering that the headquarters of Rotmistrov's brigade was located half a kilometer from the village of Yamok, the current situation could well be described as critical. The motivation for this location of the headquarters is completely incomprehensible, since the main forces of the 8th Panzer Regiment were located further along the highway, in the Polustovo area. Parts of the Luftwaffe quickly found the headquarters, and a bomb and assault strike was inflicted on it, as a result of which the chief of staff of the brigade, Major M.A. Lyubetsky.

However, at Polustovo, Soviet tankers still managed to take a little revenge. According to the brigade log, there were three KVs and two T-34s in an ambush at the edge of the forest a kilometer southeast of the village, which opened fire upon the approach of the enemy, destroying "Five tanks of the T-3 type and two PTOs".

It is possible that an armored personnel carrier was adopted for one of the tanks in this case. The fact is that it was in this battle that the 1st TD of the Wehrmacht suffered a significant loss - a shell fired from a KV tank gun destroyed Major Ekinger's armored personnel carrier, while he himself died. The battalion's adjutant, Lt. Wendt, was wounded. Judging by the style of the presentation of this event by the historiographer of the division, the death of the experienced commander made an impression on his soldiers that bordered on shock, which was not immediately overcome.

However, despite the fierce resistance of the 8th tank brigade at Polustov, the German offensive continued. By the end of the day, the motorized infantry of the 1st battalion of the training brigade, supported by the tanks of the 1st platoon of the 2nd company of the 1st tank regiment, captured another intact bridge, this time near the village of Maryino. In the battle report of Rotmistrov, drawn up on October 18, this episode was described as follows: "Owing to my open right flank and excellent forces, the enemy managed to break through at Mednoe across the Tvertsa River and capture the second crossing over the Logovezh River near the village of Maryino.".

A fragment of a German operational map showing the advance of German troops in the direction of Torzhok as of midday on October 17. The numbers of Soviet formations and areas of their location marked in red do not correspond to reality.

As a result of all these failures, the brigade commander made a decision that could well have the most sad consequences both for him personally and for the entire Soviet group in the Kalinin direction:

“Due to the current situation and the general withdrawal of the Red Army units from this area, I made a castling and concentrated the brigade 12-15 km northeast of Likhoslavl, in the forest directly east of Potorochkino. As a result of this battle, the brigade inflicted significant losses on the enemy in tanks and personnel, but it is also very much disheveled and needs at least 3 days of rest to repair materiel and replenish personnel. ".

The direction of the further movement of German tanks and motorized infantry to Torzhok turned out to be bare, since the rifle divisions of Vatutin's operational group had not yet reached the combat area. The compilers of the war log of the 1st TD of the Wehrmacht noted that “The enemy in front of Maryino is weak. The prospects for the occupation of Torzhok are assessed as favorable "... A clear task was set in the magazine of the 3rd Panzer Group: "The offensive on Torzhok should be continued on October 18"... The city was less than 20 kilometers away.

To be continued.

Sources and Literature

1. NARA. T 313. R 231
2. NARA. T 315. R 26
3. https://pamyat-naroda.ru
4. http://waralbum.ru
5. http://warfly.ru
6. Kolomiets M.V. Stalin's first tank victories. Armored vehicles in the battle for Moscow - M .: "Yauza-Eksmo", 2012
7. On the right flank of the Battle of Moscow - Tver: "Moscow Worker", 1991
8. They protected us: photo album - Tver: GERS, 2011
9. "Top secret! For command only! " Strategy fascist Germany in the war against the USSR - Moscow: "Science", 1967
10. John Weal. Luftwaffe Schlachtgruppen - Osprey Publishing, 2003
11. Riebenstahl H. The 1st Panzer Division. A Pictorial History 1935-1945 - West Chester, 1986
12. Stoves Rolf. 1.Panzer-Division 1935-1945. Chronik einer der drei Stamm-Divisionen der deutschen Panzerwaffe - Podzun, 1962

After the breakthrough of the 31st Army of the Red Army in the zone of the 9th Army of the Wehrmacht, a short, but very important respite for the opposing sides came.

For the Germans, everything that happened was a surprise. Previously, they always beat, always caught up, pursued, won. And now they were defeating them.

The Soviet and German commanders began to strengthen their troops. The command of the 9th Army first of all strengthened the most vulnerable sector, located southeast of Kalinin.

The 251st Infantry Division, which was defending against the 22nd Army, was hastily withdrawn and was sent to reinforce the grouping in the area of ​​the breakthrough. The 110th Infantry Division, which was put into action on December 8, was also transferred there.

The enemy command considered this sector of the front the most dangerous, since it did not have reserves here.

"The 9th Army reports that the enemy has achieved only limited success in attacking north of the reservoir; the army is pulling up everything its command has at hand to block the enemy's road, but this takes time."

And on the 10th, he will take a short break:

"Attacks against the 9th Army have weakened somewhat."

In the zone of the Kalinin Front, the situation remained tense. Due to the fact that the 29th Army was unable to capture the city of Kalinin on time, the command of the Kalinin Front clarified its decision, according to which:

“The 29th Army received the task of advancing in the direction of Mamulino with the forces of the 246th, 252th and 243rd Infantry Divisions and taking possession of Kalinin with a blow from the southwest;

The 31st Army, continuing its offensive in the southwestern direction, was to reach the line of the river by the end of December 12. Shosha, to the front Mikulino-Gorodishche, Turginovo. Simultaneously with this, the forces of the 256th, 247th rifle, 54th cavalry divisions and the 143rd separate tank battalion (attack in the direction of Lebedev, Mamulino) meant to encircle and destroy the enemy grouping in Kalinin and in cooperation with the 29th army to take over the city " .

The start of the offensive was scheduled for 10:00 on December 11. According to this decision, the destruction of the enemy in the Kalinin area and the capture of the city was entrusted not only to the troops of the 29th Army, as was the case earlier, but also to part of the forces of the 31st Army.

Continuation of the offensive

The Wehrmacht continued to bring up additional forces, mainly in the 31st Army's offensive zone, and to strengthen the defensive positions in the Kalinin sector of the front.

The German command, by expanding the defense sectors of the 26th and 6th Infantry Divisions, freed up parts of the 110th Infantry Division, sending one regiment to the Kalinin area in the 29th Army's offensive zone (thus compacting the battle formations of the 161st and 129th 1st infantry divisions), and up to two regiments - against the troops of the 31st Army. At the same time, from December 12, units of the 251st Infantry Division were brought into battle in the 31st Army's offensive zone in the Zakheevo region.

These measures of the enemy slowed down the advance of the front troops, and the task assigned to them was not fully fulfilled.

Battery of Soviet 76.2-mm regimental guns mod. 1927 fires at the enemy in the Kalinin direction

Taking into account the importance of the offensive of the forces of the Kalinin Front during the entire operation near Moscow and its relatively small number, the Headquarters of the Supreme Command carried out major measures to strengthen the front.

On December 11, the 359th and 375th rifle divisions were transferred to him, which were transferred on December 7, already from December 12 they began to arrive at the station. Kulitskaya (15 km north-west of Kalinin).

At the same time, the Stavka informed Colonel-General I.S.Konev about the transfer of the newly formed 39th Army (including six rifle and two cavalry divisions) to the front to enter it into battle in the Rzhev or Staritsa direction. The concentration of the army was planned in the Torzhok area from 14 to 24 December.

Due to the delay in the offensive, the Headquarters of the Supreme Command demanded that the command of the front, part of the forces of the 31st Army, in cooperation with the troops of the 29th Army, immediately release Kalinin, and with the rest of the forces persistently continue the continuous offensive to the southwest, so that together with the troops of the right wing of the Western Front defeat the enemy.

On December 12, Joseph Stalin himself called I. Konev and had a telephone conversation with him. Here is his transcript

RECORD OF THE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE DIRECT WIRE JV STALIN WITH THE COMMANDER OF THE KALININSKY FRONT IS KONEV December 12, 1941

Ended on 20.10

Kalinin Front. At the Konev apparatus. Moscow.

The apparatus

STALIN, SHAPOSHNIKOV, VASILEVSKY ... The actions of your left group do not satisfy us. Instead of throwing all your might on the enemy and creating a decisive advantage for yourself. You ... bring in separate parts, letting the enemy wear them out. We demand from you that you replace the trivial tactics with the tactics of a real offensive.

KONEV... I report: everything that I have collected has been thrown into battle. The grouping of our troops consists of five rifle divisions, one motorized brigade turned into a division, one cavalry consisting of 300 active sabers. Tank battalions managed to be assembled only as part of light tanks by the end of December 10.

The thaw complicated matters. Through the river. Heavy tanks cannot be transported to the Volga. Personally not satisfied with Army Commander 31 Yushkevich. We have to push and push all the time ... Two rifle divisions are sent for reinforcement. Today, by the end of the day, she has concentrated on her own. It is required to put in order - distribution of weapons, mastering weapons - two to three days. Second Division - two echelons unloaded

Your instructions have been understood, accepted for execution. About the enemy:

the enemy, except for the defenders 161 and 162 infantry divisions, partially threw up 129 infantry divisions, one regiment of 110 infantry divisions. Today in Chupriyanovka, two battalions of an unnumbered division were destroyed. In addition, yesterday the aviation noted the movement from Pushkino to Kalinin up to 800 cars. Everything these enemy forces have been significantly battered by our actions.

Everything enemy counterattacks are successfully repulsed. Fifty guns were captured in battles, eight of them heavy - caliber 150 mm, 203 mm, 305 mm. Lots of other property. Everything.

STALIN. What's your last setting?

KONEV... Today they captured Maryino and Chupriyanovo. There is a battle for the capture of Salygino, Grishkino. Our tanks broke into Grishkino. On the Mozzharino - Grishkino sector, up to two enemy regiments. The rest is unchanged. Everything.

Stalin... No more questions. I think that you have understood the settings given to you. Be bold and energetic. Everything. Goodbye.

KONEV... Understood, everything is clear, accepted for execution, I press with might and main.

Stalin.Everything. Goodbye.

CA MO RF, f. 96a, op. 2011, d.5, l. 202-203. Verified with cable tape. Published abridged

Joseph Stalin expressed dissatisfaction with the actions of the troops of the Kalinin Front, believing that Konev wastes his forces in vain

Konev understood everything and began to work on improving the attacking tactics.

On December 12, a new powerful offensive by the forces of the Kalinin Front began. The German combat report of the GA "Center" recorded an increase in the onslaught from the forces of the Kalinin Front on December 12:

"9th Army. The Russians continue to stubbornly attack the southeast and west of Kalinin, at the junction between the 27th ak and the 6th ak. To railroad The enemy does not pursue the 86th Infantry Division.

The attacks were especially fierce near Cherkasov, where in the morning 9 attacks were repelled by forces from a company to a battalion. According to the testimony of the prisoners, the direction of the main attack was transferred to this area. The 246th Infantry Division was installed here for the first time.

The transfer of individual regiments and battalions of already known divisions to strengthen the attacked areas allows us to conclude that in the Kalinin area the Russian command no longer has reserves "

In the summary of the General Staff of the Red Army for the 12th it says:

"The 29th army on the right flank occupied the former defensive lines, on the left flank, units of the 252nd and 246th rifle divisions resumed the offensive at 14.00 on 11.12. The results are being specified.

The 31st Army, overcoming stubborn fire resistance and enemy counterattacks, continued to develop the offensive:

256 RD reflected enemy attacks on the line (suit) ELEVATOR - VISHENKI - mark. 140.2;

250 RD (without cn), as a result of enemy counterattacks, left AK-SIN'INO and fought the eastern part of this point;

54 cd from the area 140.2 (eastern AKSININO) advanced to the northwest;

119th rifle division fought on the line SENTSOVA - MARINO - CHUPRI-YANOVO;

262 RD continued to fight for the capture of the FEDOSO-VO - KUZMINSKY area;

5th Rifle Division with 916th Rifle Division (250th Rifle Division) captured the GORODISHCHE area and fought for the SMOLINO - GOLENIKHA area. "

Red Army soldiers inspect an overturned German tank Pz.Kpfw. 38 during the Kalinin operation

119 rifle divisions operated successfully. The Chief of Staff of the 31st Army S. Shchedrin says about the battles of the 119th Infantry Rifle:

" On December 12, the 119th division, after a fierce battle, drove the Germans out of Maryino and began to develop an offensive on Shcherbinino and Chupriyanovo. Here the Nazis put up stubborn resistance. Before dark, our infantrymen made little progress, preparing to resume the assault in the morning.

But even before dawn, the division was ordered, hiding behind Shcherbinin with one regiment, to advance with the main forces on Starkovo, Podsosonye and liberate Salygino, Burashevo and Balykino.

The divisional commander doubted the expediency of this decision, but the chief of staff of the army, who was here, confirmed the order of the army commander, and the divisional commander, leaving small barriers at Maryin, began to withdraw the division to a new direction. "

At the same time, the situation with the 247th rifle division developed very dramatically - its headquarters ran into a German detachment, and a battle ensued. Then Shchedrin writes about the incident with the 247th rifle division that fought alongside:

“At this time, the enemy, after a strong artillery raid, went over from Shcherbinin to a counterattack, throwing back weak barriers, and took Maryino, liberated the day before by the division at a high cost, and the enemy company of machine gunners attacked the headquarters of the 247th division. The division commander was slightly wounded and lost control of the troops ...

While defending the headquarters of the division, the death of the hero fell the deputy chief of the armored forces of the army, Major Shah. "

"By noon, the army commander changed his mind and ordered the release of Maryino again. Only late at night the 119th division managed to take its starting position, and the fight for Maryino continued until December 15th."

Commander of the 119th rifle division HELL. Berezin with his decisiveness saved the situation in the strip of the 247th SD, attacking and again occupying the village of Maryino

Meanwhile, the planned capture of Kalinin made it possible as quickly as possible to release the forces tied up in this area and send them to strike in the rear of the enemy grouping, which was retreating under the onslaught of the armies of the right wing of the Western Front. In addition, this made it possible to open a railway connection on the Moscow - Bologoye - M. Vishera section, which was of great strategic importance.

The commander of the 31st Army, the shock group (consisting of 250, 247, 256th and two regiments of the 119th rifle and 54th cavalry divisions, two tank battalions, two regiments of artillery RKG, two divisions of rocket artillery and three ski battalions) continue an offensive on Mamulino, Lebedev, Salygin with the aim of encircling Kalinin, and with the rest of the army - to advance in the direction of Tsvetkovo, Mikulino-Gorodishche. The commander of the 29th is to gather a grouping of at least two divisions and advance on Danilovskoye in order to cut off the enemy's escape routes to the west and southwest.

Thus, the 31st Army received the previous direction for its offensive, while the forces of the 29th Army, instead of attacking Borikhino, were supposed to advance in the direction of Danilovskoye, embracing the enemy's Kalinin grouping more deeply.

German guards on the road to Kalinin, they tried to exploit their fire advantage as best they could

"The 29th Army on the right flank occupied its previous position, on the left flank it was conducting stubborn offensive battles on the KRAS-NOVO - southern bank of the Volga River - northwestern outskirts of the city of KALININ:

246 sd; having captured KRASNOVO, repelled repeated enemy counterattacks from the direction of REBEEVO;

The 252nd Rifle Division conducted offensive battles, but, having met strong enemy fire resistance, it was not successful;

243rd rifle division fought a battle for mastery northern part g: KALININ.

The 31st Army, overcoming strong fire resistance and frequent enemy counterattacks, fought offensive battles in the area south and southeast of the city of KALININ:

256th Rifle Division captured the eastern outskirts of KOLESNIKOVO;

250 RD fought stubborn battles in the AKSINKINO area;

247 rifle division with 159 tb, repelling enemy counterattacks from the directions BURASHEVO, SALYGINO, by the end of the day 12.12 fought in GRISH-KINO. The division routed up to a battalion of infantry and destroyed up to a company of enemy machine gunners;

119th rifle division, overcoming stubborn enemy resistance, took possession of the MARINO - CHUPRIYANOVO area. The division exterminated up to two battalions of the SS infantry regiment in the battles for ChUP-RIYANOVO "

Overcoming fierce enemy resistance, units of the 246th rifle division 29th Army, commanded by Major General V.I.Shvetsov launched an offensive.

However, in view of the fact that the 252nd Rifle Division at that time was preparing for an offensive on Kalinin, a concentrated attack on Danilovskoye on the front of the 29th Army did not work. As for the actions of the troops of the 31st Army, on this day they also did not reach desired result and fought mainly on the previous lines.

...........................................................................................

Reinforcements were arriving. From 12:00 on December 13, the 46th Cavalry Division transferred from the Western Front was included in this army. The division continued its earlier offensive in the direction of Redkino, providing the left flank of the army from the side of Turginovo.

In connection with this transfer (of the 46th Cavalry Division), a new dividing line was established between the Western and Kalinin Fronts: through Kalyazin, Elizavetino and further along the Moscow Sea to Turginovo (all points for the Western Front).

"e) Our troops have successfully withdrawn to a new line in the area southeast of Kalinin. Kalinin is being held by our units."

"9th Army. Attacks against the central and southern sectors of 86 infantry divisions have been repelled. To the north of this area, the enemy's onslaught is still great. Attacks with the support of tanks on the Kalinin-Lotoshino highway were unsuccessful."

The enemy, who was trying to conduct reconnaissance in force in the 6th Army Corps sector, was thrown back onto the highway leading to Staritsa. The main efforts of the Russians are concentrated in the area south of Kalinin, where strong attacks are expected to continue. "

Every day the Red Army liberated village after village

In the zone of the 29th Army, the 246th Rifle Division fought intense battles for Danilovskoye. It was decided to aim the 252nd Infantry Division in a southerly direction with the task of attacking Opavino and Borikhino in the morning of December 15. In the Gorodnya area, the concentration of the 375th Rifle Division continued, which was supposed to be used in the main direction of the army's offensive.

The strike group of the 31st Army fought fierce battles with the counterattacking enemy on the previous lines. The offensive developed more successfully in the center and on the left flank. The 262nd Rifle Division, having repulsed up to six enemy counterattacks, by 21:00 on December 14, captured the heavily fortified strongholds of Bashkeevo, Star. Churchyard.

The 5th Infantry Division, advancing on the left flank, reached the Trunovo-Mezhevo line by 22 o'clock. The 46th Cavalry Division was moved to the Trunovo area to act against the enemy's closest rear.

To strengthen the army, by order of the front command, the 359th Infantry Division was transferred to its composition, which had already begun to concentrate in the area of ​​st. Chupriyanovka.

"9th Army. After fighting with varying success, the enemy renewed attacks southeast of the city of Kalinin and made an attempt, as a result of frequent attacks, to expand the area of ​​penetration.

Air reconnaissance established movement in a southerly direction on the Kushalino-Kalinin highway (probably it is about bringing up reinforcements). To the west of Kalinin, the Russians left Krasnov (1 km south of the Omtich region).

Aviation actively supported the actions of ground forces on the eastern flank of the 6th Army Corps. Observing the activity of artillery in front of the 6th Army Corps and 23rd Army Corps confirms the assumption of the withdrawal of artillery from the front in front of both corps. The artillery was probably transferred to the area of ​​Kalinin. "

"Kalinin's battles are being fought with varying success. So far, the results of these battles are generally favorable for us."

The offensive of the troops of the Kalinin Front during December 13-14 did not receive much development in depth. The reason for this is mainly the lack of funds to suppress the defense. But despite this they were successful - the Germans decided to leave Kalinin

Von Bock on the 14th will write down:

“In the morning, Strauss reported that the situation southeast of Kalinin forced him to 'reduce' his front again. As this poses an immediate threat to Kalinin, he asked for permission to issue an order to evacuate Kalinin in case the need arises. I agreed. "

On December 14, the commander of GA "Center" Von Bock agreed to the proposal of the commander of 9A to begin the evacuation of Kalinin

It remains only to get Hitler's approval, for which Von Bock sent a request

It should be borne in mind that the enemy put up stubborn and active resistance, because he understood that the rapid advance of the forces of the Kalinin Front in the southwestern direction threatened a catastrophe for his 4th and 3rd tank armies, which were hastily retreating to the west at that time after the defeat, carried by them to the north and north-west of Moscow.

The planned offensive of the strike group of the 31st Army in the direction of Lebedevo and Mamulino also did not take place.

The begun regrouping of its forces was delayed by strong enemy counterattacks against the 119th and 247th rifle divisions. Therefore, the formations intended for the offensive fought in the areas where they were previously.

However, the enemy's means of reinforcing the grouping in the Kalinin area at the expense of reserves had already been exhausted, and the troops in the first echelon of defense were drying up in intense battles.

The success of the 262nd and 5th Infantry Divisions, achieved by them on December 14 on the left flank of the army, deprived the enemy of the opportunity to conduct new counterattacks. Nevertheless, if we give a general assessment, then it must be said that the formations of the shock group of our 29th Army, as in the previous days, did not interact with each other very clearly.

The attack in the direction of Danilovskoye was not sufficiently concentrated, as a result the enemy held on to this settlement. On the front of the 31st Army, the 5th Rifle and 46th Cavalry Divisions had some success, capturing Perkhurovo, Starikovo, Lukyanovo in the afternoon.

The rest of the army's formations did not have much progress. Despite the delays caused by the stubborn and active resistance of the enemy, the successful advance of the 30th Army of the Western Front and its entry to the r. Lama created a threat to the rear of the 9th German fascist army.

"9th Army. South of Kalinin, patrol actions and local attacks (against 251 infantry divisions).

The concentration of forces in front of the 251st and 110th Infantry Divisions indicates preparation for new offensive actions. This is also evidenced by the strengthening of the enemy in the Ignatov area (northern flank of 251 infantry divisions).

West of Kalinin, numerous attacks on Cher-bovo were repelled.

Our attacking group on Krasnov was attacked from the rear. The outcome of the battle has not yet been decided.

A small detachment of paratroopers was found in the area of ​​6 ak.

The attack against 206 pd (23 ak) was unsuccessful.

The report that one of the enemy divisions has taken over a sector of a neighboring formation is probably connected with the withdrawal of forces from the front line to be used for a specific purpose. "

German anti-aircraft gunners are firing at the advancing forces of the Red Army at the railway bridge near Kalinin

M. Shchedrin writes:

"On December 14 and 15, our troops, decisively breaking enemy resistance, successfully advanced. The infantry of the 5th and cavalry of the 46th divisions drove the invaders out of the settlements of Mishnevo, Sentyurino, Polukarpo-vo, Mezhinino, Loginovo, L u kino, Mezhevo, Novaya, Trunovo, Perkhurovo, Lobkovo and fought for Stepankovo.The 262nd Division liberated Fedosovo, Kuzminskoye, Stary Pogost, Baksheevo, Chudovo from the enemy and started a battle for Maslovo and Zakheevo.

The Siberians cleared the Nazis from Maryino, Shcherbinin, Chupriyanovo, Pominovo, Osekino and fought for Obukhov. On the evening of December 15, the Germans set fire to Malye Peremerki and Kurovo. Fires broke out in different parts of Kalinin. "

As a result, the stability of its defense at Kalinin was significantly weakened, besides, the attacks of our troops in this area became more and more persistent.

Liberation of Kalinin

By December 15, units of the 31st and 29th armies were closer than ever to the liberation of Kalinin. Approaching and ringing the city, the military council of the Kalinin Front appealed to the residents of the city.

Here is its text:

"APPEAL OF THE MILITARY COUNCIL OF THE KALININSKY FRONT TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF KALININA WITH AN APPEAL TO HELP THE RED ARMY IN RELEASING THE HOME TOWN FROM THE GERMAN Fascist Invaders

The Nazi invaders managed to temporarily capture your hometown.

Now the strength of the Red Army has increased significantly. The enemy suffers huge losses, over the past 10 days of fighting near Kalinin, the invaders lost more than 5 thousand killed and wounded. The city of Kalinin is surrounded by the Red Army and will be liberated in the coming days.

Comrades!

Help the Red Army. Beat the invaders from the rear, do not give them rest day or night, tear telephone, telegraph and electrical wires, set fire to warehouses, headquarters, cars and tanks, and block the streets. Beat the invaders from around the corner. This will speed up the liberation of your hometown.

Our cause is just - the enemy will be defeated. Long live the heroic residents of Kalinin! "

Soviet units near Kalinin

The combat summary of the General Staff of the Red Army says:

"The 29th Army, with its left-flank units, continued to engage in offensive battles with the enemy:

183 and 174 SD - no changes;

As a result of the enemy's counterattack, the 246th rifle division withdrew to the KRASNOVO area, where it went over to the defensive;

The 252nd RD attacked in the direction of the OPARINO area and fought for the capture of the REBEEVO area;

375 SD was concentrated in the previously designated area.

The 31st Army, overcoming stubborn enemy resistance, continued to develop the offensive in the area south and southeast of the city of KALININ:

256 SD firmly held its positions:

250 rifle divisions with 143 tb fought stubborn battles for the capture of the AKSINKINO area;

247 rifle divisions with 159 TB battles fought for the capture of the SALYGINO - GRISHKINO - ALEXANDROVKA area;

119th rifle division captured the area of ​​MARINO - SHCHERBININO - POMI-NOVO - OSEKINO and fought for the capture of the OBUKHOVO area;

262 Rifle Division captured the CHUDOVO area and continued to advance on the ZAKHEEVO and PODOSENIE area;

5th Rifle Division captured the TRUNOVO - LOBKOVO - PERKHUROVO area and fought with the enemy in the STEPANKOVO and KOZLYATIEVO area;

54 kd - in the area of ​​0.5 km east of AKSINKINO;

KD 46 took possession of the REDKINO - BYKOVO - TURIGI-NO - ZAPOLOK - ARTEMOVO - STARIKOVO - LUKYANOVO region and developed success in the direction of the EZVINO region;

359 RD - on the march to a new concentration area.

Army units for 15.12 captured: 5 tanks, 9 guns, 25 vehicles, 4 motorcycles. "

The command of the Kalinin Front admitted that the 9th Army would fight for Kalinin, but this turned out not to be the case.

The commander of the Kalinin front I.S.Konev writes:

“The enemy tenaciously held on to Kalinin. But the 31st Army, albeit slowly, moved forward. By the end of December 15, the fascist command had completely used up all its reserves.

His group in the city itself and to the south was covered from both flanks. The position of the Nazi troops in the Kalinin area was complicated by the fact that the 30th Army of the Western Front at that time was successfully advancing towards the Lama River and threatened to enter the rear of the 9th enemy army.

On the night of December 16, after the Nazis managed to force the 246th division of the 29th army to leave Danilovskoye and retreat to the Volga, the enemy troops began to withdraw from Kalinin.

To break out of the encirclement that threatened them, the Nazis were forced to abandon a significant amount of materiel and military equipment. "

Fyodor Von Bock, as mentioned above, approved the decision of the 9A command to withdraw the troops from Kalinin so that they would not fall into the "Kalinis pot." They were waiting for Hitler's approval. Franz Halder described it all in one day on December 15:

“The troops of the 9th Army are withdrawing in good order. The command of the Army Group intends to hold the front projection near the Volga until the evening of 17.12 in order to ensure the systematic withdrawal of Reinhardt and 9th Army units.

Heusinger reports. The withdrawal of the troops of Army Group Center should be carried out, if necessary, in such a way that they reach the line at Staritsa by 20.12.

Preparations for the evacuation of our troops will begin today in Kalinin. It is not yet known whether the evacuation of troops from Kalinin will take place. It will depend on the environment.

The order for the withdrawal of troops to the Staritsa line has not yet been issued. The rear line will be lengthened. It runs along the line Kursk, Orel, Kaluga, Gzhatsk. "

Later that day, Halder learned of Hitler's decision:

“From negotiations with Jodl, I found out that the Fuehrer agreed to the withdrawal of the 9th Army, 3rd and 4th Panzer Groups to the Staritsa line.

With regard to the further withdrawal of troops, Jodl wants to talk with the commander-in-chief. He raises the question of whether it is possible to transfer the 218th Infantry Division from Denmark.

The 9th Army repulsed enemy attacks and is preparing to retreat to the line near Staritsa. There is a lack of food. There are losses of vehicles. "

Alfred Jodl conveyed Hitler's approval for the withdrawal of troops from Kalinin

Having received the highest approval, the command of the 9th Army on the night of December 16 withdrew the main forces of the 161st and 129th Infantry Divisions from Kalinin, leaving strong rear guards for cover.

Leaving the Germans blew up the Volzhsky bridge

Overcoming their resistance, the 243rd Rifle Division of the 29th Army by 3 o'clock on December 16 occupied the northern part of the city. By 11 o'clock the right-flank units of the 256th rifle division of the 31st army broke into Kalinin.

By 13 o'clock the city was completely liberated from the Nazi invaders. The enemy units that did not manage to leave the city were completely defeated.

Broken equipment of the Germans in Kalinin

A copy of the telegram from the command of the Kalinin Front to the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command on the release of Kalinin

Red banner over the liberated city

"29th Army left-flank units, breaking the stubborn resistance of the enemy, captured the city of KALININ and fought to complete the encirclement of his Kalinin group, together with units 31st Army:

183 and 174 sd - without changes;

246th RD, holding KRASNOVO with one regiment, with two regiments fought for the capture of the DESHEVKINO - DANILOVSKOE area;

252 sd took possession of district OPARINO - REBEEVO and led stubborn the battle for mastering the highway KALININ - STARITSA Location on east of OPARINO;

243rd rifle division, having captured the city of KALININ, continued to destroy the remnants of the enemy in the southern and southwestern parts of the city of KALININ;

375 RD with one regiment defended the previous line, with the rest of the units from 9.00 on 16.12 advancing in the direction of NEKRASOVO;

22 skis. the bat was advancing in the direction of ANDREIKOVO.

31st Army, Overcoming stubborn resistance and counterattacks of the enemy, she conducted offensive battles along her entire front:

256th rifle division took possession of the BOL area. VEREMERKI, SIMANOVO, ANDREIKOVO, VOLODINO, NEGOTINO and, overcoming enemy minefields, by the end of the day on 16.12 left to the south-east of the outskirts of the town of KALININ;

250 rifle division fought for the capture of the LEBEDEVO area (6 km south of the town of KALININ);

247 SD took possession of KUROVO district (6km south of r. KALININ);

359 sd led the battle for mastering SALGGINO district - GRISH-KINO, but had no success;

119th Rifle Division, repelling enemy infantry and tanks counterattacks, captured the OBUKHOVO area and continued to advance on ZAKHEEVO;

262 Rifle Division fought for the capture of the Izmailovo - ZHEL-

nino;

5 sd came out to the EZVINO area;

46 CD fought for the capture of the LUKYANOVO - GRIGO-RIEVO area. "

Ivan Konev will write:
"On December 16, Kalinin was liberated as a result of joint actions of the troops of the 29th and 31st armies."

Red Army soldiers enter the liberated city of Kalinin

Soviet artillerymen transporting a 76-mm cannon mod. 1933 in the center of the liberated Kalinin

Soviet cavalrymen on the streets of the liberated Kalinin

M.A.Begaikin, major, former battalion commander of the 937th regiment of the 256th rifle division writes:

"On December 13, inspired by the success of the offensive battles, the regiment's soldiers took the village of Koltsovo by storm, and then Small and Big Peremerki, the villages of Bobachevo, Bychkovo, and by the end of December 15 they reached the eastern outskirts of Kalinin.

Intelligence reported that the Germans, hiding behind barrage groups, are preparing for a hasty retreat. It gave us strength. The regiment attacked and by the morning of December 16 reached the KREPZ plant.

Developing a further offensive, the regiment reached Vagzhanov Street and joined forces with General Polenov on Sovetsky Lane.

Kalinin was ours. "

During the occupation, the Germans destroyed a lot.

Panoramas of destruction caused by the Germans

School number 14, turned into a stable by the Germans, and then burned down

M. Shchedrin writes:

“On December 16, the 256th division, advancing under heavy fire to the southeastern outskirts of Kalinin, liberated Bolshiye Peremerki and Borovlevo, and by nightfall cleared Nikulino and Krivtsovo of the enemy.

At the same time, the 243rd division of the 29th army broke into the city from the north. The 250th division of the 31st army, having captured the village of Lebedev, stormed the city fortifications of the enemy from the south.

And now this hour has come. The news spread along the front - Kalinin is free! A red flag flew over the city ...

The city was disfigured. We saw blown up and burned buildings of factories and residential buildings, mountains of rubble, rubble in the streets, cemeteries dotted with crosses in place of squares.

But we had no doubt - life will return. "

As a result of the intense 11-day offensive operations of the armies of the left wing of the Kalinin Front (from 5 to 16 December), a significant defeat was inflicted on 86, 110, 129, 161, 162 and 251 enemy infantry divisions, which accounted for almost half of all the forces of the 9th 1st Field Army.

Colonel General I.S. Konevin the House of Officers

Kalinin residents return to the liberated city

Residents tear down German signposts

Although during this period Soviet troops and it was not possible to achieve the complete destruction of the enemy grouping, the victory won at Kalinin was a major operational success of the Red Army, which ensured the advancement of the right wing of the Western Front and created more favorable conditions for the development of the further offensive of the Kalinin Front in the southwestern direction.

I. Konev writes:

“Despite a number of significant shortcomings in organizing the offensive of the front troops, the liberation of Kalinin was a major operational success for our troops.

This strengthened the position of the right wing of the Western Front, created the preconditions for a new powerful offensive, which then unfolded in connection with the return of the 30th Army to the Kalinin Front, as well as the arrival of the 39th Army from the reserve headquarters. "

Commander of the troops of the Kalinin Front, Colonel-General I.S. Konev presents government awards to soldiers who distinguished themselves in the battles for the liberation of Kalinin

The headquarters of the Supreme High Command ordered the Western Front from 12:00 on December 16 in full force to transfer the 30th Army to the Kalinin Front. Its task is to strike at the rear of the 9th Army, which was defending against this front.

The left flank of the 30th Army was ordered to occupy Staritsa, and the right flank was ordered to intercept all communication routes of the enemy's Kalinin grouping from the south and southwest in order to complete its encirclement.

The dividing line between the Western and Kalinin Fronts was established along the Rogachevo line, Art. Reshetnikovo, Kotlyaki, Fedorkovo, Bol. Ledinki (all points for the Kalinin Front inclusive).

In this regard, the command of the Western Front instructed the commander of the 1st Shock Army to take a sector from the 30th Army south of the new demarcation line and, in the course of the further offensive, aim the main army grouping in the direction of Teryaev-Sloboda, Yaropolets, Knyazhyi Gory.

This transfer, made at the height of the operation, it must be admitted, was premature, since it disrupted the interaction of armies on the right wing of the Western Front and weakened the force of the strike of the 1st Shock Army, forcing it to expand its offensive zone in the very course of the battle, while making complex regroupings ...

In the course of the operation, the troops of the Kalinin Front advanced 60-70 km in the Torzhok-Rzhev direction, and 100-120 km in the Kalinin-Rzhev direction. The 9th German army was defeated, but the Soviet troops failed to encircle and destroy it.

The victory, albeit not complete, was achieved.