Pskov-Ostrov operation

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Pskov-Ostrov operation was an offensive by the 3rd Baltic Front of the Red Army during World War II . It lasted from July 17 to 31, 1944. Among other things, together with Operation Bagration , it initiated the reconquest of the northern Baltic region by the Red Army.

background

The cities of Pskow (Pleskau) and Ostrow south of Lake Peipus were important traffic junctions in the construction of the Panther position , which was built in the back of Army Group North in autumn 1943 . The Peipussee, which extends over 140 kilometers in a north-south direction, at the southern end of which is Pskow, formed a natural obstacle, which considerably reduced the construction costs of the position. As a result of the Leningrad-Novgorod operation of the Red Army in early 1944, the Army Group had to retreat to this position, where the front stabilized again in March. By the “Führer's order No. 11” of March 8, 1944, the two cities now in the hinterland of the front were declared to be so-called “ permanent places ”.

After the great successes of Operation Bagration against Army Group Center in Belarus, the Red Army expanded its summer offensive in July 1944 to include the neighboring front sections of Army Group North owned by Johannes Frießner . Between the 3rd Panzer Army of Army Group Center and the 16th Army of Army Group North there was already a gap about 50 kilometers wide, through which units of the Soviet 1st Baltic Front advanced far to the west. The 2nd and 3rd Baltic and Leningrad Fronts of the Red Army were now to move Army Group North to retreat from their positions in coordinated attacks. The 2nd Baltic Front began the Reshiza-Dvinsk operation against the 16th Army on July 10, 1944 . Due to the precarious situation, General Frießner unsuccessfully asked Hitler on July 12th for permission to withdraw the entire Army Group North.

The 3rd Baltic Front under Ivan Maslennikow was to advance against the troops of the 18th Army ( Herbert Loch ) and the left wing of the 16th Army ( Paul Laux ) south of Lake Peipus . The Wehrmacht had strong lines of defense along the Velikaya and Sinjaya ( Zilupe ) rivers . Pskov and Ostrov were defended by defense rings. In the area south of Lake Peipus stood from north to south the XXVIII. ( Hans Gollnick ), XXXVIII. ( Kurt Herzog ) and L. Army Corps ( Wilhelm Wegener ) of the 18th Army. South of Pushkinsky Gory joined the area of ​​the 16th Army. The remainder of the 18th Army defended the land bridge to the Baltic Sea at Narva north of Lake Peipus (see battle for the bridgehead of Narva ). The Leningrad front was supposed to attack in a staggered manner ( Narva operation ).

course

The offensive began on July 17, and in two days Soviet troops broke through the German defenses south of Ostrow, advanced up to 40 km on the 70 km wide front and started the chase on July 19. On July 21, Ostrow had to collapse the 21st field division of the troops of XXXVIII. Army corps are evacuated to avoid being encircled. Then the XXVIII established around Pskow. Army corps forced to order its divisions to withdraw. The troops of the 16th Army had already started to retreat to the "Marienburg position". Due to the assassination attempt on July 20, Hitler was unable to revoke the withdrawal orders. On July 23, however, he exchanged General Frießner for Ferdinand Schörner . Before that, the chief of the general staff of the Army Group North, Eberhard Kinzel , had spoken to the new chief of the General Staff of the Army, Heinz Guderian , for a retreat permit for the Army Group; he too had to hand over his post to Oldwig von Natzmer .

The Red Army liberated Pskov on July 23, and the main direction of attack was changed. The 3rd Baltic Front was assigned to advance towards Alūksne and Valga to support the 2nd Baltic Front's advance on Riga . On July 31, the Soviet troops reached the line west of Isborsk and east of Laura-Alūksne - Gulbene and were stopped at the "Marienburg position".

Result

The troops of the 3rd Baltic Front advanced 50 - 130 km to the west and created the conditions for the Soviet reconquest of Estonia and Latvia by overcoming the panther position . They inflicted a serious defeat on the 18th Army in connection with the Narva operation on the Leningrad Front. Their losses in the process amounted to around 33,500 men (8,000 of them dead and missing).

In the subsequent Tartu operation from August 10 to September 6, 1944, the 3rd Baltic Front advanced a further 100-130 km and took Tartu on August 25 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ ОБОРОНИТЕЛЬНАЯ ОПЕРАЦИЯ В ЛИТВЕ И ЛАТВИИ ( Memento from March 30, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
  2. ↑ http://militarymaps.narod.ru/oper_1944.html#36