History 16/03/20 Why soldiers of the red Army and failed to destroy the division “Viking”
Germany had Hitler’s elite divisions, in the service which consisted of Germans and foreign mercenaries belonging to the so-called “racially acceptable people.” Among these divisions include the SS “Viking”, which managed to set a record and the record: it completely destroyed the enemy more often than others, but “Viking” continuously participated in the battle, leaving the Eastern front (unlike other SS divisions).
This division was awarded a mention in the writings of various historians: “the SS – instrument of terror” by G. Ulamona, as well as in books R. Butler and V. akunova. The first report of the defeat of the SS Viking were received from TASS in 1941 when there were fierce battles for Rostov-on-don. According to media reports, the soldiers of the division fell on the field of battle in the vast steppes of Donetsk. The role of “Viking” in the attack on Rostov was to cover the flank of the first Panzer army, providing control over the length of 60 km division Soldiers successfully repelled the offensive of the 37th Soviet army, then moved to the line of the river Mius.
a year Later, the “Viking” was on Quchaze, and soon became part of the unlocking groups already under the name 5th panzergrenadiere SS division, when the army of Paulus in Stalingrad was surrounded. On arrival at the place of fighting, originally delivered job is to try to break through the defense of the Soviet side was changed and the division was to cover the retreat of his troops. According to information from Soviet sources is still not clear whether the division is completely destroyed or just was stripped of its combat capability. As it turned out, the “Viking” managed to get through the “Rostov corridor” with 15 thousand of the surviving fighters and dozens of battle-worthy tanks. Later “Viking” is considered destroyed during operation “Rumyantsev”, although it is not correspondedlo reality.
Being reformed into a Panzer division, the 5th panzergrenadier division landed in Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi (Cherkasy) “boiler”. Although in the book, Zhukov’s “Memories and reflections” refers to complete defeat, about 30 thousand of the 60 thousand soldiers out of the survivors, taking with him about 10 thousand wounded soldiers. The basis of a group which went on break, was just soldiers “Viking”. After the short stay of the SS “Viking” with 4 thousand soldiers, 22 tanks and 17 assault guns participated in the operation to release Kovel.
Although after Kovel “Viking” remained in the rear, after a time, the soldiers of the division participated in the fighting in the area of the Polish capital, and in February 1945 was transferred to Hungary. Soviet sources claimed that the 5th panzergrenadier division was defeated in the battles for Budapest, but in March of that year, its soldiers participated in operation “spring Awakening”.
the SS “Viking” and the SS “Dead head”, fought with the Soviet army advancing on Vienna, and were surrounded. Although they re considered destroyed, in fact, the fighters managed to get out of smykovskaya ring. During the surrender of Germany the soldiers of the SS “Viking” were in Styria (Austria). Maintaining their combat readiness, the division moved in the direction controlled by American troops of territory and surrendered near Passau (Germany) on may 9.
Russian Seven
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