Blowing up bridges

Discussion in 'General' started by Fatboy Coxy, Apr 16, 2020.

  1. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

    Given the source of this paper, I'd take anything it says with a large grain of salt.

    The IHR is not a reputable organization, being one of the leading holocaust denial sites out there.

    Institute for Historical Review

    An inkling of this is contained in the conclusion of this paper itself:
    Note the assertions I highlighted.

    This article:
    10,000 explosive attacks a night - Standing Well Back

    is excellent as is the HGW Davie article "The Influence of Railways on Military Operations in the Russo-German War 1941–1945" linked to in it.
     
    ltdan likes this.
  2. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    The partisan war against the vital railway connections had increased to such an extent in 1943 that considerable - and extreme - efforts were made to deal with this existential threat.
    SS, SD, police, the brigand gangs of Kaminsiki, Bach-Zelewski or Dirlewanger, locally recruited volunteer units, but also regular Wehrmacht units (including my grandfather's) were deployed.
    The nature and extent of the devastation cannot be described by civilised standards.
    An excerpt from this link is an example:
    Kampfgruppe von Gottberg

    Both the Soviets and the Wehrmacht used the principle of scorched earth on their retreats.
    Order from Himmler to the Higher SS and Police Leader Ukraine in Kiev dated 7 September 1943.

    Dear Prützmann.

    General of the Infantry Stapf has special orders concerning the Donets region. Contact him immediately. I instruct you to cooperate to the best of your ability. It must be achieved that in the clearing of parts of the territory in the Ukraine no human being, no cattle, not a hundredweight of grain, not a railway track is left behind; that no house is left standing, no mine exists that is not disturbed for years, no well exists that is not poisoned. The enemy must really find a totally burnt and destroyed country. Discuss these things immediately with Stapf, and do your humanly possible. Heil Hitler!
    Yours sincerely. H. Himmler.


    As far as the destruction of the essential railways was concerned, the Soviets had a constructive disadvantage due to their broad-gauge system: the Wehrmacht units that were advancing only had to replace the sleepers and convert them to European standard gauge.
    When the Wehrmacht withdrew, this circumstance was taken into account and the "Schienenwolf" was developed (literally: rail wolf, but actually derived from the term meat grinder, therefore more correctly rail grinder).


    The military demolition of railway bridges by trained pioneers is considered the most effective form of destruction. Details can be found in the book "Der totale Widerstand" by the Swiss Major Hans von Dach.
    https://ia800207.us.archive.org/20/...otale_Widerstand_Major_H._von_Dach_German.pdf,
    page 108

    Disclaimer: Under no circumstances should this be undertaken in peacetime without an external enemy threat.
     
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