Mother Russia, a German-free-zone.

Discussion in 'Soviet' started by Owen, Nov 15, 2006.

  1. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Apart from the POWs and the dead, when did the last German leave Russia?

    I know they were still fighting in the Courland Pocket, Latvia in 1945 (part of the USSR at the time, but I'm refering to Mother Russia herself.)
     
  2. Kyt

    Kyt Very Senior Member

    I take it you mean during the war, and not the mass expulsions of "native Germans" after. And do you mean proper forces, and not just isolated groups, or the Germans who had to fight their way through Finland.

    Weeelllll, that could be a bit tricky. If you mean Mother Russia to include Belorussia and Ukraine, then Operation Bagration which started on 22 June 1944 was the starting point of the final clear out. Technically, by 13 July, the Soviet forces had reached the Polish border. However, due to the Soviet- German carve up of 1939, it could be said that the last Germans wouldn't have left until mid August 1944, when the Soviets reached the past the new border.

    The full details are better understood if you find some articles about Operation Bagration.
     
  3. Gerard

    Gerard Seelow/Prora

    Agreed with Kyt. It was mid 1944
     
  4. mconrad

    mconrad Junior Member

    Just came across the fact that the Russians have on display the artillery piece that fired the first round into the German Reich in 1944. The Soviet artillery unit concerned knew it was close to the border, and purposely pushed forward a single gun dangerously beyond the normal firing line positions. They recorded the event, and the gun commander's firing order was something like "Target - on damned fascist Germany, fire!"
     
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  5. RemeDesertRat

    RemeDesertRat Very Senior Member

    Now *thats* a fire order :)
     
  6. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    October 1944, Petsamo - Kirkenes Operation.

    All the best

    Andreas
     
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  7. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Blimey as old thread raised for obscurity.
    Cheers for the input chaps.
     
  8. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    Seems strangely relevant to recent events.

    All the best

    Andreas
     

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