Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket
Encyclopedia
The Battle of the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket, also known as Hube's Pocket, was a Wehrmacht
attempt on the Eastern Front
of World War II
to evade encirclement by the Red Army
.
During the Proskurov-Chernovtsy Offensive Operation (4 March-17 April 1944) and the Uman-Botosani Offensive Operation
(5 March-17 April 1944) the 1st
and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts encircled Generaloberst Hans-Valentin Hube
's 1st Panzer Army north of the Dniester
river. The 1st Panzer Armys personnel were largely able to escape the encirclement in April.
In February 1944, the 1st Panzer Army—commanded by Generaloberst Hans-Valentin Hube
—consisted of four Corps, three of which were Panzer Corps (comprising of 20 Panzer
or Panzergrenadier
divisions). Together with the attached Army units, the 1st Panzer Army included over 200,000 troops, and was the most powerful formation of Generalfeldmarshall Erich von Manstein
's Army Group South
.
Soviet Marshal Georgi Zhukov realized the role of the 1st Panzer Army, and began planning to bring about its destruction that could, and did, result in the collapse of the entire South-Eastern Front. Zhukov planned a multi-Front offensive, involving his own 1st
and Marshal Ivan Konev
's 2nd Ukrainian Front. This force of over eleven Armies (including two Air Armies
), was to attempt to outflank
and encircle
Hube's Army, and, in a repeat of the Battle of Stalingrad
, reduce the resulting pocket
(in German, kessel meaning "cauldron") until all troops in it have surrendered. The operations were to take place on the extreme north and south of the Army Group South
's front.
Manstein was informed of large, but deceptive, troop movements all across Hube's front; however, with Adolf Hitler
's refusal to allow strategic withdrawals, there was little he could do. The Soviet offensives began in early March, with Zhukov taking personal command of Vatutin's 1st Ukrainian front. The Red Army's massive concentration in troops and material forced Hube to withdraw his northern flank to south-west until it reached the Dniester
river. Despite constant Red Army attacks, this position held until late March. On 22 March, following an operational switching maneuver, five Red Army Tank Corps of the 1st and 4th Tank Armies and the 3rd Guards Tank Army penetrated
the extreme northern flank of Hube's position east of Tarnopol, and advanced south between the Zbruch and Seret rivers. The force crossed the Dniester, and in an attempt to outflank and surround Hube's Army, continued toward Chernivtsi
, while being followed by infantry Corps which began establishing defensive positions on the flanks of the breach created in the German front.
. Manstein requested that the position be withdrawn to avoid encirclement, but Hitler refused, persisting with his "no retreat" orders. In a matter of days, Zhukov and Konev's forces had crossed the Dniester and were in position to complete the encirclement. On 25 March, the last line of communications corridor out of Hube's bridgehead located on the northern bank of the Dniester was severed at Khotyn
.
The entire 1st Panzer Army was now encircled in a pocket centred around the city of Kamenets-Podolsky. While the encircled forces had food and ammunition enough to support them for over two weeks, the vehicles were extremely low on fuel. Supply by the Luftwaffe
was hampered by heavy snow, and soon only the combat vehicles were running. Meanwhile, Hube had ordered all service units south of the Dniester, to withdraw away from the main Red Army penetration which were taking place to the south on the 2nd Ukrainian Front's 40th Army
front. Zhukov—seeing this movement to the south—decided that Hube was in full retreat and would soon attempt a breakout to the south. To prevent this, Zhukov stripped units from the encircling forces and sent them to the south side of the pocket. When Hube attempted to attack south, he met with an increasing resistance from 2nd Ukrainian Front's infantry and artillery.
the authority to use mobile defence tactics during the breakout, a request which was quickly turned down. However, once the encirclement was complete, the situation changed. The heavy snow meant that the few supplies which were delivered, were insufficient to maintain the Army's fighting strength. The neighbouring German Armies—the 8th Army to the south-east and 4th Panzer Army to the north-west—were unable to attempt a full-scale relief operation. Then, Zhukov sent a terse ultimatum: surrender, or every German soldier in the pocket would be shown no quarter
.
Hube responded by ordering that the organization of the forces in the kessel be restructured. The four Corps were to be dissolved, and reformed into three Korpsgruppen (corps groups): General der Infanterie Hans Gollnick
—commander of XLVI Panzer Corps—was to form Korpsgruppe Gollick; General der Panzertruppen Hermann Breith
of III Panzer Corps was to form Korpsgruppe Breith; LIX Army Corps′ General der Infanterie Kurt von der Chevallerie
was to form Korpsgruppe von der Chevallerie.
While the composition of forces in the pocket was being reorganized, Manstein had been arguing with Hitler for the trapped Army to be allowed to attempt a breakout, and that a relief force should be sent to assist in the breakout. After one heated argument, Hitler gave in and ordered Hube to attempt a breakout. The decision for the direction of the breakout was difficult. Hube wanted to attempt to head south, over the Dniester and into Romania
. Manstein realized that such a move would rob his Army Group of a Panzer Army which was desperately needed, because a long withdrawal would be required in order to move the Army from Romania back to the front line. The weak Hungarian VII Corps was holding a sector of the front to the west of the Kamenets-Podolsky pocket. A breakout to the west would allow the 1st Panzer Army to rejoin the front almost immediately. Manstein ordered Hube to break out to this area to provide support for the Hungarian troops.
Hube's Army was to break out toward Tarnopol, where relief forces—led by Paul Hausser
′s II SS Panzer Corps—were to meet them. From Kamenets-Podolsky to Tarnopol was a distance of over 250 km (155.3 mi), over several rivers, and across muddy terrain. To add to this, the west was where Hube expected to meet the strongest enemy resistance. He divided his forces into two columns and prepared to head west.
On 27 March, the advance guard of the 1st Panzer Army moved west toward the Zbruch river
, while the rearguard
began a fighting withdrawal, with the rest of the 200,000 troops between them. The advanced guard attack went well. The northern column quickly captured three bridges over the Zbruch River
, while the southern column was battered by a Red Army's 4th Tank Army
counterattack which penetrated deep into the pocket, capturing Kamenets-Podolsky
. The loss of this major road and rail hub meant that the escaping Germans had to detour around the city, slowing the movement to a crawl. A counterattack soon cut off the Russians in the city, and the breakout recommenced. Moving by day and night, the kessel kept moving. Soon bridgeheads were formed over the Siret river
.
While Hube's army escaped west, Zhukov and Konev continued to believe that the major breakout attempt would be to the south. He ordered the attacks on the north and eastern flanks of the pocket stepped up. These attacks achieved little, and many fell on positions which had been abandoned as the German troops withdrew to Proskurov. Despite the attacks to the West, the Red Army kept increasing troop density to the southern flank of the pocket in anticipation of an attack that would never come.
On 30 March, Manstein was informed by the OKH that he had been relieved of command. His many heated arguments with the Führer
had not been forgotten. Hube was on his own.
The next day, the Red Army began to react. A strong armored force from the 4th Tank Army launched an assault in the north between the Seret and Zbruch. Hube's southern advanced guard turned and halted the Red Army assault, severing its supply lines and rendering the T-34s of the 4th Tank Army immobile. Despite the fact that he was now taking the breakout attempt seriously, Zhukov did not move to block the escaping Germans. The way to Tarnopol was still open.
and Korsun encirclements.
By 5 April, the advanced guards of both the northern and southern columns had reached the Strypa River, and on the 6th, near the town of Buczacz
, they linked up with the probing reconnaissance elements of Hausser's SS Divisions. In over two weeks of heavy combat, during horrid weather and with few supplies, the 1st Panzer Army had managed to escape encirclement while suffering only moderate casualties. The Army was put back into the line and established itself between the Dniester and the town of Brody
. During the two week escape, Hube's men had destroyed 357 tanks, 42 assault guns and 280 artillery pieces, as well as causing severe casualties to the enemy's attacking forces. The quick thinking of Manstein, and the operational planning
and skill of Hube had resulted in the 200,000 troops of the Army escaping the fate of Stalingrad. While Hube's troops were still disciplined, and equipped with light and personal weapons, only 45 armoured vehicles had escaped. Despite the escape and low casualty rate, the 1st Panzer Army was no longer able to perform large scale offensive operations and required thorough refitting.
The Kamenets-Podolsky pocket is still studied in military academies today as an example of how to avoid annihilation when forces are trapped in a pocket.
)
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
attempt on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to evade encirclement by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
.
During the Proskurov-Chernovtsy Offensive Operation (4 March-17 April 1944) and the Uman-Botosani Offensive Operation
Uman–Botosani Offensive
The Uman–Botoşani Offensive or Uman-Botoshany Offensive was a part of the Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive, carried out by the Red Army in western Ukrainian SSR against the German Army Group South...
(5 March-17 April 1944) the 1st
1st Ukrainian Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front was a front—a force the size of a Western Army group—of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War.-Wartime:...
and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts encircled Generaloberst Hans-Valentin Hube
Hans-Valentin Hube
Hans-Valentin Hube was a German general who served in the German Army during the First and Second World Wars. He was one of 27 people to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds...
's 1st Panzer Army north of the Dniester
Dniester
The Dniester is a river in Eastern Europe. It runs through Ukraine and Moldova and separates most of Moldova's territory from the breakaway de facto state of Transnistria.-Names:...
river. The 1st Panzer Armys personnel were largely able to escape the encirclement in April.
The offensives
In mid-February 1944, the 1st Panzer Army found itself defending the line in the north-western Ukraine. The Army had just completed operations to rescue the two Corps trapped in the Korsun–Shevchenkovsky Offensive, which had exhausted the army's III Panzer Corps.In February 1944, the 1st Panzer Army—commanded by Generaloberst Hans-Valentin Hube
Hans-Valentin Hube
Hans-Valentin Hube was a German general who served in the German Army during the First and Second World Wars. He was one of 27 people to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds...
—consisted of four Corps, three of which were Panzer Corps (comprising of 20 Panzer
Panzer Division
A panzer division was an armored division in the army and air force branches of the Wehrmacht as well as the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II....
or Panzergrenadier
Panzergrenadier
is a German term for motorised or mechanized infantry, as introduced during World War II. It is used in the armies of Austria, Chile, Germany and Switzerland.-Forerunners:...
divisions). Together with the attached Army units, the 1st Panzer Army included over 200,000 troops, and was the most powerful formation of Generalfeldmarshall Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein was a field marshal in World War II. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Germany's World War II armed forces...
's Army Group South
Army Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
.
Soviet Marshal Georgi Zhukov realized the role of the 1st Panzer Army, and began planning to bring about its destruction that could, and did, result in the collapse of the entire South-Eastern Front. Zhukov planned a multi-Front offensive, involving his own 1st
1st Ukrainian Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front was a front—a force the size of a Western Army group—of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War.-Wartime:...
and Marshal Ivan Konev
Ivan Konev
Ivan Stepanovich Konev , was a Soviet military commander, who led Red Army forces on the Eastern Front during World War II, retook much of Eastern Europe from occupation by the Axis Powers, and helped in the capture of Germany's capital, Berlin....
's 2nd Ukrainian Front. This force of over eleven Armies (including two Air Armies
Air Army
An air army was a type of large military formation, comprising several corps or divisions, in the forces of the Soviet Union and the Japanese Empire before, during and after the Second World War...
), was to attempt to outflank
Flanking maneuver
In military tactics, a flanking maneuver, also called a flank attack, is an attack on the sides of an opposing force. If a flanking maneuver succeeds, the opposing force would be surrounded from two or more directions, which significantly reduces the maneuverability of the outflanked force and its...
and encircle
Encirclement
Encirclement is a military term for the situation when a force or target is isolated and surrounded by enemy forces. The German term for this is Kesselschlacht ; a comparable English term might be "in the bag"....
Hube's Army, and, in a repeat of the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
, reduce the resulting pocket
Encirclement
Encirclement is a military term for the situation when a force or target is isolated and surrounded by enemy forces. The German term for this is Kesselschlacht ; a comparable English term might be "in the bag"....
(in German, kessel meaning "cauldron") until all troops in it have surrendered. The operations were to take place on the extreme north and south of the Army Group South
Army Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
's front.
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's refusal to allow strategic withdrawals, there was little he could do. The Soviet offensives began in early March, with Zhukov taking personal command of Vatutin's 1st Ukrainian front. The Red Army's massive concentration in troops and material forced Hube to withdraw his northern flank to south-west until it reached the Dniester
Dniester
The Dniester is a river in Eastern Europe. It runs through Ukraine and Moldova and separates most of Moldova's territory from the breakaway de facto state of Transnistria.-Names:...
river. Despite constant Red Army attacks, this position held until late March. On 22 March, following an operational switching maneuver, five Red Army Tank Corps of the 1st and 4th Tank Armies and the 3rd Guards Tank Army penetrated
Penetration (warfare)
Penetration is a term in warfare referring to the breaching of, and moving past, a defensive military line. The term is associated with both ground and aerial combat.-Ground combat:...
the extreme northern flank of Hube's position east of Tarnopol, and advanced south between the Zbruch and Seret rivers. The force crossed the Dniester, and in an attempt to outflank and surround Hube's Army, continued toward Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi is the administrative center of Chernivtsi Oblast in southwestern Ukraine. The city is situated on the upper course of the River Prut, a tributary of the Danube, in the northern part of the historic region of Bukovina, which is currently divided between Romania and Ukraine...
, while being followed by infantry Corps which began establishing defensive positions on the flanks of the breach created in the German front.
Encirclement
Both Hube and Manstein realized the danger of encirclement. With the southern flank on the Dniester, and the recent Soviet attacks in the north, the 1st Panzer Army was now in a salientSalients, re-entrants and pockets
A salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. The salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops occupying the salient vulnerable. The enemy's line facing a salient is referred to as a re-entrant...
. Manstein requested that the position be withdrawn to avoid encirclement, but Hitler refused, persisting with his "no retreat" orders. In a matter of days, Zhukov and Konev's forces had crossed the Dniester and were in position to complete the encirclement. On 25 March, the last line of communications corridor out of Hube's bridgehead located on the northern bank of the Dniester was severed at Khotyn
Khotyn
Khotyn is a city in Chernivtsi Oblast of western Ukraine, and is the administrative center of Khotyn Raion within the oblast, and is located south-west of Kamianets-Podilskyi. According to the 2001 Ukrainian census, it has a population of 11,124...
.
The entire 1st Panzer Army was now encircled in a pocket centred around the city of Kamenets-Podolsky. While the encircled forces had food and ammunition enough to support them for over two weeks, the vehicles were extremely low on fuel. Supply by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
was hampered by heavy snow, and soon only the combat vehicles were running. Meanwhile, Hube had ordered all service units south of the Dniester, to withdraw away from the main Red Army penetration which were taking place to the south on the 2nd Ukrainian Front's 40th Army
40th Army (Soviet Union)
The 40th Army of the Soviet Union's Red Army was an army-level command active from 1941 to 1945 and then again from 1979 to circa 1990.It was first formed, after Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, had commenced, from elements of the 26th and 37th Armies under the command...
front. Zhukov—seeing this movement to the south—decided that Hube was in full retreat and would soon attempt a breakout to the south. To prevent this, Zhukov stripped units from the encircling forces and sent them to the south side of the pocket. When Hube attempted to attack south, he met with an increasing resistance from 2nd Ukrainian Front's infantry and artillery.
Hube's Pocket
Hube now ordered the pocket to be reduced in size, shortening the position's lines to increase defence density. Just before the 1st Ukrainian Front had completed the encirclement, Hube had requested from the OKHOberkommando des Heeres
The Oberkommando des Heeres was Nazi Germany's High Command of the Army from 1936 to 1945. The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht commanded OKH only in theory...
the authority to use mobile defence tactics during the breakout, a request which was quickly turned down. However, once the encirclement was complete, the situation changed. The heavy snow meant that the few supplies which were delivered, were insufficient to maintain the Army's fighting strength. The neighbouring German Armies—the 8th Army to the south-east and 4th Panzer Army to the north-west—were unable to attempt a full-scale relief operation. Then, Zhukov sent a terse ultimatum: surrender, or every German soldier in the pocket would be shown no quarter
No quarter
A victor gives no quarter when the victor shows no clemency or mercy and refuses to spare the life in return for the surrender at discretion of a vanquished opponent....
.
Hube responded by ordering that the organization of the forces in the kessel be restructured. The four Corps were to be dissolved, and reformed into three Korpsgruppen (corps groups): General der Infanterie Hans Gollnick
Hans Gollnick
Hans Gollnick was a German general.Gollnick was born at Gut Gursen in the Province of Pomerania as the son of Paul Gollnick, lord of the manor of Gursen, and Elisabeth Peglow descendant from the ducal house of Pomerania.Gollnick entered military service on 22 March 1912, and served in World War I...
—commander of XLVI Panzer Corps—was to form Korpsgruppe Gollick; General der Panzertruppen Hermann Breith
Hermann Breith
Hermann Albert Breith was a German general of the Panzertruppe, serving during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme...
of III Panzer Corps was to form Korpsgruppe Breith; LIX Army Corps′ General der Infanterie Kurt von der Chevallerie
Kurt von der Chevallerie
Kurt Wilhelm Gustav Erdmann von der Chevallerie was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 1. Armee. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
was to form Korpsgruppe von der Chevallerie.
While the composition of forces in the pocket was being reorganized, Manstein had been arguing with Hitler for the trapped Army to be allowed to attempt a breakout, and that a relief force should be sent to assist in the breakout. After one heated argument, Hitler gave in and ordered Hube to attempt a breakout. The decision for the direction of the breakout was difficult. Hube wanted to attempt to head south, over the Dniester and into Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. Manstein realized that such a move would rob his Army Group of a Panzer Army which was desperately needed, because a long withdrawal would be required in order to move the Army from Romania back to the front line. The weak Hungarian VII Corps was holding a sector of the front to the west of the Kamenets-Podolsky pocket. A breakout to the west would allow the 1st Panzer Army to rejoin the front almost immediately. Manstein ordered Hube to break out to this area to provide support for the Hungarian troops.
Hube's Army was to break out toward Tarnopol, where relief forces—led by Paul Hausser
Paul Hausser
Paul "Papa" Hausser was an officer in the German Army, achieving the high rank of lieutenant-general in the inter-war Reichswehr. After retirement from the regular Army he became the "father" of the Waffen-SS and one of its most eminent leaders...
′s II SS Panzer Corps—were to meet them. From Kamenets-Podolsky to Tarnopol was a distance of over 250 km (155.3 mi), over several rivers, and across muddy terrain. To add to this, the west was where Hube expected to meet the strongest enemy resistance. He divided his forces into two columns and prepared to head west.
Breakout
Zbruch River
Zbruch River is a river in Western Ukraine, a left tributary of the Dniester.It flows within the Podolia Upland starting from the Avratinian Upland. Zbruch is the namesake of the Zbruch idol, a sculpture of a Slavic deity in the form of a column with a head with four faces, discovered in 1848 by...
, while the rearguard
Rearguard
Rearguard may refer to:* A military detachment protecting the rear of a larger military formation, especially when retreating from a pursuing enemy force. * Rear Guard , a computer game released in 1982...
began a fighting withdrawal, with the rest of the 200,000 troops between them. The advanced guard attack went well. The northern column quickly captured three bridges over the Zbruch River
Zbruch River
Zbruch River is a river in Western Ukraine, a left tributary of the Dniester.It flows within the Podolia Upland starting from the Avratinian Upland. Zbruch is the namesake of the Zbruch idol, a sculpture of a Slavic deity in the form of a column with a head with four faces, discovered in 1848 by...
, while the southern column was battered by a Red Army's 4th Tank Army
4th Tank Army (Soviet Union)
The 20th Guards Army, , is a field army, since 1991, part of the Russian Ground Forces.-1st Formation :It was first formed within the Stalingrad Front from July 1942 and...
counterattack which penetrated deep into the pocket, capturing Kamenets-Podolsky
Kamianets-Podilskyi
Kamyanets-Podilsky or Kamienets-Podolsky is a city located on the Smotrych River in western Ukraine, to the north-east of Chernivtsi...
. The loss of this major road and rail hub meant that the escaping Germans had to detour around the city, slowing the movement to a crawl. A counterattack soon cut off the Russians in the city, and the breakout recommenced. Moving by day and night, the kessel kept moving. Soon bridgeheads were formed over the Siret river
Siret River
The Siret or Sireth is a river that rises from the Carpathians in the Northern Bukovina region of Ukraine, and flows southward into Romania for 470 km before it joins the Danube...
.
While Hube's army escaped west, Zhukov and Konev continued to believe that the major breakout attempt would be to the south. He ordered the attacks on the north and eastern flanks of the pocket stepped up. These attacks achieved little, and many fell on positions which had been abandoned as the German troops withdrew to Proskurov. Despite the attacks to the West, the Red Army kept increasing troop density to the southern flank of the pocket in anticipation of an attack that would never come.
On 30 March, Manstein was informed by the OKH that he had been relieved of command. His many heated arguments with the Führer
Führer
Führer , alternatively spelled Fuehrer in both English and German when the umlaut is not available, is a German title meaning leader or guide now most associated with Adolf Hitler, who modelled it on Benito Mussolini's title il Duce, as well as with Georg von Schönerer, whose followers also...
had not been forgotten. Hube was on his own.
Completing the breakout
Despite heavy snowfalls, low supplies, and encirclement, the constant movement of Hube's Army meant that "pocket fever" did not set in. The troops were still moving in good order and obeying discipline, while desertions were almost non-existent. This was a stark comparison to the panicked situation within the StalingradBattle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
and Korsun encirclements.
By 5 April, the advanced guards of both the northern and southern columns had reached the Strypa River, and on the 6th, near the town of Buczacz
Buchach
Buchach is a small city located on the Strypa River in the Ternopil Oblast of western Ukraine...
, they linked up with the probing reconnaissance elements of Hausser's SS Divisions. In over two weeks of heavy combat, during horrid weather and with few supplies, the 1st Panzer Army had managed to escape encirclement while suffering only moderate casualties. The Army was put back into the line and established itself between the Dniester and the town of Brody
Brody
Brody is a city in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Brody Raion , and is located in the valley of the upper Styr River, approximately 90 kilometres northeast of the oblast capital, Lviv...
. During the two week escape, Hube's men had destroyed 357 tanks, 42 assault guns and 280 artillery pieces, as well as causing severe casualties to the enemy's attacking forces. The quick thinking of Manstein, and the operational planning
Operational planning
An operational planning is a subset of strategic work plan. It describes short-term ways of achieving milestones and explains how, or what portion of, a strategic plan will be put into operation during a given operational period, in the case of commercial application, a fiscal year or another given...
and skill of Hube had resulted in the 200,000 troops of the Army escaping the fate of Stalingrad. While Hube's troops were still disciplined, and equipped with light and personal weapons, only 45 armoured vehicles had escaped. Despite the escape and low casualty rate, the 1st Panzer Army was no longer able to perform large scale offensive operations and required thorough refitting.
The Kamenets-Podolsky pocket is still studied in military academies today as an example of how to avoid annihilation when forces are trapped in a pocket.
Order of Battle for 1st Panzer Army, March 1944
1st Panzer Army (Generaloberst Hans-Valentin HubeHans-Valentin Hube
Hans-Valentin Hube was a German general who served in the German Army during the First and Second World Wars. He was one of 27 people to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds...
)
-
- 1st Panzer Division (Generalleutnant Werner MarcksWerner MarcksWerner Marcks was a German general who commanded several panzer divisions during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
) - 17th Panzer Division (Generalleutnant Karl-Friedrich von der Meden)
- 1st Panzer Division (Generalleutnant Werner Marcks
- III Panzer Corps (General der Panzertruppe Hermann BreithHermann BreithHermann Albert Breith was a German general of the Panzertruppe, serving during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme...
)- 16th Panzer Division (Generalmajor Hans-Ulrich BackHans-Ulrich BackHans-Ulrich Back was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II who held several divisional commands. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
) - 11th Panzer Division (Generalleutnant Wend von WietersheimWend von WietersheimWend von Wietersheim was a German general of Infantry, serving during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
) - Kampfgruppe from 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
- 249th StuG Brigade
- Schwere Panzer-Regiment Bäke (Oberst Franz BäkeFranz BäkeGeneralmajor der Reserve Dr. med. dent. Franz BäkeIn German a Doctor of Medical Dentistry is abbreviated as Dr. med. dent. . was a German Army officer and panzer ace. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
) - 509th Heavy Panzer BattalionGerman 509th Heavy Panzer DetachmentThe 509th Heavy Tank Battalion was a German heavy panzer abteilung equipped with Tiger I and later Tiger II Königstiger tanks. The 509th saw action on the Eastern Front during the Second World War...
(Oberleutnant Dr. König)
- 16th Panzer Division (Generalmajor Hans-Ulrich Back
- LIX Army Corps (General der Infanterie Kurt von der ChevallerieKurt von der ChevallerieKurt Wilhelm Gustav Erdmann von der Chevallerie was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 1. Armee. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
)- 96th Infantry Division (Generalleutnant Richard Wirtz)
- 291st Infantry Division (Generalmajor Oskar EckholtOskar EckholtOskar Eckholt was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
) - 6th Panzer Division (Generalleutnant Walter DenkertWalter DenkertWalter Denkert was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
) - 19th Panzer Division (Generalleutnant Hans KällnerHans KällnerHans Källner was a German General, serving during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
) - 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich - Kampfgruppe (SS-Sturmbannführer Otto WeidingerOtto WeidingerOtto Weidinger was a member of the German Waffen-SS and a commander of SS-PzGrenRgt 4 "Der Führer" during World War II and was involved in the massacre of Oradour-sur-Glane in France in June 1944. He held the rank of SS-Obersturmbannführer...
) - 276th StuG Brigade
- 280th StuG Brigade
- 616th Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion
- 88th Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion
- 509th Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion
- XXIV Panzer Corps (General der Panzertruppen Walther NehringWalther NehringWalther Kurt Josef Nehring , was a German general of World War II, known for his involvement with the Afrika Korps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
)- 25th Panzer Division (remnants) (Generalleutnant Hans TrögerHans TrögerHans Tröger was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several panzer divisions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful...
) - 20th Panzergrenadier Division (General der Panzertruppen Georg JauerGeorg JauerGeorg Jauer was a Panzer General in the German army during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
) - 168th Infantry Division (Generalleutnant Werner Schmidt-HammerWerner Schmidt-HammerWerner Schmidt-Hammer was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
) - 208th Infantry Division (Generalleutnant Hans Pieckenbrock)
- 371st Infantry Division (General der Infanterie Hermann NiehoffHermann NiehoffHermann Niehoff was a German officer during World War II. He was born on 3 April 1897 and died in 1980. Niehoff was born in Papenburg/Ems. He was a German infantry general and was the garrison commander of Fortress Breslau during the Battle of Breslau.-Commands:* Commanding Officer of the 211th...
) - 300th StuG Brigade
- 731st Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion
- 473rd Motorcycle Battalion
- 25th Panzer Division (remnants) (Generalleutnant Hans Tröger
- XXXXVI Panzer Corps (General der Infanterie Friedrich SchulzFriedrich SchulzKarl Friedrich "Fritz" Wilhelm Schulz was a German general of infantry, serving during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
)- 1st Infantry Division (Generalleutnant Ernst-Anton von KrosigkErnst-Anton von KrosigkErnst-Anton von Krosigk was a German general who from 1943 commanded the 1. Infanterie Division during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
) - 82nd Infantry Division (Generalleutnant Hans-Walter HeyneHans-Walter HeyneHans-Walter Heyne-Hedersleben was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
) - 75th Infantry Division (Generalleutnant Helmuth BeukemannHelmuth BeukemannHelmuth Beukemann was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
) - 254th Infantry Division (Generalleutnant Alfred Thielmann)
- 101st Jäger Division (General der Gebirgstruppen Emil VogelEmil VogelEmil Wilhelm Vogel was a highly decorated General der Gebirgstruppe in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the XXXVI. Gebirgskorps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
) - 18th Artillery Division (General der Artillerie Karl Thoholte)
- 300th StuG Battalion
- 1st Infantry Division (Generalleutnant Ernst-Anton von Krosigk