Dear veterans! Dear Voronezh residents!
This year we are celebrating two special anniversaries at once - the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Voronezh from Nazi invaders and the 10th anniversary of the conferment of the honorary title “City military glory».
The defeat of Nazi troops near Voronezh is one of the key events of the Great Patriotic War who opened the road to Victory. In the battles on Voronezh soil, dozens of enemy divisions that were rushing to Stalingrad and the Caucasus were stopped.
Almost completely destroyed, Voronezh survived the terrible battle. For 212 days, Red Army soldiers and militia soldiers showed unprecedented resilience and heroism. Many of them gave their lives on the front line. Voronezh residents worked no less selflessly for the needs of the front in factories and nursed soldiers in hospitals.
On this significant day, we pay tribute to the memory of the fallen and departed defenders of Voronezh, honor veterans and everyone who brought the Great Victory closer and then built a peaceful life.
With all our hearts we wish those who went through the harsh trials of the war and post-war times health, goodness, prosperity and for long years life!
May the sky over all of Russia and our beloved city always remain peaceful!
Acting Governor of the Voronezh Region A.V. Gusev
Chairman of the Regional Duma V.I. Netesov
Dear veterans, home front workers! Dear fellow countrymen!
We sincerely congratulate you on the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Voronezh from the Nazi invaders!
During the Great Patriotic War, our city and its residents suffered severe trials and sorrowful losses. Therefore, January 25, when the liberators raised the Red Banner over our city, is a sacred date.
The exploits of fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers are invaluable examples of dedication and sincere love for the Motherland, which teach us to correctly assess the events of peaceful life and help us overcome difficulties.
A low bow to those who defended and liberated Voronezh, to those who bore the hardships of the war years on their shoulders, who restored the city from ruins!
We wish veterans and home front workers good health, cheerfulness, peace and prosperity.
Acting Head
urban district city of Voronezh V.Yu.Kstenin
Chairman of the Voronezh City Duma V.F. Khodyrev
Dear veterans and participants of the Great Patriotic War, home front workers, dear Voronezh residents!
I cordially congratulate you on the 75th anniversary of the liberation of our city from the Nazi invaders!
This fateful day is forever inscribed in the chronicle of the history of Voronezh, which rightfully bears honorary title cities of military glory. Greatness of spirit and sacred love for their native land were shown during the terrible years of the Great Patriotic War by the defenders of the Voronezh region, who held back the bloody onslaught of the invaders for more than 200 days. Officers, soldiers and volunteers who carried out military work, doctors and nurses who saved the wounded, civilians of all ages and classes, who worked in enterprises and provided the front with everything necessary - in the unity of spirit they all showed heroic fortitude and admirable courage. Selfless love for the Fatherland and the national feat in the name of its salvation became an indestructible force that trampled the pride of fascism and granted us the right to live in a free and great country.
The great joy of liberation came at a high price. Many thousands of our fellow countrymen demonstrated the highest feat of evangelical love for their neighbors, laying down their lives for the happiness of future generations. Their patriotism, faith and mutual support became the key to the triumph of truth and the future Great Victory. The success of our troops in Voronezh became a turning point for the course of military operations as a whole: from this point the widespread liberation of Russian lands began, ending with the complete defeat of Nazism in its citadel.
The Orthodox Church sacredly honors the memory of famous and unknown heroes, offering prayers for their eternal repose in the villages of the righteous.
With a low bow, we thank the veterans of those arduous but glorious military and labor achievements living among us today. I believe that the high spirit of their love for their native land and its shrines will always inspire us and new generations of Voronezh residents to do good, serving the peace and prosperity of our region.
May the Lord bless us all, dear residents of the Voronezh region, may He send peace into your hearts and families, and may the unity of spirit, brotherly love and harmony be strengthened throughout our beloved Fatherland.
+ SERGY, Metropolitan of Voronezh and Liskinsky, head of the Voronezh Metropolis
On January 25, Voronezh celebrates the Day of the city’s liberation from the Nazi invaders during the Second World War.
How it was?
The summer of 1942 was the Germans' second chance to regain initiative during the fighting. A large group of troops was blocked in the northern direction (Leningrad), huge losses in the battle for Moscow significantly moderated Hitler’s ardor and reduced his plans for a lightning takeover of the USSR to a minimum. The Germans lacked supplies, food, and fuel, so capturing the Caucasus was a priority for them. Voronezh stood in the way.
From the beginning of the war, Voronezh, like all cities of the USSR, was placed under martial law. Mass mobilization took place, a larger number of enterprises were reoriented to military products (more than 100 items: IL-2 aircraft, Katyushas, armored trains, uniforms), the largest and most significant for the economy were evacuated to the rear. Voronezh was preparing to repel a possible Nazi attack from the west. In the spring of 1942, intense bombing began, which destroyed the tram tracks. At that moment it was the only functioning mode of transport.
From July 7, 1942 to January 25, 1943 (212 days), the right bank part of Voronezh was occupied by Nazi troops; in fact, the front line divided the city into two parts.
In the Voronezh direction, the length of the front line was significant, which is why the German armies broke through the defenses and quickly approached the borders of the city. On July 6, the Nazis crossed the Don and entered the suburbs of Voronezh. At this stage, the German generals cheerfully reported on the capture of the city; they did not imagine that they would never be able to completely capture it. The liberation of Voronezh from the Nazi invaders began from the left bank of the river. Advancing from the south and west, the Nazis did not meet adequate resistance, so they considered the city captured. The right bank part of the Voronezh River was not fortified for defensive battles, regular units Soviet army were far away, their transfer required time and bridgeheads for basing.
Several units of Soviet soldiers, officers, militias, NKVD units, and anti-aircraft gunners operated in the center of Voronezh. The left bank line of defense kept the enemy from capturing the entire city. Offensive operations did not stop; reinforcements arrived and Soviet troops based in the city continued to destroy the Nazis. The liberation of Voronezh from the fascist invaders occurred thanks to the created bridgeheads on which the advancing units of the Soviet army were able to rely. Holding positions on Chizhovka and near Shilovo at the cost of their own lives, the soldiers destroyed large enemy groups. The fighting took place in the city, on its outskirts, in populated areas along the entire length of the Voronezh River.
But reinforcements were needed to clear the city. Operation Little Saturn was carefully planned and prepared by the Soviet command. In the history of military affairs, it is often called “Stalingrad on the Don”; it was carried out by outstanding military leaders: P. S. Rybalko, G. K. Zhukov, A. M. Vasilevsky, K. S. Moskalenko, I. D. Chernyakhovsky, F. I. Golikov. For the first time, offensive actions were carried out from bridgeheads, which served to regroup units and remained full-fledged rear structures during battles. The liberation of Voronezh on January 25 was the result of the Voronezh-Kastornensky operation (January 24, 1943 - February 2). The 60th Army under the command of I. Chernyakhovsky captured the city and cleared it completely of enemy units. The actions of the Soviet military forced the Nazis to flee the city, leaving their positions; in the face of the possibility of encirclement, the Nazis tried to preserve combat-ready units of the army. Long, exhausting battles in urban conditions significantly reduced the size of the German group and undermined its morale. In the information bureau reports dated January 26, 1943, the following message was heard: as a result offensive operation Soviet troops Voronezh was liberated by the forces of the Voronezh and Bryansk fronts on January 25, 1943.
The Nazis were unable to capture the city, therefore, when withdrawing from the right bank part, they received an order to mine all surviving tall buildings. Museums, churches, the Palace of Pioneers, and administrative buildings were destroyed by powerful explosions. The housing stock was destroyed by 96%, tram tracks and power lines were destroyed, communications did not function. The historical center of the city with its wooden buildings burned down during the bombing, stone and brick buildings, factory workshops turned into ruins, fortified for defense. Hitler wrote that he had wiped Voronezh from the face of the earth, on his incomplete recovery it will take 50-70 years. Residents restored their homes literally brick by brick. More than 100 thousand soldiers died in the battles for the city.
The units defending Voronezh simultaneously carried out several important tasks. They connected a large group of enemy troops, which included not only German units, but also their allies in this war. The defenders of Voronezh covered Moscow in the southern direction and defended the transport network necessary for the country. The defenders of the city did not allow Hitler to capture it with one blow and pulled back part of the group that was supposed to go to Stalingrad. In the Voronezh direction, 25 German divisions were destroyed, more than 75 thousand soldiers and officers surrendered.
You will drown your enemy in the Don,
You will burn with fire, you will drive into the grave.
A fighter, saving the whole country,
You must defend Voronezh!
Soviet poet A. Bezymensky
Voronezh during the war
The Voronezh region was under enhanced martial law from the first days of the Great Patriotic War.
In December 1941, the situation at the front improved. Soviet troops won battles in the immediate vicinity of Voronezh. On December 9, 1941, Yelets was liberated from Nazi-German troops.
In the winter of 1941-1942 in Voronezh in the building of the South-Eastern school railway on Via Sacco and Vanzetti, which has survived to this day. The headquarters of the Southwestern Front was located, commanded by Marshal of the USSR Semyon Konstantinovich Timoshenko.
In February 1942, partially evacuated enterprises returned to Voronezh. Voronezh State University continued to operate.
However, by the spring of 1942, the initiative was again taken by the Nazis. In the summer of 1942, aerial bombing of Voronezh became almost continuous. In this regard, on June 7, 1942, at headquarters Supreme High Command A separate Voronezh Front was created.
On June 13, 1942, the Nazis dropped bombs on the city pioneer garden and many children died. On June 27, during a new massive fascist air raid on Voronezh, the building of the drama theater was destroyed.
On June 28, 1942, the offensive of German troops began in the Voronezh direction. This operation was codenamed “Blau” (“Blue”). The German command allocated significant resources for this operation, since the capture of Voronezh meant the decisive success of the Nazi troops in the summer campaign of 1942. Blau was carried out by the army group "Weichs" under the command of Colonel General Baron von Weichs, German units and the 2nd Royal Hungarian Army, enemy troops of Austria, Romania and Italy, the 6th Army under the command of Colonel General Paulus, the 4th Air Army and 10th Anti-Aircraft Division.
Leaflets issued before the march to Voronezh for soldiers of the German army called: “Soldiers! During two years of war, all of Europe bowed to you. Your banners rustled over the cities of Europe. All you have to do is take Voronezh. Here he is in front of you. Take him, make him bow down. Voronezh is the end of the war. Voronezh is a vacation. Forward!"
However, not everyone was optimistic about this operation. On July 5, 1942, the head of the German ground forces, Colonel General Halder, wrote in his diary: “The 24th Panzer Division and the Grossdeutschland Division risk being destroyed in the attack on fortified Voronezh.”
In the summer of 1942, fierce battles took place on the outskirts of Voronezh - in the area of Birch Grove, Dynamo Stadium, Lenin Street and the Hippodrome.
On July 10, 1942, Baron von Weichs announced the victorious end of the battle for Voronezh. However, in reality this battle was just beginning.
On July 7, 1942, the Voronezh Front was formed, and Nikolai Fedorovich Vatutin was appointed its commander. The front headquarters was located in Anna.
The battles for Voronezh lasted 212 long days. The front line passed through Voronezh, but the Nazis were never able to capture it completely - the Left Bank remained in the hands of Soviet troops and, as the commander of the Voronezh Front, Colonel General Philip Ivanovich Golikov recalls, the Nazis were unable to defeat the “important northeastern sector” of Voronezh “with its center in the Agricultural Institute area.”
Stubborn fighting took place in the cultural park in Birch Grove. In August 1942, our troops occupied a strategically important position on the Chizhov bridgehead and held it until complete liberation Voronezh.
In the fall of 1942, the Battle of the Volga began and Soviet troops near Voronezh went on the offensive more than once. This prevented the Nazis from transferring significant forces from Voronezh to the Volga and even forced them to send some units from the Volga direction to Voronezh.
The Soviet offensive began on September 14, 1942. Tank units concentrated on the left bank of Voronezh crossed the river in the area of VOGRES. The crossing for this operation was secretly prepared for many nights by sappers who built underwater supports. The night before the attack, the bridge for our tanks across the Voronezh River was assembled in just three hours!
On November 19, 1942, Soviet troops went on the offensive near Stalingrad. In the winter of 1942-1943, the Voronezh Front, in cooperation with neighboring fronts, carried out an operation under code name"Little Saturn", which became part of the Battle of Stalingrad. Small Saturn marked the beginning of the expulsion of enemy troops from Voronezh land - the enemy was expelled from more than 200 settlements in the Voronezh region, including Kantemirovka, Radchensky, Boguchar and Novaya Kalitva.
History of the liberation of Voronezh
The decisive battle for Voronezh was carried out as part of the Voronezh-Kastornensky offensive operation. Military operations began on the morning of January 24, 1943, when the Soviet command ordered an offensive in the area of Kastornoye and Voronezh in order to prevent the enemy from penetrating Kharkov and Kursk.
The battle for Voronezh lasted eight days - from January 24 to February 2, 1943. The 38th, 40th and 60th armies of the Voronezh Front, the army of the Bryansk Front and the military of two air armies took part in it.
The offensive operation was extremely difficult, victory was made difficult by unequal forces and unfavorable weather conditions - severe frost, deep snow, blizzard and wind. Having suffered defeat, the German command ordered to blow up Voronezh and remove everything valuable from it. But Soviet intelligence reported this on time. General Ivan Chernyakhovsky ordered an army offensive on all fronts.
At 11 a.m. on January 25, 1943, the right bank part of the city was completely cleared of invaders. On the balcony of the Voronezh hotel (Lenin Square, building 8), soldiers of the 60th Army hoisted the Red Banner of Liberation. And the Soviet Information Bureau reported to the whole country: “On January 25, 1943, the troops of the Voronezh Front overthrew German units and completely captured the city of Voronezh. The eastern bank of the Don River to the west and southwest of the city was also cleared of Nazi troops. The number of prisoners taken near Voronezh by the end of January 24 increased by 11 thousand soldiers and officers...”
The very next day - January 26, 1943 - civilians began returning to Voronezh. This is how the Pravda newspaper wrote about it on March 1, 1943: “The streets of the city are becoming noisy and crowded. More than 10 thousand Voronezh residents have already returned to their homes.”
And in February 1943, US President F. Roosevelt congratulatory telegram On the 25th anniversary of the Red Army he wrote: “The Red Army did not give the most powerful enemy the opportunity to achieve victory. She stopped him near Leningrad, near Moscow, near Voronezh, in the Caucasus and, finally, in the immortal Battle of Stalingrad..."
Developing the offensive, the troops of the Voronezh and Bryansk fronts completely liberated the Voronezh region and carried out a successful attack on Kursk, Belgorod and Kharkov.
Marshal Soviet Union A. M. Vasilevsky in his book “The Work of a Whole Life” wrote: “The troops of the Voronezh Front pinned down large enemy forces with active combat operations, not allowing the Hitlerite command to transfer troops to the Volga, where the decisive battles of this year took place. Ultimately, the actions of Soviet troops near Voronezh led to a weakening of the enemy attack on Stalingrad, and later played an important role in the defeat of the Nazis on the Volga.”
The English historian J. Fuller writes about the defense and battle for Voronezh: “The battle for Voronezh began, and, as we will see, for the Germans it was one of the most fatal during the war. The Russians, concentrated... north of Voronezh, arrived in time to save the day, perhaps they saved the entire campaign. There is no doubt that this was the case."
In the battles for Voronezh, Soviet soldiers showed heroism, many of them gave their lives for our city. On the approaches to our city, Red Army soldier Gennady Vavilov and Lieutenant Mikhail Bovkun from the 796th Infantry Regiment of the 141st Infantry Division, at the cost of their lives, ensured the completion of the combat mission - they covered the embrasures of enemy pillboxes with their chests. A nurse of the 6th company of the 849th regiment, Zinaida Tusnolobova, carried 40 wounded from the field in 3 days, was seriously wounded and remained disabled. Later, she was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and an international award - the Florence Nightingale Medal, which only two medical workers in the USSR had received before her. Komsomol member Valentin Kukolkin, a worker at plant No. 444, killed nine Germans, including three officers, and was killed. Platoon commander Grishchenko, a worker at the SK-2 plant, having been wounded in the arm, declared: “With one remaining arm I will fight the fascists.” Mortally wounded Komsomol member Anya Skorobogatko died with the words: “I am dying for my Motherland, for the great Stalin! Comrades, I ask you to take revenge on the bastards!”
So today Voronezh rightfully bears the high title of the city of military Glory.
During the night of January 25, our troops in the area of Stalingrad, south of Voronezh, in the North Caucasus, in the area of the Lower Don, Northern Donets and south of Lake Ladoga continued fighting in the same directions.
On the southern front, our troops fought offensive battles. The N unit repelled the German counterattack and, on the shoulders of the retreating enemy, broke into a heavily fortified settlement and captured it. There were 3 burned German tanks left on the battlefield. 2 self-propelled guns, an armored vehicle, 11 machine guns, 3 mortars, 39 machine guns, many rifles and ammunition were captured. In another area, our fighters captured two large populated areas.
The troops of the Southwestern Front continued the offensive and occupied several settlements. Particularly fierce battles took place near one settlement, which changed hands several times. At night, our fighters attacked the Germans and defeated the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. Having lost up to a battalion of infantry killed and wounded, the Nazis retreated. Our troops received an ammunition warehouse, a grain warehouse, 46 vehicles and a lot of weapons.
The troops of the Voronezh Front fought successful offensive battles. Another surrounded group of enemy troops was eliminated. 1,100 enemy soldiers and officers were captured. 260 vehicles, 15 guns, 48 machine guns and 13 mortars were captured. The soldiers of the N-unit, as a result of a stubborn battle, captured one settlement and captured 4 anti-tank guns, 17 machine guns, 19 machine guns, a warehouse with spare parts for tanks and 2 radio stations.
The troops of the Transcaucasian Front occupied several dozen settlements.
The Cossack guards fought forward 30-40 kilometers and destroyed up to 800 Nazis. Over 100 enemy soldiers and officers were captured. 7 guns, 40 vehicles and 50 carts with military equipment, 2 ammunition warehouses, as well as 2 thousand heads were captured cattle and 15 thousand sheep taken from the population by the Germans.
The Shchors partisan detachment, operating in the Oryol region, derailed 3 German military echelons in three days. As a result of the crash, 3 locomotives, 21 carriages and 5 platforms with cars were destroyed. About 200 were killed and injured during the crashes. German soldiers and officers. The partisans of another detachment attacked the enemy garrison. In a fierce hand-to-hand battle, 67 Nazis were killed.
Residents of the village of Glukhoe Demidovo, Demyansky district, Leningrad region Semyon Martynov, Artemy Volkov and Pyotr Elin spoke about the atrocities of the Nazi scoundrels: “The Nazis robbed all the inhabitants of the village. In the very first days, the Germans took the peasants' livestock, bread, vegetables and other products and doomed the population to starvation. All men and women, as well as children, were forced to work on the construction of fortifications for 14-16 hours a day. The fascist monsters mocked the peasants and introduced punishment with rods. Over a short period of time, more than 40 people died of hunger in the village.”
In Lyon (France), free riflemen fired at a German military train. In Genlis, a group of Frenchmen organized a train crash. Five carriages with German soldiers fell into the river. An explosion occurred in one of the restaurants in Amiens, crowded with Nazis. Several dozen Germans were killed and wounded.
On January 25, the troops of the Voronezh Front, going on the offensive in the Voronezh region, overthrew German units and completely captured the city of Voronezh.
The troops of the Southwestern Front captured the regional center of Lozno-Alexandrovka and a number of other settlements.
On the Southern Front, our troops captured populated areas - Krasny Manych, Zhuravlevka, Blagodatnaya.
In the North Caucasus, our troops captured the regional center and the Belaya Glina railway station, large settlements - Narmalinovskaya, Feldmarshalsky, Privolny, Novo-Kubanskoye.
Our ships sank an enemy destroyer in the Barents Sea.
On January 24, our aircraft sank a German transport with a displacement of 10,000 tons in an enemy port and various areas front, the fire of 6 artillery batteries was suppressed, 4 ammunition depots were blown up, two trains were destroyed, scattered and partly destroyed up to a company of enemy infantry.
On the Southern Front, our troops fought offensive battles in the same directions. The soldiers of the N-formation, having overcome numerous German defensive structures, burst into the streets of a large populated area. In a fierce battle, up to 400 enemy soldiers and officers were destroyed, 11 German tanks were shot down and burned. Prisoners and trophies were captured. In the area of the lower reaches of the Don, our units fought off counterattacks by enemy tanks and infantry. In these battles, two battalions of German infantry were defeated, 9 enemy tanks were knocked out and burned.
On the Southwestern Front, Soviet troops continued their offensive and occupied a number of settlements. In one sector, our units fought stubborn battles with enemy motorized infantry tanks. All German counterattacks were repulsed with heavy losses. During the assault on the city of Starobelsk, over 1,000 Nazis were exterminated. Our units captured 15 tanks, 16 armored vehicles, 50 guns, over 200 vehicles, 8 large warehouses, 8 steam locomotives in the city, a large number of carriages and other trophies. Over 300 enemy soldiers and officers were captured.
The troops of the Voronezh Front completely captured the city of Voronezh.
In other sectors of the Voronezh Front, our troops continued offensive operations in the previous directions. Parts of the N-formation moved forward and occupied several settlements. An enemy garrison in a large populated area was destroyed. Up to 2,000 enemy soldiers and officers were captured. 250 vehicles, 300 horses, warehouses with ammunition and food were captured. In another area, Soviet units captured an important point of enemy resistance. 3 tanks, 28 guns and other trophies were captured.
The troops of the Transcaucasian Front fought forward and occupied a number of settlements. The N unit defeated the German anti-tank division. 20 anti-tank guns were knocked out and 7 were captured. 80 prisoners were taken. At another site, our soldiers under the command of Comrade. Belyaev penetrated into a populated area occupied by the enemy and destroyed the headquarters of the German battalion. Trophies and valuable documents were captured.
A group of partisans from a detachment operating in the Leningrad region derailed the German military echelon. During the crash, a locomotive and 10 carriages were destroyed by ammunition. Train traffic was stopped for a day. The Germans restored the destroyed track and strengthened railway security. A few days later, Soviet patriots in the same area organized the collapse of an enemy train with fuel. The locomotive and 8 tanks were destroyed. Train traffic on this line was again interrupted.
In the area of Stalingrad on the battlefield, a notebook of a corporal of the 10th company of the 578th regiment of the 305th German infantry division was picked up. Below are excerpts from this notebook: “...we are standing on the highway - we don’t know what to do next. I am terribly hungry and cannot get a spoon of soup anywhere. I reached the village. There is real pandemonium here... With difficulty I found my company and spent the night in a barn. I was terribly cold. All my property was stolen from me... Again the march and again without food. In the evening, after a difficult march, we arrived in Stalingrad. We managed to get into the cellar. There are 30 people here. Wild crowd. Everyone's nerves are frayed. Continuous quarrels and fights over food. What can hunger do? With us are the wounded and those suffering from dysentery. They will die. The meager and hungry rations are taken away from them by healthy soldiers, right out of their mouths... I want to live. Live at all costs. To hell with everything, just to survive... I’m sitting in a hole with one soldier. This is a 20-year-old guy from Austria. We both don't say a word. What is there to talk about? I'm very cold. I can hear the groans of the wounded. They are lying in the snow, in the snowdrifts. They are not picked up, they are not taken away... I see no other way out of this terrible hell except captivity.”
IN THE LAST HOUR
OUR TROOPS COMPLETELY CAPTURED THE CITY OF VORONEZH
On January 25, the troops of the VORONEZH Front, going on the offensive in the Voronezh region, overthrew German units and completely captured the city of VORONEZH. The eastern bank of the DON River in the area west and southwest of the city was also cleared of Nazi troops.
The number of prisoners taken near Voronezh by the end of January 24 increased by 11,000 soldiers and officers. Thus, total prisoners taken in the VORONEZH front area reached 75,000 soldiers and officers.
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Comments:
Strength and courage Soviet people won the most terrible war of the last century. Their feat was everyday on the front line, in the rear, in the field, in partisan forests and swamps. The pages of the history of the Great Patriotic War are erased from people’s memory, this is facilitated by peacetime and the gradual departure of that heroic generation. We must remember and pass on to the next generations the lessons of courage and the scale of the tragedy of the people. The siege of Leningrad, the battle for Moscow, Stalingrad, the Kursk Bulge, the liberation of Voronezh and every battle of that war that helped win back an inch native land at the cost of his own life.
Situation at the front
The summer of 1942 was the Germans' second chance to regain initiative during the fighting. A large group of troops was blocked in the northern direction (Leningrad), huge losses in the battle for Moscow significantly moderated Hitler’s ardor and reduced his plans for a lightning takeover of the USSR to a minimum. Now every military operation was carefully planned, the regrouping of troops was carried out, ways of supplying them and organizing rear services were being prepared. Nazi atrocities in the occupied territories stirred up waves partisan movement and the largest enemy groups did not feel completely safe. Supply interruptions, hundreds of derailed railway cars with manpower and equipment, the complete destruction of small German units, and the transfer of intelligence to regular units of the Soviet army greatly hindered the invaders. Therefore, Operation Blau (on the Eastern Front) was developed taking into account all possible options developments of events, but even with such competent strategic approach The fascists did not take into account the tenacity and courage of the defenders of Voronezh. This ancient Russian city stood in Hitler's way, but its capture and destruction, according to the Germans, did not require a significant amount of time. All the more unexpected for them was the ending of the battle in the city of Voronezh. Its liberation was completely achieved as a result of active offensive operations in January 1943, but it remained “unconquered.”
Hitler's new goals
Due to the large area where military units were located, the Germans were faced with a supply problem. The army was constantly in need of food, uniforms and fuel. To replenish, resource bases were needed, which at that time were concentrated in the hands of the enemy. The capture of the Caucasus would have solved the problem with fuel and energy resources, but Hitler’s plans were clear to the Soviet command, so significant counterforces were concentrated in the eastern direction. The forcing and subsequent destruction of the armed forces based in Voronezh would have enabled the Nazis to successfully carry out Operation Blau and develop a full-scale attack on the city of Stalingrad. Therefore, by the summer of 1942, huge forces of the fascist army were concentrated in the southeastern direction of the front. More than half of all motorized formations and 35-40% of infantry units involved in the Soviet-German front moved into position to realize the Fuhrer’s dream of capturing the Caucasus. On June 28, 1942, the Germans launched Operation Blau, which was thwarted by Soviet troops near Stalingrad and in the city of Voronezh. Kursk and Oryol, which were captured during the attack on Moscow, were awaiting liberation from the Nazis.
Offensive on Voronezh
From the beginning of the war, Voronezh, like all cities of the USSR, was placed under martial law. Mass mobilization took place, a larger number of enterprises were reoriented to military products (more than 100 items: IL-2 aircraft, Katyushas, armored trains, uniforms, etc.), the largest and most significant for the economy were evacuated to the rear. Voronezh was preparing to repel a possible Nazi attack from the west. In the spring of 1942, intense bombing began, which destroyed the tram tracks. At that moment it was the only functioning mode of transport. The historical center of the old city of Voronezh was badly damaged. Liberation of Labor Street (formerly Vvedenskaya) with the church and monastery lost a significant amount. The air defense division was created from girls who lived in the region and the city itself. Most of the men not mobilized into the regular army (workers, teachers, students) went into the militia, which took the first blow of the German war machine. In the Voronezh direction, the length of the front line was significant, which is why the German armies broke through the defenses and quickly approached the borders of the city. On July 6, the Nazis crossed the Don and entered the suburbs of Voronezh. At this stage, the German generals cheerfully reported on the capture of the city; they did not imagine that they would never be able to completely capture it. The liberation of Voronezh on January 25, 1943 will be lightning fast due to the bridgeheads held throughout the defense by the Soviet wars. By the time the Nazis attacked the city, most of it was destroyed by bombing, houses and factories were burning. Under these conditions, a mass hospitalization was carried out, the most important parts of the property manufacturing enterprises, removal of historical and
Front line
The liberation of Voronezh from the Nazi invaders began from the left bank of the river. Advancing from the south and west, the Nazis did not meet adequate resistance, so they considered the city captured. The right bank part was not fortified for defensive battles, the regular units of the Soviet army were far away, and their transfer required time and bridgeheads for basing. In the city there were NKVD units, a militia battalion, 41 border guard regiments and anti-aircraft gunners, who took the brunt of the attack. Most of These formations retreated to the left bank of the river and began to build fortifications. The task of the rest was to delay the advance of the Nazis. This made it possible to defend crossings across the Voronezh River and slow down the advance of German units until reserve units arrived. In the conditions of urban battle, the Voronezh residents exhausted the enemy and retreated to the left bank lines. By order of Stalin, reserve brigade 8, consisting of Siberians, was sent to Voronezh. The Germans managed to gain a foothold on the right bank, but their further advance was stopped by the river, or rather the impossibility of crossing it. The front line stretches from the station. Otrogka to the confluence of the river. Voronezh to Don. The positions of Soviet soldiers were located in residential areas and factory workshops, this provided good camouflage. The enemy did not see the movements of units or command posts and could only guess from the density of fire about the number of defenders. An order came from the commander-in-chief's headquarters to detain the Nazis on the Voronezh River and not give up their positions. The Soviet information bureau reported rather vaguely on the conduct of military operations. Information about heavy fighting in the Voronezh direction was announced.
Defense
Since July 4, 1942, fierce fighting took place in the right bank of the city. Several units of Soviet soldiers, officers, militias, NKVD units, and anti-aircraft gunners operated in the center of Voronezh. Using city buildings as cover, they crossed to the right bank and destroyed the Nazis. The crossing was carried out with massive artillery support, which was entrenched on the left bank. The fighters from the river immediately rushed into battle against superior enemy forces, who had an advantage in location. The right bank was quite steep, which made it difficult for units to move. The desperate courage of these people led to the fact that on July 6-7, fighting took place on the streets: Pomyalovsky, Stepan Razin, Revolution Avenue, Nikitinskaya, Engels, Dzerzhinsky, Liberation of Labor. Voronezh did not surrender to the invaders, but the offensive had to be stopped; the units suffered too many losses during the crossing. The surviving soldiers returned to the left bank on July 10, their main task was to strengthen defensive positions and prepare bridgeheads for the next offensive. The liberation of Voronezh began precisely from the moment of this offensive and lasted for seven long months.
Hot spots on the map
The liberation of Voronezh continued, the left bank line of defense kept the enemy from capturing the entire city. Offensive operations did not stop; reinforcements arrived and Soviet troops based in the city continued to destroy the Nazis. The front line changed several times a day, the fight was for every block, street, house. German tank and infantry divisions repeatedly tried to cross the Voronezh River. The liberation of the left bank from the defenders meant the conquest of the city, its capture. The Otrozhensky bridges and Semiluksky crossing were subjected to constant shelling, bombing and tank attacks. The defenders did not just fight to the death, they restored damaged structures under fire and during raids. After counterattacks on the Nazis, Soviet units retreated from the right bank, carrying out the wounded, refugees walked, and at this time the Germans tried to attack or sneak past the advancing column. It was not possible to cross the Voronezh River even on the railway bridge; Soviet soldiers, realizing that they would not be able to hold back the enemy’s onslaught for a long time, jammed the bridge with a burning train. At night, the central span was mined and blown up. The liberation of Voronezh from the fascist invaders occurred thanks to the created bridgeheads on which the advancing units of the Soviet army were able to rely. Holding positions on Chizhovka and near Shilovo at the cost of their own lives, the soldiers destroyed large enemy groups. These bridgeheads were located on the right bank of the city; the Germans managed to gain a foothold on them and offered powerful resistance. The soldiers nicknamed Chizhovka “the valley of death,” but by capturing and holding it, they deprived the Germans of a strategic advantage and constrained their actions in the central part of the city.
August, September 42
Violent clashes took place on the hospital grounds and on the campus. The area of the city park and agricultural institute is riddled with bullets and shells, every piece of land is soaked in the blood of Soviet soldiers who fought for the liberation of Voronezh. Photographs of places of military glory preserved the scale and cruelty of the battles. A witness and monument of those days is the Rotunda (showroom surgical department), this is the only surviving building on the territory regional hospital. The Germans turned each building into a fortified firing point, which made it impossible Soviet soldiers capture this strategically important object. The battles continued for a month, their result was the stabilization of the front line, the Nazis were forced to retreat. The liberation of Voronezh, its right bank part, lasted 212 days and nights. The fighting took place in the city, on its outskirts, in settlements along the entire length of the river.
Liberation of Voronezh from the Nazi invaders
Operation Little Saturn was carefully planned and prepared by the Soviet command. In the history of military affairs, it is often called “Stalingrad on the Don”; it was carried out by outstanding military leaders: P. S. Rybalko, G. K. Zhukov, A. M. Vasilevsky, K. S. Moskalenko, I. D. Chernyakhovsky, F. I. Golikov. For the first time, offensive actions were carried out from bridgeheads, which served to regroup units and remained full-fledged rear structures during battles. The liberation of Voronezh on January 25 was the result of the Voronezh-Kastornensky operation (January 24, 1943 - February 2). The 60th Army under the command of I. Chernyakhovsky captured the city and cleared it completely of enemy units. The actions of the Soviet military forced the Nazis to flee the city, leaving their positions; in the face of the possibility of encirclement, the Nazis tried to preserve combat-ready units of the army. Long, exhausting battles in urban conditions significantly reduced the size of the German group and undermined its morale. In the information bureau reports dated January 26, 1943, the following message was heard: as a result of the offensive operation of the Soviet troops by the forces of the Voronezh and Bryansk fronts, Voronezh was liberated on January 25, 1943. Photos and videos from that day show the unprecedented scale of destruction. The city was completely destroyed, its inhabitants either left or were killed by the Nazis. The ruins of the remaining houses were so quiet that people flinched from the noise of their own steps.
Destruction
Hitler needed Voronezh as a convenient springboard for further offensive operations in the eastern direction. The Nazis were unable to capture the city, so when withdrawing from the right bank part, they received an order to mine all remaining tall buildings. Museums, churches, the Palace of Pioneers, and administrative buildings were destroyed by powerful explosions. All valuables left in the city were taken to the west, including the bronze monument to Peter 1 and Lenin. The housing stock was destroyed by 96%, tram tracks and power lines were destroyed, communications did not function. The historical center of the city with its wooden buildings burned down during the bombing, stone and brick buildings, factory workshops turned into ruins, fortified for defense. Hitler wrote that he had wiped Voronezh off the face of the earth; its incomplete restoration would take 50-70 years; he was pleased with this result. Civilians returning from evacuation reconstructed the city literally brick by brick; many buildings were mined, which led to civilian casualties. Voronezh was among the 15 most destroyed cities during the Great Patriotic War. Funds were allocated for its restoration by a special decree and Construction Materials. Voronezh did not surrender to the Germans and devastation, it is imbued with the spirit of that war, covered with the mass graves of its defenders, but it lives and develops.
Front value
The units defending Voronezh simultaneously carried out several important tasks. They connected a large group of enemy troops, which included not only German units, but also their allies in this war. The Italian and Hungarian armies were defeated during the offensive operation in the Voronezh direction. After such a defeat, Hungary (which had not known such large-scale defeats until that day) withdrew from the alliance with Germany and the war on the eastern front. The defenders of Voronezh covered Moscow in the southern direction and defended the transport network necessary for the country. The defenders of the city did not allow Hitler to capture it with one blow and pulled back part of the group that was supposed to go to Stalingrad. In the Voronezh direction, 25 German divisions were destroyed, more than 75 thousand soldiers and officers surrendered. During the occupation of the region and the city by the Nazis, mass brutal reprisals against civilians led to the formation of the partisan movement. After liberation, these units joined the regular units of the Soviet army. The day of the liberation of Voronezh became for many millions of people not only a holiday, but also the beginning of great creative work. The restoration of the city required new exploits from its inhabitants, but by 1945 life in the “unconquered” was in full swing.
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