Cinema and the Germans
To be honest, I don’t like new-fashioned films about the war due to the fact that the works that have been made on this topic do not really correspond to reality. For some reason, many current directors and screenwriters do not particularly bother to search for the truth, but are engaged in frank myth-making. They believe that it is their sacred duty to necessarily reflect the realities of the “bloody Stalinist regime,” and their works must include pathologically cowardly special people and stupid evil executioners from the NKVD, opposed by cultural and noble prisoners, “penal,” and other illegally affected unrecognized geniuses. On the twenty-second of June 2012, on the Day of Memory and Grief, one of the Russian federal channels was shown a film made in the best traditions of anti-Soviet chernukha of perestroika times, under the ridiculous name “Serving the Soviet Union”. It makes no sense in this article to dwell on its artistic features, discuss the game of actors, the work of the operator, and so on, this is a separate topic. However, for the sake of truth, it should be noted that the case, remotely similar to the plot, beaten in this picture, really was. But the events that happened in the summer of 1941 on the Kola Peninsula, in reality, developed exactly the opposite.
The offensive plan on the Murmansk sector of the Northern Front was developed by the German command in January 1941. It bore the romantic name “Silberfuchs” (Silver Fox) and consisted of several stages. The first stage of the operation was codenamed “Rentier” (Reindeer) and envisaged the capture by the mountain rangers of the Petsamo region (Pechengi) with its nickel developments. The second stage, “Platinfuchs” (Platinum Fox), served as the development of the initial German offensive in the Murmansk direction through Titovka and Ura-Guba. Further implementation of this plan involved the exit of German-Finnish troops to the White Sea coast and the capture of Arkhangelsk. The third stage of this operation, Polarfuchs (Arctic fox), was supposed to be carried out simultaneously with the second stage and assumed the advance of one of the mountain rifle divisions directly on Murmansk and the Northern base fleet Polyarny village, as well as the promotion and exit of German and Finnish units east of Kemijärvi.
The Soviet 14th Army opposing the Germans consisted of 4 rifle divisions, one tank the division, in July 1941, transferred to the defense of Leningrad, and the 23rd fortified area - a total of 52,6 thousand personnel, 1150 guns and mortars, 392 tanks. The 1st mixed air division supported the ground forces from the air, ships covered from the sea and aviation Northern Fleet - 8 destroyers, 7 patrol ships, 15 submarines, 116 aircraft. The 14th Army was commanded by Lieutenant General V. A. Frolov, and the Northern Fleet was led by Vice Admiral A. G. Golovko.
The German mining corps "Norway" consisted of 2-x German and one Finnish mining and chasseurs divisions, 1-th mountain-rifle brigade, 2-x tank battalions - just 97 thousand people, 1037 guns and mortars, 106 tanks. The corps was supported by the Luftwaffe 5 Air Fleet, as well as the Finnish Air Force, which included about 500 combat aircraft. From the sea, the German squadrons of Kriegsmarine, which consisted of destroyers, several submarines and boats, were to assist the German troops. The commander of the mountain-rifle corps was Hitler's favorite, the general of mountain troops, Edouard Dietl.
By the way, comparing the strength of the opposing sides and analyzing the further course of the hostilities, we can dispel another false myth of the “great strategists” from the paper and electronic media - that the Germans fought only due to the leadership talents of their officers and generals, the fighting qualities of soldiers and equipment , that is, not by number, but by skill. And the Red Army, on the contrary, could have won, only by “covering the Germans with the corpses of their soldiers.” But here at these notebooks lies a misfire: if the Germans did not have overwhelming numerical superiority in the North, then they didn’t have any outstanding success.
The beginning of the offensive of the German-Finnish troops was determined by the command of the Wehrmacht in the period from June 29 to July 1 1941 year. One of the most powerful groups was aimed at the capital of the Soviet Arctic, the city of Murmansk. The Germans rightly expected to reach the western shore of the Kola Bay by the shortest route in a few days. Knowing for certain that the war with Germany could not be avoided, the Soviet government began to strengthen its borders, including in the north. Since in the conditions of the Far North it is impossible to create a solid line of defense, defensive points were quickly equipped at the proposed enemy advance sites. In the district of r. Starting from June 1940, the sappers set about building a fortified area that included several reinforced concrete pillboxes erected on the most threatening sites. In the spring of 1941, at the mouth of the Titovka River, not far from the settlement of the same name, near 1000, GULAG prisoners guarded by a NKVD company, began building a field airfield. The construction of the fortified area, the equipment of frontier posts, artillery positions, roads, bridges and airfields on the Kola Peninsula was carried out at an accelerated pace, but by the start of the war most of the planned work could not be completed.
Titovka River, middle course, author photo
In 4 hours 20 minutes 29 June 1941 of the year, after half an hour of artillery preparation, the mining and hunter corps "Norway" launched an offensive. On the move, knocking down border guards of the 100 frontier detachment from positions, by the evening of the same day, the huntsmen managed to reach the Titovka River, where they occupied the defenses of the 14 Division of the Red Army. It was a very important strategic milestone, overcoming which the Germans could cut off the Soviet troops stationed on the Rybachy and Middle Peninsulas. The German attack on the main line of defense began on June 30 at three o'clock in the morning after an intense shelling and mortar shelling, which, however, did not bring any tangible harm to the well-sheltered Red Army men. The first stage of the battle was won by the Soviet troops: the advancing huntsmen from the 138 regiment of the 3 mining and chasseurs division were thrown back by the rifle-fire of the 93 regiment and border guards, as well as the brilliant actions of the two regimental artillery divisions given to them.
Having regrouped and having caused aircraft, the Germans at ten o'clock in the morning began a new attack, trying to cover the front of the defenders from two sides. Flocks of Ju-87 dive bombers were continuously hanging over the battlefield, mercilessly bombing and firing artillery positions, roads, bridges and suitable reserves. Tightened German artillery opened hurricane fire on the village of Titovka, where the rear of the division was located. The attacking chains of mountain rangers from the 137 regiment reached the left flank of the 14 division's defense in order to break through to the rear of the fighting forces across the South Bridge, but there they were met with fierce resistance from a battle group, which was quickly formed from different parts of the division commander Major General A. BUT. Zhurba. With the fire support of several armored cars and tankettes from the reconnaissance battalion of the division, they managed to stop the enemy offensive on this sector of the front. General Zhurba was killed in this battle. On the right flank, the bleeding units of the 95 Infantry Regiment under the command of Major SI Chernova from the last forces held back a fourfold superior enemy. In the first battalion almost all the commanders were killed, sergeants, quartermasters and even medical doctors commanded companies and platoons. The battalion commander received 10 wounds, but did not get out of battle. By evening, it became clear that the position on Titovka not hold. The 112 th regiment of the 52 division, which had thrown the carts and even the whole artillery on the way, was going on an accelerated march to the aid of the fighting. After some thought, the army commander gave the order to retreat beyond the river, having preliminarily detonated bridges and a dam. The 1 Battalion of the 95 Regiment withdrew in an orderly manner. The 2 th battalion, having noticed departing, left the position without an order and also began to retreat, the rear moved on behind them. Soon, organized waste turned into a stampede. On the only road on which the departing troops could move, German shells and mines fell in a hail. Time after time, the Nine "Junkers" nines dumped their deadly burden on crowds, carts and military equipment, increasing panic. The only road was soon clogged with damaged equipment, corpses of people and horses lay everywhere. Individual fighters and small groups tried to escape from the fire trap in a roundabout way, but on their way, detachments of saboteurs disguised in the Soviet uniform stood up.
Through the efforts of some of the current representatives of the creative intelligentsia, there is a fiction in society that the Russian emigration, who had fled from the Soviets at one time, consisted entirely of noble "Lieutenants Golitsyn and Cornets of Obolensky," the elite of society, sick of the people and so on. In the documentary book “Titovskii Border”, the Murmansk historian and local historian M. G. Oreshet cites the story of a local woman who escaped from the Germans, who accidentally bumped into such a group of saboteurs consisting of Russian émigrés: “She stopped, unable to understand what happened: on the road in regular rows , head to head, socks to socks, lay the Red Army. They had heads and gymnasts in their blood. Near on stones - the torn apart corpses of three officers. Not far away, on the bank of the stream sat another group of Red Army men. Recovering from the shock, she approached them.
“There are many, many dead,” a woman told them with a hand behind her back.
- And you, lady, wanted them to be alive? Asked the big man in sergeant uniform. - But we killed them!
- How? Are you Russians?
“You are right.” Here we hang the Bolsheviks, and you will be Russian. In the meantime, the Jews ... ”The Russian-speaking Hitler toadies attempted to first rape the unfortunate woman, and when the attempt failed, they took her to execution. However, she miraculously managed to slip away from the unwanted "liberators of Russia" and get to hers.
Destroyed by the bomb the power plant on the river. Titovka, author photo
In pursuit of the retreating Soviet troops, the German mountain arrows reached the outskirts of the village of Titovka, near which the construction of an airfield was carried out by the prisoners of GULAG. Despite the bombing and shelling, escorts and prisoners remained in place, awaiting the arrival of the transport vessel. They hoped to take the car fleet by sea, consisting of fifty cars, tractors, other construction equipment and evacuate themselves. Upon detection of the approaching rangers, prisoners were ordered to independently leave in the direction of West Litsa. The guard in full force advanced to meet the enemy, giving people the opportunity to get out of the blow. Suddenly, after encountering resistance from the NKVD, organized by the company, the Germans from the 137 Mountain Regiment of the Chasseurs stopped pursuing the broken parts of the 95 Regiment, and deployed in battle order, they entered the battle. The prisoners, along with the civilian refugees who joined them from Titovka and the coastal settlements, moved through the hills and swamps to the east. According to eyewitnesses, they retreated much more organized than many military units and were even able to take with them some of the machines and equipment, managing to carry them literally on their hands on the roads to the West Person factory. “Despite the absence of the guards, the repressed orderly retreated to the Western Person. None of them surrendered, remained with the enemy, ”Admiral V.I. writes about this in his memoirs. Platonov. Their further fate has developed safely. All prisoners were transported by sea to Polyarny. From there, former prisoners fit for military service voluntarily went to the front, making the backbone of the famous Polar Division of the people's militia that had been formed in Murmansk. The fate of security has developed tragically. The Germans managed to push aside from the airfield and surround the soldiers who had no combat experience. Having organized a counterattack, the surviving Soviet soldiers broke through the constricted ring. After suffering heavy losses, the security officers made their way to the village of Titovka, where, as they believed, our troops were to be located. However, by this time the Soviet units had already left there, and a handful of soldiers of the convoy company of the troops of the NKVD of the USSR entered their last battle against a whole regiment of mountain rangers.
Even a superficial examination of just two days of fighting in a remote area of the Soviet-German front completely overthrows many of the favorite stamps of professional falsifiers. stories from art. And that unfortunate movie? Well, he will take a worthy place on the shelf in a series of unscientific fiction or simply lies about the Great Patriotic War, where the “Finebat”, “Four days in May” and other “Scum” have been gathering dust for a long time. I dare to hope that such pseudo-historical delights, which give way to the indefatigable fantasy of scriptwriters and directors, will still be removed in the future without state support, that is, not with you and our money - the money of law-abiding Russian taxpayers.
The offensive plan on the Murmansk sector of the Northern Front was developed by the German command in January 1941. It bore the romantic name “Silberfuchs” (Silver Fox) and consisted of several stages. The first stage of the operation was codenamed “Rentier” (Reindeer) and envisaged the capture by the mountain rangers of the Petsamo region (Pechengi) with its nickel developments. The second stage, “Platinfuchs” (Platinum Fox), served as the development of the initial German offensive in the Murmansk direction through Titovka and Ura-Guba. Further implementation of this plan involved the exit of German-Finnish troops to the White Sea coast and the capture of Arkhangelsk. The third stage of this operation, Polarfuchs (Arctic fox), was supposed to be carried out simultaneously with the second stage and assumed the advance of one of the mountain rifle divisions directly on Murmansk and the Northern base fleet Polyarny village, as well as the promotion and exit of German and Finnish units east of Kemijärvi.
The Soviet 14th Army opposing the Germans consisted of 4 rifle divisions, one tank the division, in July 1941, transferred to the defense of Leningrad, and the 23rd fortified area - a total of 52,6 thousand personnel, 1150 guns and mortars, 392 tanks. The 1st mixed air division supported the ground forces from the air, ships covered from the sea and aviation Northern Fleet - 8 destroyers, 7 patrol ships, 15 submarines, 116 aircraft. The 14th Army was commanded by Lieutenant General V. A. Frolov, and the Northern Fleet was led by Vice Admiral A. G. Golovko.
The German mining corps "Norway" consisted of 2-x German and one Finnish mining and chasseurs divisions, 1-th mountain-rifle brigade, 2-x tank battalions - just 97 thousand people, 1037 guns and mortars, 106 tanks. The corps was supported by the Luftwaffe 5 Air Fleet, as well as the Finnish Air Force, which included about 500 combat aircraft. From the sea, the German squadrons of Kriegsmarine, which consisted of destroyers, several submarines and boats, were to assist the German troops. The commander of the mountain-rifle corps was Hitler's favorite, the general of mountain troops, Edouard Dietl.
By the way, comparing the strength of the opposing sides and analyzing the further course of the hostilities, we can dispel another false myth of the “great strategists” from the paper and electronic media - that the Germans fought only due to the leadership talents of their officers and generals, the fighting qualities of soldiers and equipment , that is, not by number, but by skill. And the Red Army, on the contrary, could have won, only by “covering the Germans with the corpses of their soldiers.” But here at these notebooks lies a misfire: if the Germans did not have overwhelming numerical superiority in the North, then they didn’t have any outstanding success.
The beginning of the offensive of the German-Finnish troops was determined by the command of the Wehrmacht in the period from June 29 to July 1 1941 year. One of the most powerful groups was aimed at the capital of the Soviet Arctic, the city of Murmansk. The Germans rightly expected to reach the western shore of the Kola Bay by the shortest route in a few days. Knowing for certain that the war with Germany could not be avoided, the Soviet government began to strengthen its borders, including in the north. Since in the conditions of the Far North it is impossible to create a solid line of defense, defensive points were quickly equipped at the proposed enemy advance sites. In the district of r. Starting from June 1940, the sappers set about building a fortified area that included several reinforced concrete pillboxes erected on the most threatening sites. In the spring of 1941, at the mouth of the Titovka River, not far from the settlement of the same name, near 1000, GULAG prisoners guarded by a NKVD company, began building a field airfield. The construction of the fortified area, the equipment of frontier posts, artillery positions, roads, bridges and airfields on the Kola Peninsula was carried out at an accelerated pace, but by the start of the war most of the planned work could not be completed.
Titovka River, middle course, author photo
In 4 hours 20 minutes 29 June 1941 of the year, after half an hour of artillery preparation, the mining and hunter corps "Norway" launched an offensive. On the move, knocking down border guards of the 100 frontier detachment from positions, by the evening of the same day, the huntsmen managed to reach the Titovka River, where they occupied the defenses of the 14 Division of the Red Army. It was a very important strategic milestone, overcoming which the Germans could cut off the Soviet troops stationed on the Rybachy and Middle Peninsulas. The German attack on the main line of defense began on June 30 at three o'clock in the morning after an intense shelling and mortar shelling, which, however, did not bring any tangible harm to the well-sheltered Red Army men. The first stage of the battle was won by the Soviet troops: the advancing huntsmen from the 138 regiment of the 3 mining and chasseurs division were thrown back by the rifle-fire of the 93 regiment and border guards, as well as the brilliant actions of the two regimental artillery divisions given to them.
Having regrouped and having caused aircraft, the Germans at ten o'clock in the morning began a new attack, trying to cover the front of the defenders from two sides. Flocks of Ju-87 dive bombers were continuously hanging over the battlefield, mercilessly bombing and firing artillery positions, roads, bridges and suitable reserves. Tightened German artillery opened hurricane fire on the village of Titovka, where the rear of the division was located. The attacking chains of mountain rangers from the 137 regiment reached the left flank of the 14 division's defense in order to break through to the rear of the fighting forces across the South Bridge, but there they were met with fierce resistance from a battle group, which was quickly formed from different parts of the division commander Major General A. BUT. Zhurba. With the fire support of several armored cars and tankettes from the reconnaissance battalion of the division, they managed to stop the enemy offensive on this sector of the front. General Zhurba was killed in this battle. On the right flank, the bleeding units of the 95 Infantry Regiment under the command of Major SI Chernova from the last forces held back a fourfold superior enemy. In the first battalion almost all the commanders were killed, sergeants, quartermasters and even medical doctors commanded companies and platoons. The battalion commander received 10 wounds, but did not get out of battle. By evening, it became clear that the position on Titovka not hold. The 112 th regiment of the 52 division, which had thrown the carts and even the whole artillery on the way, was going on an accelerated march to the aid of the fighting. After some thought, the army commander gave the order to retreat beyond the river, having preliminarily detonated bridges and a dam. The 1 Battalion of the 95 Regiment withdrew in an orderly manner. The 2 th battalion, having noticed departing, left the position without an order and also began to retreat, the rear moved on behind them. Soon, organized waste turned into a stampede. On the only road on which the departing troops could move, German shells and mines fell in a hail. Time after time, the Nine "Junkers" nines dumped their deadly burden on crowds, carts and military equipment, increasing panic. The only road was soon clogged with damaged equipment, corpses of people and horses lay everywhere. Individual fighters and small groups tried to escape from the fire trap in a roundabout way, but on their way, detachments of saboteurs disguised in the Soviet uniform stood up.
Through the efforts of some of the current representatives of the creative intelligentsia, there is a fiction in society that the Russian emigration, who had fled from the Soviets at one time, consisted entirely of noble "Lieutenants Golitsyn and Cornets of Obolensky," the elite of society, sick of the people and so on. In the documentary book “Titovskii Border”, the Murmansk historian and local historian M. G. Oreshet cites the story of a local woman who escaped from the Germans, who accidentally bumped into such a group of saboteurs consisting of Russian émigrés: “She stopped, unable to understand what happened: on the road in regular rows , head to head, socks to socks, lay the Red Army. They had heads and gymnasts in their blood. Near on stones - the torn apart corpses of three officers. Not far away, on the bank of the stream sat another group of Red Army men. Recovering from the shock, she approached them.
“There are many, many dead,” a woman told them with a hand behind her back.
- And you, lady, wanted them to be alive? Asked the big man in sergeant uniform. - But we killed them!
- How? Are you Russians?
“You are right.” Here we hang the Bolsheviks, and you will be Russian. In the meantime, the Jews ... ”The Russian-speaking Hitler toadies attempted to first rape the unfortunate woman, and when the attempt failed, they took her to execution. However, she miraculously managed to slip away from the unwanted "liberators of Russia" and get to hers.
Destroyed by the bomb the power plant on the river. Titovka, author photo
In pursuit of the retreating Soviet troops, the German mountain arrows reached the outskirts of the village of Titovka, near which the construction of an airfield was carried out by the prisoners of GULAG. Despite the bombing and shelling, escorts and prisoners remained in place, awaiting the arrival of the transport vessel. They hoped to take the car fleet by sea, consisting of fifty cars, tractors, other construction equipment and evacuate themselves. Upon detection of the approaching rangers, prisoners were ordered to independently leave in the direction of West Litsa. The guard in full force advanced to meet the enemy, giving people the opportunity to get out of the blow. Suddenly, after encountering resistance from the NKVD, organized by the company, the Germans from the 137 Mountain Regiment of the Chasseurs stopped pursuing the broken parts of the 95 Regiment, and deployed in battle order, they entered the battle. The prisoners, along with the civilian refugees who joined them from Titovka and the coastal settlements, moved through the hills and swamps to the east. According to eyewitnesses, they retreated much more organized than many military units and were even able to take with them some of the machines and equipment, managing to carry them literally on their hands on the roads to the West Person factory. “Despite the absence of the guards, the repressed orderly retreated to the Western Person. None of them surrendered, remained with the enemy, ”Admiral V.I. writes about this in his memoirs. Platonov. Their further fate has developed safely. All prisoners were transported by sea to Polyarny. From there, former prisoners fit for military service voluntarily went to the front, making the backbone of the famous Polar Division of the people's militia that had been formed in Murmansk. The fate of security has developed tragically. The Germans managed to push aside from the airfield and surround the soldiers who had no combat experience. Having organized a counterattack, the surviving Soviet soldiers broke through the constricted ring. After suffering heavy losses, the security officers made their way to the village of Titovka, where, as they believed, our troops were to be located. However, by this time the Soviet units had already left there, and a handful of soldiers of the convoy company of the troops of the NKVD of the USSR entered their last battle against a whole regiment of mountain rangers.
Even a superficial examination of just two days of fighting in a remote area of the Soviet-German front completely overthrows many of the favorite stamps of professional falsifiers. stories from art. And that unfortunate movie? Well, he will take a worthy place on the shelf in a series of unscientific fiction or simply lies about the Great Patriotic War, where the “Finebat”, “Four days in May” and other “Scum” have been gathering dust for a long time. I dare to hope that such pseudo-historical delights, which give way to the indefatigable fantasy of scriptwriters and directors, will still be removed in the future without state support, that is, not with you and our money - the money of law-abiding Russian taxpayers.
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