Geography of the USSR. Kiev under the german occupation

[TabsTabs1964]

Kiev (in Russian: Київ)
It is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine.
Administrative capital of the Kiev Oblast.
Crossed by the Dnieper River
Its population in 1940 was 930,000 inhabitants.
Located 850 kilometers southwest of Moscow.
Conquered by the Nazis on September 19, 1941.
The city was liberated by the Soviets on November 6, 1943.

PART ONE. THE CONQUEST

The battle of Kiev was very hard because the Soviets offered a tough resistance to the German invaders.
The offensive was not progressing at the desired pace. It was thought of strengthening it with a part of the forces of the Army Group Center.
So the German High Command decided to divert south to the powerful 2nd Panzer Group, under Guderian's command; to encircle the Soviets and eliminate resistance in Kiev.



Guderian is comming



German troops near the city



Kiev encirclement



German avant-garde with Kiev in the distance

[TabsTabs1964]

Podolsky District. German gunners bombing a barricade on Vyshgorodskaya street.



Another image of the same place already cleared of defenders by the Germans.



Going along Kirova Street.



The assault troops arrive in the vicinity of the Monastery of Lavra.



Objective achieved A group of Germans photographed at the gates of the Lavra Monastery.





A Press agency photograph of September 23, 1941.

"Armored vehicles roll over a conquered Kiev.
After the hard fighting the German flag flies in the city of Kiev.
Our photo shows one of the first German tanks entering the city to clean it of Russian soldiers who could have stayed there.
Once again the Russians have burned outside the city".

[TabsTabs1964]

The next thing is to climb to the top of the bell tower of the Monastery church and contemplate the Dnieper in the distance.



A German sentry at the top of the bell tower.



Kiev from the fourth level of the bell tower of Pechersk Lavra.



In the background the Navodnitsky bridge burns.



A German soldier admiring a bell.

[TabsTabs1964]

The feeling of victory must have invaded every German soldier, although the wear suffered by the Germans, would end up being noticed in the following offensives.





Around 665,000 Soviet soldiers were captured in the pocket of Kiev.

To be continue.

[mauser9]

Thanks for the great pics. Just finished the book Kiev 1941 by David Stahel. Great book on the battle in my opinion. Incredible amount of prisoners taken. Unfortunately many were to perish by the following February according to the author.

[TabsTabs1964]

PART TWO. THE RIVERS AND THE BRIDGES.

The mighty Dnieper River runs through the city of Kiev from North to South. In addition, the Desná River (which is its tributary) flows into the right bank of the Dnieper just north of the city.



Both rivers are a natural barrier, a major obstacle, for the advance of the German army to the east.



Viewpoint on the Dnieper. From this picturesque place the German soldiers took pictures of the great river

[TabsTabs1964]

tabstabs collection

Russian pioneers dynamited all the bridges over the two rivers during the retreat.



The first german troops crossed the Dnieper in pneumatic boats.

The Germans had units of engineers specialized in the construction of pontoon bridges. In Kiev they had the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise.



Another image of the main bridge over the Dnieper. Totally destroyed.



So the Germans had to build a large pontoon bridge.

[TabsTabs1964]

Very soon a new bridge crossed the Dnieper.



But other crossing means were needed. Ferry Pier.



Two German soldiers on the ferry dock meet the Lavra Monastery on the other side of the river.


tabstabs collection

Sailing aboard the ferry. The same landscape in the background





Above two images of the trimaran that crossed between both banks of the river.

[TabsTabs1964]

Several bridges had to be built.





And the soldiers took pictures with the monastery in the background.





"Kriegsbrücke bei Kiew" or "Vormarsch über Dnepr" wrote the German soldiers on the reverse side of the photographs they send home.







There were also other piers, like this.


tabstabs collection

This German officer is photographed while he photographs the monastery on the opposite shore.

On the back of the photo, it is written in pencil: Floßbrücke bei Kiew, Dnjepr, 1942.

[TabsTabs1964]

tabstabs collection

German engineers also had to build several bridges to cross the Desná River, somewhat north of Kiev.



Album of a German soldier with his photographs on the subject.

With the lines of communication open, the Wehrmacht's progress towards the east could continue.
And the occupants had to start worrying about organizing the occupation of the great conquered city

To be continue