Description:

O.K.H. 'KRIEGSTAGEBUCH' WAR DIARY ENTRIES ON OPERATION ‘WINTERSPORT', (III)
Historically important, unique set of O.K.H. war diaries, entries from the 'Kriegstagebuch' being official daily OKH war records for nearly 1.5 million men on the southern front used in the planning of the German 'Operation Wintersport', the unrealized German plan in late 1941-1942 for capturing Soviet oilfields in the Caucasus, later attempted as Operation Edelweiss. The pencil notes, 2pp. 16.5 x 11.5 in., [n.p.], November, 1941, are written in an unknown hand but original and were stolen from OKH by German Gen. FRANZ HALDER (1884-1972) who planned 'Operation Barbarossa', the invasion of the Soviet Union, and were intended by him to buttress his position in the face of criticism (and eventual firing) by Adolf Hitler. The review and analysis of the situation reads, in small part: ‘...3.11. Based on the circumstances arising for Army Group [number] from the condition of the troops, the time required for the delivery of winter clothing and equipment, the supply possibilities available in winter, and especially the extremely strained vehicle situation in all units, and which were decisive for the order for a temporary pause in operations, Army Group, after careful examination of the possibilities for fulfilling the operational objectives ordered by the Army High Command (Maikop, Stalingrad, course of the Don), arrives at the following time calculation: 1.) The operation across the Donets cannot be resumed until December, 2.) The 1st Panzer Army cannot be deployed for the advance into the Maikop oil field until the beginning of January. The fact that the intended offensive operation will likely result in a near-complete operational incapacitation of the 1st Panzer Army and the bulk of the infantry divisions in the spring leads Army Group High Command to consider halting the offensive operation on the lower Don and the Donets. (See overleaf, report to High Command) 5.11. The impression is that the enemy expected a concentric offensive by the 1st Panzer Army and the eastern branch of the 17th Army in the Voroshlovgorod area and accordingly positioned itself strongly in front of the XXXXIX Army Corps and along the Bakhmut sector (IV Army Corps). However, he was able to offer sufficient resistance to the eastward breakthrough of the 1st Panzer Army. On the Donets River (17th Army sector), the enemy appears to have halted the withdrawal of its rearguard after determining that the 17th Army was not advancing further and to have pushed its security forces back towards the north bank of the Donets. It is not yet clear whether and where the withdrawal will also be halted in front of the 6th Army. November 6 November 7 Supplement to Directive No. 10 – Annex 32 – Preparation for Operation >Winter Sports< based on the decision of the Army High Command, which recommends that the 11th Army and 1st Panzer Army take possession of the Maikop oil field as early as possible during the winter months. November 8 November 10 November 11 November 12 According to Army Group 17, the 1st Panzer Army in the north is not threatened, either operationally or tactically. The enemy is holding the Bakhmut sector with rearguards in front of the IV Army Corps. He no longer has stronger forces capable of launching attacks with operational impact in the eastern industrial region. Army Group 17 has repeatedly emphasized to the 17th Army that it is crucial to advance the IV Army Corps to Voroshlovgorod as quickly as possible, and that this mission is of particular importance not only within the context of the 17th Army's overall task, but especially in light of its operational connection with the 1st Panzer Army. The Commander-in-Chief of the 17th Army has exerted influence on the IV Army Corps in this regard, but had to report that the IV Army Corps is currently unable to be increasingly pinned down west of Kupyansk and north of Izyum. Impression that the 6th Army is being too influenced by the emotional focus on securing supplies. Question whether the situation on the Northeastern Front could be resolved by the 1st Panzer Army through a decisive thrust from the Rostov area northward. 1st Panzer Army III Army Corps on the defensive XIV Army Corps launched an attack to the northeast XIV Army Corps regrouped for a further advance eastward XXXXIX Mountain Corps reinforced bridgeheads across the Mius River near Dmitrievka and Sterovka Italian Ex-Company – captured Gorlovka Italian Ex-Company – encountered strong enemy resistance eastward and north of Gorlovka. Advance on Rostov! The XIV Army Corps, in the course of the operation on Rostov that began today, broke through the enemy positions with a composite armored wedge and advanced 30 kilometers eastward, then turned south and established a bridgehead across the Krepkaja River near Atemanskoy Vlasov. The operation on Rostov is proceeding according to plan. After repelling enemy counterattacks, the XIV Army Corps advanced further south across Krepkaja to Krepniskoy Isayev. The onset of bad weather, which made larger movements and combat operations impossible, prevented the exploitation of yesterday's successes in the attack on Rostov. The situation remains unchanged. The XXXXIX Mountain Corps succeeded in driving the enemy from their positions in a fierce battle and capturing Dyakovo. The XIV Army Corps advanced against the enemy north of Novogeorgievsky. XIV Army Corps reconnaissance advanced near Tuslovo Larger movements remain impossible. Temporary road improvements due to night frost were exploited for local movements… ' Accompanied by eight additional pages of handwritten notes on legal folio sheets, describing related troop concentrations, tactical maneuvers, etc. Until today, suck OKH records have only been extant at regimantal levels alone!

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April 21, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

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