Description:

REPORT ON THE ATTACK BY GERMAN I.R. 130 ON THE KIEV POCKET
Important mimeographed document, 10pp. 4to., an early postwar document (uncredited), written in German and with multiple pencil corrections, originating from the personal files of German General FRANZ HALDER (1884-1972), Chief of Staff of the German ‘Oberkommando des Heeres' (OKH), or Army High Command, from 1938 until his removal in 1942. The report commences with the 21 September 1941 arrival of Infanterie-Regiment 130 at the eastern edge of the western half of the Kyiv encirclement, having marched from Brest-Litovsk through the Pripet Marshes. As the German XI. Armeekorps closed the pocket near Yagotyn, large Soviet forces still remained trapped west of the Kyiv–Poltava railway, compressed into a shrinking space and preparing desperate breakout attempts. The regiment, subordinated to the 45. Infanterie-Division, moved into position west of Yagotyn for an attack toward Grebenka. Before this planned assault could begin, Soviet forces launched powerful, disorderly attacks along the entire front line. The report describes mass Soviet breakout attempts, violent close-quarters fighting, and the final Soviet collapse. one of the largest encirclement battles in history and a defining moment of the early German advance into Ukraine. The document highlights the desperation of Soviet breakout attempts, the presence of mixed groups of soldiers and civilians, and the extreme brutality and psychological strain of encirclement warfare. It also illustrates the Wehrmacht's confidence in rapid encirclement tactics, which produced major operational victories in 1941 but consumed enormous resources and exposed deep logistical overstretch. Fine. The ‘Halder Group', consisting of over 700 German officers overseen by Halder, produced over 2,500 documents for the U.S. Army Historical Division, providing valuable military intelligence and analysis of the course of the war and, in particular, the tactics utilized by the Red Army. These provided a vital resource guiding American military policy in response to the Soviet threat during the Cold War.

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

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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