"Starting on the 25.01.1942 the SS-Kav.Brigade took up a sector on the
southeastern front of the XXIII. Armee-Korps along the line north of
Mal.Nikulino—Polowinino—Saizewo—Dmitrowo—Sokolowo. Its mission was to
prevent strong enemy elements that had broken through the front line gap
west of Rzhev towards the south from attacking the rear of the 206. Infanterie-Division.
In difficult, somewhat costly and yet boldly conducted battles the
Brigade not only prevented all such attempts by the enemy. Subsequently,
it also carried out the main attacks that led to the encirclement and
destruction of those enemy elements located southwest of Rzhev. During all this combat the personal fearlessness, exemplary bravery and
steady offensive spirit of the Brigade commander shone through in both
attack and defense. He carried out his task over the course of
unremitting patrol operations and attacks, and in doing so inspired his
men to do likewise.
On the 05.02.1942 the Brigade launched an attack at the decision of its
commander against a strong enemy group that had halted in and northwest
of Tschertolino. It was comprised of elements of the 381st Rifle Division.
The attack was carried out with exceptional spirit under the Brigade
commander’s personal leadership despite the difficult weather/terrain
conditions, and of course the far numerically superior enemy forces that
were also well dug-in. The commander consistently appeared at the front
where the fighting was most intense, whereupon he gave his men new
attacking spirit and a personal example of fearlessness, courage and
bravery to all. Through the capture of this important road junction as well as the
equally important Tschertolino train station (which was only occupied
after vicious combat against determined enemy resistance) the ring
around the strong enemy forces was closed. They would be destroyed on
the 09.02.1942 in a multi-hour night attack, wherein the Brigade
commander once again personally commanded the main friendly group.
In this fighting the enemy lost over 1800 dead and significant amounts
of war materiel in exchange for only minimal friendly losses. The
shortening of the front line that this brought about also freed up strong
friendly forces. In the fighting which followed a bold attack by the
SS-Kav.-Brigade would significantly shrink the ring of enemy forces that
were encircled southwest of Rzhev. The successful capture of the
village of Jersowo on the 14.02.1942, accomplished after much difficult
and eventful fighting, laid the groundwork for the final destruction of
the encircled enemy group. Thus by his great decisiveness, purposeful and spirited leadership, and
not least his personal bravery and readiness for action,
SS-Standartenführer Fegelein established the prerequisites for the
destruction of this strong enemy group. As a result the overall
front line situation south of Rzhev was definitively resolved in our favor." from his Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross citation, awarded on 2 March 1942.
"During the fighting in the great Don bend in late 1942 SS-Oberführer
Fegelein commanded a Kampfgruppe. When strong enemy forces launched a
thrust into a weakly defended gap between two of his units, Fegelein
launched a counter thrust against the broken-in Soviets with hastily
assembled forces from his staff. With these he defeated the Soviets in
close combat, threw them back and sealed off the breach." from his Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves citation, awarded on 22 December 1942.
"Awarded for the successes of his Division near Orel, during the partisan
warfare in the Pripet marshes (summer 1943) and then in the combat
south of Kharkov (late summer of 1943). During the time period
26.08.-15.09.1943 his Division fended off 5 assaults in divisional
strength and about 85 attacks in at least battalion strength." from his Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords citation, awarded on 30 July 1944.
A vial and deadly enemy,
Brian
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