The Stalingrad Tennis Racket. Update--Group Rolik.

[the ringo kid]

I was going to do a good write-up on this but no time today.

The "Tennis Racket" was a location in Stalingrad during the battle-where the German 100th Jager division had a mission to conquer. Its known as the tennis racket due to its unique shape.

On September 27th 1942--the Germans had already taken half of the Mameav Kurgan-which gave great sight dominating Stalingrad. They advanced into the racket and the Bannyi Ravine on their way to occupy the Krasnyi Oktimbr Workers Settlement.

More soon as I get back.

 

[Cardboard_killer]

The area, sceen from the air, had an oval border with the city.

 

[shouldazagged]

Damned if it doesn't look like a tennis racket. Thanks for posting the aerial photo.

 

[RudyN]

I have read about the tennis racket in books on Stalingrad, but had not seen a picture of it. Thanks for posting it.


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[klondike]

I knew an Austrian woman who was at Stalingrad as a Luftwaffe Nurse. Every time that she would speak of it, her eyes would narrow and then she would say,"I hate Russians." Even in her 80's she carried a revolver so that if she ever found a Russian, she could shoot them. Not joking, security had to remove her from a Vancouver, Wa. hospital when she found herself in an elevator with a group of them, luckily no gun was involved. She was a bit nutty, but after hearing her stories of the war, I got it.
She ended up in the US because she was tracking down a US Mustang pilot that staffed her hospital train in France, despite the red crosses painted on the roof. While she was helping the wounded get into the woods, she swore that the pilot made three separate runs, gunning for her specifically.
She noted his squadron numbers and then after the war tried to locate the man so that she could have her say. Lucky for him, he was not located.
One tough lady.

 

[Arik]

an Austrian woman who was at Stalingrad as a Luftwaffe Nurse. say,"I hate Russians." .

Sounds like she was a little confused

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[Inusuit]

Sounds like she was a little confused

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How so? Unusual perhaps, but there were German nurses in proximity to the front lines at Stalingrad.

German Nurses in Russia - Axis History Forum

 

[Arik]

How so? Unusual perhaps, but there were German nurses in proximity to the front lines at Stalingrad.

German Nurses in Russia - Axis History Forum

Not unusual for a nurse. That I get.

To me her hating Russians is why I think she's confused. Germans weren't exactly the Pease Corp. Being the AGGRESSORS and INVADERS I don't see what she's crying about. That's why I think she's confused.

Or to put it another way it would be like me breaking into your house and then hating you for defending yourself

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[Cardboard_killer]

The Germans killed 20+ million Soviet men, women and children, in a war they began so they could loot the country, in the name of a madman who wrote a book before the war saying that he intended to do so when in power. I'd say she was a nutty as they come and should have never been allowed in this country.

 

[bummer]

Neither side were angels. A good read is BLOODLANDS Europe between Stalin and Hitler

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My various ancestors and relatives came to this country to get away from 1000 years of war and retribution! Our homeland has been at peace since the end of the Plains Wars, and haven't had foreign invaders in 205 years! I can barely grasp they rage that the opposing sides still share, I just don't wish for my grandsons to fight that war again! (2 of my sons have fought in the War on Terror, which goes back as much as 800 year.)

As to strafing Hospital trains, Nobody stayed blameless! Red crosses have covered munitions for as long as it meant something!

As to Austrian/German nurses be tough birds. There is no question!!! All combat nurses are the braves and toughest women on this planet, regardless of the uniform!

Ivan

 

[the ringo kid]

The area, sceen from the air, had an oval border with the city.

As taken by Luftwaffe recon aircraft before or during the early stages of the battle. Ive not had time to post because of more drama at home and elsewhere, but got some great info I want to post about that, Pavlov's House and Group Rolik. Arik might enjoy that stuff by some of his folks countrymen. Also, something on the "P" shaped building. That building took near 5 German Specialist Pioneer Battalions that were flown into Gumrak and other airfields (then to be trucked in-by around 40 Italian transport drivers) to take, hold and finally lose.

 

[the ringo kid]

How so? Unusual perhaps, but there were German nurses in proximity to the front lines at Stalingrad.

German Nurses in Russia - Axis History Forum

My friend Susanne's father was a Medical Sergeant (German Army) at Stalingrad. He was kept prisoner till 1955-mainly because of his "crimes" of keeping other German prisoners alive during captivity. He didn't hold any grudges against his captors, and after his release-sent back to Germany-and got his Doktors licenses.


He never spoke about the war to his only daughter-but only did when I was guest of honor at his home in Hamburg in 2000. He had thrown away every item he had from the war--except for one pair of shoulder-boards he kept. Before I left--he gave me his boards to safe-keep for him.

Anyway, there were a couple hundred female nurses who were also captured at Stalingrad.

 

[klondike]

"My friend Susanne's father was a Medical Sergeant (German Army) at Stalingrad. He was kept prisoner till 1955-mainly because of his "crimes" of keeping other German prisoners alive during captivity. He didn't hold any grudges against his captors, and after his release-sent back to Germany-and got his Doktors licenses."

I have heard that the reason that the Russians kept so many POWs until the mid '50's is that the Russians knew of the German work ethic and basic honesty. A typical Russian worker would steal 1/2 of the cement from any concrete project and sell it on the black market, replacing it with sand. The German prisoners would not tolerate such shoddy work, to their own detriment.

My Austrian nurse had other reasons for hating the Russians, it involved the repeated rapes of her mother, grandmother, and sisters during their occupation of Vienna.

 

[the ringo kid]

"My friend Susanne's father was a Medical Sergeant (German Army) at Stalingrad. He was kept prisoner till 1955-mainly because of his "crimes" of keeping other German prisoners alive during captivity. He didn't hold any grudges against his captors, and after his release-sent back to Germany-and got his Doktors licenses."
I have heard that the reason that the Russians kept so many POWs until the mid '50's is that the Russians knew of the German work ethic and basic honesty. A typical Russian worker would steal 1/2 of the cement from any concrete project and sell it on the black market, replacing it with sand. The German prisoners would not tolerate such shoddy work, to their own detriment.

My Austrian nurse had other reasons for hating the Russians, it involved the repeated rapes of her mother, grandmother, and sisters during their occupation of Vienna.

Thats true--ill reply better later but, two great books to read mentioning that are: The Blond Knight of Germany and As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me. Dont read Last Letters From Stalingrad--which was provehn to be nothing but fiction.

 

[the ringo kid]

I didnt have time to mention earlier but, the Russians sometimes nailed German women to barn doors after being raped many times. Some acccounts had women who would not submit to advances-and were summarily executed-or all the men in theif familes killed or deported-or they'd be raped anyway. The worst offenders were usually Siberians. There are a few accounts of Russian officers shooting the rapists.

 

[the ringo kid]

Pavlov's House:

As it is today:

Yakov Fedotovich Pavlov was a Soviet Red Army soldier who became a Hero of the Soviet Union for his role in defending "Pavlov's House" during the Battle of Stalingrad. Wikipedia Born: 4 October 1917, Valdaysky District, Russia Died: 29 September 1981, Veliky Novgorod, Russia Battles/wars: Great Patriotic War: Battle of Stalingrad Unit: 13th Guards Rifle Division Awards: Hero of the Soviet Union, Order of the October Revolution, Order of the Red Star.

Yakov Fedotovich Pavlov (Russian: Я́ков Федо́тович Па́влов; 4 October 1917 – 29 September 1981) was a Soviet Red Army soldier who became a Hero of the Soviet Union for his role in defending "Pavlov's House" during the Battle of Stalingrad.[1] Biography[edit] Born in 1917 to a peasant family in the small village of Krestovaya in northwestern Russia (present-day Novgorod Oblast), Pavlov joined the Red Army in 1938. During World War II, he fought on the Southwestern, Stalingrad, 3rd Ukrainian and 2nd Belorussian fronts. Pavlov was a commander of a machine gun unit, an artilleryman, and a commander of a reconnaissance unit with the rank of senior sergeant. During the Battle of Stalingrad, on the night of September 27, 1942, Pavlov's platoon recaptured a four-story residential building, seized by the German Army and defended it against continual attack by the Germans until relieved by advancing Soviet forces two months later. Vasily Chuikov, commanding general of the Soviet forces in Stalingrad, later joked that the Germans lost more men trying to take Pavlov's House than they did taking Paris.[2][3][4] The building and its defense went down in history as "Pavlov's House" (Дом Павлова).[5] For his actions in Stalingrad, he was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, two Orders of the Red Star and numerous other medals. Post-war, he joined the Communist Party. He was elected three times as Deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Pavlov died on 29 September 1981, and was buried in Novgorod.

His divisional commander was, Major General A. I. Rodimtsev
Id post a map of the layout of the "house" with the positions of all the defenders in it-but the library computer is NOT obeying today.

 

[the ringo kid]

Part of what I wanted to show about Pavlov's House:

Cant seem to find the map showing Pavlov's men at their posts-but this is part of it:

The overview-but not showing the details I want-which is same image-just more detail.

 

[the ringo kid]

Names of the men who defended that building.

Y.F. Pavlov-until 1st Lt. Afanasyev arrived.

A.P. Aleksandriov (Sub Machine Gunner ((SMG)

V.S. Glushenko (SMG)

N.Y. Chernogolov (SMG) No image.

I.F. Afanasyev. Commander and M.G. Kdt.

M. Bondarenko (Job duties unkn.)

I.V. Voronov (Machine-gunner--no image)

T.I. Gridin (Mortars.)

V.M. Kiselev. (Job unkn)

V.K. Sarayev (Job unkn and no image)

I.T. Svivin. (M.G.)

A.A. Sabgaida (Anti-tank Rifle CO)

A.N. Chernyshenko. (Mortar C.O.)

P.I. Douzhenko. (M.G. No image)

A.I. Ivashekno. (M.G.)

A.F. Shapovalov. (Unkn Job and no image.)


G.I. Yakimenko. (Unkn job and no pix.)


N.G. Masijashvili. (Sub machine-gunner)

T. Murzaev. (Anti-tank rifle)

A. Turdyev. (Anti-tank rifle)

K. Turgenov. (M.G & or Anti-tank rifle.)

F.Z. Ramazanov. (Anti-tank rifle)

I.Y. Hait. (Job unkn)

V.D. Avagimov. (Job unkn)

A. Anitkin. Job unkn and no image)


P.Demchenko. (MG-no pix.


?. Sukba. (SMG and no pix.)

?. Stepanoshvili. (Unkn job and no pix.)


?. Shkuratov. (Anti-tank rifle and no pix.)


?. Yfremov. (Unkn job and no image.)


Mariya Ulvanova. (Unkn job and no image.)

Unofficially a part of the houses defenders includes, A.I. Chechov-who was the 13th Guards most famed sniper. He was a frequent visitor of the house and did his sniping from the roof.

 

[the ringo kid]

Some images repeated unintentionally because the source got them wrong.