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Ukraine 1942 ▶ Second Battle of Charkow Kharkiv Харків/ Isjum Slawjansk (May 12-30, 1942) Army Group South Heeresgruppe Süd / 6. Armee, 17. Armee, 1. Panzerarmee
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Kharkiv was fought over several times due to its central location during the advance and retreat of the German Wehrmacht. The capture of the important armament center around Kharkiv and the economically important region of the Donez Basin was of strategic importance for the Germans. Kharkiv was the key to further advances in the direction of the Don, Volga and the Caucasus. During the Second World War, four battles took place in this region. The Second Battle of Kharkiv took place from 12 to 28 May 1942 south of Kharkov and after initial Soviet successes led to the encirclement of a large part of their attacking units by a German counterattack. Arthur Schmidt, Chief of Staff of the 6th Army, was then considered the "Victor of Kharkiv". In spring 1942, in preparation for the big summer offensive "Fall Blau", two operations were planned: The "Operation Kremlin" was a diversionary manoeuvre, which was supposed to simulate a larger offensive of the army group Mitte on Moscow and in fact contributed to the Soviet misjudgment of the strategic situation. “Operation Fridericus" was aimed at destroying the front arch of Isjum south of Kharkov. Planned was an attack of the 6th army from the north and of the 1st tank army from the south direction Isjum. For this attack strong German units were formed in Kharkiv and near Slavyansk. These preparations, which remained unknown to the Stavka, had a strong influence on the outcome of the Soviet Kharkiv offensive, since the German forces around Kharkiv were for this reason much stronger than the Red Army had expected.
Participating German units / Kharkiv area:
The German 6th Army was located on the left flank of the South Army Group and occupied the area from Kursk to the southwestern tip of the Isjum front arch. The Kharkiv area was occupied at the time of the attack:
XXIXth Army Corps : Near Belgorod, north of Kharkiv
XVII Army Corps: Near Cheremezhnoe, between Belgorod and Kharkiv
LI. Army Corps: Near Chuguev east of Kharkov to Smiiev south of Kharkiv
VIII Army Corps: From Smiiev, southwest of Kharkiv
Southern front arch:
The southern section of the Army Group South was defended by the German 17th Army and the 1st Panzer Army. The following units joined the right wing of the 6th Army:
Romanian VI Army Corps: Occupied the eastern section of the front arch.
XI. Army Corps: Near Pawlograd, in the southwestern front arch.
III Army Corps (mot.): Near Stepanowka, in front of the southern front arch.
LII. and XXXXIV. army corps: In the Slavyansk region
Further units of the 17th army occupied the front up to the Sea of Azov.
The enclosed Soviet troops tried in vain to escape to the southeast until 27 May. Approximately 240,000 Soviet soldiers were captured as prisoners of war, about 1250 Soviet tanks were destroyed or captured in the fighting. The forces planned for the Soviet spring and summer offensives were no longer available. The victory at Kharkiv was one of the last victorious pocket battles of the Wehrmacht. Through this victory the Germans fought for the strategic conditions for the summer offensive in 1942. The "Fall Blau" could begin - the further advance into the Caucasus and the attack on Stalingrad.
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