26 January 1945, Hagenau an der Moder (Hagenau in German at present), the 25. Panzergrenadier-Division received order to release from the West Front and assembled at Germersheim for transport to the Oder Front on train (1).

31 January 1945, Küstrin-Neustadt, the HQ of the 25. Panzergrenadier-Divsion found the train station was congested with refugees and also under attack by Russian tanks. The first battalion of 25. Artillerie-Regiment was also detrained at the station and had to beat off the Russian tanks before unloading their weapons and went into action immediately. The HQ withdrew to Gusow and elements of the division had detrained at Küstrin-Neustadt also withdrew to the west bank of the Oder river (2).

It happened here: 25. Panzergrenadier-Division moved from Hagenau an der Moder to Germersheim.

It happened here: 25. Panzergrenadier-Division transported from Germansheim to Küstrin-Neustadt on train.

31 January 1945, Kienitz, the 1st White Russian Front had establieshed their first bridgehead west of icy frozen Oder river. The Russian had moved 2000 troops, anti-tank guns and tanks to the west bank of Oder river. The Russian also tried to take the bridge over Oder river near Küstrin and enter the city but failed (3). The tanks belonged to Russian 2nd Guards Tank Army approached train station in Küstrin-Neustadt and were knocked out by elements of the first battalion of 25. Artillerie-Regiment (2).

31 January 1945, Golzow, the 2nd battalion of the Grenadier-Regiment (mot.) 119 detrained at the train station with great difficult under Russian artillery fire and lack of train station personnel. They had to occupied the village for defense immediately after unloading and received order to move to Letschin without delay. However, the 1st battalion (equipped with SPW 251s) of the Grenadier-Regiment (mot.) 119 detrained in Werbig, but they were short of fuel until next evening (2).

It happened here: the 2nd battalion of the GrenadierRegiment (mot.) 119 moved from Golzow to Letschin.

Reference:

1. Stoves, Rolf. Die gepanzerten und motorisierten deutschen Grossverbände: Divisionen und selbständige Brigaden : 1935-1945 (German Edition). Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, 1986.

2. Le Tissier, Tony. Zhukov at the Oder, p51. Westport, Connecticut, London: Praeger Publishing, 1996.

3. Urbanke, Axel. Endkampf : um das Reichsgebiet 1944/45 Ostfront, p56-57. Bad Zwischenahn: Luftfahrverlag-Start, 2017.

Copyright 2018 Dr.Chuang, Taipei, Taiwan