Battle for Narva, 1944

1-193460

Whereas other German units in 1944 had failed to hold their ground in Russia, Heeresgruppe Nord still clung tenaciously to one of the last occupied positions near Soviet territory; the Estonian city of Narva. That toehold was what these volunteers would fight so dearly for in arduous winter conditions, hugely outnumbered by their opponents.

Massing on the other side were Soviet troops with vengeance in their hearts. Having endured months of near starvation at Leningrad and Oranienbaum, those soldiers would finally get their chance to fight the enemy who had earlier invaded their homeland. The city itself would be fought over for months in relentless battles, often erupting into savage close-quarter combat and frequently leading to thousands of casualties.

It incorporates large amounts of photographic evidence. The photographs and their captions offer uncommon insight into the life of the average combatant under German command wanting nothing more than to survive another day. In some cases the photos dating back to 1944 are contrasted with the same location as seen today. That photographic evidence is effectively supported by accurate historical and archival research, including geographic data.

8 x 11 inches, 120 photographs, 3 maps, tables.