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covered. Around the village, especially to the east, was the dark,
threatening forest, whose depths were unknown. The few panje huts
were the sole signs of a human presence. Some had been destroyed,
but the Grenadiers crouched in the few which were intact. These
offered some warmth and the soldiers were happy that they were
not exposed to the terrible minus 30 degree cold and the awful
snowstorms. The unspeakable harshness of the past days and weeks
was reflected in the faces of the Grenadiers. An overpowering
weariness caused them to sink into a half- sleeping state, forgetting
the danger concealed in the forests. The Leutnant, who had led the
company with great bravery, was also overwhelmed by exhaustion.
The few sentries and security outposts should be sufficient to warn
of approaching danger.
In another of the huts in the same village was the headquarters of
the Heavy Battalion (V Btl.), most of whose companies had been
assigned to other battalions. The battalion's commanding officer was
Major von Lentkze. He, too, had no idea of the events to come; he,
too, gave in to the vague feeling of security for which he was to pay
so dearly later.
Students from a Soviet officer school, on skis and clad in parkas,
sneaked cat-like through the forest towards the village. Moving out
of the darkness of the forest, they found a gap in the German line
of security, and suddenly burst into the village. The result was a
bloodbath. At the sounds of the first shots the Grenadiers raced from
the huts as they were, seized their weapons and attempted to defend
themselves. In sock feet, some partially clothed as if they had just
left from washing up, they tried to defend against an enemy who was
superior in numbers and had the advantage of surprise. The actual
battle was brief. Major von Lentzke was soon hit and killed, and Lt.
Gamier of 17th Company and many others were wounded. The
survivors scattered. Individually and in groups, scarcely armed, some
with no weapons at all, they reassembled several hours later.
The next morning the nightmare in Kolodesnaja was over; the
enemy had been driven away. But the scene in the village was a
terrible one: the wounded who had been left behind in the village
had been murdered. Those soldiers who had raced out of their huts
half- dressed and been captured by the Russians had been tied to
sleds and pushed into the village pond. They froze to death. Gefr.
Helmut Tuchscherer, a member of 2nd Battery/4OOth Art.Btl., had
stopped in the village for a rest with his comrades in their truck. He
was found by the door of one of the huts with a small hole in his
forehead. Beside him lay a dead Russian.
Almost half of the company's machines (BMW motorcycles) had
been left behind. Either there had not been time to start them or the
cold prevented them from doing so, and they had been burned or
destroyed by the Russians.
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The shame of Kolodesnaja, as the events of 5 December came to
be known, was seared into the consciousness of every man who was
there. As regimental commander, Oberst W. Hoernlein ordered the
17th (Motorcycle) Company to remove its GROSSDEUTSCH-
LAND cuff titles until it made good for this disaster. Obit. Borowski
was named new commander of 17th Company. Leutnant Henke
stayed on as a platoon leader.
The 5th of December, however, was a far more important date in
the course of events. It was on this day that the Russian reserves
Siberians from the Far East launched their great counter-offensive
against the Germans. It was the hour that saw the beginning of a far
greater tragedy for Germany: the first major retreat.
Chapter Ten
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