Battles of the Blue Division

Battles of the Blue Division 
Blue Division, a few days of being incorporated into the central front, was suddenly moved north group, given the need to strengthen the positions. There were 2 operational areas, the front of Novgorod, from October 1941 - August 1942, and the Leningrad Front, between August 1942 - October 1943.

Front of  Novgorod

In September 1941 the German army took the historic city of Novgorod, of great symbolic and strategic value. In early October, the Blue Division sits on the outskirts of the city and deployed to the north, on the western flank of the important river Volkhov, with an average width of 250 meters, connects south to north the lakes Ilmen and Ladoga. With the arrival of the Spanish contingent, they are beginning to take positions in favor of making an assault to the eastern bank of the river into Soviet hands. Between 14 and 22 October there is the first Battle of the Volkhov, where Spanish and German troops manage to overcome stiff resistance and cross first the river in rubber boats. Day 22 was finally secured a bridgehead, coming under control locations and Smeisko Sitno, participants being decorated. During the last days of the month there were further raids that resulted in making populations Nilitkino, Tigoda and Dubrovka. All these populations, although they were held, they were attacked by the Red Army, causing heavy casualties.

Leningrad front 

In early August 1942, Hitler finalizing the details of the impending Operation Northern Light, who executed the final assault to Leningrad. The Spanish division will be entrusted the task of besiege the city from the south flank. Throughout the month, companies were moving stepwise by rail, from Novgorod to Novo Lissino, from where they would take positions around Kolpino, an important industrial suburb of the capital sector. Later this month, the move was terminated. The headquarters of the division was installed in a palace of the czars in Pokrovskaya and hospital along with other service centers and the 121 German, in the adjacent town of Mestelevo.

Gerardo Jiménez