Tonwoche №660 (1944)

The Estonian volunteer unit of the German army, the battalion of the SS units "Narwa", which contributed to the liberation of German troops from encirclement near Cherkassy, are given leave to return to their homeland in full force.

The arrival of the train in Reval (Tallinn), the soldiers march along the platform, the residents greet them.

Formation on the square.

SS Brigadeführer Möller greets the valiant troops.

A ceremonial dinner is arranged for the soldiers in the hall.

The religious holiday of the blessing of the waters is held in Romania.

Priests come out of the church, troops are lined up in the monastery courtyard.

Traditional celebrations took place in the presence of King Mihai, the head of government Marshal Antonescu and Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Antonescu.

The priest sprinkles them with holy water.

The procession approaches the river, the priest throws a cross into the water, men in long shirts, standing in the river, pick up the cross and carry it to the shore.

Sweden.

In Uppsala, a solemn ceremony is held in the presence of the royal family to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of King Charles XIV, the founder of the Swedish royal dynasty of Bernadotte.

A car with the royal family drives through the streets of the city.

A demonstration of students with corporate flags moves along.

King Gustav V and members of the royal family greet the people from the steps of the university where many members of the royal house of Bernadotte received their education.

On the 5th anniversary of the existence of Franco's Spain, a large parade of all branches of the armed forces and the party militia took place in Madrid.

Franco is on the stand, the infantry, cavalry, and horse artillery march.

Tens of thousands of Berliners attend the Easter prize races at the Berlin-Karlshorst racetrack.

A board with the names of the jockeys: Zimmermann, Albers, Chapman, etc.

There are many soldiers among the spectators.

The steeplechase begins.

Over 100 participants gather for the Belgian cycling race through Flanders.

The riders race along the road at an average speed of 45 km per hour.

The athletes grab water and sandwiches along the way.

Not far from the finish line, the athlete in front falls and is eliminated from the competition.

Van Steinberger receives the first prize and is presented with flowers.

Poglavnik Ante Pavelic is on an inspection tour of the regions of Croatia liberated from terrorist gangs.

A car with Pavelic is driving along the city street, accompanied by motorcyclists.

The population enthusiastically greets the head of state, who passes through the crowd.

Pavelic on the balcony of a building.

Military action in the Cassino area.

A view of the destruction caused by the British and Americans.

The ruins of the city and monastery.

A statue that accidentally survived in a niche in a broken wall, wall frescoes on the ruins.

Nine American tanks attack a mountain pass where German troops have taken cover.

A soldier looks through a telescope.

Explosions are heard, and the soldiers take cover in a cave.

There is heavy artillery shelling of the German positions before the tanks attack.

A German anti-aircraft battery opens return fire.

German paratroopers go on the attack to destroy the remaining tanks in close-range combat.

A war correspondent from the unit and several soldiers come very close to a heavy enemy tank.

The front tank has already been knocked out by anti-aircraft artillery, and the other tanks have been destroyed by the paratroopers.

A soldier with a bandaged arm smiles and smokes during the lull.

Heavy artillery fire forces the paratroopers to seek cover.

Continued.

Clouds of smoke from explosions, machine gunners in cover.

The Americans, having created an artificial smoke screen, are trying to facilitate the retreat of the remaining tanks.

An attempt by enemy infantry to simultaneously launch an offensive with the tank attack is repelled.

German machine gunners and a flamethrower are firing.

On March 16, the German garrison surrounded in Kovel, after 21 days of fighting, was liberated as a result of joint actions by all branches of the armed forces.

During this time, German aviation supplied the soldiers surrounded with everything they needed.

Hollow shells with ammunition and food inside are dropped from planes.

A view of Kovel from the air, a church, houses, a broken railroad.

A large number of railroad workers are valiantly fighting in the ranks of the surrounded garrison, they are digging in the tracks.

During a break between battles, the soldiers eat and drink, a medic bandages a soldier's leg.

Officers discuss the situation at a map.

Pits dug among railway structures to provide cover for riflemen.

A German armoured train takes part in the fighting.

Despite extremely unfavourable conditions, German tanks and grenadiers, supported by SS units, approach Kovel.

Tanks drive through the snow, followed by soldiers.

A soldier claps his hands from the cold.

Soviet planes bomb German positions at low altitude.

German Ju-87 attack aircraft continuously enter the battle to relieve the situation of the encircled garrison.

Colonel Hoffman, commander of the units tasked with liberating the garrison, discusses the task at a map.

In fierce battles, German tanks pave the way for the grenadiers and SS units.

They approach the border of Kovel, fight in the suburbs.

Entrance to the city, houses are burning all around, broken Soviet tanks stand in the streets.

A German soldier at a house, a Soviet soldier emerges from the basement, interrogation of a prisoner.

The Germans lead prisoners, many of them Asian.

On April 5, the German units joined the garrison.

Hoffman gets off the tank, approaches the German headquarters, from which an officer emerges.

The defender of Kovel, SS Gruppenführer Lieutenant General Gille, greets Colonel Hoffman.

The soldiers talk and smoke.