Eastern Front
During the invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa), the Polizei Division was initially part of the reserve with Army Group North. In August 1941, the division saw action near Luga. It was during heavy fighting for the Luga bridgehead (held by seven Soviet divisions), that the Polizei Division lost over 2,000 soldiers including the commander, Arthur Mülverstadt, in bloody frontal assaults. The fighting across swamp and forest caused a number of problems and after a series of failed attacks the Polizei Division, along with the help of army formations, managed to fight into the northern part of Luga, encircling and destroying the Soviet defenders in the process.
Read more about this topic: 4th SS Polizei Division
Famous quotes containing the words eastern and/or front:
“And not by eastern windows only,
When daylight comes, comes in the light;
In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly!
But westward, look, the land is bright!”
—Arthur Hugh Clough (1819–1861)
“England and France, Spain and Portugal, Gold Coast and Slave Coast, all front on this private sea; but no bark from them has ventured out of sight of land, though it is without doubt the direct way to India.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)