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The Battle of Velikiye Luki, sometimes called The Stalingrad of the North, was fought during the Winter Campaign of 1942-1943. It was part of the northern pincer of the Rzhev-Sychevka Strategic Offensive (Operation Mars). The Soviet objective was to liberate the Russian city of Velikiye Luki and to cut the north-south rail line to the west of the city.
Velikiye Luki was crucial to both sides. To the Germans it was a bulwark protecting the vital railway supplying Army Group North, which passed through Novosokolniki some 20 kilometers to the west. The loss of that rail line might have forced Army Group North to lift the siege of Leningrad.
In early November 1942, the German Eleventh Army moved into the seam between Army Groups Center and North to reinforce a section of the line that had been under continuous attack since the previous winter. With the departure of the Eleventh Army the LIX Corps was left to its fate in the Velikiye Luki sector. It now had the responsibility to cover the area for both Corps. This meant there was no German front line from Kholm in the north to Velizh in the south. All that remained in the area was the 83rd Infantry Division screening Velikiye Luki in the center and the 3rd Gebirgsjäger Division slightly to the south. But Velikiye Luki was ready for a siege. The defenders had constructed numerous concrete bunkers and tank traps. Supplies of food and ammunition were stockpiled and key locations were fortified.
The Soviet offensive began by moving on Velikiye Luki from north and south, bypassing fortified positions east of the city. Despite the heavy losses the Russians successfully cut the land links to the city. Hitler demanded that all of the surrounded units hold out while a relief force conducted a counterattack to open a route to the encircled units. Both sides recognized that Velikiye Luki might well hold out until German relief forces could fight through to the embattled garrison.
The Soviets were launching costly frontal attacks on the city from the west, east and south, in an effort to wear down the defenders before help could arrive. Soviet attacks were almost continuous and often had strong tank support. Casualties were heavy on both sides, but especially so for the attackers.
With Velikiye Luki surrounded, the Soviets pushed on to Novosokolniki. Strong Soviet columns swept around Velikiye Luki and cut Novosokolniki off from both north and south.
The Germans realized that Velikiye Luki could not be relieved until Novosokolniki was first secured, so they concentrated on defeating the Soviets there. A German counterattack from the north drove on Velikiye Luki. Russian units were pulled in from Novosokolniki and Velikiye Luki to counter this threat. The German attack was stopped but the Soviet high command was forced to call off further attacks on Novosokolniki.
A second German Corps was now hastily organized to relieve LIX Corps. At Velikiye Luki, Soviet efforts to crush the remaining defenders were renewed. The German defenders of Velikiye Luki were given no respite. Little by little, the city was falling. The renewed German offensive made immediate progress, as the Soviets did not have enough battleworthy units to defend everywhere along the line, but in the end the German forces available were simply not up to the task. Velikiye Luki was officially declared lost on January 16.
Fighting continued for several more days, but the worst was over. Velikiye Luki was again in Soviet hands.
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