Дніпропетровщина в роки Другої світової війни в німецькій мемуаристиці та історіографії

Abstract

The article is devoted to the reflection of Dnipropetrovsk and Dnipropetrovsk region during the Second World War in German memoirs and historiography. The author notes that Dnipropetrovsk region is poorly represented in this kind of literature due to the fact that there were no long or fierce defensive battles on its territory, and there were no turning points. Therefore, in German historiography and memoirs Dnipropetrovsk region is presented only in fragments. Since the attack of German troops on the USSR, Dnipropetrovsk had been on the way of the "South" army group. The initial stage of the battles for Dnipropetrovsk is represented by German memoirists, sometimes with serious human and technical losses. The dead German soldiers were buried at a cemetery near the train station. An eagle-shaped monument was erected at the beginning of the occupation of the city. The main task of the Germans was to restore the connection between the left and right banks of the city on the Dnipro River. Since the bridges had been blown up by retreating Soviet troops, the pontoon bridge had to be repaired so that communication could be established. After the occupation Dnipropetrovsk plunged into a “peaceful life” and memoirists depict a secluded life: there were cinemas, libraries. At that time the city was visited by Hans-Ulrich Rudel, the best bomber pilot of the Second World War, Stalin's personal enemy. There he had a clash with one of the future memoirists. Dnipropetrovsk made a good impression on him. Once in the deep rear of German troops, Dnipropetrovsk turned into an important economic center of the occupied territories. So that the attention of the memoirists to the rear city is significantly reduced. The mentions of Dnipropetrovsk again increased during the Soviet offensive and the battles for the liberation of the city and the region by the Soviet army.