The last hours before the breakout were characterized by nervous waiting. It was impossible to tell what resistance the Red Army would mount in the area between the cauldron and Lisyanka. All the Germans knew was that they would certainly encounter two defense lines. Perhaps the Soviet commanders had placed further units in the path the Germans intended to use. Nobody could know for sure, but perhaps it mattered little at this moment. There was only one recourse left, and at 23.00hrs, as scheduled, the breakout attempt began.
Major Kaestner’s regiment was among the first to jump off. As stealthily as possible his soldiers, heavily laden with ammunition, began to move forward from their staging area near Khilki. The sky was dark with clouds obscuring the light from the moon and the stars, conditions that would make it more difficult for Soviet forces to realize what was happening. Kaestner’s lead men made no sounds that might betray them, and at close range attacked the first Soviet defense line with edged weapons and small arms. Surprise assisted the Germans and they managed to defeat the first Soviet defense line quickly. A second Soviet defense position was also defeated swiftly and the mass of the regiment followed closely behind the lead elements.676
Only on two occasions did Kaestner’s regiment get embroiled in somewhat more intense combat. In both cases his soldiers stumbled into Soviet artillery batteries, which were captured in close combat. By making use of terrain features, the 105th Regiment continued in a southwesterly direction and at about 03.30hrs they reached the road from Dzhurzhentsy to Pochapintsy. Small reconnaissance teams were sent toward Dzhurzhentsy, where it was found that five T-34s guarded the entrance to the village. About two kilometers south of Dzhurzhentsy, silhouettes of a few tanks and vehicles were also discerned. After reporting by radio to the division, Kaestner’s men sneaked past the enemy vehicles, making use of the undulating terrain. Nothing indicated that the Soviet troops had any inkling of what was happening, as the Germans crossed the road and continued west. Suddenly a new Soviet position was encountered. This time it was clearly oriented in a westward direction. The outer Soviet defense ring had been reached. The Soviet soldiers were found asleep in their foxholes, and the Germans attacked them with knives and the butts of their weapons.677
The action was brief, as the Germans again capitalized on surprise and quickly overcame the defenders. However, the latter shot off a few rounds, which attracted the attention of a Soviet tank. It lit a searchlight, but while it did not discover Kaestner’s men, elements of the 72nd Division who followed behind the 105th Regiment were discovered and became embroiled in fighting. Kaestner’s men continued forward, and southeast of Khizhintsy they again encountered tanks. Scouts were sent out and as they crept closer they saw, to their immense delight, the familiar “Balken” cross that marked all German tanks. They had made it to the spearheads of III Panzer Corps.678
Kaestner’s regiment had conducted an almost textbook breakout. It had probably worked better than anyone in the regiment had dared to hope, largely thanks to stealth and surprise. However, not all units were as fortunate as Kaestner’s. Soon after the beginning of the breakout, command and control broke down throughout the mass of the column. To what extent that really mattered is unclear, as the commanders did not have a particularly clear picture of enemy dispositions, intentions, and capabilities. It was probably unavoidable that the breakout developed into a number of individual actions and fates, channelled along the same general direction.
Major Siegel’s 266th Regiment followed behind Kaestner’s 105th. Initially everything went well, but as soon as the first hill was reached, Soviet mortars and machine guns targeted Siegel’s regiment. In the darkness, accuracy was poor and only a few of the German soldiers were hit. Siegel heard a wounded soldier shout: “Take me along! Take me along!” Perhaps it was Sergeant Reisch. Siegel told him to wait until a field ambulance could come and pick him up.679
Siegel’s men continued forward and met no resistance until they made out the road between Dzhurzhentsy and Pochapintsy. As Soviet tanks were positioned along the road, Siegel concluded that his men had no chance to break through the enemy curtain, since they lacked antitank weapons. Siegel sent Lieutenant Ohlendorf to reconnoiter, and he soon returned with information that Soviet tanks were coming from Dzhurzhentsy to reinforce the screen along the road. There was no alternative except to veer off south. Siegel checked his compass and gave the necessary instructions, when Colonel Hummel, from the 124th Regiment, came by. Like Siegel he saw no alternative but to try to bypass the Soviet screen to the south.680
Soon after turning south Siegel’s men were again fired upon by Soviet units, this time from the forest between Potchapintsy and Oktyabr. Siegel shouted loudly: “Here is Major Siegel. 266th Regiment to me!” Men from various parts of the 72nd Division appeared. As there was no time to waste, Siegel gave instructions to the men as they emerged and the movement south continued along the edge of the forest. However, Captain Knostmann assembled a small Kampfgruppe and attacked the Soviet machine gunners in the forest, pushed them back, and then continued through the trees. He and his men managed to reach the 105th Regiment, as the latter had just linked up with the III Panzer Corps, even though casualties were suffered. Among the losses was Lieutenant Ohlendorf, who was wounded and subsequently captured.681
Neither Siegel nor anyone else was aware of the success achieved by Captain Knostmann and his men. Instead they continued south and reached the southeast corner of the forest. As the daylight began to illuminate the area, two sledges appeared at some distance. It seemed to be the morning soup that was to be delivered to some Soviet units nearby. Siegel and his men stayed silent and the two drivers did not seem to have noticed the nearby Germans. Soon Siegel sent a small Kampfgruppe to capture the sledges, but after crouching forward, without yet reaching the sledges, they discovered a Soviet artillery battery. It was swiftly stormed and the guns were rendered inoperable before the Germans continued south.682
Siegel’s men soon reached within a stone’s throw of the Gniloi Tikich River, where Siegel established a bridgehead. He did not himself go to the river bank, as he wanted to ensure that his grenadiers held a perimeter around it. Furthermore, he observed five Soviet tanks and feared the worst, but the tanks remained inactive. Siegel collected men from his own regiment, as well as from 124th Regiment and SS-units that had reached the area. He made clear that they would have to defend the bridgehead to allow the soldiers following behind an opportunity to cross the river and reach safety.683
Most of the men were “old foxes,” veterans who understood what they needed to do and quickly took action. Lieutenant Grosse from the 124th Regiment assumed command of the eastern flank and Siegel took responsibility for the western side. Siegel gave an SS-officer the task of building an emergency crossing over the Gniloi Tikich River. Siegel walked back and forth between his own flank and the east flank, checking that everything was in order, while more and more soldiers from the pocket reached the bridgehead. Through the branches of the trees near the river, Siegel could see German soldiers on the other side. Thus everything seemed to be working as well as could be hoped.684