EAGLE

ˈEagle (Adler)

Code name for the punitive operation of Nazi invaders against partisans and civilian population of the Klichaw Partisan Zone of July 20 — August 10, 1942, during the Great Patriotic War, continuation of the Chafer operation.

It was conducted by the forces of Battle Group Eagle which consisted of units under the command of the highest commander of the SS and police in Central Russia and Belarus, SS Obergruppenfuhrer and police general E. von dem Bach-Zelewski, units of the 203rd and 286th Security divisions, as well as the 2nd Police Regiment, two artillery battalions, reinforced groups of the Secret Field Police and SD, and Sonderkommandos under the overall command of major general J.‑G. Richert.

The goal of the operation was to encircle and destroy partisan detachments in the Bierazino — Bialynichy — Svislach — Byhaw square, deal with the population, capture and remove food supplies, grain, and livestock from the operation area.

Heavy fightings ensued along the entire partisan defence front. In some areas, the people’s avengers made punitive forces take up defensive positions. All detachments were operationally subordinate to the command of the 208th J. V. Stalin Partisan Detachment (see Partisan Regiment 208, J. V. Stalin). According to the Decision of the Klichaw Underground Rajon Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Belarus and the command, on July 25, the partisans left the town of Klichaw and began to retreat to the northeast, beyond the Asipovichy — Magiliow railway, to the forests of Usakina where they hoped to regroup their forces and replenish their supplies of explosives and ammunition and go to the assigned sectors. Local inhabitants also withdrew with the partisans, fleeing from the punitive forces.

At the end of July, 11 partisan detachments (more than 2 thousand fighters) and several thousand women, old people, and children were located in the forests of Usakina. The Hitlerites cut up all the exits from the forest, and the blockade was begun. The forest was under bombing, artillery and mortar fire. An attempt by the Military Council of the Western Front to deliver ammunition and medicine by plane was failed. On July 30, major general J.‑G. Richert offered the commander of the 208th Partisan Detachment, colonel U. I. Nichyparovich, to conclude a truce, but the offer of the punitive forces was rejected. On the night of August 3, the 1st and 2nd companies of the 208th Detachment destroyed enemy barriers near Usakina village and provided partisan detachments and local inhabitants with a way out of encirclement.

The Hitlerites pursued the partisans who escaped from the blockade and in mid-August, northeast of Ragachow town and in the area of Asipovichy town, they conducted the Lutzow and Friendship (Freundschaft) punitive operations.

During the punitive operations Chafer and Eagle from June 30 to August 10, the punitive forces killed more than 1.5 thousand civilians, captured more than 3 thousand heads of livestock, burned 31 villages, including the villages of Dubna (killed 120 people), Viazien, Goncha, Lazzio, Miazhnoje, Alhowka, Astapawka, Padstruzhzha and Palosy (total 57 people), Rubiezh and Usakina (85 people), Sialiec of Klichaw Rajon; Bierasniowka (22 people), Gogal (22 people), Kostrychy (51 people), Niamki (36 people), Novy Garadok (27 people), Sialiba (13 people), Chygirynka (14 people) of Kirawsk Rajon; Krasnica 1 (696 people), Liazhanka (15 people) of Byhaw Rajon, etc.