Guderian secured at least twelve Panzer divisions, by Christmas 1944, to take the shock of the Russian spearheads. Three further divisions were transferred from railheads, two at the Western Front and one in Italy to the OstFront. German Chief of Staff, Guderian toured the OstFront during the first week of January.
The Russian Offensive
On 12th January Koniev began his attack from the Baranov bridgehead. Guderian's strongest reserve consisted of the Hermann Goering division and Gross Deutschland under General von Saucken in East Prussia. The 110km long German front, was pushed back by Zhukov's tanks. Hohensalza, the first German town captured, was ravaged by the Russians over three days. 24th Panzer Division and Gross Deutschland retained contact with Reinhardt's fourteen divisions of Army Group A, under Harpe, through a series of mobile encirclement battles. Fortunately, on 22 January, the Russians turned north. Russians left the desolation of Poland and found a richer Silesia and Pomerania, they never experienced such abundance before. Civilians were shot down casually for even a wrist watch. The brutalities of the Russian armies were not so much intended as incidental.
The German Defence
Guderian detected Russian units that had just recently fought in Finland and Rumania, confirming the Red Army was under strain. The Red Army had committed its entire strategic reserve. Sepp Dietrich's 6th SS Panzer Army was to be concentrated in the centre with General von Weichs in command. Hitler fumed and 'treur Heinrich' (Himmler) was placed in command. Guderian was aghast.
