Evening star., 1941-12-16
Three Nazi Divisions
Smashed in Retaking
City, Russians Say
Typhus Reported PIoguine
Germons, Battered by
Red Counteroffensive
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, Dec. 16.-A special
Russian communique declared today
that more than three German di-
visions were smashed with more
than $4,000 of their men killed or
wounded and that huge quantities
Of heavy equipment were seized by
the Red Army in its recapture OF
Kiln.
Uice-borne typhus was re-
ported in Bern, Switzerland, to
have been added to such Ger
man handicaps rs sub-zero cold
and supply difficulties. The
Kaunas correspondent of the
Stockholm newspaper Alton
bladet said some German troops
were infected by an epidemic
which had spread eastward from
the Ostmark area of PolandD
The special communique followed
an earlier official announcement
that Kiln, so miles northwest OF
Moscow, and three key points in the
Tula zone had been retaken, indi-
eating that the Nazi pincer around
Moscow had been blunted.
Two Were Motorized Units.
Two of the three Nazi divisions
declared to have been routed were
motorized units.
THE Russians previously had
declared that % German diyi-
sions were smashed since the
second major Nazi offensive
against Moscow was launched
last November l6.
"a B. B. c. broadcast heard in
New York by N. B. C. said 100
German divisions now are in
retreat and largely exposed to
Russian assaults by the inability
of their rear guards to cover
them. 1t said q major battle was
being fought in the Kalinin sec
tor, one of the anchors of Mos
cows defenses 80 miles northwest
OF the capitalD
According to preliminary and in.
complete figures" said the specia
announcement, during the occupa
tion of the town OF Kiln troops o
the western front captured from th'
Germans the following trophies: IL
tanks, l8 armored cars, more thar
1000 trucks, 80 guns, l20 min
throwers, $50 machine guns. 300 au
tomato rifles, over 10000 shells ant
over 1000 900 cartridges and larg
quantity OF other war material
Counting OF the trophies is il
progress
Divisions Are Named.
'In the fighting area of Kiln. tn
Germans lost over $4,000 men killet
and wounded. The l4th Motorized In
fantry Division OF Gen. Fuerst, tn
36th Motorized Infantry Division o
Gen. Won Weskstein, the 7th Di
vision and the 900th Training Bri
gade OF Col Krause were routed dur
ing the occupation OF Kiln"
Red Army blows on the centra
front were pictured by the Sovie
Information Bureau as part OF a vas
comterofYensive overrunning score
OF German positions, bleeding al
invasion force already declared t
have suffered 5000, 900 casualties.
Seven day Fight Near Kalinin.
The Germans were said to hav
lost 5000 officers and soldiers kille,
and wounded in a seven-day nigh
in the Kalinin zone. and vast Quan
titles Of war equipment.
tReports reaching London
from Stockholm said the Rus
slams were exerting great pres
sure also on the Lake Ladoga
front and threatening the Ger
mans along the Neva River east
Of Leningrad. II this advance
continues, as appears probable,
it was said, better communica-
tions between Moscow and the
besieged northern city will have
been restoredD
In the area of another town. iden
tilted only as "Ch," the 44th Germa
Infantry Division was smashed, wit
5000 men killed or wounded. tn
Communist party newspaper Pravd
said in dispatch broadcast by tn
Moscow radio.
The communiQue credited one al
unit with a months bag Of rs Ger
man planes shot down, 81 tank
more than 100 trucks loaded wit
arms and ammunition, 36 guns an
10 tank-trucks loaded with fuel de
stroyed and more than l 800 officer
and men killed.
I'm a number of sectors of tn
western and southwestern from
our troops engaged the enemy j
violent combats and continued thei
advance" the information burea
said.
| ~ Towns Declared Taken.
Kiln was omcially claimed by tn