Evening star., 1943-02-13
(Fourth in a Series }
BY DAVID NJ. NICHOL.


Foreisn Correspondent OF The Star and
Chicago Daily News,
STALINGRAD, Feb. l3.-It is one
Of the ironies of modern history that
the Nazis who helped smash the
university city of Madrid were de
feated in Stalingrad by the mar
who first learned street fighting
with the Spanish Republicans there
AS captain, Alexander Rodimt-
sev served one year in Spain as g
volunteer, Now, at 81 years of age
he is a major general commanding
the most renowned of the Rec
Army's rapidly growing list O.
guards divisions.
The guardsmen of this sandy
haired, blue-eyed commando
crossed the Volga under fire thu
first night of the Stalingrad battl,
and were thrown Immediately int
the city's center, where the Naz
threat was most serious. They me
new onslaught on September L
and another on September % wher
the Nazis hurled 100 tanks alons
two morrow raTnes but were .beater
back.
Rodimtsey's4 division. anea dy~-dis-
tinguished in the battles of Kie,
and Tim. celebrated the anniversary
OF its elevation to a guards unit
on November 81. printing tickets
for the ceremonies with the address
"Stalingrads Sewers. During the
January offensive it participated in
the fighting in the workers settle
ments and first made contact with
the Don armies which broke the
ring surrounding the Soviets' 62o
Army.
Triumphant March.
When the cease firing order was
given on February 2 it was
Rodimtsev's division which marched
proudly between the derelict walls
along the bomb -pitted Communist
street. then across the Volga ice
its band playing. its men singing
their own rhythmic, stirring march
Stalingrad's street fighting can.
not be compared with Madrid S
There were immensely greater mum.
bers Of men with more varied equip
ment. Tactics underwent rapid de,
velopment.
Street fighting actually is a mis-
homer. More accurately. it wa
weird interior fighting. much of i
at night, -to-room, hallway
to-hallway, on each floor of tn
house and finally in the basement
Virtually every building in occupie
portions OF Stalingrad had to b
cleared in this stubborn bite
/ fashion. The Germans in mos
cases fought to a finish.
"One OF our storm units" Ro
dimtsev said. attacked ain ell
! shaped building and captured tn
second floor. but the Nazis still hel
the first floor. They were drivel
to the basement with grenades bu
could not be dislodged
Resisted Until Killed.
Next we called in sappers VIII
cut holes through the floor ant
put t1amethrowers there. Still tha
didn't end the resistance. The las
resort was simply to put $50 pound
Of explosive in the center OF tn,
floor"
Needless to add, the Nazi garri
son is still there.
This type of fighting, often Will
only a single wall separating the
enemies, produced verbal exchange.
almost as savage as the battles.
Russ Kaput' was the tauntine
Nazi cry during the early weeks
Cold, hunger and encirclement al.
tered the challenge.
I'll trade a rife for fur cap.
a German once shouted.
Make it a. tank and we'll talk
business, the euardsmen shouted
back.
Another Nazi offered to exchange
tommy gun.
III keep the hat and get youl
tommy gun anyway" Soviet fight
er answered.
In the latter stages when hunger
became the major problem for the
! encircled Nazis. the Soviet fighters
who were receiving two hot meal,
daily. found grim entertainment ir
hoisting a loaf of bread on a bayonet
while the enraged Nazis shot it tc
bits.
For this type Of fighting the So
Wet command evolved storm groups
ranging from to 30 men, includ-
ing infantry. tommy gunners, sap
pers and anti-tank rifiemen equip
ped with payonets. hand grenades
flamethrowers and long, murderous-
looking anti-tank guns.
To deal with enemy tanks the So
Wet fighters developed a strategy
requiring the coolest kind of nerves
The tanke were simply permitted to
make their way through the Soviet
lines when necessary The infan-
try. which normally followed theln
was cut off and destroyed by tommy
gunners while tank specialists went
to work
The Germans early learned the
imposHbility of maneuvering the