Operation Gneisenau-Linie

Gneisenau Line

The 'Gneisenau-Linie' was the German alternative designation for the 'Grüne-Linie' positions in the extreme south of the Eastern Front (March/April 1944).

This defensive line in Crimea extended in a large semi-circle, centred on Sevastopol, from Evpatoriya on the west coast to Alushta on the south coast, and included Simferopol and Yalta. The area inside the 'Gneisenau-Linie' was held by Generaloberst Ferdinand Schörner’s (from 31 March 1944 Generaloberst Erwin Jaenecke’s) 17th Army during the German rearguard action and subsequent evacuation of Crimea after the defences of the line had been easily swept aside by the 'Crimean Strategic Offensive Operation'.