Operation Ruderboot

rowing boat

'Ruderboot' was a German operational study, in succession to 'Gleitboot', for the withdrawal of Axis forces from the main area of the Crimean peninsula into the western fortress area of Sevastopol (November 1943).

The operation was undertaken from 10 April 1944 after the issue of the codeword 'Adler' to Generalleutnant Dr Fritz Franek’s 73rd Division, Generalleutnant Alfred Reinhardt’s (from 11 April Generalmajor Otto Schiel’s) 98th Division, General de brigadâ Leonard Mociulschi’s Romanian 3rd Mountain Division and Colonel Corneliu Teodorini’s Romanian 6th Cavalry Division of General Karl Allmendinger’s V Corps within Generaloberst Erwin Jaenecke’s 17th Army.