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Hello,

I hope you can advise me, please.

My second novel touches on the Italian troops leaving Italy by train in early September 1942 for Russia.

In my story, trains from all over italy arrive at Bolzano train station (part of the Brenner Pass going north).

I want to know if these troops went into Germany first before cutting through to the Ukraine border and then heading out onto the Russian Steppes.

In other words – what was the route to Russia?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you

Jacqueline Falcomer

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Dear Ms Falcomer,

As described in the attached history of the expedition, after formationon July 10, 1941, the ground forces making up the Corpo Spedizione Italiano in Russia (CSIR) departed in 225 trains from Rome and Verona. From there they de-trained at Borsa (Brasso) in the Hungarian-controlled part of Transylvania on July 26, then moved on to three assembly areas in Romania: Sucaeva for the 9th Motorized Division Pasubio, Campulung for the 3rd Cavalry Dviision Celere/PADA, and Felticeni for the 52nd motorized Division Torino. During this movement the commander, General Francesco Zingales, was hospitalized in Vienna and replaced by General Giovanni Messe. On August 5 the corps was declared fully assembled for deployment, attached to the German Eleventh Army under General Eugen Ritter von Schbert, and moved into Ukraine toward the Bug and Dniepr rivers to commence combat operations.

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Sincerely,

 

Jon Guttman
Research Director
World History
www.historynet.com

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