FIELD RESEARCH IN KIESTINKI

 

Our "Spiess" has made several trips to Russia to research old battlesites where SS-Gebirgsjäger of "Nord" once fought.
Most of these areas were off-limits to local people - not to mention tourists - during the Cold War years,
and only recently access to these placeshas been possible.

Map of the area. Military roads constructed by "Nord" pioneers - Edelweiss-Pfad, Schreiber-Weg, May-Weg and Strasse der Gebirgsjäger - are visible
as well as front line and biggest lakes of the area. The map is not 100% accurate but close enough.

Road sign "Kestenga" (Kiestinki in Russian)

Bunker from Werchneje-tschjorne-See (Ylä-Mustajärvi in Finnish) Stützpunkt

Russian helmet found near the bunker

German helmet found from a trench in front of the same bunker

Another German helmet. Undergrowth has grown very thick since the war. Mosquito net was a must

Pile of Russian helmets collected from the near vicinity

German Tellermine M35 found beside the road leading away from the bunker. The mine had all TNT and fuses still in place

Russian helmet and US made mortar shell. The shell had not esploded due to the fact that it still had its safety pin on.
Most probably that batch of lend-lease ammo did not contain instructions?

Some soldiers still lie in the forest. Vasili and Vanja occupy their foxhole 60+ years after their battle was over

Helmets containing the remains of the fallen soldiers

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