Background
After defending the Narva bridgehead for six months, the German forces fell back to the Tannenberg Line at the hills of Sinimäed (Russian: Синие горы) on 26 July 1944. The three hills are running east to west. The eastern hill was known to Estonians as the Lastekodumägi, Kinderheimhöhe in German (Orphanage Hill), the central hill was the Grenaderimägi or Grenadierhöhe (Grenadier Hill) and the westernmost as the Tornimägi or 69.9 Höhe (Tower Hill, also known in German as Liebhöhe or Love Hill). The hills are less than imposing and resemble gently sloping mounds rather than defensible heights. On the hills, the formations of Gruppenführer Felix Steiner's III SS (Germanic) Panzer Corps halted their withdrawal and fell into defensive positions. The 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland started digging in on the left (north) flank of the Tannenberg Line, units of the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) in the centre, and the 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland on the right (south) flank. Another front section manned by the East Prussians of the 11th Infantry Division was situated a few kilometres further south, against the 8th Army in the Krivasoo bridgehead.
The Soviet Marshall Leonid Govorov considered Tannenberg Line as the key position of the Army Group North and concentrated the best forces of the Leningrad Front. Additional 122nd, 124th Rifle Corps and divisions from 117th Rifle Corps were subordinated to General Ivan Fedyuninsky commanding the 2nd Shock Army. The goal set by the War Council of the 2nd Shock Army was to break through the defence line of the III SS Panzer Corps at the Lastekodumägi, force their way to the town of Jõhvi in the west and reach the Kunda River by 1 August. To accomplish this, Govorov ordered to destroy the connections behind the German forces, committing air assaults on the railway stations of Jõhvi and Tapa on 26 July.
Read more about this topic: Battle Of Tannenberg Line
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