About the book: 2017 / This “cauldron” became the first long-term encirclement of the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front. All Nazis who survived this battle were awarded a special insignia - the “Kholm Shield”, and General Scherer, who commanded the defense, was awarded the Knight's Cross. However, the Germans had to pay an exorbitant price for the Hill, suffering heavy losses in infantry, paratroopers, and aviation. How did the Red Army manage to cut off the enemy group and repel the first attempts to unblock the “cauldron”? What allowed the “Scherer battle group” to survive for 105 days in complete encirclement, receiving supplies only by air (after the loss of the only airfield, German landing gliders had to land directly on city streets, and the bread ration was reduced to 300 grams per day)? How was the enemy able to break through the encirclement and why did the Red Army fail to “trample” the Kholm “cauldron”? This book is the first domestic study of one of the most fierce battles of 1942, based on archival documents from both sides and combat logs.