Operation Hannover or Operation Hanover (sources vary) was a German operation in April–June 1942 aimed at eliminating Soviet partisans, airborne troops and encircling Red Army soldiers near Vyazma ( Smolensk Oblast). The operation was a complete success for the Germans.

Background

Soviet partisans had been disrupting the rear of Army Group Center (and the German 4th Army in particular). In January 1942, they were strengthened by Soviet Airborne Troops (the Vyazma airborne desant operation, part of the Battles of Rzhev).Christopher Chant, ''The encyclopedia of codenames of World War II'', Routledge, 1986,
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The Soviets hoped that the airborne troops and the partisans would be able to secure territory and disrupt the German logistics long enough for the Soviet offensive to reach them. However, the Red Army offensive involving the 33rd Army and the

1st Guards Cavalry Corps 1st Guards Cavalry Zhytomyr Red Banner Corps (Russian: 1-й гвардейский кавалерийский Житомирский Краснознаменный корпус) was a military unit of the Soviet Red Army which was renamed from ...

failed to advance far enough and the Germans were able to concentrate on destroying Soviet troops in the rear. German forces from the 4th Army and the

4th Panzer Army The 4th Panzer Army (german: 4. Panzerarmee) (operating as Panzer Group 4 (german: 4. Panzergruppe) from its formation on 15 February 1941 to 1 January 1942, when it was redesignated as a full army) was a German panzer formation during World War ...

, having stopped the Soviet offensive, engaged airborne troops and partisans. These airborne troops and partisans fought a conventional battle with German forces and sustained a major defeat.Gerhard L. Weinberg, ''A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II'', Cambridge University Press, 1995,
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/ref> The partisan forces in the area were so thoroughly decimated that the Soviets were unable to recreate any significant partisan activity in this region for the remainder of the war. Operation Hannover is seen as the most successful German anti-partisan operation ever; this is attributed primarily to the fact that the partisans decided to challenge the German forces in open battle. At the same time, Operation Hannover II, near Moscow, resulted in the elimination of encircled Red Army troops (the 39th Army and the 11th Cavalry Corps).

Background

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Further reading