In the frozen hell of the Russian winter of 1941, the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Fallschirmjäger Regiment fought a valiant battle, in temperatures reaching -40 degrees, against overwhelming odds. A part of the the 3rd Fallschirmjager Regiment, FJR3, 7th Flieger Division, commanded by General Student, the paratroopers were dispatched to defend parts of the River Neva and repulse any Russian attempts at creating a bridgehead.
Outnumbered and outgunned, these elite soldiers, used in battalion-sized units in a fire-fighting role, endured horrific weather and unspeakable living conditions with some elements suffering up to 75% casualties. Yet they never faltered in their mission, and their bravery and dedication helped to stem the Soviet advance.
