When I was stationed in Germany in the early 70s we were given briefings by Bundeswier officers who were veterans of the WW2 eastern front. They tried to impress on us that winters in Russia was a whole different magnitude of cold, and misery from what we would encounter elsewhere. He said you could hear trees and rocks exploding in the coldest nights, from the little bit of moisture in them freezing, that you could die from not using the exact correct proceduers for going to the bathroom, weapons cleaning, etc. stuff the Russians had lived with all their lifes, but the Germans had to learn as they encountered them, because they hadn't encountered them before.
Maybe they thought they were true winter fighters after Norway, but it's evident they weren't prepared for the winter they encountered in Russia.
Maybe they thought they were true winter fighters after Norway, but it's evident they weren't prepared for the winter they encountered in Russia.