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80 m / 262 ft

143 m / 468 ft

73 m / 239 ft

73.5 m / 241 ft

68 m / 223 ft

60 m / 196 ft

67 m / 219 ft

92.5 m / 303 ft

German Super­yachts for the 22 nd century

“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight and no vision.” Helen Keller

Changing the formula

Known for pushing the boundaries and for not being a mass builder, NOBISKRUG enters a new era in superyacht construction by building luxury yachts now that will last for generations to come. Every superyacht built under NOBISKRUG brand embodies the unique vision of the owner combined with innovative ideas and advanced technology.

It all starts with your dream.

The dream of something completely new. Something impossible. Of a ship that breaks with all conventions. That is unique and not mass-produced. We make your dreams come true. Together, we set off to new shores. To set new international standards. And to transcend the boundaries of imagination.

Our mission

“Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible.” M. C. Escher

The dream becomes a vision.

It all starts with a blank sheet of paper. Anything is possible. Nothing is a given. Your vision inspires us, as well as internationally renowned designers. Slowly, the idea grows. The idea of a timeless, extraordinary superyacht.

Your vision takes shape.

You need a strong and experienced partner to make your dream come true. Our best engineers, designers and production specialists will help you get there. From steel construction to equipment - together with the experts from our network, you will receive the best of all solutions.

Our Engineering

“Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind.” Johannes Brahms

Doing the unexpected.

Those who pursue extraordinary goals must take revolutionary measures. We have been involved in shipbuilding since before the term superyacht was even coined. Drawing upon our extensive experience in building seagoing vessels, we turned to luxury yacht building and pave the way with innovative materials and sustainable technologies. This is what drives us to look ahead, into the next century. What we create together with you today will set standards for decades to come.

Innovation at NOBISKRUG

Everything under one roof.

Motivated and committed, our experienced team works together to bring your vision to life. From hull to superstructure, from bow to stern. With heart and soul and a wealth of ideas. All this takes place under one roof in our high-tech industrial facilities in northern Germany: “Made in Germany”.

A new gem is born.

Your superyacht is ready to conquer the oceans. Like every one of our ships, it will set new standards for NOBISKRUG and the entire superyacht industry. Every farewell fills us with pride and melancholy. For us, it is not only the awards that count. Our greatest reward is that you love your superyacht as much as we do and therefore, we commit ourselves to ensure the best support after delivery.

Where visions become reality.

Latest news.

Where we are

Nobiskrug yachts gmbh.

Kieler Strasse 53 24768 Rendsburg

+49 4331 207 0 info(at)nobiskrug.com

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Of sustainable innovative solar yachting.

Sunreef Yachts is the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of luxury sailing and power multihulls.

Each catamaran, motor yacht, and superyacht built is a bespoke creation. Every yacht is a vision brought to life, thoughtfully designed to deliver luxury, style and comfort.

EXPLORE OUR CATAMARANS

Sailing yachts, power yachts, superyachts, with a  360°  approach.

to eco cruising, they offer cutting-edge electric propulsion , naturally-sourced sustainable materials, smart energy management and new technologies including a patent-pending solar skin produced in-house.

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Renewable energy on yachts, energy efficiency on yachts, sustainable finishing materials.

Equipped with the world’s first and only composite-integrated solar panel system and using the industry’s lightest batteries, the Sunreef Yachts Eco catamarans provide the best of autonomy and energy efficiency for environmentally-conscious luxury cruising.

The Sunreef Yachts Eco harvest power from the sun more efficiently than most solar catamarans. First in the world In-house pattented designed and manufactured by the shipyard, Sunreef Yachts’ solar panels are fully-integrated with the composite bodywork, vastly increasing the amount of solar power generated.

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Two-time Formula 1® World Champion Fernando Alonso commissioned a custom 60 Sunreef Power Eco catamaran with Sunreef Yachts.

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An unstoppable and passionate adventurer, Mike Horn has accomplished a series of groundbreaking expeditions including a legendary solo journey around the equator without motorized transport

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Top 10 luxury yacht builders 2023

The design and build of a luxury yacht is a truly personal experience. Whether customising a design to be built, or striving to create a completely new concept altogether, superyacht owners will seek to work with a yacht builder that truly understands their vision, and can translate their dream design into a real vessel.

As Royal Huisman proudly state, “If you can dream it, we can build it!”

Those buying a new superyacht will therefore have many questions to ask themselves before settling on a suitable yacht builder and shipyard facility to carry out the project. Thankfully for these prospective owners, there are a number of luxury superyacht brands that have the ability to turn the biggest mega yacht dreams into reality.

Yachting Pages lists the world’s top luxury superyacht builders and their shipyard facilities , from A to Z, identifying some of the best superyachts in the world along the way.

Best luxury superyacht builders

1.  amels, netherlands.

Located in Vlissingen, Amels operates the largest superyacht boatyard in the Netherlands, and is known to be one of the best superyacht builders in the world.

Amels has been operating for over 100 years and offers both Full Custom and Limited Editions, ranging from 55 to 83 metres (180 to 272 feet) LOA. Built on a proven platform and delivered in half the time expected of standard construction superyachts, all 20+ Limited Editions projects have so far been delivered on or ahead of contract, with 55-metre (180-foot) Galene among the most recent to emerge from the yard. With several new projects currently under construction, Amels is likely to be among the top superyacht shipyards for many years to come.

2. Benetti, Italy

Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Viareggio, Benetti is the world’s largest builder of superyachts by number built, with a production capacity of 100 units per year.

Most famous for building Sir Philip Green’s 90-metre (295-foot) Lionheart in 2016, 2019 was its breakthrough year with its first 100-metre+ (328-foot+) deliveries of Lana, Luminosity and IJE. This gave Benetti 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th spots on the Top 10 Largest Superyachts Delivered in 2019 . Luminosity is widely believed to be valued in excess of €200,000,000 and is listed with Fraser and Burgess (as of November 2020).

3. Feadship, Netherlands

The home of full-custom superyachts, Feadship is one of the few shipyards worldwide that works to create completely custom yachts. It has worked with superyacht owners since the 19 th century to create one-off luxury motor yachts that are truly unique.

Feadship currently has four shipyard facilities in the Netherlands, with expansion underway at its Amsterdam facility in Western Harbour to offer the ability to build motor yachts as long as 160 metres (525 feet). To date, there are over 250 Feadship yachts in navigation, including 99-metre (324-foot) Madame Gu, 99.95 (327-foot) Moonrise, 101-metre (333-foot) Symphony and 110-metre (361-foot) Anna.

4. Fincantieri Yachts, Italy

Fincantieri Yachts specialises in full-custom luxury pleasure yachts over 70 metres (230 feet) with no upper limit to the size or volume that it can produce. The builder currently has a range of concepts and projects, including 70-metre (230-foot) superyacht Blanche.

Having manufactured in excess of 7,000 vessels in its 230-year history, Fincantieri has a network of 18 shipyards across four continents, two design centres and a research centre, making it one of the largest Western shipyards in the world.

5. Heesen Yachts, Netherlands

Heesen Yachts is known as one of the world’s luxury yacht builders, specialising in custom superyachts in the 30- to 65-metre (98- to 213-foot) range, but with the additional capability of building vessels of 80 metres (262 feet) and above.

With a focus on quality and innovation, Heesen has created many custom yachts with no two yachts the same. Founded in 1978, it was the first Dutch shipyard to employ aluminium for yacht hulls. In its 42 years, it has delivered more than 170 yachts, with aluminium, steel, displacement, semi-displacement and revolutionary fast displacement yachts making up its fleet. Its most famous vessels include the 65-metre (213-foot) Galatica Star, 70-metre (230-foot) Galatica Super Nova and 55-metre (180-foot) Serenity.

6. Lürssen, Germany

Based in Germany, Lürssen is one of the world's leading shipyards for large luxury yacht building, with a focus on excellence in custom-built superyachts. A family-owned shipyard for four generations, it can claim the accolade of building the world’s first motor yacht back in 1886.

Responsible for building more than 13,000 vessels since 1875, Lürssen currently has eight shipyard facilities in Northern Germany, each specialising in a specific size of yacht ranging from 60 to 220 metres (197 to 722 feet) in length. Together these facilities offer 1,125,000 metres squared of space for new builds, as well as refit, repair and maintenance services.

Lürssen builds some of the largest luxury yachts in the world, including the iconic Azzam, the world’s current largest superyacht at 180 metres (590 feet) LOA.

7. Nobiskrug, Germany

Having just celebrated its 115 th anniversary, Nobiskrug began shipbuilding long before the term ‘superyacht’ was even coined. Drawing on its extensive experience in seagoing vessels, the shipyard turned to yacht building in 2000 with the completion of its inaugural superyacht project, the 92-metre (302-foot) Tatoosh. It has since delivered an impressive portfolio of innovative custom-built superyachts, pledging to work on a single project for a single client to build superyachts ready for the 22 nd century. A big statement of intent.

With two facilities in Northern Germany, the boatyard can currently build vessels ranging from 60 to 426 metres (197 to 1398 feet) in length. Over 1000 in-house employees work across the two sites, where they have developed and built numerous award-winning superyachts, including one of the industry’s most talked about vessels, 142-metre (466-foot) Sailing Yacht A.

2020 saw the launch of 80-metre (262-foot) Artefact. At 2,999 GT, Artefact is now the largest 80-metre superyacht by volume in the world and is one of the world’s first superyachts to meet IMO Tier III emissions regulations.

8. Oceanco, Netherlands

Oceanco specialises in building sophisticated custom yachts ranging from 80 to 140 metres (262 to 459 feet) in length. Offering a highly personal service to clients, Oceanco is positioned with state-of-the-art yacht building facilities in the Netherlands, and a design, sales and marketing office in Monaco.

The builder celebrated its first launch in 1992, and almost 30 years later its portfolio now includes well-known superyachts such as the 95-metre (311-foot) Indian Empress, 82-metre (269-foot) Alfa Nero, 88.5-metre (290-foot) Nirvana and 91.5-metre (300-foot) Equanimity.

9. Perini Navi, Italy

The Perini Navi Group is made up of four independent companies that operate in five specific markets: sailing yachts up to 60 metres (197 feet), large sailing yachts more than 60 metres, racing sailing yachts, fast cruising sailing yachts and Picchiotti motor yachts.

To date, the group has launched 58 sailing yachts and four motor yachts. Its track record for innovative sailing yachts has seen it set the standard for excellence in the sector, launching more yachts over 50 metres (164 feet) than any other builder. It's responsible for the iconic 88-metre (288-foot) three-masted schooner Maltese Falcon, which currently holds the title of the sixth largest sailing yacht in the world, and other award-winning sailing yachts, such as the 73-metre (239-foot) Nautilus, 70-metre (229-foot) Badis I and 64-metre (210-foot) Spirit Of The C’s.

10. Royal Huisman, Netherlands

Established in 1884, Royal Huisman is the only shipyard with two entries in the top 10 largest sailing yachts ever built. The 2020 launch of 81-metre (266-foot) Sea Eagle II was its tenth sailing yacht over 50 metres (164 feet) and its biggest yacht since 90-metre (295-foot) Athena in 2004, which was then the largest sailing yacht in the world. Despite being renowned for its luxury performance sailing yachts, Royal Huisman’s largest delivery in 2021 is expected to be “Project 403 PHI”, a featherweight 55-metre (180-foot)+ aluminium motor yacht under 500GT.

Discover how to choose your luxury yacht builder or alternatively  search for superyacht shipyards .

Tried & Tested

A jacket completes any crew member's uniform so it's an important garment to get right. In this Tried & Tested, Sea Design pits eight popular jackets against one another to determine which one is best for superyacht crew in 2023.

iAQUA creates high-performance, technologically advanced underwater scooters. In this Tried & Tested, a team of experienced testers have rated and reviewed the AquaDart Pro and AquaDart Nano series to reveal the stand-out iAQUA sea scooter.

In our 2022 Tried & Tested, yacht toy specialist EAMS and a group of captains and crew review a selection of the very best luxury water toys on the market. Find out which toy was crowned the winner...

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About yachtwerk.

Yachtwerk is primarily focused on customer satisfaction. We understand that every yacht owner has unique emotions and expectations towards their yacht. Our experienced team, along with our network of partners and technical service locations in Germany, Croatia, and Italy, is dedicated to providing our customers with customized, reliable, and high-quality end-to-end yacht sales and after-sales solutions, as well as associated customer care services.

Through close collaboration with renowned manufacturers and experienced experts, Yachtwerk can offer every customer the perfect dream yacht. The Azimut|Benetti group has chosen Yachtwerk as the official dealer for Germany and Austria.

Azimut stands for luxury, design, performance, and Italian excellence

Benetti represents quality, luxury, and Italian excellence since 1873

Alva Yachts is the leading manufacturer of electric luxury catamarans

Tyde is a German luxury yacht manufacturer aiming to disrupt the luxury leisure world, a radical change for good. With innovative, ground-breaking technology.

NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS

On march 2nd, 2024 yachtwerk did open their azimut yachts showroom at the motorworld munich location.

Dear customers, partners and yachting friends, on March 2nd, 2024 we opened our shared experience showroom at Motorworld Munich with our new cooperation partner, Dörr Group.

Motorworld Munich Am Ausbesserungswerk 8 80939 Munich GERMANY

We look forward to your visit with your advance appointment arrangement.

sincerely, Your YACHTWERK team

Ernst Nassl Tel. +49 (0)175 6428531

“INWATER” Boat show May 10th, 2024 Marina Mandallina – SIBENIK/Croatia

Azimut sunset cocktail.

We celebrate the 10year anniversary of our partner company Splendid Yachting, Croatia .

Secure your spot for the Skipper Experience 2024 !

On Friday, May 10th we will present you a variety of actual Azimut Yachts in a stunning “INWATER” show.

Boats on Display: – Azimut Grande 27 – Azimut Fly 78 – Azimut Fly 72 – Azimut Fly 68 – Azimut Fly 60 – Azimut Fly 53

Boot 2024 Düsseldorf

January 20th – january 28th, 2024.

Visit us at the world largest Boat and Watersports show, the Boot 2024 in Düsseldorf. With Azimut Yachts we are presenting their actual Models,

Fly 53 Fly 68 Fly 78 Magellano 60 (Germany premiere) S7

Pls. contact us for yachts pre-informations and your personal viewing appointment.

CANNES YACHTING FESTIVAL

12th – 17th september 2023.

Yachts on display,

Azimut Fly 53, Azimut Fly 60, Azimut Fly 68, Azimut Fly 72, Azimut Fly 78, Azimut S7, Azimut S8, Azimut Grande 26 and World Premiere Magellano 60.

Azimut Seadeck Series

Azimut presents the new Seadeck Series. The Seadeck 6, 7 and 9 models, equipped with the latest environmental technologies, will be launched from 2024.

Azimut Magellano 60

Introducing the new Magellano 60 Crossover Yacht. It will be the new entry-level model for a series that will also include the improved Magellano 66, the Magellano 25M and the flagship Magellano 30M.

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The Best Luxury Yacht Builders in the World

With prices heading into the billions, it pays to know who's who in the world of luxury yachting.

By Kim Ayling

With each builder claiming to be the best, the world of luxury yachting can be tricky to navigate, even for those who already have a considerable level of expertise. And as the industry continues to rapidly expand , there’s never been a better time to know who’s who within the boat world. From the small-scale boutique builders to the pioneering companies striving for innovation, we’ve narrows down eight of the most renowned luxury yacht builders in the world.

In line with Elite Traveler’s ongoing commitment to responsible luxury, we celebrate the stellar efforts that each of these featured yacht builders have made to reducing the impact of its builds and operations.

From lighter materials and onboard energy solutions, to hybrid motors and marine conservation funding, these luxury yacht builders are not only leading the future of luxury yachting, they’re protecting the oceans too.

[See also: The Best Superyacht Charter Itineraries in the World]

Recognized as a world leader in building pure custom yachts, Feadship has been in pursuit of building the perfect ship since its inception in 1949 – although the brand can trace its roots back another 100 years. With each new ship that Feadship builds, its team employs the most cutting-edge methods and materials available, which when paired with its unpromising attitude toward fulfilling its clients’ desires, promises to deliver some of the most technically advanced yachts in the world – including the recently revealed Project 817 , which has now been delivered as Viva.

Viva remains a groundbreaking yacht build, with Feadship revealing ambitious aims to keep her environmental impact as low as possible. The 308-ft eco-friendly yacht features an advanced hybrid propulsions system that allows the yacht to travel at 12 knots on diesel-electric power. The ship’s hull has been designed with efficiency as a priority to reduce the energy needed to travel through the water.

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The Dutch company has locations throughout The Netherlands, with its headquarters and design and engineering center found in the northern city of Haarlem.

feadship.nl

Dutch yacht building outfit Oceanco was initially founded in 1987 – but it was only in 2002 (when Oceanco found itself in the hands of new owners) that the switch was made to focusing on 260-foot plus superyachts, drawing on old-world Dutch craftsmanship to build the yachts of the future. The award-winning company prides itself on its design-led builds, and in addition to employing its own forward-thinking design team, works with industry-leader designers such as Andrew Winch, Terence Disdale and Sam Sorgiovanni.

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Environmental awareness is core to each Oceanco project, with the aim of not only meeting but surpassing environmental legislation with each build. Even its largest yacht to date – the 394-foot Redentore, which is still under construction – is impressively efficient thanks to her hybrid propulsions system, which keeps fuel consumption to a minimum. Other noteworthy Oceanco’s builds are the striking three-masted Black Pearl , which is powered by a combination of wind power and electric propulsion motors, and one of its latest concepts, Esquel  – an advanced expedition vessel.

oceancoyacht.com

[See also: Twenty for 20: Innovative Yachts of the 21st Century]

Dutch luxury shipbuilder Heesen has received worldwide recognition for its engineering and design prowess since launching in 1978. Heesen proudly pioneers the use of aluminum, which is widely regarded as the premium yacht-building material thanks to its lightness owing to better efficiency. As well as full custom builds, Heesen offers a platform concept that features semi-custom yachts already under construction in order to dramatically cut down delivery waits, without compromising on quality.

One of Heesen’s most notable yachts is Alive, which was the first to feature the revolutionary Hull Vane technology (underwater foil) for greater efficiency and speed, resulting in up to 30% less fuel consumption than a regular yacht. Other celebrated Heesen’s builds are Home and Electra , delivered in 2017 and 2020 respectively, both of which were in the award-winning 5000 FHDF aluminum hybrid class and came as a result of Heesen’s strive to limit the environmental impact of yachting.

heesenyachts.com

Part of the Azimut-Benetti Group, Benetti Yachts can trace its shipbuilding heritage all the way back to 1873 when the Fratelli Benetti shipyard was founded in the Tuscan city of Viareggio – the center of classic Italian shipbuilding. While much has changed in Benetti’s near 150-year lifetime, its focus on building state-of-the-art yachts to impeccably high standards has not, cementing its status as one of the best luxury yacht builders in the world.

As concerns on the environmental impact of private yachts have grown over time, Benetti has adapted its methods accordingly, utilizing hybrid technology to ensure its ships are at the forefront of sustainability. For example, when the Luminosity was first delivered in 2019 she was hailed as one of the greenest superyachts on the sea. The 352-foot yacht features advanced diesel-electric hybrid power, with her powerful battery providing up to 12 silent and emission-free hours at anchor.

Of course, sustainability doesn’t come at the cost of style: the Luminosity features a stunningly designed interior courtesy of Zaniz Jakubowski, with full-length windows drawing the outside in, and tasteful nods to contemporary artists creating a true home away from home.

benettiyachts.it

[See also: Superyacht Builders Heesen on Impacts of Covid-19 Pandemic]

Europe rules the roost when it comes to the top yacht builders in the world – the fifth in our list hails from Germany, with eight yards dotted throughout the country including main sites in Bremen, Hamburg and Rensburg. As with most yacht building companies, Lürssen is family run having been first founded in 1870 by Friedrick Lürssen. Since then the company has developed an esteemed reputation as one of the best in the world, breaking many records along the way, including the longest yacht in the world with Azza in 2015, which measures 592 feet, and Flying Fox which is the largest superyacht available for charter.

Lürssen’s latest superyacht is the sizeable 465.5-foot Nord (previously called Project Opus). Nord transcends the typical design of a superyacht thanks to the work of Italian design studio Nuvolari-Lenard, which was responsible for the yacht’s striking interior and exterior.

As is becoming standard for leading yacht builders, Lürssen is acutely aware of the negative environmental impact of both building and owning yachts. It is taking appropriate action to help mitigate this damage, including providing significant funding to marine life charities and conservation projects and implementing pioneering technologies such as onboard compact silencers and hybrid motor concepts.

lurssen.com

Royal Huisman

With a history that dates back to 1884, Dutch shipyard Royal Huisman proudly stakes a claim as one of the oldest yacht builders in the world. While the company was originally founded to build modest wooden fishing boats, its operations have deftly grown with the times, and Royal Huisman is now responsible for some of the finest and most luxurious yachts cruising the ocean today.

Although best known for its stunning sailing yachts ( Sea Eagle II, Ethereal  and  Aquarius  are particular knock-outs) Royal Huisman has also successfully branched out into the world of motor yachts. Its most recent build is the 192-ft Phi,  which was delivered in 2021. This super-slick aluminum yacht has space for up to 12 guests and since her maiden voyage, has been seen cruising on the Thames through London’s financial district. An apt setting for a yacht of this caliber.

royalhuisman.com

Damen Yachting

Damen Yachting, which falls under the umbrella of the wider Damen Shipyards Group, is another Dutch yacht builder dominating the world stage. Operating as Damen’s building division, Damen Yachting was only formed in its existing state in 2019 and is now responsible for the building of the famous Amels yachts, as well as the SeaXplorer expedition ships and yacht support vessels. Since moving its Amels building operations to Vlissingen in 2003, Damen Shipyards proudly boasts the largest superyacht facility in the Netherlands.

As a company of this magnitude, Damen Yachting naturally has some impressive builds under its belt, including the newest in the Limited Editions semi-custom range: the Amels 60 . Currently under construction with an estimated delivery of 2022, the 197-foot Amels 60  uses a fuel-efficient hybrid propulsions system to slash emissions, cut noise pollution and minimize fuel and maintenance costs.

damenyachting.com

Italian-born Sanlorenzo is continuously regarded as being among the best in class when it comes to yacht builders and has been the recipient of numerous awards in its near-65 year lifetime. Despite Sanlorenzo’s longevity and established status, it remains a truly boutique luxury yacht builder at heart. To ensure the attention to detail and high quality for which it is famous for, as well as securing exclusivity for its clients, Sanlorenzo is committed to working with a limited number of customers each year.

In true Italian style, the superyachts that leave Sanlorenzo’s main La Spezia shipyard transcend trends; instead, they exude classic style and authentic craftsmanship. Combined, this guarantees a truly timeless finish – of which the current flagship Attila is a perfect example. Sanlorenzo specializes in fiberglass, steel and aluminum, ensuring that each owner can select a material to befit their needs.

sanlorenzoyacht.com

Despite dating back over a hundred years, German luxury yacht builder Nobiskrug always has one eye on the future with a steadfast commitment to innovation. Nobiskrug offers fully custom yacht builds, working directly with owners to fulfill their unique vision, as well as working on ship refits. The company operates out of world-class yacht-building facilities in the city of Rendsburg, which include a climate-controlled superyacht hall.

The need to strive for innovation extends to Nobiskrug’s environmental commitments, where it applies advanced technologies in order to limit the impact of its builds. For example, Artefact – which was first delivered in 2020 – was one of the first superyachts to be built in line with the IMO Tier III regulations (which focus on reducing emissions). Artefact uses onboard solar panels and a battery storage system to allow for a limited period of engineless operation, as well as adopting a waste-water recycling system.

nobiskrug.com

[See also: Discovering the World’s Most Exciting Superyacht Concepts]

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Creating your own personal yacht is a matter of trust. That’s why we take our time to get to know you and your personal needs, wishes and interests. Only then can we win your trust – and make your dreams come true. Whether you are a new owner or an experienced yachtsman, whether your ideal ship is a mid-sized yacht, superyacht or gigayacht, you can rely on Lürssen for in-depth yachtbuilding knowledge combined with state-of-the-art German engineering. As a family-owned and -operated company with four generations of experience in shipbuilding and a highly qualified staff of technicians and engineers, yachts are our life.

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Young Designer of the Year is a category of Boat International’s Design Awards.

The big picture: 3D modelling

As the design of your custom-built yacht takes shape, we use sophisticated 3D-rendering software to create realist scale images of your vessel. This enables you to fully visualize the final results, compare proportions and imagine further details. After viewing the design in all three dimensions, you can proceed with confidence to the next stages of your project – you’ve seen it with your own eyes.

Your inner world: Interior

With far fewer technical constraints and a world of practical and aesthetic possibilities, the interior of your yacht is a highly personalized refuge for you, your family and friends. Here, you can use various materials and decors to create spaces that match the activities and atmospheres you envision – from intimate private suites and luxury spas to elegant and expansive saloons and al-fresco dining areas.

More fun & adventure: Water toys

To get the most from life at sea, you will want to equip your yacht or megayacht with tenders and watersport gear. Here again, the choice of equipment depends entirely on your taste and interests. Options, generally ordered from third-party suppliers, include speedboats, sailboats, jet-skis and scuba diving technology as well as motor scooters for shore trips. Some yachts are even equipped with small submarines.

Time to start construction

Once your design is complete and you are fully satisfied with all plans, the actual construction can start. According to time-honoured custom, a keel laying ceremony marks the beginning of a fascinating journey that ends with the christening of your luxury yacht. You may add details, but the process continues smoothly to delivery – of a vessel like no other in the world, an exclusive work of art as individual as you are.

Ready to enter the fascinating world of yacht design?

We welcome your call

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Founded in 1877

Founded by Hermann Blohm & Ernst Voss

Blohm + Voss

Blohm + Voss is a German shipyard that was founded in 1877 by Hermann Blohm and Ernst Voss. The yard has built some of the most iconic superyachts in the world, including A, DUBAI, ECLIPSE, ENIGMA, LADA MAURA, MV SARARONA, and the World War II battleship Bismark.

In 2016, B+V was purchased by Lurssen Yachts and continues to supply both the military, commercial, and civilian markets.

Yachts built by Blohm + Voss

The Top 10 Finest German Superyachts

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Written by Rebecca Pascoe

1. Mega Yacht AZZAM – this 180m luxury mega yacht was constructed by Lurssen Shipyard in Germany and in 2013 was then the largest luxury yacht in the world. Launched by Lurssen in April 2013 this magnificent vessel featured beautiful, elegant exterior lines, styling by Nauta Yachts and interiors by Christophe Leoni. A world class team was behind this important project to ensure timeless design as well as luxurious and sophisticated accommodation. Azzam has an impressive top speed of 30 knots, what an adventure for those on board!

Luxury mega yacht AZZAM Photo by Klaus Jordan

2. Motor Yacht SOLANDGE – this magnificent 2013 five deck Lurssen motor yacht has a timeless EspenOeino exterior superyacht design and interior designed by Aileen Rodriguez. Her length is 85m, a steel hull and aluminium super structure which is usual for most boats of this size and type. The Solandge motor yacht also has superb interior entertainment spaces along with expansive exterior areas making her well suited as a luxury charter motor yacht. She is available for luxury yacht charters in the Caribbean during the winter and in the Mediterranean during the summer months.

3. Luxury Superyacht TITANIA – the Titania is a 72m, 236.2 feet mega yacht built by the world famous German shipyard Lurssen in 2006. This spectacular luxury superyacht features exterior styling by EspenOino and equally impressive interior design by Zuretti. It’s one of the largest and most distinctive mega charter yachts in the world offering amazing accommodation for up to twelve guests seeking the highest level of comfort and excitement. The Titania spans six decks with outstanding dining features, sun deck with 360 degree views, a massive spa pool, sports bar, theater, gym and all round Wi-Fi.

4. Luxury Superyacht EXCELLENCE V – this superyacht was designed by Raymond Langton Designs and launched by the German company Abeking & Rasmussen in 2012. It boasts a stunning dark blue hull with elegant lines measuring 60m (196,9 ft). She can accommodate up to twelve charter guests in seven deluxe cabins and is available for charter in the Western Mediterranean and the Caribbean. The master suite is forward on the upper deck via a private lobby. It comes complete with a king size center line bed along with his and hers marble en suite facilities – wow!

5. LEANDER G – designed by Kusch Yachts of Germany and built at Peenewerft, the Leander G, 74,98 metres (246 ft), is still one of the most gracious and largest superyachts in the world. She has a traditional, luxury yacht interior and comfortable accommodation for up to twelve charter guests. The Leander G can also carry 22 crew onboard, to ensure everyone enjoys ultimate relaxation. The interior designed by Pauline Nunns, after the style of an English country house, offers a duplex owner suite with a panoramic lounge and seven guest cabins. There’s air conditioning, Wi-Fi connection, Jacuzzis, a gym and lots of water sport toys, everything needed for a great yacht charter vacation.

6. Luxury motor yacht DREAM – this fabulous motor yacht cruises both the Mediterranean and Caribbean waterways depending on the season. Dream was built by the well respected German ship builders, Abeking & Rasmussen . This luxury motor yacht accommodates up to twelve guests in her four king-size cabins and two additional cabins. There are plenty of spectacular onboard features from an internal entertainment area to a state-of-the-art gymnasium, there’s also a sky lounge which converts to a movie theater with excellent surround sound.

7. Yacht OASIS – the luxury superyacht Oasis was launched by the pioneering German shipyard Lurssen in 2006. Guests can expect innovative design features and luxurious details throughout. This fine vessel is available for charter in the Mediterranean Sea in the summer season and the Caribbean during the European winter. Offering accommodation for twelve in a full width master suite and five generous guest bedrooms, there’s no shortage of luxurious and spacious living space.

8. Yacht POLAR STAR – Polar Star is a Lurssen German built superyacht which was launched in 2005. It was designed by EspenOeino with an imposing six levels of interior and exterior deck space. The creative interior designer Pauline Nunn has provided tranquil ambience and sumptuous decadence throughout. The Polar Star also has an ice glass hull that allows access to all of the world’s oceans including some areas in the Arctic and Antarctic. This magnificent vessel is ideal for private yacht charter.

9. TOPAZ – Topaz , another luxury superyacht vessel built by the renowned German shipbuilding company Lurssen , has a length of 147m. She was designed by Tim Heywood and ranks as the fifth largest yacht in the world. There’s luxurious accommodation onboard for up to 64 guests as well as a wide range of awesome features. These include a helicopter landing pad, tender garage, an elevator, swimming platform, Jacuzzis, underwater lights, air conditioning and much more.

Mega yacht Topaz

10. ECLIPSE – this 162.5m superyacht was built by German shipbuilders Blohm & Voss . The Eclipse can accommodate up to 36 guests and a crew of 100. Some of her features include a swimming pool on the main deck aft covered by a glass ceiling and a log burning fire table on the upper aft deck. She has two helicopter pads, 24 guest cabins, 2 swimming pools, several hot tubs and even a disco hall. The Eclipse is also equipped with three launch boats and a mini-submarine which is capable of submerging to 50 metres.

Superyacht Eclipse

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "The Top 10 Finest German Superyachts".

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New yachts from HanseYachts AG

HanseYachts AG is the second-largest sailing yacht builder in the world in terms of the number of series-production sailing yachts built per year. The company is among the top ten manufacturers worldwide of  motorboats . More than 80% of the yachts built are sold for export. It has one of the most state-of-the-art and diverse ranges of yachts for sale, featuring over 40 different models. 

For many sailors and fans of motor yachts , purchasing their own boat is the fulfilment of a lifelong dream. HanseYachts AG allows customers to choose from an almost infinite range of options as they configure the one-of-a-kind yacht of their dreams. One thing all our sailing boats and motor boats have in common is their unmistakeable design and unwavering ‘Engineered in Germany’ seal of quality.

The Moody DS41 wins American award.

German yacht builders: the top 8 brands

Have you ever dreamed of cruising around the German coasts with a yacht? Read this blog post and discover the best German yacht brands.

German yacht

From luxury yachts that span the width of the ocean to stylish sailboats that grace the waters of the Mediterranean, Germany has a long and illustrious history of yacht building.

With centuries of experience, the country is home to some of the most renowned yacht builders in the world.

From renowned international shipyards to smaller family-owned operations, the top 8 German yacht builders have earned their reputation for excellence in design and craftsmanship.

Whether you’re looking for a small sailing boat or a large motor yacht, these German yacht builders have the perfect vessel to fit your needs.

With the latest technology and innovations, you’ll surely find a yacht that will bring you years of enjoyment and adventure.

Top 8 German yacht builders

Hanse Yachts : Known as “the Ferrari of the sea”, Hanse Yachts is one of the top German yacht builders . With exquisite designs and stunning interiors, Hanse’s yachts have been at the forefront of the industry for over 40 years.

Bavaria Yachts – Bavaria Yachts is Germany’s leading builder of sports and sailing yachts. With a wide range of yachts to choose from, Bavaria has the option to fit every boating need.

Privilege Yachts – Privilege Yachts specializes in the construction of high-performance sailing yachts. With an emphasis on technology and elegance, Privilege yachts are built to perform.

Allures Yachting – Allures Yachting was created as a joint venture between two renowned German yacht builders: Lürssen Yachts and Blohm+Voss Yachts.

Nautitech – Nautitech is one of the top German yacht builders.Founded in 2013, this company has built a reputation for high-quality yachts.

Wauquiez – Wauquiez is a family-owned German yacht builder founded in 1972. With an emphasis on quality, Wauquiez has built a reputation for durable, long-lasting yachts.

Varianta Yachts – With over 30 years of experience, Varianta Yachts is one of the top German yacht builders. Working with all types of yachts, this shipyard offers a wide selection for every boating need.

Benefits of purchasing a German-built yacht

– High Quality – German yachts are known for their quality and durability. The shipyards use the best materials available and employ experienced craftsmen, so you can be sure that your yacht will last for years.

– Advanced Technology – German yacht builders are at the forefront of the industry regarding new technology and innovations.

German yachts are designed with the latest technology in mind, so you can be sure that you’re purchasing a yacht at the top of its game for years to come.

– Excellent Service – German yachts are known for their excellent customer service. From the moment you walk into the shipyard to the day you take your yacht out for its first sail, you will be treated to exceptional service and attention to detail.

Common features of German yachts

– German yachts are known for their sleek design, high-quality build and attention to detail.

– Germany’s famous shipbuilding regions, such as the North and Baltic Seas, are home to many top-notch German yacht builders.

– German yachts are equipped with the latest technology and innovations. – Modern design meets traditional craftsmanship in German yachts.

Tips for finding the perfect yacht

– Start your search early! The earlier you begin your search, the better your chance of finding the perfect yacht for your needs. – Consider your budget.

Before you begin your search, know what your budget is so you can narrow down your options. – Visit a shipyard. Once you know what type of yacht you’re looking for, it’s time to visit a shipyard.

– Test Drive a Yacht – Once you’ve narrowed your options, it’s time to test drive a yacht. This will help you decide which yacht is right for you.

– Hire a Broker – Don’t try to do this alone. Working with a broker will make the process much easier. – Read Reviews – Always read reviews before making a decision.

This will help you avoid scams and fake brokers. – Don’t rush. Rushing through the decision will only lead you to regret.

There is nothing quite like owning a yacht and enjoying the open water. The best way to find the perfect yacht is to research and narrow your options.

While there are many yacht builders worldwide, German yacht builders are the top 8 German yacht builders in the industry and have earned their reputation for excellence in design and craftsmanship.

With the latest technology and innovations, these German yacht builders have the perfect vessel to fit your needs.

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CUSTOM YACHTS. AS INDIVIDUAL AS YOURSELF.

Yyachts manufactures both semi-custom as y7, y8, y9 and custom super yachts specialized up to 35 meters in length.

YYachts has developed an entire custom division of the company specialized in the design and production of unique customized luxury super yachts. Our team of specialists with many years of experience develops fully customized yachts according to the owner’s dreams and wishes. YYachts hulls and superstructures are exclusively in carbon fiber, and we are specialized in up to 35 meters in length, customized and individual sailing yachts made of carbon built in Germany.

Such custom projects often begin with merely a blank sheet of paper and ideas, eventually transforming into a dream yacht completely tailored to its owner.  These custom models are manufactured in YYachts Greifswald Germany, production plant besides semi-custom YYachts of our range Y7, Y8, Y9. Among YYachts custom projects you can find Tripp 90, our latest custom boat, and Eugen Seibold launched in 2018 for the Swiss Werner Siemens Foundation.

Video of new custom sailing boat YC/Tripp 90

YC / Tripp 90 is a carbon fibre sailing yacht and when you go down below on the boat you are immediately hit with the smell of wood and the scent of leather, it is a wonderful environment. This is a boat for sailing with a short crew, with three sailors on board, you can easily go sailing around the world. 

The Tripp 90 is a boat to go sail around the world, it is going to be a great adventure where the boat takes off for places unknown, crossing the oceans, discovery islands.

YACHTING WORLD Test review by Toby Hodges

Toby has sailed all his life, from family sailing in various dinghies as a toddler/nipper to racing and teaching during school years. Following University, he crewed large yachts professionally to make some money and see the world before getting an apprenticeship with Yachting Monthly, where he worked his way up to Test Editor over five years. Toby then made the switch to the sister title Yachting World nearly 15 years ago, where he has remained responsible for boat tests and new yacht coverage and the gear and equipment pages, as well as editing the Supersail World and Multihulls supplements and filming most of the yacht tours. He also sits on the European Yacht of the Year jury.

CUSTOM Build Carbon Sailing boat Tripp 90

The latest example of the ability of our Custom Division is YC Tripp 90 a 90-foot-long carbon sloop designed by the American naval architect Bill Tripp. The interiors are outfitted by Winch Design, superyacht design leader based in London. The yacht has been recently launched in May 2021 for an international customer that intends to sail in regattas as well as cruising worldwide. 

On one hand, we have been trying to ensure the best-in-class interiors, with volumes equivalent to 100 footers. On the other hand, avoiding exaggerate lengths, Tripp 90 can perfectly suit with a human dimension, keeping away useless spaces that are difficult to manage and maintain. 

A boat with a lot of value and beautifully finished with great sailing capabilities. It is a boat designed to go sail around the world for long and fast cruises. It is going to be a great adventure where the boat takes off for places unknown, crossing the oceans, discovering islands.

Space for your ideas

Tripp90 - 90 feet of pure smooth sailing

Tripp 90 one-off shapes

90 feet of pure smooth sailing

The ultimate YYachts design

Tripp 90 elegance and technology

Helm's stations

Stearing wheel detail

Interior Pictures Tripp 90

YC/Tripp 90 Master Cabin

YC/Tripp 90 Owner's suite hallway

YC/Tripp 90 Lounge area

YC/Tripp 90 lounge

YC/Tripp 90 Dining area

YC/Tripp 90 Panoramic view dining area

YC/Tripp 90 living area panoramic view

YC/Tripp 90 living room cabinet

YC/Tripp 90 living room

YC/Tripp 90 Galley

YC/Tripp 90 VIP cabin

YC/Tripp 90 hallway view

YC/Tripp 90 Bed detail

YC/Tripp 90 moving towards the owner's area

YC/Tripp 90 Master cabin detail

YC/Tripp 90 wood handles detail

YC/Tripp 90 hallway

YC/Tripp 90 door detail

YC/Tripp 90 window detail

YC/Tripp 90 Staircase panoramic view

YC/Tripp 90 sofa detail

YC/Tripp 90 Leather detail

YC/Tripp 90 Guest cabin

YC/Tripp 90 Guest Bathroom

YC/Tripp 90 Master bedroom panoramic view

YC/Tripp 90 Staircase detail

YC/Tripp 90 dining sofa detail

YC/Tripp 90 handrail detail

YC/Tripp 90 Steps detail

YC/Tripp 90 dining area side view

YC/Tripp 90 Staircase and Companionway

YC/Tripp 90 Cassina Design

YC/Tripp 90 lounge handrail detail

YC/Tripp 90 Master stateroom essences

YC/Tripp 90 lounge side view

YC/Tripp 90 Master bathroom

YC/Tripp 90 lounge detail

YC/Tripp 90 Detail

YC/Tripp 90 Staircase

YC/Tripp 90 Master stateroom detail

Luxurious Master bathroom

Master stateroom, pure combination of excellence

Launch Video of custom sailing boat YC / Tripp 90

Technical specifications tripp 90.

LOA 29.77 m

BEAM 6.80 m

DRAFT 2.81 to 4.64 m

DISPLACEMENT 55.76 t

BALLAST 20.00 t

Sail Area Tripp 90

MAINSAIL 

NAVAL ARCHITECTS

Interior and Exterior: Winch Design, Tripp Design  

EXCLUSIVE PRIVATE Custom Yacht VIEWING

YYachts experts look forward to meeting you on-site our custom boats and will arrange for you an exclusive private boat viewing. YYacht team is committed to make you discover all the new features and details, so schedule your exclusive Onboard event today and get ready for this memorable tour! 

Be delighted and make your exclusive appointment today to discover YYachts with all her details!

INTERVIEW WITH NAVAL ARCHITECT BILL TRIPP

YYachts has managed to produce a yacht that can be sailed safely with impressive sailing characteristics, high speed potential and yet simple operation. 

What about the new Tripp 90?

Hi, I am Bill Tripp, the designer of the new 90 that is just launched by Michael Schmidt Yachtbau. I am really happy to have helped arranged the building of this boat with this yard it has been a great collaboration. The new boat here I think is really a new goal that other people are going to have to try to meet now. A boat with a lot of value and it is really beautifully finished that sails really well so far. I am really excited about what this boat will do with for our client. It is a boat to go sail around the world, it is going to be a great adventure where the boat takes off for places unknown, crossing the oceans, discovery islands. It is going to be a great time for everyone involved and the yard is really step up with this boat, I am really happy to be here.

Sailing the Tripp 90 what is unique?

Really this is a boat for sailing with short crew, I think with three sailors onboard, this is a boat you can take pretty much anywhere. Of course, do watch when you go at sea but I would say with three people you can sail with this boat pretty comfortably with. A boat of this size, we find the biggest trick is getting the boat in and out the dock. We have got thrusters and the boat handles really well. I think the boat as soon as is out of the harbour, the boat really is easy to sail. It is really nice to have a big boat at sea, because the boat will take care of you.

What is your favorite feature on the Tripp 90?

I think the way we have been able to proportion the boat with the yard in term of building the boat out of carbon, putting a lift keel on the boat, with the twin rudders, we are able to get a boat that while it has all the equipment of a true cruising boat it is a boat that will sail really well. In power boats you are always saying are we there yet and in sailboat we are here. I think the enjoyment of the use of the boat will come first.

What was the hardest part on the Tripp 90 project?

I think the hardest part of putting together a project like this is to make the technology invisible, because you want all the technology makes the boat very very usable, but you don’t want to see it. It is like in an I phone, you don’t want to know what it is inside. In here we want the lifestyle of the boat to come through, the use of the boat to come through and you do not want to see what makes it work, and getting all of them integrated into the boat, hiding them away in the spaces has been a challenge but also very rewarding.

What about the unique technologies onboard the Tripp 90?

Well, the lifting keel would be one example of it, integrating the location of the lifting keel into the interiors so that you do not realize that the boat has a lifting keel it was one of the first places we had to start. Having the engine room under the saloon, so that you have the whole volume of the boat all the way through, and you do not lose it into an engine room.

What is the benefit of a lifting keel?

The benefit of a lifting keel is we can sit here inside the shallow harbor and have this lovely conversation, and you can do that in Saint Tropez or you can do that in Black Island. When you go out of the harbor and put the keel down, the boat is much easier to sail because of it.

What is special about a light boat?

A light boat makes the boat much easier to use, and the advantage of a light boat is that we start virtuous spiral, where we are able to have a bit smaller rig, wider engine, less fuel, and we evolve the boat into a boat that is easier to use, and less complicated.

Lignia Wood what is this?

This is the second boat we have done with Lignia Wood, the wood here is quite a beautiful looking, veneer over the deck it is great to walk on, it does not get hot, it feels and looks like teak and we are not cutting down trees in Burmese for it. I hope that this becomes the future, here we are using less wood to do the same thing.

What is special about the way the Tripp 90 is built?

Sitting here on a carbon composite boat, it is built in epoxy, it is not a plastic boat and when you go down below on the boat you are immediately hit with the smell of wood and the smell of leather, it is a wonderful environment, it no longer smell like stirring, it is a completely different world, you feel like you are in luxury hotel, you feel like you came to a place where you really want to stay.

What about the design of the Tripp 90?

The linear design of the boat incorporates a very long pilot house for inside the boat, and we managed to put vertical windows of the boat, what that does is that expands in feel of inside volumes of the boat, and also prevents slides from hammering into the interior needing to run more air conditioning in result. In this way the light comes in and keeps the boat cool in the same time, so that is of course, more energy efficient, it also means run the generator less, it means you can go with battery power more often and therefore you burn less fuel and you can go further with the same amount of fuel. So again, that is another example of virtuous spiral.  

With Y ON WATCH, you can easily control the electrical and hydraulic systems on board with your smartwatch or smartphone. The best cutting-edge technologies are connected here.

Y ON WATCH stands for fun, comfort and safety on board. The hardware and software components enable 360° monitoring, with many great features for owners.

Custom-project reserach vessel „EUGEN SEIBOLD“

One of our most demanding projects to date was the construction of the "Eugen Seibold", a highly innovative yacht designed for environmental research. We received this commission from the Swiss Werner Siemens Foundation and handed over the completed yacht in autumn 2018. 

Since this time the "Eugen Seibold" has been managed by the renowned Max Planck Institute to enable global scientists to conduct climate and marine research. Professor Gerald Haug, today's President of the LEOPOLDINA (German Academy of Natural Scientists), Director of the Max Planck Institute, and Professor at ETH Zurich, navigated many obstacles to direct this ambitious project into today’s welcoming waters. 

YC Eugen Seibold stern view

YC Eugen Seibold cockpit

YC Eugen Seibold coachroof view

YC Eugen Seibold cabin hallway

YC Eugen Seibold bathroom

YC Eugen Seibold galley

YC Eugen Seibold galley hallway

YC Eugen Seibold living

YC Eugen Seibold work space

YC Eugen Seibold Cockpit

YC Eugen Seibold helm station

YC Eugen Seibold a completely unique design

YC Eugen Seibold sailing panorama

YC Eugen Seibold scientists' workstations

YC Eugen Seibold Researchers' headquarter

YC Eugen Seibold Researchers' area

YC Eugen Seibold at sea

YC Eugen Seibold Living and Galley

YC Eugen Seibold Triple cabin

UNLIKE STEEL-HULLED BOATS, IT DOES NOT POLLUTE SEAWATER SAMPLES WITH RUST

The hull is mostly made of classic glass fibre, with carbon fibre reinforcements. Her elegant lines come from the pen of Lorenzo Argento. Nevertheless, the requirements for the "Eugen Seibold" are very different to those of a private yacht. Due to an oversized hull, the research sailer weighs a maximum of 44 tonnes fully loaded with equipment.

A HOME FOR RESEARCHERS

The "Eugen Seibold" is named after a German marine researcher, and supports scientists and others in researching climate change. Its main task is to carry out long-term observations in certain marine regions with a comparatively low budget.

Technical Specifications

LOA 22.56 m

BEAM 6.00 m

DRAFT 3.25 m

DISPLACEMENT 38.50 t

BALLAST 12.00 t

105%  142 m2

Interior and Exterior Design: Design Unlimited, Lorenzo Argento Yacht Design  

A SAILING YACHT FOR GUARDIANS OF THE SEA

Sail controls are hydraulic, as well as the lifting A-frame gantry on the transom. This unique fitting can drag nets or raise water samples from up to 2500 metres’ depth. The samples are packaged below deck and deep-frozen. In addition to a 170hp six-cylinder diesel, a 288 Volt generator and two electric drive motors with lithium-iron-phosphate batteries were also installed.

EXPLORE THE WORLD AND FEEL AT HOME

The interior is user-oriented and practical. Key features include the second companionway to the aft deck, as well as the deckhouse. Eight berths are offered by the YX PURE, in addition to some laboratory space.

The "Eugen Seibold" was financed by the Swiss Werner Siemens Foundation, which specialises in research funding. The sponsor is the German Max Planck Institute.

THE HIGHLIGHTS OF A LUXURY CUSTOM CARBON YACHT FROM YYACHTS

• 360° Custom experience
• Michael Schmidt's 40 years experience in carbon boat building 
• Our family business listen to customer requests
• YYachts small expert teams advise for the best solutions 
• Unparalleled experience with carbon processing 
• German engineering and reliability
• Enjoy Luxury Sailing
• Build your YYachts dream 

YOUR DIRECT CONTACT TO YYACHTS

[email protected]

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Panzers at the Gates of Moscow

Red Army forces mounted a gallant stand against the Germans during Operation Typhoon.

This article appears in: September 2009

By Jonathan Jordan

The war map gave Adolf Hitler every reason to be confident. Operation Barbarossa, Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union begun on June 22, 1941, had succeeded spectacularly on nearly every front. One Soviet army after another had been smashed as Germany’s Ostheer, its army in the East, plunged deep into the industrial heart of Josef Stalin’s vast Eurasian state. By September, Hitler’s legions were within sight of Leningrad, while to the south German and Romanian divisions had swept across the north shores of the Black Sea, threatening vital petrochemical and agricultural production within the vulnerable Ukraine and Crimean regions.

Between the two sectors, Army Group Center, under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, had taken 610,000 prisoners and destroyed 5,700 enemy tanks. Bock’s soldiers had conquered land as far eastward as the Russian city of Smolensk and were now less than 180 miles from the Soviet capital.

It was time, Hitler decreed, for a push against the center—toward Moscow.

“The Last, Great Decisive Battle of War”

Operation Typhoon, the campaign Hitler predicted would be “the last, great, decisive battle of the war,” was the result of a debate between Hitler and the army high command, Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH), over the war’s military objectives. From the beginning of Barbarossa, Hitler had insisted that the Wehrmacht give top priority to the destruction of Soviet field armies, and only afterward to the capture of strategic assets in the north and south. Prestige targets like Moscow did not figure prominently in Hitler’s planning, and as late as August 1941, his orders to OKH stressed that “the most important missions before the onset of winter are to seize the Crimea and the industrial and coal regions of the Don, deprive the Russians of the opportunity to obtain oil from the Caucasus and, in the north, to encircle Leningrad and link up with the Finns, rather than capture Moscow.”

But August brought smashing German successes to the north and south of the Eastern Front, lending credence to intelligence reports that the Soviet regime teetered on the brink of collapse. Moreover, a tempting cluster of Soviet divisions seemed to be massing west of Moscow around the cities of Vyaz’ma and Bryansk, ripe for encirclement by Hitler’s fast- moving panzer spearheads.

Hitler thus allowed himself to be persuaded by OKH and his field generals to launch a major attack against forces defending the Soviet capital. On September 6, he issued Führer Directive 35, which called for the destruction of Soviet armies opposite Army Group Center, to be followed by the pursuit of Soviet forces along the Moscow axis.

Challenges of Logistics

To put Führer Directive 35 into operation, the staffs of Army Group Center and OKH prepared plans for Operation Taifun (Typhoon), a massive offensive along a 150-mile front employing 15 panzer divisions, eight motorized divisions, and 47 infantry divisions—a total of about 1.9 million men. For the attack, Army Group Center assembled 4,000 heavy artillery pieces, 549 combat aircraft, and as many as 1,700 tanks. For once, Hitler’s generals would enjoy numerical superiority over their Soviet opponents in addition to their well-known qualitative edge.

The plan called for a double envelopment of Soviet frontline forces at the rail hub of Vyaz’ma on the Smolensk-Moscow highway. Col. Gen. Hermann Hoth’s Third Panzer Army would surround Vyaz’ma from the north, while Col. Gen. Erich Hoepner’s Fourth Panzer Army would attack from the south. Farther south, Col. Gen. Heinz Guderian’s Second Panzer Army would encircle the defenders at the crossroads center of Bryansk. Once Vyaz’ma and Bryansk were encircled and their defenders wiped out, the Soviet capital would presumably be enveloped or overrun, as circumstances dictated. Guderian would strike out for Bryansk on September 30, and the main thrust would begin on October 2.

If the Ostheer had a weakness, it was its logistical tail. Captured rail lines were handling only around half to two-thirds of their former capacity, while competing demands by garrison commanders in Poland squeezed supplies passing through to the front. To make matters worse, Typhoon’s six armies had only four major railheads from which to draw ammunition, fuel, and food, and the armies could not operate far from these railheads, given poor road networks and Germany’s chronic shortage of motor transport. Two-thirds of Germany’s artillery was still horse-drawn as Operation Typhoon began. Of the 13,000 tons of supplies per day needed to sustain Army Group Center’s 70 divisions, its motor pool was able to supply just 6,500 tons over decrepit Russian roads.

The Soviet Army’s Woeful Position

If the situation looked daunting for the German planners, it was far worse for their Soviet counterparts. The grim task of defending Moscow fell primarily to the Western Front, or army group, commanded by Lt. Gen. Ivan Koniev. Koniev’s front consisted of six rifle (infantry) armies, a five-division cavalry group, and three reserve rifle divisions, and it was supported to the south by the three-army Bryansk Front under Lt. Gen. Andrei Yeremenko. These two fronts, plus a six-army reserve front under Marshal Semyon Budenny (which had two armies plugging gaps in the front line), had been engaged in piecemeal counterattacks at Stalin’s insistence since August and were considerably worn down, so that each Soviet army was, more or less, the equivalent of a German corps.

While the Western, Bryansk, and Reserve Fronts amassed 95 divisions with 864,000 combat troops, they labored under crippling disadvantages. All three were seriously short of heavy artillery, combat aircraft, and medium tanks. The average rifle division—composed largely of ill-trained recruits—was around 5,000 to 7,000 soldiers, less than half the authorized strength of around 14,000. To make matters worse, the deeper German columns drove into Soviet territory, the less Stalin tolerated a strategy of trading space for time, which limited his generals’ options.

Putting Pressure on the Capital

The battle for the Soviet capital opened on September 30, with a lightning attack by Guderian’s panzers, which struck northeast toward the transportation hub of Orel and due north toward Bryansk. Guderian’s veterans smashed five divisions and ripped open the southern flank of the Soviet Thirteenth Army. On October 3, his panzers rolled into Orel so rapidly they overtook trams clattering down Orel’s streets, and the Thirteenth Army fled toward Bryansk.

Typhoon’s main effort began on October 2, when the Third and Fourth Panzer Armies turned on the Soviet defenders around Vyaz’ma. Third Panzer, based in Smolensk, hit the juncture of Koniev’s Nineteenth and Thirtieth Armies, rupturing the two armies’ flanks. In two days, it captured bridges over the Dniepr River, opening the northern door to Vyaz’ma.

South of Vyaz’ma, Hoepner’s Fourth Panzer Army attacked on a narrow front and broke through Budenny’s Forty-third Army, holding its LVII Panzer Corps in reserve to exploit the breakthrough. On the way, it dismantled Budenny’s Thirty-third Army, a second-echelon formation, and by October 5 Hoepner had bored a hole in Soviet lines wide enough to throw LVII Panzer Corps into the enemy rear east of Vyaz’ma.

While Bock surged forward with his armored divisions, his three infantry armies (the Second, Fourth, and Ninth) succeeded in pinning the Soviet Sixteenth, Twentieth, Twenty-fourth, and Fiftieth Armies. Fierce pressure prevented those four defending armies from either retreating or coming to the aid of their hard-pressed comrades around Vyaz’ma and Bryansk.

One Million Men

At the time Typhoon was launched, the Kremlin was still preoccupied with its Ukrainian front; it took three irreplaceable days before Stavka, the Red Army high command, awoke to the threat posed by Army Group Center and summoned reserves from the Urals, Central Asia, and the Far East. To the north, General Koniev threw whatever reserves he could find into a futile counteroffensive to halt the Third Panzer Army, but these unlucky units were driven back with heavy losses. In the center, Marshal Budenny’s Reserve Front, which comprised largely militia or reconstructed units, collapsed entirely before the weight of the Fourth Panzer Army’s assault, and by October 4 Budenny’s front was virtually destroyed. Stalin, furious with the performance of his generals, sacked Koniev (and considered executing him), replacing him on October 5 with his top commander from Leningrad, General Georgi Zhukov.

By October 6, the Soviet picture had grown worse. Koniev’s orders to his Sixteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Armies to retreat toward Vyaz’ma could not be heeded due to the intense pressure from Bock’s Fourth and Ninth Armies. Budenny’s Thirty-second Army, which guarded the approaches to Vyaz’ma, collapsed under withering armored attacks from north and south of the city, and on the morning of October 7, panzers linked up east of Vyaz’ma, forming a pocket that trapped some 400,000 soldiers from the Sixteenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth, Twenty-fourth, and Thirty-second Armies. That evening, five German infantry corps, plus heavy artillery and Luftwaffe bombers, were called in to begin the kessel (cauldron) battle that would result in the destruction of 25 rifle divisions and five tank brigades over the next five days.

Farther south, General Guderian closed the Bryansk pocket, although his mobile forces were delayed when his fuel supply gave out on October 3. Three days later, his panzers finally reached Bryansk, and by October 9 he had loosely encircled the Soviet Third, Thirteenth, and Fiftieth Armies. But Guderian failed to seal the pocket effectively, and from October 9 to 13 large portions of the Third and Thirteenth Armies limped away, while parts of at least seven rifle divisions managed to escape the cauldron.

All told, the first phase of Typhoon was another disaster for the Red Army. Despite the imperfect closure of the Bryansk pocket, Bock estimated that his army group had captured 673,098 prisoners, killed around 300,000 defenders, and destroyed or captured 1,277 tanks and 4,378 artillery pieces. The Red Army had lost 64 rifle divisions, 11 tank brigades, and 50 artillery regiments—about one million men—during Typhoon’s first two weeks, and Hitler’s propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, confidently informed foreign correspondents, “The annihilation of Timoshenko’s [sic] army group has definitely brought the war to a close.”

T-34s Stall for Time

East of Bryansk, Guderian’s spearhead, the XXIV Panzer Corps, sat idle at Orel for two days of excellent weather while supply convoys went back to Novgorod-Seversky to bring up more fuel. When Guderian resumed his drive toward Tula, an ordnance center along the Orel-Moscow highway, a fierce counterattack by Soviet T-34 medium tanks slowed his progress at the Lisiza River. By October 7, the first light snows began to fall, and despite artillery and Stuka dive-bomber support Guderian’s spearhead ground to a halt before Soviet delaying actions at the roadside town of Mtensk. Soon the Russian razputitza, or “period of mud,” set in, immobilizing Guderian’s mechanized forces until winter freezes hardened the roads.

Reflecting complete confidence in its ability to take Moscow at will, OKH convinced Hitler that Stalin’s Northwestern and Southwestern Fronts could also be destroyed while an all-out lunge at Moscow was attempted. Ninth Army and Third Panzer Army, therefore, were ordered to send detachments north to Rzhev and Kalinin (respectively 200 and 120 miles northwest of Moscow), which they captured by October 14. Guderian was similarly directed to dispatch his XLVIII Panzer Corps south toward Kursk. The result was a dilution of Army Group Center’s armored strength at the time Zhukov was placing every available platoon on the likely approaches to the Soviet capital.

While the Vyaz’ma pocket was being liquidated, a halfhearted German pursuit under Hoepner’s Fourth Panzer Army commenced, using the SS Das Reich Motorized Infantry Division as its spearhead. Before long, however, Das Reich was stopped cold on the Minsk-Moscow highway by two newly formed tank brigades equipped with the excellent T-34 medium tanks. The two tank brigades fought tenaciously for four days, delaying Fourth Panzer Army’s push toward Moscow and giving Zhukov some badly needed time to move forces—including strategic reinforcements from Siberia—into position at Borodino, Yelnya, and Mozhaisk, a trio of strongpoints west of Moscow.

Guderian’s delays in pushing beyond Orel, unexpectedly fierce Soviet resistance around Borodino, and the diversion of part of Army Group Center toward Kalinin gave Zhukov time to throw together parts of 18 rifle divisions and 11 tank brigades—around 90,000 men—to hold back the gray tide. He set up a new defensive line about 75 miles west of Moscow, centered around three cities on the main approaches to the capital—Volokolamsk, Mozhaisk, and Maloyarsoslavets. But by October 15, Bock was ready to attack once again.

Maloyarsoslavets, guarded by the Forty-third Army, was the next of Zhukov’s positions hammered by the powerful LVII Panzer Corps. The city fell on October 18, but Soviet defenders were reinforced by the Thirty-third Army and managed to prevent Hoepner’s panzers from exploiting the breach. To the north, meanwhile, savage fighting at Volokolamsk further delayed the German advance until October 27, when snow, rain, and mud began to affect Bock’s mobility in a serious way.

The Miserable Russian Weather

At Mozhaisk, Zhukov faced his most serious crisis. There, the SS Das Reich and 10th Panzer Divisions met stiff resistance at the nearby town of Borodino, which was guarded by the 32nd Rifle Division, some 50 tanks, and a like number of artillery pieces. It took two days for Hoepner’s panzers to grind through the defenses there, but by October 18 Das Reich had blasted its way into Mozhaisk, 55 miles from Moscow. With the fracture of the Mozhaisk Line, Germany now occupied roughly 600,000 square miles of former Soviet territory. Zhukov was running out of room.

The significance of the German victory at Borodino was not lost on Muscovites. In 1812, Napoleon’s success there had opened the doorway to French occupation of Moscow. Residents began fleeing the capital, and the government evacuated most offices to the east, although Stalin and the Army’s high command remained within the city.

As the fate of Moscow hung in the balance, Bock’s logistical vulnerabilities began catching up with him. Miserable weather and muddy roads had hampered his ability to move supplies—especially fuel and ammunition—to frontline troops. That, plus a lack of supply trains reaching his railheads, meant that from October 24 into November Army Group Center was forced to halt and settle for a war of attrition that it could ill afford. The only German gains over the next few weeks would be along Guderian’s sector to the south.

Guderian’s objective after seizing Orel was to capture Tula, 100 miles south of Moscow. Having been stymied at Mtensk until October 11, then spending 11 days bringing up additional fuel and ammunition, on October 22 Guderian sent his XXIV Panzer Corps with three infantry divisions and flanked the Soviet defenders the following day. Six days later, Guderian’s spearheads were able to pierce defenses south of Tula and attempt a direct assault on the city.

In a heroic last-stand effort, local militia, NKVD security troops, and antiaircraft crews fought off Guderian’s lead units just long enough for the 32nd Tank Brigade and two rifle divisions to come to their rescue. Deep mud limited Guderian’s mobility until the surrounding roads froze; Tula, like Moscow, gained a respite for the moment.

Zhukov’s Fresh Reserves

Guderian prepared to renew his assault on Tula by bringing up the rest of his army in a flanking movement to the east, but by early November Second Panzer Army had bypassed so many smaller Soviet units that Guderian’s right flank was seriously exposed. He posted his LIII Corps on the right to deal with threats to his line of communications, but spoiling attacks by the Soviet Third and Fiftieth Armies set off a 10-day running battle that further delayed Guderian’s drive on Tula until November 18 and forced Second Panzer Army to consume vital ammunition and fuel stocks.

By the end of October, the vast human resources of the Soviet empire had begun collecting on the Moscow axis. That month, Zhukov received 10 rifle divisions, 19 armored units, a cavalry division, five divisions of militia, and one airborne corps. During November, he would receive another 22 rifle divisions, 17 rifle brigades, 14 cavalry divisions, four armored units, and 11 ski battalions. By November 15, Zhukov and Koniev (whom at Zhukov’s request had been given command of the armies fighting at Kalinin) had assembled 38 infantry divisions, three tank divisions, and a dozen cavalry divisions, plus another 14 tank brigades. While many of Zhukov’s units would be thrown into combat with little or no training, he now had sufficient numbers to make a decent stand around his capital.

West of Moscow, Zhukov deployed seven armies—from north to south, the Thirtieth, in the north near the Moscow Sea and Volga Reservoir; the Sixteenth, along the Lama River; the Fifth, behind Mozhaisk at the town of Tuchkovo; the Thirty-third, along the Nara River south of the Minsk-Moscow highway; and the Forty-third, farther up the Nara. Below that, the Forty-ninth Army was charged with holding back Guderian’s panzers from the road below Tula, while the Fiftieth Army held Tula proper.

Zhukov, whom Stalin had warned would face a firing squad if German jackboots touched Moscow’s streets, did not wish to repeat the mistakes made by Stavka when it had dispersed its strength in piecemeal counterattacks. A ruthless man who occasionally had incompetent generals shot as examples to others, Zhukov was not afraid to give Stalin his unvarnished military opinion. However, Stalin once again insisted upon offensive action, and Zhukov had no choice but to appease the dictator by conducting a number of spoiling attacks that dispersed his reserves but did little to create decisive results.

“One Final Heave, and We Shall Triumph”

In Berlin, Hitler faced the same crossroads decision that Napoleon faced at Smolensk 129 years before: should he press on toward Moscow, or should his men go into winter quarters and rebuild their strength? OKH intelligence reports claimed that the remaining defenders were demoralized remnants of defeated field armies, plus a scratch collection of untrained militia and NKVD troops. Hitler predicted to the Wehrmacht’s operations chief, General Alfred Jodl, “One final heave, and we shall triumph.” Thus, on November 12, OKH ordered Bock and his army commanders to resume their offensive on November 15.

The second phase of Operation Typhoon called for Bock to encircle Moscow with another double envelopment. The Third and Fourth Panzer Armies (a total of 18 divisions) would attack from the north, while Guderian’s Second Panzer (nine divisions) would capture Tula and drive toward Moscow from the south. To keep Zhukov from reacting to these flanking movements, Field Marshal Guenther von Kluge’s Fourth Army would launch pinning attacks with his 14 infantry divisions along the Nara River.

The plan seemed sound, but its execution, Bock knew, would be difficult. He had the equivalent of about 38 divisions for this last phase of Typhoon—roughly half the number that participated in his initial onslaught. To the north, the Third Panzer Army had committed its reserves around Kalinin, while local Soviet counterattacks forced Bock to deploy the Second and Ninth Armies on his exposed flanks.

Bock’s logistical constraints also had not eased. He had no significant stockpiles at jumping-off points for his men, and the OKH quartermaster department, unable to supply Army Group Center’s requirements of 30 trains per day, simply cut the army group’s quota by one-fourth; even that reduced amount did not get through to Bock’s forward railheads. It would be a close battle for both armies.

Deciding the Fate of Moscow

The final struggle for Moscow opened with a three-division attack by Ninth Army’s XXVII Corps, supported by the 1st Panzer Division, against Maj. Gen. Dmitri Lelyushenko’s Thirtieth Army at the Moscow Sea. The Thirtieth, still recovering from bitter fighting around Kalinin, fell back toward Klin, 52 miles from the capital. This retreat allowed Third Panzer Army to move over the Lama River, 60 miles from Moscow.

On November 18, the main German thrust began as Fourth Panzer Army’s V Corps and XLVI Panzer Corps, six divisions in all, ripped open a hole between the Thirtieth and Sixteenth Armies. The Sixteenth, commanded by Maj. Gen. Konstantin Rokossovsky, was forced to withdraw east toward Istra, 36 miles west of Moscow, leaving a gap between the two armies that Hoepner obligingly exploited with two corps.

By November 23, Klin was in German hands, and Thirtieth Army was in peril. But with Koniev launching division-sized counterattacks from the Kalinin region, Bock could not afford to leave his left flank open. He ordered Col. Gen. Adolf Strauss’s Ninth Army to assume the defensive and keep Koniev’s forces away from his panzers moving against Moscow.

While Thirtieth Army was falling back toward the Volga Reservoir, 35 miles north of the Kremlin, Rokossovky’s Sixteenth Army, west of Moscow, was taking a beating around Istra. There, his 78th Rifle Division, newly arrived from Siberia, was putting up a desperate defense against the SS Das Reich Division. The 78th conceded the town on November 27, but not before inflicting 926 casualties on Das Reich and taking a good deal of the fight out of that elite unit. In addition to inflicting German casualties, the battle for Istra bought Zhukov critical time to establish yet another defensive line 21 miles northwest of Moscow.

Time was, for the moment, on Zhukov’s side. The delaying actions around Klin and Istra allowed him to withdraw troops east and avoid another pocket disaster, while harsh weather and supply shortages seriously hampered Bock’s ability to move forward. But Bock had one last attack left in his army group, and no one knew whether it would end inside or outside the Kremlin walls.

On November 27, advance units of the LVI Panzer Corps managed to reach the Moscow-Volga Canal, but they were thrown back by lead elements of the First Shock Army, and forward momentum on the north side of the capital was lost. Northwest of Moscow, on November 30 the 2nd Panzer Division captured the town of Krasnaya Polyana, 17 miles away, but fierce resistance by Rokossovsky’s army, increasingly severe weather, and fuel shortages stopped Hoepner’s advance there.

Kluge’a Late Attack

To the south, around Tula, Guderian spent late November fending off counterattacks against his line of communication and gathering fuel to launch one last attack. Meanwhile, at Tula, the Red Army moved replacements into Lt. Gen. Ivan Boldin’s Fiftieth Army. Spoiling attacks by Boldin’s Siberian 413th Rifle Division damaged Guderian’s right flank badly enough to require him to throw off divisions to protect his flank, delaying his planned encirclement of the city.

It was not until November 24 that Guderian was able to send his XXIV Panzer Corps northeast of Tula in an effort to encircle the city. But his all-out effort ground down against unexpectedly strong Soviet defenses, and Guderian, to his disgust, received no help from the plodding Kluge, whose Fourth Army provided negligible support from its divisions north of Guderian’s advance. Although German tanks briefly cut the Tula-Moscow highway on December 3, the next day armor dispatched by Zhukov forced Guderian to withdraw from the city’s outskirts and stand on the defensive.

South of the Minsk-Moscow highway, Kluge’s army sat idle through the late November maelstrom, keeping watch along the Nara River and giving Zhukov the opportunity to move units from his Fifth and Thirty-third Armies north to assist the hard-pressed Rokossovsky. It was not until the early hours of December 1 that Kluge launched a four-division attack against well-prepared Soviet defenses. Kluge’s troops performed superbly, but by then Hoepner’s Fourth Panzer Army had been stopped, and there was little that the Fourth Army could do at this late date. After Zhukov moved his reserves back to the center to support the crumbing Thirty-third Army, Kluge retired across the Nara, effectively quitting the battle. As Zhukov later commented, “In the absence of attacks at the center we were able to shift all our reserves, down to divisional reserves, from the center of the front to parry the enemy’s strike forces on the flanks.”

Rolling the Germans Back

Hitler’s Wehrmacht had reached its high- water mark. From the Moscow suburb of Khimki, less than 12 miles from the Kremlin, reconnaissance troops allegedly could see the gleaming onion domes of the city in the distance. But they were dangerously low on fuel and ammunition. They had sustained around 155,000 casualties and lost over 700 tanks in the second phase of Typhoon, and although OKH did not know it, the Red Army now held a numerical advantage. On December 8, Hitler agreed to suspend offensive operations, citing uncooperative weather, but ordered Bock to hold all conquered territory.

Unbeknownst to OKH, three fresh armies— the First Shock, Tenth, and Twentieth—had arrived at Moscow, and on November 30 Stalin approved a counteroffensive proposal employing six armies. The new armies lacked significant armor, but Zhukov planned to use them to pull the steel fangs out of Bock’s panzer divisions.

Soviet counterattacks began on December 5 at the north end of the line, east of Klin, where the Third Panzer Army deployed three panzer and two motorized infantry divisions. Col. Gen. Hans Reinhardt, who had replaced Hoth as commander of Third Panzer after Typhoon’s launch, made the mistake of keeping his few operational tanks, only around 80 or so by now, close to his front lines. They were therefore unable to act as a mobile reserve to plug cracks in his front and were vulnerable to a rapid thrust.

On the morning of December 6, Thirtieth Army flung three rifle divisions and two tank brigades at Reinhardt’s overstretched 14th and 36th Motorized Infantry Divisions. The First Shock Army joined in the attack, and Twentieth and Sixteenth Armies began pressing attacks along the juncture of the Third and Fourth Panzer Armies. Reinhardt ordered Third Panzer to fall back upon Klin, while Hoepner withdrew Fourth Panzer Army to Istra.

As Hoepner and Reinhardt were pulling back, the Soviet Fifth Army joined the battle, and Third Panzer suffered heavy losses in artillery and vehicles as Reinhardt tried to cobble together a Kampfgruppe (battle group) from two panzer divisions to hold back the red tide. Miserable weather and fuel shortages impeded cooperation between the two panzer armies, and by December 11 Rokossovsky had pushed the Germans out of Istra. Bock’s left wing was in danger of collapse.

On December 12, Rokossovsky moved in for the kill, sending two tank brigades, two motorized regiments, and two cavalry units around Third Panzer Army to cut off its line of retreat. His force captured the road from Klin on December 14, isolating four panzer divisions plus the hard-pressed 14th Motorized Infantry Division. Leaving behind much of their heavy equipment, the divisions trapped at Klin forced open the road to Kalinin just long enough to escape the rapidly closing noose, and by December 15 Third and Fourth Panzer Armies again were in retreat.

To the south, around Tula, Boldin’s Fiftieth Army, plus reinforcements from the I Guards Cavalry Corps and the newly formed Tenth Army, battered Guderian’s front and flanks. At the same time, Stavka sent two reinforcing armies toward Tula, and by early December those armies had converged upon Second Panzer’s flanks. As in the north, three of Guderian’s infantry divisions were threatened with encirclement, but all managed to withdraw southwest with heavy losses. Soviet thrusts at the juncture between Fourth Army and Second Panzer Army threatened to isolate Guderian, and by December 12 he was in retreat toward Orel. Moscow had been saved.

Aftermath of Operation Typhoon

Operation Typhoon was a near run thing for the Soviet Union. From September 30 to December 15, the Red Army sustained roughly 1.5 million casualties (some 350,000 in December alone), and the Soviet government had been forced to evacuate its capital. Army Group Center, for its part, lost over 150,000 men. Particularly crippling for the Ostheer was the loss of heavy equipment—as many as 800 tanks, 983 artillery pieces, 473 heavy mortars, and 800 antitank guns were destroyed or abandoned during December alone.

Perhaps the greatest damage to the Nazi war machine was psychological. The “subhuman” Slavic troops had shattered the myth of Wehrmacht invincibility. Hitler’s confidence in his generals was irredeemably shaken, and in short order he relieved the head of OKH and took personal command of the Army. He sacked Bock, three of the six army commanders involved in Typhoon (Guderian, Hoepner, and Strauss), and four of the 22 corps commanders.

The first phase of Operation Typhoon, culminating in the liquidation of the Vyaz’ma and Bryansk pockets, was brilliantly conceived and almost flawlessly executed. Its few shortcomings can be attributed to logistical shortages and to Guderian’s failure to close the Bryansk pocket aggressively, allowing a number of Soviet troops to escape to Tula, where they would join the reconstituted Fiftieth Army in defense of that city.

The operational pause during early November, when the Red Army was reeling, was due to structural flaws in the Ostheer that prevented adequate fuel and ammunition from reaching Army Group Center’s front lines. By the time Bock was ready to resume his attack, both numbers and climate had begun to favor Zhukov.

It was the second phase of Operation Typhoon, the last push to Moscow, that was the most flawed of all. Harkening back to the German experience at the Marne in World War I, when Germany might have defeated France had it thrown in its last reserves, both OKH and Bock were prepared to commit every remaining soldier on the assumption that the Red Army simply had no reserves left. Hitler allowed himself to be persuaded by overly optimistic reports claiming that the Red Army and Stalin’s dictatorship had sustained so many casualties that they could be toppled with one last shove. When trained reinforcements arrived from Siberia and the Far East, and when Stavka proved capable of forming fresh armies, the critical assumption underlying Hitler’s lunge against the Soviet capital evaporated. The Soviet Union would not suffer the fate of Poland, France, and the Low Countries.

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