German Tarasov

German Fyodorovich Tarasov
Native name	Герман Фёдорович Тарасов
Born	29 March [O.S. 16 March] 1906 Mokrousovo, Mokrousovsky volost, Yalutorovsky Uyezd, Tobolsk Governorate, Russian Empire
Died	Kisújszállás, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County, Hungary
Allegiance	Soviet Union
Service/branch	Red Army NKVD Border Troops
Years of service	1925–1944
Rank	Major general
Commands held	249th Rifle Division Operational Group of the 39th Army 41st Army 70th Army 24th Army 53rd Army
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Order of Lenin Order of the Red Banner Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 1st class Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class Order of the Red Star (2)

German Fyodorovich Tarasov (Russian: Герман Фёдорович Тарасов; 29 March [O.S. 16 March] 1906–19 October 1944) was a Red Army major general during World War II.

An officer in the NKVD Border Troops before World War II, Tarasov was given command of the 249th Rifle Division after Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, began in June 1941. He led the division during the Battle of Moscow and the Toropets–Kholm Offensive, and was decorated for his leadership of the 249th, which was converted into the 16th Guards Rifle Division. Tarasov was appointed commander of the 41st Army in May 1942, but was relieved of command for his performance during Operation Mars in November and December. He was given command of the 70th Army, formed from NKVD personnel, and led the army during the failed Sevsk–Orel Offensive in February and March 1943. He was relieved of command again and transferred to command the 24th Army (converted into the 4th Guards Army in April), then in reserve. However, Tarasov was swiftly demoted to army deputy commander, and successively held that position in the 4th Guards Army and the 7th Guards Army during the rest of the year. After the 53rd Army's commander was wounded in December, he briefly took command of the army but was demoted again to deputy commander in January 1944. Tarasov was killed in action during the Battle of Debrecen in October of that year.

Early life and interwar period

Tarasov was born on 29 March 1906 in the village of Mokrousovo. He joined the Red Army in 1925. From 1927, he served as a platoon commander and then as chief of a regimental school. Tarasov graduated from an infantry school in 1931 and from the Frunze Military Academy in 1937. He then served as chief of staff of an NKVD border detachment, and as chief of a separate department of the Directorate of NKVD Border Troops. In 1940 he became chief of staff of the Transbaikal border detachment.