The Insterburg-Koenigsberg offensive operation was part of the East Prussian military campaign. The German command took all possible measures to prepare for prolonged resistance in siege conditions. There were numerous warehouses and arsenals in Koenigsberg, underground factories operated.
Features of the German defensive system
The invaders created three rings of resistance. The first was located 6-8 km from the center of Koenigsberg. It included trenches, an anti-tank ditch, barbed wire and minefields. There were 15 forts built back in 1882. Each of them had garrisons for 200-500 people. with 12-15 guns. The second ring passed through the outskirts of Koenigsberg. Stone structures, barricades, firing points on minefields and firing points were located here. The third ring passed in the center of the city. It included 9 bastions, ravelins and towers built in the 17th century and rebuilt in 1843-1873. Koenigsberg itselfrefers to cities of mixed planning. Its central part was built as early as 1525. Its structure is characterized as radial-circular. On the northern outskirts, a parallel layout prevailed, and on the southern outskirts - an arbitrary one. Accordingly, the organization of the German defense in different parts of the city was carried out in different ways. The forts, which were located 6-8 km from the center, were located at a distance of no more than 4 km from each other. Fire communication was organized between them and trenches were equipped. In some areas there was a continuous anti-tank ditch. Its width was 6-10 km, and its depth was about three meters.
Additional protection
Along the ring street in close proximity to the city center, the inner belt of defense included full-profile trenches and 24 earthen forts. The latter were connected to each other by anti-tank ditches, which were half filled with water. The outer and inner defense belts were separated by two intermediate rings. In each of them there were 1-2 lines of trenches, bunkers, bunkers, which in some areas were covered by minefields and barbed wire.
Firing points
The basis of internal defense was formed from strong points. They contacted each other with crossfire and were covered by sufficiently powerful anti-tank and anti-personnel obstacles. Key strongholds were equipped at the intersection of streets in stone structures, the most durable and adapted for defense. The gaps formed between the supportpoints, were covered with barricades, gouges, blockages. A variety of materials were used for their construction. Several points that had fire links with each other formed defensive nodes. They, in turn, were grouped into lines. The organization of the fire system was carried out by adapting the structures to the application of dagger machine-gun and cannon strikes. Artillery installations and heavy machine guns were located mainly on the lower floors, mortars, grenade launchers and machine gunners - on the upper floors.
The alignment of forces
The Koenigsberg operation of 1945 took place with the participation of troops of the 2nd and 3rd Belorussian fronts under the command of K. K. Rokossovsky and I. D. Chernyakhovsky, the 43rd army of the 1st B altic Front, led by I H. Baghramyan. The Soviet army was supported from the sea by the B altic Fleet under the leadership of Admiral VF Tributs. In total, 15 combined-arms, 1 tank armies, 5 mechanized and tank corps, 2 air armies participated in the hostilities. In January 1945, Koenigsberg was defended by a group of units "Center" (since 26.01 - "North"). The command was carried out by Colonel-General G. Reinhardt (since 26.01 - L. Rendulich). Resistance from the German side was provided by 2 field and 1 tank armies, 1 air fleet.
Command plan
The Koenigsberg operation, in short, meant cutting off the East Prussian group from the rest. Then it was planned to push it to the sea and destroy it. For this, the Soviet armywas supposed to strike simultaneously from the south and north in converging directions. As conceived by the command, a strike on Pillau was also planned.
Insterburg-Koenigsberg operation
Active operations of the Soviet troops began on January 13th. The 3rd Belorussian Front broke the stubborn resistance of the Germans, broke through the defenses on 18.01 north of Numbinnen. The troops advanced inland by 20-30 km. The 2nd Belorussian Front went on the offensive on 14.01. After a tense battle, the troops managed to break through the defenses and develop a swift offensive. At the same time, the 28th and 5th armies completed their breakthrough. On January 19, the 39th and 43rd armies captured Tilsit. During the battle, the enemy grouping was encircled on January 19-22. On the night of January 22, Soviet troops launched an assault on Interburg. The city was taken by morning. On January 26, the troops reached the B altic Sea north of Elibing. The key forces of the Germans were divided into separate groups. Part of the 2nd Army managed to transfer across the Vistula to Pomerania. The destruction of the enemy forces pushed back to the sea was assigned to the units of the 3rd Belorussian Front, assisted by the 4th Army of the 2nd Front. The rest of the forces were to carry out the Koenigsberg operation (photos of some moments of the battle are presented in the article). The second stage of the military campaign began on March 13.
Koenigsberg operation: progress of the operation
By March 29, Soviet troops destroyed the Hejlsberg group. On April 6, the assault beganKoenigsberg. Parts of the 3rd Belorussian Front under the command of Vasilevsky participated in the battle. They were assisted by the B altic Fleet. The Königsberg offensive operation was complicated by the presence of three defense rings. Before the start of the assault, the large-caliber artillery of the ships and the front fired on the city and defensive fortifications for 4 days, thereby destroying the long-term enemy structures. The Koenigsberg operation itself began on April 6. The Germans offered stubborn resistance. But by the end of the day, the 39th Army managed to penetrate several kilometers into the enemy defenses. The troops cut the Konigsberg-Pillau railway line. At this time, the 50th, 43rd and 11th Guards. armies broke through the first defensive ring. They managed to come close to the walls of the city. Parts of the 43rd Army were the first to break into the fortress. 2 days after a stubborn battle, the Soviet troops managed to take over the railway junction and the port, many industrial and military facilities. The first task that the Koenigsberg operation was supposed to solve was to cut off the garrison from the forces located on the Zemland Peninsula.
The specifics of hostilities
When planning the stages of the Koenigsberg operation, the Soviet command first determined the starting line for the attack, where infantry and firepower were secretly introduced. Then the battle order was formed, after which the tank units were pulled up. Direct-guided guns were installed at firing positions, passages were organized in obstacles. After that, the tasks forrifle units, artillery and tanks, as well as organized the constant interaction of army units. After a short, but rather thorough preparation, direct-guided guns, on a signal, opened fire from the spot on the detected firing points, walls and windows of houses, embrasures to destroy them. The outskirts were subjected to decisive attacks by assault detachments. They moved swiftly towards the outermost structures. After a grenade attack, the buildings were captured. Having broken through to the outskirts, the assault squads advanced deep into the city. Troops infiltrated through parks, lanes, gardens, yards, etc. Having taken possession of individual quarters and structures, the subunits immediately brought them into a defensive state. Stone structures were strengthened. Constructions on the outskirts facing the enemy were especially carefully prepared. In the quarters occupied by Soviet troops, strongholds were equipped, all-round defense was created, commandants responsible for holding the points were appointed. During the first few days of the assault, military aviation carried out almost 14 thousand sorties, dropping about 3.5 thousand tons of bombs on the defenses and troops.
German capitulation
8.04 The Soviet command sent parliamentarians to the fortress with a proposal to lay down their arms. However, the enemy refused, continuing to resist. By the morning of April 9, several units of the garrison made attempts to withdraw to the west. But the actions of the 43rd Army frustrated these plans. As a result, the enemy could not escapefrom the city. From the Zemland Peninsula, units of the 5th Panzer Division tried to attack. However, this counter strike was also unsuccessful. Massed attacks of Soviet aviation and artillery began on the surviving German defense nodes. Units of the 11th Guards. armies struck at the Germans who resisted in the city center. As a result, on April 9, the garrison was forced to lay down their arms.
Results
Koenigsberg operation made it possible to liberate strategically important cities. The main units of the East Prussian German group were destroyed. After the battle, forces remained on the Zemland Peninsula. However, this group was soon liquidated. According to Soviet documents, about 94 thousand fascists were captured, about 42 thousand were killed. Soviet units captured more than 2 thousand guns, more than 1600 mortars, 128 aircraft. According to the analysis of the situation conducted by G. Kretinin, in the total mass of prisoners there were about 25-30 thousand civilians who ended up in collection points. In this regard, the historian indicates a figure of 70.5 thousand German troops captured after the end of the fighting. The Koenigsberg operation was marked by fireworks in Moscow. Of the 324 guns, 24 volleys were fired. In addition, the country's leadership established a medal, and 98 units of the army received the name "Kenigsberg". According to Soviet documents, losses in the Soviet troops amounted to 3,700 killed. G. Kretinin notes that the whole operation was organized and carried out "not by numbers, but by skill".
Conclusion
During the East Prussian campaign, Soviet soldiers showed great skill and exceptional heroism. They managed to overcome several powerful defensive rings, stubbornly and fiercely defended by the enemy. The victory in the operation was achieved due to fairly long battles. As a result, Soviet troops managed to occupy East Prussia and liberate the northern territories of Poland.
