Occupation of Koenigsberg and East Prussia. History of Königsberg - German online - Start Deutsch
Kaliningrad. The westernmost regional center of the Russian Federation, its “foreign territory”, surrounded by the countries of the European Union... But that’s not what this story is about.
Until July 1946, Kaliningrad was called Königsberg. The city became part of Russia by decision of the Potsdam Conference of the USSR, Great Britain and the USA, held in July 1945. Before that, Koenigsberg was part of Germany and was actually the “second capital” after Berlin.
In my opinion, the history of Königsberg began not in 1255 (the year the Königsberg fortress was founded), but a little earlier. In 1190, the Teutonic Order was founded in Palestine. The Order was officially approved by Pope Innocent III in 1198. 
Knights of the Teutonic Order
After the end of the Crusades, the Order received some lands in Germany and southern Europe. In central Europe, the land had long been divided and therefore the gaze of the knights of the Order turned to the east.
At that time, Prussian tribes lived on the territory of the Kaliningrad region and part of present-day Poland. This group of tribes was related to the Latvian, Lithuanian and Slavic peoples. The ancient Greeks traded with the Prussians - they bought amber in exchange for weapons. Also, mentions of the Prussians can be found in the works of Pliny the Elder, Tacitus and Claudius Ptolemy. In the 9th - 13th centuries, Christian missionaries visited the lands of the Prussians more than once.
The conquest of Prussia by the Teutonic Order took a long time. In 1255, the crusaders founded the Königsberg fortress on the site of the Prussian village of Tvangeste (according to other sources - Tuvangeste or Twangste). There is a legend that the knights witnessed a solar eclipse. They considered this a sign, and therefore the Königsberg (Royal Mountain) fortress was founded on the site. The honor of founding the city is attributed to the Bohemian king Ottokar II Przemysl. However, there is an opinion that the name is more of a tribute to the knights' respect for royalty. 
Ottokar II Przemysl (1233 - 1278)
Königsberg Castle. Pre-war years
Three cities were founded around the Königsberg fortress: Altstadt, Kneiphof and Löbenicht. The cities were part of the Hanseatic Trade League.
Interestingly, the city of Königsberg appeared only in 1724, when Altstadt, Kneiphof and Löbenicht united. Therefore, some historians consider 1724 to be the year of the founding of Königsberg. The first burgomaster of the united city was the burgomaster of Kneiphof, Doctor of Laws Zacharias Hesse.
The oldest building preserved in Kaliningrad is the Juditten Church. It was built in 1288. The building successfully survived the Second World War, but was destroyed by settlers from the USSR. Only in the 1980s was the church actually rebuilt and now the Orthodox St. Nicholas Cathedral is located there. 
Juditten-Kirch. Modern look
The main symbol of the city of Kaliningrad is the Cathedral. It was founded in 1325. The first version of the cathedral was realized in 1333 - 1345, and was subsequently rebuilt many times. Initially it was just a church, and the name Cathedral was given only in the 17th century, possibly due to the presence of local church authorities there. The cathedral was very badly damaged by the British air raid on Königsberg on August 29-30, 1944 and the battles in April 1945. The outer part was restored only in 1994 - 1998, and now there is a museum there.
Cathedral. Modern look
One of the attractions of the cathedral is the large organ.
Since 1457, Königsberg was the residence of the masters of the Teutonic Order. At this time, the Order waged a war with Poland, which ended in 1466 with the signing of the Second Peace of Torun. The order was defeated and until 1657 was a vassal of Poland. The Order was already greatly weakened and already in 1525 Albrecht Hohenzollern secularized the lands of the Order and founded the Duchy of Prussia. 
Duke Albrecht (1490 - 1568)
Before taking such a step, Albrecht consulted, among other things, with Martin Luther. It is interesting that Luther's son Johann (Hans) is buried in Altstadt, in the church of St. Nicholas (which was demolished in the 19th century). The daughter of the great reformer Margarita married the Prussian landowner Georg von Künheim and settled on the Mulhausen estate (now the village of Gvardeyskoye, Bagrationovsky district). She died in 1570 and was buried in the local church.
The history of the Teutonic Order did not end with the secularization of its lands. The order was dissolved in 1809, restored in 1834 in Austria, existed until the Anschluss of Austria and the seizure of Czechoslovakia by Germany in 1938 - 1939. After the Second World War, the Order was restored and now the residence of the master is in Vienna.
In addition to the masters of the Order, one of the figures of German classical philosophy, Immanuel Kant, whose name is also associated with the city, is buried in the Cathedral. Nowadays the newly formed Baltic Federal University bears his name.
Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804)
The name of Albrecht Hohenzollern is associated with the founding of the Albertina University of Königsberg. Albrecht began his reign as Duke of Prussia in 1525 by ordering the collection of all the necessary books for the university library. Among those who helped Albrecht found the university was the Belarusian pioneer printer Francis Skaryna. A monument to him can now be seen in front of one of the buildings of the Baltic Federal University. I. Kant.
Monument to Francis Skaryna (left)
Over the years, Johann Hamann, Johann Herder, Friedrich Bessel, Carl Jacobi, Ferdinand von Linderman, Adolf Hurwitz, David Hilbert, Hermann Helmholtz worked and gave lectures at Albertina; the founder of Lithuanian fiction, Kristionas Donelaitis, studied theology; listened to lectures on philosophy by the writer and composer Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann. It is also worth mentioning that Immanuel Kant worked here.
The Albertina tradition is continued by the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, which was founded in 2010 on the basis of the Russian State University named after. I. Kant by decree of the President of the Russian Federation.
After the Thirty Years' War, another war followed - the Northern War (1655 - 1660). In it, Sweden fought against Poland for the Baltic territories and dominance in the Baltic Sea. During this war, Prussia's dependence on Poland was ended. The Brandenburg-Prussian state was created, with Berlin as its capital. Elector Frederick III declared himself King Frederick the First of Prussia. During his reign, Peter I visited Königsberg several times, to whom Frederick presented the famous Amber Room and the pleasure yacht "Liburica". Frederick I himself, among other things, was very fond of tall soldiers and collected them throughout Europe. Therefore, Peter, as a return courtesy, presented the king with 55 selected grenadiers of the tallest stature. 
The Amber Room. Restored view
The Amber Room remained in Pushkin until 1942. Retreating, the Germans took the room to Königsberg, where it was mounted for display to a narrow circle of people. In 1945, it was hidden in the castle cellars. The further fate of the room is unknown. According to one version, it is still located under the ruins of the castle. According to others, she could have ended up on board the Wilhelm Gustloff or somewhere in Germany. For the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg, the Amber Room was restored (including with the involvement of German capital) and is now available for visiting in the Catherine Palace.
Many people know Frederick II the Great. Interestingly, he settled the empty lands of Prussia, trying to increase the number of taxpayers. To increase employment, the king sharply opposed machine technology. In addition, the king believed that the roads should be in poor condition in order to impede the movements of the enemy army. The Prussian army was one of the best in Europe.
In 1758 - 1762 Koenigsberg was part of the Russian Empire. At that time, the city was governed by a governor. One of the governors was Vasily Ivanovich Suvorov - the father of the great commander Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov. After V.I. Suvorov, Pyotr Ivanovich Panin (1721 - 1789), who participated in the suppression of the Pugachev uprising, became governor. By the way, Emelyan Pugachev took part in the Seven Years' War and could well have visited Königsberg.
Vasily Ivanovich Suvorov (1705 - 1775)
We should also remember Queen Louise, the wife of King Frederick William III. Her life is continuously connected with the dramatic events of Prussia's struggle against Napoleon. She died in 1810, before the victory over Napoleon.
Queen Louise (1776 - 1810)
A city alley was named in her honor, and there was a Queen Louise shelter for poor women (the building has not survived). Also in 1901, the Queen Louise Church was built (nowadays a puppet theater is located there). In the village of Nidden (now Nida, Lithuania) on the Curonian Spit there was a boarding house for Queen Louise and a monument in her honor.
Church of Queen Louise. Modern look
According to the Peace of Tilsit, Prussia had to pay a huge indemnity. Of this amount, Königsberg owed 20 million francs (later the amount was reduced to 8 million). It is interesting that the city paid this amount to France until 1901.
During the Napoleonic wars, Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov visited Koenigsberg while passing through. The famous writer Stendhal visited Königsberg twice - first on his way to Moscow, captured by Napoleon. And then Stendhal had to flee Moscow. Moreover, he was in such a hurry that he overtook the retreating French army. Denis Vasilievich Davydov was also in Königsberg.
In the 19th and 20th centuries the city grew and developed. Until the mid-19th century, Königsberg bore the imprint of a typically medieval city - there were very few trees on the streets. It was only in 1875 that the Landscaping Union was created. In 1928, the green area of Königsberg was approximately 6,303,744 m2. Unfortunately, the city's green attire is now experiencing an increasingly persistent attack by industrial and residential buildings.
I have covered only a small fraction of what can be told about the history of Königsberg. The destinies of many people are connected with this city. To tell about everything, you need a book as thick as several volumes of War and Peace. However, what I told are very bright moments in the history of Koenigsberg that should not be forgotten, 
Kneiphof after a British air raid. 1944
The Second World War did not spare Koenigsberg. Many unique buildings have been lost forever. The city was not spared by the people who came to develop the new Soviet region. However, a piece of Königsberg is present in today's Kaliningrad, playing a direct role in the history of the new city.
It is worth adding that the Germans show a noticeable interest in the history of Königsberg - Kaliningrad. You can constantly see German tourists on the street. In addition, in Duisburg there is a German center for the study of everything related to the history of Königsberg.
Kneiphof model. The author is a native of Königsberg, Horst Dühring.
To conclude, I will voice the motto of the Year of Germany in Russia: “Germany and Russia - create the future together.” I think this very accurately applies to the history of Kaliningrad - Königsberg.
The Seven Years' War began in 1756 with several battles between the armies of Austria and France against Prussian troops. The Russian army under the command of Field Marshal Apraksin set out on a campaign against Prussia in the spring of 1757 from Riga in two directions: through Memel and Kovno. It entered Prussian territory and advanced beyond Insterburg (Chernyakhovsk). Near the village of Gross-Jägersdorf (now defunct, Chernyakhovsky district), on August 30, in a fierce battle, the Russian army defeated Prussian troops under the command of Field Marshal Lewald. The path to Koenigsberg was open!
However, the troops unexpectedly turned back and left Prussia through Tilsit. Only the city of Memel remained in Russian hands. The reason for the retreat of the Russian army is still a topic of debate. But it is believed that the real reasons were the lack of food and the loss of people. That summer, Russian troops faced two opponents: the Prussian army and the weather.
In the second campaign against Prussia in the fall of 1757, Chief General Willim Villimovich Fermor (1702-1771) became the head of the army. The task was the same - to occupy Prussia at the first opportunity. At three o'clock in the morning on January 22, 1758, Russian infantry set out from Caymen and by eleven o'clock occupied the outposts of Koenigsberg, which actually ended up in Russian hands. By four o'clock in the afternoon, Fermor, at the head of a detachment, entered the city. The route of his movement was as follows: from the side of present-day Polessk, Frunze Street leads to the city center (formerly Koenigstrasse, and during the period of the events described - Breitstrasse; in Russian documents of that time, this street was literally translated “Broad Street”). Along it, Fermor and his retinue, following a crowd of curious spectators, entered the castle. There he was met by representatives of the Prussian authorities, led by Lesswing, and presented with the “keys to the city” (rather, of course, a symbol marking a historical event).
By the way, in Koenigsberg, when Russian troops entered it, there were eighteen churches, of which 14 were Lutheran, 3 Calvinist and one Roman Catholic. There were no Orthodox Christians, which was a problem for the Russian inhabitants who appeared. We found a way out. Russian clergy chose the building, later known as the Steindamm Church. It was one of the oldest churches in Koenigsberg, founded back in 1256. Since 1526, it was used by Polish and Lithuanian parishioners. And on September 15, 1760, the consecration of the church took place.
It should be noted that the victors behaved peacefully in Prussia. They provided residents with freedom of faith and trade and opened up access to Russian service. Double-headed eagles replaced Prussian ones everywhere. An Orthodox monastery was built in Koenigsberg. They began to mint a coin with the image of Elizabeth and the signature: Elisabeth rex Prussiae. The Russians intended to establish themselves firmly in East Prussia.
But here in Russia there is a change of power. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna dies and Peter III, as is known, an ardent supporter of Frederick II, ascends to the Russian throne. In a treaty dated May 5, 1762, Peter III unconditionally gave Frederick II all territories previously occupied by the Russians. On July 5, the Koenigsberg city newspaper was already published, crowned with the Prussian coat of arms. The transfer of power in the provinces began. On July 9, a coup takes place in Russia and Catherine II ascends to the royal throne, but still Russian rule in Prussia ended. Already on August 5, 1762, the last Russian governor of Prussia, Voeikov F.M. (1703-1778) received orders to finally begin the transfer of the province, from now on not to interfere in the internal affairs of Prussia, and to allow Prussian garrisons to occupy fortresses.
September 3, 1762 - the beginning of the withdrawal of Russian troops from Prussia. And on February 15, 1763, the Seven Years' War ended with the signing of the Peace of Hubertusburg. Frederick II died of a cold on August 17, 1786 in Potsdam, leaving no direct heir.
One of the most significant operations carried out by the Red Army in 1945 was the storming of Königsberg and the liberation of East Prussia.
Fortifications of the Grolman upper front, Oberteich bastion after capitulation/
Fortifications of the Grolman upper front, Oberteich bastion. Courtyard.
Troops of the 10th Tank Corps of the 5th Guards Tank Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front occupy the city of Mühlhausen (now the Polish city of Mlynar) during the Mlawa-Elbing operation.
German soldiers and officers captured during the assault on Konigsberg.
A column of German prisoners walks along Hindenburg Strasse in the city of Insterburg (East Prussia), towards the Lutheran Church (now the city of Chernyakhovsk, Lenin Street).
Soviet soldiers carry the weapons of fallen comrades after a battle in East Prussia.
Soviet soldiers learn to overcome barbed wire barriers.
Soviet officers inspect one of the forts in occupied Konigsberg.
An MG-42 machine gun crew fires near the railway station of the city of Goldap in battles with Soviet troops. 
Ships in the frozen harbor of Pillau (now Baltiysk, Kaliningrad region of Russia), late January 1945.
Königsberg, Tragheim district after the assault, damaged building.
German grenadiers are moving towards the last Soviet positions in the area of the railway station in the city of Goldap.
Koenigsberg. Kronprinz Barracks, tower.
Koenigsberg, one of the inter-fort fortifications.
The air support ship Hans Albrecht Wedel receives refugees in Pillau harbor.
Advanced German troops enter the East Prussian town of Goldap, which was previously occupied by Soviet troops.
Koenigsberg, panorama of the ruins of the city.
The corpse of a German woman killed by an explosion in Metgethen in East Prussia.
The Pz.Kpfw tank belonging to the 5th Panzer Division. V Ausf. G "Panther" on the street of the city of Goldap.
A German soldier hanged on the outskirts of Königsberg for looting. The inscription in German “Plündern wird mit-dem Tode bestraft!” translated as “Whoever robs will be executed!”
A Soviet soldier in a German Sdkfz 250 armored personnel carrier on one of the streets of Koenigsberg.
Units of the German 5th Panzer Division move forward for a counterattack against Soviet forces. Kattenau region, East Prussia. Ahead is a Pz.Kpfw tank. V "Panther".
Koenigsberg, barricade on the street.
A battery of 88 mm anti-aircraft guns is preparing to repel a Soviet tank attack. East Prussia, mid-February 1945.
German positions on the approaches to Koenigsberg. The inscription reads: “We will defend Koenigsberg.” Propaganda photo.
The Soviet self-propelled gun ISU-122S is fighting in Koenigsberg. 3rd Belorussian Front, April 1945.
A German sentry on a bridge in the center of Königsberg.
A Soviet motorcyclist passes by German StuG IV self-propelled guns and a 105 mm howitzer abandoned on the road.
A German landing ship evacuating troops from the Heiligenbeil pocket enters Pillau harbor.
Koenigsberg, blown up by a pillbox.
Damaged German self-propelled gun StuG III Ausf. G in front of the Kronprinz Tower, Königsberg.
Koenigsberg, panorama from the Don Tower.
Koenisberg, April 1945. View of the Royal Castle
A German StuG III assault gun destroyed in Königsberg. In the foreground is a killed German soldier.
German equipment on Mitteltragheim street in Königsberg after the assault. To the right and left are StuG III assault guns, in the background is a JgdPz IV tank destroyer.
Grolman upper front, Grolman bastion. Before the capitulation of the fortress, it housed the headquarters of the 367th Wehrmacht Infantry Division.
On the street of Pillau port. Evacuated German soldiers throw their weapons and equipment before loading onto ships.
A German 88-mm FlaK 36/37 anti-aircraft gun abandoned on the outskirts of Königsberg.
Koenigsberg, panorama. Don Tower, Rossgarten Gate.
Koenigsberg, German bunker in the Horst Wessel Park area.
Unfinished barricade on Herzog Albrecht Alley in Königsberg (now Thälmann Street).
Koenigsberg, destroyed German artillery battery.
German prisoners at the Sackheim Gate in Königsberg.
Koenigsberg, German trenches.
German machine gun crew in position in Koenigsberg near the Don Tower.
German refugees on Pillau Street pass by a column of Soviet SU-76M self-propelled guns.
Koenigsberg, Friedrichsburg Gate after the assault.
Koenigsberg, Wrangel Tower, fortress moat.
View from the Don Tower on Oberteich (Upper Pond), Königsberg.
On the street of Koenigsberg after the assault.
Koenigsberg, Wrangel Tower after the surrender.
Corporal I.A. Gureev at his post at the border marker in East Prussia.
A Soviet unit in a street battle in Koenigsberg.
Traffic police officer Sergeant Anya Karavaeva on the way to Konigsberg.
Soviet soldiers in the city of Allenstein (currently the city of Olsztyn in Poland) in East Prussia.
Artillerymen of the guard of Lieutenant Sofronov are fighting on Avider Alley in Konigsberg (now Alley of the Brave).
The result of an airstrike on German positions in East Prussia.
Soviet soldiers are fighting in the streets on the outskirts of Koenigsberg. 3rd Belorussian Front.
Soviet armored boat No. 214 in the Koenigsberg Canal after a battle with a German tank.
German collection point for faulty captured armored vehicles in the Königsberg area.
Evacuation of the remnants of the "Gross Germany" division to the Pillau area.
German equipment abandoned in Konigsberg. In the foreground is a 150 mm sFH 18 howitzer.
Koenigsberg. Bridge over the moat to the Rossgarten Gate. Don Tower in the background
An abandoned German 105-mm howitzer le.F.H.18/40 at a position in Konigsberg.
A German soldier lights a cigarette near a StuG IV self-propelled gun.
A damaged German Pz.Kpfw tank is on fire. V Ausf. G "Panther". 3rd Belorussian Front.
Soldiers of the Grossdeutschland division are loaded onto homemade rafts to cross the Frisches Huff Bay (now Kaliningrad Bay). Balga Peninsula, Cape Kalholz.
Soldiers of the Grossdeutschland division in positions on the Balga Peninsula.
Meeting of Soviet soldiers on the border with East Prussia. 3rd Belorussian Front.
The bow of a German transport sinking as a result of an attack by Baltic Fleet aircraft off the coast of East Prussia.
The observer pilot of the Henschel Hs.126 reconnaissance aircraft takes pictures of the area during a training flight.
A damaged German StuG IV assault gun. East Prussia, February 1945.
Seeing off Soviet soldiers from Koenigsberg.
The Germans inspect a damaged Soviet T-34-85 tank in the village of Nemmersdorf.
Tank "Panther" from the 5th Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht in Gołdap.
German soldiers armed with Panzerfaust grenade launchers next to an MG 151/20 aircraft cannon in the infantry version.
A column of German Panther tanks is moving towards the front in East Prussia.
Broken cars on the street of Königsberg, which was taken by storm. Soviet soldiers in the background.
Troops of the Soviet 10th Tank Corps and the bodies of German soldiers on Mühlhausen Street.
Soviet sappers walk down the street of burning Insterburg in East Prussia.
A column of Soviet IS-2 tanks on a road in East Prussia. 1st Belorussian Front.
A Soviet officer inspects the German Jagdpanther self-propelled gun that was knocked out in East Prussia.
Soviet soldiers sleep, resting after the fighting, right on the street of Königsberg, which was taken by storm.
Koenigsberg, anti-tank barriers.
German refugees with a baby in Konigsberg.
A short rally in the 8th company after reaching the state border of the USSR.
A group of pilots of the Normandie-Niemen air regiment near a Yak-3 fighter in East Prussia.
A sixteen-year-old Volkssturm fighter armed with an MP 40 submachine gun. East Prussia.
Construction of defensive structures, East Prussia, mid-July 1944.
Refugees from Königsberg moving towards Pillau, mid-February 1945.
German soldiers at a rest stop near Pillau.
German quad anti-aircraft gun FlaK 38 mounted on a tractor. Fischhausen (now Primorsk), East Prussia.
Civilians and a captured German soldier on Pillau Street during garbage collection after the end of the fighting for the city.
Boats of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet undergoing repairs in Pillau (currently the city of Baltiysk in the Kaliningrad region of Russia).
German auxiliary ship "Franken" after an attack by Il-2 attack aircraft of the Baltic Fleet Air Force.
Bomb explosion on the German ship Franken as a result of an attack by Il-2 attack aircraft of the Baltic Baltic Fleet Air Force
A gap from a heavy shell in the wall of the Oberteich bastion fortifications of the Grolman upper front of Koenigsberg.
The bodies of two German women and three children allegedly killed by Soviet soldiers in the town of Metgethen in East Prussia in January-February 1945. German propaganda photo.
Transportation of the Soviet 280-mm mortar Br-5 in East Prussia.
Distribution of food to Soviet soldiers in Pillau after the end of the fighting for the city.
Soviet soldiers pass through a German settlement on the outskirts of Konigsberg.
A broken German StuG IV assault gun on the streets of Allenstein (now Olsztyn, Poland.)
Soviet infantry, supported by the SU-76 self-propelled gun, attacks German positions in the Königsberg area.
A column of self-propelled guns SU-85 on the march in East Prussia.
Sign "Motorway to Berlin" on one of the roads in East Prussia.
Explosion on the tanker Sassnitz. The tanker with a cargo of fuel was sunk on March 26, 1945, 30 miles from Liepaja by aircraft of the 51st mine-torpedo air regiment and the 11th attack air division of the Baltic Fleet Air Force.
Bombing of German transport and port facilities of Pillau by Red Banner Baltic Fleet Air Force aircraft.
The German hydroaviation mother ship Boelcke, attacked by an Il-2 squadron of the 7th Guards Attack Aviation Regiment of the Baltic Fleet Air Force, 7.5 km southeast of Cape Hel.
However, after Stalingrad and Kursk, the Germans began to realize that soon the rear status of East Prussia could be replaced by a front-line one, and they began to prepare it for defense by building fortifications. As the front approached the borders of the region, these works became more and more intense. East Prussia was turned into a huge fortified area with a defense depth of 150-200 km. Koenigsberg was located behind many lines of fortifications (from three to nine in different directions).
The first battles on German soil
Soviet troops, represented by the 3rd Belorussian and 1st Baltic fronts, reached the borders of East Prussia in September 1944 as a result of the triumphant Operation Bagration (by far the best strategic operation of the Soviet army during the entire Great Patriotic War) and the Baltic offensive operation (also quite successful). The Germans were going to defend East Prussia to the last possible opportunity, not only and not so much for military reasons, but for political and psychological reasons - this region meant too much to them in historical terms. Nevertheless, the Soviet command planned to capture East Prussia before the end of 1944.
The first offensive against East Prussia began on October 16, 1944. Two days later, the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front entered the territory of this region for the first time, i.e. to the territory of Germany, which they have been striving for since June 41st.
However, from the first moment the operation turned into a frontal “gnawing through” of a very powerful German defense. Therefore, on October 27, the offensive was stopped. It cannot be called unsuccessful - the troops advanced 50-100 km deep into East Prussia. However, its complete capture was out of the question, and Soviet losses were twice as large as those of the enemy (80 thousand versus 40 thousand). But a bridgehead on enemy territory was created, and important experience was gained.
On the second try
The second attempt was made already in 1945. To carry out the East Prussian operation, the Soviet army concentrated 1.7 million people, 25.4 thousand guns, 3.8 thousand tanks and self-propelled guns, 3.1 thousand aircraft against approximately 800 thousand people, 8.2 thousand guns, 700 tanks and self-propelled guns, 800 aircraft as part of the German Army Group North (former Army Group Center).
The Soviet offensive by the forces of the 2nd and 3rd Belorussian and 1st Baltic fronts began on January 13 in two directions - through Gumbinnen to Königsberg (from a bridgehead captured in October 1944) and from the Narev area to the Baltic coast.
Unlike the Vistula-Oder operation that began at the same time and was developing triumphantly (already on January 31, troops crossed the Oder, only 70 km remained to Berlin), the offensive in East Prussia proceeded extremely slowly and in this sense resembled the offensive operations of the first half of the war. The reason for this was the well-prepared, deeply echeloned defense of the Germans and the fire of German ships. It was thanks to the fire of the ships (pocket battleships Lützow and Admiral Scheer, the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, about 20 destroyers, destroyers and floating batteries) that the Germans regularly launched counterattacks, which in other sectors of the front by this time was almost unthinkable . In addition, the German fleet managed to transfer as many as eight divisions from the Courland bridgehead to East Prussia; the Baltic Fleet and the Soviet Air Force could not prevent this.
By the beginning of February, despite fierce resistance, Soviet troops cut the German group into three parts. However, final victory was very far away. Thanks to the support of naval artillery, the largest of the German groups, the Heilsberg group (south of Königsberg), launched a successful counterattack and reconnected with the Königsberg group. During these battles, on February 18, the commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front, Army General Ivan Chernyakhovsky, died (he was only 38 years old).
What was happening in East Prussia led to the fact that the 1st Belorussian Front, under the command of Zhukov, stopped the attack on Berlin and turned north, launching an attack on East Pomerania together with the 2nd Belorussian Front.
Thus, the defense of Königsberg delayed the fall of Berlin, i.e. the end of the war for at least two months.
At the same time, in Eastern Pomerania, Soviet troops faced the same problem - crushing fire from German naval artillery, which made the ground offensive very difficult.
The German group in Eastern Pomerania and the Heilsberg group in East Prussia were eliminated only by the end of March. At the same time, Danzig fell, which led to the final isolation of German troops in East Prussia from the main forces of the Wehrmacht. In addition, the German fleet was forced to shift its efforts to the west, first to the area of the Bay of Danzig, then to Eastern Pomerania. The departure of the German ships, which the Baltic Fleet was never able to cope with, facilitated the actions of the ground forces in East Prussia.
Capture of Königsberg
Objectively speaking, after this, the remnants of German troops in East Prussia did not pose any threat to the Soviet army; they could simply be ignored, throwing maximum forces at Berlin. However, this was not our rule. Now the target was the regional capital. Ahead was the battle for Königsberg.
The defense of Königsberg consisted of three lines and included 12 large and 5 small forts, plus many other defensive structures. The city was defended by a 134,000-strong German garrison. The assault on Königsberg began on April 6. Before this, for four days, artillery and aviation preparations were carried out in the capital of East Prussia, in which 5 thousand guns and 1.5 thousand aircraft were involved. This is what decided the outcome of the battle, especially since the shelling and bombing of the city continued during the assault itself.
Even the powerful German fortification could not withstand the amount of metal that fell on it. Koenigsberg fell very quickly - already on April 9, 92 thousand German troops surrendered, including the commander, General Lasch.
After the capture of Königsberg, there was absolutely no need to fight in East Prussia, but the Soviet command did not think so. The last German group remained in the western part of East Prussia, on the Samland Peninsula. It was captured on April 25, and Pillau fell at the same time (note that at that time there were already battles in the center of Berlin!). The remnants of the German troops (22 thousand people) retreated to the Frische-Nerung spit, now bearing the name Baltic, where they surrendered on May 9.
Results of the East Prussian operation
Of all the operations of the last year of the war, it was in East Prussia that Soviet troops suffered the greatest losses - almost 127 thousand people. killed, 3.5 thousand tanks, almost 1.5 thousand aircraft. The Germans lost at least 300 thousand people killed. To the Soviet losses directly in East Prussia, one must add significant additional losses during the assault on Berlin at the end of April (at the beginning of February it was quite possible to take it “on the move”).
Thus, the “citadel of German militarism” cost us extremely dearly, although the assault on Königsberg itself was carried out almost flawlessly.
The reasons for this are indicated above - the extreme saturation of East Prussia with defensive lines and the complete inability of the Baltic Fleet and the Soviet Air Force to neutralize German ships (all of them were sunk by British aircraft in April-May 1945, but by that time they had already done their “dirty deed”).
However, it is not a fact that the East Prussian operation should have been carried out at all. In fact, the Stalingrad mistake was repeated here when, while finishing off the “cauldron”, a much larger German group was missed from the Caucasus. Moreover, there was no need to finish off - Paulus’s army was doomed to death from cold and hunger. Two years later, the German group in East Prussia was also doomed and no longer had any opportunity to strike the flank and rear of the Soviet troops advancing on Berlin; it could simply be restrained by fairly limited forces without any assaults. Then Berlin would inevitably fall in February, which would end the war. But alas.
