East Prussian Offensive
1941 Białystok -Minsk - Dubno - Lutsk - Rovno - Smolensk - Uman - Kiev - Odessa - Leningrad - Wjasma - Bryansk - Rostov - Moscow 1942: Rzhev - Kharkov - Operation Blue - Operation Braunschweig - Operation Edelweiss - Stalingrad - Operation Mars 1943: Voronezh - Kharkov - Operation Iskra - North Caucasus - Kharkov - Operation Citadel - Smolensk - Dnieper 1944 Dnepr -Carpathian operation - Leningrad - Novgorod - Crimea - Vyborg - Petrozavodsk - Belarus - Lviv - Sandomierz - Iasi - Chisinau - Belgrade - Petsamo - Kirkenes - Baltic - Carpathian - Budapest 1945: Vistula-Oder - East Prussia - West Carpathians - Lower Silesia - East Pomerania - Balaton - Upper Silesia - Vienna - Berlin - Prague
. Battle for East Prussia was held from January 13 to April 25, 1945, and was the bloodiest and longest battle in 1945 Over the East Prussian operation (Russian Восточно - Прусская операция ) led the Red Army six sub- operations: Insterburg - Konigsberg, Mlawa - Elbląg, Rastenburg - Heilberger, Brown Berger, Samlander and the Konigsberg operation.
Troop strength
East Prussia and parts of northern Poland were defended by the 3rd Panzer Army under Erhard version and the 4th Army under Frederick Hoßbach ( January 30, at Friedrich- Wilhelm Müller) in the northern sector of the front of the German Army Group Centre under Georg- Hans Reinhardt. They had 580,000 soldiers and 200,000 members of the Volkssturm, 8,200 guns, 700 tanks and 700 aircraft (41 divisions and 6 brigades ). To you the 2nd Belorussian Front were under Constantine Rokossovsky, the 3rd Belorussian Front under Ivan Chernyakhovsky (from February 20 under Alexander Vasilevsky ) and the 43rd Army of the 1st Baltic Front under Hovhannes Baghramjan with a total thickness of 1.67 million. soldiers, 25,000 guns, 3,000 tanks and 3,000 aircraft.
Course
On January 13, the prepared by artillery fire attack of the 3rd Belorussian Front in the direction of Konigsberg began, as a side impact of the Vistula-Oder operation. On January 18, the breakthrough at Gumbinnen ( Gusev ), on January 20, Tilsit was captured on 22 Insterburg. The German 3rd Panzer Army retreated then returned from Königsberg. On January 14, south of the 2nd Belorussian Front attacked across the Narew on, led on 20 to pivot to the north and pushed over Olsztyn until 26 January for the Vistula Lagoon north of Elbing before. In order for the withdrawal of the 4th Army was virtually cut off to the west. The civilian population tried to save themselves over the frozen lagoon to the Vistula Spit. The German 2nd Army could escape the enclosure by withdrawing behind the Vistula East Pomerania, it was later destroyed in the Battle of East Pomerania.
In the days from 22 to 29 January, the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front in United Heydekrug reached the Vistula Lagoon west of Königsberg. At the same time also Baghramjans 1st Baltic Front was able to end the siege of Memel, its defenders were withdrawn on the Sambia Peninsula. Thus initially created three boilers, with up to 30 divisions in Heiligenbeil ( 4th Army ) as well as Königsberg and in Sambia (3rd Panzer Army ). The last two could reunite on February 19, thus enabling the supply of or evacuation of Königsberg to pillau. In reconquered territory while the massacre of Metgethen was uncovered.
On January 25, Hitler ordered the redeployment of German forces now isolated from each other in the northern area of the Eastern Front: the remains of Army Group Center in East Prussia were renamed Army Group North, trapped in the Kurlandkessel former Army Group North was to Army Group Courland, and in Eastern Pomerania was the Army Group Vistula formed. Same time, several commanders were exchanged and explained Konigsberg fortress.
In an attack on the vessel by Heiligenbeil on 18 February Chernyakhovsky was mortally wounded, his successor as commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front stepped to the previously the General Staff working Alexander Vasilevsky, which also in " Sambia Group " renamed 1st Baltic Front was assumed. Vasilevsky continued the offensive not just continue, but expected reinforcements, while Rokossowski 2nd Belorussian Front struck the Battle of East Pomerania.
The final destruction of the encircled troops in East Prussia began in March with the onset of the 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Front on the Heiligenbeil boiler ( Braunsberger offensive operation, March 13-April 25 ). From the 6th to the 9th of April, in the Battle of Königsberg stormed the "fortress" Königsberg and annihilated the army department Sambia until April 25.
Losses and consequences
The Red Army conquered East Prussia, destroyed 25 German divisions completely ( another 12 lost 50 to 70 percent of their strength ) and took 220,000 captured German soldiers. Even large amounts of military equipment were captured: 15,000 guns, 1,442 tanks and 363 aircraft. According to Soviet sources, the Red Army lost 584 774 soldiers (of which 126 464 Fallen ), 3,525 tanks and self-propelled guns, and 1,450 aircraft.