Agony of the Third Reich. 75 years ago, on March 30, 1945, Soviet troops took the city of Danzig (Gdansk). The troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front completed the defeat of the Danzig grouping of the German army and captured the enemy stronghold on the Baltic Sea.
The exit of the Red Army to the Baltic
During the East Pomeranian operation (started on February 10, 1945), the Red Army reached the coast of the Baltic Sea and cut through the German Army Group Vistula. The troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front under the command of K. K. parts of Pomerania.
Rokossovsky's armies were to defeat the Germans in the Stolp, Gdynia and Danzig (Gdansk) areas. The troops of the right wing advanced along the western bank of the river. Vistula to Danzig, left wing - to Stolp, Lauenburg and Gdynia. So that the 2nd BF could quickly complete the defeat of enemy forces in Eastern Pomerania (Slavic Pomorie), it was reinforced by the 1st Guards Tank Army of Katukov from the 1st Belorussian Front. A tank army attacked Gdynia. Also on the left wing was the 19th Soviet Army, reinforced by the 3rd Guards Tank Corps, aimed at Stolp, Lauenburg and Gdynia. Part of the 19th Army was involved in eliminating the enemy grouping in the Kolberg area, providing assistance to the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front.
The 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps, which provided the left flank of the 2nd BF strike group from the west, was given the task, as the 1st BF troops moved to Kohlberg, to move to the Baltic coast and gain a foothold on it. The 70th Army and the 8th Mechanized Corps were advancing in the center. Soviet troops struck in the direction of Byutov - Gdynia. The 65th and 49th armies were advancing in the northeastern direction, towards Danzig and Zopot (Sopot). On the right wing was the 2nd Shock Army, reinforced by the 8th Guards Tank Corps. The shock army advanced along the Vistula to Danzig.
The Nazis, despite the heavy defeat, did not surrender and continued to fight back fiercely. The 2nd German Army under the command of Dietrich von Sauken had large forces: 2 tank and 5 army corps - 7th and 46th tank corps, 18th mountain-jaeger, 23rd and 27th army corps, the 55th and 20th Army Corps were in reserve. A total of 19 divisions (including two tank divisions), three battle groups and a significant number of other units and subunits of a special, training, militia character. The command used the most severe methods to restore order in the retreating troops. The deserters were hanged.
The offensive of Rokossovsky's troops
On March 6, 1945, Rokossovsky's troops continued their offensive. On the flanks, the German defenses were broken. On the right wing, the assault on Starograd began, which was taken on the 7th. On the left flank, our troops took Schlave and Rügenwalde. Soviet troops launched an assault on Stolp. The entry into battle on the left flank of the 3rd Guards Tank Corps of Panfilov finally broke the Nazi defense. The Germans, having lost hope of holding their positions, began to retreat to the area of the Danzig-Gdynia fortified region. The retreat of the main forces was covered by strong rear guards, which held back our troops at communication junctions and destroyed roads. In some places the Germans stopped at intermediate lines and offered strong resistance. It was especially hard for the Soviet troops on the right wing, where the Germans had pre-equipped fortifications.
On March 8, our tankers and riflemen took the large industrial center and communications center Stolp - the second largest city in Pomerania after Stettin. On the same day, Soviet troops seized Stolpmünde with a quick blow, preventing the Nazis from organizing the defense of the seaside city. On the same day, the forward units captured the river crossings. Lupov-Fliss. On March 9, the 1st Guards Tank Army began the offensive. However, as the operation developed, the pace of movement of our troops dropped. This was due to the reduction of the front line, the consolidation of the battle formations of the German army. Until the very end of the war, the Germans retained their combat capability, skillfully and fiercely fought back.
On March 10, units of Panfilov's corps began the assault on Lauenburg. However, the attempts of our tankers to take the city on the move failed. The Germans put up strong resistance, the battle dragged on. Only when in the second half of the day the rifle units of Romanovsky's 19th army approached, artillery and aviation joined the assault, and the enemy's resistance was broken. Our troops fought their way into the city and took it. In the center, where the troops of Grishin's 49th Army and Panov's 1st Guards Tank Corps were advancing, Soviet troops advanced slowly, overcoming a strong German defense. On the right flank, the situation was even more dire. Here our troops could not advance, they had to repel the strong counterattacks of the Nazis. The Germans used more armored vehicles. As a result of a stubborn oncoming battle, Popov's 8th Guards Tank Corps, with the support of the infantry of Fedyuninsky's 2nd Shock Army, defeated a strong enemy armored group.
On March 11, the left flank of the front took the city of Neustadt. The German garrison was defeated, about 1 thousand people were taken prisoner. By the end of March 13, the troops of the left wing of the 2nd BF reached the front edge of the Danzig-Gdyn fortified area. The coast of the Putziger-Wik Bay was cleared from the Nazis, the city of Putzig was occupied and the exit from the Putziger-Nerung (Hel) spit was closed, where the German 55th Army Corps was blocked. By the end of the 13th, the troops of the right flank of the 2nd BF were also able to break the strong resistance of the enemy, took his stronghold Dirschau and reached Danzig. As a result, Rokossovsky's armies advanced 35-100 km with battles, reached Danzig and Gdynia, where the main forces of the German group were blocked. The Nazis in this area could receive help by sea, and tried to hold these strong points.
Dismemberment of the Danzig-Gdynian fortified area
The front command decided to deliver the main blow between Danzig and Gdynia, to Sopot (Sopot), in order to dismember the enemy grouping and destroy it piece by piece. The main blow was delivered by units of the 70th and 49th armies, reinforced by two tank corps. After the capture of Soppot, both Soviet armies had to turn towards Danzig. Long-range artillery was deployed on the coast to prevent the German Navy from supporting the Danzig garrison. Also, the front aviation was supposed to fight against enemy ships. The troops of the left flank of the front were to take Gdynia, the right flank - Danzig. A separate detachment was allocated to occupy the Hel spit.
The Germans prepared a strong defense in this area. Gdynia was defended by two lines of defense, here they had pre-equipped permanent structures, artillery batteries, observation posts, reinforced by a system of field fortifications, anti-tank and anti-personnel obstacles. The city was protected by a continuous defensive line within a radius of 12-15 km. The first line of defense had two positions, which consisted of five lines of trenches with a total depth of 3-5 km. The second lane was located near the city itself and had three lines of trenches. The defense was strengthened by powerful air defense points. The Germans created them to protect ports and ships. In addition, there were long-term defensive structures, which were built by the Poles. The city itself was prepared for street fighting. Large stone buildings have been converted into strongholds for individual garrisons. They had their own command posts and firing positions. Buildings and quarters were connected by means of communication, trenches, and underground communications were also used. As a result, individual units could support each other, maneuver, and move from one sector to another. The streets were blocked with rubble, barricades, reinforced concrete blocks, iron hedgehogs, they were mined. Many buildings were prepared for demolition.
At the junction of Gdynm and Danzig, there was a defensive position with strongholds and three lines of trenches. The Danzig fortified area had two lines of defense. The first line was up to 5 km deep and consisted of five lines of trenches. The second strip was 5-7 km from the city and its flanks rested against the coast. It consisted of three positions. The outer defense belt had two new fortified areas Bischofsberg and Hagelsberg with capital reinforced concrete structures. From the southeast, the defense of Gdansk was strengthened by a system of old forts. There were also new forts. These fortifications had powerful firearms. The port city itself was also well prepared for street fighting. The Germans paid special attention to anti-tank defense: Russian tanks had to stop numerous ditches, rubble, barricades, nadolby, positions of tank destroyers armed with faust cartridges. Also, the defense was strengthened by stationary anti-aircraft and coastal batteries. To defend all these positions, the Germans had significant forces of well-armed and disciplined infantry (up to 25 thousand people), 180 artillery and mortar batteries, about 200 tanks and assault guns, up to 100 aircraft. Also, the city from the sea could be supported by German ships. Therefore, Danzig was considered one of the strongest "fortresses" of the Reich. The German command hoped that the fortified city would detain the Russians for a long time.
The offensive of our troops began practically without a pause, on the morning of March 14, 1945, after a short artillery preparation. The fighting went on day and night. The German defense was literally gnawed. On some days there was no movement, or our troops advanced only a few hundred meters. Fights for individual strong points continued for several days. The Germans fiercely fought back, counterattacked with the support of artillery, including coastal and naval, and aviation. For example, the height 205, 8, which had four lines of trenches and four long-term reinforced concrete structures, was stormed from 14 to 18 March. The height was of great importance, since from it the battle formations of our troops were visible to a great depth and the entire German defense up to the Danzig Bay. An attempt to take the height on the move with parts of the 3rd Guards Tank Corps failed. On the second day of the assault, the second echelon was thrown into battle. However, on the second day, tankers and motorized riflemen could not break through, the Nazis repelled all attacks. On the third day, they struck in three directions, during a stubborn battle captured two lines of trenches. The next day there was a battle for the third line, it was captured. On the morning of the 18th, after a short artillery attack, they were able to suppress enemy firing points and destroyed the pillboxes. The remnants of the German garrison perished under their debris.
On March 18, a Soviet aviation operation was carried out to eliminate the enemy air group, which greatly interfered with our ground forces. Despite the bad weather, Soviet aircraft struck powerful strikes against enemy airfields. Fighters blocked enemy air bases to prevent German aircraft from taking off, and attack aircraft from hitting the runways and enemy aircraft. 64 enemy aircraft were destroyed. After that, the German troops almost lost their air support, which facilitated the assault on enemy positions.
By March 24, 1945, Soviet troops broke through two trench lines and reached the last. All day our artillery and aviation worked on the German positions. On the night of March 25, the Red Army collapsed the last German defensive line and in the morning broke into Soppot. The city was taken and the battle began for the outskirts of Danzig. Thus, the enemy grouping was split into two parts.
The storming of Gdynia
At the same time, our troops stormed Gdynia. A large group of German troops was defending here, armed with about 100 tanks and assault guns, about 80 artillery batteries. The garrison was also supported by coastal and naval guns. The Germans fought fiercely and constantly counterattacked. On March 13, Soviet troops broke through the front line of defense and began attacking the main enemy positions. However, after that, the pace of advancement dropped sharply. Only on March 17, our troops were able to break into the enemy defenses and on the 23rd reached the last line of defense.
On March 24, Soviet troops fought for the villages closest to the city, for the suburbs, and began an assault on Gdynia itself. The tank army was withdrawn to the rear and was soon returned to the 1st BF. The troops of the 19th Army of Romanovsky, after a small regrouping, continued the assault. At first, the battle went on with the same intensity. The Germans desperately resisted, fought for every strong point and house. Only by March 26, when our soldiers took 13 blocks, the Nazis "broke down." Their individual units began to surrender or fled. The German counterattacks lost their former fury and they retreated at the very first shots. On the night of March 27, the German troops fled. Part of the Germans retreated to the so-called. Oxheft bridgehead, which had been prepared in advance in case of a possible withdrawal from the city. Another part of the Gdynia garrison, throwing heavy weapons, equipment and supplies, was hastily loaded onto transports. The Germans' defense finally collapsed.
On March 28, the Red Army occupied Gdynia. The remnants of Hitler's troops, which retreated at the Oxheft bridgehead, were destroyed a few days later. About 19 thousand people were captured. Our troops captured rich trophies, including 600 guns, over 6 thousand vehicles, 20 ships, etc.
The assault on Danzig
Simultaneously with the attack on Soppot and Gdynia, Soviet troops went to the assault on Danzig. Here the Nazis also fought desperately, constantly counterattacking. But after the fall of the Sopot positions and the separation of the garrison of Gdynia, their resistance weakened. German troops began to lose one position after another. On March 23, our troops reached the enemy's second line of defense. Here the advance was again delayed. Only by the end of March 26, the troops of the 2nd shock army of Fedyuninsky and the 65th army of Batov broke through the enemy's defenses and went directly to the city. The battle began for Emaus, a western suburb of Gdansk.
On March 27, a decisive assault on Danzig itself began. On this day, units of the 59th and 60th Guards Tank Brigades of the 8th Guards Tank Corps entered the Neugarten area. In the afternoon, our troops occupied the central quarter of the Schidlitz suburb. Despite the desperate situation, the Nazis fought fiercely. Especially heavy battles were fought for large buildings and buildings of enterprises. So, for two days our soldiers stormed the buildings of a chemical plant. The Soviet Air Force played an important role in the storming of the city. The aircraft attacked fortified positions, strongholds, forts, coastal batteries and ships. Artillery also played an important role in the capture of Danzig. On March 27, Lieutenant General Clemens Betzel, the commander of the 4th Panzer Division, was killed at the Katyusha artillery.
The Germans' defense began to fall apart. On the night of March 27-28, the Nazis began to withdraw from the old part of Danzig, through the Granary Island, behind the Neue-Mottlau Canal, hiding behind rearguards and firing positions. Part of the garrison during the battle did not receive an order to retreat behind the canal. She was destroyed or surrendered, like the units that defended the forts on the heights of Bischofsberg and Hagelsberg. On March 28, Soviet troops cleared the Neugarten area, the central part of Danzig, from the Nazis, and occupied the Granary Island. Our infantry crossed the Neue-Mottlau Canal and began fighting for blocks on the east bank. On the night of the 29th, the Germans organized several counterattacks with the support of tanks in order to throw our troops into the canal. The Germans somewhat pushed our infantry back, but could not repulse the canal line.
On the morning of March 29, motorized riflemen crossed the Milhkannen Bridge and started fighting in the Lower Town of the eastern part of Danzig. By noon, a tank crossing was established in the area of the Mattenbuden bridge (it was destroyed by the Germans). The 59th Panzer Brigade crossed the canal and developed an offensive, breaking enemy resistance. As a result, on the 29th, Russian troops occupied most of the city. On March 30, the city and port were taken. The remnants of the German garrison fled to the hard-to-reach area of the Vistula estuary, where the white flag was soon thrown out. About 10 thousand people were captured. As trophies, Soviet troops seized dozens of tanks and self-propelled guns, hundreds of guns and mortars, dozens of ships and submarines that were being repaired and under construction, and other military property.
As a result, Rokossovsky's troops completely cleared the eastern part of Pomerania from the Nazis and eliminated the Danzig-Gdynian grouping of the Wehrmacht. The 2nd German army was completely defeated. Soviet troops captured the important ports of Gdynia and Gdansk. The Reich has lost another "fortress". The Soviet Union returned to Poland the ancient Slavic city of Gdansk and Pomorie. The troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front freed themselves and were able to operate in the Berlin direction. The possibilities for the basing of the Soviet Air Force and the Baltic Fleet were expanded. The blockade of enemy groups in East Prussia and Courland has been strengthened. Weakened the combat potential of the German fleet.
