On April 6, 1945, during the East Prussian Offensive, the Red Army encircled Konigsberg, which was heavily fortified and defended by over 100,000 German troops. Ernst Wagner, Kreisleiter of Konigsberg, rallied the defenders with patriotic messages, but the city's fall was inevitable. The Soviet strategy involved meticulous planning and the use of assault groups to minimize casualties. Despite fierce resistance and strong fortifications, the Soviet forces captured Konigsberg with moderate losses after intense urban combat. The victory was a significant blow to German morale and marked a turning point in World War II, paving the way for the final assault on Berlin.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. On April 6, 1945, Ernst Wagner addressed the defenders of Konigsberg.
2. Wagner emphasized the historical and symbolic importance of Konigsberg to Germany.
3. The Red Army had previously captured Sevastopol from the Germans in less than four days.
4. The fate of Germany depended on the battle for Konigsberg.
5. During the East Prussian Offensive, the Red Army approached Konigsberg from multiple directions.
6. Konigsberg was connected to the Zemlandsky peninsula by a narrow strip of land.
7. The Soviet strategic planners considered Konigsberg a key to the postwar world.
8. The city's fortifications were prepared for centuries to repulse superior enemy forces.
9. Marshall Aleksandr Vasilevsky planned to capture Konigsberg with minimal personnel losses.
10. The city was surrounded by 17 strong forts resistant to field artillery and aerial bombs.
11. The majority of the adult population in Konigsberg was conscripted into Volkssturm battalions.
12. The total number of Wehrmacht and Volkssturm troops in Konigsberg numbered more than 100,000.
13. Marshall Vasilevsky had only 100,000 troops in three armies for the assault.
14. The garrison commander, General Otto von Lasch, had serviceable tanks and self-propelled guns.
15. The Soviet operation plan relied on superiority in firepower and special tactics of assault groups.
16. Assault groups would act autonomously inside Konigsberg with various weapons and support units.
17. Marshall Vasilevsky took a risk with assault groups being vulnerable to counterattacks inside the city.
18. Sergeant Major Popov trained his company for assaulting fortified cities.
19. The Soviet forces surrounded Konigsberg in a near-complete circle with multiple armies.
20. On April 2nd, heavy artillery bombarded Konigsberg for four days before the assault began.
21. Soviet bombers dropped more than 2,000 tons of aerial bombs on Konigsberg's center during the assault.
22. The German garrison resisted fiercely but eventually surrendered after heavy casualties.
23. Tanks and ISU-152 heavy assault guns played a crucial role in advancing through the city's defenses.
24. The Soviet forces took moderate casualties: 3,700 killed and 8,000 injured during the operation.
25. German casualties were significant: 42,000 killed and more than 90,000 captured.
These facts summarize the key points regarding the battle for Konigsberg as described in the provided text.