FREEPRUSSIAN APOCALYPSE: THE FALL OF DANZIG 1945 EBOOK Egbert Kieser,Tony Le Tissier | 256 pages | 19 Jul 2012 | Pen & Sword Books Ltd | 9781848846746 | English | South Yorkshire, United Kingdom Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig, - Egbert Kieser - Google книги Harrowing collection of first-hand accounts of the conquest of Prussia and Danzig by Russian forces in the winter and spring ofas related largely by civilians though the boundary between Prussian Apocalypse : The Fall of Danzig, Egbert Kieser. Egbert Kiesers graphic account of the Red Armys assault on East Prussia in is one of the classic histories of the destruction of Hitlers Germany, and it has never before been available in English. Using extensive, firsthand, unforgettable eyewitness testimony, he documents in riveting detail the catastrophe that overtook German civilians and soldiers as they fled from the Soviet onslaught and their world collapsed around them. Tony Le Tissier, in this fluent and vivid translation of the original German text, brings to bear all his expert knowledge of the military defeat of the German armies in the East and the enormity of the human disaster that went Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig 1945 it. Egbert Kieser was born in in Bad Salzungen, Thringen and studied philosophy and the history of art at Heidelberg University. He worked as a freelance journalist, writer and editor. The Eastern Front. Precipitate Flight. The Last Trains. The Fall of Elbing. The German 4th Armys Breakout. Over the Ice of the Frisches Haff. The Sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff. The Sinking of the General von Steuben. Westwards over the Vistula. From Pillau to Gotenhafen. Chaos at the Mouth of the Vistula. From Hela to Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig 1945 West. The Road along the Spit. The Pillau Exit. The Soviet Invasion of the Samland. The Soviets occupy the Samland. The End of Pillau. Title Page Copyright Page Introduction. Danzig cut. Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall Of Danzig : Egbert Kiese | Mercado Libre It was the East Pomeranian Offensive that prevented Zhukov from reaching Berlin in February the object of the massive Vistula—Oder Offensivesince it became a priority to clear German forces from Pomerania first. The 2nd Belorussian Front —under Konstantin Rokossovsky — had initially been tasked with advancing westward north of the Vistula River toward Pomerania Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig 1945 the major port city of Danzigwith the primary aim of protecting the right flank of Zhukov's 1st Belorussian FrontPrussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig 1945 was pushing towards Berlin. During the East Prussian Offensivehowever, Rokossovsky was ordered to wheel directly north toward Elbing. As a result, once the initial phase of the East Prussian Offensive was over, the 2nd Belorussian Front was redeployed with the intention of attacking westwards into Pomerania, eliminating the possibility of a German counter-offensive similarly, the parallel Silesian Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig 1945 of Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front in the south were in part designed to protect the 1st Belorussian Front's left flank. The need to secure the flanks delayed the Soviets' final push towards Berlinwhich was originally planned for February, until April. Joseph Stalin 's decision to delay the push toward Berlin from February to April has been a subject of some controversy among both the Soviet generals and military historians, with one side arguing that the Soviets had a chance of securing Berlin much quicker and with much lower losses in February, and the other arguing that the danger of leaving large German formations on the flanks could have resulted in a successful German counter-attack and prolonged the war further: the Germans did in fact mount a surprise counter-attack in Pomerania in mid-February, Operation Solstice. The delay did, however, allow the Soviets to occupy significant parts of Austria in the Vienna Offensive. As early as 13 February, German intelligence services had deduced that the Soviets would seek to clear Pomerania before advancing on Berlin. The 2nd Army —defending a large and exposed sector running through Pomerania eastward toward the edge of East Prussia at Elbing — sought permission to withdraw, but this was denied by Adolf Hitler. The corps of the Second Army were seriously understrength by this time, being composed largely of fragmentary or ad hoc units. Zhukov's right wing—a grouping of the 3rd Shock Army and 1st and 2nd Guards Tank Armies—went over to the offensive on 1 March, striking northward with the main force concentrated at Reetz. The entire left wing of 3rd Panzer Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig 1945 was cut off by their breakthrough, after Guderian refused Raus' request for withdrawal; the right flank withdrew towards Stettin. On 4 March, forward Soviet tank units reached the Balticand the German forces in Pomerania were trapped in a series of encirclements. Rokossovsky opened the second phase of his offensive on March Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig 1945. The 2nd Shock Army threatened to cut off Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig 1945 defending forces in the fortress of Marienburgwhich was evacuated two days later, while in the east Elbing finally fell on 10 March. The defence of Marienburg was conducted by a Kampfgruppe under the nominal control of the staff of the 7th Infantry Divisionincluding marine, SS and other units. The troops of the German 2nd Army withdrew in disarray into Danzig and Gdingenwhere the 2nd Belorussian Front besieged them. Zhukov's forces meanwhile, cleared the remainder of 3rd Panzer Army from the east bank of the lower Oderdriving the Germans from their last positions in a bridgehead at Altdamm. Many civilian refugees from Pomerania had fled into the coastal town of Kolbergwhich was surrounded by 4 March. Nevertheless, the town was successfully defended until 18 March, by which time evacuation was almost complete. The Danzig - Gotenhafen Gdingen Fortified Area—also the main port for refugees from East Prussia escaping to the west—was ordered to be defended for as long as possible by von Saucken in order to keep the evacuation routes open. Rokossovsky opened his final offensive on 15 March ; the main thrust, toward the coast at Zoppot between Gdingen and Danzig, being undertaken by the 70th and 49th Army advancing in parallel. By 22 Marchthe 70th Army reached the sea, splitting the German defence. Danzig finally fell on 30 Marchafter which the remnants of the 2nd Army withdrew to the Vistula delta southeast of the city. Evacuation of civilians and military personnel from there and from the Hel Peninsula continued until 10 May According to Soviet claims, in the Battle of Danzig the Germans lost 39, soldiers dead and 10, captured. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. PomeraniaDanzig-West Prussia inside Germany. Eastern Front. Poland and Eastern Germany — Main article: Battle of Kolberg Mary's Church Archdiocese Bishop St. Namespaces Article Talk. Views Read Edit View history. Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file. Download as PDF Printable version. Wikimedia Commons. Date 24 February — 4 April Soviet Union Poland. Konstantin Rokossovsky 2nd Belorussian Front. Wikimedia Commons has media related to East Pomeranian Offensive. Walter Heitz - Wikipedia Inhe became the president of the Reich Military Court. The 6th Army was encircled within the city after Operation Uranusthe Soviet counter- offensive in Stalingrad, and eventually destroyed. Heitz surrendered the central pocket of German forces in Stalingrad on 31 January and died as a prisoner of war in the Soviet Union. Commissioned as a second lieutenant, he became battalion adjutant in and was promoted Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig 1945 captain in He remained with his regiment during World War I, where he became Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig 1945 battery commander and battalion commander, and fought in East Prussiaon the Russian Front —and on the Western Front from the fall of until the end of the war. Selected for the reduced Reichswehrhe served on the staff of the Artillery School Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig 1945 Jueterbog — and in the Artillery Inspectorate in the Defense Ministry — Heitz eventually became the commander of Fortress Koenigsberg in late and achieved the rank of Colonel. Described by historian Samuel W. Mitcham as a "harsh, right-wing career officer", [1] Heitz was a staunch supporter of Nazism and Hitler. On 17 Augustduring Heitz's appointment as president of the ReichskriegsgerichtWehrkraftzersetzung undermining military force was established as a sedition offence in German military lawwhich criminalized all criticism, dissent and behavior opposed to Nazi political and military leadership, particularly within the Wehrmacht's military justice. The Wehrkraftzersetzung consolidated and redefined paragraphs already in the military penal code to punish "seditious" acts such as conscientious objectiondefeatist statementsself-mutilationand questioning the Endsieg. Convictions were punishable by the death penaltyheavy sentences in military prisonsconcentration campsand forced mobilization in combat or penal units. At the outbreak of the Second World War inHeitz was already 60 years old and would have gone into retirement. Nevertheless, he requested to be sent into the frontlines. On September 14,during the invasion of Poland Heitz was appointed as the commander of the armed forces in Danzig- West Prussiapartially because of his hatred for the Poles. He led the Corps in the Invasion of France and on Prussian Apocalypse: The Fall of Danzig 1945 September he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for personally scouting for river crossings and leading his troops across the Oise river under enemy fire. On 19 November the Soviet forces launched Operation Uranusa massive counteroffensive that involved over 1 million Soviet military personnel, aimed against Hungarian and Romanian units defending the 6th Army's flanks.