April 01st, 1945

Following a protracted siege and bitter fighting, the 1st Ukrainian Front forces defeated the encircled enemy garrison in the city and fortress of Glogau, seizing this formidable Wehrmacht strongpoint on the left bank of the Oder. More than 8,000 enemy personnel were taken prisoner and a lot of materiel was captured.

April 02nd, 1945

During April 2, the 2nd Ukrainian Front forces maintained their advance on the Bratislava approach and captured the town and railroad station of Topolcany as well as more than 100 other settlements, including Bosany, Velke Ripnany, Siladice, Sucha, Pudmerice, Modra, Pezinok, Vajnori, Farna, Bischdorf (4 km east of Bratislava), Gutor and Samorin and the Bosany, Velke Ripnany, Siladice, Sered, Modra Senkvice, Ceklis, Vajnori, Uzor and Bischdorf railroad stations.

April 03rd, 1945

During April 3, the 2nd Belarussian Front forces were mopping up the encircled German force east of Gdansk and seized settlements Neuendorf, Kleinplenendorf, Siegerkranz, Heubude, Krakauerkempe and Krakau. Over 2,000 German personnel were taken prisoner in the area on April 1 and 2.

April 04th, 1945

During April 4, advancing through the Carpathian Mountains south of the town of Novy Targ in conjunction with Czechoslovak troops, the 4th Ukrainian Front forces seized over 60 towns and villages, including such major ones, as Slanica, Namestovo, Mutne, Breza, Lokca, Hrustin, Pribis, Velke Borove, Svaty Mukulas, Selnica, Paludza and Bodice and the Podbel and Sedlacka Dubova railroad stations.

April 05th, 1945

On April 5, the 2nd Belarussian Front forces north of Gdynia mopped up the German forces driven to the coast of the Putziger Wiek Bay, and seized such settlements, as Ochsheft, Oblusch, Alt Oblusch, Pogorsch, Neu Oblusch, Babidul, Kossanau, Pyrwoszin, Bruck, Mechlinken and Rewa.

April 06th, 1945

On April 6, the 2nd Belarussian Front forces were mopping up the encircled German troops southeast and east of Gdansk and seized such settlements as Sperlingsdorf, Landau, Hochzeit, Klein and Gross Scharfenberg, Quadendorf, Reichenberg, Gross Plenendorf, Aussendeich and Westlich Neufahr. Mopping up the remaining enemy troops north of Gdynia resulted in 3,340 prisoners and 239 field guns seized.

April 07th, 1945

On April 7, northwest of the town of Ruzomberok in the Carpathian zone of attack, the 4th Ukrainian Front forces dislodged the enemy troops from more than 30 settlements, including Brenka, Malinka, Kamesnica, Ujsoly, Roztoky, Stankovani and Hombas.

April 08th, 1945

Today, the 3rd Belarussian Front forces launched assault of the city and fortress of Konigsberg and, attacking from the northwest direction, penetrated the outer fortress positions and drive the enemy out of the districts of Juditten, Lawschen, Ratshof, Amalienau and Palfe. The forces advancing on the southern approach occupied the districts of Schonfliss, Speichersdorf, Ponart, Nasser Garten and Kontinen, main railroad station and port, crossed the Pregel river and took the district of Kosse where they linked up with the friendly troops attacking the city from the northwest. Thus, a large enemy force was encircled in Konigsberg. Over 15,000 prisoners were taken.

April 09th, 1945

Following bitter fighting, the 3rd Belarussian Front forces have mopped up the enemy troops in Konigsberg, having assaulted today this fortress and main city of East Prussia, a strategic strongpoint of the enemy defenses on the Baltic. By 20.00 hours today, the friendly forces had taken over 27,000 prisoners and seized a lot of weapons and other combat gear.

April 10th, 1945

According to the 3rd Belarussian Front data, about 50,000 German troops surrendered after 21.30 on April 9, i.e. on the night of 9/10 April and later in daytime following the surrender of the German garrison of Konigsberg. Thus, the more than 92,000 prisoners were taken during the battle of Konigsberg between April 6 and 10. During the period, the enemy lost about 42,000 personnel killed.

April 11st, 1945

On April 11, the Red Army, advancing in conjunction with Czechoslovak and Romanian troops west of the town of Ruzomberok in the Carpathian zone of attack, drove the enemy out of the town and railroad station of Svaty Martin, railroad junction of Vrutki and 40 other settlements, including Sutozo, Ratkovo, Turany, Sucany, Drazkovce, Zaborie, Zabokreky, Bistricka, Trebostovo, Pribovce, Valca, Lazany and Vricko.

April 12nd, 1945

On April 12, the 2nd Ukrainian Front forces in Czechoslovakia dislodged the enemy from the town and railway station of Skalica and over 30 other settlements northeast and north of Bratislava, including Trenc Tepla, Opatova, Kochanovce, Haluzice, Horna Bzince, Vrbovce, Radejov, Katov, Golic and Kopcany.

April 13rd, 1945

The 2nd Ukrainian Front forces sustained their attack and sized on April 13 the Czechoslovak town of Hodonin, a major road junction and a formidable German stronghold on the western bank of the Morava river. They also captured the settlements of Tvarozna Lehota, Petrov, Sudomerzice, Rohatec, Tvrdosovce, Kostice and Lanzhot. Northeast and north of Vienna, our forces drove the enemy out of the Austrian settlements of Ringelsdorf, Niederabsdorf, Niedersul, Gross Schweinbart, Volkersdorf, Munichsthal and Gross Ebersdorf and the Martinsdorf, Gross Ebersdorf and Hagenbrunn railroad stations.

April 14th, 1945

On April 14, the 3rd Belarussian Front forces seized over 60 towns and villages at the Samland Peninsula northwest and west of Konigsberg, including Alknicken, Rantau, Neukuhren, Loppohnen, Sassau, Battau, Tickrenen, Sankt Lorenz, Mossiken, Kotzlauken, Auerhof, Koyenen, Pojerstieten, Cosnehnen, Seerappen, Schorschehnen, Berwalde, Doroteenhof and Gross Heidekrug and the Neukuhren and Seerappen railroad stations. More than 7,000 prisoners were taken.

April 15th, 1945

On April 15, at the Samland Peninsula northwest and west of Konigsberg, the 3rd Belarussian Front forces maintained their attack, driving the enemy out of over 60 settlements, including Rauschen, Georgenswalde, Warniken, Gross Kuhren, Klein Kuhren, Brusterort, Gross Dirschkeim and Kreislacken, Gross Hubnicken, Klein Hubnicken, Dorbnicken, Kraxtepellen, Palmniken, Sorgenau, Willkau, Tierenberg, Norgau, Klein Medenau, Medenau, Adlich Powayen, Schuditten, Kondehnen and Widitten. Over 3,000 prisoners were taken.

April 16th, 1945

On April 16, the 3rd Belarussian Front forces continued their attack on the Samland Peninsula northwest and west of Konigsberg and dislodged the enemy from over 40 settlements, including Germau, Powayen, Rothenen, Saltnicken, Godnicken, Bondu, Kallen, Geidau, Gross Blumenau, Forcken and Kobbelbude. According to proven reports, the troops on April 15 took 6,600 prisoners, rather than 3,000, and captured 50 aircraft, 110 field guns and 295 machineguns.

April 17th, 1945

On April 17, the 3rd Belarussian Front forces continued their attack at the Samland Peninsula west of Konigsberg, seizing the town and port Fischhausen and the villages of Littausdorf, Gaffken, Sanglienen, Neuendorf, Dargen, Tankiffen, Kalnstein, Leginen, Rosenthal, Nahrlshof, Wischrodt, Bludau, Neplecken, Zimmerbude and Peyse. The remainder of the defeated German force was driven to the vicinity of the port of Pillau where the Red Army is mopping them up. On April 16, our troops took 5,650 prisoners and seized 47 aircraft, 47 tanks and self-propelled guns, 78 armored personnel carriers, 385 field guns, 210 mortars 730 machineguns, 2,512 wheeled vehicles, 64 tractors and prime movers, 350 railroad cars and 36 depots.

April 18th, 1945

On April 18, the 3rd Belarussian Front forces carried on mopping up the remainder of the enemy force driven to the vicinity of the port of Pillau. On April 17, our troops took 8,730 prisoners and captured 80 tanks and self-propelled guns, 69 armored personnel carriers, 544 field guns, 416 mortars, 888 machineguns and 4,000 wheeled vehicles. Col. Tempelhof, officer commanding the 28th Infantry Division, is among the prisoners.

April 19th, 1945

Over the past three days, the Central Groups of the Red Army have conducted reconnaissance in force that has resulted in the fighting to gain and expand footholds on the Oder and Neisse rivers. As a result of the fighting, the Red Army has crossed the Neisse on the Dresden approach and seized the towns of Forst, Muskau and Weisswasser. The 2nd Polish Army has taken the town of Rotenburg.

April 20th, 1945

The Central Group of the Red Army was on the offensive west of the Oder and the Neisse, dislodging the enemy from the towns of Bad Freienwalde, Wriezen, Seelow, Lebus, Klitten, Niessky, Spremberg and Hoyerswerda and approaching the towns of Kamenz and Bautzen on the Dresden approach.

April 21st, 1945

On April 21, the Central Group of Soviet forces carried on attacking west of the Oder and the Neisse, capturing on the Dresden approach the towns of Kalau, Loschkau, Neu Weltzow, Senftenberg, Lautawerk, Kamenz and Bautzen and launched an attack on the town of Konigsbruck.

April 22nd, 1945

On April 22, the Central Group of Soviet forces fought its way on the Dresden and Berlin approaches. On the Dresden approach, our troops took the towns of Lubenau, Dahme, Schlieben, Sonnewalde, Finsterwalde, Ruhland, Elsterwerda, Schwepnitz, Burkau and Bishofswerda. According to preliminary reports, over 10,000 prisoners were taken from April 17 to 21 on this approach and 96 enemy aircraft and over 150 enemy tanks and self-propelled guns were seized.

April 23rd, 1945

The 1st Belarussian Front forces mounted an offensive from their footholds on the western bank of the Oder and, supported by massed artillery fires and air attacks, penetrated the well-fortified layered German defenses east of Berlin. Having covered from 60 km to 100 km, they took the towns of Frankfurt-am-Oder, Wandlitz, Oranienburg, Birkenwerder, Henningsdorf, Pankow, Friedrichsfelde, Karlshorst and Kopenik and burst into the capital city of Germany, Berlin. On April 22, over 4,000 prisoners were taken and 85 field guns, 3,100 wheeled vehicles, 67 steam engines, 1,800 railroad cars and 30 military gear depots were seized.

April 24th, 1945

On April 24, the 1st Belarussian Front forces continued their attack northwest of Berlin, taking the towns of Kremmen, Flatov, Welten and Nauen. Southeast of Berlin, our forces crossed the Dahme river and seized the suburbs of Adlershof, Rudow, Alt Glienicke and Bohnsdorf where they linked up with the 1st Ukrainian Front advancing from the southern direction. At the same time, the Front’s troops fought on the streets in northern and eastern parts of Berlin, having taken the districts of Tegel, Witenau, Reinickendorf, the Silesian Railroad Station and the city blocks north and east of the Silesian Railroad Station. South of Frankfurt-am-Oder, our forces captured the towns of Furstenberg and Guben. On April 23, the 1st Belarussian Front troops took more than 3,000 prisoners and seized 48 tanks, over 200 field guns, 2,550 wheeled vehicles, 88 steam engines, over 1,000 railroad cars and 113 military gear depots.

April 25th, 1945

On April 25, the 3rd Belarussian Front forces overran the last German strongpoint at the Samland Peninsula, the city and fortress of Pillau, which is also a major port and naval base on the Baltic. They also took such settlements as Lochstadt, Neuhauser, Himmelreich, Plantage and Kamstigall. The 1st Belarussian Front forces blocked all the way running form Berlin westwards and linked up with the 1st Ukrainian Front troops northwest of Potsdam, having completed the encirclement of Berlin.

April 26th, 1945

On April 26, the 3rd Belarussian Front forces crossed a channel between the Baltic and the Gulf of Frisches Haff and exploited success along the Frische Nehrung spit southwest of Pillau. The 2nd Belarussian Front forces crossed the eastern and western Oder south of Stettin, penetrated the well-fortified enemy defenses on the western bank and made 30 km. In the process, they took Pomerania’s main city and post of Stettin, towns of Gartz, Penkun, Nasekowa and Schwedt and the settlements of Stewen, Schwennenz, Glasow, Bagemuhl, Friedefeld, Grunz, Wartin, Blumberg, Stendel and Vierraden, and crossed the Randow channel.

April 27th, 1945

On April 27, the 3rd Belarussian Front forces advanced about 10 km along the Frische Nehrung spit southwest of the city of Pillau. More than 3,000 prisoners were taken in the area on April 26. The 2nd Belarussian Front forces exploited success, taking the towns of Prenzlau and Angermunde, key enemy strongpoints in western Pomerania, and Poelitz as well as such large settlements, as Jasenitz, Hammer, Stoltzenburg, Pampow, Mewegen, Boock, Locknitz, Bergholz, Brussow, Fahrenwalde, Klockow, Bertikow, Gramzow, Passow and Hohenlandin.

April 28th, 1945

On April 28, the 2nd Belarussian Front forces drove the enemy out of the towns of Eggesin, Torgelow, Pasewalk, Strasburg, Templin, which were key enemy strongpoints in western Pomerania, and the large settlements of Rieth, Luckow, Gammer, Waldesches, Blumenhagen, Guterberg, Taschenberg, Kraatz, Parmen, Weggun, Boitzenburg, Hardenbeck, Hassleben, Gerswalde, Ringenwalde and Friedrichswalde as well. In excess of 1,000 prisoners were taken and 70 aircraft seized at airfields on April 27.

April 29th, 1945

The 2nd Belarussian Front forces exploited success by taking the towns and major road junctions of Anklam, Friedland, Neubrandenburg, Lichen and entering the province of Mecklenburg. They also captured such major settlements, as Uckermunde, Monkebude, Rosenhagen, Ducherow, Putzar, Schonbeck, Woldegk, Kolpin, Burgstargard, Stargard, Gramelow, Gandenitz and Hammelspring, took about 2,000 prisoners and seized 106 field guns.

April 30th, 1945

The 2nd Belarussian Front forces exploited success by taking the towns of Greifswald, Treptow, Neustrelitz, Furstenberg and Gransee, key road junctions in northwestern Pomerania and Mecklenburg. They also seized the towns of Lassan, Volgast, Reinsberg and large settlements of Hanshagen, Zussow, Gutzkow, Jarmen, Bartow, Burow, Sarow, Wolde, Penzlin, Strelitz, Menz, Gross Woltersdorf and Dolgow. Over 1,500 prisoners were taken and 27 aircraft and 55 field guns captured on April 29.