Battle of Kolberg (1945)

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Battle of Kolberg
Part of the East Pomeranian Offensive, Eastern Front of World War II
Kołobrzeg (Kolberg) in 1945.
Date 4–18 March 1945 Location Kolberg, Pomerania, Germany (now Kołobrzeg, Poland) Result Polish-Soviet victory German evacuation by sea 80% of city destroyed
Belligerents
Germany	Soviet Union (Primarily until 7 March) Poland (From 8 March)
Commanders and leaders
Fritz Fullriede	Stanislav Poplavsky
Units involved
Army Group Vistula 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS 33rd Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Third Panzer Army Volkssturm militia Kriegsmarine Admiral Scheer cruiser Lützow cruiser	1st Belorussian Front Red Army 272nd Rifle Division 45th Tank Brigade First Polish Army 3rd Infantry Division 4th Infantry Division 6th Infantry Division
Strength
8,000 - 15,000 personnel 18 tanks 1 armoured train 60 artillery pieces 2 heavy cruisers	28,000+ personnel (From 12 March)
Casualties and losses
KIA: unknown ~2,000 captured	1,206 killed and missing 3,000 wounded

Battle of Kolberg

Königsberg

Warsaw

Berlin

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Location of the Battle of Kolberg

The Battle of Kolberg or Battle of Kołobrzeg (also, battle for Festung Kolberg) was the taking of the city of Kolberg, now the city of Kołobrzeg, in Pomerania by the Soviet Army and its Polish allies from Nazi German forces during the World War II East Pomeranian Offensive. Between 4 and 18 March 1945 there was major urban fighting of the Soviet and Polish forces against the German army for the control over the city. The Germans succeeded in evacuating much of their military personnel and refugees from the city via sea before it was taken by the Poles on 18 March.