German Fortress Division Swinemünde
Encyclopedia
Fortress Division Swinemünde was an ad-hoc formation under the command of Baron
Hermmann Von Pfel, and organized by Seekommandant Pommern (Naval Command Pomerania
) in the port of Swinemünde. The division was created in 1945 primarily from German Navy
personnel, although some Luftwaffe
personnel were used as well. The Heer
component of the Swinemünde fortress division was destroyed by the Soviet 5th Guards Army in Lower Silesia
near Breslau.
The city of Swinemünde was encircled by the Soviet 2nd Belorussian Front
, with the 2nd Shock Army
attacking from the west and the 19th Army
attacking from the east. After the German Navy
reported on 28 April 1945 that the port was no longer of any use, the Germans prepared to evacuate their forces. The evacuation, Operation Knobelbecher, took place from 1 - 4 May, 1945, and shipped the German troops to Denmark
, where they were taken captive by the British Army
. Soviet forces occupied the city of Swinemünde during 4 - 5 May, 1945.
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
Hermmann Von Pfel, and organized by Seekommandant Pommern (Naval Command Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
) in the port of Swinemünde. The division was created in 1945 primarily from German Navy
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
personnel, although some Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
personnel were used as well. The Heer
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
component of the Swinemünde fortress division was destroyed by the Soviet 5th Guards Army in Lower Silesia
Lower Silesia
Lower Silesia ; is the northwestern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia; Upper Silesia is to the southeast.Throughout its history Lower Silesia has been under the control of the medieval Kingdom of Poland, the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy from 1526...
near Breslau.
The city of Swinemünde was encircled by the Soviet 2nd Belorussian Front
2nd Belorussian Front
The 2nd Belorussian Front was a military formation of Army group size of the Soviet Army during the Second World War...
, with the 2nd Shock Army
2nd Shock Army
The 2nd Shock Army was a field army of the Soviet Union during the Second World War. This type of formation was created in accordance with prewar doctrine that called for Shock Armies to overcome difficult defensive dispositions in order to create a tactical penetration of sufficient breadth and...
attacking from the west and the 19th Army
19th Army (Soviet Union)
The 19th Army was a field army of the Soviet Union's Red Army, formed in 1941 and active during the Second World War. It was disbanded in 1945 or 1947.-First Formation:...
attacking from the east. After the German Navy
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
reported on 28 April 1945 that the port was no longer of any use, the Germans prepared to evacuate their forces. The evacuation, Operation Knobelbecher, took place from 1 - 4 May, 1945, and shipped the German troops to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, where they were taken captive by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. Soviet forces occupied the city of Swinemünde during 4 - 5 May, 1945.