February 1945

Eastern Front

Army Group Kurland is again heavily attacked. The Germans have established strong positions between Tukums and Libau and resist all 2nd Baltic Front attacks.

The 11th SS Panzer Army attacks from Stargard, Its III SS Panzer Corps makes limited progress toward Arnswalde amid fierce resistance.

In East Prussia the 65th and 49th Armies make good progress as they thrust deeply into the positions of the 4th Army, leading elements of the 2 armies advancing some 10 miles during the 15th. Fierce battles also rage at Frauenberg (now Frombork) and Zinten (Ilaweckie) as the Russians push along the Baltic coast toward Heiligenbeil. The 4th Army has by this stage of the battle taken over control of those forces of the 3rd Panzer Army left behind in the pocket following the evacuation of the headquarters of the army to Pomerania. The new 3rd Panzer begins to take control of the units on the lower reaches of the Oder. Gen Gonell requests permission to break out from Posen. Himmler refuses but Gonell orders his units west of teh Warthe to break out anyway.

West of the Bobr River the Grossdeutschland and XXIV Panzer Corps continue to counterattack but again fail to halt the 1st Ukrainian Front's right wing.