Bombing of Königsberg in World War II
Encyclopedia
The bombing of Königsberg was a series of attacks made on the city of Königsberg
in East Prussia
during the World War II
. The Soviet Air Force
had made several raids on the city since 1941. Extensive attacks carried by RAF Bomber Command
destroyed most of the city's historic quarters in the summer of 1944. Königsberg was also heavily bombed during the Battle of Königsberg
during the final weeks of the war.
, Joseph Stalin
personally ordered the Soviet Air Force
to bomb Königsberg. Eleven Pe-8 bombers attacked the city on On September 1, 1941. The Soviets did not lose a bomber in the raid.
Although the city was occasionally bombed again by the Soviets, like on 26 July 1942 or 15 July 1943, Königsberg was not heavily attacked until the summer 1944. British No. 5 Group
carried out the first attack on the night of 26/27 August 1944 using 174 Avro Lancaster
s. The raid, which was at the extreme range for the planes, was a round trip of 1900 miles (3,057.7 km) from bases in England. Despite losing only four aircraft, the first attack was not particularly successful because most bombs fell on the eastern side of Königsberg missing the city centre.
The next RAF raid occurred three days later on the 29/30 August. This time No. 5 Group dropped 480 tons of high explosive and incendiaries on the centre of the city. RAF Bomber Command
estimated that 20% of industry and 41% of all the housing in Königsberg was destroyed. Out of a force of 189 Lancasters, German night fighter
s shot down 15 RAF bombers. The centre of historic city centre had been badly damaged because the districts of Altstadt, Löbenicht, and Kneiphof
were nearly destroyed. The city's 14th-century cathedral
was reduced to a shell. Extensive damage was also done to the castle
, all churches in the old city, the university
, and the old shipping quarter.
German-Jewish author and musician Michael Wieck
, a native of Königsberg, wrote in A Childhood Under Hitler and Stalin that "the people of Königsberg shall never expunge these nights of terror from their memory."
.
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Soviet Air Force
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
had made several raids on the city since 1941. Extensive attacks carried by RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
destroyed most of the city's historic quarters in the summer of 1944. Königsberg was also heavily bombed during the Battle of Königsberg
Battle of Königsberg
The Battle of Königsberg , was one of the last operations of the East Prussian Offensive during World War II. In four days of violent urban warfare, Soviet forces of the 1st Baltic Front and the 3rd Belorussian Front captured the city of Königsberg...
during the final weeks of the war.
Allied bombing
In 1941 mainly in retaliation for the German bombing of MoscowBattle of Moscow
The Battle of Moscow is the name given by Soviet historians to two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort frustrated Hitler's attack on Moscow, capital of...
, Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
personally ordered the Soviet Air Force
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
to bomb Königsberg. Eleven Pe-8 bombers attacked the city on On September 1, 1941. The Soviets did not lose a bomber in the raid.
Although the city was occasionally bombed again by the Soviets, like on 26 July 1942 or 15 July 1943, Königsberg was not heavily attacked until the summer 1944. British No. 5 Group
No. 5 Group RAF
No. 5 Group was a Royal Air Force bomber group of the Second World War, led during the latter part by AVM Sir Ralph Cochrane.-History:The Group was formed on 1 September 1937 with headquarters at RAF Mildenhall....
carried out the first attack on the night of 26/27 August 1944 using 174 Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
s. The raid, which was at the extreme range for the planes, was a round trip of 1900 miles (3,057.7 km) from bases in England. Despite losing only four aircraft, the first attack was not particularly successful because most bombs fell on the eastern side of Königsberg missing the city centre.
The next RAF raid occurred three days later on the 29/30 August. This time No. 5 Group dropped 480 tons of high explosive and incendiaries on the centre of the city. RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
estimated that 20% of industry and 41% of all the housing in Königsberg was destroyed. Out of a force of 189 Lancasters, German night fighter
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
s shot down 15 RAF bombers. The centre of historic city centre had been badly damaged because the districts of Altstadt, Löbenicht, and Kneiphof
Kneiphof
Kneiphof was one of three towns in the Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights that became the city of Königsberg . Kneiphof was originally Knypabe , meaning 'area flushed by water' in Old Prussian.As other members of the Prussian Confederation, Kneiphof rebelled against the Teutonic Knights in...
were nearly destroyed. The city's 14th-century cathedral
Königsberg Cathedral
Königsberg Cathedral is a Brick Gothic style building in Kaliningrad on an island in the Pregel . The island was called Kneiphof in German times.-14th Century to World War II:...
was reduced to a shell. Extensive damage was also done to the castle
Königsberg Castle
The Königsberg Castle was a castle in Königsberg, Germany , and was one of the landmarks of the East Prussian capital Königsberg.- History :...
, all churches in the old city, the university
University of Königsberg
The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina....
, and the old shipping quarter.
German-Jewish author and musician Michael Wieck
Michael Wieck
Michael Wieck is a German violinist and author. He was the first violinist of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1974-93. In 1989 Wieck published a memoir, Zeugnis vom Untergang Königsbergs, in which he related his and his family's sufferings under the Nazis and, after the German defeat,...
, a native of Königsberg, wrote in A Childhood Under Hitler and Stalin that "the people of Königsberg shall never expunge these nights of terror from their memory."
Capture
In 1945, the prolonged battle of Königsberg inflicted further damage. More than 90% of the city had been destroyed when the Soviets occupied the city in April 1945. Under Soviet occupation, the entire German population was forcibly expelled from the city. It was then rebuilt as the Russian city of KaliningradKaliningrad
Kaliningrad is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea...
.