The Battle of Kolberg ended German control of the Pomeranian port city in March 1945, marking a key gain for Soviet and Polish forces in the East Pomeranian Offensive.
Key Facts
- Battle start date
- 4 March 1945
- Battle end date
- 18 March 1945
- Duration
- 14 days of major urban fighting
- Location
- Kolberg (Kołobrzeg), Pomerania
- German evacuation
- Military personnel and refugees evacuated by sea
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Soviet-led East Pomeranian Offensive of early 1945, Allied forces pressed westward through Pomerania. The strategically positioned port city of Kolberg, designated a German fortress (Festung Kolberg), became a target for Soviet and Polish forces seeking to eliminate remaining German strongholds along the Baltic coast.
Between 4 and 18 March 1945, Soviet and Polish forces engaged in intense urban combat against German defenders for control of Kolberg. The fighting lasted 14 days and involved street-by-street battles within the city. German forces managed to use the port to conduct a sea evacuation of military personnel and civilians throughout the siege.
On 18 March 1945, Polish forces captured Kolberg, ending German control of the city. The successful German sea evacuation meant that a significant portion of the garrison and refugee population escaped before the fall. The city's capture contributed to the broader dismantling of German defensive lines in Pomerania during the final months of World War II.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Side B
1 belligerent