Title: The Fall Of Hitler's Fortress City (The battle for Konigsberg 1945)
Author: Isabell Deny
ISBN: 978-1-85367-705-2
Publisher: GreenHill Books
Stars: 4 (out of 5)
This book was both interesting in the battle and in the description of the history of the city. With only 11 chapters I was not sure of what to expect, however the authour has done a good job of blending the historic presence of the city into the war and then the aftermath.
The first few chapters deccribe how the city came to be located where it was, who founded it and how it became a 'hub' for trade. The chapters then begin to start with the grumblings of the war, the war itself and then finally the war on the cities doorstep. There are some good descriptions of the fighting for the outlying cities and of the mass evacuations (both authorised and unauthorised) of the cities inhabitants.
For the chapters on the actual fighting on the city there is not too much description. Just of where the Volks units or the Army units were situated when the final attacks came. What the Navy did to help and how it was possible etc.
All in all a good book. If you are looking for a detailed book for the acutal fighting in the city...of which unit went where etc...then this is not the book for you. If you are looking for the final fight of the German units and the refugees flight from East Prussia then this book will good. There are quite a few good first person accounts and the descriptions of the refugees plight is well described. There is even a nice part at the end of the book that talks of what became of Konigsberg since the Russians occupied the city.
Author: Isabell Deny
ISBN: 978-1-85367-705-2
Publisher: GreenHill Books
Stars: 4 (out of 5)
This book was both interesting in the battle and in the description of the history of the city. With only 11 chapters I was not sure of what to expect, however the authour has done a good job of blending the historic presence of the city into the war and then the aftermath.
The first few chapters deccribe how the city came to be located where it was, who founded it and how it became a 'hub' for trade. The chapters then begin to start with the grumblings of the war, the war itself and then finally the war on the cities doorstep. There are some good descriptions of the fighting for the outlying cities and of the mass evacuations (both authorised and unauthorised) of the cities inhabitants.
For the chapters on the actual fighting on the city there is not too much description. Just of where the Volks units or the Army units were situated when the final attacks came. What the Navy did to help and how it was possible etc.
All in all a good book. If you are looking for a detailed book for the acutal fighting in the city...of which unit went where etc...then this is not the book for you. If you are looking for the final fight of the German units and the refugees flight from East Prussia then this book will good. There are quite a few good first person accounts and the descriptions of the refugees plight is well described. There is even a nice part at the end of the book that talks of what became of Konigsberg since the Russians occupied the city.