The storm of Citadel and capitulation of Poznań Fortress

On 18th February the rest of the soldiers from the garrison of Festung Posen had within their grasp only the Citadel and it’s direct foregrounds. After regrouping the day before, 3 soviet divisions, as well as the many troops of backup (including air force and artillery), began the storm of the XIX-th century Prussian fortifications. 82th and 74th Guard Infantry divisions were attacking from the south and south-west. 27th Guard Infantry division was blocking the Citadel from the north. On the first day of the storm, after heavy fights, soldiers from the 82th division (leaded by general George Ivanovich Chetagurov) were only able to seize a part of the Citadel’s cemetery and the bridgehead on the other side of a moat, while the soldiers from 74th division were fighting for the complex of buildings at the base of Citadel and the area of rail station.

On 19th February an impasse happened because the Germans, by moving decidedly, eliminated Russian bridgehead and regain the part of the cemetery.

Only during the next days, on 20th and 21st February, the Red Army units achieved some significant successes. Firstly, at the point of attack of the 82th division, soldiers seized the cemetery slope and new bridgeheads as well as built a passage through the moat. Secondly, at the point of attack of 74th division, they pushed away the Germans from the southern foreground of the Citadel and began fights for the main object of it – the barrack Reduit.

Also on 21st February, it was decided that new soldiers are needed in supplementary and attack troops, so an obligatory and voluntary recruitment among Polish men took place. They were supposed to build passages on the moat, help evacuating the wounded soldiers and fight by using a weapon. Around 2 000 people were gathered but over 100 of them were killed soon.

Heavy, dramatic fights lasted until the next day when the Russians succeeded in inserting armoured vehicles on the Citadel territory. In that situation, Ernst Gonell, who was no longer able to fight properly after loosing other redoubts and ravelins and was fully aware of a tragic condition of wounded men, decided about surrendering the whole area. Soon after that he commited a suicide by shooting himself in the head. On 23rd February Poznań Fortress was seized.