World history: The updated exposition “East-Prussian Operation of 1945” opened in the Kaliningrad History and Art Museum

In the Kaliningrad Regional History and Art Museum opened to the public a room "East Prussian Operation 1945". The exposition tells the story of one of the most important strategic offensive operations of the Great Patriotic War, during which the troops of the 2nd and 3rd Byelorussian and parts of the 1st Baltic fronts, with the assistance of the Baltic fleet broke through the powerful defense of the German Army Group "Center" (from January 26 - Army Group "North"), came to the Baltic Sea and destroyed the main forces of the enemy, taking East Prussia and freeing the northern part of Poland.

The exhibition reflects the main stages of East Prussian Operation from 13 January to 25 April 1945. The events of those days are told by authentic historical objects and works of art, rare archival documents and photographs, maps and models of the museum. The centerpiece of the exhibition is given to the theme of storm of Konigsberg. The room layout places genuine fortress city of Koenigsberg, made in March 1945, on the instructions of the command of the 3rd Belorussian Front. Layout was used in the preparation for the assault in order to develop the interaction of different types of troops. In March 2015 this unique exhibit will be 70 years old.   

The room houses a section, dedicated to the exit of Soviet troops on the border with East Prussia in 1944. In particular, the new materials are shown here, telling about the activities of intelligence groups for special purposes, to ensure a successful Soviet offensive.

In the Year of Literature for the first time were presented exposition complexes, dedicated to war poets. Many episode of the East-Prussian Operation found their reflection in the works of A. T. Tvardovsky, F. G. Karim, Y. M. Chernov.

New acquisitions in the exposition are presented by personal belongings of Yuri Mikhailovich Chernov – The Great Patriotic War veteran, a member of the storming of Konigsberg, author of the epitaph on the monument granite stele of the 1200th guards in Kaliningrad. The most interesting exhibit of the collection is Frontal blog by Y. M. Chernov 1943-1944.

The exhibition is complemented with a collection of weapons during the Great Patriotic War from the collections of the Kaliningrad History and Art Museum.