The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-02-09
Street Fight
Ragiing,N azii
Radio Admits
Moscow Announces 22.
Mile Gain Toward
Stettin On Baltic

LONDON. Friday, Feb. 9.-(UP)
Berlin said last night that Russian
troops linking two bridgeheads on
the west bank of the Oder river,
Yesterday encircled the German
canitars outer fortress of Kues-
trim while Moscow announced a
22.mile gain toward Stettin and the
Rattle coast of German Pomerania.
Street fighting, the enemy said,
was raging in Kuestrin after the
heavily-fortified gateway to Berlin,
50 miles to the west, was cut off
from the capital by Marshal Greg
orv K. Zhukov's First White Rus
sian Army. NaZi broadcasts, which
admitted the enlightenment, claim
ed that it subsequently had been
broken.
Forty to So miles northeast of
Kuestrin. Zhukov's troops shatter-
ed the first German defense line
before Stettin and the Baltic Sea
in a drive that threatened to seal
off thousands of NaZi troops in a
120O0-square mile pocket compris-
ing Pomerania, the Polish Corri-
dor and Danzig.
Advancing on curving 30-mile
front, the Russians advanced to
within 10 miles southeast Of the
transport center of Stargard,
fortress city before Stettin.
One hundred and eighty miles
southeast of Berlin. Marshal Ivan
S. Konev's First Ukranian Army
extended to 240 square miles its
bridgehead on the Oder's west
bang, southeast of B1eslau, and
also renewed a drive toward the
Moravian gap leading to Vienna
and the Czechoslovak capital of
Prague. They drove t. within 26
miles of the gateway city of Gle
SYN tTeschen).
Encirclement of Kuestrin appar-
emily was forged by Soviet infan-
Try who the Germans said had won
bridgeheads across the Oder at
Kienitz, 10 miles northwest of
Kuestrin, and opposite Goerlitz,
five miles south Of the doomed
city. Kuestrin was under constant
Ire from Soviet artillery.
Lhukovs troops were across the
Oder IN five places, along a 40
mile front 81 to 43 miles from Ber-
In, the Germans said.
The Soviet high command made
no report on this front, but said
only that Zhukov's troops had
thrust 10 to % miles toward Stet-
tn, Sergard and the Baltic from
Vhelr last reported positions and
mao captured more than 100 towns
and villages.
1t was the Nazi DNB agency's
Commentator 1t. Col. Ernst Won
hammer, who admitted Zhukov's
troops besieging Kuestrin had
forged an enlightenment belt around
me city. but he claimed link
Sl'n the trapped enemy garrison
mao been restored by Nazi battle
groups breaking through the Soviet
ring Then he acknowledged that
soviet troops had broken into
nueSIfln streets and great
oslrIe that may decide the fate
o. neriln was being fought in the
vulsArtS Of the town which was
t day and night Commandment
"J T heavy Russian siege guns.
g. III ,helr closest approach to Stet-
al AhukoV's troops captured Sam
n n.; 50 miles southeast and 10
n n4! southeast of Stargard. Bern
. ,u5 - ~ miles southeast of Stettin
anu anu u miles from Stargard was
49, ap'ureo at the western end of the
,sa ". IN the eastern end, Zhukov's
m; S@uiI forces captured Reetz, Al
~ ,tIlieS east southeast of Stettin and
r -nlieS east southeast of Stargard.
~ o'plure of Reetz severed one of
rosa teihalning Berlin-Danzig rail-
tir >Ntt VIC 1lll6 llQkl1l2 Sl6Ls
cit,, WIN WI the encircled Pomeranian
; VI ochneidemuel.
tba announcing dg the capture Of more
Hi q[L $500 prisoners. the Soviet
ba Command also announced
roc. i'4 Of the East Prussian fort
ems ms {, u hreuzburg and confirmed
tenv;, ,y reports Of a renewed Of
tbo ,.r: toward Observation-Disclosures,
y, rlrIsburgh of Czechoslovakia."
n.ro enlightenment of Kuestrin ap-
fsnt tn'ly was forged by Soviet in
the wv +! winch won bridgeheads on
nitz west rs bank of the Oder at Kie-
trim trim ~ miles northwest Of Kues-
milo. ahd opposite Goerlitz. five
ac raukoN troops repeatedly were
'SS Inc Oder in four or five
continued on Page Two; Col. 81