Evening star., 1945-03-23

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Czech border.
Moscow further reported lighting
in the streets of Neisse, 16 miles
northwest of Neustadt and "a miles
southeast of Frankenstein, and the
capture of a number Of suburbs of
Leobschuetz, IL miles southeast Of
Neustadt.
Ratibor, 81 miles southeast OF
Leobschuetz, at the southeastern end
Of the front, was outflanked by an
advance which had reached the
Zinna River near Bauerwitz from
the captured village Of Matzherch,
8 miles northwest OF Ratibor.
Meanwhile. on other fronts the
Russians battled onto the heights
overlooking Danzig on the Baltic,
smashed into Heilegenbeil, the last
East Prussian stronghold southwest
Of Koenigsberg, and pressed a pow
erful assault on Stettin, north Of
Berlin.
At Stettin, where the Germans
said IS Russian rifle divisions and
four tank Corps were attacking, fires
ragged in the central and western
parts OF the city In full view Of Mar
shal Zhukov's troops.
Storm units were reported fight
ing. in the streets of Neisse after
pushing forward from captured
Stephansdorf, miles northeast Of
the city. Neisse lies % miles south
west of Oppeln, Oder River city.
Marshal Konev's offensive swept
forward several days ago west and
south Of Oppeln, Al miles southeast
of Breslau.
Frankenstein, on the direct west
ward route toward Prague, appeared
one Of the toughest obstacles before
the Red Army, for the Germans
strung out in the region of Meun-
sterberg, 10 miles to the east, put
up sharp series OF counterattacks
with self-propelled guns and nu-
merous types of smaller antitank
weapons.
Soviet tanks and mobile infantry
however, beat them back and there
seemed good probability the
Russians would be within sheiling
distance of Frankenstein, a major
rail and highway junction, by night
fall
Southeast of Frankenstein, Red
Army units fought their way to
places northeast of Neisse and some
seemed to have reached the Neisse-
Ottmachau highway. Others, cross
ing the hump of hills north of the
city, were said to have plunged into
the Neisse streets.
South of Neisse Soviet units, cut
ting the railway between Neisse and
Ziegenhals, approached the latter
city to the point where they could
turn their guns on its defenses. An
other force moved on Ziegenhals
from captured Neustadt through
heavily mined approaches.
Southeast of Neustadt, the Rus
slams jammed into several suburbs
Of Leobschuetz, near the Silesian
border, hitting hardest from the
captured village of Grobnig, less
than miles to- the east.
On the southernmost tip of Mar
shall Konev's advance his troops
reached the Zilna River south and
southwest of the captured village
OF Matzkierch. There they had out
flanked the big city of Ratibor.
The Germans, apparently uneasy
lest they lose big force by encircle-
ment here. were said to have shifted
southwark toward the momentary
safety of Moravia. 1t seemed likely
that the Russians would strike
heavily in pursuit. =
In its first hours, the offensive cut
through seven major enemy strong
holds and more than 400 other towns
and villages. Employing rockets and
multibArrel mortars, the Russians
were able to inflict q tremendous
loss on the Nazis. t,zf.5
Premier Stain, announcing the
start Of the Konev offensive, said an
enemy group had been encircled and
wiped out in the Tillowitz and
Schelitz forests southwest of Oppeln
Thirty thousand were killed and l5,-
900 captured.
While Marshal Konev was regis
tering his new gains, other Red
Army forces battled to within 81
miles Of the Baltic port of Gdynia
and frightened their siege arc
around Danzig.