The Wilmington morning star., 1945-01-27
Push Reaches
Danziig, Seals
East Prussia
Germans Claim That Red
Army Now Is 81 Miles
From Berlin

LONDON, Saturday, Jan. 27-(P)
The Soviet High Command an
rolmced last night that the Red
Armv has killed or captured more
than 38l $50 Germans in its two
weeks.old winter offensive, which
Yesterday rolled on unchecked
h tbrougb the big industrial city of
Hindenburg in Silesia, reached the
Danzig Free State frontier, and
cut off East Prussia with a thrust
10 the Baltic coast.
From 20 to IS Nazi divisions -
perhaps 100000 Germans-now are
trapped in East Prussia.
Outflanking Poznan, big Polish
stronghold, the Russians also cross
ed the Warta river 10 miles south
Of the city and speared to within
1856 miles of Berlin with the cap
ture Of Mosina. This was the clos
est approach to the Reich capital
yet announced by the Soviet COM
mand
North of Poznan the Russians
took Rogozno, only 20 miles from
the German frontier and 40 miles
northeast of Berlin; other units
striking toward the coveted Reich
capital from the southeast in Sile-
STA we're only 143 miles away.
A special Russian communicate
announced the staggering losses in
hcted on the Germans in the gi-
gantic offensive between January
u, when it began at the Vistula
river bridgehead below Warsaw,
and January %.
Moscow said that five Russian
armies had killed more than 295,-
900 Germans in that period and
captured $3.50 and also had de-
stroyed or captured 592 planes, g.
as5 tanks and self-propelled guns,
1882 guns Of all calibers, 1886
mortars, 20,0l9 machineguns, 34,-
Ol9 trucks as well as vast quanti-
ties Of other war material.
The Germans said without So
Wet confirmation that other Rus
sian units had raced around both
sides Of besieged PoZnan on the
direct route through western Po-
land, Stabbing close to- the Brand
enoWg province frontier. The near
est point to the German capital on
THIS border is 81 miles due east.
4 On the 18th day of their power
1ul winter offensive the Russians
were reported to have driven clos
er to the rim of besieged Breslau,
Sneslan capital to have crossed
me upper Oder river defense line
and broken into Brieg on the west
oank Y miles to the southeast, and
also to have fought their way into
1Beuthen, five miles east of fallen
Hlndenburg, whose normal popu-
latlon is 126,OOO.
MOSCOW radio said that Breslau,
lefmany's eighth city and the
q eater Reich's ninth, had been
'olated' with the Russians cut
< all direct communications in
IT, and also said that the Oder
NJ INer had been crossed at several
I points.
Inc banks Of the Oder swiftly
SIe becoming the scene of the lost
ualue Of Germany as the Red Ar
NY approaches the inner heart of
oT,lnany, he broadcast added.
nefhh said Russian troops in
rorlnern Poland had crossed the
n(p51 og canal west of Bydgoszcz
+ , ,sn.,9m1oerg), indicating that Mar
s a Aokhov's First White Russian
Amy Amy units now were sweeping
t,oi inward into the Polish Corridor
4 ~loen the salient between the
Il 1"llllah homeland and the cutoff
'% M province of East Prussia.
"a 1orun' Vistula river stronghold
~. AllleS southeast of Bydgoszcz,
u.s. u.s. surrounded. Berlin said. The
O SS' oahk Vistaula river commu
,iss centers OF Chelmno, Grud
n naaz and Marienwerder to the
B 9',m were being attacked as the
aas; hurled the enemy bach
bs sa.lSt the river and sought tx
i s1esk into the Polish corridor from
II F[emler.Marshal Stain announc
i Red me brilliant new gains of thu
neu Army as Moscow's 224 gum
q 'V ( firing victory salvos.
se e, was Us. Marshal Rokossovsky'
,roGa ,0 WINE Russian Army whic]
T., pAe through to the Danzig Dor
,iro, ana the Baltic coast to en-
Kon ;e East Prussia and threate1
.ar ssoerg, its capital, from tn
- U NJ. Russian spearhead captu,
ON NJ ~ Key rail town of Marienburs
u, y. me Nosat river border of Oar
k Il '.s;a.rlto1y, "a miles southeast {
@V and sost Of Danzig.