SS Charlemagne: The 33rd Waffen-Grenadier Division of the SS

On the 15th the defence received last-minute reinforcements in the form of two companies of Fortress-Regiment 5 brought in by sea against the wishes of Colonel Fullriede, who saw no need for them. These were immediately thrown into a counterattack in the area of the railway station, only to suffer heavy casualties.

The last of the civilian refugees were embarked on the night of 15/16 March. The following day the defence was reduced to an area 1,800m long by 400m deep on the east bank of the Persante, and Colonel Fullriede decided it was time to withdraw.

During the early hours of the 18 March the last troops withdrew to the ships under cover of a massive bombardment from both sides that prevented the Soviets from advancing any further. Colonel Fullriede was the last to leave of the 68,000 civilians, 1,223 wounded and 5,213 combatants evacuated by sea from Kolberg.

On 26 March Hitler personally decorated Colonel Fullriede with the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross for this outstanding achievement.

A matron from a hospital in Kolberg gave an account of her evacuation. The roads out of the town were blocked with traffic and Soviet tanks, so she and a nursing sister made their way along the coastline to the west. Some of the other sisters from her hospital had gone ahead with the walking wounded from a Luftwaffe hospital.

We had not eaten for a long time, so we sat down in the sand to take a short breakfast break. We were well behind the others. I quietly hoped to stay the night at the seaplane base at Deep. I also wanted to meet up again with the other sisters there. After we had clambered with great difficulty on all fours across the dunes, we were able to continue on our way. The baggage was like an iron anchor. It was 2 kilometres to the air base. Eventually we reached it. Before we got to the barracks, we heard that another aircraft was leaving that evening. We made our way to the boarding point, where we had to stand until evening with many others. Two machines took off, taking mothers with small children. Then it was said that perhaps there would be another in the morning. After a night in the barracks, we were back at the boarding point again by 7 o’clock with hundreds of other people. The Kolberg-Dievenow passed immediately alongside the Kamper See and the flood of refugees with it. Those who could discard their baggage sought to fly. More and more aircraft arrived that took mothers with children, which was quite right. Many had been standing there since yesterday and had no milk, not even water for their children. Columns of smoke stood on the horizon, probably burning villages. Over 20 machines arrived and over 20 times we had to remain behind. That evening we were able to board a machine that took us to Swinemünde.

Chapter Four Retreat

After the division left for Körlin on 4 March, the 2nd Battalion of the March Regiment, 600 strong and still completely surrounded in the town, continued to hold out against enemy forces considerably superior in numbers and equipment. Violently bombarded by the Russian tanks and mortars, and at about 1900 hours harassed by partisans (probably Polish workers) who threatened the command post for a moment before they were chased off and destroyed, Captain Bassompierre hoped to leave the town under cover of the coming night.

The Russians occupied the cemetery on 7 March, but were immediately chased out again by a counterattack with fixed bayonets led by Sergeant-Major Walter.