The last fortress

January 1945. The Red Army breaks into East Prussia and Hitler declares Königsberg a fortress. Inside the perimeter remain a garrison and a civilian population of comparable size. The city holds for more than two months: encirclement, a February sortie that reopens a corridor to Pillau, a lull, then the April assault, four days of fire that leave it in ruins. Ian Neumann reconstructs the siege from witnesses and historians on both sides and asks an uncomfortable question: what was the time bought by the defence used for? The answer concerns the civilians. Evacuation was possible in the autumn, while the roads were open; it was refused. The Party ordered it twice, both times onto roads already under fire. In April, 130,000 civilians were still in the city. This is the last application, the most complete and the most costly, of a defensive doctrine that had already failed wherever it was tried.