On the morning of the 23rd March the Soviets broke through into the main part of the Schloss after a long and heavy artillery preparation and after several failed attempts. The defence were by now too weak to mount a counterattack and were obliged to form a cordon west of the building. The Soviets then brought in two tanks, an anti-tank gun and several heavy machine guns with which they began to dominate the hamlet from the Schloss, causing trenches to collapse and inflicting heavy casualties to the extent that nearly everyone of the defence were wounded.
Two breaches in the northern defences had to be cleared during the morning, and by noon the last fifteen to twenty unwounded soldiers formed a hedgehog around the battalion command post, into which a number of the wounded had to be carried. Then, during the late afternoon, the Soviets forced their way into the centre and the northern part of the hamlet, splitting the garrison into several groups. The radio log shows how the situation developed during the day:
To II 0036 All officer cadet staff sergeants in KLESSIN are promoted second lieutenant with immediate effect. Heartiest congratulations.
From II To Commanding Officer 300:
Enemy is pressing in ever closer on inner defences from all sides.
One tank destroyed in close fighting. The wounded are lying in the trenches. Everything can be expected to be overrun in the next attack. No reserves left. Is it possible to break out or be relieved by 0300 hours?
From II Tanks are ready with infantry.
To II Send further recommendations for Iron Cross.
From II Where are the barrages on ILONA and RITTERSPORN 2?
To II Barrages coming.
From II Decision presses until 2300 hrs. This combat team cannot take another attack without reinforcement and will be overrun.
To II Highest recognition of your brave conduct. Hold on!
Langkeit, Colonel.
From II Request harassing fire on DROSSEL.
To II Men of KLESSIN! One looks on you full of pride and admiration. You are the decisive wave-breakers against the Bolshevist storm on the Reichs capital. Heil our Fuhrer! SS-Obergruppenfuhrer and General of the Waffen-SS Kleinheisterkamp.
From II To 2nd Battalion/Armoured Artillery Regiment ‘Kurmark’: one salvo on RITTERSPORN 2.
Enemy forming up point.
To II Lieutenant Schone: The Fuhrer has awarded you the Knights’ Cross. Heartiest congratulations from the Regiment.
From II 0410 Strength 90 men.
From II 0445 Request permission to break out. Russians ready to attack.
To II 0515 To Captain Boge: High Command insists position is to be held under all circumstances.
From II Enemy attacking. Barrages on ILONA and RITTERSPORN 2.
From II Enemy attacking. Barrages on ILONA down 50m and RITTERSPORN 2, for 13 Company.
From II All artillery resources on RITTERSPORN 2.
To 13 Company: on SCHLOSS and 8 Company.
From II ILONA up 200m. Barrages on ILONA and RITTERSPORN.
From II Enemy attacking from east via SCHLOSS (one company). Request running barrages on ILONA and RITTERSPORN.
To II Query: whether one can fire on the SCHLOSS?
From II The SCHLOSS can be fired on. Not too short!
From II What is the situation?
To II 0750 Hold on! How is it, Lieutenant Schone?
From II Where is barrage on ILONA? Schone OK.
To II ILONA fired on several times.
From II Prepare barrages on ILONA and RITTERSPORN 2.
To II 0826 Ready.
To II 0910 Is it known that Schone has been awarded the Knights’ Cross?
To II 0952 Award all those recommended for Iron Cross First and Second Class, also Iron Cross First Class for Christ, Second Class for Hohenstein, Ackermann and Scherzinger.
From II 0957 Why no fire on ILONA?
From II Artillery firing too short. Up 100m.
From II 1000 Enemy in company strength in SCHLOSS. No reserves left to throw them out with. Situation of wounded hopeless. One cellar of wounded in enemy hands in SCHLOSS. Fire support from own arms especially lacking. Artillery radio unserviceable through battery, also Panthers. Transmitting with last battery. Desperately need ammunition, food, batteries, flares.
From II 1100 To Regiment: Recommend Iron Cross First Class for Second Lieutenant Zeller (twice wounded) and Second Lieutenant Plonka.
To II 1103 What are hedgehog coordinates now?
From II 1130 Prepare barrages for ILONA and RITTERSPORN 2.
To II 1130 Artillery fire on ILONA. Give corrections immediately.
From II 1137 Fire barrages.
From II 1142 Fire barrages immediately.
From II 3 salvoes on RITTERSPORN 2, 100m left.
To II Where enemy attack? Give bearing.
From II Enemy attack from east.
From II 1200 Two shots were too short.
To II 1302 Please report whether codes for all radio stations in KLESSIN (apart from the valid sheets for the 23rd and 24th) have been destroyed or have fallen into enemy hands.
From II 1345 When is relief coming? Own artillery especially tired.
To II 1349 Highest Command have yet to give orders.
From II Urgent barrages on RITTERSPORN 2 and ILONA.
From II 1440 To Regiment: Enemy counterattack in northern part.
No reserves available. Cutting off hardly possible. Repeat request of this morning as last possibility. Dead and wounded mounting by the hour.
From II 1510 Direct hit on command post. Fighting to the last man.
From II 1535 Urgent barrages on MARS and RABE.
From II 1549 Barrage on MARS.
From II 1559 Mortars firing too short, up 100m.
To II 1738 The decorations and promotions are evidence to you of Highest Command’s recognition of your exemplary fight. The Division is proud of you. Langkeit, Divisional Commander.
To II How many enemy have penetrated northern and western parts?
From II I cannot encipher as I have no codes.
To II Are the codes destroyed?
From II 1759 Yes.
From II 1810 Request barrage on Schloss.
To II Are there no more codes available?
From II 1822 Correct, none.
At last at 2120 hours the message from Division was passed to Klessin by Regiment: ‘Mission accomplished; fight your way through!’
Captain Boge ordered those men immediately to hand to assemble at the potato store at the western edge of the hamlet with the intention of breaking through during the night as a compact group. As many as possible of the severely wounded were taken along to the assembly point. Meanwhile Lieutenant Schone took a group to the
