The stories of two German soldiers who took part in the battles for Festung Posen (Pozna? Fortress) in January and February 1945.

Facing the Red Army in Festung Posen features the stories of two German soldiers who took part in the battles for Festung Posen (Poznań Fortress) in January and February 1945.

Never before published in English, the accounts of Hans Klapa, written immediately after the war (1946) and Alfred Kriehn, a little later (early 1990s) provide details relating to the course of the battle, as well as the armaments of the German garrison, its morale and even first-hand descriptions of individual actions during bloody street fighting.

Although describing the same battle, both memoirs are completely different as they represent different branches of the armed forces and each takes place in different parts of the city. While Hans Klapa fought only in the eastern part, Alfred Kriehn describes the fighting on the western side.

However, what separates the two accounts the most is the fate of both heroes immediately after the battle, with Klapa describing his epic, months-long struggle with his comrades not to fall into the hands of the enemy and to avoid being taken prisoner by the Soviets at any cost.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Note from the UK Publisher
• The Hunted: Hans Klapa
  • Note from the Polish Publisher
  • Note from the German Editor
  • Preface by the Author
  • Military School
  • Grand Manoeuvres
  • Black Clouds on the Eastern Front
  • The March to Poznań
  • Waiting for the Enemy
  • The Beginning of the Battle
  • Dark February
  • Breaking the Encirclement
  • The March North
  • Attempts to Break through the Front
  • The Hunted
  • An Unusual Meeting
  • A Respite
  • The Road to Freedom
  • Back Home
  • Notes
• How I Became a Fighter for Poznań: Alfred Kriehn
  • Notes