A person who attended history classes at school probably knows Kaliningrad as Koenigsberg, which until 1945 was the administrative center of the German province of East Prussia. The city was transferred to the jurisdiction of the USSR in mid-October 1945, and in 1946 it was given the "Russian" name.
World War II left incurable wounds in many countries. Koenigsberg also suffered. It was badly destroyed by British bombers in the summer of 1944. Then the city and the garrison under the command of General Lyash were taken into encirclement. The liberation of Koenigsberg was occupied by Soviet troops. The assault took place on April 5, 1945. After everything that happened in the city, only 20,000 of the 370,000 German residents remained. The expositions of the Bunker Museum in Kaliningrad are described in detail about those difficult times.
Description of the bunker Lyash
The museum is located in a real bomb shelter - it is a reinforced concrete structure, structurally consisting of two monolithic blocks. During the construction, materials such as sand, cement, glass and granite were used. The bunker is electrified, and also equipped with all the necessary life support systems: water supply, fresh air, sewage and communications. Its length is 42 m, width - 15 m, depth - 7 m. This entire territory is divided into 21 separate rooms.
The bomb shelter was built in early 1945. In March, the headquarters of the Nazi forces was organized here, leading the defense of Koenigsberg, which was headed by Otto Lyash. And here, just a month later, on April 9, the general decided to surrender.
The Bunker Museum in Kaliningrad was opened in 1968. The expositions are entirely devoted to the tragic events of 1945. They fragmentarily retell the history of the city and the fortress. The main exposition through five dioramas opens the storming of the fortified city of Koenigsberg by Soviet troops from April 6 to 9.
For three days there were active fierce battles. Especially hard was the liberation of the 5th fort. By the evening of April 9, the battle continued only in the center of Koenigsberg - the “ring” closed. And at the same time, 2 groups of Soviet parliamentarians went to the bunker to General Lyash to conduct negotiations on full surrender. Both groups safely returned to the location of the USSR troops, but it’s hard to even imagine what they had to go through then.
In two rooms of the Bunker Museum in Kaliningrad, the atmosphere of the military fascist headquarters was recreated during the assault on Koenigsberg. These are the offices of General Lyash and the chief of staff, Colonel Suskind-Shvendi. Both groups of parliamentarians had a chance to visit these two rooms. And on April 10, a red banner was raised above the Der Don tower. It symbolized farewell to Koenigsberg, as with a German city. The document of surrender was signed two days later, on April 12.
In addition to the main one, there are other expositions. One of them reveals the theme of the tragedy of the German people. Of the 370,000 inhabitants after the liberation of Koenigsberg, only 20,000 civilians remained alive, who were later relocated to Germany.
In another hall of the Bunker Museum in Kaliningrad, the exposition talks about preparations for the assault. It consisted of the introduction of several reconnaissance groups of the 3rd Belorussian Front, each of which had a specific mission and its own route. In order to prevent information leakage, all this was known only at the main headquarters. Preparation began long before the assault, back in January 1945.
Other rooms feature expositions dedicated to the participation of German anti-fascist troops in the battles for Koenigsberg, the fate of German prisoners of war after the end of the East Prussian operation. Otto Lyash also got into such a camp, but in 1955 he returned to his homeland, where he died 16 years later.
Choosing excursions to the sights of Kaliningrad, prices can be high, but the “Bunker” is worth a visit, albeit outside the excursion program. Dioramas, although not completely, still convey those emotions, all the horror that the military, who were fighting for the freedom of the city and the lives of its inhabitants, and civilians had to endure. Here a large number of photographs are collected, which depict forts, bastions, bunkers, bunkers, towers, anti-tank ditches, non-explosive barriers and trenches. The enemy defense system is presented. The plan of the “stellar” assault on the city and the location of troops at all stages of the operation is depicted.
At the end of the "path" museum visitors will find a kind of interactive game to test knowledge about the Great Patriotic War and the assault on Koenigsberg. There is also a small collection of archaeological finds - artifacts found in the territory of Kaliningrad and the region during excavations.
Address of the Bunker Museum in Kaliningrad
Located on Universitetskaya street, building 2a. Full name - General Von Lyash Dugout. The Kaliningrad Hotel can serve as a reference point - it is in the courtyard of this institution that the museum is located. Nearby was built the shopping center "Plaza", and behind the "Bunker" you can see the University of Kaliningrad. All this can serve as a good guide for the search.
How to get to the Bunker Museum? You must follow to the stop "Hotel" Kaliningrad "". The following routes regularly follow at the right address: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30, 36, 37, 44, 49, 63, 64, 71, 72, 103, 104, 105, 112, 116, 127, 145, 146, 146K, 149, 150, 155, 159.
GPS coordinates and location of the museum on the map
If you drive your own car, you must go to the Leningrad region. Drive to Leninsky Prospekt, here move to the Yantar jewelry house. Immediately after him, before reaching Sberbank, there will be a turn onto Universitetskaya Street. For convenience, you can drive the following coordinates into the navigator: 54.71331 N 20.50957 W.
The cost of visiting the bunker
As mentioned above, prices for excursions to the sights of Kaliningrad are different, depending on the chosen agency and route. If you visit the museum yourself, an admission ticket will cost only 50 rubles for citizens of the Russian Federation. The same amount will need to pay extra for photography.
Opening hours of the Bunker Museum
Doors are open year round. The only day off is Monday. The opening hours of the Bunker Museum in Kaliningrad are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (without breaks).
How to contact the administration of the museum?
For any questions, please call +7 (4012) 53-65-93. The Bunker Museum also has an official website, which provides all the necessary additional information for tourists.
Reviews about the Bunker Museum in Kaliningrad
Every person who has been here recommends that the same thing be done to people who have arrived in Kaliningrad on business or for tourist purposes. Of course, small children here will be incomprehensible and boring. However, older children and adolescents probably need to get acquainted with the history of the country and show how much our great-grandfathers were given the Great Victory.
The museum immerses you in a wartime atmosphere. There are posters everywhere, the text on which you must read in order to understand the essence of what happened. Realistic mock-ups and dioramas complement the idea of the assault on Koenigsberg. As follows from the reviews of tourists, inside the bunker it is felt that it is real and was once filled with Nazi troops. Given the narrow corridor, low ceiling and the small size of the rooms, it seems that the walls literally squeeze. But all this can be experienced, because immersion in the history of the liberation of Koenigsberg-Kaliningrad from the Nazi troops can be realized far from every day, or maybe even only once in life.