Soviet occupation of Bornholm until it was returned to Denmark in 5 April 1946
Belligerents
Germany
Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Gerhard von Kamptz
Unknown
Strength
12,000 Troops
Unknown
The Danish island of Bornholm was heavily bombarded by the Soviet Air Force in May 1945, as it was a part of the Eastern Front in World War II. The German garrison commander, German Navy Captain Gerhard von Kamptz (1902–1998), refused to surrender to the Soviets, as his orders were to surrender to the Western Allies. The Germans sent several telegrams to Copenhagen requesting that at least one British soldier should be transferred to Bornholm, so that the Germans could surrender to the Western Allied forces instead of the Soviets. When von Kamptz failed to provide a written capitulation as demanded by the Soviet commanders, Soviet aircraft relentlessly bombed and destroyed more than 800 civilian houses in Rønne and Nexø and seriously damaged roughly 3,000 more on 7–8 May 1945. The population had been forewarned of the bombardments, and the towns were evacuated, but 10 local people were killed. Soldiers were also killed and wounded. Some of them were volunteers from the Baltic states, especially from the Latvian SS Legion.
During the Soviet bombing of the two main towns on 7 and 8 May, Danish radio was not allowed to broadcast the news because it was thought it would spoil the liberation festivities in Denmark.[1] On 9 May Soviet troops landed on the island, and after a short fight, the German garrison (about 12,000 strong[2]) surrendered.[3] Soviet forces left the island on 5 April 1946 as part of the post-war division of interests of the Soviet Union and the Western Allies. Denmark was to be Western aligned, and in return the Baltic states were to be kept in the Soviet sphere of influence.[4]
v
t
e
Nordic states, 1939–1945
Denmark
Weserübung
Denmark
Norway
Valentine (Faroe Islands)
Safari
Isefjord
Bornholm
Finland
Winter War
Continuation War
Silver Fox
Orator
Lapland War
Tanne Ost
Iceland
Fork
Norway
Altmark incident
Weserübung
Denmark
Norway
Alphabet
Heavy water sabotage
Claymore
Kirkenes and Petsamo
Gauntlet
Fritham
Gearbox
Gearbox II
Leader
Zitronella
Attacks on Tirpitz
Petsamo–Kirkenes
Finnmark
^En Ø i krig / An island at war by Børge Kure
^"Soviet Information Bureau report". 11 May 1945. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
^"Bornholm during World War II". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
^"Stalin's Danish Mystery | History Today". www.historytoday.com. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
and 24 Related for: Landing at Bornholm information
The Danish island of Bornholm was heavily bombarded by the Soviet Air Force in May 1945, as it was a part of the Eastern Front in World War II. The German...
Circulation grew to 120,000 copies per day by the end of the occupation. At the beginning of 1943, the cells were centrally coordinated under BOPA (Borgerlige...
(1945) — planned Swedish landings on Zealand Rädda Bornholm ("Save Bornholm") (1945) — planned Swedish landings on Bornholm List of World War II military...
surrender) Rädda Själland (1945) – Swedish landings on Zealand Rädda Bornholm (1945) – Swedish landings on Bornholm Caesar (1945) – transfer of technical plans...
name to Bornholm Infantry Regiment in 1741 and fell under the jurisdiction of the Royal Danish Army becoming a regular infantry unit. The Bornholm Infantry...
of the Royal Air Force. It is also represented on the coat of arms of Bornholm, a Danish island in the Baltic sea, and is related to the liberation of...
another aircraft on the same route was hijacked, this time it diverted to Bornholm Airport in Denmark. Of the 15 passengers and three crew members on board...
west of Jutland, at a water depth of 26–27 metres (85–89 ft). In the Baltic Sea, a hub will be built on the natural island of Bornholm that will be able...
entities: Danish Defence Intelligence Service Dueodde SIGINT station, on Bornholm Royal Danish Defence College Judge Advocate Corps Lyngby Radio The Royal...
Falster was also at the brink of collapse, as the storm almost overwhelmed the old dike, but it did it's job almost a century later. Bornholm was also not...
, low salinity and increasing oxygen-depletion at the sea bottom, led to presently only the Bornholm Basin (Southern Baltic Sea) having sufficient conditions...
defected with MiG-15bis (No 1327) and landed (without using landing gear) at Rønne Airport on Bornholm Island. On November 7, 1957, Lt. Kożuchowski from 31st...
BG Bornholms Værn LANDZEALAND was tasked with defending the Danish Isles incl. Bornholm and preventing Warsaw Pact troops from amphibious landings. Order...
to the landing grounds at Sandskeið and Kaldaðarnes. Lastly, troops would be sent by land to the harbour at Akureyri and the landing ground at Melgerði...
production of fish oil and glycerine, used in the German war economy. The landings were carried out on 4 March 1941, by 500 men of No. 3 Commando, No. 4 Commando...
(A2AD) systems. A reinforcement to prevent the seizure of Gotland, Åland or Bornholm in the Baltic by Russia. The seizure of the Iranian island of Abu Musa...
Saskatchewan Echo Valley Provincial Park, Saskatchewan Denmark Echo Valley (Bornholm) or Ekkodalen, Denmark's longest rift Philippines Echo Valley, an area...
Control Command, at Vedbæk Air Station Radar Station on Bornholm, with fixed S-723 radar Rader Station in Gripskov Radar Station at Skovhuse Radar Station...
withdrew from the battle at high speed. The destroyers' main mission had been completed, however, as they had succeeded in landing the invasion force. The...
Frederikshavn (Maritime Surveillance Center and tactical control of sea units) Bornholm Marine District, Rytterknægten (Maritime Surveillance Center and tactical...
Sweden. Denmark ceded Scania, Blekinge, Halland, Bohuslän, Bornholm and Trøndelag to Sweden. Bornholm and Trøndelag were returned to Denmark in 1660 after Charles X Gustav's...
(six M/41DK1 Walker-bulldog), disband in 2000 (Bornholm Guards) Bornholms Værn. On the island of Bornholm In 2005 the reconnaissance units of the German...
to install the Kröte. In April 1942, Operation Fritham the landing of a Norwegian force at Barentsburg to occupy the islands. The operation met with disaster...