Soviet Troops of 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Division Entering Wehlau, East Prussia, 1945

October 27, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Soviet soldiers of the 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Division moving through Wehlau (now Znamensk) in East Prussia, February 1945.

This World War II photograph depicts soldiers of the 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Division of the Red Army moving through the town of Wehlau, a strategic stronghold in East Prussia, on February 23, 1945. The troops are traveling on horse-drawn transport, highlighting the varied logistics employed during the final offensives of the Eastern Front.

Wehlau, now known as Znamensk in the Kaliningrad region of Russia, was an important defensive position for the Wehrmacht. The capture of this town followed intense combat, as Soviet forces steadily pushed westward into German territory. In the background, the remnants of the former district finance office are visible, a building later repurposed for local schooling.

Photographs such as this one provide a vivid record of the Red Army’s advance in the final months of World War II, showcasing both the human and material scale of the campaign as well as the transition of urban spaces from wartime occupation to post-war reconstruction.

Technical photo data:

📍 Location: Wehlau, East Prussia, Germany (now Znamensk, Kaliningrad, Russia)
📅 Date: 23 February 1945
📝 Event: Red Army troops enter German town after heavy combat
📷 Author: [Not specified]

Soviet soldiers East Prussia 1945
2nd Guards Tamanskaya Division photo
Wehlau captured by Red Army
WWII urban combat East Prussia
Red Army in German towns