Reports of Soviet atrocities in the Nemmersdorf massacre of October 1944 and organized rape spread fear and desperation among the civilians . Thousands lost their lives during the sinkings ( by Soviet submarine ) of the evacuation ships '' Wilhelm Gustloff '' , the '' Goya '' , and the '' General von Steuben '' . Königsberg surrendered on 9 April 1945 , following the desperate four-day Battle of Königsberg . The number of civilians killed is estimated to be at least 300,000
Nemmersdorf massacre
Nemmersdorf massacre
East Prussia