ðə dʒˈɜːmən fˈoːɹs, lˈɑːɹdʒli mˌeɪd ˌʌp ʌv ˈɛlɪmənts fɹʌmðə ɡɹˈɑːsdɔɪtʃlənd ænd fˈɪfti ˈeɪtθ ˈɪnfəntɹi dᵻvˈɪʒənz ænd ðə sˈɛvənθ pˈænzɚ dᵻvˈɪʒən, wʌz ˈeɪdᵻd baɪ hˈɛvili fˈɔːɹɾᵻfˌaɪd tˈæktɪkəl dᵻfˈɛnsᵻz, ɑːɹtˈɪlɚɹi fˈaɪɚ fɹʌm ʃˈɪps ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ ðə pɹˈɪnts jˈuːdʒən ɪnðə bˈɔltɪk, ænd ɐ tˈɛnjuːəs kənˈɛkʃən wɪððə ɹᵻmˈeɪndɚɹ ʌv ˈiːst pɹˈʌʃə ˌoʊvɚ ðə kjʊɹɹˈoʊniən spˈɪt.
The German force, largely made up of elements from the Großdeutschland and 58th Infantry Divisions and the 7th Panzer Division, was aided by heavily fortified tactical defences, artillery fire from ships (including the Prinz Eugen) in the Baltic, and a tenuous connection with the remainder of East Prussia over the Curonian Spit.