Recent excavations near the village of Steklno in Poland’s West Pomeranian region have revealed evidence from the final months of the Second World War.
In early 1945, the area formed part of the front line during the Pomeranian Operation, as German forces attempted to slow the advance of the Soviet Red Army. While the broader campaign is well documented, a recent excavation provides direct evidence of the fighting on the ground.
The POMOST team uncovered the remains of five German soldiers alongside associated artefacts. Analysis of the skeletal material and burial context has allowed partial reconstruction of the circumstances of death.
Two individuals were identified as Fallschirmjäger, the Luftwaffe’s airborne forces branch, before and during World War II. After mid-1944, Fallschirmjäger were no longer trained as paratroops due to Germany’s deteriorating strategic situation and fought as infantrymen. One individual appears to have taken cover in a shallow field position during incoming fire, with injury patterns consistent with gunfire and explosive fragmentation that indicate sustained combat exposure.
The condition of the remains supports this interpretation. One skull was found partially enclosed within a heavily corroded steel helmet, preserving its original orientation. Another cranial fragment had been displaced within sandy soil, likely due to post-depositional disturbance, although the teeth remained intact and suitable for identification.
Four identification tags were recovered intact. Under German military practice, tags were typically broken upon confirmation of death. Their intact condition suggests these individuals were recorded as missing in action. Identification may now be possible, offering resolution for descendants.
Additional finds, including corroded insignia and fragments of military equipment, provide further evidence of unit affiliation and battlefield conditions.
“Now, our work allows us to close another chapter in the history of the Red Army and Polish People’s Army offensive against the Third Reich”, said POMOST.
The remains and artefacts will be conserved and displayed at the Museum of Memorabilia of the 1st Polish Army in Gozdowice and Stare Łysogórki.