Castle of Lochstädt (Baltiysk)

 castle, ruins, archaeological site, interesting place

In Nazitimes the ruins of the medieval Knights Order castle were rebuilt into a formidable castle. From September/October 1944 the castle was used as a hiding place for German art treasures, archives and libraries. According to many sources the world-famous "Bernsteinzimmer" was also hidden here. This very precious piece of art was never found again and is probably lost. Around the castle fierce battles were fought between the Wehrmacht and Soviet Armed Forces. There is a probability that the "Bernsteinzimmer" was taken by Erich Koch onto a ship and transported to an unknown place. As a result of the battle in 1945, the castle was completely destroyed.

For more historical information, see: Stephen Turnbull, Crusader castles of the Teutonic Knights (1). The red-brick castles of Prussia 1230-1466 (2003) 26-28 [partly online available on Googlebooks]