These positions apparently were prepared during the early part of
November, 1914. For as late as November 15, 1914, fighting took place
at Stallupoehnen on the Kovno-Koenigsberg railroad and some ten miles
east of the Angerapp. A few days earlier, on November 9, 1914, a Russian
attack, still farther east, north of the Wysztiter Lake, had resulted in
considerable losses to the Russians. North of the Pissa River the
Germans managed to stick closer to their border, along which there flows
a small tributary of the Niemen offering natural protection.
Considerable fighting took place in this territory around the town of
Pillkallen, but the German line held.

On November 30, 1914, the Russians had again occupied that part of East
Prussia located between the border and the Mazurian Lake-Angerapp line.
On that day the first of a long series of attacks against this very
strong line was made east of Darkehmen, but was as unsuccessful as all
its successors. The German Emperor saw some of this fighting during a
short visit to the East Prussian defenders. All through December, 1914,
the Russians made repeated attacks against the German lines, always
without accomplishing their object of breaking through it and advancing
again against Koenigsberg. Of course, they inflicted severe losses on
their adversaries, though their own, both in disabled and captured, were
much more severe, due to the disadvantages which the difficult territory
heaped upon the attacking side. By the beginning of January winter had
set in in full earnest and the weather became so severe that no fighting
of any importance took place throughout the entire month. The only
exceptions were Russian attacks about January 15, 1915, against Loetzen,
the German fortress on the eastern shore of the northernmost group of
the lakes, which, however, brought no results. At the same time
Gumbinnen was once more the center of considerable fighting.

Later in the month, January 26, 28, and 29, 1915, this town again and
again had to pay dearly in additional destruction of what little of it
that was still left of its former prosperity for the advantage of being
located on the Koenigsberg road. On January 30, 1915, the Russians
attempted to break through a little further south at Darkehmen--but
still the German lines held.

In the meanwhile new troops had been prepared and collected and were
being rushed to that part of the east front for the purpose of clearing
all of East Prussi