Editing Modlin Fortress (section)

== Capture by the Germans ==
{{Further |Poland in WWI}}
[[File:Modlin fort xv dzielo lewobarkowe.jpg|thumb|Defensive work in Fort XV, one of the forts constructed in 1912–1915 and a site of heavy fighting during World War I]]
In summer of 1915, the Russians were reeling from the German attacks in Poland. They were faced with the reality of giving up Poland to the Germans or have their forces cut off from retreat.

The problem of the [[Great Retreat (Russian)|retreat]] was the abandonment of the fortresses especially Novogeorgievsk. Novogeorgievsk was seen as the "symbol of Russian rule in Poland."<ref name="Stone-181">{{harvnb|Stone|1998|page= 181}}</ref>  It would also mean the abandonment of Poland, which would compromise their ability to negotiate for more territory if the Allies won.<ref name="Stone-174">{{harvnb|Stone|1998|page=174}}</ref>

[[Mikhail Alekseyev]], the commander of the Polish sector, knew that to garrison the forts was a trap and the impregnability was an illusion.<ref name="Stone-174" /> However, he was swayed by men of a higher social standing and left a garrison to defend Novogeorgievsk. The troops that he was able to spare were the remnants of the II. Siberian division, the 63rd division, and 58th division.<ref name="Stone-181" />

To capture Novogeorgievsk, the Germans transferred General [[Hans Hartwig von Beseler|Hans Beseler]] who had successfully laid [[Siege of Antwerp (1914)|siege to the Belgian city of Antwerp]] early in the war. In a stroke of luck, his forces captured the chief engineer of Novogeorgievsk on the first day. The [[Siege of Novogeorgievsk]] lasted only a matter of days.<ref name="Stokesbury">{{harvnb|Stokesbury|2002|page=133}}</ref> When it fell, the Germans captured 1,600 guns and close to a million shells.<ref name="Stone-182">{{harvnb|Stone|1998|page=182}}</ref>