The defense of the Schwedt bridgehead was a German 3rd Panzer Army operation on the Eastern Front during the final months of World War II.

The position was prepared according to typical Wehrmacht doctrine some 20 km forward of the river, [citation needed] and strengthened with machine gun nests and reinforced trenches.

Despite ostensibly preparing for an offensive, the 3rd Panzer Army troops, including the X SS Corps, were short of supplies and weapons, lacking heavy machine guns and artillery.

After the ice on the Oder was blown up by pioneers to make crossing more difficult for the advancing Red Army tanks, a similar strategy was employed using guns mounted on river barges.

Extensive deception operations, and the rapid tempo of advance[5] meant that the German command was largely unaware of the switch in forces, or the true direction of the impending assaults.

[8][page needed] The order of battle was largely the same as that of the forces being assembled for the expected offensive although the Army subordinations were changed several times.