Schlacht um Berlin - Battle of Berlin

[Nick VR]

Schlacht um Berlin - Battle of Berlin

Battle of Berlin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Battle of Berlin is a common name for the final strategic offensives of the European Theatre of World War II, and is known to Soviet historians as the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation.

Starting on 16 January 1945, the Red Army breached through the German front as a result of the Vistula–Oder Offensive and rapidly advanced westward as fast as 30–40 kilometres a day, through East Prussia, Lower Silesia, East Pomerania, and Upper Silesia, temporarily halting on a line 60 kilometres east of Berlin along the Oder River. During the offensive, two Soviet Fronts (army groups) attacked Berlin from the east and south, while a third overran German forces positioned north of Berlin. The Battle in Berlin lasted from late 20 April 1945 until the morning of 2 May and was one of the bloodiest battles in history.

The first defensive preparations at the outskirts of Berlin were on 20 March, when the newly appointed commander of the Army Group Vistula, General Gotthard Heinrici, correctly anticipated that the main Soviet thrust would be made over the Oder River. Before the main battle in Berlin commenced, the Soviets managed to encircle the city as a result of the smaller Battles of the Seelow Heights and Halbe. During 20 April 1945, the 1st Belorussian Front led by Marshal Georgy Zhukov started shelling Berlin's city centre, while Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front had pushed in the north through the last formations of Army Group Centre. The German defences were mainly led by Helmuth Weidling and consisted of several depleted, badly equipped and disorganised Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS divisions, as well as many Volkssturm and Hitler Youth members. Within the next days, the Soviets were rapidly advancing through the city and were reaching the city centre, conquering the Reichstag on 30 April after fierce fighting.

Before the battle was over, German dictator Adolf Hitler and many of his followers committed suicide. The city's defenders finally surrendered on 2 May. However, fighting continued to the north-west, west and south-west of the city until the end of the war in Europe on 8 May (9 May in the USSR) as German units fought westward so that they could surrender to the Western Allies rather than to the Soviets

[pjm]

In the good old DDR days, one could wander through East Berlin and see the battle scars on the facades of all the buildings that were left standing. Lines of machine gun buller impacts and artillery hits on the stone were amazing...particularly around windows where defenders had set up firing positions. Some buildings had practically no intact facades - all covered in bullet, bomb and shell damage.

The Soviets did not allow restoration of these buildings to serve as a warning and maintain awareness of the destruction fascism and militarism had brought upon Germany.

After reunification, these witnesses of the Battle for Berlin were restored to pre-war pristine condition.

[vady]

I was in berlin in 2000; believe me there were still plenty of old buildings that remained "un-pristine" with battle damage. in the apartment block where I was staying near the old wall, polish day laborers were on scaffolds doing some repairs on upper floor exteriors.

the university of munich as of '87 still also showed scars.... I suspect it'll take decades to remove it all; if it ever is....

by the way, my residence in berlin had COAL deliveries - and they used the old-fashioned 'chute on the bottom floor as in the old days. no horse-drawn wagon, still a bizarre "quaint" practice to observe all the same!

In the good old DDR days, one could wander through East Berlin and see the battle scars on the facades of all the buildings that were left standing. Lines of machine gun buller impacts and artillery hits on the stone were amazing...particularly around windows where defenders had set up firing positions. Some buildings had practically no intact facades - all covered in bullet, bomb and shell damage.

The Soviets did not allow restoration of these buildings to serve as a warning and maintain awareness of the destruction fascism and militarism had brought upon Germany.

After reunification, these witnesses of the Battle for Berlin were restored to pre-war pristine condition.

[Lars]

Try to check this very interesting homepage out! I have spent hours looking at pictures there Third Reich in Ruins

Cheers
Lars

[albinocobra1]

been here for quite a while now and believe me, there's plenty of stuff to still see and find !!
Basements are a great start. Neukolln, Xberg !!
TONS of stuff !!

[sitges1990]

You guys are so lucky to be able to see that stuff first hand. Spectacular time in history, but the evidence is quickly disappearing. I've been to Spain and southern France, but didn't have time to get up to the relic rich areas. Enjoy the sights for me.