The final battle for Berlin

Discussion in 'The Eastern Front' started by Lindele, Apr 16, 2020.

  1. Lindele

    Lindele formerly HA96

    The Red Army was determined to take Berilin. before the other allies could reach the town.


    One officer was quoted : " The noise was terrible, we had to protect our ears avoiding raptured ear drums."

    In Berlin the following joke was circulated: The optimists will learn English,the pessimists Russian.

    In the end both languages were helpful.to all.

    Stefan.



    Battle of the Seelow Heights - Wikipedia
     
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  2. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    This picture from the Seelow Heights link you provided shows how senseless the continued German resistance was. It looks like a training range with the tow vehicles no where in sight . No fear of air attack at all.

    upload_2020-4-16_7-57-12.png
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2020
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  3. Lindele

    Lindele formerly HA96

    senseless is the word.
    Never, ever again.
    Stefan.
     
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  4. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Stefan

    One thing was certain,the Battle for Berlin ended the hopes of a Thousand Year Reich.Even the Goebbels myth about Frederick 11 of Prussia equated to FDR's death could not save the Reich.

    At its death the German propaganda machine was still pumping out Goebbels defiant rallying calls...Der Panzerbar. The paper for the Defenders of Greater Berlin in its issue of 27 April 1945 reported that Berlin has become a mass grave for Soviet tanks, and that Berlin is fighting on,not only for Germany, but for the whole of European civilisation...."Berlin kampft fur das Reich und Europa" proclaimed Der Panzerbar

    Meanwhile on 29 April 1945 news broke that Himmler was attempting mediation with the Allies.Hitler was enraged by Himmler's perfidy.

    On 1 May Doenitz,Hitler's successor,is clear regarding his loyalty to Hitler.In a communique to Hitler arriving after Hitler's death,he states...."I shall do my upmost to relieve Berlin,and to continue the heroic struggle". He then dismisses Himmler in a face to face meeting after Himmler seeks an audience with him and is accompanied by 6 armed SS officers..Himmler requests him ..."allow me to be the second man in your state..." tension over, Doenitz revealed in his memoirs that he had a pistol under papers at the ready with the safety catch off.

    The final collapse of the regime was costly in terms of casualties and war material,The collapse of the civil administration prevented accurate returns but a figure of 22000 civilian deaths have been put forward as victims of the battle for the city.Others record that after 20 years later bodies were still being found buried in mass graves,parks and in ruins where they had been hastily been buried and the dead could amount to 100000 civilian dead with 6000 committing suicide and 20000 dying from heart attacks.Military casualties are difficult to arrive at.

    From 16 April to 6 May,the Russians appear to be quite definite in reporting that on the three fronts attacking the approaches to, and in the city,480000 prisoners were taken,70000 in the city alone.1500 tanks and self propelled guns,8600 artillery pieces and 4500 aircraft.

    Russian casualties were listed at 304887 killed,wounded and missing along with the loss of 2156 tanks and self propelled gun,1220 artillery pieces and 527 aircraft.
     
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  5. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

    [​IMG]
    Helion has just released a second revised version of the best book on the Battle of Berlin, IMO.
    It's not cheap but considering the insane prices being asked for the first edition it's worth it.
    Comes with some great extras too.
    Bloody Streets | Military History Book | Helion & Company
     
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  6. m kenny

    m kenny Senior Member

    I did not like the style of the book .
    This type of thing:

    'we stopped the Russian advance in our sector and umpteen T34 lie smoking around our position. We were forced (without explaining why) to retreat to a new position where we did the same thing again...and again....and again.'
     
  7. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    I enjoyed Antony Beevor's volume 'Berlin: The Downfall: 1945', pub. in hardback 2002 and later in paperback. From the Amazon introduction:
    Link:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Berlin-Downfall-1945-Antony-Beevor/dp/0141032391
     
  8. gmyles

    gmyles Senior Member

    Hi

    In 1990, not long after the wall fell, I was very lucky to visit the "Museum of the unconditional surrender of fascist Germany in the Great Patriotic War" in the Karlshorst area of East Berlin.

    Deutsch-Russisches Museum

    Whilst we were there, we were shown the room where the unconditional surrender had been signed which is still exactly as it was in 1945. We were also shown a very old and worn black and white film in showing how the Russians advanced to Berlin. Lots of arrows showing where the Russians were. Absolutely nothing to show where the rest of the allies had been.

    It's worth a visit if anyone is in Berlin as is the Soviet War Cemetery at Treptow Park.

    Gus
     
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  9. Urrah

    Urrah Member

    No refernce, no notes of the Soviet unit ranged against them, no reference from said Soviet unit to add balance and context...ergo....useless.
     
  10. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Some snaps taken in April 2018: through the Brandenburg Gate, then over the road into the Tiergarten to the Soviet War Memorial, across the park behind the monument and turn back on yourself to the Reichstag and back through the Brandenburg Gate to the wonderful Hotel Adlon.
    DC0DA9F4-760C-4047-AEF1-AE399993EA7D.jpeg 9613B908-A64A-4E55-A52D-62C2AAF05F6A.jpeg BD3BFA27-E445-4C8A-95FD-98A9E92AE830.jpeg 91EF8461-3C2D-4F6A-AC0A-ECBBB6E8E990.jpeg B5B1A645-AB14-4F0B-BCED-4810F8FC1CA7.jpeg 45D080A9-1E36-4336-ABCC-225DB60C63D1.jpeg 46228815-FFA6-4F9A-90B0-73E85BDB1567.jpeg

    How times have changed; for the better!
     
  11. Urrah

    Urrah Member

    Such a shame that the original Hotel Adlon didn't survive.
     

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