After taking Berlin. Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation (Battle for Berlin). Two days before the onset

On April 23, Hitler was reported that the commander of the 56th Tank Corps Waidling had his headquarters and was already west of Berlin, although he had to defend him. Based on this hearing, Hitler ordered the shooting of the general. But he came straight into the bunker, where the top management of the Nazi Reich was hiding, and reported that his headquarters is almost on the front line. Then Hitler changed his mind to shoot Wadling, and on April 24 appointed his commander of the defense of Berlin. "It would be better if Hitler left the order of my execution," said Vadling, having learned this news. But the destination accepted.

Berlin militia. (TOPWAR. RU)

It turned out, on Hitler made an impression of the courage that did not felt from the advanced general. He no longer had almost a single standing commander for the defense of the city, which he planned to turn into a German version of the battle for Moscow: to defeat the Soviet army in a defensive battle and go to counteroffensive. Hitler persisted to the last: "If Berlin falls into the hands of the enemy, then the war will be lost." Of course, the insane plans of the Fuhrer could not implement the best commander.

Day after the day of the power of the German defense, glued from the remains of broken and shabby parts, from the militia and adolescents of Hitlergenda, retreated and surrendered. Every day, Waidling reported Hitler about the situation. April 30, when even Hitler became clear that the struggle is hopeless, he killed his favorite dog, and then he and his wife Eva Hitler (Brown) committed suicide. Having learned about this, in the morning of May 2, General Vaidling surrendered to Russian, signed an act of surrender and ordered the remaining German troops in Berlin to stop resistance. Battle for Berlin ended. On May 3, 1945, Waidling already testified by the Soviet investigators at the rebel of the 1st Belarusian Front.

Vadling, like many officers, complained about the degradation of the German command during the war, caused by the desire of Hitler to personally control the actions of all troops: "I should note that the Russians during the war went far forward in the tactical sense, our command stepped back. Our generals are "paralyzed" in their actions, the commander of the corps, the commander of the army and the partially commander of the Army Group did not have any independence in their actions. The commander of the army has no right to transfer a battalion from one site to another without Hitler's sanction. Such a guide system for troops has repeatedly led to the death of entire compounds. About the commander of divisions and buildings, they do not even have to say, they generally were deprived of the opportunity to act according to the situation, show the initiative, everything should be done on the presenter from above, and these presense often did not meet the position on the front. "

Vadling showed that although in Berlin there was food and ammunition for 30 days, they did not manage to deliver them normally, and the warehouses located on the outskirts were captured by Soviet troops. 4 days after the appointment, the commander of the defense in Waidling troops did not have almost nothing for resistance.

Question: What were the orders of Hitler in the defense issue of Berlin? Light the created position in Berlin by the time you are capitulation.

Answer: Being the Commander of the Defense of Berlin, I received an order from Hitler to defend Berlin to the last person. For me it was clear from the very first thing that there is no possibility to defend Berlin with hope for success. Every day the position of the defended worse was worsened, the Russians squeezed the ring around us more and more, every day approaching closer to the city center. I reported at the evening and position every day.

By April 29, the situation with ammunition and food was very heavy, especially with ammunition. I realized that further resistance, from a military point of view, insanely and criminal. April 29, after the two-hour report of my Hitler, in which I stressed that there is no possibility to continue resistance that all hopes for supplying from the air collapsed, Hitler agreed with me and declared me that he gave a special order about the transfer of ammunition by airplanes, and that If on April 30, the position with the delivery of ammunition and food will not improve, he will give a sanction to leaving Berlin, to try to break the troops. "

It was the last Waidling and Hitler meeting. The next day he committed suicide and provided General Freedom of Action, which he immediately took advantage: "I gave an order to parts, who can and want to be made away, the rest of the folding weapons. On May 1, at 21.00, I gathered workers of the headquarters of the 56th TC and employees of Berlin defense headquarters in order to decide whether the headquarters would break through or surrender to the Russians. I stated that further resistance is useless that to break from the boiler, means when successful to get from the "boiler" in the "boiler". I was supported by all employees of the headquarters, and on the night of May 2, I sent a colonel to the dufing background by the parliamentant to the Russians with a proposal to terminate the German troops of resistance. [...] Although I was the commander of the defense of Berlin, the situation in Berlin was such that after a decision was taken, I felt only the Russians. "

In the future, General Helmut Vaidling was evident with the Soviet consequence and confessed to war crimes committed under his command in the USSR. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Died in 1955 in the Vladimir Central and is also buried there.

The war ended. This understood everything - both the generals of the Wehrmacht, and their opponents. Only one person is Adolf Hitler - contrary to everything continued to hope for the power of the German Spirit, on the "mute", and most importantly - for a split between his enemies. The grounds for this were - despite the agreements achieved in Yalta, England and the United States did not particularly want to give up Berlin by the Soviet troops. Their armies were moving forward almost freely. In April 1945, they broke through to the center of Germany, having deprived the Wehrmacht of his "Forge" - the Ruhrian Basin - and having received the opportunity to throw on Berlin. At the same time, the 1st Belarusian Front of Marshal Zhukova and the 1st Ukrainian Front Konev froze in front of the powerful line of German defense on Oder. The 2nd Belarusian Front of Rokossovsky finished the remnants of enemy troops in Pomerania, and the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts moved to Vienna.

On April 1, Stalin convened a meeting of the State Defense Committee in the Kremlin. The audience was asked one question: "Who will take Berlin - WE OR AGLO-ARTIANS?" - "Berlin will take the Soviet Army," Konev responded the first. His, the last rival of Zhukov, the question of the Supreme also did not find surprise - he demonstrated a huge mock of Berlin's huge layout, where the goals of future blows were accurately indicated. Reichstag, imperial office, building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - all these were powerful foci of defense with a network of bomb shelter and secret moves. The capital of the Third Reich washing three lines of fortifications. The first one took place 10 km from the city, the second - on its outlook, the third - in the center. Berlin defended the selected parts of the Wehrmacht and the SS troops, on which the last reserves were urgently mobilized - 15-year-old members "Hitlergenda", women and old people from Volkssturma (folk militia). Around Berlin in the Army groups "Vistula" and "Center" were up to 1 million people, 10.4 thousand guns and mortars, 1.5 thousand.

For the first time since the beginning of the war, the superiority of Soviet troops lived and technique was not just significant, but overwhelming. 2.5 million soldiers and officers, 41.6 thousand guns, more than 6.3 thousand tanks, 7.5 thousand aircraft were supposed to be at Berlin. The main role in the adventure approved by the Stalimal Plan was given to the 1st Belorussian Front. Zhukov was supposed to storm in the forehead of the defense line on the Zelovsky heights, which rose over the Oder, covering the road to Berlin. The front of Konev was to forcing Neutse and hit the Raikha's capital forces in the capital of Ryachko and Lelyushenko. It was planned that in the West he will reach Elba and together with the Front of Rokossovsky will connect with the English-American troops. Allies notified about the Soviet plans, and they agreed to stop their army on the Elbe. Yalta arrangements had to be performed, moreover, it made it possible to avoid unnecessary losses.

The offensive was scheduled for April 16. To make it unexpected for the enemy, Zhukov ordered to step early in the morning, in the dark, blinding the Germans with the light of powerful spotlights. At five in the morning, three red rockets gave a signal to the attack, and after a second thousand guns and "Katyusch" opened a hurricane fire of such power that the eight-kilometer space turned out to be overpaced. "The Hitler's troops were literally cooled in a solid sea of \u200b\u200bfire and metal," the beetles wrote in his memoirs. Alas, the on the eve taken captive Soviet soldier revealed the German date of the future offensive, and they managed to take troops to green heights. From there, a sighting shooting began on Soviet tanks, which the wave behind the wave was walking on a breakthrough and sitting through the shot field. So far, the enemy's attention was riveted to them, the soldiers of the 8th Guards Army of Chuikov managed to advance forward and take the frontiers from the outskirts of the village of Zela. By evening, it became clear: the intended occurrence of the offensive.

In the same hours, Hitler turned to the Germans with the appeal, promising them: "Berlin will remain in German hands," and the offensive of the Russians "choose in the blood". But in this very few people believed. People with fear listened to the sounds of the cannonads, which were added to the already familiar breaks of the bombs. The remaining residents were at least 2.5 million - they were banned from leaving the city. Losing a feeling of reality Führer decided: if the Third Reich dies, his fate must divide all the Germans. Propaganda Goebbels intimidated by the residents of Berlin atoms of the Bolshevik Horde, convincing them to fight to the end. The headquarters of Berlin defense, who ordered the population to prepare for fierce battles on the streets, in houses and underground communications. Each house was planned to turn into a fortress, for which all the remaining residents were forced to dig trenches and equip firing positions.

At the end of the day, April 16, Zhukov called the Supreme. He was dryly informed that Konev overcoming neutis "happened without difficulties." Two tank armies broke through the front from Cottbus and rushed forward, without stopping the offensive even at night. Zhukov had to promise that during April 17 he would take ill-fated heights. In the morning, the 1st tank army of General Katukuku again moved forward. And again "thirty parts", who passed from Kursk to Berlin, burned like candles, from Faustpatronov fire. By the evening, the part of Zhukov advanced just a couple of kilometers. Meanwhile, Konev reported Stalin about new successes, reporting readiness to participate in Berlin's storm. Silence in the tube - and the deaf voice of the Supreme: "I agree. Turn the tank armies to Berlin. " On the morning of April 18, the army of fishing and Llyushenko rushed to the north, on the Telts and Potsdam. Zhukov, whose pride suffered severely, threw his parts into the last desperate attack. In the morning, the 9th German army, according to which the main blow was faced, did not stand and began to roll back to the West. The Germans still tried to go to the counterattack, but the next day retreated all over the front. From now on, nothing could delay the junction.

Friedrich Hitzer, German Writer, Translator:

My answer is about Berlin's assault exclusively personal, not a military strategist. In 1945 I was 10 years old, and, being a child of war, I remember how it ended, that he felt a defeated people. My father also participated in this war, and the nearest relative. The latter was a German officer. Returning in 1948 from captivity, he resolutely told me that if this happens again, he will again go to fight. And on January 9, 1945, on my birthday, I received a letter from the front from the Father, who also wrote with determination that it was necessary to "fight, fight and fight with a terrible enemy in the East, otherwise we will be taken to Siberia." After reading these rows by a child, I was proud of the courage of the Father - "the liberator from the Bolshevik Iga." But quite a bit of time passed, and my uncle, the very German officer, told me many times: "We were deceived. Look, so that with you this does not happen. " The soldiers understood that it was not the war. Of course, "deceived" we were not all. One of the best friends of the Father has warned him back in the 30s: Hitler is terrible. You know, any political ideology of superiority of one over the other, sputted society, akin to drugs ...

The value of the assault, and in general the final of the war, it became clear for me later. Berlin's assault was needed - he saved me from the fate of being a German-conqueror. If Hitler won, I would probably become a very unhappy person. His goal of world domination to me is alien and incomprehensible. As an action, the capture of Berlin was terrible for the Germans. But really it was happiness. After the war, I worked in one military commission dealing with the issues of prisoners of war of the Germans, and was once again convinced of this.

I recently met with Daniel branches, and we have long told about the fact that it was for people who surrounded Leningrad ...

And then, during the war, I was afraid, yes, I hated the Americans and the British, who practically doubted my hometown to Ulm. This feeling of hatred and fear lived in me as long as I did not visit America.

I remember well, as evacuated from the city, we lived in a small German village on the shore of the Danube, which was the "American zone". Our girls and women then ink themselves with pencils not to be raped ... Each war is a terrible tragedy, and this war was especially terrible: today they talk about 30 million Soviet and 6 million German victims, as well as about millions of dead people of other nations.

Last birthday

On April 19, another participant appeared in the race for Berlin. Rokossovsky reported to Stalin that the 2nd Belorussian front is ready to storm the city from the north. In the morning of this day, the 65th Army of General Batov forced the widespread direction of the Western Oder and moved to Prenzlau, cutting into parts by the German group of the Army "Vistula". At this time, Konev tanks are easy, as on the parade, moved to the north, almost without meeting resistance and leaving far behind the main forces. Marshal deliberately went to risk, hurrying to go to Berlin before Zhukov. But the troops of the 1st Belorussky have already approached the city. His Grozny Commander issued an order: "No later than 4 am on April 21, at any cost to break into the suburbs of Berlin and immediately transfer to Stalin and for the press a message about it."

On April 20, Hitler celebrated his last birthday. In the bunker submerged 15 meters, elected guests were gathered under the imperial office: Gering, Goebbels, Himmler, Borman, the Top of the Army and, of course, Eva Brown, which was listed by the "secretary" of the Fuhrera. The colleagues offered their leader to leave the doomed Berlin and move to the Alps, where secret refuge was already prepared. Hitler refused: "I was destined to defeat or die along with Reich." However, he agreed to bring the command from the capital by the troops, dividing it into two parts. The North was under the control of Gross Admiral Dinet, to whom Himmler went to the rescue with his headquarters. The south of Germany was to defend Goering. At the same time a plan for the defeat of the Soviet offensive forces of the Army of Steiner from the North and Wreath from the West. However, this plan was doomed from the very beginning. And the 12th army of the wreath, and the remnants of the parts of the SS of Steiner were exhausted in battles and are not capable of active actions. The Army Center "Center", which also had hopes, led heavy battles in the Czech Republic. Zhukov prepared the German leader of the "gift" - in the evening of his army approached the city border of Berlin. The first shells of long-range guns hit the city center. In the morning of the next day, the 3rd Army of General Kuznetsov entered Berlin from the northeast, and the 5th Army Berzarina - from the north. Covers and chukes fell from the east. The streets of durable Berlin prisimily blocked the barricades, of the conviction and windows of houses on the coming fired "Povniki".

Zhukov ordered not to spend time to suppress individual firepoints and hurry forward. In the meantime, the tanks fish came to the headquarters of the German command in Tsosssen. Most officers fled in Potsdam, and the head of the headquarters General Krebs went to Berlin, where on April 22 at 15.00, the last military meeting at Hitler took place. Only then the Fuhrer decided to say that no one can save the besieged capital. The reaction was violent: the leader broke out by threats to the "traitors", then collapsed on the chair and groaned: "Everything is over ... War is lost ..."

And yet the Nazi tip was not going to give up. It was decided to completely stop the resistance of the Anglo-American troops and to quit all the strength against the Russians. All military capable of keeping the weapon should be sent to Berlin. The Führer was still the hopes for the 12th army of the wreath, which was supposed to connect from the 9th army of the Bouss. To coordinate their actions, command led by Kaitel and Yoodel was derived from Berlin in the town of Kramnitz. In addition to Hitler himself, only General Krebs, Borman and Goebbels, appointed by the head of defense, remained in the capital.

Nikolai Sergeevich Leonov, Lieutenant-General Foreign Intelligence Service:

The Berlin Operation is the penultimate Operation of the Second World War. It was carried out by three fronts from 16 to 30 April 1945 - from raising the flag over Reichstag and the end of the resistance - on the evening of May 2. Pros and cons of this operation. Plus - the operation was accomplished quickly. After all, an attempt to take Berlin was actively promoted by the heads of allied armies. This is reliably known from Churchill's letters.

Cons - almost all who participated, remember that there were too big victims and, perhaps, without objective necessity. The first reproaches of Zhukov - he stood in the very short distance from Berlin. His attempt to a frontal blow to enter from the east is regarded by many participants in the war as an erroneous decision. It was necessary to embrace Berlin from the north and from the south of the ring and force the enemy to capitulate. But Marshal went directly. Regarding the artillery operation on April 16, we can say the following: the idea of \u200b\u200busing the searchlights of Zhukov brought from Halhin-goal. It was there that the Japanese took a similar attack. Zhukov repeated the same reception: but many military strategists argue that the searchlights had no effect. As a result of their use, there was a messenger of fire and dust. This frontal attack was unsuccessful and poorly thought out: when our soldiers passed along the trenches - the corpses of the Germans in them were little. So the coming parts were wasting more than 1,000 ammunition cars. Stalin specially satisfied competition between Marshals. After all, Berlin was completely surrounded by April 25th. It would be possible not to resort to such victims.

City in fire

On April 22, 1945, Zhukov appeared in Berlin. His army is five rifle and four tanks - spoke the capital of Germany from all types of weapons. Meanwhile, the tanks fish fitted to the city feature, taking a bridgehead in the Teltov district. Zhukov gave his avant-garde - the armies of Chuikov and Katukov - the order to forcing the SPre, not later than the 24th to be in Tempelgof and Marienfeld - the central regions of the city. For street battles, assault detachments from fighters of different parts were hastily. In the north of the 47th Army, General Perchorovich on the chance of a chance to survive the bridge crossed the Hafel River and headed to the West, preparing to connect there with parts of Konev and closer the ring of the environment. Taking the northern regions of the city, Zhukov finally excluded Rokossovsky from among the participants of the operation. From that moment on, until the end of the war, the 2nd Belarusian front was engaged in the defeat of the Germans in the north, pulling on a significant part of the Berlin group.

The glory of the winner of Berlin passed Rokossovsky, she passed she and Konev. The Stalin Directive, obtained in the morning of April 23, ordered the troops of the 1st Ukrainian to stop at the Angel train station - literally in a hundred meters from Reichstag. To take the center of the enemy capital Supreme trusted Zhukov, noting this of his invaluable contribution to the victory. But even before Ankhalter, it was necessary to walk. Fishing with his tanks froze on the banks of the deep cavulum channel. Only with the approach of artillery, which suppressed German firepoints, the cars were able to cross through the water barrier. On April 24, Chuikov's intelligence officers made their way to the West through the Shenfeld airfield and met the tank workers fishing. This meeting divided German forces in half - about 200 thousand soldiers were surrounded in a wooded area to the southeast of Berlin. Until May 1, this group tried to break into the West, but was dissected on the part and almost completely destroyed.

And the shock forces of Zhukov continued to rush to the center of the city. Many fighters and commanders did not have the experience of fighting in a big city, which led to huge losses. Tanks were moving columns, and it was worth the front of the front, as the entire column was becoming easy to prevent German "faversal." I had to resort to merciless, but effective tactics of combat operations: At first, artillery led a hurricane fire for the purpose of the future offensive, then Katyusch's volley trembled to all living in shelter. After that, the tanks were walking forward, the spray of barricades and the spreading house where the shots were driving. Only then the infantry joined the case. During the battle of the city, almost two million gun shots were collapsed - 36 thousand tons of deadly metal. From Pomerania by railway Fortress guns were delivered, shooting in the center of Berlin shells weighing in half noon.

But even this firepower did not always cope with the thick walls of the buildings, built in the 19th century. Chuikov recalled: "Our cannons sometimes produced up to thousands of shots on one Sktor, according to a group of houses, even in the small garden." It is clear that at the same time, about the peaceful population, trembling from fear in bomb shelters and sloping basements, no one thought. However, the main wine for his suffering was not in the Soviet troops, but on Hitler and his approximations, which, with the help of propaganda and violence, did not give residents to leave the city, turned into a sea of \u200b\u200bfire. Already after the victory, it was estimated that 20% of houses in Berlin were completely destroyed, and another 30% - partially. On April 22, for the first time in the city telegraph closed, having received the last message from Japanese allies - "Wish good luck." Water and gas turned off, stopped walking, ceased food issuance. Hungry Berliners, not paying attention to continuous shelling, robbed trade trains and shops. They were no longer afraid of Russian shells, and the SESS patrols who have grabbed men and hung on trees as deserters.

Police and Nazi officials began to scatter. Many tried to get to the West to surrender to the Anglo-Americans. But the Soviet parts were already there. April 25 at 13.30 they went to the Elbe and met at the town of Torgau with Tankers of the 1st American Army.

On this day, Hitler instructed the defense of Berlin General Tankist Waidling. Under his beginning there were 60 thousand soldiers who were opposed to 464 thousand Soviet troops. Zhukov and Konev's army met not only in the east, but also in the west of Berlin, in the area of \u200b\u200bKetcin, and now they were separated from the city center just 7-8 kilometers. On April 26, the Germans took the last desperate attempt to stop the attackers. By completing the order of the Fuhrer, the 12th army of the wreath, in which it was up to 200 thousand people, inflicted from the West to the 3rd and 28th armies Konev. Unprecedented fierce even for this cruel battle, two days continued, and by the evening the 27th wreath had to move to the previous position.

On the eve of the warriors Chuikov, the airfields of the Gold and Tempelhof were taken by the order of Stalin - at all costs to prevent Hitler to leave Berlin. The Supreme was not going to give the one who tricked him treacherously in 1941, slip out or surrender to the allies. The relevant orders were given and about other Nazi leaders. There was another category of Germans who were hardly looking for, - Nuclear Research Specialists. Stalin knew about the work of Americans over atomic bomb And I was going to create "own" as quickly as possible. It was already necessary to think about the world after the war, where the Soviet Union had to take a worthy place paid by blood.

Meanwhile, Berlin continued to choke in smoke fires. Folkssturmovets Edmund Hekscher recalled: "There were so many fires that night turned into a day. It was possible to read the newspaper, but the newspapers in Berlin did not go out. " A rumble of guns, shooting, bombs and shell breaks were not cleaned for a minute. The clouds of smoke and brick dust clouded the city center, where a deeply under the ruins of the imperial office of Hitler again and again tormented subordinate to the question: "Where is the wren?"

On April 27, three quarters of Berlin were in Soviet hands. In the evening, Chuikov's shock forces came out to the Landven Channel, one and a half kilometers from the Reichstag. However, the paths of the SS selected parts blocked with special fanaticism. The 2nd Tank Army Bogdanova is stuck in the Tirgarten area, whose parks were littered with German trenches. Each step here was given with difficulty and considerable blood. Again, the chances of the Tankists of Fishing, who committed the unprecedented throw from the West on this day to the center of Berlin through Villemersdorf.

By the night in the hands of the Germans, a strip of 2-3 kilometer width remained and length to 16. The first parties of the prisoners stretched into the rear - still small, overlooking the arms raised from the basements and entrances of the houses. Many flip from the fideling screen, others who were crazy were wildly laughing. The civilian population continued to hide, fearing revenge the winners. The avengers, of course, were - could not but be after the Nazis did on the Soviet land. But there were those who risking their lives, pulled out of the fire of German old people and children who shared with them with their soldiers soldering. He entered the history of the feat of Sergeant Nikolai Masalov, who saved a three-year-old German girl from the destroyed house in the Landven Channel. It is he who is depicting the famous statue in the Treps-Park - the memory of the Soviet soldiers who kept humanity in the fire of the most terrible war.

Even before the end of the fighting, the Soviet command took measures to restore normal life in the city. On April 28, General Berzarin, appointed by the commandant of Berlin, issued an order for the dissolution of the National Socialist Party and all its organizations and the transition of all power to the military commandant. In the areas cleared of the enemy, the soldiers have already started to extinguish fires, demining the buildings, to bury the numerous corpses. However, it was possible to establish normal life only with the assistance of the local population. Therefore, on April 20, the rate demanded that the commander of the troops change the attitude towards the German prison and civilian population. The directive promoted a simple justification for such a step: "A more humane attitude towards the Germans will reduce their perseverance in defense."

Former ears of the 2nd article, a member of the International Pen-Club (International Writers Organization), Writer-Germanist, Translator Evgeny Katseva:

The greatest of our holidays is approaching, and I have a scraper on my soul. Recently (in February) this year I was at the same conference in Berlin, it seems to be dedicated to this great, I think, not only for our people, the date, and made sure that many forgot who began war and who won it. No, this is a steady phrase "win war" is completely inappropriate: you can win and lose in the game - in the war or win or defeat. For many Germans, the war is only the horrors of those few weeks when she walked on their territory, as if our soldiers came there in their will, and not with battles made their way to the West for many 4 years in their native scorched and marked land. So, I was not so right was Konstantin Simonov, who considered that someone else's grief does not happen. It happens still as it happens. And if they forgotten who put an end to one of the most terrible wars, broke the German fascism, where to remember who took the capital of the German Reich - Berlin. Our Soviet army took her, our Soviet soldiers and officers. All, entirely struggling for each area, quarter, house, from the windows and doors of which shots thundered to the last moment.

This is later, after the whole bloody week after taking Berlin, on May 2, our allies appeared, and the main trophy, as a symbol of joint victory, was divided into four parts. Four sectors: Soviet, American, English, French. With four military commandements. Four-four four, even more or less equal, and in general, two completely different parts were broken by Berlin. For three sectors quickly connected, and the fourth is eastern - and, as usual, the poorest - turned out to be isolated. Such remained, although it turned out the status of the capital of the GDR. We are also the Americans in return "generously" turned off the busy thuring. The edge is good, that's just disappointed residents for a long time to the offense for some reason, for some reason, not on the apostates of Americans, but on us, new occupiers. Here is the aberration ...

As for the looting, our soldiers came there by themselves. And now 60 years later, all sorts of myths growing in ancient sizes are distributed ...

Reich cramps

The fascist empire decayed in front of her eyes. On April 28, the Italian partisans caught the Mussolini dictator who tried to hide and shot him. The next day, General Von Vitigofofa signed an act of the surrender of Germans in Italy. Hitler learned about the execution of the shuttless simultaneously with another bad: his nearest gimmler comrades and Goering tied separatic negotiations with Western Allies, keeping their lives. Fuhrer was outside of herself: he demanded immediately arrest and execute traitors, but it was no longer in his power. He managed to recoup on the Deputy Himmler, General FEGELYIN, which fled from the bunker, - the squad of the SSEsovsky grabbed him and shot. The general did not save even the fact that he was her husband of his sister Eve Brown. In the evening of the same day, the commandant Vadling reported that the ammunition in the city was left only for two days, and there is no fuel at all.

General Chuikov received the task from Zhukov - to connect from the east with the forces that occurred from the West, through Tiergarten. The obstacle soldiers became Potsdamer-Bridge, leading to Angelter and Wilhelmstrasse Station. The sappers managed to save him from the explosion, but the tanks entered on the bridge were chopped by the shooting shots of Faustpatron. Then the tankers rid one of the tanks with sand bags, poured him with a diesel flammable and put forward. From the first shots fuel flashed, but the tank continued to move forward. Multiple minutes of confusion of the enemy was enough for the next tank the rest moved. By the evening of the 28th Chuiki approached Tirgar'an from the southeast, while the rolling tanks came from the south to this area. In the north of Tirgarten, the 3rd Army of Peredkina freed the Moabit prison, from which 7 thousand prisoners were released.

The city center has become a real hell. From the heat there was nothing to breathe, the stones of the buildings were cracked, water boiled in ponds and canals. The advanced line was not - the desperate battle was walking for each street, every home. In dark rooms and on the stairs - electricity in Berlin went out - they flared up hand-to-hand fights. Early in the morning of April 29, the fighters of the 79th Rifle Corps of General Perezierkin approached the enormous building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - "House of Himmler". Shot from the Barricade cannons at the entrance, they managed to break into the building and capture it, which gave the opportunity to come close to Reichstagu.

In the meantime, nearby, in his bunker, Hitler dictated a political will. He excluded from the Nazi party of "traitors" of Geering and Himmler and accused the entire German army in the inability to keep "commitment to death to death." Power over Germany was transferred to the "President" of the Dönitsa and "Chancellor" Goebbels, and the command of the army - Field Marshal Shernera. Closer to the evening, the Official Wagner made the siepers from the city of Civil wedding ceremony of Führera and Eva Brown. Witnesses were Goebbels and Borman, who stayed for breakfast. For meal, Hitler was depressed, mumbled something about the death of Germany and the celebration of "Jewish Bolsheviks". During breakfast, he gave two secretary ampoules with poison and ordered to poison his beloved Shepherd Blondie. Behind the walls of his cabinet, the wedding quickly turned into a break. One of the few sober employees remained Personal Pilot Hitler Hans Bauer, who proposed to take out his chief in any area of \u200b\u200bthe world. Führer once again refused.

On the evening of April 29, General Vaidling for the last time he reported to Hitler atmosphere. The old warrior was frank - tomorrow the Russians will be at the entrance to the office. Ammunition end, reinforcements to wait now. The army wreath is thrown off to the Elbe, about most other parts and nothing is unknown. Need to capitulate. This opinion confirmed Colonel SS Monke, before that, fanatically fulfilled all the orders of the Fuhrera. Hitler prohibited the capitulation, but allowed the soldiers with "small groups" to leave the environment and make their way to the West.

In the meantime, Soviet troops occupied one building after another in the city center. Commanders were hardly focused on the cards - there was no that the groove of stones and the fused metal was indicated, which was first called Berlin. After taking the "House of Himmler" and the Town Hall, the Attacking remained two main goals - the Imperial Office and Reichstag. If the first was the real center of power, then the second is its symbol, the highest building of the German capital, where the Wurning banner was supplied. The banner was already ready - he was handed over to one of the best parts of the 3rd army, the battalion of Captain Neztostroy. On the morning of April 30, the parts approached Reichstagu. As for the office, they decided to break through the zoo in Tirgar'an. In the crushed Park, the soldiers saved several animals, including a mountain goat, which for courage hung on the German "Iron Cross". Only under the evening was taken the center of defense - a seven-story reinforced concrete bunker.

Next to the Zoo, the Soviet assault detachments were attacked by SSS from stunned subway tunnels. Pursuing them, the fighters penetrated under the ground and discovered moves leading towards the office. With the go, the plan "Finish the fascist beast in his lair". Scouts deepened in the tunnels, but in a couple of hours they hung the water to meet. According to one of the versions, learning about the approach of the Russians to the office, Hitler ordered to open the gateways and put the water to the Sprör in the subway, where in addition to Soviet soldiers were tens of thousands of wounded, women and children. The Berliners who survived the war recalled that they heard the order to urgently leave the subway, but a few could get out of the appearances. Another version refutes the existence of an order: the water could break into the subway due to continuous bombing, destroying the walls of the tunnels.

If the Führer and ordered to flood his fellow citizens, it was the last of his criminal orders. In the afternoon of April 30, he was reported that the Russians are on Potsdamerplatz Square, in a quarter from the bunker. Shortly after that, Hitler with Eve Brown said goodbye to comrades and retired to their room. At 15.30, he was shot, after which Goebbels, Borman and a few more people entered the room. Fuhrer with a gun in his hand lay on a sofa with a face, bold blood. Eva Brown did not disappear - she took poison. Their corpses carried to the garden, where they put in a funnel from the projectile, poured gasoline and set fire to it. The funeral ceremony lasted for a long time - the Soviet artillery opened fire, and the Nazis were hidden in the bunker. Later, the burned bodies of Hitler and his girlfriend discovered and transported to Moscow. For some reason, Stalin did not make the world of evidence of the death of his worst enemy, which gave rise to many versions of his salvation. Only in 1991, Skull Hitler and his main uniform were discovered in the archive and demonstrated to everyone to see these dark evidence of the past.

Zhukov Yuri Nikolaevich, historian, writer:

Winners do not judge. And that's it. In 1944, it turned out to be quite possible without serious fighting, efforts, first of all diplomacy, to withdraw from war, Finland, Romania, Bulgaria. An even more favorable situation for us was formed on April 25, 1945. That day on the Elbe, the city of Torgau, the troops of the USSR and the United States met, and the complete environment of Berlin ended. From this point on, the fate of Nazi Germany was solved. Victory became imminent. Only one thing remained unclear: when exactly the complete and unconditional surrender of the agonizing Wehrmacht followed. Zhukov, removing Rokossovsky, took over the leadership of Berlin's assault. It could simply squeeze the blockade ring.

To force Hitler and its minions to end 30 April, but a few days later. But the beetles entered otherwise. For a week, ruthlessly sacrificed thousands of soldiers. Forced parts of the 1st Belorussian front to lead bloody battles for each quarter of the German capital. For each street, every home. Provided the surrender of the Berlin garrison on May 2. But if this capitulation followed not on May 2, but, let's say, the 6th or 7th, you could save tens of thousands of our soldiers. Well, and the fame of the winner of the beetles would have so much.

Molchanov Ivan Gavrilovich, Participant of Berlin's assault, veteran of the 8th Guards Army of the 1st Belarusian Front:

After the fighting near Stalingrad, our army under the command of General Chuikov passed the whole of Ukraine, south of Belarus, and then across Poland came to Berlin, on the approaches to which he was known, as well as a very heavy Custrian operation. To me, the expulsion of the artillery unit was then 18 years old. I still remember how the Earth trembled and the flurry of shells praised her along and across ... as after a powerful artwork preparation, infantry went to the battle in the potassium altitudes. The soldiers who gave the Germans from the first line of defense, then said that after blinding the searchlights, which were applied in this operation, the Germans fled climbing the head. Many years later, during a meeting in Berlin, German veterans - the participants of this operation told me that then they thought that the Russians applied a new secret weapon.

After the green heights, we moved directly to the German capital. Because of the flood, the roads were such risks that the technique and people were moving with difficulty. It was impossible to dig the trenches: water performed at the depth from the bayonet. At the annular road, we went to the twentieth of April and soon found themselves on the outskirts of Berlin, where the incessant battles were raised. Estimates had nothing to lose: residential buildings, metro stations, various institutions they strengthened thoroughly and in advance. When we entered the city, they were horrified: his center turned out to be completely bombed Anglo-American, and the streets were littered so that the technique was barely moved along them. We moved with a map of the city - the streets and quarters marked on it were hardly. On the same map, in addition to objects - fire targets were marked museums, book storage facilities, medical institutions for which it was forbidden to shoot.

In the battles, our tank parts were carried in battles: they became easy prey to German Faustpatroners. And then the command applied a new tactics: first, artillery and flanmeters destroyed the firing points of the enemy, and after her the tanks cleared the road for infantry. By this moment, only one cannon remained in our division. But we continued to act. When approaching the Brandenburg Gate and the Ankhalt station, the order "not shoot" - the battleship of the battle here turned out to be such that our shells could get into their own. To the outcome of the operation, the remnants of the German army were cut into four parts, which began to wait for the rings.

Shooting ended on May 2nd. And suddenly such silence came in which it was impossible to believe. The inhabitants of the city began to learn from the shelters, they looked at us so much. And here, in the establishment of contacts with them, their children helped. The ubiquitous guys, 10-12 years later approached us, we treated them with cookies, bread, sugar, and when they opened the kitchen, they began to feed the schi, porridge. Strange it was a spectacle: somewhere resumed the shootouts, the vololates of the guns were heard, and our kitchen had a queue for porridge ...

And soon on the streets of the city there was a squadron of our connants. They were such clean and festive, that we decided: "Probably, somewhere in Berlin, they specifically changed them, prepared ..." This is an impression, as well as arrival to the destroyed Reichstagu G.K. Zhukova - he drove up in an unbuttoned sinel, smiling, - crashed into my memory forever. There were, of course, other memorable moments. In the battles for the city, our battery was supposed to be replicated to another firepoint. And then we fell under the German Art Mall. Two of my comrades jumped into the pit, stunned by a projectile. And I, not knowing why, trapped under the truck, where in a few seconds I realized that the car was full of shells. When the shelling ended, I got out of the truck and saw that my comrades were killed ... Well, I, it turns out, was born that day the second time ...

last fight

Assault of Reichstag was led by the 79th Rifle Corps of General Transzyvkina, enhanced by shock groups of other units. The first on the morning of the 30th was repulsed - in a huge building, it was drunk to one and a half thousand SSS. At 18.00 followed the new assault. Five hours, the fighters meter per meter moved forward and up, on the roof decorated with giant bronze horses. The flag was instructed by Sergeants Egorov and Cantarius - they decided that Stalin would be pleased to participate in this symbolic act of his countryman. Only at 22.50, two sergeants got to the roof and, risking their lives, inserted an anti-flag in a hole from the projectile from the most horse hoofs. This was immediately reported to the headquarters of the front, and Zhukov called the Supreme to Moscow.

A little later came other news - Hitler's heirs decided to go to negotiations. This was announced by General Krebs, which was in the betting of Chuikov at 3.50 am on May 1. He began according to: "Today, the first of May, a big holiday of both of our nations." To which Chuikov answered without unnecessary diplomacy: "Today is our holiday. And how are you doing, it's hard to say. " Krebs told about the suicide of Hitler and the desire of his successor Goebbels to conclude a truce. A number of historians believe that these negotiations were to stretch the time in anticipation of the Separate Agreement "Government" with a male with Western powers. But they have not reached their goals - Chuiki immediately reported Zhukov, and he called Moscow, waking up Stalin on the eve of Pervomay's parade. The reaction to the death of Hitler was predictable: "I finished, a scoundrel! It is a pity that we did not take it alive. " A response to the deceit was the answer: only complete surrenders. It was handed over to Krebs, who objected: "Then you will have to destroy all the Germans." Response silence was eloquent words.

At 10.30, Krebs left the headquarters, while he had time to drink with a cognac and exchange memories, both commanded parts near Stalingrad. Having received the final "no" of the Soviet side, the German General returned to his troops. He sent the ultimatum to him: if the Goebbels and Borman will not be given until 10 o'clock unconditional surrender, Soviet troops will bring such a blow from which in Berlin "will not remain anything other than the ruins." The leadership of the Reich replies did not give, and at 10.40, the Soviet artillery opened hurricane fire in the center of the capital.

Shooting did not stop all day - Soviet parts suppressed the foci of the resistance of the Germans, which slightly weakened, but was still fierce. In different parts of the huge city, tens of thousands of soldiers and folksturmovtsev still were known. Others, throwing weapons and tearing the signs of differences, tried to go to the West. Martin Borman was among the latter. Having learned about the refusal of Chuikov from the negotiations, he, together with the group of SS, fled from the office through an underground tunnel, going to the subway station "Friedrichstrasse." There he got out on the street and tried to hide from the fire for german tankBut he was shot down. The leader of the "Hitlergenda", which turned out to be in the same place, shamefully threw his young pets, then stated later that he saw the dead body of Nazis number 2 under the railway bridge.

At 18.30, the soldiers of the 5th Army of General Berzarin went to the assault on the last Optota of Nazism - the Imperial Office. Prior to that, they managed to take the postproof post office, several ministries and strongly fortified Gestapo building. Two hours later, when the first groups of attackers were already approached the building, Goebbels and his Magda's wife followed his idol, taking poison. Before that, they asked the doctor to introduce a deadly injection with their six children - they were told that they would make an injection from which they would never hurt. The children were left in the room, and the corpses of Goebbels and his wife were delivered to the garden and burned. Soon all who remained below - about 600 adjutants and the SSEstems, they rushed out: the bunker began to burn. Somewhere in his depths, only letting a bullet in Lob General Krebs remained. Another Nazi commander, General Vaidling, took responsibility and on the radio turned to Chuikov with consent to the unconditional surrender. At one o'clock in the morning, the German officers with white flags appeared on the Potsdam Bridge. Their request was informed by Zhukov, who gave his consent. At 6.00 Vadling signed an order to surrender, addressed to all German troops, and he himself filed an example of subordinates. After that, shooting in the city has become sled. From the cellars of Reichstag, the Germans left the ruins of houses and shelters, who were silently put on the ground weapons and were built into the columns. They watched the writer Vasily Grossman, accompanied by the Soviet commandant Berzarin. Among the prisoners, he saw old people, boys and women who did not want to part with their husbands. The day was cold, the smallest rain watered smoldering ruins. On the streets lay hundreds of corpses crushed by tanks. There were also flags with swastika and party tickets - Hitler's adherents were in a hurry to get rid of evidence. In Tirgar'an, Grossman saw a German soldier on a bench with a nurse - they sat sick and did not pay any attention to what was happening around.

After a noon, Soviet tanks began to ride the streets, passing the order of surrender through the loudspeakers. At about 15.00, fights finally stopped, and only in Western regions were rummaged explosions - they were pursued by the SSEs, trying to escape. Over Berlin hung unusual, tense silence. And then she broke her a new squall of shots. Soviet soldiers crowded at the steps of the Reichstag, on the ruins of the Imperial Office and shot again and again - this time in the air. Strange people rushed to each other in his arms, dance arranged right on the pavement. They could not believe that the war was over. Many of them were ahead of many of them, difficult work, difficult problems, but the main thing in their life they have already done.

In the last battle of the Great Patriotic Red Army crushed 95 enemy divisions. Up to 150 thousand German soldiers and officers were killed, 300 thousand were captured. The victory was given by the hard price - in two weeks of the offensive, three Soviet front lost from 100 thousand to 200 thousand people killed. Senseless resistance took the lives of approximately 150 thousand peaceful berliners, a significant part of the city was destroyed.

Chronicle of operation
April 16, 5.00.
The troops of the 1st Belarusian Front (Zhukov) After powerful art preparation, the occurrence of the Zelovsk heights of Oder is beginning.
April 16, 8.00.
Parts of the 1st Ukrainian Front (Konev) force the Neurov River and move to the West.
April 18, morning.
The tank armies of fishing and Lebryushenko turn to the north, in the direction of Berlin.
April 18, evening.
The defense of the Germans on the Zelian altitudes is broken. Pieces of Zhukov begin promoting Berlin.
April 19, morning.
The troops of the 2nd Belarusian Front (Rokossovsky) force Oder, cutting into parts by German defense north of Berlin.
April 20, evening.
The Army of Zhukov approaches Berlin from the West and the North-West.
April 21, day.
Fishing tanks occupy the headquarters of the German troops in Zosssen south of Berlin.
April 22, morning.
The Rybalko Army occupies the southern outskirts of Berlin, and the Army Perchorovich is the northern regions of the city.
April 24, day.
Meeting of the upcoming troops of Zhukov and Konev in the south of Berlin. The Frankfurt-Gubnaya group of the Germans is surrounded by Soviet parts, its destruction has begun.
April 25, 13.30.
Konev's parts came to the Elbe from the city of Torgau and met there from the 1st American Army.
April 26, morning.
The German army wreath inflicts Constridar in the upcoming Soviet parts.
April 27, evening.
After stubborn battles, the army wreath was thrown away.
April 28th.
Soviet parts surround the city center.
April 29, day.
Taken by storming the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Town Hall.
April 30, day.
Busy District Tiergarten with Zoo.
April 30, 15.30.
Hitler committed suicide in the bunker under the imperial office.
April 30, 22.50.
Completed in the morning the assault of the Reichstag.
May 1, 3.50.
The beginning of the unsuccessful negotiations of the German general Krebs with the Soviet command.
May 1, 10.40.
After the failure of the negotiations, the Soviet troops begin the assault of the buildings of the ministries and the imperial office.
May 1, 22.00.
The imperial office is taken by storm.
May 2, 6.00.
General Vaidling gives an order to surrender.
May 2, 15.00.
Fights in the city finally stopped.

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All as if clearer with Soviet troops with the taking of Fascism, if not taking into account the difference in assessing the number of opponents and their losses, weapons and military equipment that took part in the battles for Berlin

"The defense of Berlin is organized very poorly, and the operation of our troops to take the city develops very slowly," convinced the Zhukov commander in telegram from 04.22.1945 (approx. 1 *)
"The number and strength of the formations that defended the capital of the German Reich in these April days ... were so insignificant that it is even difficult to imagine" - Theo Findon, the Norwegian journalist of the Aphtenposten newspaper (Oslo), the witness of the siege of Berlin (approx.22 * )
"... It is felt, our troops were tastefully worked on Berlin. I saw only a dozen surviving houses" - Stalin 16.07.1945 at the Potsdam Conference of the Heads of Three Allied Power (approx. 8 *)

Brief reference: The population of Berlin in 1945 - 2-2.5 million people, an area of \u200b\u200b88 thousand hectares. This area, the so-called big Berlin, was built up only by 15%. The rest of the territory of the city was occupied by gardens and parks. Big Berlin shared on 20 districts, of which 14 were treated to external. The building of the outer areas was sparse, low-rise, most of the houses had a thickness of the walls 0.5-0.8m. The border of the Bolshoi Berlin was the annular motorway. The inner areas of the city are most tightly built up. Around the boundary of the area of \u200b\u200bthe dense development passed the perimeter divided by 9 (8 and one internal - approx. 8 *) sectors of the city defense system sectors. The average width of the streets in these areas is 20-30 m, and in some cases up to 60 m. Stone and concrete structures. The average height of houses is 4-5 floors, wall thickness of buildings up to 1.5m. By the spring of 1945, most houses were destroyed by the bombings of the allies. Sewerage, plumbing and power supply were damaged and did not work. The total stretch of the metro lines was about 80 km. (Approx. 2 * and 13 *). There have been more than 400 reinforced concrete bins for 300-1000 people (approx .6 *). 100 km. Massed the total length of the Berlin front and 325 sq. M - the area of \u200b\u200bthe deposited city at the time of the beginning of the assault
- at 06.03.45, General H. Wereman, the commandant of Berlin (until 04.24.45 - approx. 28 *), stated that no measures were taken to protect the city from the assault, there was no plan, no defense line, and in fact There were troops. Worse thanThere were no food reserves for civilians, and the evacuation plan of women, children and old people simply did not exist (approx .7 *). According to General G.Vidling, the last commandant of Berlin, on 04.24.45 in Berlin there were food and ammunition reserves for 30 days, but the warehouses were located on the outskirts, in the center there were almost no ammunition, nor food, and the bigger RKKA ring Around the defenders of the city, the harder the situation with ammunition and food became, and in the last couple of days they remained almost already, and without the other (approx. 8 *)
- The relationship between individual defensive sites, as well as communication with the defense headquer was not good. There was no radio communication, the telephone connection was maintained only through civilian telephone wires (approx. 28)
- 22.04.45 for unknown reasons 1400 Berlin fire teams were ordered to move from the city to the West, afterwards the order was canceled, but only a small number of firefighters could return back (approx. 7 *)
- On the eve of the assault in the city, 65% of all major factories and factories were operating, on which 600 thousand people worked (approx. 7 *)

More than 100 thousand foreign workers, mostly French and Soviet citizens were on the eve of Berlin's assault (approx. 7 *)
- In accordance with the agreements previously achieved with the USSR, the Allies on the Anti-Hitler coalition in early April 1945 finally stopped at the turn of the Elba River, which corresponds to the distance of 100-120 km. From Berlin. At the same time, Soviet troops were at a distance of 60 km from Berlin (approx. 13 *) - frightened that the Allies on the Anti-Hitler Coalition will violate previously assumed obligations, Stalin ordered the Storm of Berlin not later than 16.04.45 and take the city through 12- 15 days (approx. 13 *)
- Initially, on 14.04.45, the Berlin garrison was 200 Volkssturma battalions, the Great Germany guardian regiment, one anti-aircraft division with frequency of amplification, 3 Tanker-Fighter Brigades, a special tank company "Berlin" (24 T-VI Tank and T- V Do not on the go, as well as separate towers installed on concrete bunkers), 3 anti-tank divisions, defense armor number 350, which total was 150 thousand people, 330 guns, 1 armored train, 24 tanks are not on the go (approx. 12 *) . Until 04/24/45, from the words of the last commandant of the city, General G. Verdalig, there was not a single regular connection in Berlin, with the exception of the Great Germany's security regiment and the SS Monke Brigade, which guarded the imperial office and up to 90 thousand people from Volkssturma , police, fire protection, anti-aircraft divisions, except for rear units serving them (approx. 8 *). According to modern Russian data for 2005, there were 60 thousand soldiers at the disposal of Vadling, who were opposed to 464 thousand Soviet troops. 04/26/45 The Germans took the last stop enemy (approx .30 *)

According to Soviet data, surrounded by Berlin's garrison on April 25, 45, there were 300 thousand people, 3 thousand guns and mortars, 250 tanks and sau. According to German data: 41 thousand people (from them 24 thousand "Volkssturimists", 18 thousand of which belonged to the "Clausevitz call" from the 2nd category and were in a state of 6-hour readiness). The city was a tank division "Munich", 118th tank (sometimes it was called the 18th Panzengrenadaderskaya), the 11th Volunteer Panzergrenadader Division of the SS "Nordland", parts of the 15th Grenadier Latvian Division, part of the air defense (approx. 7 * and five*). According to other data, in addition to Hitlergenda and Volkssturma, the city defended the division of the 11th division of the SS Nordland, the 32nd Grenadier division Waffen-SS "Charleman" (of all about 400 French - data of Western historians), Latvian battalion from the 15th Grenadersk Waffen-SS divisions, two incomplete divisions of the 47th version of the Wehrmacht and 600 SES officers of the Hitler's personal battalion (approx. 14 *). According to the last commandant of Berlin, on 04.24.45, the city was protected by part 56TC (13-15 thousand people) as part of: 18th MD (up to 4,000 people), Division "Munichberg" (up to 200 people, division artillery and 4 tanks ), MDS "Nordland" (3500-4000 people); 20th MD (800-1200 people); 9th ADD (up to 4500 people) (approx. 8 *)
- The 102nd Spanish company as part of the SS Grenadier Division "Nordland" fought in the Moritz Platz area, where the buildings of the flight ministers of aviation and propaganda were located (approx. 4 *)
- 6 Turkestan battalions from Eastern volunteers took part in the defense of the city (approx. 9 *)

- The total number of defenders was approximately 60 thousand and consisted of various parts of the Wehrmacht, SS, anti-aircraft parts, police, fire brigades, "Volkssturma" and "Hitlergenda" with no more than 50 tanks, but a relatively large number of anti-aircraft guns, including 4 anti-aircraft air defense tower (approx.20 *); The number of defenders of Berlin is 60 thousand at 50-60 tanks (approx. 19 *), a similar estimate gives Z. Knappe, head of the operational department of the 26th TC, and not 300 thousand according to official Soviet data. In the book "The Fall of Berlin" of the English historians E.rida and D. Fisher, the figures are given, according to which, at 19.04.45, at the disposal of the Military Commandant Berlin, General H. Wereman had 41,253 people. Of this number, only 15,000 were soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and Crygsmarine. Among the rest was 1713 (12 thousand - approx. 7 *) of the police, 1215 "Hitlergents" and representatives of the working service and 24 thousand Volkssturimists. Theoretically, for 6 hours it could be put under a gun appeal (divisions of the Volkssturma of the 2nd category, which were to join the ranks of the defenders already during battles, and as those or other enterprises are closed - approx. 8 *), called "ClauseWitz Muster, "number 52 841 people. But the reality of such a call and its combat capabilities were fairly conditional. In addition, there was a big problem with weapons and ammunition. In total, Reiman had 42,095 rifles, 773 machine guns, 1953 manual machine guns, 263 machine guns and a small number of mortars and field guns. The mansion among the defenders of Berlin was the personal guard of Hitler, which consisted of about 1,200 people. On the number of defenders of Berlin also testifies to the number of captured prisoners (for 02.05.45, the captive was taken (surrendered or were arrested? - Note) 134 thousand military personnel, military officials and military police officers (approx. 5 * and 7 *). The number of the Berlin garrison can be estimated at 100-120 thousand people. (Approx. 2 *).

Norwegian journalist Teo Findal from the Aphtenposten newspaper (Oslo), the eyewitness of the siege of Berlin: "... Undoubtedly, the basis of the defense of Berlin was artillery. It consisted of light and heavy batteries that were combined into weak shelves ... Almost all the guns were Foreign production, and therefore, the stock of ammunition was limited. In addition, artillery was almost stationary, since there were no tractor in the shelves. The infantry parts of the defenders of Berlin did not differ in any good weapons, nor high combat training. Volkssturm and Hitlergende were represented by The main forces of the local self-defense. They could not be considered as a combat union. Rather, they could be compared with the semi-universal detachments of the national militia. In Volkssturma, all age groups were presented - from 16-year-old boys to 60-year-old old people. But most often the bulk of the divisions. Volkssturma was the elderly. As a rule, the party prescribed commanders of divisions from their ranks and T But the brigade of the military of the SS brigadefiurera SOC Monkey, who carried out command power in the center of the city, was well equipped and differed in high morale "(approx .22 *)
- At the time of the end of the storming of the city of 950 bridges, 84 were destroyed (approx. 11 *). According to other data, 120 bridges were destroyed by defenders of the city (approx. 20 * and 27 *) from the available 248 urban bridges (approx. 7 *)
- The Union Aviation dropped 49400 tons of explosives to Berlin, destroying and partially destroying 20.9% of urban development (approx 10. *). According to the RKKK rear services, the Allies in the last three years of war dropped 58955 tons of bombs on Berlin, while the Soviet artillery released 36280 tons. shells in just 16 days assault (approx. 20 *)
- Berlin's bombing Allies reached a peak at the beginning of 1945. 03/28/1945 The 8th US Air Force Army, based in England, hit 383 in-17 aircraft with 1038 tons of bombs on board (approx. 33 *)
- Only on 02.02.45, 25 thousand inhabitants of Berlin died as a result of American plates (approx. 6 *). In total, 52 thousand Berliners died as a result of the bombardment (approx. 7 *)
- The Berlin Operation is listed in the Guinness Book of Records, as the most bloody battle of modernity: it participated in both parties 3.5 million people, 52 thousand guns and mortars, 7750 tanks, and 11 thousand aircraft (approx. 5 *)
- Berlin's assault conducted parts of the 1st, 2nd Belarusian and 1st Ukrainian fronts with the support of the warships of the Baltic Fleet and the Dnieper River Flotilla (62 units). From the air 1st Ukrainian Front supported the 2nd VA (1106 fighters, 529 attack aircraft, 422 bombers and 91 Scouting aircraft), 1st Belarusian front - 16th and 18th VA (1567 fighters, 731 attack aircraft, 762 Bombarder and 128 scouts), the 2nd Belarusian front supported the 4th VA (602 fighter, 449 attack aircraft, 283 bombers and 26 intelligence aircraft)

1st Belorussian Front consisted of 5 general-official armies, 2 shock and 1 guards armies, 2 guards tank armies, 2 guards cavalry buildings, 1 Army of the Polish troops: 768 thousand people, 1795 tanks, 1360 SAU, 2306 PTO, 7442 field weapons (76mm caliber and Above), 7186 mortars (caliber from 82mm and above), 807 RUZO "Katyusha"
2nd Belorussian Front Consisted of 5 armies (one of them - shock): 314 thousand people, 644 tank, 307 SAU, 770 PTO, 3172 field guns (caliber from 76mm and above), 2770 mortars (caliber from 82mm and above), 1531 RUZO " Katyusha "
1st Ukrainian Front consisted of 2 general-official, 2 Guards tank and 1 Guards armies and army of the Polish troops: 511.1 thousand people, 1388 tanks, 667 SAU, 1444 PTOs, 5040 field guns (caliber from 76mm and above), 5225 mortars (caliber from 82mm and above), 917 RUZO "Katyusha" (approx. 13 *)
- according to other data, Berlin's assault was part of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts, which had 4,64 thousand soldiers and officers, 14.8 thousand guns and mortars, almost 1,500 tanks and sau, as well as (Approx. 19 *) - at least 2 thousand "Katyush". 12.5 thousand Polish servicemen accepted participation in the assault (approx. 7 *, 5 *, 19 *)
- To carry out the Berlin Operations, except for the armies of the three fronts, part 18th of the Farm Aviation, air defense troops, the Baltic Fleet and the Dnipro military flotilla, were attracted, which total was 2.5 million people, 41.6 thousand guns and mortars, 6250 Tanks and sau, 7.5 thousand aircraft. This made it possible to achieve superiority in personnel - 2.5 times, in tanks and artillery - 4 times, aircraft - 2 times (approx. 7 * and 25 *)
- for each kilometer of the onset of the 1st Belorussian Front, who performed the main combat challenge, there were 19 tanks and SAU, 61 guns, 44 mortars and 9 "Katyush", not counting infantry (approx. 13 *)
- 25.04.1945g 500 thousand. The German group was dissected in two - one part remained in Berlin, the other (200 thousand more than 300 tanks and sau, over 2 thousand guns and mortars) - south of the city (approx .7 *)

On the eve of the storming of 2000 aircraft of the 16th and 18th, the three massive strikes were inflicted (approx. 5 *). On the night before the assault of Berlin, 743 distant bombarders Il-4 (DB-3F) caused a bombing strike, and in total during the Berlin operation, more than 1,500 distant bombers were involved (approx.3 *)
- 25.04.45g 674 long-range bombers of the 18th VA (EX-ADD of the RKKA Air Force) hit Berlin (approx.31 *)
- On the day of the assault after artillery preparation, two strikes were made by 1486 aircraft of the 16th WA (approx. 22). Terrestrial forces during the storming of Berlin also supported 6 Aviakorpusov 2nd BA (approx. 7 *)
- During the battle of Berlin, almost 2 million gun shots collapsed - 36 thousand tons of metal. Fortress guns were delivered from Pomerania on the railway, shooting in the center of Berlin shells weighing in half noon. Already after the victory, it was estimated that 20% of houses in Berlin were completely destroyed, and another 30% - partially (approx .30 *)
- According to the Soviet command, from Berlin managed to break out to 17 thousand people with 80-90 units of armored vehicles. However, few people managed to get to the German positions in the north (approx 4 *) according to other data, a group of 17 thousand people left the breakthrough from Berlin, and 30 thousand from Spauau (approx. 5 *)

Losses of the Red Army for seven days of the assault of Berlin: 361 367 people killed, wounded or missing, lost 2108 guns and mortars, 1997 tanks and sau (approx. 19 * and 22 *), 917 combat aircraft (approx. 5 * and 7 * ). According to other sources, losses amounted to 352 thousand people, of which 78 thousand dead (9 thousand poles), 2 thousand tanks and SAU, 527 aircraft (approx. 19 *). According to modern estimates in battles for Berlin, the total losses of the Red Army amounted to about 500 thousand people
- For 16 days of battles in Berlin (04/16/12/05/1945) RKKE tentatively lost only killed 100 thousand people (approx. 00 *). According to the newspaper "Arguments and Facts" 5 \\ 2005, RKKKA lost - 600 thousand, while according to Kryvosheev in his work "Russia and the USSR in the wars of the 20th century. Statistical research" Irrevocable losses in the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation amounted to 78.3 thousand (approx. 21 *). According to the modern official Russian data for 2015, the irrevocable losses of the Red Army during the storming of Berlin amounted to 78.3 thousand people, and the losses of the Wehrmacht are about 400 thousand killed and about 380 thousand prisoners (approx. 55 *)
- Losses made up more than 800 tanks out of 1200, which took part in the Berlin storm (approx. 17 *). Only 2 gv.TU lost in the week of battles 204 tank, half of which from the actions of Faustpatron (approx. 5 * and 7 *)
- 125 thousand civilians died during the capture of Berlin in 1945 (approx. 9 *). According to other data, about 100 thousand Berliners became victims of the assault, of which about 20 thousand died from heart attacks, 6 thousand became suiciders, the rest died directly from the shelling, street fighting or died later from RAS (approx. 7 *)
- In view of the fact that the delimitation line between the upcoming Soviet parts was established untimely, Soviet aviation and artillery has repeatedly applied strikes in its own troops of the Deputy Head of the Secret Department of OGPU Yakov Agranov. (Prim.5 *)
- Reichstag was defended by a garrison up to 2000 people (1500 of which was killed, and 450 was captured), mainly parats by cadets of the marine school from Rostok (approx.6 *). According to other data, about 2.5 thousand defenders of the Reichstag died and about 2.6 thousand surrendered (approx. 14 *)

04/30/41, on the eve of suicide, Hitler was signed and brought to the command of the Wehrmacht order about the breakthrough of troops from Berlin, but after his death, in the evening of 04.04.43 he was canceled by the Government of Goebbels, demanding to defend the city in the last - from the post-war interrogation of the latter Chief of Defense Berlin, General Wadling (approx.28 *)
- As the following trophies, 39 guns, 89 machine guns, 385 rifles, 205 machine guns, 2 sau and a large number of faustpatrons (approx.6 *) were taken by Soviet troops
- Before the assault of Berlin, the Germans had about 3 million "Faustpatron" (approx .6 *)
- The defeat of Faustpatron was the cause of the death of 25% of all destroyed T-34 (approx. 19 *)
-: 800 gr. Bread, 800 gr. potatoes, 150 gr. meat and 75 gr. Fats (approx .7 *)
- As long as the approval remains that Hitler ordered to open gateways on the Spree River to flood the subway site between Leipzigershtraße and Unter der Linden, where thousands of Berliners were hidden at the stations (approx. 5 *). According to another information, the SS Nordland Division sapper in the morning of 02.05.45, the tunnel undermined under the Landlar channel in the Trebinershtrasse region, the water from which gradually flooded 25 kilometer subway plot and caused the death of about 100 people, and not 15-50 thousand as it reported on some data earlier (approx. 15 *)

Tunnels of the Berlin Metro were repeatedly undermined during the storming of the city by Soviet sacks (approx. 16 *)
- During the Berlin operation (from 04.16-08.05.45), 1,1635 ammunition cars were spent by the Soviet troops, including over 10 million artillery and mortar ammunition, 241.7 thousand reactive shells, almost 3 million hand-held grenades and 392 million . Cartridges for small arms (approx. 18 *)
- liberated from the Berlin Prison Moabit (7 thousand - approx .30 *) of Soviet prisoners of war were immediately armed and enrolled in rifle battalions, which stormed Berlin (approx.20 *)

Notes:
(Approx. 1 *) - B. Belerozers "Front without borders 1941-1945."
(Approx. *) - I. Visaev "Berlin of the 45th: Battle in the Lair of the Beast"
(Approx.3 *) - Yu.Gorov "Aircraft OKB S.V. Ilyushin"
(Approx. 4 *) - B.Sokolov "Mythical War. Miragei World War II"
(Approx. 5 *) - Runov "Assault of the Great Patriotic War. Urban battle, he is hard most"
(Approx.6 *) - A.Vasilchenko "Fabd in battle"
(Approx .7 *) - L. Moschchansky "At the walls of Berlin"
(Approx. 8 *) - B.Sokolov "Unknown Zhukov: Portrait without retouching in the era mirror"
(Approx. 9 *) - L. Semenhenko "Great Patriotic War. As it was"
(Approx.10 *) - Ch.Vebster "Strategic Bombing of Germany"
(Approx. 11 *) - A. Shpeer "Third Reich from the inside. Memories of the Reichs Minister of the Military Industry"
(Approx. 12 *) - V.But "Battle for Berlin" Part 2 Magazine "Science and Technology" 5 \\ 2010
(Approx. 13 *) - V.But "Battle for Berlin" Part 1 Journal "Science and Technology" 4 \\ 2010
(Approx. 14 *) - G. Yilliamson "SS - Terror Tool"
(Approx. 15 *) - E.Biver "Drop Berlin. 1945"
(Approx. 16 *) - N. Fedotov "I remember ..." Magazine "Arsenal-Collection" 13 \\ 2013
(Approx. 17 *) - s. Menetchikov "Domestic machine guns anti-tank grenades" Magazine "Brother" 8 \\ 2013
(Approx. 18 *) - I.Vernidub "Ammunition Victory"
(Approx. 19 *) - D. Porter "The Second World - Steel Shaft from the East. Soviet armored troops 1939-45gg"
(Approx. 00 *) - "Encyclopedia 2MV. Crash Third Reich (Spring-Summer 1945)"
(Approx .11 *) - Y.Rubtsov "The fines of the Great Patriotic War. In life and on the screen"
(Approx.22 *) - P.Gostoni "Battle for Berlin. Memories of eyewitnesses"
(Approx. 33 *) - H. Altner "I-Summer Hitler"
(Approx. 4 *) - M.Zhfirov "ACS 2MV. Allies of Luftwaffe: Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria"
(Approx. 55 *) - Y.Rubtsov "Great Patriotic War 1941-1945GG" (Moscow, 2015)
(Approx. 6 *) - D.Irving "Drezden destruction"
(Approx. 7 *) - R. Kornelius "Last Battle. The assault of Berlin"
(Approx. 8 *) - V.Makarov "Generals and officers of the Wehrmacht say ..."
(Approx. 9 *) - O.Karo "Soviet Empire"
(Approx .30 *) - A.Tkin "Storm Berlin" magazine "Around the World" 05 \\ 2005
(Approx.31 *) - Collection "Far Aviation of Russia"

Berlin was surprising fast. The assault directly Berlin has lasted from April 25 to May 2. Berlin offensive operation began on April 16. For comparison: Budapest defended from December 25, 1944 to February 13, 1945. The besieged city of Breslau (now Wroclaw) capitulated after Berlin, not being taken through the assault, while in the siege from mid-February. The Germans could not take a deposited Leningrad. Entered the history of fierce battles in Stalingrad. Why is that so rapidly Pal Berlin?

According to German data, the city was protected in the final phase of 44 thousand people, of which were killed 22,000. Military historians engaged in the reconstruction of Berlin's storming agreed on a figure of 60 thousand soldiers and officers and 50-60 tanks. The Soviet army directly in the storming of Berlin involved 464,000 people and 1,500 tanks and sau.

Berlin fell off the city firefighter and police officers, but the Volkssturmists prevailed - poorly trained and poorly armed old men and minor members of Hitlergenda (Nazi "Komsomol"). Personnel soldiers in Berlin was about 15 thousand, including about four thousand SSS. Hitler even in April 1945 had a very numerous army, but hundreds of thousands of soldiers were not found for the capital. How it happened that 250 thousand personnel experienced soldiers waited for the end of the war in Kurland (Latvia), and were not transferred to the Baltic Sea to Germany? Why 350 thousand soldiers met the surrender in Norway, where did you get to Germany even easier? Million soldier capitulated in Italy on April 29. The Army Center Center, located in the Czech Republic, has numbered 1 million 200 thousand people. And Berlin, announced in February 1945, Festung Berlin, did not have a sufficient garrison, nor than serious fortification preparation for defense. And thank God.

Hitler's death led to the rapid surrender of the German army. While he was alive, German troops surrendered with whole concretions in extreme cases, when all resistance features were exhausted. Here you can remember Stalingrad or Tunisia. Hitler was going to fight until the last soldier. Oddly enough today it sounds, but on April 21, he believed that he had all the opportunities to discard the Red Army from Berlin. Although at that time the German line of defense on Oder was already broken and became clear from the promotion of Soviet troops, which would be a few days and Berlin in the blockade ring. American troops reached Elba (at the Summit in Yalta Elba was marked as a dividing line between the American and Soviet troops) and waited for the Soviet Army.

At one time, Hitler in the struggle for power demonstrated outstanding abilities. Having very low starting positions, he managed to replay, otherwise to just blow, many professional politicians and get full control over the large European country. Hitler's power in Germany was much greater than the power of the Kaiser. And if during World War II, the military actually deprived Kaiser power, then during World War II, Hitler had his power over Germany enlarged. How not to imagine yourself a genius, a pet favorite? And Hitler believed in his own genius.

A characteristic episode leads in his memoirs ("Hitler. The last ten days.") Captain Gerhard Boldt, Assistant Chief of the General Staff of Guderian, and then Krebs: "Gelegin (Head of Military Intelligence and Analytical Management) During the next report, Hitler introduced again Absolutely reliable information prepared by the specialists of the highest level relative to the plans of the Soviet command and the places of concentration of the drum parts of the Russians. After listening to the Hitler in the strongest irritation and a tone that does not allow any objections, stated: "I categorically reject these nonsense offers. Only a true genius is able to predict the opponent's intention and make the necessary conclusions. And no genius will not pay attention to different little things. "

Hitler rejecting all the proposals and requests of the General Staff on the evacuation of the two armies from Kurlyandia justified his refusal to be "ingenious" by the insight, that if it, they say, will happen, then Sweden, which is just waiting for it, will immediately declare war in Germany. All the arguments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in favor of steady observance by Sweden neutrality into the attention of the "brilliant" strategist were not accepted.

Courneda boiler formed on the Baltic Sea coast.

Hitler did not trust his generals. And this distrust intensified after the attempt on July 20, 1944. A sharp deterioration in health after the contusion and many minor injuries also affected the quality of the decisions made. All this led to such a lack of decisions as the appointment of the SS Himmler Reichsfürera on January 24, 1945 by the Commander of the Army Group "Vistula" (equivalent to our concept - Commander Front), and the Minister of Information and Propaganda GBBels - Reich Defense Commissioner and, part-time, Berlin Defense Commissioner . Both tried very much and did everything that was in their power to safely overlook the tasks.

Our commissioners, in truth, were no better. The famous Mehlis, directed by Stalin in 1942 in the Crimea for the supervision of "stupid" generals, broke so much firewood. that no Goebbels could compete with him. Thanks to Mehlis, all the time interfering in military affairs, the Red Army, possessing a great advantage in numbers and technique, suffered a crushing defeat. Only the captured red army lost 170,000 people and tens of thousands killed. The Germans lost 3,400 people, about 600 killed from them.

But back to the Storm of Berlin. The troops of the First Belarusian Front were in front of a decisive attack at a distance of 60 km from Berlin. A straight journey to the capital of Reich covered the 9th German army. After the breakthrough of the defense line to Berlin, the 56th Tank Corps under the command of Gelmut Wadling-General retreated with Zeelian heights. On April 16, on the eve of the Berlin operation, the corps consisted of 50,000 people along with the rear. After the bloody battles, the hull retreated into the capital heavily weakened. By the beginning of battles in Berlin, the corps had the following strength in its composition:

1. The 18th Tank Division is 4000 people.

2. 9th Airborne Division - 4000 people (500 paratroopers entered Berlin and here the division was replenished with folksturmists up to 4000).

3. The 20th Tank Division is about 1000 people. Of these, 800 Volkssturimists.

4. Tank Division SS "Nordland" - 3500 - 4000 people. The National Division Composition: Danes, Norwegians, Swedes and Germans.

In total, the corps retreated to Berlin numbered 13,000-15,000 fighters.

After the surrender of Berlin, General Vaidling gave the following testimony at the interrogation: "On April 24, I was convinced that it was impossible to defend Berlin and because of a military point of view, because for this, the German command did not have enough forces, moreover, at the disposal of the German command by April 24 In Berlin there was not a single regular connection, with the exception of the Great Germany's security regiment and the SS team, guarding the imperial office. The whole defense was assigned to the division of the Volkssturma, the police, the personnel of fire units, the personal composition of various rear units and services.

Komentant Berlin, Helmut Vadling, died in the Vladimir prison on November 17, 1955. (64 years).

Before Vadling Defense, Berlin was led by Lieutenant-General Helmut Reiman, who had completed a folk militia (Volkssturm). A total of 92 folksturma battalions were formed (about 60,000 people). For his military, Reiman received 42,095 rifles, 773 automaton, 1953 hand-held machine guns, 263 heavy machine guns and some number of mortars and field guns.

Volkssturm is a folk militia in which they called on male people from 16 to 60 years.

By the time of the formation of the militia, the German Armed Forces experienced an acute lack of weapons, including rifle. Volkssturma battalions were armed in the main trophy weapon, produced by France, Holland, Belgium, England, Soviet Union, Italy, Norway. In total, there were 15 types of rifles and 10 types of manual machine guns. On each Volkssturist accounted for an average of 5 rifle cartridges. But there were quite a lot of Faust cartridges, although they could not refund the lack of the rest of the weapons.

Volkssturm shared into two categories: those who had at least some weapon - the Volkssturm 1 (such was about 20,000), and Volkssturm 2 - who did not have any weapons at all (40,000). The folk militia battalions were formed not by the military scheme, but according to party districts. The commanders were usually appointed by the untrained military of the party chiefs. These battalions did not have the headquarters, moreover, they did not have field kitchens and did not stand at satisfaction. Fedo folksturimists in the local population, usually their family. And when they fought away from their homes, they fought than God would send, and even starve. His transport and communication Volkssturm also did not have. Among other things, these battalions submitted to the party leadership, and not to the military command and moved to the commander of the city only after receiving the conditional signal, which meant that the storming of the city began.

This is also a folksturm. Dictators are needed only as cannon meat.

Berlin's strengthening erected under the leadership of Goebbels were, according to General M. Pemzel, simply ridiculous. In the report of General Serov in the name of Stalin also gives an extremely low assessment of the Berlin fortifications. Soviet specialists stated that in a radius of 10-15 km around Berlin there are no serious fortifications.

On April 18, by order of Goebbels Reiman, then another commandant of Berlin, was forced to transfer from the city to the second defense line of 30 Volkssturma battalions and the air defense unit with their beautiful cannons. On April 19, 24 thousand militia remained in the city. The past battalions in Berlin have not returned. Also in the city there were divisions composed of military servicemen of rear services, firefighters, police officers, members of the Hitlergenda. Among the young Volkssturmists was the 15-year-old Adolf Martin Borman, the son of the Deputy Hitler in the party. He survived and became a Catholic priest after the war.

The last replenishment of those who arrived in Berlin in Berlin (April 24) were about 300 French from the balances of the SS volunteer division "Charleman". The division suffered heavy losses in the battles in Pomerania. Of the 7,500 people alive left 1100. These 300 French-SSPs had invaluable assistance to Hitler. They beat 92 Soviet tanks out of 108 Division Division destroyed in the defense defense lane. On the second May, the Potsdam station captured 30 French survivors. Oddly enough, but two thirds of the SSEstems fiercely fighting against the Soviet army in Berlin were foreigners: Norwegians, Danes, Swedes and French.

The armored personnel carrier commander of the company Swedish volunteers. The driver is lying from the car: Untersmanführer Ragnar Johansson.

The last meager replenishment of the defenders of Berlin arrived on the night of April 26th. Transport aircraft transported a battalion of the cadets of the marine school from Rostock. Some sources (even wikipedia) report. that it was a parachute landing. But these comrades probably saw the jumping of parachutists only on TV, otherwise they would not write that young people had trained for service on submarines so skillfully mastered the parachute affair and were able to perform a technically difficult jump in the dark time with a low height. And even on the city, which in itself is difficult even during the day and in peacetime.

Not only Hitler with Goebbels helped us to take Berlin, but also the German generals. Committing group of Army "Vistula", covered Berlin from the East, Colonel-General Heinritz, treated german generalswho believed that the war was lost and it should urgently end in order to prevent the country's complete destruction of the country and the destruction of the people. He extremely painfully perceived Hitler's intention to fight until the last German. Heinritz, a talented military leader, was considered very suspicious from the point of view of the Nazis: he was married to the semi-rounder, he was a zealous Christian, went to church and did not want to join the NSDAP, refused to burn Smolensk to the retreat. Heinritz, after a breakthrough of the line of defense on Oder, assigned his troops in such a way that they would not get to Berlin. The 56th Tank Corps received on April 22 an order from the headquarters of the 9th Army, which is part of the Vistula group, to move away the south of Berlin to connect with the main parts of the army. The generals playing in the giveaway hoped that the Red Army would get to Reichancelery somewhere by April 22. Vadling received an order from Hitler to keep the building to protect the city, but it was not submitted by the order not immediately, but only after the Führer duplicated him. Hitler for non-interference even ordered April 23 Wadling to shoot, but he managed to justify. True won the general from this a bit. Wadling died in a Vladimir prison, spending 10 years there.

Heinritz continued the removal of his troops located north of Berlin, to the West for passing the Anglo-American troops. At the same time, he tried to deceive the Kaitel and Yoodl, who remained faithful Hitler to the very end. Hanerzitsa did everything possible not to fulfill the command and personally of Hitler on the organization of the Kontrudar of the Steiner group from the north to unlock Berlin. When Keitel was finally convinced of Heinrice's intentions, he took him from his office and suggested shooting as an honest officer. However, Hanerzitsa passing the command. He went to a small town and later surrendered to the British troops.

Colonel-General Gothhard Haneritsi.Umer in December 1971 (84 years).

April 22 Obergroupenführer SS Felix Steiner received an order of Hitler to strike from the north and unlock Berlin. Steiner attempted to fulfill the order, but failed. Understanding that further attempts are circumscribed by his wallenized group for death, Steiner once abandoned the discovered part of the parts to the West. Also did not obey the orders of General Field Marshal Caitel, the head of the General Staff of General Krebs again, again send his troops towards Berlin. On April 27, 1945, Hitler for disobedience removed him from the command of the group, but Steiner did not submit again and continued the departure. According to Heinz Hene, the author of the book "Black Order of SS", Himmler critically referred to Steinard, calling him "the most naughty of my generals." Close to Himmler Obergrouppenfürer G. Berger claimed: "Obergroupenfüer Steiner is not amenable to upbringing. He does everything he wants, and does not suffer objections. "

Obergroupenführer SS Felix Steiner. He died in May 1966 (69 years old).

Great help was provided by the Soviet Army and the Minister of Arms with Speer, who did so much so that until the beginning of 1945, the production of arms in Germany was steadily increased. Steeper, after the winter offensive of the Soviet army, amounted to a report for Hitler, who began with the words "War of Laigra." Steeper performed categorically against the tactics of the "scorched land" in Germany, believing that the remaining Germans would need to somehow live. Steeher did not allow the explosions most of the bridges in Berlin, which could lead to delays in the offensive and great losses of the Red Army. Of the 248 bridges in Berlin, only 120 were blown up.

The Central Defense Sector of Berlin, "Citadel", defended the group under the command of Brigadefürera V.Monta.

Brigadefürer V.Monta, freed from the Soviet captivity in October 1955, died in 2001.

On the night of 21APREL 1945, Adolf Hitler appointed him by the Commander of the Monkey Commander, which was instructed by the defense of Reichskancelary and the furer bunker. In total, the group included 9 battalions with a total number of about 2100 people. After the suicide of Hitler Monkey on May 1, he headed the group that had a breakthrough from the bunker and was unsuccessfully trying to escape from Berlin to the north. Was captured.

The inhabitants of the Hitler's bunker tried to escape from Berlin in three groups. In one of the groups were Borman, Aksman, Head of Hitlergenda and Hitler's Personal Doctor Ludwig Stampfegger. Together with other inhabitants of the bunker, they tried to drink the center of Berlin through the battles covered by the battles, but soon Stampfegger with Borman separated from the group. In the end, exhausted and demoralized, they committed suicide at Lerter Station. On December 7-8, 1972, two skeletons were found during the laying of an underground mail cable. After their careful study by forensic physicians, dentists and anthropologists, skeletons were recognized by Stampfgger and Borman. Between the teeth of the skeletons were found fragments of glass ampoules with cyanium potassium.

Knowing the weakness of the defense of Berlin, the Soviet command was planning the capture of the German capital for the birthday of Lenin, on April 21. On this day, "Banner of Victory" should have already been developed over Berlin. Why did the Red Army having a tremendous advantage in humans and technology, had such big losses, the highest average losses for the whole war, take Berlin? Answer Military historians are looking for this day.

I shared with you the information that "accumulated" and systematized. At the same time, it was not impoverished at all and is ready to go further, at least twice a week. If you find mistakes or inaccuracies in the article - please inform. My e-mail address: [Email Protected] I'll be very thankful.

On April 16, 1945, the last, decisive military operation of the Red Army in Great Patriotic War. Final goal - Berlin. It turned into a racing of fronts lit by spotlights George Zhukov.

When did the war ended?

The Red Army could start the operation on the seizure of Berlin, in early February 1945, at least so considered the allies. Western experts believe that the Kremlin postponed the offensive on Berlin in order to tighten the hostilities. On the possibility of Berlin operation in February 1945, many Soviet commander said. Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov writes:

"As for the risk, the war often has to go to him. But in this case the risk was quite justified. "

The Soviet leadership deliberately delayed the attack on Berlin. These were objective reasons. The position of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts after the hog-Oder operation was complicated by the lack of ammunition and fuel. Artillery and aviation of both fronts were so weakened that the troops were not able to occur. Having postponing the Berlin Operation, the rate focused on the main efforts of the Belarusian and Ukrainian fronts in the defeat of the East Pomeranian and Silesian grouping of the enemy. At the same time, it was supposed to produce the necessary regrouping of troops and restore the domination of Soviet aviation in the air. It took two months.

Trap for Stalin

At the end of March, Joseph Stalin decided to accelerate the offensive on Berlin. What prompted him to boost events? In the Soviet leadership, concerns grew concerns that the Western powers are ready to start separate negotiations with Germany and finish the war "political way". Rumors reached Moscow that Henry Himmler seeks through the vice-president of the Red Cross Folk Bernadot to establish contacts with representatives of the allies, and the ObristGrupenführer SS Carl Wolf began in Switzerland with Allen Dulles on the possible partial surrender of German troops in Italy.
Stalin was alarmed even more by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Western powers Dwight Eisenhower dated March 28, 1945, which is not going to take Berlin. Previously, Eisenhuer never reported Moscow about his strategic plans, and then went to the open. Stalin, who waited for a possible betrayal from the Western powers, in his response message indicated that the Union of Erfurt-Leipzig Dresden and Vienne-Linz Regensburg should become a place to connect the Western and Soviet troops. Berlin, according to Stalin, has lost its former strategic importance. He assured Eisenhuer that the Kremlin sends minor forces to the Berlin direction. The potential date of the beginning of the main strike of the Soviet troops of Western powers was called the second half of May.

Who came first and Berlin

According to Stalin's estimates, the Berlin operation should be started no later than April 16 and finish within 12-15 days. The question remained the question of who should capture the Hitler's capital: Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov and the 1st Belorussian Front or Ivan Stepanovich Konev and the 1st Ukrainian Front.

"Whoever will break through, that even take Berlin," said Stalin his commander. The third commander of the Soviet Armed Forces - Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky and his 2nd Belarusian front should have come to the north of Berlin, to go to the sea coast and defeat the enemy grouping there. Rokossovsky, like the rest of the officers of his regiment, was annoyed that he would not be able to take part in the capture of Berlin. But these were objective reasons, their front was not ready for an offensive operation.

Optical "Miracle Weapon" Zhukova

The operation began at five o'clock in the morning (three o'clock in the night of Berlin time) with artillery training. After twenty minutes, spotlights were included, and the infantry with the support of tanks and SAU rose to the attack. With its powerful light, more than 100 anti-aircraft spotlights were to blind enemy and provide night attack until dawn. But in practice they had the opposite effect. Colonel-General Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov remembered that it was impossible to observe the battlefield from his observation point.

An unfavorable foggy weather has become the cause and the cloud and dust cloud formed after art delivery, which even light spotlights could have breaking. Part of them were faulty, the rest were included, they turned off. It extremely prevented by Soviet soldiers. Many of them stopped at the first natural obstacle, waiting for dawn to make a crossing through any stream or channel. "Inventions" George Zhukov, successfully used earlier in the defense of Moscow, under Berlin, instead of benefit, only harm was brought.

"The oversight of the commander

Commander of the 1st Belarusian army Marshal Georgy Zhukov believed that during the first days of operation, there was no single error. The only obstacle, in his opinion, was at the underestimation of the complex nature of the terrain in the area of \u200b\u200bZeelovsky heights, where the main defensive forces and the enemy technique were located. Fights for these heights cost Zhukov one or two days of battle. These heights slowed down the promotion of the 1st Belorussian Front, increasing the chances of Konev to the right to first enter Berlin. But, like beetles, the Zeelian heights by the morning of April 18 were soon taken, and it was possible to use all the tank connections of the 1st Belarusian formation on a wide front. The path to Berlin was opened and after a week Soviet soldiers stormed the capital of the Third Reich.