{0 mention thatthe city had in fact ben saved by P cavalry.) Hitler lio seemed 10 ignore the fac hae Viens ine fillen tothe Red Army. Goebbels insea coined the spa ‘Bern remains German aad Vienna willbe German apn ta ‘orc parallas and mode pr hay ganda no longer bal any fey Berliners prepared forthe onslaught with foreboding, Women were ofered pistol shooting practice Members ofthe Vlkesane some of whom were wearing French helices capered is itera with masonry and broken glass Trams and culwsy gah wagons filled wih stone ad ubble were manocuted Pavements wer ipod py aad indviual fox and boys armed with Paes | what supplies they could, and hey bol wate tobe kept ngs ‘ering jas for dking when the aps en ry. Teenage members ofthe Reichardt, a parila shour sevice, wer inducted en mart ino the army, Mampok death? an ofcer old them. Mothers and glend came tase them off. These reer, escorted by NCOs trie to ke spits with gallows humour ae hey departed f ‘nthe S-Bahn oa all network, Sec you the mats gat age farewell The Berlin Operation Occ tgs wow ofthe ee ae Tole from loudspeakers fale Tiss extended acrom the Ouerbach fon ewe: of Zhakor’s a Belarusian Frome nthe Hohenaollem Canal inthe non heat Panwerernader Division. Ha ews be di Marshal Zhakow would akc on in Spor becuse had had de More than Bok, Marshal Konev’s it Ussing eof even Ieloce ral Chuikos th Guard Ary had in day before, with an attack which ro hat he ordered all medal to be ssigge dal tbe epg sion une won them back: Chk 7 ilferent reason He head thas on tk the best view of the Relations betwee he riorated further since Cukor sore ate reaping the whith the change in the nd vot reached the fone ne. Sain eral the sodden meadows There wll ben py They have sor opt dus in on the herd ak engines ages based fal ge the nose a the plain below them, Alrogethe nine fe posed to stack hand Frankfort an eased the ide shed back the aot on heating the rom members of ov wae dispensed igh of 5 Apel post on the Re ‘he beginning of OF Zhao’s lef othe Nie with wind Ary line im Moscow the day od Bally unde. 2s also why thethe searchlight provodunelpul to his men. AS the inane ‘charged forward, shouting "Na Belin the searchlight big Sihoveted them, and the ground ahead wa 20 churned wp by fapained the stustion. “So, you've underestimated the sno ng «raters that ec progress was alow. Surprisingly, the arly ad Gb esi axis he Sovie leader said ‘And Twas thing oe oncetzated on the fr Tine of defen, dsp the Red Avy fou wee already onthe apy awatene of the German tits of withdrawing all bat +s the Selow Heights. Thing covering force when a major anack was expected .. platy. Chutkov was hori He could imagine the chos. ee hours, Zhukov pu through cal to Stalin in Moscow sad ches o Berlin, er you're sil on have sated more accel for he added pointedly. Stan di ot comment on Zbekor, Zakor, who usualy recoamaeed the ground carta rotor changes to hs pan before am sack, had fail! to do so this ie, He had ig) The change of plan caused excl the soe of consion Chui innead on airreconntstance photograph, bo thse images dl MN fad one not reveal what a sttng defensive featere the Seclow Height represented, At fs, Chukor’s fh Guards Army on the eee (Copel General Nikola Bersarn’ sth Shock Army onthe igi advanced guite well The 1nt Goats Tanke Arty would th pat trough them once they had curd the ces At da There were are massive jana, with te {Giards Tank Army tapped behind the vehicles ofthe ere eae emis, waiting to advance Irhecame nightmare for acon Gols ying to unscramble the mes And cren wea the oats Sj extricate and began to ps forward they were peked ot by ttm guns std Below Nesardenberg. Inthe sokes tg Shuurmovik groud-atack araftsueaked i, lying through MIN ord themselves amkerted 6 the fountains ofeach chown up by she balling, to safe andl WE pms ands loose ot on bomb German defenss snd vl Thr genet it guns. Things noe improve cet wat PPh they finally began co simb the Slow Heighes The sed which ew UI Manshesxp slopes, churned by shells often peed toe enh opin a massive explosion Hot forthe heavy Stalin tanks and forthe Tags Oa the lee umatzed German srivor from he fot ine can baal UM's lang bade tus ey Tene coy up the slope of the Selow Heights, showing ‘Der Iwan Koma MIS Haney Parsee Bers Further back, local farmers and thet families also sted oi iy sccese wie Refugees hory by like creatures of the undeeweek Hs Bihal, Zhakov's are had sil aed vo see the se fe oung solder, women, children and old nen suprised in te MIN Fics ep, ome onl hledesed In tht acess espa aed dey fer Ging che holding tiie mother ands ok outa UMM he Fier bunker nde the Ricuchanclery, lephone worlds destruction with shocked eye Gils were constantly being made to ORM heaqurten oot Zhukor in the command pow onthe Reiowsn Spur bse UML Zonce demanding news Bat Fates Re eke increasingly nervous atthe morning progresed. Through is UMMNuh of Berlin, was dnersc Mecha Powerful binoculars he coald se eka he advance had slows Ni tf no hale, Knowing that San would and the Br ob heat Ukeinian Fron Ineo Konev fhe aed wo br through, he begun cucingaml Mie rather See store at Chuikor whose troops had il barely reached eh me's ores broke 8s Stain had told Zhokor, was having hid no bridgtesds scone He Nese. Konevsaztilery and supporting ates hep ff the Hood plain. Zhokorehresteod t aip soma Kecmans deep in thee senches ns te aig buttons sed thee rank and send them 0 shia company. He shen dels MB ier in scat boats Awe oka Cake dkcided change his whole plan of tack Band Aic Army, aided by a gente bec in the nigh ctcton I an atempt to seed up the advance, he would end GH MMR impor orc Pose Pate ans nel General Katskov's i Gute Tank Army n bead ofthe ‘densify where Bh cack was concencate. Bridgcheads mere eeblihed sedoon tks wer ferried across while sppers began constacting Bon i Kone dd noe afer from Zhukov diastrous chang of ind Heh already planned for he 5 and th Guaeds Tank Aes flex! his offensive. Soon after madayy the fst bridges were fedy and the tanks eumbled aos. While she Germans ere Gil shsken from the bombardmene and confused bythe smoke Jen, Kone’ sen his eading tak bigs stnight through the [estan ics with orders not to stp. The infantry mould mop = behind hem oer That night of x6 Apil was a humiliating one for Zhukow womans nao FS Flebad to cll clin aguin onthe radio celephone to a hat eae ei Histo had not yt taken he Sclow Heights Sain ol him — i Be een eee = ‘ a z He segved tha ie war emir to destroy the Geeman forces a Be open than in Belin scl, so time would not be lost in mate he long run. Stalin then warned kim tat he would tll Kener rer fiver his owo tank aries northward towards the southern Se an Que of Bein. He hung up abr. Soon afterwards he spoke Bp Kone. "Zhukov ie noe geting on very well he sid “Tuen Bybao [srd Guards Tank Ary snd Lelyuhenko qth Guaeds As Tank Army towards Zchlendort ae rue Seis choice of Zchltoe! was significant, I was the os a Goan wescen subub of Brin andthe closet tothe Ameria on Hesshead across the Ee. Peshaps t was also bo coincidence Bhs soins Dahle, withthe nace sesarch fees Be Kiser Whe Inaiate, Tech Bp Anevian zequet for information about the Soviet afesive Bs: Bin, General Antonov was ntaced o reply thatthe Bove forces were simply ndetaking« largesalereconnai Bae onthe cotral ctor ofthe front forthe purpose of fing Bes dx of the German defences The Api Foo! continued Eilon scone. Bisa’ suppor, Kony fored on hie tank brigades to sa Dy ambicion vo Bea bi svat the loro pre. Zhkowack of progress. On the Seugy fe gereralabort Gotthard Heirs had hr in ion ere Saat eontnoed unde lease skis whey mf oberrspocnfhrer Felix Stine’ IIL 8 Germanische Pant see homiben, ‘The collapse of ke MB Gor Ths included the ath $8 Division Nordland manned by seas bad ben filed gy fl pasah, Nocwceian, Swedish, nish and Estonian volunteer (the morning of 18 Api the ighingon the Selo Heights Pesce» new lacy. Zhukor had head from Stalin that swat besoming fate a the Feit the choo duh Fallcieper Di {nlewafe ground penne! rather han pe ied te Staton fer Katukor's tank units but they sil faced coun stacks, be bythe Kurmark Division with Panther tanks an Kons tak artis wer forging ahead to esi, and chat if 1 Youth ing wich Paseesfasts at dg 1 Beoressan Fron didnot make beter progsess he w me fel Rokosovsky tote north ro tn hi nd Belorussian Fro ME ons in Geman dressing nations and Geld hospi mMfMapwards Berlin as well This was an empey threat since Rokos sete Copley overwhelegdgg sky’ force had been so delayed tha they did noe cross the ov was desperate hath ordered ty soles and Hi TESEIERG cundol On the Soviet side things wee life NOS wil zo Apri but Zhu raed wounded on the ise day had stil ot been gk gpaack after attack, Finally the breakthrough came later that TEST acne fons a reports revealed akerwards Thenurbes morning, One of Katakor's ak brigades charged ehough along Tete and ee ot tray ofthe gh Shock Ary beanie. fy de Rehan r the main highway fom Bern which ra all, im Katkov's tak brigades by mistake fie way tothe now donreyed East Pranian capital of Koni Sinks sisal of te Leonidas Squsdton based at Jzehog eg Genealberst Theodor Basse's Ninth Army was pit, td indeed the Japanese Kamikaze pilot mostly win asm distergation soon followed. The cos ad been high. Te st i more than, 30000 men Killed, ao are he slge over the Oder Theor of wie atackwns | Blrosian Front had ier, Zhakow showed litle remore seo estpferinats "a self-sacrifice mission. Thing MN posed 0 12,000 Germa es ted mths ways Thee commander Genetalmajor |) Hewas interested only inthe objective i Fakes hi mine Tht day, Konev was erubled ony by an atic la eine te sand Army on bs southern Hank by General iy-abth bin’ suing hat asthe sort Of present he AE arte mane chee was soon bled bye | aschall Schrner's forces. This was 2 hued, i-prepared oe a ee cee Tank Ary tomar he squdions | | gpraion and easly rebut. His rwo tank srs managed vo wirild Evancehorwsen tiny Bre and for Bre klometes He would fel ss cank brigades raced forthe River Spee south of ve been even more encouraged if he had known of the chaos ee a eee before the Germans could orsnine eased in Belin as Naz leaders inerfeed with thos ring co co Genet Rybalke, wp with bs ead brigade, diner gai the defence ofthe ci “Gece, the Reich defence commisst for Bertin, ied wo act Be iliay commande. He ordeed hat all the Volks setae wauce me bringing wp pontoon brides. He simply {cred the fe ank tage in the Spee, which was some ssc A A ee ates cao jseabovethe tack, | yait nthe city abou march out 10 « ae a ro Hc deve on hroughyand the sereh Ate The commander ofthe Berlin garoon was appalled and aac aetna shea, gnrig the machine gual BM. Hedi nor know cat secre this was exc What Fe sau Tee Germans had wo antath | MMB Albert Spect and General Heine had wanted in onder aa ae Oi headquarter io Zaraen las |B gpavoid the denracion ofthe cy. General Helmuth Weiding ne Ho commanded the LVI Ponce Corp was daraced by its acer in Zossen had no idea ofthe beakthroughtathe. bom Ribbentrop and Amor Axmann, the head of the Hitler ‘clow Heighten Muu ho offered ro send in more of his exnagers armed with south Ther atenson wae sl xed onthePanzerfaus, Wedling red to pesiade him ro dst fom pees inl i hi, Yer ie was cea to even his mst devon sere of children foram already doomed case METI Bicsencs thatthe Fares war in no sae to thin rina The approach ofthe Red Army increased the Naa regime, aime having drank is leaders health in champagne at murderous nunc. Another diy plies! prisoners wage alight according fo his pvate custom, was secret trying 0 beheaded in Potzmace Prison that day. SS patrols the gy | ke contact withthe Americans. He baie that Esenhower centre id not ares suspected dserers, but hanged them fem al cognze hat they needed im co maotan order ia Tamp-poss with placards round thir necks announcing tag Gama cowardice, Sach acusations from the S were hypocritical tomy: he eaders who gathered inthe hal-wecked grandeur of the the lease While thie patos executed army deserters and gg | geechancllery incloded Grossadmiral Dont, Ribbentrop, Some Hider Youth, Heivich Himmler and senior ofsees ofthe | spe, Kalenbrunner and Geneafeldarachall Ketel. I 300 ‘Waffen-SS were sere panning to dnegsge thew andpall | Bee spare that only Goch intended to stay with hs them back to Denmark are in erin, Donita, who wat given supreme command in ‘On 39 Api he Ninth Army, retrieabl splitin thresh | gortesn Germany, wat leaving with Hiler's Besing. All the back: Women and gis inthe area, terifed of whar avail fiers were sly fading excises to pet out of Belin belore i them, beage the soldiers take them wih hem. Thess Guay fat completely surounded and te eke siz by the Red Tank Army supported by Chukov’s th Guards Army rachel | gem. Filer was dsappoimed in his supposedly loyal paladins, Mancheberg in thei vance along Richstrasse x. While ge | partculacly Goring, who claimed that he would organize reset headed forthe easter and south-eastern suburbs of Bedi, Zi | Bevin Mavaria, Several urged chee Furr vo leave forthe south, kKov’socher armies began to advance around the northern age fe be reused. That day marked what became known at ofthe iy. Sain nse on fallenctlement to ensue dharay | fit of the Golden Pheasant at senor Nav Paty members American attempt might be made to break though, even athe ln hie bro, red and gold uniforms eo escape Belin with eleventh hour American toops weteemeing Leip shar ds hei famis while router tothe south remained ope tok Nuremberg after hey 6ghtng but psoas dy ‘nthe Eber i Inthe cy, howrewiver queued for st nse ration maned wherethey weeas Esenhoweradoedetal fl ghey could leary hear the sound of guns inthe distance, That Bernoon hea arly from thes Shock Army opened Seon The dawn of 20 April Hers hihday followed the tradiin | eorthern suburbs of Berlin, Zhukov ordered Ketkon to send of Fihrerester by prowling» beael spring day. Ald ie ak ries sco Belin whatever the cot He Knew that Kom forces marked the day with thrown gesting Cong spentthe fw ed Guards Tal Army was being for he southern ee of ‘morning sopervising the cracuation of his Ioxelpaicngsand Mec. But, known to Zhukow they had run nostro forces ter trenurs from his ostentatious county house of Katie MMMch they had not expected. A Lage part of Busses Ninh Ary bal north of Belin, After his possersions had bee loaded oft) MEM excaping through te Spreewal acts het path Lufovae tac, he pressed the plager wired vo the exlaste The German reer from the Ode font ito the cy wa planted inside. The house cllspsed ina cloud of dant. Hetaral | pely hampered by the thousands of cians teying to ee in nd walketo hiscartobedsven tothe Reicichanclley, hele anc from the advancing enemy. Some decided to say. "The long with the other Nasi lade he would congratlstM@MMlters sand tthe garden fence tthe side ofthe roed and Fare on what chey al knew would be bias Bra sch he ght with solenn face wrote young solder, "Thi Hitler loked at last two decades older than hs Sala WIN esfully dispense cfs, which we gulp down greed years, He was stooped and grey faced and his left arm soa URI march aod um, without res or peace Many German so “That morning on dhe radio, Goebbels had cll on ll Gemmabs UMM indulge in loting houses onthe ways and Some Sousblvon in the alcohol they found By heme they Would fad themslis prises, The SS Nordnd Divison in the pine foe ast of he gl fought some cotly delaying actions but were in ay condizen to pa up an effi spread that American aierft had de woe a ence ws some hat is sas dd Bi oct Tg. He lphona! tin Recochnelon er revista. Ruma ies f0 wonder what Soviet prison camps would be hike, ba pred cfs gage sed From cpr al cau te oie nso ‘Gemass to hang on they ware omg he 1 ea mete dow the ody on cre! Sue of Felder a 35 sila MB al ten pron cos Ei inte improvised detachments. Any who had throx thea a wretponypck an ler wee ated tnd oh She f fl 2 fow by a sea ot A poizeagg MM Belors awaited the arrival ofthe Red Army, people pre: > ence thoweretcaie iah Fetes mee thei con ters, bur most ofthe policemen slipped away to hide fea they go there Bua, the few guests were ovrulned by the readies batafag MIEN mse co pour the wine ina constant scam’ They did not hous late seis of explosions retng a diferent nose cmpge Mant eve an) forthe Rasa, Some father a they eo sized that Soviet arly was now within ange ofthe cy eg MU mts Volkostuen em, thou only of she fae a Hider, who wally slp late, was woken. He emeres! fom ig UN. “i's all over, my child one tol his daugve, handing, bedroom inthe bunker to ask what was happesing. The explana Mbps. "rornse mc that when che Rsans cone you wal fon ce him. Zhakow’s arly commander, Clo pe ourset He then kised her and le. Others ile thie (General Vasily Karakoys had sent forwa and chile, thn onnaited side thmselvos ies of 152mm and aoymm howitzers Housewives sil qua The iy was divided into eight sectors, withthe Landwehe for rations were che main casualties, for ew wanted to lose has MUN on the south nd the River Spec onthe nonhof ener, place when this was clay ther last chance ostock up. Theta Mal irc forming the lax nce ince Oaly Weedasgs LW ‘ensty ofthe sling soon ford mos of ther back ino elasy WU uter Corp rom the Ninth Ary woulé boktee se gen, dated sheet Banging i up 0 8.200 men. The Cl Corpshad withdrawn north Although the circle round Belin was alnone close, Stall UMN ghtbe cy. The er nclading the X11 Se Panser Corps a he paranoia sill nected the NKVD's 7th Department inet s- Any senior German officer caprted wat aoked wha he ‘On 21 Apel hele Aled sir radon Dedin end ca ir heay wn Ba SS Mountain Corps, were stil hing thie way through Kon fsforcs inthe forests the woth of erin, Kvey ad pushed new about plans for the Americas wo join the Wehnmacha ia MMward the 9rd and ath Guarda Tso Aris and ured hse an atempt o push Soviet forces back from Bri, Sain ula ry acc for vat to deal wih Busnes nce Althouse invented thet. ‘Duc tothe slowness of ur advance keaig. WMI mingled among thcor thes eon be ralled, ‘the Allis ave approaching Belin and wil won eked MMUMgpecicn cs take creak Zhukov was just as interested in blocking Kone's advance aie Mga ‘iy. He pushed Karukov's st Gaatds Tank Army and Chat MINE forane Sch Guard Army further ound coward the southwest the uation and resorting fanny, Hier gave Piers thatthe Ninth Army sbould hold is postions on the ‘One of Kone’s rank speaheads was sighted approach MIMINDMer fone. He sccacd the Lafoatie of dove ech” Syhese is hie ofa Geel Fg: Kl Kole lrmuntche Con ir hd sel pt ough Oke Seed eden pean deat tnt tr ia deputies bicetedy bile l c ma afin Now Aan cons tena lo a (Om 2 Api Himmler ad secret meting in beck with a Polke Betmadote of the Swedish Red Cross, He aked han roach the American and Beiish about a surender inthe Mi Reaoken of god athe promised to send 7:00 woes ts from Raverurick oSedn, bo since slmos all of ha il een march westward, this was hardly convincing Assoun CChurhil ead f Himmler’ approach, he informed th Kral fo aid anther cow with Stalin afer he aborted gna ‘ve ay with 85 Oberstaruppenfaer Wolf Tiler became fversh with impatience for 2688 Kgner+ rack. Bat when ally heardthat‘Aemy Detachment Gener, 26 he osied on calling it, had fled to advance, 2 sepicion of teason within the SS began fo prow. He secamed Goa clin fury daring che midday station conference, then albpesd weeping ina chai, Forth fist time he sud epenly bat the war was los. His entourage tried to corvinee Ne fe for Baars, but be oad that he we say in Beri elshoarhimsll. He was too weak to fight Goebbels came over ci in dows, bur did nosing to easourape him to depart. Mec propaganda miner ha decided shat he would ay wath isto the end vo create a Nas lend forthe fre, Thing Ganenstic terms jn ik is Fiber Goebel considered that fedesths in he al of Bera would be more dramatic than eisation ofthe Herghot Hider reappeared, raced by his tlk with Gocbbels, He Beret on Jods wegeion thar Wenck’s Teellh Army facing Phe ercas onthe Elbe shouldbe brough back o Bet in foumee stack. This war futle plan. The Twelfth Army eas fat pores, 20d che encirclement of Belin war now vrully com, se Oberlearnane Ulich de Maitreya gonceal sll ofr es witnesed the emotional rms inthe Faber bunker that Bbsabeame convinced that Hides ‘mental sick come Bhsperwophic sl sdentSction wth the Gesmanp fu ele ha the poplation of Berlin sbould share his suicide Bats Goch, who blvd that Germany without Hier Bisa world nor worth ving in, beoghe her ix childeen dowa Peothe bunker shar nigh, Self ffcers ge in ho Feeds the end in sore forthe thar evening Ryhalho's yd Gunrds Tank Army had Bechet he Tehow Canal on che southern ede of Belin ea Bese were trough ups poepared to atack the next day. The BMRUD's eh Departmen, responsible for prisoner inesrogtion Bi pronagand, ha lene dropped onthe cy adress co Betromen of Brin, png them to peswuade offers wo sure Bei rte the change of party line, but ow the reality on Bh round.Bocase the fascist ligue afraid of panishmen Bic is hoping co prolong he war. Bur you women have Petite ote arid of No one wiltouch yo Pee siniar message Ratio breadeasOn 45 Apil, Genealeldmarchll Keitel reachod Wen beadguarer He addressed the asembled fcr af they mee 3 Naa ary sally, waving his Geld arsal's batons het ah ‘deed them to advance on Belin to save the Fuhr. Wend ‘ready had s very diferent plan He incnded to atck estan thr noe towards Bern, He wanted to open a conrdor wo cal Busse’ Nin Army tocsape from the forse othe le ‘General Weiding ofthe LVI Panzer Corps rang the Fay bunker that morning ro teprt, now that his corps had pall ck ito Beri. General Krebs old im that he had been demned to deat for cowardice, Wein, showing conde courage, sited on coming in immediately o face is ce He had nor withdrar hs headquarters to the west of Bet had ben reported: Hite war 2 impresed by Weidlng's ag ‘ebutal of che charges agsinat hi tha he promot plac Mi in command of all of Berlin's garrison and defences. As om 2 eaghcomedy ypc oft ttoiorofcerabseved, it Nat rcgime. For Weiding, this appoinment wat s posohgl chalie ‘Weidingcedeplayed his fore, keeping jus the sot Pana grnadier Dividon a cexsve, Thore was lee mel sfemoon the th Guards Army and the 1st Guards Tank All srorkingtogter, advanced ino soutrcatern Bern They We involved in viciows feng aint che SS Nordland ea sil, mid the wreckage of bomnaae ke-Wall fighters. The sth Shock Army advanced in fm the eas, he sed Shock Army ened the noctern subuth sre Army tackled Spandau in the northwest with ts masse ic forte and Kener’'s jd Guards Tank Army andthe Army Bogan tee anaut acon the Tew Canal, Al he Ha CGencal Keeakow's massed arilry continued to bombaad Sy it would fie 1 milion shell by the end of the Bae red overhead, rang a wide the mporing ir enmics oating a wl Alert pect returned ro Bln tha evening by lhe sale to see Hier forthe las tne, Hitler cold Speer of his isi S commit acide with Eva BA shot ine Ie Mai Romana brought ina sgl from Goring in Bavaria, Gti fad heard » garbled veto of events Belin ad of Hide rotional outburst the day before. He proposed taking over Sort leadethip ofthe Rex. Bormann sggened to Firth his was ueason, anda message oe set in sly Siping he Teicsnaschall of all hs appointment sod honours Borman tere another message o Bavaria cling th So pr him wet we are In a mumber of cases SS offices appeared reat to give up than army offers On that day Fie Nockeojo the sy feet ith the SS core which was now surtounded in he Black Forest By French oops, recorded in is dary 4 convention with his imsmanding genera. Do yon realy belee th fighting on stil has purpose? the SS general asked hin "Yeo a. soli tbe Tse t Hockenor repli. "The station alo appears hopeless fe, buts long a no onder comes to cease ping, lie hac the supreme leadership illus away {nthe morning of 24 Ape, Kone’ tack on the Teltow Canal ean vith heavy artery. Zhukov had been dismayed to hea fom the 1t Guards Tanke Army that Rybalko's rank brigades had reached Belin. He was even ls happy when he lsened habs nfanery had crosed he canal that mornin ae ht his fas were trndling ove pontoon bridges soon ales midday. Ba Konev too had an unpleasant moment when, afer watching Whe coming ofthe canal he dieovered that Wene's divisions sire arching cast to his ear ink up withthe seri f the Many Berliners, who ail ad batterie for their radios, were lero ear an announcement by Goebbels that Wonks Tielh Army wae advancing on Beri Others feted tha hit ost cay peck the fighting. Hier pnts roe again with Thepeospec. He ave orders that Bane’ Ninth Arty should join Phe" Armee Wenck in an advance on Bsn. It never eccted Bohn thar netber Weack nor Baste hid at iterton af fol Towing such an order. Dit aluopromivd to By in sailor from The northern ports to anit che defence. They would ative by Jiskers 52 eanspore planes landing on he Est West Axi the avenue acros the Tiezparten tothe wes of the Brandenburg Bap were ninety vlanecs fom he remnants ofthe eench SSCharlemagne Division, who thread ther way in tracks hog Kon 25 Apt, American troop fom the 6th Infantry Division Sov forse tothe north of Bel, PII oe svi sldiers from the s6th Guards Rife Dison eta ‘Crammed in thir elle, staid shelters and the vast cm Tarzan the Elbe, News thatthe Naa Reich had eee spin flak towers Beviners jst longed forthe bute ro ead eyo Ws proclaimel al roand the world. Sealin arged bie rot The air same almost unbrethable and she crush wag gq fugoimander 1o push eoops forwand to the Ee wherever they teat that nobody could reach the lavatories or obtain mage | Mf got although he was now fly easured thatthe Americans fo dink, Not even trickle merged from taps. Water glia not making a dash for Belin. General Serv ofthe NEVD. availble only from stand-pipe handpumps out onthe sae | mut in three frontier guard epimente #9 prevent German onder slice. The smashed urban Landscape was now eed MMatisets from sneaking out of the ce. Betas picked toope he “Reichscheterhanfen’~ che “Reich's feral pyre’ Ye qa peared to follow the 3d Guards Take Army into Dablem, fo Soviee oops fought thet way in towards the centre cellasegy fet hemes esearch facies tecame dangeous inthe howseerhowse fighting, Rel Ag Jobo Rabe, the German dirse who had recorded events solders sometimes threw in grenades when they encoun uN acng the Rape of Nanking, was now in Siemenetad onthe Festance nea by fects wee edge of Bes. The Rusia soldier are very sm Vltstarm, Hike Youth and small combat groups of sg gle 50 fa he noted. "They done bother us, ert fer some Wale 35 fought from behind buriades, rom windows agg fii food, bu thy easy abou any kind rooftop sing tei sins Soviet tanks, Acct uMfnpedicable once they've had roo moc, The pattern of seizing tanks had advanced sight down the middle ofthe roy they | athe ad then women began Rabe Was won wring about they changed ects eo hag the sides, spraying hil postions uM neighbours commited suicide, having ke their children, Wich machine-gun Bre The Shock Army nthe norte cip MMM acenern yar i gl was raped Bre tes, then shot ss tanks co Me women sn» bomb shelter on Gell Weg were raped le hot elevate hee maia armament sufcindly. And to coumerte rhusband looked Pansefaut'shollow-charge explosive, tank crows rapped ed I Ben there was les violence and sais than daving che mates spring:9the ont and sides oftheir vehicles eo dete is vege gaia Ect Pron Sviet solr ook ti ‘he minnl remarry Barricades were destroyed wih beara MMe thi icin, using crc in the cellars and shelters tlley guns, broad up and fired orizonrally over open sity WUM@aibe tei faces Ses. Mother tre fo conceal daughters in Somer castle from thir own sipporsng Si, or more aay ic despite the rk of shliie, but neghvors would ed is aptaterat guns agains oof, bec that of other Soviet armies, ieresed a they advanced vwatie MMU ive say ther hiding place wo dive a alice atten the centre, With the snoke and clouds of das covering the sigg MMMM thenslves or (rom tice own daughter. Ever Jews ‘Shuurmovik plo foundithard to sce whom they weteatackga MMMUMmen were not safe Red Army soldiers had le Sdeaof the (Chakow pushed pact of his Sh Guards Army over towards WUMNURene” aca persecution, which bad been concealed by Soviet west to Mock the advance the sval 9rd Guards Tak AMMpapanda, Tet reacdon wes simply onc of eas Faw Thi ed to many loses among hit me ers Kone’s hate owish women sel ps wll held athe Scalaraoe onl and Kaysha ocket launcher Eiapin Welding were raped after the SS guards vanishes, “That ay the allan Commie for National Likeaion alla The evo main Berlin hospitals, the Chante and the Kasein foranupntng against all Geman forces renaising in thes Vitoria, pr the numb of women raped ut Soren The tesintance attacked retesting German columns andthe MMMM ad ssc, Most had sured stacks many One they took conta of Mila, Hocoresimated that around sooo ad ded either au seal 5 Bleae-ape or from suicide lat, A mumber of daughers hadtis mata and badges of rank, was taken up to» couryardan ime 2° on the Reichstag, which Stalin ad chosen as the rma of the Fave’ escort. Hider lame dg geo forthe capture of Bela. The Ss soldier t rie the eves flag above i was promised the order of Hero ofthe Soviet Ion. The Recta was defended by a mixare of SS, Hie Tout and some of the sailors who had been craslanded inthe Jjrker transport planes, The yea danger forthe actackers came From tind. The huge Zoo la ower in the Tegaten conde yas they cowed the vastexpangé ofthe Konpsplts, where Fimmler’wnson was the final blow. According to Sper, tag Hier decision ro punish he Waffen: 8 divisions in lngaryy “ipping them of her arbands that had helped push Hin {Town the path of beeaal "ss few bouts after the execution of her sister's hush tvt'Biaun marned Adolf Hier. Goebbels and Bormann wee Fae etn ak for che Bewidcred agile bd planned to bud the Vollshalle the centrepiece of th creo had been deagged back froma Volks deachien | wap, Germania. He had to ask both Hiller and Brau, aecording 10 Nii bw Tee Frer bunker ha mornings ie tse one ofthe cy ee decent ee om bert iil ampoues on his adored Alsian bch Blond, Satis that Feworked, he began to make his own preparations. He had jst, inate |p) fet! of Mussolini death and tht of his srss Clara Peach ie ree ea ae Reruaing to is usual dehaed amy fee bodis, cided wih bullets, had ben rang up From th eee rea ad nver want war International Jey gf) try of x petolstaion n Milan, The details ad been expe eces had fore i pon him. He appointed Dont preside hon one of the mpecia eypewritrs with outsize sexp,tallow a a eee bets wa eo be Reich chad fist ead withour gasses. (The sheet is preserved in 2 Russian ooh Re Hark chin Brelaumanaging ts svage detege fparive) At around three in the afternoon, che Fuhrer made his cae a ef by ight aca, waste replace Fnleegy Mf fbrewel 0 his entourage. The solemnity ofthe cccasion was Heese When eles acccary Tra Junge hyd gf ihe undermined by che wound of partying up the Rechschan aaa re sal aay che dacoverl that nobody had fj fate, and then by Maia Goebbels becoming hysteria atch the Cock chien She went in seach of food up in te tof sng him [iichekanclery, only to da shocking ong in progres Hier Sinaly resid to his siving room with bis bide who Fei eo ng momen they had tempted back mi fal een cherl during hnch although she knew exactly what promises fod and ae fis about to happen. Nobody head the sound of the sho, But og anxiously for hin commie ser 2525 ours Linge his vale entered followed by ater. eevee oc hope occa had Secs tilt though hs head whale Era Hit ad 5 its remade cyanide. Their bodes were wrapped in wey Wehrmacht Hasice ad taken upto the Rechschanecllery paren, where Hil enous nel he did, The sound of Bahing iment ‘Fike Nordland Dison andthe French 5 defending the ou othe Nerd race. The ue of the Anbaler Bhahal iy wes sx light wth petrol ac as ee Pine Albeit Seas hades Goebel, Bormann ad General Krebs snapped ateton aed a ec cuba groupe. The French $8 volunteers ha ME the Nari salu taken by Sov pez sling Sov aks ade Tha evening while the Soviet oop fought hi way in ao ieee nfasnrbust, The Tieaten tor lookedHben fe Rchvag to hoi the Bag of victor in ine forthe May Day eae a used cect and shelcrasg_ | aBebations in Moscow, General Welding planed a breakout 0 Sead cred the SMR wet with a many troope sponte: Bo an S lfc mad ‘shih ti Way through the shell o summon him othe Reihechan ty lunch ley: Gocbbel old Weidling the news of He's death and Two divisions fom the 3 Sh from Moabit to ssze the misty ofthe itr tifea “Himmler House At dawn 00 30 APFthe Soviet commander. _ GGocbbels still refused t0 consider unconditional surrender, ‘lnkor tha no negotiations wer ermied, Only uncondiiongl_ | atance Hier’ death, Fighting ‘athe bed of his oops. Once surrender would be accepted. Krebs wanted a tuce. He tej | uu cilren were dead, Jourph and Magia Goebbels ally fo age tha only the new government of Grossadmical Ding met oP t0 the Rechchancellery garden. She clutch Hits ‘oul offer uncontonal surendr,Skolorsky sent Krebtgh aw Nazi Pasty gold badgs, which be had presented to he. Ha wit the message chat Gocbbel and Borman didnot ageety_ py an apd wile crunched on cyanide caps atthe ane tine. Dic ofthe propaganda minis’ sides then fed lle nto hem to make etn they were dead sprinkled petrol on 1 Ma, they would ‘Blast Belin into ruin No word came 4a huriane of fe wat unleashed on the cy cone thc bodes and ct them one he mont encions defends of the government dismal The delay teat thatthe excapers didnot leave uni eleven foreign drachnents of the WafienSs, both Scandinavian and hat nisht two hours Later chan planed. In wo groups, they fo French. Sappers fom the Nordland Division blew the Siaby wed diferent routes to cro he Spe on tc journey sorth, nel under the Landwehe Canal with explosives shaped ing Wf Teoops from the Nordland with the Tiger tak ad other at hollow charge. Twenty-five kilomcres of S-Bahn and U:Bahy uMpoured vbicles ried co amach away through in a chaepe scons nts ood, Eames ofthe mutbers who drowned range Me Weidendammer Bridge. The Red Army, which bad expered a from just ity sight upto 13.00, but che tre gre uni) beakout and shereforereifored the er, led mos of ther tobe much moe tha fly, Many ofthe corpus found Boat IMB chuoic ight bacle, Several managed vo et through nthe tederpound were already dead, because the eld horpialsintke MUMMMBNson including Bormann and Artr Axmanns the Hee ‘unnels had sacked their bodies down hes Youth leader. Bormane, who became separated, spate 0 South of Berlin some 20 men from th Be fare tnderc into» group of Soviet soir and to have taken Iared nd we from hunger. Sescrl thousand iin had With Weiding’surrender dc o come tof at midi ‘seaped with them Wenck’s divisions, which had opened the MMMEBRer even larger group based on the seman of the 188 ‘ower for them and forthe Poodam gatison co excapesttMMIMBuserarcnadier Division and the Panzer Divison Midnceberg fsthred every vehicle i could fd o dave thet the Elbow? BtoB ou othe west, A fuious ble tok place around ‘Scape Soviet inpleontneat Be Charlomenbrcke over the River Havel go Spann. The That aferon, Bigadcfuhrer Wielm Mobske, who eommiMMMlibued vehicles xan stempecd to ac ay a bateving om sean imanded the defence of the overament dit, gave ordesfoF MMM toops ofthe Soviet qyth Army. A chaotic masace ensuedSow yd ony shal mace he aad MM gia Cote shen reas San Ye Ste nbeachoc oe ea eur nae Reshrhoncton, Gomraltete’ Tana sia ovr Wil ue ad Sh tems a For cvlian emerging cautiously fom thee cellars and a rad shclers, the urban bated of cores in the bbl stems ttrees wat a shock. Burned-out Soviet tanks loy all ou Knocked out a close range with Panzerfsuss by the for 36 and Hides Youth, German women covered he faces ofthe ded srt newopapers or pices of cloth, Most had ben ide ma than boys. The older men ofthe Volasturs had suendce a the fr opportunity. Sovetraops cared on rounding wp he Prisonern with shouts of ‘Dava? Dav?” Anyone i une ‘hehe solr, policeman or rman, was pushed it clas to be marched at ofthe iy. Many were fn eas a hie ‘ame tose them of nd give chem fod and clohes. The el that they would be ent labour camps in ibe The Berlin Operon, from 16 April to's Msp, had coe Zhukow's, Kone’ and Rokosrovsky’s toms swt of 35434 ‘amuse, of whom nary a third wee killed, The 1a elon Sian Front had suffered the worst losses because of Zhakor Stalin, cages to hea every detail of Ete’ death and eal that he war tly gone, had ordered group from the SERS ‘etachent ofthe 3rd Shock Army to iments The Ret chancllry bunker was sealed elf a they went about Hal work. Even Marshal Zhukow wat ffoso ear, on the exe ‘that eappers had nor fished checking the place for nine td