The Last Stand of the Charlemagne SS Division: French Volunteers in Hitler's Final Refuge
Traitors and French Guards: They Protected Hitler's Final Stronghold - Betrayers and French Nationals - They Guarded Hitler's Final Redoubt
by Gernot Kramper
After Soviet troops encircled Berlin, SS officer Wilhelm Mohnke was tasked with defending the government quarter. Mohnke, a staunch National Socialist, was determined to hold every meter until the last man - the futility of his mission understood by him. The massive buildings, wide avenues, and numerous waterways supported defenders, but there was no chance for victory. The operation was senseless; indeed, Brigadeführer Mohnke merely bought Hitler time to prepare his own demise. In the "final battle," it was only about delaying the inevitable by a few days.
A Hodgepodge of Soldiers
Mohnke's soldiers were a diverse group. The Mohnke combat group comprised parts of the Leibstandarte, regular units, and the Volkssturm. The Volkssturm, this last resort, was unprepared for the challenges of a large-scale battle in densely built-up urban areas. Other formations also joined them. Stragglers, men of a punishment battalion, and selected elite fighters filled the ranks, including Georg Diers, who battled with two massive King Tiger tanks - numbers 314 and 100. The tanks, presumably part of the heavy SS Panzer Battalion 503, operated in the Schönhauser Allee and Tiergarten Ost. The most steadfast support came from foreign volunteers who had joined the foreign SS formations during the war - most of them voluntarily. They faced their own end if the Third Reich fell.
The SS Division "Nordland," positioned in the Tiergarten, played a significant role among them. Yet, Frenchmen occupied a special position. Members of the SS Division "Charlemagne" defended the Reichstag building, symbolizing the heart of the Third Reich for Stalin and the Soviets. Architecturally, this assessment was sensible, but in Hitler's regime, the parliament played a minor role and became insignificant with the start of the war. Still, the Soviets were keen on capturing the Moltke Bridge, which opened access to the government district, crucial for their advance. On April 28, 1945, around 5,000 defenders, including parts of Kampfgruppe Mohnke, refused to yield the bridge, a testament to their fanaticism.
The Symbolic Heart of the Reich
The defense was militarily senseless but held great symbolic value for the defenders. The Soviets could have driven the German troops out of Berlin's sprawling suburbs and besieged them in the city center, leading to a much quicker victory. However, Stalin did not wish to wait. The capture of the Moltke Bridge, which opened access to the government district, was crucial for the Soviet advance. On April 30, 1945, soldiers of the 150th Rifle Division raised a red flag over the Reichstag, symbolizing victory for the Soviets. The building was a place of pilgrimage for them.
Plunging into the Abyss
The SS unit in the Reichstag mentioned earlier consisted of Frenchmen. It was not a division; only about 300-350 men reached Berlin. On May 2, 1945, at the capitulation of Berlin, only about 30 Frenchmen were still alive. In the final hours, Mohnke organized breakout attempts to the north to escape Soviet captivity. Most failed in the chaotic streets of the destroyed Berlin. For the French, commitment to anti-communism overshadowed their German origins within the Waffen-SS. They fought desperately in the Wilhelmstraße, besieging Soviet tanks and ambushing them during street battles.
Loyal to the End
The Frenchmen were commanded by Henri Joseph Fenet. Members of the "Charlemagne" division were known for their fierce resistance, particularly through the use of panzerfausts, destroying numerous Soviet tanks. They were granted the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the last soldiers to receive this honor. While the war drew to a close, many French volunteers were either killed, wounded, or captured by the Allies. Some surrendered without resistance in the final days of the war. The experiences of French volunteers in the "Charlemagne" division during the Battle of Berlin were marked by fierce fighting and inevitable surrender, reflecting their ideological divisions and controversial participation.
- The eyewitness account of the final battle in Berlin revealed the presence of French volunteers in the SS Division "Charlemagne," particularly defending the Reichstag building, under the command of Henri Joseph Fenet.
- Wehrmacht personnel in the operation included members of the SS Division "Nordland" and the SS unit in the Reichstag, which were supported by diverse groups, including Frenchmen in the SS Division "Charlemagne."
- With the senseless operation to hold the Moltke Bridge, General Mohnke bought Hitler time, while foreign volunteers, including Frenchmen in the "Charlemagne" division, displayed fanaticism in their defense.
- In the final hours of the battle, an attempt by Mohnke to organize breakout attempts northwards for the French volunteer soldiers resulted in many casualties in the chaotic streets of Berlin.
- The loyalty of the Frenchmen within the Waffen-SS was evident in their anti-communist commitment, as they fought desperately during the Battle of Berlin, resulting in numerous casualties, surrenders, or captures by Allied troops.
