Fanatical Defenders - The Last Stand in Berlin
- Pen Down: Gernot Kramper
- Est. Read Time: ≈6 Mins
Traitors and French Individuals: They Guarded Hitler's Last Stronghold - Defense of Hitler's Last Stronghold: Deserters and Frenchmen Involved
In the final stages of World War II, the Soviet army surrounded Berlin, and SS officer Wilhelm Mohnke was tasked with defending the government district. Known for his unwavering loyalty to the Nazi regime, Mohnke aimed to hold every inch of ground until the last man stood. The architecture of the city aided the defenders, but their cause was lost. In the ultimate battle, victory was only delayed, offering Hitler more time to prepare his demise. Mohnke belonged to the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler," an elite Nazi formation. However, the division was largely absent from Berlin; Mohnke arrived from the hospital following a severe wound.
Motley Crew of Soldiers
Mohnke's troops were a ragtag group. His combat unit consisted of parts of the Leibstandarte, regular units, and the Volkssturm. The Volkssturm, a last-resort measure, was typically ill-prepared for the challenges of urban warfare. Other forces joined these troops, including men from a punishment battalion, and selected elite fighters. Among them was Georg Diers, who utilized two massive King Tiger tanks—numbers 314 and 100—in Schönhauser Allee and Tiergarten Ost. These tanks were likely part of the heavy SS Panzer Battalion 503. The most constant support came from foreign volunteers who had joined SS forces during the war, facing their own end should the Third Reich collapse. The SS Division "Nordland" positioned itself in the Tiergarten, while Frenchmen played a special role, defending the Reichstag building, now home to the German parliament.
Symbolic Significance of the Reichstag:Stalin and the Soviets viewed the Reichstag as the symbolic heart of the Third Reich, architecturally understandable but politically overemphasized. Meanwhile, Hitler's location remained hidden in the bunker under the Reich Chancellery, unknown to the Red Army. Despite its political insignificance, the capture of the Reichstag was prioritized over Hitler's final refuge. The Moltke Bridge provided access to the government quarter, making its capture crucial for the Soviet advance. On April 28, 1945, around 5,000 defenders offered fierce resistance, eventually leading to the bridge's destruction. With significant losses, the Soviet pioneers overcame the obstacle. On April 30, 1945, soldiers of the 150th Rifle Division raised a red flag over the Reichstag, with fighting continuing in the cellars and upper floors until May 1. The buildup marked a symbolic victory for the Soviets.
Desperate Defense
The military operation was senseless, but the defense carried great symbolic value for both the defenders and the Soviets. The Soviet army could have pushed German troops out of the suburbs and besieged them in the city center, softening their resistance with an overwhelming superiority in artillery and bombers. However, Stalin avoided this approach, fearing the war would drag on and the Western Allies might surpass the Soviets' progress. Instead, individual units competed, resulting in fierce fighting in Berlin's streets. Günter Debski, a working-class youth drafted at 16, found himself commandeered to defend Hitler's stronghold. In an interview with the "Zeitzeugen-Portal," he recalled, "We received the order to defend the southern side of the Reichstag... An SS unit was already inside the Reichstag." In the chaotic final days of the war, Debski was sent as a parlaimentарий—not to negotiate a surrender, but to demand the Red Army lay down their arms, a mission that ultimately failed following a heavy artillery blast.
Frenchmen and Their Convictions
The SS unit mentioned by Debski consisted of Frenchmen, who were staunchly anti-communist but held different beliefs than their German counterparts in the Waffen-SS. In Wilhelmstraße, where the Reich Security Main Office and other ministries were defended, the French fought bitter house-to-house battles, using U-Bahn shafts and cellars to ambush Soviet tanks. They saw the fall of the Third Reich as their own, deeply rooted in their convictions rather than their allegiance to Germany. After the war, Parisian aristocrat Christian de La Mazière, a royalist, reflected on the madness of the final days: "The city was burning. Walls, buildings, everything was collapsing. We didn't care about our own lives."
The French forces were commanded by Henri Joseph Fenet, who had led the resistance with panzerfausts, destroying numerous Soviet tanks. On April 29, 1945, Fenet, Eugène Vaulot, and François Appolon received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, becoming the last soldiers to receive this decoration before the war's end. By Berlin's surrender on May 2, 1945, only around 30 Frenchmen were still alive. In the final battle, the French refused to fall into Soviet captivity, given their strong anti-communist beliefs.
The French Forces in World War II:Though not present in the Battle of Berlin, French forces played a crucial role in the Allied war effort. The Free French Forces, part of the Allied armies, were responsible for liberating various parts of France and participating in battles across Europe, including the D-Day landings in Normandy. The French Resistance, consisting of groups such as Combat, Libération, and Franc-Tireur, disrupted German supply lines, undermined communication networks, and contributed to France's eventual liberation.
In the final days of World War II, French forces were involved in the broader Allied effort to defeat Nazi Germany. Alongside the Soviets, they participated in the occupation and governance of Germany, further emphasizing their role in the Allied victory.
Sources: Documentary "Le Chagrin et la Pitié" (1971), Eyewitness Portal
- Adolf Hitler
- Endkampf
- The French unit, staunchly anti-communist, was part of the SS under Adolf Hitler during the Endkampf, the final battle in Berlin.
- They defended Wilhelmstraße, using U-Bahn shafts and cellars to ambush Soviet tanks,reflecting their deep-rooted convictions rather than allegiance to Germany.
- Parisian aristocrat Christian de La Mazière, a royalist, courageously fought in the final days, disregarding the city's destruction around him.
- The French forces, commanded by Henri Joseph Fenet, were praised for their efforts, with Fenet, Vaulot, and Appolon becoming the last recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross before the war's end.
- Despite the heavy casualties, the French refused to fall into Soviet captivity, maintaining their anti-communist beliefs until Berlin's surrender on May 2, 1945.
- Though not present in the Battle of Berlin, French forces, such as the Free French Forces and the Resistance, also played a vital role in the Allied war effort, contributing significantly to the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany.
