Fierce Defenders of Hitler's Last Stand: The French and the Battle of Berlin
By Gernot Kramper
- Approx - 6 Min
Defectors, along with the French, were in charge of safeguarding Hitler's final sanctuary - Traitors and French Residents - They Protected Hitler's Final Stronghold
Caught in the Soviet troops' iron grip, Berlin was on the brink of collapse. In the final days of the city's defence, Adolf Hitler assigned SS officer Wilhelm Mohnke to guard the government quarter. Determined to fight till the bitter end, Mohnke's forces took on the formidable task of protecting every inch of the city, knowing their efforts were mere delaying tactics. Mohnke, hailing from the infamous 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler," was not alone in his fight. His diverse group of soldiers included parts of the Leibstandarte, regular units, the Volkssturm, and foreign volunteers. The latter, predominantly from the SS Division "Nordland" and the SS Division "Charlemagne," would bear a significant role in the final battle.
A Mixed Bag of Warriors
The Mohnke combat group was a concoction of soldiers, each with varying levels of enthusiasm for the coming battle. The Leibstandarte soldiers were fanatical, while the Volkssturm, the last resort of the German forces, were usually ill-prepared for the urban warfare they faced in Berlin. Moreover, a punishment battalion of stragglers, scarcely eager to die as heroes, and selected elite fighters, like Georg Diers operating King Tiger tanks, were present. Foreign volunteers from numerous SS units volunteered to stick with Hitler till the very end, as defeat meant their own demise.
The SS Division "Charlemagne," composed mostly of Frenchmen, fought fiercely to protect the Reichstag building - a monument of significance for the Soviets. They saw the capture of the site as a symbolic victory over the Third Reich. Although politically insignificant, the Reichstag held great importance during the final days of Berlin. The fighting was so intense, as the Soviets aimed to capture it before any Western Allies could, creating a tense atmosphere that drove the fanatical defenders to engage in the ferocious street battles they desired.
Surviving the Chaos
Young Günter Debski, conscripted at 16 and sentenced to death due to his parents' attempted hiding, found himself in the heart of the battle, marked by the insignia of the penal battalion. Hostile to Nazism, he was soon sent to fight for Hitler's last stand. At the midst of the madness, he was tasked with delivering a white flag to the Soviets, negotiation to surrender. But amidst the constant gunfire, his mission was cut short when an artillery shell killed the officer who gave him the order. Debski survived the war and the horrors of captivity.
Among the defenders of the Wilhelmstraße, where the Reich Security Main Office and other ministries were held, the Frenchmen from the "Charlemagne" unit displayed exceptional bravery. They fought viciously, ambushing Soviet forces with subterranean tactics and using panzerfausts to destroy numerous tanks. A small number of Frenchmen survived the ferocious battle of Berlin, having faced their death with unwavering determination.
The SS unit in the Reichstag that Debski spoke of consisted primarily of these Frenchmen. Commanded by Henri Joseph Fenet, the men of "Charlemagne" were known for their relentless resistance. Fenet, Eugène Vaulot, and François Appolon were granted the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the last soldiers to receive this esteemed award. Tragically, Vaulot and Appolon are believed to have fallen in battle. Fenet, taken prisoner and tried as a collaborator in France, later adopted a quiet life as a car dealer after his release. In an interview, the aged Fenet confessed: "We didn't think about death, not at all. Only to keep fighting."
Adolf Hitler, the final battle of Berlin was defended by a mixed group of soldiers, including Wilhelm Mohnke's forces, which comprised parts of the Leibstandarte, regular units, the Volkssturm, foreign volunteers, and a penal battalion. Mohnke, an officer from the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler," was one of the fiercest defenders, with the SS Division "Charlemagne," predominantly Frenchmen, also playing a significant role, particularly in the defense of the Reichstag. Despite the fierce fighting and the chaotic conditions of the final battle, a few Frenchmen from the "Charlemagne" unit managed to survive.
