danescombe
Master Guide
Reged: 11/07/05
Posts: 10149
Loc: UK
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Hitlers Last Army
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The Battle of Halbe
This is a story of almost super-human courage, cruelty and suffering during the final death throws of the Third Reich.
The Soviet 'Red Army' had just breached the last natural obstacle in their advance on Berlin. The crossing of the Seelow Heights and fording of the Oder meant no major geographic defensible position was left for the remnants of the German 9th Army to a mount a defence.
Track through The Forest of Halbe taken during the breakout
Shell-shocked and battered by the massive Soviet assault over the Oder River, the remnants 9th Army took refuge in the forests around a small village of Hable. Unable to dig in to the sandy soil, the solders- many of them just young boys, mixed with 000's of civilians already hiding in the forest and awaited their fate
What followed was the senseless slaughter of 000’s German & Soviet soldiers ( + 000's of civilians ) on the whim of two men. Hitler still clinging to the pipe-dream that his army would stop the Allies & Stalin wanting his prize of Berlin to be ready for the annual Mayday parade.
Soviet generals, having taken 70,000 casualties at the preceding Battle of Seelow Heights saw their chance to avenge. Now that they had the 9th Army on the ropes and at their mercy, they were not going to give any quarter.
Their was nothing the solders and civilians could do against Soviet artillery, mortars and aircraft. One particular Soviet tactic was to set their artillery shells to explode at tree top level because:--
""This increased the amount of splinters caused by the explosions by adding wood splinters from the trees to the metal splinters from the projectiles. Because of the explosions location above the target it was very difficult, if not impossible to find cover protecting from these splinters."" **
The fear of what ' Ivan ' would do to any captured solders now drove these men to keep fighting. The only hope they could now see was to try and breakout on foot through the encircling Soviets and try and reach the 12th Army 40 miles to west.
This remarkable film below takes up the story:--->
NOTE:--This film contains scenes which may upset some viewers
Alternate location to watch film ' Hitler's Last Army '
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danescombe
Master Guide
Reged: 11/07/05
Posts: 10149
Loc: UK
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To put a human face on the suffering-
Here is an extract from letter by Roland Fog on the search for his grandfathers grave.
Endless Graves; A 10-year Search Ends in Halbe by Roland Fog
The letter from the Munich Search Office of the German Red Cross had become worn and faded since 1960. The words "durch Grenatsplitter in Ringenwalde bei Berlin gefallen" (died from shrapnel in Ringenwalde by Berlin) continued to haunt me. What had become of my grandfathers' remains and where was his final resting place?
The search for my grandfather was motivated by my interest in genealogy. I had compiled numerous records of my ancestors, detailing every facet of their lives, but my own grandfathers' file contained a disturbing void. Every one of his life's major events, his birth, confirmation, marriage, repatriation, was documented except for one. I would stare at these old documents, yellow with age, looking for the answer. The copy of his Volkssturm draft notice would sometimes enrage me as I pictured this 57 year old man leaving his wife to fight a war that already had been lost. I turned my anger into conviction and resolved to bring closure to his death. I contacted my cousin Karl Hoeffgen in Germany, himself a veteran and member of the VdK, a German veteran's organization. Karl posted a query in the VdK newsletter in 1987, asking for information from anyone with knowledge of this unit - Volkssturm Battalion Martin 36/169. I held little hope, knowing that these units were comprised primarily of older men. As years passed with no developments I sent another inquiry to the German Red Cross only to receive a short reply that the facts remain the same as in 1960. ..................... Rest of Letter
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Groovy23
Environmentalist
Reged: 09/08/06
Posts: 1203
Loc: Central London, UK.
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Great post Danescombe.
We're so lucky not to go through any of that horror in our lives.
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armoss
Gamer
Reged: 03/25/06
Posts: 529
Loc: W.Yorks A Tyke and proud of it...
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What a truly excellent well researched post danescombe. I can only repeat what Groovy says, we are lucky to have been spared these horrors.
armoss
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Today is the tomorrow you were worrying about yesterday!
Remember those who fought regardless of race, colour, creed or nationality.
WEAR YOUR POPPY WITH PRIDE
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diane9247
Humanitarian
Reged: 01/15/07
Posts: 1859
Loc: Californian in Oregon
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Excellent work, danescombe! The video is very informative. What a tragic time in history.
Regards,
Diane
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Women for Women International - For the special needs of women surviving war.
Kiva - Small loans changing lives around the world.
Bukavu Foundation - For the Panzi Women's Shelter & other programs in Eastern Congo.
Room to Read - Change begins with educated children.
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