Remagen, Rhine bridge at, 84, 137, 140, 141, 151, 179
Rettich, Capt. Peter, 264–5, 286, 328, 395, 398
Reymann, Lt. Gen. Helmuth, 158, 176–8, 179, 180, 224, 245, 261, 268, 353, 377
Ribbentrop, Reichsminister Joachim v., 83, 190, 237, 250, 251, 289, 304, 340
ROA (Russian Liberation Army), 73–4, 85, 112, 113, 401, 402
1st Division, 182–3
Rodimtsev, Gen. A. I., 307
Rogatin, Lt. Gen., 104
Rokossovsky, Marshal K. K., 15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 28
Order No. 006, 30, 49, 50, 87
SMERSH investigation, 100, 106
and Pomeranian campaign, 115, 117, 145
and Berlin operation, 186, 206, 229, 242, 248, 249, 304, 337–8, 400
and victory parade, 426, 427
Rommel, Field Marshal Erwin, 7
Roosevelt, President Franklin D., 5
and Yalta, 77–82, 143
and Stalin, 84–5, 145, 195
and surrender negotiations, 194, 195
mortally ill, 196
death of, 204, 208
Rosly, Gen. I. P., 340
Rosslau (Twelfth Army HQ), 201
Rudel, Col. Hans-Ulrich, 9
Rüdersdorf, 258, 265
Ruhr encirclement, 138, 142, 156, 190, 200, 201
Rundstedt, Field Marshal Gerd v., 42
Rusakov, Maj. Gen. Vladimir, 305
Ruslanova, Lydia, 116, 428
Russian Liberation Army, see ROA
Rybalko, Col. Gen. P. S., 17, 60, 61, 229, 232, 239, 245, 255, 256, 296, 319, 324, 326
Rzhevskaya, Yelena, 360, 363, 370, 390, 391, 399, 400, 403, 426, 431
Sachsenhausen, 181, 274, 325
Salzburg, 155, 192, 251, 275
Samland Peninsula, 88
Sandomierz bridgehead, 16
Saucken, Gen. Dietrich v., 45, 62, 119–20, 122, 402
Schaub, Julius, 277
Schellenberg, SS-Gpfh. Walter, 275, 293–4, 346
Schlesicher Bahnhof, 280
Schmidtke, Erich, 3, 180
Schmundt, Maj. Gen. Rudolf, 7
Schneidemühl, 53, 55, 64, 91
Schönhausen, 396, 397, 398, 403
Schörner, Field Marshal Ferdinand, 52, 61, 92, 93, 126, 127, 225, 241, 244–5, 304, 344, 350, 402
Schwägermann, Günther, 381
Schwedt, 248
Schwerin, sack of, 67
Sebelev, Col. Pyotr, 185–6, 226, 315–16
Seelow, 222, 229, 243, 246, 254
Seelow Heights, 70, 71, 165, 209, 216, 222, 223, 225, 228, 229, 234, 241, 243, 256, 273
Seidemann, Gen., 12
Selivanovsky, Gen., 420
Semyonov, Gen. Vladimir Semyonovich, 418
Serov, Gen. I. A., 64, 99–100, 107
and Polish forces, 199, 200
and Berlin, 307, 308, 309
and uranium, 325–6
and surrender, 404, 405
and aftermath, 406, 415, 420
Seydlitz-Kurzbach, Gen. Walther v., 68, 69, 198
‘Seydlitz-truppen’ (German ‘anti-fascists’), 283, 337
Shatilov, Maj. Gen. V. M., 347, 365
Shcheglov, Dmitri, 34, 37
Shtemenko, Gen. S. M., 146
Siegessäule column, 340, 395
Siemensstadt, 269, 323
Simonov, Konstantin, 14, 212, 213, 336, 391–2, 403, 404, 408
Simpson, Gen. William H., 141, 190, 191, 203, 204, 396
Skorzeny, SS-Stbnfh. Otto, 174, 175
SMERSH, 15, 16, 28, 33, 35, 96, 98, 102–3, 416–17
and Red Army, 128, 185, 207, 228, 422, 423
and Yakov Djugashvili, 136
and screening of prisoners of war, 166, 185, 402
and Polish formations, 199–200
and Werwolf, 260, 415–16
and hunting German officers, 300, 415–16
and Reich Chancellery and death of Hitler, 360, 380, 389, 390, 391, 398, 399
and post-war, 422, 423
Sokolovsky, Gen. V. D., 368, 369, 403
Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr, 34, 35, 112
Spaatz, Gen. Carl, 403, 404
Spandau, 323, 356, 384, 385
citadel of, 323, 373–7
Speer, Albert, xxxiii, 9, 10, 60, 171, 431
and Hitler, 149, 157, 250, 251
and ‘Nero Order’, 156–8
and defence of Berlin, 180, 245
and Berlin Philharmonic, 188–9
and return to Berlin, 288–90
on Himmler, 293
and Germania, 355
Spremberg, 239, 245
SS
camp guards, 86, 155
Einsatzgruppen, 149
execution of political prisoners, 181
massacres in Leipzig area, 191–2
split in leadership over continuing the war, 194
Stadtmitte U-Bahn station, 371
Stalin, Joseph, V., xxxiv, 5, 15, 17, 19, 20, 29, 32, 34, 111, 413
and East Prussia, 28, 37
and Holocaust, 38, 46
and Red Army commanders, 63, 87, 127, 136, 309, 407, 423
and Yalta, 77–82, 87, 137, 143, 420
and Poland, 77, 80–82, 99–101, 143, 195, 295–6, 420
and rear areas, 107
summons Zhukov to Moscow, 136–7
and Soviet prisoners of war, 137, 166, 423
and race for Berlin, 137, 138–9, 142–5, 193–4, 210–11, 229, 232, 234, 240, 242, 265, 296, 307, 354
and Western Allies, 142, 144, 145–6, 147, 193–4, 195, 210–11, 232–3, 263, 295, 304, 307, 341, 354, 399
and change of policy on revenge, 197–8
and Oder Neisse battles, 222, 229–30, 232, 239–40, 242, 248
and assault on Berlin, 265, 296, 354, 365
and death of Hitler, 364, 369, 389, 390, 399, 400
and surrender, 368, 369, 402, 406
and fear of Zhukov, 407, 425–6, 427
and post-war Soviet Union, 422
Stalin, Col. Vasily, 427
Stalingrad, battle of, xxxiii, 1, 65, 69, 87–8, 91, 97, 138, 178, 216, 230, 316, 317, 392
Stargard tank battle, 90–91, 125
State Defence Committee, 137, 166, 325
Stauffenberg, Col. Claus Schenk Graf v., 7, 320
Stavka, 15, 25, 26, 78, 79, 80, 83, 86, 137, 144, 146, 147, 165, 211
and Oder battle, 220, 222, 229, 232, 242
and battle for Berlin, 256, 298, 390, 391
and surrender, 304, 369, 400
Steglitz, 416
Steinau bridgehead, 62, 125
Steiner, SS-Obergpfh. Felix, 89, 241, 267, 268, 269, 275, 298, 341
Stendal, 396
Stettinius, Edward R. Jnr, 401
Stolp, 47, 55, 117, 118
Strausberg, 256, 257, 260
Strecker, Gen. Karl, 68
Striegau, 126–7, 128
Stumpfegger, Dr Ludwig, 252, 357, 380, 381, 383
Stumpff, Col. Gen., 404, 405
Stürz, Gauleiter, 159
Stuttgart, 192
Sulkhanishvili, Capt. Shota, 214–15, 219, 235, 389
Supreme Headquarters Allied
Expeditionary Force Europe
(SHAEF), 146, 195–6, 202, 304, 305, 402, 429
Susloparov, Maj. Gen. Ivan, 402
Swedish diplomats and embassy, 132, 148, 173, 181, 302
Swiss Red Cross, 298, 329
Tangermünde, 191, 202, 396
Tedder, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur, 19, 20, 98, 140, 141, 142, 143, 403, 404, 405
Tegel, 385
Telegin, Lt. Gen. K. F., 216–17, 390
Tempelhof, 283, 287, 302, 303, 319, 321, 367, 403, 417
Teupitz, 330, 336
Thiessen, Prof. Peter, 325
Tiergarten, 282, 294, 319, 323, 340, 342, 356, 372, 384, 394, 395
Tilsit, 24
Tippelskirch, Gen. Kurt v., 148, 173, 400
Tolbukhin, Marshal F. I., 82–3
Torgau, 305, 3
06, 307, 374
Treptow, 297, 303, 324
Treuenbrietzen, 286, 298, 328
Truman, President Harry S., 196, 295, 305, 341, 364
Tsanava, Gen. L. F., 102, 308
Tully, Andrew, 305–7
Ulbricht, Walter, 418
Unter den Linden, 304
UPA (Ukrainian nationalist partisans), 100
US Air Force, 100–101, 403
and Red Army aviation incidents, 142, 296
on Elbe front, 202, 263, 285
last raids on Berlin, 249, 262
US Army
6th Army Group, 192
12th Army Group, 141
ARMIES
First, 5, 137, 140, 141, 191, 203
Third, 141, 146, 191, 200, 203, 325, 364
Seventh, 192
Ninth, 141, 190, 200, 202, 203, 204, 396, 397
DIVISIONS
82nd Airborne, 194, 291
101st Airborne, 194, 291
69th Infantry, 305
83rd Infantry, 190–91, 202, 203
84th Infantry, 191
102nd Infantry, 191
2nd Armored, 190, 203
5th Armored, 191, 202
Vadis, Lt. Gen. Aleksandr, 390, 391, 399
Vasilevsky, Marshal Aleksandr, 33, 188
Vienna, 189, 195, 251
Vishnevsky, Vsevolod, 367, 368
Vistula offensive, 7, 8, 10, 12–13, 15, 16–18, 19, 20, 84, 165
Vlasienko, Sergeant, 212
Vlasov, Gen. Andrey, 72, 182–3, 297, 401, 402
Vlasovtsy, see ROA Volkssturm
in East Prussia, 24, 27, 37, 98–9, 102, 103, 175
recruitment and organization, 39, 40
in Silesia, 41, 98–9, 175
guarding and execution of camp prisoners, 41, 155, 191–2
in Pomerania, 55
in Berlin and Brandenburg, 70–71, 134, 148, 248
and defence of Berlin, 178, 209, 245, 262, 271, 287, 296, 300–301, 308, 315, 316, 323, 356
on Oder front, 182, 219, 221, 240, 258, 265
Voss, Vice-Admiral, 398
Vyshinsky, Andrei, 77, 403
Waffen SS, 8, 39, 42, 54, 86
and relationship with Army, 72, 241, 333, 334–5, 339
execution of deserters, 123, 129, 176, 247, 339, 344
and débâcle in Hungary, 151, 293
scratch troops, 160
Fagdverbände, 174
foreigners in, 257–8, 322–3, 352, 356, 366, 367, 389, 392, 397
ARMIES
Sixth SS Panzer, 5, 21, 82, 195
Eleventh SS Panzer, 88, 89
CORPS
III SS Germanische Panzer, 241, 267, 268
V SS Mountain, 225, 228, 241, 242, 260, 270, 329
XI SS Panzer, 225, 229, 246, 247, 260, 270, 329
DIVISIONS
Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, 72, 151, 276, 387
Das Reich, 54
Feldherrnhalle, 71
11th SS Nordland, 241–2, 246, 256, 257, 264, 269, 283, 286, 291, 301, 319, 323, 352, 367, 382
SS Nederland, 241, 397
30. Fanuar, 72, 133, 182, 208, 219, 242, 270
Charlemagne, 116
20th (Estonian), 129
35th SS Police Grenadier, 332
36th SS Grenadier, 334
REGIMENTS AND UNITS
‘Danmark’, 257, 258, 302
‘Norge’, 257, 258, 302
‘Charlemagne’, 291–3, 302, 319, 321–2, 323, 352, 356–7
Latvian Bn, 322
Reichsführer SS guard bn, 294
Heavy Panzer Bn 502, 218, 223, 330
Heavy Panzer Bn 503, 322, 352 ‘Hermann von Salza’ Heavy Panzer Bn, 297, 319, 357
Wagner, Gerd, 218
Wagner, Gauleiter Joseph, 386, 387
Warsaw, 18, 21, 22–3
uprising, 20, 99
ghetto, 23
Wartheland, 22, 63
Wedding, 346
Weidendamm bridge, 382
Weidling, Gen. Helmuth and Oder battle, 225, 228, 229, 237, 242, 245, 246, 256, 259
and defence of Berlin, 267, 269, 286, 287, 291, 292, 301, 304, 320, 358
and breakout plans, 320, 353, 358, 382
and surrender, 386
Weiss, Lt. Col. Rudolf, 351
Weiss, Col. Gen. Walter, 116, 117, 118
Weissensee, 301
Weizsäcker, Dr Gerlag v., 325
Wenck, Gen. Walther, 21, 90, 150, 200, 201, 276, 284, 285, 286, 298, 328, 329, 330, 350, 378, 379, 395, 397, 398
Werwolf, 173–6, 260, 261, 412, 415, 416
Werwolfsender, 261, 285
White, Maj. Gen. Isaac D., 190
Wiesbaden, 203
Wilhelm Gustloff, sinking of, 51, 88
Wilhelmstrasse, 304, 322, 347, 351, 352, 356, 366
Winant, John G., 84
Wittenberge, 202
Wöhlermann, Col. Hans-Oscar, 228, 229, 237, 340
Wolf, Friedrich, 214
Wolf, Koni, 214, 373, 402
Wolf, Markus, 214, 373, 417–18
Wolff, SS-Obergpfh. Karl, 142, 144, 194
Wolfsschanze HQ 6, 7, 96–8
Woltersdorf, 240, 248
Wriezen, 134, 242, 243, 246
Yalta conference, 20, 77–82, 83, 99, 100, 143, 364, 420
Yermakov, Maj. Gen. I. P., 328
Yushchuk, Maj. Gen. I.I., 235–6
Zavenyagin, Gen. Avraami, 324, 325
Zehlendorf, 232
Zerbst, 203, 232, 284
Zhadov, Gen. A. S., 239, 245
Zhukov, Marshal G. K., 15, 16, 18, 21, 26, 44, 63, 64, 65, 87, 88
and Poland, 99
and Pomeranian campaign, 115–16
summoned to Moscow by Stalin, 136–7
and ‘Berlin operation’, 144–5, 146–7, 165, 186, 206
and arrest of Polish leaders, 195
and battle for see low Heights, 216–23, 226, 227, 228, 229–30, 235, 242, 243,
269
and rivalry with Konev, 222, 230, 232, 242, 255, 256, 265, 296, 319
and battle for Berlin, 255, 268, 269, 319, 384
and surrender, 368, 369, 403, 404–5
and death of Hitler, 389, 399, 400, 426, 428
and Red Army discipline, 413
and Stalin, 425, 426, 427, 428
Ziegler, SS-Brigfh. Joachim, 241, 242, 269, 291, 292, 301–2, 366, 382, 383
Zoo flak tower and bunker, 2, 268, 282, 287, 340, 355, 356, 372–3, 384, 391–2, 394
* Medical personnel had such a terrible time that a very large proportion gave up medicine at the end of the war.
* In October 1944, after Brandt had accused Dr Morell of providing Hitler with dangerous drugs, the dispute had been solved by making Brandt Reich Commissioner for sanitation and health. The allies later held him responsible for euthanasia killings and medical experiments on prisoners and rejected his defence that he had had no control over the establishments where this had happened.
* Soviet estimates put the German strength at 180,000. This was because the Red Army included all those they took prisoner afterwards, including unarmed Volkssturm, city police, railway officials and members of the Reich Labour Service. Propaganda naturally played a part too.
* Soviet sources claim that Busse’s force in the forest amounted to 200,000 men, with 300 tanks and 2,000 guns, a preposterous exaggeration for propaganda purposes. One detailed US Army report, however, puts the figures even lower, at around 40,000.
* Some historians appear to think that the poison used in all cases was prussic acid, not cyanide, but prussic acid is in fact a form of cyanide. In any case, the Soviet autopsy report on Adolf and Eva Hitler states, ‘The remains of glass ampoules which had contained cyanide compound were found in the oral cavities. These were identical to those found in the mouths of Goebbels and his wife.’
* Formerly RTsKhIDNI (Rossiisky Tsentr Khraneniya i Izucheniya Dokumentov Noveishei Istorii)
† The ‘Special Archive’ of captured German d
ocuments comes from the 194,000 Nazi Party, Reich Chancellery, SS and Gestapo files discovered by the 59th Army of the Red Army at a castle in Lower Saxony (probably Schloss Furstenstein near Waldenburg, rather than the Schloss Althorn mentioned in some accounts)
Table of Contents
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
MAPS
GLOSSARY
PREFACE
1 Berlin in the New Year
2 The ‘House of Cards’ on the Vistula
3 Fire and Sword and ‘Noble Fury’
4 The Great Winter Offensive
5 The Charge to the Oder
6 East and West
7 Clearing the Rear Areas
8 Pomerania and the Oder Bridgeheads
9 Objective Berlin
10 The Kamarilla and the General Staff
11 Preparing the Coup de Grâce
12 Waiting for the Onslaught
13 Americans on the Elbe
14 Eve of Battle
15 Zhukov on the Reitwein Spur
16 Seelow and the Spree
17 The Führer’s Last Birthday
18 The Flight of the Golden Pheasants
19 The Bombarded City
20 False Hopes
21 Fighting in the City
22 Fighting in the Forest
23 The Betrayal of the Will
24 Führerdämmerung
25 Reich Chancellery and Reichstag
26 The End of the Battle
27 Vae Victis!
28 The Man on the White Horse
REFERENCES
SOURCE NOTES
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
Antony Beevor, The Fall of Berlin 1945
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