Break out from Berlin

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bootstraps
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Break out from Berlin

#1

Post by bootstraps » 04 Feb 2017, 18:43

Hi,
First post here, hope I'm in the right area. I am looking to learn more about the breakouts made by the remaining troops fighting in Berlin at the end of the battle.

I have so far managed to find information and photos on the breakout made along the Friedrichstrasse over the Weidendammer Bridge, but do not seem able to find out about the other breakouts including the one from the zoo area, only information I have is what I have read in Helmut Altner's book "Berlin dance of Death", where he describes his escape.

Wondered if anyone be able to help with information regarding the breakout routes, the mix of troops and vehicles involved.
Also if anyone could recommend a source for a good map of Berlin for the 1945 period.

Dann Falk
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Re: Break out from Berlin

#2

Post by Dann Falk » 05 Feb 2017, 00:45



Art
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Re: Break out from Berlin

#3

Post by Art » 05 Feb 2017, 12:49

The largest group composed of several thousand men and some armored vehicles (and also a mass of civilans) broke out to the west via a Havel bridge at Spandau on the night 1/2 May, but was mostly dispersed and taken prisoners west of Berlin. See a short description at the end of article here:
http://www.allworldwars.com/The-German- ... lemer.html

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bootstraps
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Re: Break out from Berlin

#4

Post by bootstraps » 05 Feb 2017, 17:42

Hi, Dann & Art

Thanks for the information and pointing me in the right direction. Would like to find out more about the mix of vehicles involved, as the only references I have seen talk of mobile flak wagon and light armoured tanks.

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Sheldrake
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Re: Break out from Berlin

#5

Post by Sheldrake » 05 Feb 2017, 18:24

The group that broke out from Spandau was the remnants of the Division Müncheberg and were part of the Korps "Großdeutchland". Tony LeTissiers books on Berlin cover the story as well as show a photograph of the last tank of the 9th Army - a King Tiger abandoned during their successful breakout from the Frankfurt am Oder area.

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bootstraps
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Re: Break out from Berlin

#6

Post by bootstraps » 16 Apr 2017, 14:55

Have read several accounts now, regarding the break out via Spandau from Tony le Tissier's books and other internet sources, which paint a vivid and shocking picture, the determined also most anything to get away attitude from both the German soldiers and the countless scores of civilians must have been a horrific scene to have witnessed and to have taken part in.

The surprising thing for me was the amount of vehicles that took part in this break out, especially given the fuel was supposed to be non-existence for armoured vehicles. One account speaks of a group of panzer iv's and hetzer tanks as well quad flak vehicle (On panzer iv chassis ??)

Have also just picked up a copy of his "Berlin battlefield guide" which has some good detail about the break out routes.

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Re: Break out from Berlin

#7

Post by superbad88 » 23 Apr 2017, 18:45

Sheldrake wrote:The group that broke out from Spandau was the remnants of the Division Müncheberg and were part of the Korps "Großdeutchland". Tony LeTissiers books on Berlin cover the story as well as show a photograph of the last tank of the 9th Army - a King Tiger abandoned during their successful breakout from the Frankfurt am Oder area.
There was elements of the 9th Army engaged in the Battle of Berlin? I was also unaware that they lost all their tanks. I remember reading in the "The Last Panther" how some King Tigers of the SS panzer corps spearheaded their attempt to break out of the encirclement in the Halbe. Also, did the Munchenberg Division have any tanks that survived?

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bootstraps
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Re: Break out from Berlin

#8

Post by bootstraps » 23 Apr 2017, 23:33

Continuing research into the battle of Berlin and the break outs has lead me to read another account from Willi Romann, SS Leibstandarte, where he tells of the final battle and the breakout.

He speaks of Nordland tanks firing from the Tiergarten towards Moltke Bridge. The Nordland were unable to move the tanks due to lack of fuel accounting to his account, Also tells of his involvement in the Friedrichstraße break out.
He speaks of a lone King Tiger with a defective track plus a SPG and APC moving over the bridge I know a SPG ( Stug III) was knocked out just past an anti tank barrier but believe this was during an later attempt.

What has interested me about his account is that he mentions the use of" rockets" during the fighting, which they found in a cellar near Schlesisher Station, They required 8 men to would been in an later carry out one of these rockets, were set up and fired, The same rockets were used in the Potsdamer Platz.

Does anyone know of these "rockets"???? the only ones I can think of are the Nebelwerfer type but these would be handled by a single crew.

regards
Bootstraps

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Re: Break out from Berlin

#9

Post by Isaac » 16 May 2017, 18:26

What books would you guys recommend to learn more about the battle for Berlin

Art
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Re: Break out from Berlin

#10

Post by Art » 16 May 2017, 22:53

Several year ago:
/viewtopic.php?t=173922

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BartekPL
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Re: Break out from Berlin

#11

Post by BartekPL » 19 Apr 2019, 19:31

Elements of the Polish 1st Warsaw Infantry Divison (full name 1 Polska Warszawska Odznaczona Orderami Czerwonego Sztandaru i Kutuzowa II klasy Dywizja Piechoty im. Tadeusza Kościuszki, in Russian - 1-я польская Варшавская Краснознаменная ордена Кутузова 2-й степени пехотная дивизия имени Тадеуша Костюшко and in English - Polish 1st Warsaw (patron of the division -Tadeusz Kościuszko) Infantry Division awarded with the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of Kutuzov 2nd class) took part in repealing some breakthrough attempts in Tiergarten area and to the west of it on 2nd May 1945. There is a whole book with memories of soldiers of Polish units which fought in Berlin as well as combat reports. In short, attempts made to breakthrough in the direction of polytechnic buildings failed.


Best regards
Bartłomiej

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