Friday 13 December 2013

Weidling's surrender of Berlin

Weidling after his capture
On the 2nd May 1945 General Helmuth Weidling, Commander in chief of the defenders of Berlin gave the following order to the garrison after agreeing to the text with General Chuikov of the Russian Army:

Am 30. April 1945 hat der Führer Selbstmord begangen, und so verlassen die, die Loyalität zu ihm geschworen hatte. Laut Befehl des Führers, würden Sie deutsche Soldaten mussten auf, trotz der Tatsache, dass unsere Munition aufgebraucht ist und trotz der allgemeinen Situation, die unsere weiteren Widerstand sinnlos macht Berlin für die Bekämpfung gehen haben. Ich bestelle die sofortige Einstellung des Widerstands. WEIDLING, General der Artillerie, der ehemalige Bezirkskommandant in der Verteidigung von Berlin

On 30 April 1945, the Führer committed suicide, and thus abandoned those who had sworn loyalty to him. According to the Führer's order, you German soldiers would have had to go on fighting for Berlin despite the fact that our ammunition has run out and despite the general situation which makes our further resistance meaningless. I order the immediate cessation of resistance. WEIDLING, General of Artillery, former District Commandant in the defence of Berlin


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