What the Reichstag looks like in Berlin now. Storming of the Reichstag

Author
Vadim Ninov

The traces of the Nazis from the Reichstag were lost without a trace. Only from German archives can our historians restore the truth and the exact number of defenders.

Hero of the Soviet Union S. Neustroyev

In Soviet historiography, the storming of the Reichstag and the hoisting of the red flag on it became the culminating event of the entire Great Patriotic War. These events have become an absolute and indisputable symbol, glorified in art, textbooks and memoirs. In the Russian Federation it is legally determined that "The Victory Banner is the official symbol of the victory of the Soviet people and their Armed Forces over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, a state relic of Russia".

Such a significant and unprecedented topic should be written down in history in great detail, for the edification of future generations. However, what do we know about the storming of the Reichstag? Through the efforts of Soviet official historiography, we know very little - fragmentary and distorted Soviet memoirs and confusing presentation in official sources. The words of the battalion commander who broke into the Reichstag, spoken by him in his declining years, serve as a verdict on all official Soviet historiography. Almost half a century later, S. Neustroev still did not really know with whom, in fact, he was fighting. During all this time, scientific teams led by professors and academicians never bothered to study and publish the details of the storming of the Reichstag. And if the actions of the Soviet side today can be quite accurately reconstructed, then the quantitative and qualitative composition of the Germans, not to mention the details, through the efforts of Soviet historiography remain a terra incognita.

Lieutenant Colonel S. Neustroev understood what the high ranks did not want to understand: "Only from German archives can our historians restore the truth and the exact number of defenders". To this day, the truth has not been restored, and German numbers are unknown - only confused stories and unconfirmed allegations.

However, not everything can be found out from German archives. In the last days of the battle for Berlin, the German defense was improvised, and much was no longer recorded on paper. Was there an opportunity, as Neustroyev said, to “restore the truth”? Of course, the Soviet side had such an opportunity, and given the special attitude towards the storming of the Reichstag, it was simply necessary to do so. The defense headquarters of the capital of the Third Reich, headed by a commander and documents to boot, was in the hands of the Red Army. What was not included in the documents could be clarified from German prisoners who spent up to 10 years in Soviet captivity. After the war, many former prisoners returned to the GDR, which was under Soviet influence. And finally, if desired, no one bothered to collect information from German veterans living in Germany. The Reichstag area is not such a large area that it cannot be thoroughly studied. There would be a desire.

20 years after the end of the war, the monumental 6-volume work “History of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union, 1941-1945” was published in the USSR. The compilation of this opus was carried out not by anyone, but by the special department of the history of the Second World War of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism under the Central Committee of the CPSU. This department had the broadest powers, and the authors included the highest military ranks of the Soviet army. And what do we see there? We see the total collapse of Soviet official historiography. In the section dedicated to the assault on Berlin, stunning maps are laid out, where specific Soviet units are indicated, but German ones are not marked at all! Just a blue line and an inscription - "Remains of the 9th Army. Volkssturm battalions". And there are no more questions about who, how much and where - historians of the highest rank have clearly calculated everything - “remains”. And on the map of the storming of the Reichstag it is even more laconic - blue lines and an inscription "about 5,000 enemy soldiers and officers". The "Volkssturm battalions" have already disappeared somewhere. And think what you want. This is all that official Soviet historiography of the highest rank has mastered in 23 years of fruitful work after the war. Needless to say, this is not how military maps are drawn and history is not written. So history is kept silent. In subsequent official publications, the presentation remained at the same “residual” level of penetration and reliability. The Soviet side in the Berlin issue was generally prone to strong exaggerations and distortions, both in military documents and in post-war works. Minimum information content - maximum pathos. Exalt, not study; to be proud, and not to know - that’s what Soviet historians were guided by.

Western individual historians, unlike Soviet historical institutes and professors, did not have similar access to information and funding. As a result, today there is no reliable and complete picture of the German forces defending the Reichstag area.

And yet we will try to reconstruct the forces of the Reichstag defenders, relying on Soviet and Western sources, as well as film and photographic materials. After the battles, heavy weapons remained standing near the Reichstag for quite a long time and were recorded by journalists and amateurs in photographs and film. Unfortunately, this is the only relatively reliable evidence of what the Reichstag defenders had.

Analyzing the heavy German weapons caught in the frame near the Reichstag, you need to remember that relatively close, in the Tiergarten park, there was a collection point for broken equipment. After the end of the fighting, she was dragged there along the roads near the Reichstag, and the immediate route depended on where it was most convenient to do it at the moment, i.e. where there is less blockage, damage to the roadway, people and equipment. Thus, the frame could have captured vehicles that did not fight at the Reichstag, but were transported to the collection site for scrap equipment in Tiergarten. Today we can talk about the following German forces at the Reichstag:

1 x tank Tiger ( Pz.Kpfw. VI), Panzer Division Müncheberg (Panzer-Division Müncheberg)

1 x tank Royal Tiger ( Pz.Kpfw. VI B), 503rd SS Heavy Tank Battalion (schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 503)

1 x 20mm ZSU ( 2 cm Flak-Vierling 38 auf Selbstlafette)

1 x anti-tank vehicle Wanze ( Borgward B IV Ausführung mit Raketenpanzerbüchse 54, Wanze)

1 X StuG IV -

1 X Jagdpanzer IV/70(A) - it is not known whether he participated in the defense of the Reichstag

8 x 8mm anti-aircraft guns ( Flak 37)

2 x 150mm howitzers ( 15 cm sFH 18) - probably did not participate in the direct defense of the Reichstag

All these objects were positioned and plotted on an aerial photograph. Below is a photo of them and a brief note.

Attention! Interactive image.
The circles with numbers represent the location of heavy weapons in front of the Reichstag.
Click on them and read in more detail.

The location of German heavy weapons in the defense of the Reichstag.

Wanze near the Reichstag, Berlin, 1945. Approximately 165m from the northwest corner of the Reichstag.

In the general diagram it is indicated

This Borgward B IV Ausführung mit Raketenpanzerbüchse 54 anti-tank vehicle is located approximately 150m northwest of the Reichstag. The vehicle was badly damaged - an explosion in the engine compartment, the right track was torn off, the armored shield with six grenade launchers was missing... This Wanze is one of about 56 produced. Their more or less noticeable use occurred precisely during the Berlin battles. To the right in front of the car (in azimuth at 2 o'clock) the hospital bunker is clearly visible.

2 cm Flak-Vierling 38 auf Selbstlafette (Sd.Kfz.7/1)

Quadruple 20mm anti-aircraft gun on a self-propelled carriage - 2 cm Flak-Vierling 38 auf Selbstlafette (Sd.Kfz.7/1), approximately 60 meters west of the southwestern corner of the Reichstag.

In the general diagram it is indicated

The same quad 20mm anti-aircraft gun on a self-propelled carriage - 2 cm Flak-Vierling 38 auf Selbstlafette (Sd.Kfz.7/1), approximately 60 meters west of the southwestern corner of the Reichstag.

In the general diagram it is indicated

StuG IV

StuG IV near the Reichstag, Berlin, 1945. Approximately 30m from the southern wall, standing on the parapet of the trench.

In the general diagram it is indicated

In the picture - StuG IV 32-35m from the southern wall of the Reichstag, in the center. The starboard side and part of the stern of the self-propelled gun are visible, and the forehead is turned to the east. The right caterpillar stands on the parapet of the trench. It is noteworthy that the StuG IV does not have a barrel. It remains a mystery how the self-propelled gun lost it and whether it participated in the defense of the Reichstag. One can only make a number of assumptions. StuG IV lost its barrel in the battle of the Reichstag; or the barrel was lost even earlier, and the self-propelled gun fought at the Reichstag as a machine gun point against infantry; or a damaged car, without a trunk, was used as an improvised tractor. There are a lot of options, even to the point that the StuG ended up at the Reichstag and was captured on camera when military equipment was removed from the streets after the battles. One of the collection points for broken equipment was located in Tiergarten.

It is impossible to say reliably that this StuG IV fought near the Reichstag.

To the left of the StuG IV is an Opel Blitz with a kung. The rear side door of the kung was torn out.

In general, it is noteworthy that in almost the same place, near the Reichstag there were two self-propelled guns without barrels (see below).

Jagdpanzer IV

Jagdpanzer IV/70(A) near the Reichstag.

The top photo was taken in March 1945, before the fighting. It shows a car approximately 28m south of the southeast corner of the Reichstag (circled).

The bottom photo is after the battles.

In the general diagram it is indicated

Jagdpanzer IV/70(A), or as it was also designated Pz IV/70(A), (Sd Kfz 162/1) is located approximately 28m south of the southeast corner of the Reichstag. A remarkable detail is that the tank does not have a barrel. It can be assumed that this Jagdpanzer IV took part in the battles at the Reichstag, where it was damaged and lost its gun.

However, an earlier photograph taken from the air shows how a certain car stands in the same place, facing the Reichstag in the same way. It is not possible to determine the exact type of machine, but the location and rotation angle are identical. Therefore, we can put forward a second assumption that this Jagdpanzer IV without a barrel ended up at the indicated place near the Reichstag even before the start of the fighting. However, since it was damaged, it remained standing there all this time and did not participate in the battles for the Reichstag.

The question of how he ended up in that place, if he did not fight, is quite prosaic. For comparison, even in the courtyard of the Reich Chancellery after the battles, outdated armored vehicles remained under the jurisdiction of the Police. In the Police itself, they were part of the Technische Nothilfe - a formation that was responsible for the rapid repair and operation of objects of mass necessity (water supply, gas, etc.) Since Berlin was constantly bombed, accompanied by fires and building collapses, the Technische Nothilfe employees were acutely equipment is needed that can protect them in extreme conditions. It is possible that the damaged Jagdpanzer IV, on which it was not possible to repair the gun, was transferred, for example, to the Technische Nothilfe, where it finally failed and stood at the Reichstag during the battles. By the way, the Reichstag area was subject to heavy air raids and there was something to repair there.

Let's take a closer look. In the photo everything looks like fog, but in reality it is smoke and red dust from the ruins. The red dust that was everywhere in Berlin was noted by many participants in those bloody events. Let's look at the picture in detail - that fraction of a second that the camera needed to take the picture left a lot of interesting moments for posterity, some, only a few, of which we will consider.

The frame shows the area between the Brandenburg Gate (in the background) and the Reichstag (from where the photo was taken).

Jagdpanzer IV/70(A) near the Reichstag.

Obviously the same Jagdpanzer IV/70(A) in the lower left corner of the picture. The left sloth and the absence of a caterpillar are clearly visible. Perhaps the vehicle belonged to the Müncheberg Panzer Division.

In the general diagram it is indicated

PzKpfw VI #323

Between the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag was a Tiger with tactical number 323, from the Muncheberg division.

Between the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag there was a Tiger with tactical number 323, from the Muncheberg division.

In the general diagram it is indicated

PzKpfw VI B

The Royal Tiger of the SS Unterscharführer Georg Diers from SS sPzAbt 503 took part in the battles at the Reichstag. The Reichstag does not have photographs of this tank, but Dirs himself has preserved his memories. On April 30, 1945, he received orders to arrive at the Reichstag and on the same day entered into battle with Soviet tanks. On May 1, 1945, this tank fought in the area of the Reichstag - Brandenburg Gate - Triumphal Column. He took part in the counterattack to Krol-Opera, where the Germans were still holding out. Around 19:00, Diers received orders to withdraw from the area to participate in the breakout of the remaining troops from Berlin.

indicated on the general diagram

Flak #1

Flak #1
This Flak 37 anti-aircraft gun stood approximately 120 meters from the front of the Reichstag, opposite the first and second windows to the left of the main entrance. The cannon could effectively shoot through the Soviet advance along the Moltke Bridge. The distance from this gun to the barricade blocking the exit from the Moltke Bridge is about 440 meters.

In the general diagram it is indicated

Flak #2

Flak #2
This Flak 37 is approximately 100 meters from the front of the Reichstag, opposite the right edge of the main staircase. The cannon could fire towards the Moltke Bridge. The distance from this gun to the barricade blocking the exit from the Moltke Bridge is about 477 meters.

In the general diagram it is indicated

Flak #3

Flak 37 is indicated on the general diagram

Flak #4

Flak #4
Flak 37 was located on the opposite side of the moat from the Reichstag, just next to the bridge, approximately 205m west of the southwest corner of the Reichstag.

In the general diagram it is indicated

The Reichstag building or Reichstag (Reichstagsgebäude (inf.) - “state assembly building”) is a famous historical building in Berlin, where in 1894-1933 the German state body of the same name met - the Reichstag of the German Empire and the Reichstag of the Weimar Republic, and since 1999 the Bundestag has been located .
Story
The building was designed by Frankfurt architect Paul Wallot in the Italian High Renaissance style.
The foundation stone of the German parliament building was laid on June 9, 1884 by Kaiser Wilhelm I.
Construction lasted ten years and was completed under Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Inscriptions on the walls of the Reichstag. May, 1945.
"The heart was still beating with the heat of battle,
And silence had already entered the world,
It's as if time has stopped here
Suddenly not believing who the war was over.
Under the arches of the charred vault,
In some pristine silence,
Soldiers of the greatest campaign
They signed it right on the wall.
The Reichstag ruin was breathing
To all the fumes of the world battle,
And it is more sonorous than any chorale
A choir of names sang, growing like the surf.
He sang, flying over fire and blood,
Before the war, a defeated face,
As if overshadowing the headboard
The last dying soldiers.
Everyone wrote their name openly,
So that people of future times know,
So that this feat, accomplished by all of them,
Done in the name of humanity!"
Nikolai Tikhonov.
Reichstagsgebäude
The Reichstag building in Berlin is a most interesting monument in every sense.
Its walls remember as much as other houses and buildings do not “make money” for centuries.
But he is only a century and a half old!
History of construction
The “Iron Chancellor” of Prussia and then Germany, Otto Bismarck, united the scattered German duchies and principalities into one, and, naturally, the question arose about where the government of the newly born state would sit. It was decided to build a building that would reflect the greatness and power of the new country.
The place was quickly chosen: on Republic Square (then Kaiser Square), not far from the river, almost on its bank.
But suddenly the Prussian diplomat and collector of Polish origin, Count Rachinsky, who owned the land, sharply opposed construction.
The German government announced a competition for projects in the hope that the unyielding count would change his will: the Kaiser really did not want to take away the land by force.
But this measure did not have any effect; construction was delayed for several more years, until the son of the now deceased Rachinsky sold the site for development.
The first stone was laid in 1884 by William I, the first meeting of parliament took place 10 years later, when William II reigned.
Architectural appearance
The main idea of the architectural project developed by Paul Wallot was simple: the new Germany, reflected in stone, was supposed to give the impression of strength, sovereignty and statehood.
This style of architecture is called imperial. The architect deliberately “weighted” the building, making it massive, large, solid.
The Reichstag is made in the shape of a square, in the corners of which there are four towers topped with the national flags of Germany. They symbolize the 4 German states, which became the basis for the unification of the country. In the center of the building there is a glass dome (it became such as a result of reconstruction after the Second World War, since the previous one was destroyed). Initially, Emperor Wilhelm did not like the dome very much, because it was taller than all the other domes in the city, and the Kaiser perceived this fact as an attack on the symbols of his power, but still gave in to the author of the project. Today, the height of the dome is 75 meters; at the top there is an observation deck, which offers a magnificent view of the surrounding area.
The central entrance is designed in the form of a solemn ancient Roman portal with 6 pairs of columns, above which there is a portico with a bas-relief depicting the triumph of a united Germany. On both sides of the portico there are turrets of a carillon - a mechanical musical instrument, but today there are no bells on it, the instrument does not work.
On the towers there are allegorical statues, symbolizing all aspects of life in the state: industry, agriculture, army, art, and so on. There are 16 of them in total. It is curious that among the statues there is an allegory of the brewing industry as the basis for the well-being of Germany and its people.
On the portico, in addition to the bas-relief, there is the inscription “Dem deutsche Volke” (“To the German people”). The letters are cast from guns from the Napoleonic Wars. It appeared on the pediment in 1916.
The interiors, the design of which was also developed by Vallot, included the decoration of meeting rooms from wood (mainly to increase acoustic effects), a lot of stucco, designed to copy the style of decoration of city administrative buildings of the 16th-17th centuries: garlands, rosettes, bas-reliefs.
The most unusual thing in the Reichstag building today is the dome. During the Second World War it was completely destroyed, and the building itself was severely damaged. After the war, it ended up in West Berlin (the parliament met in Bonn). Restoration of the historical monument began in the 60s, and work on the dome began in the 90s. The construction of the dome, designed by architect Foster, included its installation on the roof of the building, which was made of glass and concrete. It was a grandiose idea to implement: weighing 1200 tons, 23.5 m high and 38 m in diameter, the dome was not only a decoration, an observation deck, but also a ventilation device, as well as a dimmer.
There are two paths along the dome: one for ascending to the observation deck, the second for descending. In the center there is a structure of mirrors controlled by a computer. This is a giant funnel that provides ventilation to the plenary hall and regulates the supply of daylight depending on its brightness: the mirrors rotate at a certain angle and thus increase or decrease the illumination.
Practical Germans provided environmentally friendly energy supply for the building. Part of it is supplied by thermal springs, part by solar panels. This is how the current owners of the building combined history and modern technology.
History of the Reichstag

At the beginning of its existence it was the building of the parliament, then of the Weimar Republic. The Nazis (they came to power legally through elections) did not move the work of parliament to another place.
On the night of February 28, 1933, the Reichstag was damaged by fire. The symbol of the state was burning. The arson was blamed on the communists, and this served as the pretext for a large-scale wave of repression and terror unleashed by the Nazis. Dark times were beginning in Germany.
They ended in 1945, when Berlin was captured by Soviet troops.
One of the main characters in the film “Only Old Men Go to Battle” dreamed of leaving his painting on the Reichstag. The whole world has seen photographs of a dilapidated building with inscriptions on the walls left by such ordinary wars. It was like a victory over Nazi Germany: we signed the main building of the country, we won, fascism was destroyed.
And the red banner of the Great Victory was also hoisted on the Reichstag, on the right turret of the carillon.
What happened to these inscriptions after the war? It would seem that it would be natural for the defeated side to destroy even a hint of violated statehood.
But no. Honor and praise to the Germans: they do not want to forget what their compatriots have done, they do not want the world to forget about the danger that fascism poses.
And they left inscriptions. They are in the large meeting room, in some rooms, on the roof.
From the steps of the destroyed Reichstag, Berliners addressed humanity: “Peoples of the world! Look at this city..." And don’t repeat our mistakes - I really want to continue this emotional appeal.
Today you can come to the Reichstag on a tour by pre-registering on the website. This excursion will remain in the memory for a long time, because the Reichstag is not just a building, it is a living history.
In the first weeks after the capture of the Reichstag, thousands of Soviet soldiers signed there.

Story
On the Reichstag the word "Vasya"
(Right above the swastika-cross)
All glowing with soldier's happiness,
Knocked out the soldier with a bayonet.
Well, you are clever, little soldier,
Winner and hero!
At the Reichstag taken by storm,
Still, he included his autograph!
Look, read, Europe,
And America - dare
Whose infantry took the Reichstag!?
Who destroyed the "spider paradise"!?
She walked here from the Volga in battles,
She died, and again...
She continued her long journey,
To take the damned Reichstag!
Here, read, Berlin, and remember,
Remember in your heart - forever!
In the conquered Reichstag
Painting of a Russian bayonet!
Name Vasya for all Vasya,
What lies in the damp ground,
On the wall of the Reichstag imperiously,
Painted a soldier with a bayonet!
(Masasin Mikhail Vasilievich)
He signed on the wall
He signed on the wall
I, Ivanov N.N. from Penza
And above, the lines, in the depths...
Victory! Alive! And here is my monogram...
I sat down by the wall and took out my pouch
There was a smell of smoke above the soldier
Hands were shaking... for so many years
He went to Berlin for this date
And how many roads there were
And pain, and blood, and fear, and troubles
Oh, how hard the threshold of war is
How high is the price of Victory...
All the snows of Moscow remember you
The walls of Stalingrad remember you
Where there is a backbone, you broke
The enemy, in the crucible of terrible hell
Odessa remembers you, and Kerch
And Brest, and Kursk, and Rzhev and Prague
War bloody creepy tornado
Brought you to the lair of the Reichstag
And the Volga cries, the Don cries
Both the Dnieper and the Vistula echo
And the bells are ringing
And life is noisy with cheerful laughter...
Soviet soldiers left many inscriptions on the walls of the Reichstag, some of which (including in the meeting room) were preserved and left during the restoration of the building.
In 1947, by order of the Soviet commandant’s office, the inscriptions were “censored”, that is, inscriptions of an obscene nature were removed and several “ideologically consistent” ones were added.
The issue of preserving the inscriptions on the Reichstag was raised in the 1990s during its reconstruction (with the initial stages of renovation revealing many inscriptions hidden by the previous restoration in the 1960s). By agreement of the President of the Bundestag R. Süssmuth (English) Russian. and the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Germany in 1996, statements of obscene and racist content were removed and only 159 graffiti were left. In 2002, the question of removing the inscriptions was raised in the Bundestag, but the proposal was rejected by a majority vote. Most of the surviving inscriptions of Soviet soldiers are located in the interior of the Reichstag, now accessible only with a guide by appointment. At the top, on the right pediment on the inside, the inscription: “Astrakhan Makarov” is preserved.
There are also bullet marks on the inside of the left pediment.

One of the walls with inscriptions left during the restoration of the Reichstag
On September 9, 1948, during the blockade of Berlin, a rally was held in front of the Reichstag building, attracting over 350 thousand Berliners. Against the backdrop of the destroyed Reichstag with the now famous call to the world community “Peoples of the world... Look at this city!” Mayor Ernst Reiter addressed.
The Berlin Wall, erected on August 13, 1961, was located in close proximity to the Reichstag building. It ended up in West Berlin. Subsequently, the building was restored and since 1973 it has been used for the exhibition of a historical exhibition and as a meeting room for the bodies and factions of the Bundestag.
After the reunification of Germany on October 4, 1990, the day after the actual date of German unification, the first meeting of the first all-German Bundestag took place in the Reichstag. On June 20, 1991, the Bundestag in Bonn decided by 338 votes to 320 to move to Berlin to the Reichstag building. After a competition, the reconstruction of the Reichstag was entrusted to the English architect Lord Norman Foster. In May 1995, the Council of Elders of the Bundestag, after lengthy debate, decided to build a modern glass dome, inside which people can walk.
Norman Foster managed to preserve the historical appearance of the Reichstag building and at the same time create a room for a modern parliament, open to the outside world. The building is divided into levels based on the principle of transparency and expediency. The structures of the parliamentary secretariat, as well as technical devices and life support systems are located in the basement and on the first floor. Above is the plenary level with a large meeting room, above which is the visitor level. Even higher is the presidium level, above it is the faction level and, finally, the roof terrace and the impressive dome of the building. The transparency of the building is ensured by modern building materials: light steel structures and large glazed areas, decorative concrete, matte white or beige natural stone give the massive building a silvery hue. For orientation, the color concept of the Danish artist Per Arnoldi is used: the doors of each level are painted a certain color.
Today the Reichstag building is one of Berlin's tourist attractions. Until November 2010, free access to the building's dome and the observation deck on the roof of the Bundestag was open, but tourists must first register on the Bundestag website. The German Bundestag is the most visited parliament in the world. Since the Bundestag moved to Berlin in 1999, over 13 million people from all over the world have visited the Reichstag building. For comparison: during the stay of the German Bundestag in Bonn in 1949-1997, about 11.5 million people visited it. After Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière declared an increased terrorist threat on November 17 due to the possibility of Islamists infiltrating Germany to carry out attacks on Christmas Day, the building was surrounded by temporary metal barriers and the dome was closed to tourists. Currently
At this time, the dome is open to tourists by appointment on the Bundestag website.

The final battle of the Great Patriotic War was the Battle of Berlin, or the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation, which took place from April 16 to May 8, 1945.

On April 16, at 3 o'clock local time, aviation and artillery preparation began in the sector of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts. After its completion, 143 searchlights were turned on to blind the enemy, and infantry, supported by tanks, went on the attack. Without encountering strong resistance, she advanced 1.5-2 kilometers. However, the further our troops advanced, the stronger the enemy’s resistance grew.

The troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front carried out a rapid maneuver to reach Berlin from the south and west. On April 25, troops of the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Belorussian Fronts united west of Berlin, completing the encirclement of the entire Berlin enemy group.

The liquidation of the Berlin enemy group directly in the city continued until May 2. Every street and house had to be stormed. On April 29, battles began for the Reichstag, the capture of which was entrusted to the 79th Rifle Corps of the 3rd Shock Army of the 1st Belorussian Front.

Before the storming of the Reichstag, the Military Council of the 3rd Shock Army presented its divisions with nine Red Banners, specially made to resemble the State Flag of the USSR. One of these Red Banners, known as No. 5 as the Victory Banner, was transferred to the 150th Infantry Division. Similar homemade red banners, flags and flags were available in all forward units, formations and subunits. They, as a rule, were awarded to assault groups, which were recruited from among volunteers and went into battle with the main task - to break into the Reichstag and plant the Victory Banner on it. The first, at 22:30 Moscow time on April 30, 1945, to hoist the assault red banner on the roof of the Reichstag on the sculptural figure “Goddess of Victory” were reconnaissance artillerymen of the 136th Army Cannon Artillery Brigade, senior sergeants G.K. Zagitov, A.F. Lisimenko, A.P. Bobrov and Sergeant A.P. Minin from the assault group of the 79th Rifle Corps, commanded by Captain V.N. Makov, the assault artillery group acted together with the battalion of captain S.A. Neustroeva. Two or three hours later, also on the roof of the Reichstag on the sculpture of an equestrian knight - Kaiser Wilhelm - on the orders of the commander of the 756th Infantry Regiment of the 150th Infantry Division, Colonel F.M. Zinchenko erected Red Banner No. 5, which later became famous as the Victory Banner. Red Banner No. 5 was hoisted by scouts Sergeant M.A. Egorov and junior sergeant M.V. Kantaria, who were accompanied by Lieutenant A.P. Berest and machine gunners from the company of senior sergeant I.Ya. Syanova.

The fighting for the Reichstag continued until the morning of May 1. At 6:30 a.m. on May 2, the chief of defense of Berlin, artillery general G. Weidling, surrendered and gave the order to the remnants of the Berlin garrison to cease resistance. In the middle of the day, the Nazi resistance in the city ceased. On the same day, surrounded groups of German troops southeast of Berlin were eliminated.

On May 9 at 0:43 Moscow time, Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, as well as representatives of the German Navy, who had the appropriate authority from Doenitz, in the presence of Marshal G.K. Zhukov, on the Soviet side, signed the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany. A brilliantly executed operation, coupled with the courage of Soviet soldiers and officers who fought to end the four-year nightmare of war, led to a logical result: Victory.

Capture of Berlin. 1945 Documentary

PROGRESS OF THE BATTLE

The Berlin operation of the Soviet troops began. Goal: complete the defeat of Germany, capture Berlin, unite with the allies

The infantry and tanks of the 1st Belorussian Front began the attack before dawn under the illumination of anti-aircraft searchlights and advanced 1.5-2 km

With the onset of dawn on the Seelow Heights, the Germans came to their senses and fought with ferocity. Zhukov brings tank armies into battle

16 Apr 45 The troops of Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front encounter less resistance on the path of their advance and immediately cross the Neisse

The commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, Konev, orders the commanders of his tank armies, Rybalko and Lelyushenko, to advance on Berlin

Konev demands that Rybalko and Lelyushenko not get involved in protracted and frontal battles, and move forward more boldly towards Berlin

In the battles for Berlin, Hero of the Soviet Union, commander of a tank battalion of the Guards, died twice. Mr. S. Khokhryakov

The 2nd Belorussian Front of Rokossovsky joined the Berlin operation, covering the right flank.

By the end of the day, Konev’s front completed the breakthrough of the Neissen defense line and crossed the river. Spree and provided conditions for the encirclement of Berlin from the south

Troops of the 1st Belorussian Front Zhukov spend the whole day breaking the 3rd line of enemy defense on the Oderen on the Seelow Heights

By the end of the day, Zhukov’s troops completed the breakthrough of the 3rd line of the Oder line on the Seelow Heights

On the left wing of Zhukov’s front, conditions were created to cut off the enemy’s Frankfurt-Guben group from the Berlin area

Directive of the Supreme High Command Headquarters to the commander of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian Fronts: “Treat the Germans better.” , Antonov

Another directive from Headquarters: on identification marks and signals when meeting Soviet armies and Allied troops

At 13.50, the long-range artillery of the 79th Rifle Corps of the 3rd Shock Army was the first to open fire on Berlin - the beginning of the assault on the city itself

Apr 20 45 Konev and Zhukov send almost identical orders to the troops of their fronts: “Be the first to break into Berlin!”

By evening, formations of the 2nd Guards Tank, 3rd and 5th Shock Armies of the 1st Belorussian Front reached the northeastern outskirts of Berlin

The 8th Guards and 1st Guards Tank Armies wedged into the city defensive perimeter of Berlin in the areas of Petershagen and Erkner

Hitler ordered the 12th Army, previously aimed at the Americans, to be turned against the 1st Ukrainian Front. It now has the goal of connecting with the remnants of the 9th and 4th Panzer armies, making their way south of Berlin to the west.

3rd Guards Tank Army Rybalko broke into the southern part of Berlin and by 17.30 was fighting for Teltow - Konev’s telegram to Stalin

Hitler refused to leave Berlin for the last time while there was such an opportunity. Goebbels and his family moved to a bunker under the Reich Chancellery (“Fuhrer’s bunker”)

Assault flags were presented by the Military Council of the 3rd Shock Army to the divisions storming Berlin. Among them is the flag that became the banner of victory - the assault flag of the 150th Infantry Division

In the area of Spremberg, Soviet troops eliminated the encircled group of Germans. Among the destroyed units was the tank division "Fuhrer's Guard"

Troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front are fighting in the south of Berlin. At the same time they reached the Elbe River northwest of Dresden

Goering, who left Berlin, turned to Hitler on the radio, asking him to approve him at the head of the government. Received an order from Hitler removing him from the government. Bormann ordered Goering's arrest for treason

Himmler unsuccessfully tries, through the Swedish diplomat Bernadotte, to offer the Allies surrender on the Western Front.

Shock formations of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts in the Brandenburg region closed the encirclement of German troops in Berlin

German 9th and 4th tank forces. armies are surrounded in the forests southeast of Berlin. Units of the 1st Ukrainian Front repulse the counterattack of the 12th German Army

Report: “In the Berlin suburb of Ransdorf there are restaurants where they “willingly sell” beer to our fighters for occupation stamps.” The head of the political department of the 28th Guards Rifle Regiment, Borodin, ordered the owners of Ransdorf restaurants to close them until the battle was over.

In the area of Torgau on the Elbe, Soviet troops of the 1st Ukrainian fr. met with the troops of the 12th American Army Group of General Bradley

Having crossed the Spree, the troops of Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front and Zhukov's 1st Belorussian Front are rushing towards the center of Berlin. Nothing can stop the rush of Soviet soldiers in Berlin

Troops of the 1st Belorussian Front in Berlin occupied Gartenstadt and Görlitz station, troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front occupied the Dahlem district

Konev turned to Zhukov with a proposal to change the demarcation line between their fronts in Berlin - the center of the city should be transferred to the front

Zhukov asks Stalin to honor the capture of the center of Berlin by the troops of his front, replacing Konev’s troops in the south of the city

The General Staff orders Konev's troops, who have already reached Tiergarten, to transfer their offensive zone to Zhukov's troops

Order No. 1 of the military commandant of Berlin, Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel General Berzarin, on the transfer of all power in Berlin to the hands of the Soviet military commandant's office. It was announced to the population of the city that the National Socialist Party of Germany and its organizations were dissolved and their activities were prohibited. The order established the order of behavior of the population and determined the basic provisions necessary to normalize life in the city.

Battles began for the Reichstag, the capture of which was entrusted to the 79th Rifle Corps of the 3rd Shock Army of the 1st Belorussian Front

When breaking through the barriers on the Berlin Kaiserallee, N. Shendrikov’s tank received 2 holes, caught fire, and the crew was disabled. The mortally wounded commander, gathering his last strength, sat down at the control levers and threw the flaming tank at the enemy gun.

Hitler's wedding to Eva Braun in a bunker under the Reich Chancellery. Witness - Goebbels. In his political will, Hitler expelled Goering from the NSDAP and officially named Grand Admiral Dönitz as his successor.

Soviet units are fighting for the Berlin metro

The Soviet command rejected the attempts of the German command to begin negotiations on the time. ceasefire. There is only one demand - surrender!

The assault on the Reichstag building itself began, which was defended by more than 1000 Germans and SS men from different countries

Several red banners were fixed in different places of the Reichstag - from regimental and divisional to homemade

Scouts of the 150th division Egorov and Kantaria were ordered to hoist the Red Banner over the Reichstag around midnight

Lieutenant Berest from Neustroev's battalion led the combat mission to plant the Banner over the Reichstag. Installed around 3.00, May 1

Hitler committed suicide in the Reich Chancellery bunker by taking poison and shooting himself in the temple with a pistol. Hitler's corpse is burned in the courtyard of the Reich Chancellery

Hitler leaves Goebbels as Reich Chancellor, who commits suicide the next day. Before his death, Hitler appointed Bormann Reich Minister for Party Affairs (previously such a post did not exist)

Troops of the 1st Belorussian Front captured Bandenburg, in Berlin they cleared the areas of Charlottenburg, Schöneberg and 100 blocks

In Berlin, Goebbels and his wife Magda committed suicide, having previously killed their 6 children

The commander arrived at the headquarters of Chuikov's army in Berlin. German General Staff Krebs, reported Hitler's suicide, proposed a truce. Stalin confirmed his categorical demand for unconditional surrender in Berlin. At 18 o'clock the Germans rejected him

At 18.30, due to the refusal of surrender, a fire strike was launched at the Berlin garrison. Mass surrender of Germans began

At 01.00, the radios of the 1st Belorussian Front received a message in Russian: “We ask you to cease fire. We are sending envoys to the Potsdam Bridge."

A German officer, on behalf of the commander of the defense of Berlin Weidling, announced the readiness of the Berlin garrison to stop resistance

At 6.00 General Weidling surrendered and an hour later signed an order for the surrender of the Berlin garrison

Enemy resistance in Berlin has completely ceased. The remnants of the garrison surrender en masse

In Berlin, Goebbels' deputy for propaganda and press, Dr. Fritsche, was captured. Fritsche testified during interrogation that Hitler, Goebbels and Chief of the General Staff General Krebs committed suicide

Stalin's order on the contribution of the Zhukov and Konev fronts to the defeat of the Berlin group. By 21.00, 70 thousand Germans had already surrendered.

The irretrievable losses of the Red Army in the Berlin operation were 78 thousand people. Enemy losses - 1 million, incl. 150 thousand killed

Soviet field kitchens are deployed throughout Berlin, where “wild barbarians” feed hungry Berliners

When mentioning the Reichstag, many people have a very definite association - the Second World War, the waving Soviet flag... What was the Reichstag like then, and what has it become now?

History of the building

In 1884, the Duke of Normandy, William I the Conqueror, laid the first stone of this building in the very center of the German capital. This was the beginning of the long, labor-intensive construction of a highly controversial facility. It could have started earlier if not for a major incident associated with it. The problem was that the place chosen for the construction of the government building belonged to the famous diplomat Radzinsky and his family, and he was not going to give up his territory. Thus, the state managed to take possession of the land only three years after his death, when the diplomat’s son gave his permission.

Long before this, a competition had already been held among the best architects, based on the results of which a Russian candidate was elected. However, he simply did not live to see the start of work, so another competition had to be held. The German Paul Wolloth won. But Emperor Wilhelm, who laid the first stone, did not wait for the completion of construction, so the finished building was already accepted by Wilhelm II.

According to the architect Paul Wollot, the Reichstag was the main symbol of the entire empire. The four towers at the corners acted as the four German kingdoms, and the central dome symbolized the great Kaiser himself. Wilhelm was not happy about this; he thought it would be better if the dome was dedicated to Parliament.

Reichstag fire in 1933

At the beginning of the year, Hitler was appointed Reich Chancellor, and the first thing he did was order the Reichstag to be dissolved and new elections organized. But a week before the expected election date, a message came that there was a fire in the building. It spread quickly, and soon the entire Reichstag was engulfed in flames. It was only possible to put it out around midnight.

As it turned out, the arson was organized by a former communist pyromaniac. True, there is a version according to which an entire assault squad took part in it, using underground passages. Arsonist Marinus van der Lubbe was released from prison in 2008 under an amnesty.

Reichstag during Hitler's time

During the Weimar Republic, the building was used as a base for the Air Force, led by Hermann Goering. This man, in general, played a significant role in the history of the building - in particular, he connected his palace with it through an underground tunnel. This was the reason why Soviet troops sought to capture the Reichstag. It seemed that its destruction would symbolize the destruction of all fascist beliefs. Many Russian shells had phrases like “Across the Reichstag!” written in red paint. In 1945, it was finally possible to hoist the banner over the fascist stronghold.

Capture of the Reichstag and surrender

In 1945, it was already difficult to recognize the majestic structure in the Reichstag that it was before the war - numerous bombings practically razed it to the ground along with the soldiers inside.

The Nazis tried to defend the building to the last, and the Soviet soldiers poured all the hatred that had accumulated over four war years into the assault. The Reichstag was so associated in their eyes with evil that even after its capture they continued to shoot at it for a long time. In addition, all the walls were covered with insults to Hitler and his minions (after the restoration, only the most censored ones were left, without racism and immorality).

For the Germans, the main “memory wall” also symbolizes deliverance from Hitler’s tyranny. The soldiers of the Soviet army left their signatures on it - they wrote their names, the names of their lovers, cities, dates. In the 1990s, there was talk of removing the wall so that it would not remind of the horrors of war, but the majority voted against such a decision. Today, the wall is treated with a special protective solution so that it is not harmed by the environment.

Photo: Flag over the Reichstag in 1945

Recovery process

The Reichstag stood in a dilapidated state until 1954, when it was decided to blow up the ruins. Two years later, the government ordered restoration work, as a result of which the building acquired its current appearance. However, now the Parliament no longer sat there, but the Institute of Historical Sciences was founded. However, from 1991 to 1999 another reconstruction was carried out, and the Parliament was returned to the Reichstag. The building acquired two elevators and a glass-steel dome with an observation deck. A total of 600 million marks were invested in the global reconstruction.

Reichstag today

If possible, it is worth visiting this building, because nowadays there are quite a lot of interesting things here. Of course, first of all, these are Russian messages on the memory wall, but also a huge 23-meter high dome, made in high-tech style, inside of which there is a cone of mirrors. A special computer program constantly adjusts the tilt of the mirrors to create ideal lighting. Architect Norman Foster received a Pulitzer Prize for being able to create a fundamentally new building while preserving the spirit of the old. Despite its rather large size, the building looks quite light, even airy.

It must be said that at first it was planned to build a building with a flat roof, but such a project was clearly missing something, but the transparent dome fit in just perfectly, adding majesty. In addition, it also plays a functional role - an energy one.

For tourists, the Reichstag is open from 08 to 00 every day, but only as part of excursion groups. The last group enters at 22:00. There is a restaurant on the top floor from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To climb the dome to the observation deck, you need to climb a 40-meter-high spiral staircase. The site offers a unique view of the capital at any time of the day or night. Entrance to the building is free, but you must first register on the official website, preferably at least a month in advance.

The Reichstag is the most visited parliamentary building on the planet, with approximately eight thousand people coming here every day. There is even the opportunity to attend the plenary session. Another way to get inside the Reichstag is to reserve a table at a restaurant. Reviews about it are very good - snow-white tablecloths, excellent food, friendly service and, of course, a beautiful view from the window. Remember that when visiting the Reichstag you must have your ID with you.