This page gives a good detail of the village of Halbe:
Alan Beadle Antique Arms & Militaria
Just to give a quick summation of the Battle of Halbe:
In April 1945 the 9th Army under the command of General Theodor Busse was flung back from the Seelow Heights by Zhukov's Armies. As it retreated it soon found its path Westward blocked by Marshal Koniev's armies advancing north towards Berlin. The 9th Army tried to breakout of the Soviet ring by advancing through the Village of Halbe and on through the forest south of Berlin to link up with Walther Wenck's 12th army. It brought with it a large number of civilians who were fleeing the Soviet Armies.
The breakout was horrific and thousands were killed on both sides in the breakout.