Halbe Pocket

[John Newman]

I'm considering a visit to the Halbe area later this year, I'm reading "Red Storm on the Reich: Soviet March on Germany, 1945" by Christopher Duffy as a starting reference. Can any members provide further guidance and/or advice please?

Thanks

[Gotthard Heinrici]

Originally posted by John Newman@Apr 6 2005, 11:13 AM
I'm considering a visit to the Halbe area later this year, I'm readingX "Red Storm on theX Reich: Soviet March on Germany, 1945" by Christopher Duffy as a starting reference. Can any members provide further guidance and/or advice please?

Thanks

Quoted post

Hi John and best of luck on your planned trip. It is a battle that fascinates me too and your starting point is an excellent piece of work. As a guide I also recommend a read of Anthony Beevor's Berlin. This covers the Halbe Pocket as well although maybe not as well as Duffy's book. Can I also recommend Will Fey's book Armoured Battles of the SS by Stackpoole Press. There are a number of chapters relating to survivors stories in the Halbe Pocket and also the last SS units in Berlin to try and break out from around Spandau. As they are survivors testimonies they may have good local reference points from which you can work from.
I also discovered a site that details one persons visit to the Seelow Heights in 2000.
http://www.curme.co.uk/seelow.htm

I dont know if you will be including this area in your trip but it might be of help to you.

Let us know how you get on!

[harribobs]

if you're looking for an interesting book on the subject, i would recommend 'with our backs to berlin' by Tony Le Tisser

it's first hand accounts from ther retreat to berlin, not just the halbe cauldron

[John Newman]

Thanks for the comments.

I've been to the Falaise gap once or twice and you can still find relics on the surface in some areas (bullets, buckles, bits of glass mines etc.). I hope to do the same at Helbe (girlfriend permitting).

I'll get some phots and post them.

Regards

John

[Gotthard Heinrici]

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.

[deadb_tch]

Originally Posted by Gotthard Heinrici

I also discovered a site that details one persons visit to the Seelow Heights in 2000.
Seelow Heights

Wow! Gott, the page that one level higher then one u provided (i mean Battlefield Visits) is good start reading for beginning battlefield visitors. Big ups.

And sadly no Battle of Kursk Battlefield there.

[Gotthard Heinrici]

Originally Posted by deadb_tch

Wow! Gott, the page that one level higher then one u provided (i mean Battlefield Visits) is good start reading for beginning battlefield visitors. Big ups.

And sadly no Battle of Kursk Battlefield there.

I know Dead! Its a pity indeed that there was no trip to Kursk. Maybe one day I'll get to change that!!

[Gotthard Heinrici]

Here's the Wiki entry on the German Commander of the 9th Army Theodor Busse:

Theodor Busse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

He served under Von Manstein, interesting.

[Gotthard Heinrici]

9th Army was organised as follows:

CI Corps
LVI Panzer Corps
XI SS Panzer Corps
V SS Mountain Corps

Whilst this sounds like an impressive formation, most of the units were undermanned without proper weapons, little fuel and low morale (Hans von Lucks biography tells of a near mutinous atmosphere following the attack by the Soviets)

As the Russians attacked CI Corps was pushed to the North, LVI Corps retreated along Reichstrasse 1 falling back towards Berlin. The remaining formations would get pushed southwards and would make up some of the main formations trapped in the Halbe Pocket.

[Gotthard Heinrici]

Tony le Tissier's excellent book "Slaughter at Halbe" makes some estimation towards Soviet and German strengths facing each other on 25th April on the 9th Army area.

For the Germans he estimates that the maximum strength of 9th Army in terms of Armored Vehicles was about 250 of which only about 200 were available for combat. He quotes the last report 9th Army sent to Army Group Headquarters on 24th April as being 79 Tanks in V Corps and 36 in XI SS Panzer Corps. In terms of manpower he cites Lieutenant-General Friedrich Bernhard the 9th Army's Rear area Commander. He put the total at 50,000 combat troops, 10,000 Volkssturm and, if totals of rear area troops are included then up to 150,000 men were trapped in the Halbe Pocket.

as regards the Soviet numbers he quotes 240,000 troops, 7,400 guns and Mortars, 280 tanks and SPG's as well as 1500 aircraft.

although these figures are quoted he does make the point that it is very difficult to accurately report the German figures given that there were so many different formations and not much evidence in terms of Reports etc.