Unpublished Interview from the Oder Front (1945)

After the Soviets broke through the German defenses on the Vistula in January 1945, the first Soviet troops reached the Oder river, the last natural line of defense before Berlin, in late January 1945. By February, the bulk of the Soviet troops have arrived there. They stopped there, and did not advance beyond the Oder (with the exception of a few bridgeheads), mainly to clear their flanks in Silesia, East Prussia and Pommerania. 

The Germans had basically no units in that area, and for the next two months, almost all new and repaired weapons, including tanks and planes, were sent to the Oder front, and new units were hastily sent there.
But the Wehrmacht was just too bled out after years of fighting, and the Soviets managed to easily cross the Oder during their final offensive towards Berlin mid April 1945. 

In the months of February and March, German propaganda cameramen often visited the Oder to film footage for the German Newsweek.

The following video contains unpublished German propaganda footage from the frontlines near Frankfurt, including an interview with two soldiers in a trench, an interrogation of a defected Soviet soldier, and an interview with a battalion commander about defense preparations on the Oder. 

Source :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo0nsrNSKgs

German Prisoners of War in Berlin (May 1945)

The Second World War ended in May 1945, but the last and fiercest battles in Berlin took place at the beginning of the month. The Red Army surrounded the city, and on May 2, the Berlin garrison surrendered. On May 8, the unconditional surrender of the Wehrmacht came into effect.

Millions of German soldiers were taken prisoner of war after the surrender. Many fell into the hands of the Soviet Union, the USA, Great Britain, and France. While the Western Allies ran comparatively humane camps, many prisoners in Soviet camps suffered from hunger, disease, and forced labor. It was not until the mid-1950s that, according to estimates, the last German prisoners of war returned from the Soviet Union.


Source :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ujva_DGdxdw

Panzerfaust Training (1945)

In Die Deutsche Wochenschau No. 755, one of the striking segments depicted the urgent training of Volkssturm and Hitlerjugend units in the use of the Panzerfaust, Germany’s last-ditch anti-tank weapon. Filmed amid the ruins of German cities in early 1945, the footage showed young boys and aging men receiving rapid instruction from Wehrmacht veterans on how to aim and fire the single-shot launcher against approaching Soviet and Allied armor. The commentary described these “defenders of the homeland” as embodying unbreakable resolve, even as the war neared its catastrophic end. Demonstrations of Panzerfaust firing drills—complete with explosions against mock tank targets—were used to project an image of confidence and resistance. Yet behind the propagandistic tone lay a grim reality: the Reich was training children and civilians for street combat in a hopeless defense. This Wochenschau episode thus captured both the desperation and the propaganda theater of Nazi Germany’s final months, where heroism was manufactured amid inevitable defeat.

Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 755 - 22 March 1945

Evacuation of German Civilian from East Prussia (1945)

In Die Deutsche Wochenschau No. 755, released in the final weeks of the war in early 1945, German audiences witnessed harrowing scenes of the evacuation of civilians from East Prussia as the Red Army advanced westward. The newsreel showed endless columns of refugees—women, children, and the elderly—struggling through snow-covered roads with carts, sleds, and the few possessions they could carry, while smoke from burning villages rose behind them. The voice-over sought to portray the exodus as an orderly and heroic “Volkswanderung,” emphasizing the endurance of the German people under Soviet assault, yet the images betrayed desperation and chaos. German troops were shown assisting the refugees, forming protective convoys, and loading civilians onto ships bound for the Reich’s western territories, including the ill-fated evacuation across the Baltic. Wochenschau No. 755 thus stands as both propaganda and tragic documentation—a final attempt by the Nazi regime to glorify suffering as sacrifice while the East Prussian homeland was consumed by war’s end.

Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 755 - 22 March 1945

Hitler's Last Award Ceremony

On 20 March 1945, as the Third Reich teetered on the brink of collapse, Adolf Hitler held his final award ceremony in the garden of the Reich Chancellery in Berlin. It was a grim and surreal spectacle, filmed by the Propaganda Ministry to project an illusion of steadfastness amid ruin. Before the Führer stood rows of young boys from the Hitlerjugend, many barely in their teens, decorated with the Iron Cross for their supposed bravery in the defense of the Reich. Their faces reflected exhaustion, fear, and misplaced pride as Hitler, gaunt and trembling from illness, moved slowly down the line to shake their hands. This brief ceremony—recorded in black-and-white and later colorized—became one of the most haunting images of Nazi Germany’s final days: the dying leader of a doomed empire entrusting its fate to children. It was not a celebration of victory, but a somber symbol of desperation and the human cost of fanatical devotion.

Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 755 - 22 March 1945

Pilots of I./JG 26 with Their New Leather Outfit

 

A picture which showing the heavy losses of fighter units in the "Reichverteidigung" (Defence of the Reich). Taken early October 1944, it shows pilots of I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) with their new leather outfits in front of the Kommandantur of Krefeld airfield. Of these twelve men only four would survive the war, the other eight would be killed in the eight months until the end of the war. In the first row from left to right: Feldwebel Freiberger (1. Staffel, wounded as Oberfeldwebel on 10 December 1944 in combat with P-47 near Holzhausen / Neuß, died of his wounds on 2 April 1945); Unteroffizier Emil Brühan (1. Staffel, wounded on 25 February 1945 during a belly landing 2 km north-east Ladbergen because of engine failure; died of his wounds on 2 March 1945); Unteroffizier Heinrich Herbster (3. Staffel, wounded on 31 March 1945 by Flak near Lüdinghausen, bailed out and survived); Oberfähnrich Wolfgang Franz (3. Staffel, killed on 26 March 1945 in combat with Tempest near Lengerich); Unteroffizier Wilhelm Düsing (2. Staffel, wounded on 19 March 1945 in combat with P-5I near Osthevern, bailed out and survived), Unteroffizier Hermann Bischoff (without leatherjacket: 2. Staffel, missing in action on 23 December 1944 after combat with Marauder and P-47 south-west of Bonn); and Gefreiter Edwin Zuhaiko (3. Staffel, missing in action on 23 December 1944 after combai with Marauder and P-47 south-west of Bonn). Back row from left to right: Unknown (with pipe), Leutnant Hans-Hermann Krieger (1. Staffel, survived), Unteroffizier Ludwig Sattler (1. Staffel, missing in action on 26 December 1944 with 4./IG 26 after combat with P-51 in area Liege-Aachen), Oberfähnrich Heinrich Vandeweerd (3. Staffel, wearing Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse, killed in action on 25 February 1945 near Sendenhorst in an accident); and Unteroffizier Heinz Meiss (killed in action on 13 March 1945 as member of 7./JG 26 in combat with Spitfire near Unna.

Source :
"Luftwaffe im Focus" Edition No.1 - 2002

Surrender of Generalleutnant (Luftwaffe) Karl Veith

Meeting on Wedtlenstedter Schleuse (Fuse Canal lock house), 10 April 1945. Leutnant Schmidt (interpreter) carrying a white flag, while General Hobbs and General Harrison backs to the camera.

Generalleutnant Karl Veith and Major-General Hobbs after Veith's capture east of Braunschweig, 12 April 1945.

Account of surrender negotiations between Major General Leland S. Hobbs, Commanding General, 30th Infantry Division and Generallcutnant Karl Vcith, Commander of the Braunschweig Defenses, 10 April 1945, as observed by 1st Lt. John Henderson, 4th Information and Historical Service, 9th U.S. Army:

The advance to the east were practically unopposed to Vechelede. The 126th Cavalry captured the town before canal containing a military hospital. A Gorman medical officer knew the German General was anxious to talk terms of surrender. Our line stopped advance while a Private Solomon of l35th Cavalry conferred with German officials. A conference was arranged for 1900B at 820114, between General Hobbs and General Veith. I was present at the conference having followed the party through no man's land. As our party approached the canal the German general's car was seen coming in from the east. All personnel were unarmed and under cover of a white fiag. Arms and sidearms had been placed in my vehicle.

The meeting took place at a lock on the canal in the portion of the lock house on the east side of the canal. I do not know the composition of the German party other than it consisted of 6 men, the General, a couple of aides, an interpreter, and one other person whom I take to be the political leader of the area. All were in dress unifoms. General Hobbs' party in the conference room consisted of the General, General Harrison, Lt. Col. Hall, Lt. Schmidt (Interpreter), Lt. Henderson (9th Army Historian), Lt Kerrigan (30th Division PRO) and numerous cameramen.

General Veith was a little, undignified man with rather a hesitant halting voice. His words were certainly at the insistance of the tall scar faced officer (Gestapo?) beside him. General Hobbs' voice filled the small second story room as he said, "I am not here to bicker." During the five minute con-sultation between General Veith and staff, General Hobbs and General Harrison discussed methods of taking the place if the deal did not work. As we approached the canal wo could see puffs of smoke and hear deep rumbling explosions. These were bridges along the canal being blown. The original plan had been to move rapidly to the outskirts of town, 'then demand surrender. In light of events which followed I believe that would have been the sounder plan. I think our people could have rushed the bridges rather than permitting the enemy to blow bridges while we negotiated. The return trip was without incident, though roads were clogged with armor and infantry waiting to plunge in if the "plan" didn't work. Also, German planes in the vicinity made things uncomfortable, but our column was not strafed.

Conversation between Major General Leland S. Hobbs, Commanding General, 30th Infantry Division and Generalleutnant Karl Veith at 820114, Germany, 1900B, 10 April 1945:

General Hobbs: I am here to receive the surrender of your general and his troops.

General Veith: We wish the towns to be open and undefended in order to avert war among the civil population. Therefore I offer them as open towns. We wish until 1900B tomorrow to withdraw our troops.

General Hobbs: The terms of the Allies are always unconditional.

General Veith: Yes we know that, but your parliamentarian stated that such could be done in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

General Hobbs: He was making the best statement he could, but it was not based on the facts. He had no authority to say that we would accept anything other than unconditional surrender.

General Veith: Though it is our desire to fight soldier to soldier, we would like to withdraw our soldiers in order to save the civilian population.

General Hobbs: I repeat my terms are unconditional as they have been submitted. The General knows that if he surrenders as a man no harm will be done the city.

General Veith: I fight soldier against soldier and if the civilian population suffers, it is your will.

(The German General asked for five minutes to confer with his staff).

During the intermission General Hobbs requested that his interpreter be prepared to ask the German commander how many troops he had in his command. This the interpreter did during the conference. To this the German General answered, "I would no more tell you than you would tell me how many troops in your command." General Hobbs explained to the interpreter that this question was only to be asked after the surrender had been tendered.

(The negotiations continued at 1916B).

Interpreter: The German General would like to have your name, sir. He has already given you his.

General Hobbs: General Hobbs. H-O-B-B-S.

General Veith: What are the conditions of your offer? (Here the German interpreter interceded). He means what area and what troops do you ask to surrender?

General Hobbs: I ask the surrender of the area and the troops that he (the General) commands.

General Veith: Braunschweig and vicinity will surrender unconditionally at 1200 tomorrow. I will with-draw my troops before the town and those that are in the town.

General Hobbs: No.

General Harrison: (30th's Assistant Division Commander): We don't care about the town. We want your troops.

General Hobbs: I am not here to bicker. I want unconditional surrender or we will continue the cam-paign.

General Veith shrugged his shoulders to indicate non-acceptance.

The American party began to leave. The German interpreter shouted to the American interpreter, "How long will the truce continue?" After conferring with General Hobbs and Lt. Col. Stewart L. Hall, G-2, 30th Infantry Division, who directed the arrangements for the conference, the interpreter replied, "One half hour. It is now 1920B."

Generalleutnant Karl veith (left, Kommandeur Flak-Schul-Division Braunschweig) being presented the unconditional surrender terms by the Americans at Braunschweig, Germany, 10 April 1945. Second from right is Leutnant Schmidt, the interpreter for Veith and Major-General Leland S. Hobbs (Commander U.S. 30th Infantry Division). A description of the negotiations (including the original US protocol) can be found HERE. The guy with the Volkssturm Armbinde (whom Lieutenant Henderson considered to be the real leader of the delegation, somewhat naively assuming he was a "Gestapo officer" or "the political leader of the area"!) was actually the local Volkssturm commander Major d.R. Ernst Webendoerfer, managing director of the Vieweg-Verlag, who had lost a leg in World War I.

 

Generalleutnant Karl veith (left), in command of the German forces in Braunschweig, Germany, shakes hands with Major-General Leland S. Hobbs, commanding general of 30th Infantry Division, U.S. Ninth Army. On 10 April 1945 Surrender terms were discussed, but no agreement reached. Each officers return to their camp and the fighting continued. According to this brochure quoting local military historian Karl-Heinz Heineke, Veith was captured only 24 hours later (at 23.42 hours on 11 April) when his convoy leaving Braunschweig ran into an American roadblock near Schöppenstedt.

Source :
Picture courtesy of Graveland
https://www.britishpathe.com/video/men-out-of-cages
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Cbergabe_der_Stadt_Braunschweig
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=211991
https://www.oldhickory30th.com/BraunschweigFall.htm
http://www.oldhickory30th.com/22_photo_page.htm

German Pilot Rides into Captivity in US Jeep

 A German Pilot rides into captivity after his plane, from which he was strafing American positions near Weisweiler, was brought down by anti-aircraft fire out of a formation of 25 Luftwaffe aircraft during Operation Queen. The operation was aimed against the Rur river, as a staging point for a subsequent thrust over the river to the Rhine into Germany. It was conducted by the 1st and 9th U.S. Armies and was a German defensive victory. Weisweiler, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. 9 December 1944.

Source :
http://bag-of-dirt.tumblr.com/post/142814969600/a-german-pilot-rides-into-captivity-after-his