SS Charlemagne: The 33rd Waffen-Grenadier Division of the SS

On the morning of the 30th April, as I learnt later, General Weidling had held a commanders’ conference at the Bendlerblock, in which one could speak freely about the situation. But, despite the central importance of his sector, SS-General Mohnke was not invited anymore than myself as commander of the Nordland Division, which constituted the main fighting force of the LVIth Panzer Corps, and whose command I had taken over at his request.

The volume of fire on the city centre had increased and our positions subjected to the fire of ‘Stalin-Organs’. The battle seemed to be reaching its climax, but the enemy had hardly penetrated our sector and we prepared for more assaults from him. Ammunition and Panzerfausts were deposited along our main line of resistance and on Leipziger Strasse. Unfortunately, four of our tanks, whose guns were still capable of firing, had been immobilised by direct hits.

The usual evening conference at the Sector ‘Z’ commander was called off without explanation. To our surprise, enemy artillery fire in our sector lessened towards midnight and almost completely ceased.

Captain Fenet resumed his account: