The Führerbunker: The Walls That Saw Hitler’s Death

 On January 16th 1945, Adolf Hitler settled into his final place of residency, The Führerbunker, within the city of Berlin. The Fuhrer – or as I call him, the emotional weakling with a peculiar moustache – would never again see the light of dawn.

The Soviet army advanced across Poland towards Eastern Germany while Allied forces shelled Berlin from above. A total of 363 air raids were a constant reminder to Hitler of his losing war effort. By April 1945, 2.5 million soldiers of the Red Army reached the capital of Deutschland in order to avenge the blood that had been spilled in Stalingrad by Nazi perpetrators.

On April 20th, the 1st Belorussian Front along with their comrades began their desecration of Berlin’s City Centre, by means of artillery. Seems like quite the birthday present for the leader of the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei.

Wehrmacht and Schutzstaffel divisions fanatically attempted to halt the advance of the Soviets to no avail. Furthermore, Panzerschrecks and other German arms were not enough to keep soldiers of the Soviet Union from moving forward.  Consequently, The Führerbunker was closer to becoming compromised. Jon E. Lewis in his 1998 book, The Mammoth Book of Eye-witness History, recanted the words of a Soviet war correspondent:

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“On the walls of the houses we saw Goebbels‘ appeals, hurriedly scrawled in white paint: ‘Every German will defend his capital. We shall stop the Red hordes at the walls of our Berlin.’ Just try and stop them!

Steel pillboxes, barricades, mines, traps, suicide squads with grenades clutched in their hands—all are swept aside before the tidal wave.

Drizzling rain began to fall. Near Bisdorf I saw batteries preparing to open fire. ‘What are the targets?’ I asked the battery commander. ‘Centre of Berlin, Spree bridges, and the northern and Stettin railway stations,’ he answered.

Then came the tremendous words of command: ‘Open fire on the capital of Fascist Germany.’ I noted the time. It was exactly 8:30 a.m. on 22 April. Ninety-six shells fell in the centre of Berlin in the course of a few minutes.”

 Hitler, approximately 28 feet underground, heard every piece of artillery as the Soviets crept closer towards Hitler’s refuge. Soon, the Red Army had reached Potsdamer Platz; thus bringing despair into Hitler’s mind.

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The Soviets brought thunder upon the Reich; and the only accompanying rain came in the form of tears from the eyes of the fuhrer. With the use of a Walther Polizeipistole, the Nazi dictator made the bunker his tomb until flames engulfed his lifeless body. The threat of the 3rd Reich was subsequently extinguished.

Happy 2nd Lieutenant William Robertson and Lt. Alexander Sylvashko, Russian Army, shown in front of sign [East Meets West] symbolizing the historic meeting of the Russian and American Armies, near Torgau, Germany. (Photo: German Federal Archive)  I hope that both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin see this photo; and realize that two great nations can come together in peace and not conflict.  As I conclude this article on the day that marked what would have been Martin Luther King’s 88th birthday, he would most certainly agree.