Halbe, 1945: Eyewitness Accounts from Hell's Cauldron

Eberhard Baumgart

Sep 2022 · Tantor Media Inc · Kuchazwe ngu-Bruce Mann

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In April 1945, German troops withdrawing from the Seelow Heights were encircled by the Soviet Army near the small town of Halbe, south-east of Berlin. Rather than surrender, their orders were to attempt to break out, westward, and join up with the German twelfth Army. A brutal battle ensued, with an estimated 30,000 German and 20,000 Russian soldiers killed, along with thousands of civilians. This collection of first-hand accounts tells the story of the battle and its aftermath from the German perspective. It is an eclectic mix, containing the recollections of ordinary soldiers, SS-men and men of the Panzer Divisions, as well as civilians caught up in the battle as they attempted to flee ahead of the advancing armies. It brings to life the grim realities of this one-sided engagement, revealing the brutal vengeance of the Soviets and the desperation to escape the slaughter. Translated into English for the first time, this is an important insight into this devastating and little-known aspect of World War II history.

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Eberhard Baumgart is the author of The Battle of Halbe, 1945: Eyewitness Accounts from Hell's Cauldron.

Bruce Mann is an award-winning voice artist and actor. He was born in the UK and now lives in California. His awards include several AudioFile Earphones Awards, two Audie nominations, and an AudioFile Excellence Award.

Roger Moorhouse is a historian of the Third Reich. He is a tour guide, a book reviewer and a visiting professor at the College of Europe in Warsaw.

Eva Burke translated and helped research The True Story of the Christmas Truce and I Somehow Survived. She lives in London with her husband, four children and three grandchildren.