Tiger II, Power on the Prowl

[Hagen]

AAR of Unterscharfuhrer Karl-Heinz Turk, commander of a King Tiger during the Battle for Berlin;

Karl-Heinz Turk, Unterscharführer in der sSS-Pz.Abt.503

I have luckily survived many different battles not only on the Oder front, but also in Berlin. My tank was 2 of 6, which were sent to Berlin. We took up positions in the Eastern area, around the Reichsbank, "Abschnitt 'Norge'". My Tiger, and that of Diers, was repeatedly put into service in the Spittelmarkt and Vollstrasse area. We were able to knock out a massive number of enemy tanks on the other side of the Spree. Diers was later on ordered to move back towards the Tiergarten later on in the evening. I stayed behind, with my practically unmanouverable tank here at the old Reichsbank. I then recieved new orders on this day to drive towards Potzdamer Platz by way of Anhalter bahnof in order to fight of repeated Soviet tank advances in that defence sector. This was a difficult area to manover through due to the amount of bombed-out buildings and massive rubble and damaged electricity and street tram lines.

We were not able to reach Anhalter Bahnhof, due to massive Tank and Anti-Tank gun fire. I ordered the gunner to open up and told the driver to make a hasty retreat under the fire of our own gunner, which he did. We then took up position in (around) the Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse. We did this in order to conserve ammo and create a position of blocking fire to tie up the enemy from a distance, and to preserve ammunition, as we did not know when we could reload. Due to this, we were able to knock out many enemy tanks and block the area off. Due to the regular infantry and artillery fire from the Soviets, we were forced to keep our machine guns in action in order to ward off infantry attacks. During this action, we began to have problems with both of the onboard mounted machine guns (MGs). The noises of tank motors alerted us to the possibility of a early morning attack from the Russians. This was no mistake as the Russians began their attack during the morning, their tank guns blazing and causing havoc everywhere. They were somehow able to tow off all of the knocked out tanks from the previous day and repair them enough to take advantage in this attack. We shot at everything that came towards us,but recieved a deadly cover fire which caused numerous hits on the right track aand and on the side armor. After around an hour of this firefight, we were able to convince the Russians to turn around and then go home. We were sadly not even able to move at the end of this action.

After a discussion with the crew, I was able to make my way towards the Tiergarten in order to contact the Instandwerkstatt company to get a Bergepanther. To my luck, the only Bergepanther is commanded by Unterscharführer Piller, my Ex-Gunner. We then drove to Potsdamer Platz, where Piller and I were able to fix the tracks, all the while under rediculous artillery fire, in order for him to tow my Tiger II B to the Reichskanzelei. We are, after 3 hours, finally repaired and told that we can again take up position(the tank still has manoverability problems) in direction of Saarlandstrasse(which does not exist anymore.. the one that does is in the wrong direction). We take up our old position on the right side of the street. A new tank comes out of nowhere with 2 Luftwaffe officers and they instruct me to come with them to the new battalion command post in the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (we havent had any form of radio contact for a while). We are able to reach our new destination after a risky time moving through rubble and half-destroyed houses, we spent more time hiding from the artillery fire, as we did moving towards the end positon. Sturmbannführer wants to know the situation with all of the tanks, especially why I disengaged myself from the fighting for 3 hours.

After informing him of the entire situation, I am able to return to my crew with the command to search out and take up a certain position in the Potsdamer Platz, where I would be able to defend the entire area and also be virtually unseen by the enemy. In order to do this, I move my Tiger II B in front of a Protection wall which stands in by a U-Bahn entry for the Potsdamer Bahnhof. We are able to command the area from this position. the on-board machine guns are able to take everything under fire, as we move the Turret around to take every suspicious movement underfire. The on-board MGs have to take sewer drains underfire as the Russians attempt to outflank us by using the sewers to get in and around our position.

May 1, 1945: we begin to run low on munitions, and we are not sure where to get any more ammunition. The artillery fire dies down during the afternoon, and due to the lack of any form of information, I am forced to go to the nearby U-Bahn station in order to see what I can find. The U-Bahn was, much to my suprise, full of civilians, who with totally depressed and hopeless faces asked whether the war was over and who had won. I came across a Wehrmacht Captain, who I implored to inform me of the entire situation inside of Berlin.

Sadly, this "Captain" was only a Courier, who had accidentally put on the coat of his Commander. He was able to give me very much wanted information, from which I learned of the death of Adolf Hiter. And through him, I was told that a Pionier platoon of the Waffen-SS unit was positioned in our area. This platoon was reinforced by Volksturm and Hitlerjugend "reinforcements". I instructed the courier to go to them and retrieve the commander of the platoon and bring him to my position, which he did. During this, I released the Volksturm and Hitlerjugend from their service and they all went home. The only people from the pionier platoon who stayed, ended up following their Oberscahrführer to my point, as the rest had run off.

We recieved several reports of break-out attempts The only one that sounds promising was that from the Weidendammer Brücke. The Oberscharführer informed me that there was still several manouverable SPWs at the Reichskanzlei. We repaired one enough so that it could drive, and then headed towards Friedrichstrasse. We drove quick through the hellish night, and through this we were not able to see a huge shell hole which lay ahead of us, into which ourour SPW drove into. After this point, we were not able to remove the SPW from the shell hole, so after the loss of our completely unmanouverable Tiger II B and now this SPW, we were not sure what to do. Thank god that we had a Berliner with us who was familiar with the entire area, as he was able to direct us through a portoin of the U-Bahn, which was set under a half meter of water, from which we we finally emereged at the Weidendammer Brücke

The breakout took place on May 2nd, 1945 at around 12:15 (00:15) or so, as far as my memory serves me. A "Kingtiger"(Tiger II B) took point and a massive wave of soldiers and civilians attempted to take cover behind him. As far as I remember, right after we overtook the tank obstructions, we began to recieve heavy, if not murderous fire, which shot down just about everything which was not packed off into an armored area. A Luftwaffe officer was able to make a jump over the bridge without being injured. After we made our way through the blockade, we were able to hide ourselves in a building of the BEWAG. We spent an entire day and the following night in this building. During which we were able to find the clothes of foreign workers and then were able to make our escape per foot in the direction of Frohnau. I was able to make it over the Elbe at Rösslau (Kornhaus) after being taken prisoner 2 times by the Russians. The first time in Berlin and the second in Steutz an der Elbe. After my swim over the Elbe, I was forced to then swim over the Mulde. I was finally caught in Leuna by a group of American MPs after four weeks of eluding the enemies. I was then placed in an US-prisoner of war camp and then later on sent over the Rhine to the French, from which I was then returned to the "internment camp -Darmstadt".

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[cyberia]

Fascinating read, Hagen! Thanks for sharing.

[Hagen]

Here's another this time from Unterscharfuhrer Georg Diers who Turk mentions in his AAR;

Das Ende in Berlin 1945

Bericht des Unterscharführer Diers, Panzerkommandant der sSS-PzAbt 503

April 19, 1945: Retreat from Seelow, new positions taken up in/around Buckow (a town near Strausberg/Müncheburg). Damage to the tracks, repeated hits on and around the turret from a JS - 122. Were forced to take emergency actions, during this were able to knock out 13 tanks in 19 minutes.

April 20, 1945: Sent to the repair company in Hönow due to the track damage. Fire breaks out in the turret due to the quick welding and repair of the above mentioned damage. The Tetra-fire extinguishers, which were used to put out the fire, have damaged the sights and weapons.

April 21, 1945: The Russians have broken through our lines and we are forced to abandon our current position towards Berlin, by way of Marzahn (originally spelled as "Marzan", should be as written, "Marzahn"), Lichtenberg to Biesdorf, to the repair station of Krupp & Druckemöller.

April 22, 1945: Position in Biesdorf was abandoned in the early morning. We then travelled towards the Berlin suburb of Neukölln by way of Köpenick, Oberschöneweide/Spree. During this, we had to cross a bridge over the Teltow canal, where our gunner was able to knock out a JS - 122. This was probably the best shot I've ever seen, as he was only able to see a part of the left side of the enemy tank, this kill counted towards my 49th enemy tank killed. The crew radio is broken, we can only communicate with each other with a string. We then cover the tank ditch and defenses at Sonnenallee, which are facing the bridge. We recieve our last known meals from the Spieß, Oberscharführer Taube. We are then commanded to meet at the battalion command post (set up at the District court in Neukölln) , and are then given instructions for the defense of Bergstrasse, Richardstrasse and the Hertieplatz, we take up position across from the Post building. We recieve flyers that evening, all are from the OKW which report that "Bahnhof Köpenick" has been retaken.

April 25, 1945: The battle in Neukölln begins, the Russians attempt to attack by way of Bergstrasse and Berliner strasse. Another tank, which was dug in across from the Neukölln Post Office was shot to pieces. The commandant was wounded during the afternoon, and stayed where he fell, his eye was ripped out of the socket. He was eventually evacuated to a military hospital, but we are not sure where to find another Commander? We see a officer - also wounded -, wearing the uniform of a tanker, standing on the roadside, he then takes command of the tank. The tank then goes on the offensive towards the Berliner strasse where the Russians have been able to break through. The attack is made with troops from the "Charlemagne" division, who are attacking from the Hasenheide. We were then able to knock the Russians back and to stabilize the front to where it originally was, by which we were able to knock out many enemy tanks. After this, we were able to advance to Richardstrasse, where 3 enemy tanks -in Jahnstrasse- were knocked out, and after which we returned to Hertieplatz on the advice of the new Officer, who was a Berliner.

April 26, 1945: We recieve orders to change positions from Hertiehaus to Hermannplatz. We are, however, told to make our way to the Division command post -at Potsdamer Platz- due to the damage we recieved during the night. During this, we are subjected to an ambush by Katyusha rockets, the so called "Stalins Organ," by which our commander is wounded. He is then taken to the hospital at Anhalter Bahnhof and we travel on to the command post at Potsdamer Platz. We give our report to Kausch and Herzig. Dr. Cappell suggests that Oscha. Diers be returned to command the tank, he does, with the command to travel to the repair company, which is located in the Uhlandstrasse (Ku'damm). Everyone is happy that they are able to finally sleep. (in these past 2 entries (22 - 26. April), I am not sure if Diers actually was commanding the tank, or if he was riding along with it as the way it is written sounds as though he was originally the commander of the Tiger II B, but was then sent away, and then here on the 26th, returned to command the tank again)

April 27, 1945: We drive towards U-Bahn Station Mitte and secure Lindenstrasse and its corner to Kommandantenstrasse, which faces Belle-Alliance-Platz (Present day "Mehringplatz" at U-Hallesches Tor")

April 28, 1945: The Russians are using flamethrowers to dislodge the defenders of the Luisenstadtkirche, which is nonetheless successfully fought off.

April 29, 1945: Commanded towards Potsdamer Platz, in the direction of Saarlandstrasse and Anhalter Platz. Oscha. Karl Heinz Turk is positioned on the otherside of the street. "Ivan" takes the entire area of Potsdamer Platz under fire, they also attempt to swarm the positions around Anhalter Bahnhof with a tank attack, which is also successfully fought off. Whereby we are able to knock out another JS - 122 and several T-34s which are attacking from behind the Haus Vaterland, these knockouts enable us to block off the Saarlandstrasse from further enemy tank attacks.

April 30, 1945: The order is recieved to move towards the Reichstag. Turk and his Tiger II stay behind at Potsdamer Platz. During our ride towards the Reichstag, we are greeted by intense Russian radiotraffic, they have assuredly also heard our new orders. The Reichstag is completely bombed out, and there stands about 30 T-34s standing across the way in front of the Kroll Oper. After a quick instructions to the crew, we quickly round the corner and begin firing at this group of tanks, success is ours at this point.

May 1, 1945: We are instructed to stay around the Reichstag, Brandenburger Tor, and take control of all approaches from the Siegessäule and make an attack on the Russian forces dug in around the Kroll Oper, as there are still German wounded in the Opera house.

The Russians were able to make several successful recon sorties into the Reichstag, and have holed themselves up in the middle of the building, so that we are not able to dislodge them due to the bricked up windows and doors. We recieve orders to break out at 7p.m., we are able to reload and replenish our ammunition at the "Göring-Villa" in the Wilhelmstrasse (perhaps the Luftfahrtministerium??? sits on the corner of Wihelmstrasse and Leipzigerstrasse ).
I was then ordered to report to the Reichskanzlei, as i entered it, i had to run through many different hallways and other obstacles until entering an open area with a stairway leading down below the building. It is at this point that I saw several men throwing gasoline all over something, in an attempt to burn it, this resulted each time with a huge cloud of dirty and foul smelling smoke, and the Russians would immediately begin to shell the spot.

I then met Goebbels in the bunker, who instructed me that a break-out attempt would take place and that I should move towards Friedrichstrasse - Weidendammerbrücke and meet up with other forces who would also take part in the escape. There would be 3-5 other tanks taking part, and we should attempt to break out towards Oranienburg, link up with "Kampfgruppe" Steiner and we would then be sent to Schleswig-Holstein where we would wait for the inevitable link up with Allied forces coming from the west, who would then help us make a counter-attack to the east.

It was at this time that I learned that Adolf Hilter had married Eva Braun and then they had taken their own lives, and that it was more than likely the bodies which I had seen during my enterance.

We meet up at Friedrichstrasse S-Bahn Station, along with a large group of trucks and other vehicles as well as many troops who wished to take part in the break out. There was about 3-4 tanks, Sturmgeschütze, SPWs, and a large amount of LKWs (lorries). The Weidendammerbrücke, which lays before us, had been completely blocked off by tank traps during the initial defense preparement of Berlin. I entered the Station at Friedrichstrasse, where I was met by several other ranking SS- officials who told me that the commander of the tank regiment, Paul Kausch, was laying critically wounded in a nearby recon vehicle. As i returned to my vehicle, I was approached by many soldiers and others who asked if they could ride on our Tiger II during the break out attempt, we agreed and they eagerly climbed abroad the back deck of the tank.

During this another person came to us, someone of a higher rank - his rank wasnt known by us as he wore a long coat but was respected by the other troops around us - and asked if we would also take him, we agreed and he as well climbed onto the back deck of the tank. We were then forced to drive over the tank traps on the Bridge, as the area reserved for people to pass through was much too small for a Tiger II.

As we reached the first street - which i later found out to be Ziegelstrasse- we begin recieving murderous small arms fire from infantry and artillery. Everything and everyone on and around our tank was shot down, eviscerated or annihlated, even fixtures on the tank did not make it through the murderous barrage we encountered. The crew radio has failed again, the driver ignores this and keeps on driving as fast as possible, not seeing a large hole in the street. I was only able to communicate with the driver with help from the gunner, who told him to drive to the left onto the sidewalk around the hole. He did so, destroying many street lights and other fixtures, including the electric cables for the street tram. We keep on driving, eventually reaching another tank trap, at which we stop and suddenly a figure with a hat comes out of nowhere, much to my surprise. Not knowing who he is, I pull out my pistol and am ready to shoot him when I see the Totenkopf emblem and he informed me that he was a driver and an 2nd adjutant of Goebbels, who has something of an idea of Berlin and the streets.

>this interesting character, an Untersturmführer, had hopped onto the side skirts of the tank as it drove, and was then able to grab onto the turret, to which he held onto for dear life, as he was quite sure that the Ziegelstrasse would be heavily defended, thus saving his own life. We asked him where all the others who had been on our tank or had follwed us were, and he informed us that they all had been killed.<

We were then able to free ourselves from the Street Tram lines which we had been carrying with us, get around the tank trap and then carry on. Our new comerade was somewhat well informed and told us that the last man, who had recieved such quiet respect, was Martin Bormann and that no one, who was on our tank had made it through the murderous fire recieved from Ziegelstrasse. The Untersturmführer helped us navigate through the streets from Zuricherstrasse to Schönhauserallee, which were completely free of the Russians. We came upon a column of trucks, to whom we were not sure they belonged. We also saw several women washing themselves in a fire hydrant, and asked them to whom these trucks belonged, they told us that they were german, but this didnt interest us at all. We drive on towards the 2nd defense ring and the flak tower at Humbolthain, which was commanded by General Bärenfänger. General Bärenfänger instructs us to take position under the S-Bahnhof (the S-Bahn line in this area is actually above ground) but we ended up driving into a minefield. General Bärenfänger instructs us simply to put the tank out of action because the war was over and there was no more use for us to senslessly lose our lives and that we should make sure to get home safely.

AT this point we were confused and sad, as we had knocked out at least 39 enemy tanks with this Tiger II, and that was only the tanks which had caught fire, who knows whether it was more or not. With this last command, I (Diers) told the General about my orders from Goebbels, whereupon he informed me of that what General Krebs had arranged, and we were forced to destroy our beloved tank.

Crew Members of Diers tank #314; 3/schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 503: Kommandant: Georg Diers, Richtschütze: Wolf-Dieter Kothe, Ladeschütze: Alex Sommer, Fahrer: Willi Kenkel, Funker: Bodo Hansen

[cyberia]

A Tiger II rolls past a long line of American prisoners during the Battle of the Bulge

A Tiger II captured in Belgium by the Americans rolls toward the front painted over with white stars

[Hagen]

King Tiger knocked out in front of Potsdamer Banhof. Could possibly be the command tank of Max Lippert, turret#100, although could have been commanded at this time by Karl-Heinz Turk.*

*See Turks after action report

[TRDG]

Thanks Hagen, a great read there you found, looking forward to more, if you have some!!

Cheers, to more good reading ahead sir.

Tom

[Horch]

Originally Posted by cyberia

A Tiger II rolls past a long line of American prisoners during the Battle of the Bulge

A Tiger II captured in Belgium by the Americans rolls toward the front painted over with white stars

I think it would kinda bug me a 'little' to drive,fly or whatever the enemies machine may be.Even with big old stars,swastikas etc. on it. I wonder how many have been 'nut'st' by a silhouette shot by their own?

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Horch

I think it would kinda bug me a 'little' to drive,fly or whatever the enemies machine may be.Even with big old stars,swastikas etc. on it. I wonder how many have been 'nut'st' by a silhouette shot by their own?

Not sure if there are any "friendly fire" numbers of that sort, Horch. But using captured equipment was pretty common, especially on the Ost Front.

I have often wondered if any "German" T-34s clashed with any "Russian" Pz. IVs.

[PanzerBob]

Originally Posted by cyberia

A Tiger II rolls past a long line of American prisoners during the Battle of the Bulge

A Tiger II captured in Belgium by the Americans rolls toward the front painted over with white stars

Love the ironry of these two pix together. BTW IIRC those guys on the Tiger II didn't get too far before it broke down.

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by PanzerBob

Love the ironry of these two pix together.

I know, I found them in two different places, but when I loaded them into my T-2 file they fell in side by side and the irony stuck me immediantly.