During the Second World War, 93% of Germany's 54 largest cities were destroyed from Allied bombing.
More than half of all homes were destroyed and the historic hearts of these ancient cities which had defined European identity for hundreds of years were almost entirely erased.
The Frenchmen Who Defended Berlin to The Last
400 men willingly volunteered to enter a besieged Berlin to fulfill their oath and fight to the very end.
300 Frenchmen of the SS-Charlemagne perished in the final battle.
This fact was suppressed for decades until the early 2000s.
The Final Battle Begins
April 30, 1945
At 6:00AM, thousands of Soviets attack the Reichstag. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the last Waffen-SS defenders (many foreign volunteers) fight tooth & nail in brutal room to room combat. The war is reaching its climactic conclusion.
The Battle for Berlin Begins
81 years ago today, the Soviet Union attacks Berlin itself. The final defenders inside the city number roughly 80,000 soldiers of the Wehrmacht, Volkssturm, Hitler Youth and other auxiliaries.
Over 2 million Soviets arrive in waves.
April 20, 1945