Helmuth Weidling - Commander of The Berlin Defence Area - Surrender To Chuikov

Surrender To Chuikov

On 2 May, General Weidling had his Chief-of-Staff, von Dufving, arrange a meeting with General Chuikov. Weidling and Chuikov had the following conversation:

Chuikov: "You are the commander of the Berlin garrison?"

Weidling: "Yes, I am the commander of the LVI Tank Corps."

Chuikov: "Where is Krebs?"

Weidling: "I saw him yesterday in the Reich Chancellery. I thought he would commit suicide. At first, he criticized me because unofficial capitulation started yesterday. The order regarding capitulation has been issued today."

Soviet General Vasily Sokolovsky entered with an immediate question. The conversation continued:

Sokolovsky: "Where have Hitler and Goebbels gone?"

The question surprised Weidling, but he kept his voice calm as he responded.

Weidling: "So far as I know, Goebbels and his family were to commit suicide. The Führer took poison on April 30. His wife also poisoned herself."

Chuikov: "Did you hear that or see that?"

Weidling: "I was in the Reich Chancellery on the evening of April 30. Krebs, Bormann, and Goebbels told me about it."

Chuikov: "So the war is over?"

Weidling: "I think that every unnecessary death is a crime . . . madness."

Sokolovsky cut in again.

Sokolovsky: "Issue an order regarding complete surrender, so that there will be no resistance in individual sectors. Better late than never."

Weidling: "We have neither ammunition nor heavy weapons, therefore, resistance cannot last long. All the Germans have become confused, and they will not believe me that the Führer is dead."

Chuikov: "Write an order regarding complete capitulation. Then your conscience will be clear."

Per Chuikov's and Sokolovsky's direction, Weidling put his surrender order in writing. The document written by Weidling read as follows:

"On 30 April 1945, the Führer committed suicide, and thus abandoned those who had sworn loyalty to him. According to the Führer's order, you German soldiers would have had to go on fighting for Berlin despite the fact that our ammunition has run out and despite the general situation which makes our further resistance meaningless. I order the immediate cessation of resistance. WEIDLING, General of Artillery, former District Commandant in the defence of Berlin"

Chuikov and Sokolovsky reviewed what Weidling had written and the conversation continued.

Chuikov: "There is no need to say 'former'. You are still commandant."

Weidling: "Jawohl! How shall it be headed, as an appeal or an order?"

Chuikov: "An order."

The meeting between Weidling and Chuikov ended at 8:23 am on 2 May 1945. Later that same day, loudspeakers announced Weidling's surrender order and copies of it were distributed to the remaining defenders. With the exception of scattered areas of resistance and desperate efforts to break out, the Battle of Berlin was over.

The Soviet forces took Weidling into custody as a prisoner of war and flew him to the Soviet Union. He never returned to Germany alive.