Many are interested in how and when the Soviet soldiers hoisted the flag over the Reichstag. Let's figure it out together. Before telling about those who set the flag over the Reichstag, we will describe in order the events of the last days of April 1945 that preceded this significant event.
The battle for Berlin, strictly speaking, began on April 16th. The operation lasted from this date to May 8. Its purpose was to complete the defeat of Germany, to unite with the allies, to conquer Berlin. We will not describe the entire operation in detail. We will only talk about the events that immediately preceded the assault on the Reichstag, which interests us.
What was the Reichstag?
On April 29, battles for the Reichstag of the 3rd shock army began. This building was one of the main points in the central sector of the Berlin defense. It was surrounded on three sides by the river Spree. Only one bridge over it remained intact. 25 meters was the width of the river. The Reichstag from the fourth side was covered by stone buildings located around the perimeter. The Nazis turned them into fortresses, including the "Himmler’s House" - the building where the Reich Ministers of the Interior was located.
What were the approaches to the building?
The approaches to the building were open areas. They were shot through automatically by machine-gun fire, as well as heavy guns and numerous anti-aircraft artillery from the park. All windows and doors were barricaded. Only narrow embrasures were left for firing from artillery guns and automatic weapons. The trenches encircled in several rows by the building were connected with its basements.
Who defended the Reichstag?
Thousands of soldiers and officers from various units defended the Reichstag. These were mainly cadet school cadets, parachuted into the area of the fortress. In addition, there were SS detachments, artillerymen, pilots, and volksturm. They were armed with a large number of machine guns, machine guns and Faustpatrons. Hitler ordered the officers to retain the Reichstag by any means.
To storm it was entrusted to parts of the seventy-ninth rifle corps. He was strengthened by artillery, self-propelled guns and tanks.
Preparing for the assault on the Reichstag
April 29, closer to midnight, preparations for the assault ended. They forced the river under the cover of artillery and mortar fire of part of the 525th rifle regiment. They secured themselves on the opposite bank. April 29 morning, artillery and mortar shelling was opened around Himmler’s house. Units of the 756, 380 and 674 regiments fought for the ministry throughout the day. The stubborn resistance was rendered by the Nazis, who fought fiercely for each room, for each floor.
On April 30, at 4 hours and 30 minutes, the house was completely cleared of the enemy. Breaking his resistance, the units of 171 and 150 divisions occupied their initial position in the trench by 12 o’clock (for the assault on the Reichstag). It had high bulk walls that allowed the Russians to hide from the fire. The Germans repeatedly launched fierce counterattacks, supported by artillery and tanks. However, the Soviet units repulsed these attempts.
Attaching exceptional military and political importance to the battles for Berlin, the Military Council of the Third Shock Army established red flags before the offensive . They were handed over to all rifle divisions.
The first assault on the Reichstag
Around 13:30 the assault began. The enemy opened heavy fire at the attackers from Tiergarten. They were pressed to the ground by assault units, which therefore could not advance to the Reichstag. Many Soviet soldiers for this battle received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
But the first storm of the Reichstag failed. Replenishment was sent to units instead of retired officers and soldiers. Artillery was tightened, the objects of attack were specified.
Next assault
The assault was repeated at 18 hours. Fighters of the battalion Neustroev, under the guise of artillery, rushed to the attack in a single rush. It was headed by I. Ya. Syanov, party organizer of the company, A.P. Brest, deputy for political affairs, K.V. Gusev, adjutant of the battalion. Also, the soldiers of the battalions Samsonov and Davydov rushed forward.
I could not stand the enemy of the heroic impulse of the Soviet soldiers. After a few minutes they reached the Reichstag, on which red flags appeared. The flag of the 756th rifle regiment, party organizer Pyotr Pyatnitsky, appeared, however, running up the stairs, the warrior was hit by a bullet of the enemy. Sergeant P. D. Shcherbin picks up the banner, strengthens it on one of the columns. So for the first time the Soviet soldiers hoisted the flag over the Reichstag.
Fights inside the building
From the upper floors, from embrasures, heavy fire hit the Soviet fighters with heavy fire. However, the soldiers who broke through to the walls of the building found themselves in a dead zone of fire. The bricked door was the front door. Soviet soldiers had to break their way through a log. Storming men burst into the Reichstag building, having already started a battle inside. Fighters of battalions acted swiftly: in halls, corridors they entered into hand-to-hand fights with the Nazis. With hand grenades, automatic fire, and Faustpatrons, Soviet fighters forced the enemy to lower the fire and seized premises that were adjacent to the entrance lobby. Meter by meter, assault battalions cleared the ground floor of the Germans. One part of the Nazis was driven into vast basements, and the other on the upper floors.
In extremely difficult conditions for Soviet soldiers, the battle took place in the Reichstag building. The explosions of hand grenades and faustpatrons caused a fire in the premises. It began to intensify when Soviet units began to use flamethrowers to smoke the Fritz. Fierce fighting ensued on the second floor.
Hoisting banner
Soldiers of the Neustroev battalion (Lysimenko, Zagitov, Makov, as well as Sergeant Minin) broke through to the roof, paving the way along one of the stairwells with machine gun fire and grenades. They hoisted the flag over the Reichstag. Two fighters were especially noted at the same time. Their names are usually called when they answer the question of who hung the flag over the Reichstag. Let us describe these events in more detail.
The two noted heroes were M. A. Egorov and M. V. Kantaria (reconnaissance regiments). They were the ones who raised the flag over the Reichstag. The soldiers were instructed to hoist the banner of the Military Council of the third shock army. They, with the support of the company Syanova, together with a group of soldiers led by Lieutenant Brest, climbed the roof on April 30 at 21:50. The flag above the Reichstag was hoisted by these Soviet fighters. For heroism and skillful leadership of the battle K. Ya. Samsonov, S. A. Neustroev, V. I. Davydov was awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union. They were also received by M.V. Kantaria and M.A. Egorov (those who raised the flag over the Reichstag). However, the fighting did not end there.
Continued fighting inside the Reichstag
So, we figured out who raised the flag over the Reichstag. When it was, we also found out. The Soviet flag flew over the Reichstag on April 30, at 21:50. We now describe further events. Inside the Reichstag, the battle continued until the morning of May 1 with great tension. Separate groups of Nazis who settled in the basements of the building did not stop resistance until May 2, until they were finished by Soviet soldiers.
At 6:30 a.m. on May 2, G. Weidling, the artillery general (chief of defense of Berlin), surrendered. He ordered the remnants of the garrison to stop resistance. It was realized in the middle of the day. The groups of German troops located south-east of Berlin were liquidated on the same day.
Up to 2500 enemy soldiers were wounded and killed in battles for the Reichstag. 2604 people were captured.
In total, from the USSR, losses in the Berlin operation amounted to 78 thousand people. The enemy lost about one million people, including 150 thousand were killed. In Berlin, Soviet field kitchens were deployed everywhere , treating the hungry Berliners.
Victory
In the same year, May 3, photographs of the burning Reichstag, over which the Victory Banner fluttered, were published in Pravda, a Moscow newspaper. Raising the flag over the Reichstag announced to the country that the enemy was defeated.
In 1945, on June 24, the first parade was held on Red Square in Moscow to mark the victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War.
It was decided to bring the Victory Banner from Berlin to this parade. It is stored to this day in the Central Museum of the Armed Forces. Those who set the flag over the Reichstag will never be forgotten in our country. We remember the names of these heroes every year, May 9, when the anniversary of Victory is celebrated. It was the erection of the flag over the Reichstag that marked it.
Why is Victory Day celebrated on May 9?
You may ask: "Why is Victory Day celebrated on May 9, that is, a little later?" The fact is that it was then, at 0:43 Moscow time, that the Act on the surrender of Germany was signed. This was carried out by Wilhelm Keitel, Field Marshal, and representatives of the German Navy, who received appropriate authority from Doenitz. From the Soviet side was present Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov. The capture of the Reichstag led to a brilliantly conducted operation, as well as the courage of Soviet officers and soldiers who fought to end the nightmare of the war, which lasted a long and terrible four years.