From April 25 to May 2, the war in Europe had entered its endgame. The Red Army took Berlin and declared victory over Nazi Germany. These photographs, from RIA Novosti’s archive, give us a glimpse of Berlin through the eyes of Soviet soldiers.
From April 25 to May 2, the war in Europe had entered its endgame. The Red Army took Berlin and declared victory over Nazi Germany. These photographs, from RIA Novosti’s archive, give us a glimpse of Berlin through the eyes of Soviet soldiers. Pictured: Soviet soldiers on what remains of Frankfurterstrasse, Berlin, May 1, 1945.
German tank in Berlin.
Berlin residents out in the streets in the first days after the war ended.
4/10
© RIA Novosti . B.Antonov
Remaining Nazi forces were killed or captured by May 7, 1945.
Spring 1945, Berlin. The Reichstag in the distance.
Refugees. Germany, May 1945.
Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate was severely damaged during World War II: the quadriga sculpture representing the Goddess of Victory that dates to the C18th was destroyed. From 1945-1947 the Soviet flag flew above it, replaced in 1947 by that of the German Democratic Republic.
Berliner-strasse. Berlin, 1945.
After Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945 Karl Donitz succeeded him as Reich President. Donitz wanted a separate peace with the Western Allies, but they insisted on unconditional surrender to all allied forces. May 7, 1945 German Alfred Jodl signed the Act of Military Surrender at Dwight D Eisenhower’s headquarters in Reims, France. On May 8, General Keitel signed a similar document at Soviet headquarters in Berlin-Karlshorst.
On May 9, military operations ceased and peace was declared. World War II in Europe had ended.
