March walking tours -
On Saturday 14th we will walk the route of the German breakout attempt along Friedrichstraße on 1/2nd May 1945 and on Sunday 15th we follow the progress of the Red Army through Schöneberg and over the Landwehr Canal.
PM for more details and to reserve a place.
In the North West corner of Potsdamer Platz, at the entrance to the DB building is an almost forgotten relic of WW2. An original, shrapnel scarred S Bahn sign which stood at the station entrance in a once beautiful part of the city, later ravaged by WW2 and the Cold War.
We are starting this years walking tours a bit earlier than anticipated so on 24th January I’ll be running a tour dealing with the German breakout attempt along Friedrichstraße on 1/2nd May 1945. The tour lasts 1.5 hours and will be in English. Send a PM for more details. Thanks.
Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year. A special shout out to everyone who attended one of our walking tours. It was a pleasure to meet every one of you. Keep a lookout for walking tour dates in 2026.
Pictured is the beautiful Rosa Luxemburg Platz.
Belle Alliance Platz, now Mehringplatz was the scene of heavy fighting Between the Soviet 8th Guards Army and the SS Nordland who had retreated from Neukölln and taken up positions on the Northern side of the Landwehr canal.
Yes, it fired off a lot of rounds. I wonder if the crew survived.
The aftermath of the German breakout attempt along Schönhauser Allee on May 2nd 1945 and how it looks today. The Tiger II was from SS Panzer Regiment 503 and began its breakout on Friedrichstraße and the Panther was from Panzer Division Müncheberg.
Thanks to all who came on a walking tour this year. It was great to meet you and share the history of WW2 Berlin.
There won’t be any more group tours this year but if anyone is interested in a private tour on 5,6 or 7th November then drop me a message to discuss. Thanks again.
The Karstadt department store on Hermannplatz was the biggest and grandest store in Europe until 26th April 1945 when it was blown up by SS Nordland troops to deny the Soviets a high vantage point over the city. Only a small section survived which was incorporated into the existing building.
A few then and now photos from Tempelhof. Wrecked German aircraft litter the perimeter track in May 1945 and the same views today. Note the Soviet IL-2 in the first photo and the restored Focke Wulf Condor in the background of the last photo.
The beautiful Focke-Wulf 200 Condor on display at Tempelhof Airport, pictured today.
Good afternoon. I hope everyone is having a great weekend. We are running four walking tours in September. They will be in English. Details are in the photos. There are still places available on all the tours. Send a message for more information. Thanks.
And was previously the barracks of the SS Leibstandarte.
Strange. I’m now following you so try again. If that doesn’t work tell me which tours you’re interested in and I’ll reply with all the info.
Hi. There are places still available on all the tours. See photo for more details. Send a message for more information if you’re interested.
September’s walking tours updated. See first pic for details. Thanks.
Hi. Our next walking tours will take place on Sept 7th, 8th, 13th and 14th. I will post details of the subject of the tours later but message anytime if any of these dates are of interest. I can also do private tours from 3rd September till the 15th apart from the above dates.
Puttkamerstraße 16/18 was a Luftwaffe supply depot where troops were able to purchase items beyond their normal issue uniform, such as this rubberised coat.
The building survived WW2 with only minor shrapnel marks and what looks like an iron projectile embedded in one lower wall.
Originally posted in 2021 but worth a repost. The aftermath of carnage on Oberwallstraße, May 1945. Other photos taken at the time show that the vehicles display the insignia of the SS Nordland Division.
The Schule für Heeresmotorisierung in Wünsdorf was once part of the Wehrmachts tank training school, focusing on technical training. After the war, the Soviets turned the facility into a school for soviet military children known as "School Nr. 1".
digitalcosmonaut.com/schule-fuer-...
Due to high demand for the walking tour on 5th July, we will be running an extra tour on Thursday 10th July. The subject will be the German breakout attempt on Friedrichstraße on 1st/2nd May 1945. Message if interested. Thanks.
The next walking tour will be on 5th July. I’ll be combining two tours. A bit of pre WW2 history of Nazi Berlin, then the Soviet push into Mitte via Prenzlauer Berg and the German breakout attempt on Friedrichstraße. Message for more details. Thanks.
Such a shame that they built that fence around part of it.
The Soldbuch of Artur Langner, born in 1888 and conscripted into the Kriegsmarine in Dec 1944. His job was to carry secret papers (photo 2). Caught in the battle of Berlin, he was injured by a grenade at Wilmersdorfer Straße 96 (photo 3) and died from his wounds on 4th June 1945.
Saturday finished a week of tours to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2 in Europe. Thanks to everyone who attended. It was lovely to meet you all. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did. Next tours are in July. I’ll post details here when the dates are finalised.
I was a guest on the Europe at War podcast series last week, chatting about all things WW2 Berlin related. This is a podcast series that concentrates mainly on the war in the Berlin and Brandenburg area.
davidsumnerhistory.com/bonus-episod...
To coincide with the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2 in Europe we are running four tours in early May. See the first photo for details and send a message for more details if you’re interested in attending any of them.
Keep checking the page for details, which will be soon, and if the dates suit you, send me a message to book a place.
A weekend of tours finished. Friedrichstaße breakout on Saturday and the Soviet assault through Schöneberg on Sunday. Thanks to all who came along, especially those who have been on previous tours. I must be doing something right. Next tours in early May. Watch this space.
