Berlin Wachtbataillon's role in Berlin's defense.

[Josh Cowell]

Hi guys, I'm watching Vakyrie again. It shows the Berlin Wachtbataillon arresting the SS when they think Hitler's dead due to the July 20th assassination attempt. I wanted to know what role this Berlin wachtbattaillon played during the defense of Berlin in 1945 against the Soviet forces. They seem to have been an elite force with the capability to defend Berlin, yet historians tell us that the final defense of Berlin was carried out by Volksturm and a few paltry foreign Waffen SS volunteers like Nordland and Charlemagne.
Did the Berlin wachtbataillon play a significant role on the defense of Berlin against the Soviet forces in 1945? Were they activated in full force?
Also, any good book that relates their role? I've already read With our backs to Berlin, but there's no mention of them.
Thanks

[MarcRikmenspoel]

There's a few pages at the end of volume 3 of the History of the Panzerkorps Grossdeutschland. It seems the regiment had fought near Küstrin, and had suffered heavy losses. It fell back to Berlin, and just before the final battle, it took in replacements. In Berlin, its two battalions were broken up, and the unit was spread around the defensive zones, company by company, to aid the defense. This is why there's no mention of the regiment being employed en-masse.

[Josh Cowell]

There's a few pages at the end of volume 3 of the History of the Panzerkorps Grossdeutschland. It seems the regiment had fought near Küstrin, and had suffered heavy losses. It fell back to Berlin, and just before the final battle, it took in replacements. In Berlin, its two battalions were broken up, and the unit was spread around the defensive zones, company by company, to aid the defense. This is why there's no mention of the regiment being employed en-masse.

Thank you Marc. I appreciate the answer coming from such a reliable source as you.

[hucks216]

The unit is also mentioned in Bloody Streets by Stephan Hamilton.

[ErichK]

The unit is also mentioned in Bloody Streets by Stephan Hamilton.

Good luck finding a copy. It should be reprinted!

[jerry c.]

there's a new copy available on amazon for $1,018.00

[PaulW]

New edition?

From a comment on Amazon.com:-

"I emailed the publisher of this book and they said in their reply that they are editing another edition to be brought out soon. So I would suggest that you do not buy this title at this outrageous price . . . but wait for the new edition."

However the comment is dated Nov 2011...

[MarcRikmenspoel]

Hamilton posts fairly often on Feldgrau. Bloody Streets was successful, but it was his first book on the 1945 Endkampf. Since then, he has obtained many new sources of information. Rather than simply reprint Bloody Streets, the old information is supposed to be combined with new information in one of the volumes of his on-going series about the Oderfront 1945. This will then result in an even better product.