Soldbuch Kampfgruppe Bahr, Divisions Gruppe Von Hake – Berlin, Elbe 1945

Late war Soldbuch of Jäger Hildebrandt. The soldbuch was handed out on the 1st of April 1945. At this time Jäger Hildebrandt served in the Genesenden-Kompanie-Grenadier Ersatz und Ausbildungs battalion 467, with was located in Stendal near the Elbe river. He was awarded the Verwundetenabzeichen im Schwarz and Kriegsverdienstkreuz II Klasse mit Schwerter on Hitlers birthday in 1945.  Very hard to find late war Soldbuch for a Berlin battle veteran!

With the Soviet and Allied forces advancing towards Berlin, Jäger Hildebrandt was transferred to Kampfgruppe Oberstleutnant Bahr, which was part of the Divisionsgruppe Von Hake as Grenadier-Regiment Von Hake. A hastily formed unit which fell subordinate to the XXXXI Panzerkorps. The Kampfgruppe Bahr/Grenadier regiment von Hake was made up from several units like a Flak battalion from Hannover, Gren.E.A.Btl. 467 from Stendal and a battalion of the Hundeschule Rathenow. On the 22nd of April the Panzerkorps fell under the leadership of the 12th Army, commanded by General der Panzertruppe Walter Wenck, and was sent east of the Elbe river to attack towards Berlin, and relieve the units trapped in and around the city. The main effort of the 12th army was to attack towards Potsdam and the trapped 9th Army at Halbe. Initially the attack surprised the Russians and the German forces gained some success, reaching as far as Schwielowsee near Potsdam. The Divisionsgruppe Von Hake however was sent further north to the area of Neuruppin and northwest of Havelberg to face the Russian 47th Army. An attack by the XXXXI Panzerkorps which was intended to push towards the city of Berlin didn’t stand any chance, instead they broke through at Kyritz on the 1.5.1945, on 2.5.1945 another Soviet attack broke trough the Panzerkops lines at Friesack and Fehrbellin. What was left of the Divisionsgruppe von Hake tried to withdraw to the bridgehead at Tangermünde and thus escape Russian captivity.