| Helmuth Weidling |
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''General der Artillerie'', Helmuth Weidling ( November 2 , 1891 – November 17 , 1955 ), was the German commandant of Berlin during the final assault by Soviet forces just before the End Of World War II In Europe . From November 1938 Weidling became Colonel of the 56th Artillery Regiment with which he fought in the Polish campaign of 1939. In April 1940 he was appointed commander of the artillery of the XXXX Panzer Corps with which he fought in France and the early stages of Operation Barbarossa . On January 1 , 1942 , Helmuth Weidling was appointed to command the 86th Infantry Division and a month later was promoted to the rank of Major General and on January 1 , 1943 he became a Lieutenant-General . On October 20th , 1943 he became General commanding the XXXXI Panzer Corps, two months later he was promoted to General of the Artillery. On April 10 , 1945 Weidling was relieved and appointed to the ''Führerreserve''. Two days later General Weidling was appointed to command LVI. Panzerkorps. On April 22 , 1945 he was Condemned To Death by Firing Squad , because of a misunderstanding by Adolf Hitler , but the misunderstanding was sorted out before the execution took place. The next day he was appointed commandant of the Berlin garrison tasked to defend the city during the Battle Of Berlin . He was ordered not to surrender but to fight to the last man. After Adolf Hitler committed Suicide on April 30 , General Weidling surrendered the city to the Soviets on May 2 . General of the Artillery Weidling died in 1955 as a Soviet Prisoner Of War . During his military career he was awarded the Knight's Cross Of The Iron Cross with oak leaves and swords. EXTERNAL LINKS |