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The '''Battle of Berlin''' was the climactic [[battle]] of [[World War II]] in [[Europe]]. Fought between the [[Soviet Union]] and the ailing forces of the [[Third Reich]], it represented the last stand of the [[Nazi]]s in their own [[capital city]] of [[Berlin]]. | The '''Battle of Berlin''' was the climactic [[battle]] of [[World War II]] in [[Europe]]. Fought between the [[Soviet Union]] and the ailing forces of the [[Third Reich]], it represented the last stand of the [[Nazi]]s in their own [[capital city]] of [[Berlin]]. | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
=== Origins === | === Origins === | ||
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=== Last stand === | === Last stand === | ||
==== The Soviet advance on Berlin ==== | ==== The Soviet advance on Berlin ==== | ||
On the Eastern Front, Marshal [[Georgi K Zhukov]] led the Soviets on the hard-fought advance to Berlin and effectively sealed off the city. To shelter from the coming onslaught, the Nazi leadership retreated to the safety of the [[Führerbunker]] beneath the [[Reichschancellery]]. Those involved included: Hitler; Himmler; Bormann; [[Hermann Goering]] with his [[wife]] and six [[child]]ren; [[Joseph Goebbels]] with his wife [[Magda Goebbels|Magda]] and their six children; [[Albert Speer]]; [[Hermann Fegelein]] and his wife [[Gretl Fegelein|Gretl]]; [[Otto Gunsche]]; Hitler's [[valet]] [[Heinz Linge]]; [[Hitler Youth]] leader [[Arthur Axmann]]; together with Hitler's beloved [[Alsatian]] [[Blondie|Blondi]] and other Nazis. | On the Eastern Front, Marshal [[Georgi K Zhukov]] led the Soviets on the hard-fought advance to Berlin and effectively sealed off the city. To shelter from the coming onslaught, the Nazi leadership retreated to the safety of the [[Führerbunker]] beneath the [[Reichschancellery]]. Those involved included: Hitler; Himmler; Bormann; [[Hermann Goering]] with his [[wife]] and six [[child]]ren; [[Joseph Goebbels]] with his wife [[Magda Goebbels|Magda]] and their six children; [[Albert Speer]]; [[Hermann Fegelein]] and his wife [[Gretl Fegelein|Gretl]]; [[Otto Gunsche]]; Hitler's [[valet]] [[Heinz Linge]]; [[Hitler Youth]] leader [[Arthur Axmann]]; together with Hitler's beloved [[Alsatian]] [[Blondie|Blondi]] and other Nazis. | ||
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==== Battle in Berlin ==== | ==== Battle in Berlin ==== | ||
Berlin became the centre of ferocious fighting as the [[Red Army]] painfully pushed forward in a costly advance towards the [[Reichschancellery]]. German and Soviet [[artillery]] tore apart [[street]]s and [[building]]s in murderous exchanges highly reminiscent of the fighting at Stalingrad — the Russians' experience of close-quarter city fighting gained in that battle was readily put to use against the German [[Capital city|capital]]. So desperate was the German situation that the Soviets found themselves battling against [[child]] | Berlin became the centre of ferocious fighting as the [[Red Army]] painfully pushed forward in a costly advance towards the [[Reichschancellery]]. German and Soviet [[artillery]] tore apart [[street]]s and [[building]]s in murderous exchanges highly reminiscent of the fighting at Stalingrad — the Russians' experience of close-quarter city fighting gained in that battle was readily put to use against the German [[Capital city|capital]]. So desperate was the German situation that the Soviets found themselves battling against [[child]]ren in the Hitler Youth so young that they were dressed in ill-fitting [[uniform]]s. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Shadow in the Glass (novel)|The Shadow in the Glass]]'') The [[age]] of conscription had been reduced to as low as ten years. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Just War (novel)|Just War]]'') | ||
[[Jack Harkness]] fought in Berlin after falling in with a [[platoon]] of [[Commando]]s clearing the Nazis out of the city. The fighting was [[house]] to house with the Nazis "hiding like [[rat]]s" and putting up a hard fight when cornered. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Undertaker's Gift (novel)|The Undertaker's Gift]]'') | |||
The Treasure of [[Priam]], held in Berlin, disappeared from the city during the battle. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Past Reckoning (short story)|Past Reckoning]]'') | |||
On [[24 April]], Albert Speer left the Bunker and was later brought into Allied captivity. | On [[24 April]], Albert Speer left the Bunker and was later brought into Allied captivity. | ||
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On [[28 April]], the same day [[Italy]]'s [[Benito Mussolini]] was [[Death sentence|executed]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Just War (novel)|Just War]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Just War (audio story)|Just War]]'') Hitler found out about Himmler's secret surrender negotiations and branded him a traitor. He had Fegelein, one of Himmler's closest aides, executed for attempting to leave the Bunker. | On [[28 April]], the same day [[Italy]]'s [[Benito Mussolini]] was [[Death sentence|executed]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Just War (novel)|Just War]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Just War (audio story)|Just War]]'') Hitler found out about Himmler's secret surrender negotiations and branded him a traitor. He had Fegelein, one of Himmler's closest aides, executed for attempting to leave the Bunker. | ||
On [[29 April]], Hitler [[Marriage|married]] Eva Braun. Goebbels was sent out into the streets of Berlin to find an official to conduct the ceremony. Eva signed her name on the marriage certificate as "Eva Hitler". Afterwards, Hitler dictated [[Will and Political Testament of Adolf Hitler|his Will and Political Testament]] to [[Adolf Hitler's secretary|a secretary]]. Denouncing both the [[Wehrmacht]] and [[Luftwaffe]] for their [[failure]], he named the highest ranking [[Kriegsmarine]] [[commander]], [[Admiral]] [[Donitz]], as his successor, and blamed the start of the war on a [[Jew]] | On [[29 April]], Hitler [[Marriage|married]] Eva Braun. Goebbels was sent out into the streets of Berlin to find an official to conduct the ceremony. Eva signed her name on the marriage certificate as "Eva Hitler". Afterwards, Hitler dictated [[Will and Political Testament of Adolf Hitler|his Will and Political Testament]] to [[Adolf Hitler's secretary|a secretary]]. Denouncing both the [[Wehrmacht]] and [[Luftwaffe]] for their [[failure]], he named the highest ranking [[Kriegsmarine]] [[commander]], [[Admiral]] [[Donitz]], as his successor, and blamed the start of the war on a [[Jew]]ish [[conspiracy]]. In the [[afternoon]], Joseph and Magda Goebbels held a [[party]] for their six children. | ||
==== The death of Hitler ==== | ==== The death of Hitler ==== | ||
On the [[morning]] of [[30 April]], Eva visited the [[garden]] of the Reichschancellery for the final time. Hitler and Eva then made their formal farewells in the main [[corridor]] of the Bunker. By some accounts, it was still morning, but the farewells were made after [[lunch]]. If a nearby [[clock tower]] was still working, it indicated that the fateful events took place at around 3 o'clock in the [[afternoon]]. | On the [[morning]] of [[30 April]], Eva visited the [[garden]] of the Reichschancellery for the final time. Hitler and Eva then made their formal farewells in the main [[corridor]] of the Bunker. By some accounts, it was still morning, but the farewells were made after [[lunch]]. If a nearby [[clock tower]] was still working, it indicated that the fateful events took place at around 3 o'clock in the [[afternoon]]. | ||
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=== Surrender === | === Surrender === | ||
German resistance quickly collapsed in the days following Hitler's death and [[surrender]] beckoned. | German resistance quickly collapsed in the days following Hitler's death and [[surrender]] beckoned. In [[London]] on 30 April, the fall of Berlin was imminently anticipated. This was a crushing blow for [[Arthur Seaton]], a supporter of [[Oswald Mosley]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Rise of the Dominator (novel)|Rise of the Dominator]]'') | ||
The Western Allies' marked victory over Germany on [[8 May]] [[1945]], known as [[VE Day]]. A major celebration took place in [[Trafalgar Square]] in [[London]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Magic of the Angels (novel)|Magic of the Angels]]'') Churchill appeared alongside the [[British Royal Family|Royal Family]] on the balcony of [[Buckingham Palace]] where he addressed the [[nation]]. He told the British people that victory in Europe was their victory. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Churchill Victorious (audio story)|Churchill Victorious]]'') The celebrations lasted into the [[night]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Casualties of War (audio story)|Casualties of War]]'') | The Western Allies' marked victory over Germany on [[8 May]] [[1945]], known as [[VE Day]]. A major celebration took place in [[Trafalgar Square]] in [[London]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Magic of the Angels (novel)|Magic of the Angels]]'') Churchill appeared alongside the [[British Royal Family|Royal Family]] on the balcony of [[Buckingham Palace]] where he addressed the [[nation]]. He told the British people that victory in Europe was their victory. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Churchill Victorious (audio story)|Churchill Victorious]]'') The celebrations lasted into the [[night]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Casualties of War (audio story)|Casualties of War]]'') | ||
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In [[Alternate timeline (Timewyrm: Exodus)|an alternate timeline]] in which Hitler was able to use the power of the [[Timewyrm]] to [[Operation Sealion|defeat Britain]] in [[1940]], the victorious Reich had Berlin rebuilt into [[New Berlin]] in an ambitious project headed by Albert Speer. Construction was still underway by [[1951]]. Many prisoners of war and [[Voluntary Labour Force|slave labourers]] had been brought from the conquered nations to work on the city, and many artistic works and artefacts deemed to be of significant worth were transported to Berlin for display in the [[Adolf Hitler Museum]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Timewyrm: Exodus (novel)|Timewyrm: Exodus]]'') | In [[Alternate timeline (Timewyrm: Exodus)|an alternate timeline]] in which Hitler was able to use the power of the [[Timewyrm]] to [[Operation Sealion|defeat Britain]] in [[1940]], the victorious Reich had Berlin rebuilt into [[New Berlin]] in an ambitious project headed by Albert Speer. Construction was still underway by [[1951]]. Many prisoners of war and [[Voluntary Labour Force|slave labourers]] had been brought from the conquered nations to work on the city, and many artistic works and artefacts deemed to be of significant worth were transported to Berlin for display in the [[Adolf Hitler Museum]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Timewyrm: Exodus (novel)|Timewyrm: Exodus]]'') | ||
== Parallel | == Parallel universes == | ||
On [[Germania I]], the [[Terra Optimus]] among the worlds of [[Germania]], [[Adolf Hitler (Germania I)|Adolf Hitler]] and Eva Braun celebrated the birth of their son, [[August Hitler]], on 30 April 1945. | On [[Germania I]], the [[Terra Optimus]] among the worlds of [[Germania]], [[Adolf Hitler (Germania I)|Adolf Hitler]] and Eva Braun celebrated the birth of their son, [[August Hitler]], on 30 April 1945. | ||
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On August Hitler's 25th birthday, the [[Third Air Legion]] dropped explosives on the [[dome]] of the [[Great Hall]], which collapsed the [[1 May|next day]]. The Romans entered Berlin on [[3 May]] and [[Wilding (Warlords of Utopia)|General Wilding]] surrendered on [[10 May]]. | On August Hitler's 25th birthday, the [[Third Air Legion]] dropped explosives on the [[dome]] of the [[Great Hall]], which collapsed the [[1 May|next day]]. The Romans entered Berlin on [[3 May]] and [[Wilding (Warlords of Utopia)|General Wilding]] surrendered on [[10 May]]. | ||
The Nazi defeat effectively spelled the end for the Greater German Reich, which was subsumed into the Empire of Empires, although [[the Divide]] between Germania and Roma was sealed and August Hitler was able to escape to the "[[N-Space|True]] [[Earth]]". ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Warlords of Utopia (novel)|Warlords of Utopia]]'') | The Nazi defeat effectively spelled the end for the Greater German Reich, which was subsumed into the Empire of Empires, although [[The Divide (Warlords of Utopia)|the Divide]] between Germania and Roma was sealed and August Hitler was able to escape to the "[[N-Space|True]] [[Earth]]". [[Marcus Americanius Scriptor]] hunted him down and killed him in [[Brazil]] in [[1989]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Warlords of Utopia (novel)|Warlords of Utopia]]'') | ||
== Behind the scenes == | == Behind the scenes == | ||
