Krutenev Vladimir Kononovich The telephone operator of the communications company of the Red Army soldier Krutenev Vladimir Kononovich for the fact that on April 24, 1945, in fierce street battles in the city of Berlin, under heavy enemy machine-gun fire, he eliminated 5 telephone lines. Born 1916. Ukrainian. On the front of the Patriotic War since 29.09.45. Slightly wounded on March 17, 1943. On April 24, 1945, he was in the hospital. In the Red Army since 09/05/41. He was awarded the Order of the Red Star on March 23, 1945 for the 266th Infantry Division. Order of the “Patriotic War” 2nd class 04/22/45 for the 26th Rifle Corps. Unit mentioned in various books for the battle… Fought in the city centre at S-Station Börse , Berlin   https://pamyat-naroda.ru/heroes/person-hero81490866/?backurl=%2Fheroes%2F%3Fadv_search%3Dy%26last_name%3D%D0%9A%D1%80%D1%83%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%B2%26first_name%3D%D0%92%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%26middle_name%3D%D0%9A%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87%26date_birth_from%3D%26static_hash%3D705e2ac37287fcc81b70a29fe3217087b3573f3600cdbc1aa8742bd494516397v16%26group%3Dall%26types%3Dpamyat_commander%3Anagrady_nagrad_doc%3Anagrady_uchet_kartoteka%3Anagrady_ubilein_kartoteka%3Apdv_kart_in%3Apdv_kart_in_inostranec%3Apamyat_voenkomat%3Apotery_vpp%3Apamyat_zsp_parts%3Akld_ran%3Akld_bolezn%3Akld_polit%3Akld_upk%3Akld_vmf%3Akld_partizan%3Apotery_doneseniya_o_poteryah%3Apotery_gospitali%3Apotery_utochenie_poter%3Apotery_spiski_zahoroneniy%3Apotery_voennoplen%3Apotery_iskluchenie_iz_spiskov%3Apotery_kartoteki%3Apotery_rvk_extra%3Apotery_isp_extra%3Asame_doroga%26page%3D1%26grouppersons%3D1&search_view_id=podvigchelovek_nagrazhdenie25821696

The Horrors of WW2

Erich Bärenfänger (12 January 1915 – 2 May 1945) was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords of Nazi Germany. In the final days of the war, Bärenfänger was commander of several defense sectors during the Battle of Berlin; he committed suicide on 2 May 1945. Berlin, 1945 Towards the end of World War II, Bärenfänger took part in the Battle for Berlin. On 24 April, due to the direct command of Hitler, Bärenfänger was given command of defence sectors A and one day later also command of sector B.[1] Bärenfänger mounted at least two unsuccessful armored attacks northwards up the Schönhauser Allee. The second was on 1 May.[2] Members of SS-Brigadeführer Wilhelm Mohnke’s “break out group” saw quite a sight thanks to Bärenfänger. On 1 May, the group left the surrounded central government sector, which included the Führerbunker. As they made their escape, there before them they saw a “host” of new Tiger II tanks and “artillery pieces” arrayed around the Flak tower as if “on parade”. Bärenfänger was allegedly seated in the turret cupola of one of the Tigers thus arrayed.[3] On 2 May, Bärenfänger, a devoted Nazi, committed suicide with his young wife and her brother in a side street of Berlin.[2]  

Luftwaffe Soldbuch issued to Josef Lotz in 1939.  From 1939 till July of 1944, Lotz was involved in various transport unit moving items and material to the front… Interestingly a security stamp places him with/under inspection of the 5th Fallschirmjäger Division in September of 1944. Lotz was in France (Paris) according to his pay/holiday entries as early as 1942. Right up until the invasion in the summer of 1944. Another point to note is that his War Merit Cross with Swords was issued by the same officer of the 5FJD in September of 1944.  It is worth noting, on the 30th of June he changed units remaining with Kolonnenführer der Luftwaffe zbv 6 until February of 1945 he was sent to the East of Germany to a replacement unit:  Flieger Ersatz Bataillon IV  – in Leipzig – and later discharged.  Comments Its clear Lotz spent considerable time in France mainly Paris, until the invasion in 1944, where he went through a shuffle of units and was lucky to escape further action.