The Battle of Berlin is well known, but what about the battle of Vienna?
Vienna was the capital of Austria, since 1938 annexed by Germany.
A vicious battle took place here; a forgotten WW2 battle: the Battle of Vienna. Coming up.
In mid-March 1945, the Soviet Red Army launched a major offensive with the aim of clearing
Axis forces out of Hungary and forcing them back to the very borders of the Third Reich.
The Germans hastely threw up the South East Wall (Reichsschutzstellung) in order to defend the
southeastern borders of the German Reich. This wasn't like a wall, but more a series German
batteries and anti-tank ditches which was hastily constructed and therefore lacked any effectiveness.
On 2 April Waffen SS General Sepp Dietrich, the commander of the Sixth Panzer Army was
announced as the defender of Vienna. He had to make use of battered army formations that withdrew
from Hungary, such as the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich. Army formations came in from Hungary but were
hindered by traffic jams caused by the many troops (both German and Hungarian) as well as countless
civilians that were making their way west hoping to reach safety there. 4 April 1945.
Das Reich defended the area of Vienna ariport but was forced back to the line between villages
of Mödling and Achau. From there they had to prevent the Soviets attacking Vienna from Wiener Neustadt and Sopron.
But it was now clear that the Soviets were also beginning to push northwest toward the
Danube River valley in the area of Tulln with the intention of outflanking and isolating
the Austrian capital. Das Reich’s commander, SS Colonel Rudolf Lehmann, withdrew to the city to make a stand.
That day General Rudolf von Bünau was appointed as city commander and some time later
receiced orders from Hitler himself which stated: “From now on there is to be no more retreating.”
Intense fighting had taken places and his men were forced back 2.5 miles across
flat ground to a low ridge running from Vösendorf to Leopoldsdorf. Extraordinary events occured
during the withdrawal toward Vienna. Convalescents and soldiers on leave were taken off the trains
passing through Vienna and now had to fight. On 5 April Lehmann ordered for further withdrawal
on higher ground behind the Liesung River (running from Mauer through Altmannsdorf to the area of Inzersdorf).
On 6 April at 0730 hours the Soviets attack the German position. I read
there was an attempth by the Austrian resistance movement to hand over the city of the Soviets. How they were
planning to do this I don't know, but it eitherway failed, since its leaders didn't calculate
on the presence of the men of the Waffen-SS. Soldiers of Das Reich pulled back to the area around the Floridsdorf Bridge
across the Danube. City commander Von Bünau was placed under command of SS Lt. Gen. Willi Bittrich
who ordered the bridges to be blown. By the evening Das Reich was no longer a division but
scattered in small-unit groups. These had been forced back to a line just south of the Schönbrunn Palace
and extending west to the Hietzing sector of the city. German batteries were positioned on the
grounds of the palace which suffered only minor damage. Later the Germans were pushed back further
into the streets just to the north of the Schönbrunn Palace. During the 6th, the commander of the
Third Ukrainian Front, Russian Marshal Fyodor Tolbukhin, arranged for a message to be broadcast to the local population:
See, the Soviets played on the
Austrian sentiments of them being occupied by the Germans. We do not know how much effect these broadcasts had,
but morale of the defenders surely didn't improve.
Later the Germans learned civilians helped the Soviets by carrying
ammunition and equipment. It is questionable if this happened voluntarely.
7 April 1945. There was no longer a German front line in Vienna but more scattered units defending
tactically important positions. By the end of the day West Station was lost and the Germans
withdrew into Mariahilf and Neubau districts and the Floridsdorf district accross the Danube.
That day the Grinzing region (north) of Vienna fell to the Red Army threatening all the Germans west of the
Danube canal with encirclement Two days later (9 April) German positions west of the Danube
were no longer tenable. Das Reich was fighting in a rough semicircle extending from the vicinity
of the North Bridge to just beyond the Aspern Bridge. The situation was very hopeless.
Marshal Rodion Malinovsky’s 46th Soviet Army was attacking northwest and west with the aim of sealing
the escape routes of the Germans defending the city.
Against Hitler's orders not to withdraw, the II SS Panzer Corps pulled back across the Danube and the remaining
bridges were blown, exept the the Reichs and Floridsdorf Bridges. The German front
on Prater Island held throughout the 11th, but on the 12th the Soviets made a major incursion
in the area of the Augarten canal bridge forcing the Germans back into two small perimeters:
Das Reich’s encompassing the Northwest Station area and the Floridsdorf Bridge, and the Totenkopf’s and the 6th Panzer Division’s North Station and Reichs Bridge.
On 12 April the Reichs Bridge fell in Soviet hands due to an error.
Therefore Das Reich had an open flank and had to abandon the Northwest Station.
As night became day Von Bünau knew fighting on was senseless but withdrawel across the bridges
in daylight was risky because of direct Russian fire. Furthermore, on 12 April Hitler issued
a directive that ordered important communication centers be defended to the bitter end.
Acting against this was punishable by death. Therefore the Germans held on to the Floridsdorf bridgehead
(west of the Danube). From the eastside they kept up a wall of protective fire with their
88mm flak battery. As the situation became more and more hopeless Von Bünau finally acquiesced and
gave orders to withdraw. And so the Germans withdrew and blew up the bridge. The Battle of Vienna was over.
When you walk through Vienna you don't see many traces
but there are some exemptions and these are the Flak towers; one of which you can see behind me.
Learn more about forgotten WW2 battles here
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