The Battle of Leipzig: An American bluff & the surrender of the Leipzig Town Hall

On the morning of the 19th of April, 1945, Lt David Zweibel, commander of ‘Task Force Zweibel’ (1st photo) ordered his mixed infantry and tank force to bombard the Leipzig Neues Rathaus (town hall), in the hope of forcing the surrender of the hundreds of Volkssturm men holed-up inside.

However, the Volkssturm, led by their fanatical commander Walter Dönicke, were determined to not give up without a fight.

By 9 am, American infantry were poised to rush the building and clear out the enemy in hand-to-hand fighting, but the Task Force commander Lt. Zweibel had one last trick up his sleeve.

Zweibel sent a captured German air raid policeman into the now-battered town hall to deliver a final ultimatum saying that, unless the Germans surrendered immediately, the Americans would attack in 20 minutes time with another round of heavy artillery, backed-up by flame-throwers and an entire division of infantry. 

Zweibel’s bluff had the desired effect because at 0930, the German defenders threw down their weapons and marched out of the front door of the town hall with their hands held high. 

American infantry moved in to search the building, and they came across an Aladdin’s cave worth of ammunition, guns, Panzerfausts, and grenades. – They also found an abundance of food and cognac, all vital provisions for a long siege.

The Americans also came across some grizzly scenes, such as when they discovered the bodies of the mayor, the deputy mayor, and their respective families – all of whom had committed suicide by poison the previous day.

In a nearby room, Walter Dönicke, leader of the Volkssturm, had shot himself just before the surrender of the building to the Americans. And next to his body lay the tattered portrait of Adolf Hitler.

After the war, the Neues Rathaus was completely renovated – however, a close inspection of the facade shows that the damage was simply paved over or filled in with plaster!

To hear about the dramatic siege of the Neues Rathaus, check out episode 4.4 of the Europe at War podcast!

Photos: portraitofwar (1), wikipedia (2), mdr (3).