A “Then & Now” from Halbe.
This is the “Forsthaus Halbe” (Forest Warden’s house of Halbe), and the Forsthaus was a key assembly point and staging area for the German 9th Army as they launched their armoured breakout through the town of Halbe.
The Forsthaus was located on the outskirts of Halbe, only a few hundred meters from the train crossing leading into town, and on the 28th of April the Forsthaus became a key waypoint along the escape route taken by the columns of fleeing soldiers and refugees.
The Forsthaus, like most buildings in Halbe, suffered greatly during the fighting. – The first photo, which was taken by a Red Army photographer after the battle, shows a massive hole in the side of the house, probably caused by an artillery or tank shell.
Nowadays, the old Forsthaus is just a normal residential house, but you can still clearly see where the original shell hole has been covered up with new bricks.
Question: Is it still “Spang” if the hole has been covered up?
Original photo credit: Archiv Uwe Klar
(This is a repost from Instagram from January 18th, 2025)
A weekly podcast exploring the lesser-known battles and stories of the Second World War, with a particular focus on the Eastern Front.
Now: The Battle of Berlin
If you have any comments or questions about the show, please get in touch via davidsumner.podcast@gmail.com or visit https://davidsumnerhistory.com/
Introducing a new podcast series examining the events of the Halbe Pocket in April & May 1945.
To help you follow along with the towns and locations mentioned throughout the series, here is a map showcasing the route taken by the German 9th Army.
If you have any comments or questions about the show, please get in touch via davidsumner.podcast@gmail.com
You can also follow me on instagram at davidsumnerhistory or visit my site davidsumnerhistory.com
