March 9, 1945 The dramatic hours before the liberation of Bonn
Bonn · On March 9, 1945, Bonn is firmly in the hands of U.S. troops. Before that, the city had experienced some dramatic hours. Bad Godesberg had been taken by American troops without a fight the night before.
For the troops, it is sandwiches and coffee for breakfast at 3:30 am on this morning. Half an hour later, Company K of the third U.S. Battalion forms up in double rows. Their marching orders: "Roisdorf, Alfter and then straight into Bonn." It is March 8, 1945. The 16th Infantry Regiment advances in three battalions, from the south the 18th Regiment joins them. The next day the operation is successfully completed: American troops liberate the city. For Bonn the war is over.
The drama of these historic hours is later described by eyewitnesses. In the evening of March 8th, police officer Sturz sounds a major alarm and reports to the German command in the Windeck bunker: "The market hall bunker is occupied by Americans!”
That's the signal. Combat Commander Richard von Bothmer knows: "I cannot defend a stronghold with untrained soldiers." He wants to surrender. U.S. soldiers are taking heavy artillery fire at the corner of the Windeck bunker. Colonel General Georg von Küchler agrees: "Do not defend!" It would be insane to risk the lives of 6,000 women, children and old men cowering in the bunker.
Escape across the Rhine to Beuel
As one of the last Wehrmacht leaders, von Küchler fled over the Rhine bridge to Beuel. A few hours later, at 8:20 pm, the German soldiers blow up the bridge. For the Americans it is clear: "With this the Germans conceded that the city was irrevocably lost," it later says in their report. Shortly before midnight von Bothmer leaves the city. His last order: "Save what can be saved!" He refuses to lead the fight for Bonn "to the last bullet" and thus prevents further victims and destruction of the city.
A few hours later, the American troops have Bonn completely in their hands, and on the afternoon of March 9, all organized resistance ceases. White flags flutter at numerous houses and ruins. Max Horster, the head of city legal affairs, finally hands over the city to the advancing U.S. troops. By this time Bonn is about 30 percent destroyed, more than half of all apartments are uninhabitable. Altogether more than 6,300 Bonners die, 1,564 residents have lost their lives in the bombing raids.
Bad Godesberg was taken by American troops without a fight the night before. It is thanks to the determined efforts of some courageous citizens that the town, which was still independent at the time, got away without major destruction. The National Socialist mayor Heinrich Alef left the town the day before, and handed over the official duties to city councilor Heinrich Ditz. On March 7, the Americans are on the advance through the Kottenforst. The German commander Richard Schimpf, who has set up his divisional command post in the basement of the Rheinhotel Dreesen, is once again ordered to defend Bad Godesberg to the last man. But he is aware of the utter hopelessness. The Americans demand surrender without a fight and threaten with devastating artillery attacks and new bomb squadrons. Schimpf leaves it up to the soldiers to escape to the right bank of the Rhine or go into captivity.
Among others, it is the Catholic priest Hermann Josef Drießen, police authority Otto Kessel, interpreter Annemarie Steeg and Ditz who risk their necks and negotiate the handover of the city in initial talks with an American colonel. And they are successful... white flags fly in Bad Godesberg. The towns and villages on the right bank of the Rhine, such as Königswinter and Beuel, will not surrender until mid-March, as the U.S. troops will not arrive there until later.
On its website, the General-Anzeiger traces the end of the war in Bonn and the region in diary style. The previous articles can be found at ga-story.de. Eyewitnesses from this historical time are welcome to contact the GA per email: r.franz@ga.de.
(Orig. text: Bernd Linnarz; Translation: ck)
