The fighting around Aschaffenburg was a very small part of the · There is a lesson with respect to...

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The fighting around Aschaffenburg was a very small part of the mosaic that was World War II in March and April 1945

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WAR DEPARTMENTWASHINGTON

7 April 1945

Weekly News Conference

There is a lesson with respect to fighting to the end in Aschaffenburg. There Nazi fanatics used the visible threat of two hangings to compel German solders and civilians to fight for a week. After a week of fighting, during which the city was reduced to rubble and many Germans lost their lives, the inevitable took place and the Nazi fanatics ran up the white flag and surrendered to our veteran 45th Infantry Division.

Henry Lewis StimsonSecretary of War

Crossing of the Rhine River

THIRDxxxx

PATTON

22 March 1945

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THIRDxxxx

PATTON

25 March 1945


THIRDxxxx

PATTON

28 March 1945

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Setting the StageFor OKW the news in the west was bad. Allies had breached the Westwall, seized the Saar Palatinate and the Rhineland, crossed the Rhine in several places and now were driving almost unopposed towards the heart of the Reich.

Wehrmacht remnants in south central Germany were streaming back to the next defensive echelon along the Wetter, Main and Tauber Rivers. Their combat fitness was low and any effort at defense resembled a delay.

Pushing them were two strong experienced American armies, the Third and the Seventh.

The Third Army spearhead was the 4th Armor Dlvision racing across the flat country between the Rhine and the Main through Darmstadt, aided by the German decision to abandon Darmstadt, a city substantially destroyed by aerial bombing.

LTC Creiqhton W. Abrams’ Combat Command B (CCB), 2,500 strong, raced to the Main River In Aschaffenburg following a report of an undamaged road bridge over the Main.

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Awaiting them were 5,000 KKA combatants and 10,000 troops of the hastily organised 413 Replacement Division, controlling all German forces in the 60 km from Hanau to Miltenberg.

At the start of the battle Aschaffenburg was an isolated defensive stronghold with few support troops,

An initial defensive echelon was west of the Main river in the Nilkheimsalient.

A second echelon was arrayed in strongpoints from west to east on high ground or in fortified positions in front of the urban area.

A third defensive echelon was in the closely packed streets of the city.

A fourth echelon was on key high ground in the surrounding Spessart Mountains.

Open ground south of the city in the vicinity of the Nilkheim railroad bridge was also held.

At 1630 on 25 March, Commanding General of the Wehrmacht Seventh Army, General der Infantrie Hans Felber, inspected Aschaffenburg and directed all available units to be sent to Aschaffenburg immediately.

BelligerentsThird US Army (25‐27 March 45)4th Armored Division • Combat Command B Seventh US Army (28 Mar‐1 Apr 45)XV US Corps 45th Infantry Division• 157th Infantry Regiment• 179th Infantry Regiment• 180th Infantry Regiment• 45th Division Artillery

German Seventh ArmyLXXXII Army Corps (Wehrmacht)• 416. Infanterie Division• 256. Volks‐Grenadier Division• 36. Volks‐Grenadier Division• 413. Replacement DivisionKampfkommando Aschaffenburg (KKA)• Pionierbataillon 9 (Pion.Btl 9)*• Infanteriebataillon 106 (Inf.Btl 106)*• Ungarisches Infanteriebataillon (4 Kp)**XIII Shutzstaffel (SS) Army Korps elements• SS Schule, Aschaffenburg

Commanders and leadersLTG George Patton, Third US ArmyBG Wm M. Hoge, 4th Armor DivMG Wade H. Haislip, XV CorpsMG Robert Fredericks, 45th Inf DivCOL Walter O’Brien, 157th Inf Reg

General Hans Felber, Seventh ArmyGeneral W Hamm, LXXXII Army CorpsMajor Emil Lamberth, KKAGen. Lt. Kurt Pfleiger, 416 Inf Div

StrengthMid 1944 Infantry Division TOE 7= 14,253.Jan 1945, most units were at 2/3 strength

Kampfkommando Aschaffenburg: 5,000Other troops committed in A’burg: 11,450TOTAL in and around Aschaffenburg 33,500

The Battle of Aschaffenburg

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ORDER OF BATTLEGERMAN FORCES

HANS FELBER

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JohannisburgSchloss (Palace)

Bischberg

Erbig

Schweinheim

Mainaschaff

Leiden

Darmstadter Strasse

Schoenburg

Nilkheim

Mainbrucke

RR Brucke

RR Brucke

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Typical Mountain in Spessart Range

Looking East North East from Sternberg

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Johannisburg Schloss (Built 1604‐1614)

Mainbrucke over the Main River

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Nilkheim Railroad Bridge

Schweinheim (A’Burg in background) from Erbig

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The German Defense, 25 March 1945

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24 March 1945

18,000 to 20,000 Displaced Persons and POWs in the area contributed to construction of defences.

Six types of bunker were constructed:

1. 5 man machinegun bunker

2. 18 man machinegun bunker

3. Machinegun bunker with observation turret

4. Steel‐reinforced machinegun bunker

5. 5 man machinegun bunker with armored turret

6. Underground squad bunker

There were also special purpose emplacements.

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45th Infantry Division (United States)

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105 How 105 How 105 How 155 How

DIVSPT

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XX45

45 45 45

45 4545 45 45

Recon

45th SignalBattalion

700th OrdnanceBattalion

45th

QuartermasterBattalion

120th CombatEngineerBattalion

120th MedicalBattalion

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25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3March April

25 26

27 28

29 30

31 1 2 3

Engagement

Equilibrium

Attrition

Reduction

1945

EngagementPh. 1

Ph. 2

Ph. 3

Ph. 4

PhasePALM

SUNDAY


The US Third Army carried out four river assaults in late March. The 5th Infantry Division undertook the first on March 22, 1945, crossing the Rhine at Oppenheim, south of Mainz. They crossed without the usual artillery preparation, a maneuver that caught German troops by surprise. Within 48 hours, four US divisions had crossed the Rhine at Oppenheim and positioned themselves to advance into Germany. Third Army troops soon also successfully assaulted the Rhine at three other locations: Boppard, St. Goar, and south of the city of Mainz.

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25‐26 MARCH 1945

PHASE 1 ‐ ENGAGEMENT

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Day 1 ‐ 25 March 1945

0900. Babenhausen 9 miles west, notifies KKA they are under attack by strong American armored force.

1200. German sentries on the Schloss sight CCB Sherman tanks on Darmstadter Strasse heading for the Mainbrucke at the apex of the Nilkheim salient.

1210. Americans come under intense AT, mortar and small arms fire as they approach the bridge.

1215. The lead Sherman just onto the bridge explodes with a flash. The Americans began withdraw.

LTC Cohen, Bn CO of 10th Armored Infantry received a radio call from CCB that the Nilkheim RR bridge 3 km upriver seemed intact.

Simultaneously the defenders in the Schloss saw American Infantry cross the Nilkheim railroad bridge. The Recon Platoon crossed under heavy fire.

Once on the eastern shore, the Recon Platoon went onto and under the bridge to push rigged aerial bombs into the river, and cutting wires. Some swam to the center support.

Three companies of Infantry crossed supported by a company from the 37th Tank Battalion.

1230. The soldiers were fighting up the slopes of Bischburgand Erbig against light resistance.

LTC Abrams pushed troops across and seized the two hills.

Germans launched repeated counter‐attacks, including sorties by ME‐109 jet fighters.

1500. CCB had secured the RR bridge and set up an 8 km2

eastern bridgehead.

1630. General der Infantrie Felber, 7th Army, visited and directed all available units to be sent to Aschaffenburg.

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0900

We are under attack by strong armoured force!


1200

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1203


1207

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1210

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1215

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1216

The railroad bridge is still

intact!


1216

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1218

The 10th Armored Infantry Battalion’s Recon Platoon

crossed under heavy fire and secured a bridgehead over

the Main River.

1225

XB 4

III10 4

III37 4

I10

I10I

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I10

LTC Abrams pushes 3 Infantry companies

and one tank company across the railroad bridge.

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1230

XB 4

III10 4

III37 4

I10

I10I

37

I10

Soldiers were fighting up the slopes of

Bischburg and Erbigagainst light resistance

1400

XB 4

III10 4

III37 4

I10

I10

I37

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II10

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II10

Troops fought off repeated ground attacks and ME109 sorties and the bridgehead held.

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1500X

B 4

III37 4

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II10

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37

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II37

Uncommitted troops reduce resistance in Leiden and Schönbusch Park.

CCB tries coup de main on Schwein‐heim. Loses three tanks and pulls back to hill positions.

After‐action Report: Day 1 (25 MAR 45)

Patton held about 8 square km on the east bank of the Main River, at a cost of 4 tanks and several Infantry KIA and WIA.

Both sides committed a major tactical blunder.

Massing troops in lightly‐defended Aschaffenburg could have provided quick entry into the Spessart Mountains. Instead, after the failed coup de main, the US failed to follow up against weak defenders and went defensive and the Germans reinforced significantly.

The Germans failed to blow the Nilkheim RR bridge, a blunder comparable to the bridge at Remagen. As a strategic asset, OKW had centralised bridge destruction as a higher command engineering function.

Effective 260001 March 45, Eisenhower shifted Aschaffenburg from Patton’s Third Army to Patch’s Seventh Army.

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Day 2 ‐ 26 March 1945Germans

The German Seventh Army rushed reinforcements to Aschaffenburg, reinforcing Schweinheim and the StengertsHill. 413.ID was given to Seventh Army. 36.VGD was moved north to block American penetration south, supported by the 416.JD. XIII SS Korps elements reinforced 356.VGD on north.

Germans maintained small arms and mortar fire on the bulge.

Americans

CCB mounted limited assaults toward the Obernauer Kolonie section on the southern end of city and along Bischberger Strasse in the direction of Schweinheim.

CCB received orders to withdraw and simply hold the bridgehead in preparation for relief on 27 March.

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27‐28 MARCH 1945

PHASE 2 ‐ EQUILIBRIUM

0700

XB 4

II1041

III37 4

III10 4

Bridgehead held by 1/104 Infantry Bn(from 26th ID att. to 4th Armored Div.) and

1 tank company.

I778

X

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Day 3 ‐ 27 March 1945

In the early hours, the 1/104 Infantry Battalion and the tank company from the 778th Tank Battalion relieved CCB and cautiously approached Schweinheim.

CCB went into an assembly area prepared to move north to rejoin the 4th Armor Division.

The 45th Infantry Division was moving east against light resistance to the Main River to assume control of the Aschaffenburg AO (area of operations).

1200. LTC Felix Sparks, CO 3/157 Infantry, was ordered to drive rapidly to the Main River at Aschaffenburg and seize the high ground immediately beyond the river. He was informed that Aschaffenburg had been cleared by the Third Army. He was not told of Task Force Baum.

1400. 3/157 arrived at Nilkheim bridge, but saw no friendlies.

I

II

II

2 157

0800

XB 4

II1041

I778

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I

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I

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1500

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79

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I

II

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2 157

II3 179

1530

III157

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II106

III179 II

1 179

II1 157

I106A

I645TDB

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II2 157 II

1 157II3 157

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645TDB

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The bridge was planked to facilitate vehicular traffic.

Sparks sent over a platoon and then a company, and they came under small arms and mortar fire. They then met the troops from 1/104 who were on the immediate high ground.

When coordinating the handover, Sparks was told Schweinheim was not cleared. He moved 3/157 into defensive positions just as the Germans launched a strong counterattack from Schweinheim that was repulsed.

1600. After adjusting positions, the Germans launched another strong counterattack that was repulsed.

1640. Relief in place of the Nilkheim bridgehead was complete.

1700. 3/157 attacked Schweinheim with 2 companies supported by artillery and tank destroyers. A toehold was seized and 15 Germans captured.

The bridge was planked to facilitate vehicular traffic.

Sparks sent over a platoon and then a company, and they came under small arms and mortar fire. They then met the troops from 1/104 who were on the immediate high ground.

When coordinating the handover, Sparks was told Schweinheim was not cleared. He moved 3/157 into defensive positions just as the Germans launched a strong counterattack from Schweinheim that was repulsed.

1600. After adjusting positions, the Germans launched another strong counterattack that was repulsed.

1640. Relief in place of the Nilkheim bridgehead was complete.

1700. 3/157 attacked Schweinheim with 2 companies supported by artillery and tank destroyers. A toehold was seized and 15 Germans captured.

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I

II

II

2 157

II

160

IITD

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45

II191

III106

II120

II2 179

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III157

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II

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645

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II1 179

II2 157

II3 157II

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3 179

II106

III179

0700

Day 4 ‐ 28 March 19450730. The remainder of the 157th IR and its supporting arms and services motored to the Main River and started to cross the railroad bridge, which was under enemy air attack by ME‐109s for part of the day.

1200. All elements of the 157th IR were in position. Those not in line occupied an assembly area west of Erbig preparing to attack Schweinheim.

416.ID subordinated to LXXXIII Corps.

Effective 1200hrs LXXXIII Corps takes over Main front from Hanau to Miltenberg, has positive control of 36.VGD, and 256.VGD and 416.ID and KKA in sector.

36.VGD in place to south of city with two infantry regiments, two light artillery and one heavy artillery battalions.

1/104 Infantry relieved by 157th Infantry Regiment. 2/157 IR and 3/157 IR cross RR bridge and move on town.

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157th IR consolidates on high ground south of town. 3/157 1R moves on Schweinheim at 1900 hrs.

KKA seals off town. 36.VGD seals off southern egress out of bridgehead.

L/3/157 IR attacks Schweinheim and gains a small foothold after sustaining heavy casualties in fight with KKA elements.

By 1530 hrs. 1/157 IR crosses bridge: all 157 IR elements are on the east bank of the Main.

Kreisleiter Wohlgemuth publishes a proclamation directing women, children, the sick and the elderly to leave on the 28th and 29th of March.

Teletype arrives from OKW ordering KKA to "fight to the last cartridge."

36.VGD conducts reconnaissance and prepares to assault bridgehead.

US 179th IR captures Obernberg and Sulzbach.

416.ID'S southern flank is threatened by US assault crossings of the Main at Obernberg and Klingenberg by 3rd ID.

Hanau falls to Americans jeopardizing KKA right flank.

The last German resistance on west bank of Main in Aschaffenburg area, at Leider, cleared by 157 IR.

179th IR crosses RR bridge and moves into line to south of 157 IR.

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45TH INFANTRY DIVISION SITUATION OVERLAY282400A MARCH 1945

TD

45XX

II1 179


I

II

II3 157

II2 157

II3 180

IA 106

II160

II645

XX45

II191

III106

II120

II2 157

XX45

II158

III157

II106

II189

II180

II283

II171

II3 179

II1 157

II1 179

III179

E

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29‐30 MARCH 1945

PHASE 3 ‐ ATTRITION

Day 5 ‐ 29 March 1945

OKW again transmits teletype order for KKA to fight "to the last cartridge”.

At 1030hrs C/1/157 IR and I and L/3/157 IR attack Schweinheim with support of A/191 Tank Battalion and 2/B/645 TD Bn. Limited success as far as Catholic church.

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LXXXII Corps ordered to maintain radio liaison with KKA in the event of a pull back.

A number of Luftwaffe Infantry join 256.VGD in Mainaschaff sector.

Stars & Stripes newspaper reports that Patton's Third Army has cleared the Main River cities of Frankfurt, Hanau and Aschaffenburg.

KKA defenders from 106 IR and 9 Pionier Battalion training units occupy main defensive line from river east to Schweinheim. Cadets from local Reserve Officer Candidate School reinforce in Schweinheim.

Lieutenant Heymann hung for "fahnenflucht", "fleeing the flag", desertion.

German navy frogman team makes an attempt to blow center support or RR bridge with an aluminum torpedo: they fail.

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AI

157C

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Day 6 ‐ 30 March 1945

Two regiments of 36.VGD the attack American bridgehead at 0001 hours and overrun K/3/157IR. By 0400 reach to within one kilometer of bridge before being driven back. Back at start points by 0800 hours.

KKA elements Counterattack in Schweinheim at 0320hrs.

3/157 IR attacks on right (south) in Schweinheim. 2/157 IR attacks through Obernauer Kolonie north along river. Both met with heavy resistance. L/3/157 IR loses 100 men in five minutes during assault,

44th ID Div arty attached to 45th ID Div arty. A total of 13 battalions, 90 tubes of artillery available to 157th Infantry Regiment. C/2 Chemical Mortar Battalion (4.2 inch mortars) direct support to 157 IR.

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1/ and 3/l57 IR in house‐to‐house fighting in Schweinheim by midday.

Main River front flanked on north at Hanau and south at Klingenberg. LXXXII Corps begins withdrawal from river. 36.VGD withdraws under fire from south of Schweinheim. KKA sends 9/3 Pioneer Bn to occupy positions vacated by 36.VGD on south of Schweinheim.

Navy frogmen final attempt to blow bridge fails when US mortar round detonates torpedo (and frogmen).

2/157 IR attack at 1730 hrs. into southern part of Aschaffenburg is called off at 1900 hrs. after heavy losses.

Skies clear at 18OO hrs. and eight fighter‐bomber sorties flow against city.

Recon troop from US 106 Cav Group clears railroad bridge at Mainaschaff. KKA now has direct pressure on south and north

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G


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31 MARCH – 3 APRIL 1945

PHASE 3 ‐ REDUCTION

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Day 7 ‐ 31 March 1945

2/157 IR bogged down in attack on northwest of battle Lines.

3/157 IR makes good progress in Schweinheim. Co. K attacks and occupies part of Artillerie w.

1/157 IR jumps off in an attack on Haibach at 0630hrs.

3/179 IR attacks and captures Goldbach and Stengert Hill.

Fifteen fighter‐bomber missions are flown in support of 157 IR dropping 100,000 lbs. of aerial bombs. A and D/191 TK BN support 157 IR.

Regimental Adjutant of 157 IR in an artillery spotter plane drops an ultimatum calling for surrender on German Headquarters. No response.

Commandant of the City of Aschaffenburg.

Your situation is hopeless. Our superiority in men and material is overpowering.

You are offered herewith the opportunity, by accepting unconditional surrender, to save lives and property of countless civilians. The conditions of the Geneva Convention are assured to you and to your garrison.

The following is requested immediately upon receipt of this message:

The raising of the white flag on the Engineer Barracks.

The sending of a delegation under a white flag to the south end of the city, which will be authorized to negotiate for the conclusion of the capitulation of Aschaffenburg.

Should you refuse to accept these conditions. we shall be forced to level Aschaffenburg.

The fate of Aschaffenburg is in your hands.

The Commander of the Allied Troops.

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German‐operated US Sherman tank takes advancing Americans under fire from Schweinheim Hill: destroyed by 2/B/645th TD Battalion.

Over 1,000 mortar rounds are fired at the Americans in Schweinheim.

Four ME‐262 German jet fighter‐bombers appear over the battlefield.

LXXXII Corps orders 36.VGD to withdraw to Lohr. The 256.VGD was previously withdrawn. KKA is now isolated.

OKW publishes a report stating that Aschaffenburg is surrounded and the situation is hopeless.

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Day 8 ‐ 1 April 1945

Easter Sunday, 1945, was no joyous religious celebration.

American artillery, tanks and airpower were extensively used. A captured German officer complained that the American Infantry was invisible. It didn’t feel that way to them,

179 IR attacks through local training area to clear German artillery from high ground overlooking city on southeast.

1/157 IR attacks to clear Gailbach and Haibach. City is now flanked on southeast.

2/157 IR attacks down river (north), by 1500hrs resistance along river Is broken.

3/157 IR. with F/2/157 IR attached, clears Schweinheim.

After 10 hours room by room fighting, K/3/157 IR finally clears Artillerie Kaserne by 1700. It was held by 100 convalescents.

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Artillerie Kaserne (Ready Barracks)

SS School Barracks, Aschaffenburg

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3/157 IR attacks Bols‐Brule Kaserne at 1500 hours. the Kaserne falls at 1700 after room‐to‐room fighting with heavy casualties on both sides.

Parts of Pionier Kaserne occupied by Americans in the evening.

Loss of the two southeastern kasernes and Haibach open up route to encircle the city from the east. [The same route Captain Baum used on his mission six days earlier.]

Ten American fighter‐bomber missions (82 sorties) drop over 90,000 lbs. of bombs on battle area.

157 IR takes 1,000 prisoners during day.

Elements of 324th Infantry Regiment cross Main and occupy blocking positions on northwest of Aschaffenburg. 1/324 IR screens while B/324 IR attacks towards Mainaschaff.

E BF

IKC 1571

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45TH INFANTRY DIVISION SITUATION OVERLAY012400A APRIL 1945

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Day 9 ‐ 2 April 1945

As Easter Monday dawned in the beleaguered garrison or Aschaffenburg was still resisting. but it was difficult to put up an organised defense. Resistance was not so much organised as each man desperately flghting for his life.

CG 45th ID directs 157 IR to reduce Aschaffenburg, while 179th and 180th bypass and press to the east to isolate it.

A/120 Engineer Combat Battalion constructs a Class 30 Spanner Bridge one kilometer downriver from the RR bridge.

Americans attach a platoon of M36 tank destroyers (90m gun) to each battalion.

1100, German political leadership flees Aschaffenburg.

1/157 IR cuts road to east (Route 26) from city. takes Hoesbach and Goldbach, and swings to west toward Mainaschaff. By 1700 hours the city is physically surrounded when A/1/324 IR links up with 1/157.

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Another day or incessant artillery and aerial bombardment.

Lagarde and Jaeger kasernes fall to 2/157 IR and 3/157 IR respectively.

2/157 IR with Companies I and L from 3/157 IR attack the center of the city near the City Hospital. Strongpoints are reduced with direct fire 155m artillery and heavy ground assaults. It falls at 1530 hrs.

3/157 IR (‐) clears the northeast residential part of the city and occupies part of Fasantarie Park.

At 1850 hours 2/324 IR captures Mainaschaff. KappelIenberg is secured at 1800 hours.

German defenses now uncorrelated , isolated, and being defeated in detail. 1,117 POWs were captured.

German defenses now consist of only the center of the city around the castle and north of the rail line from the Sudbahnhof.

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Day 10 ‐ 3 April 1945

Following a short artillery preparation the 157 IR began its attacks for the day between 0630 and 0700 hours. However, at 0720 hours the units were directed to hold In place.

At 0700, Major Lambert sent the leader of his 7th Volksstrum Company escorted by an American captured on Easter Sunday to the American lines requesting surrender terms.

Colonel O'Brien, 157 IR CO, rejected negotiations and directed the emissary to tell his Commander to hang white flags from the towers of the Schloss by 0800 hours or the attacks would continue. Two German‐speaking POW Interrogation Officers (IPWs) went back with the delegation.

Lambert refused to surrender to lieutenants, so LTC Sparks was sent to the Schloss and Lambert surrendered the city at 0900. The two IPWs accompany Major Lambert as he personally directs the surrender of isolate outposts.

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Four hundred prisoners were collected.

Smoke is rising 1,000 ft into the air from the destruction caused by the fighter‐bombers and artillery.

1300 hours, Aschaffenburg was declared cleared.

The 120 Engineers had a fire flight with exfiltrating soldiers.

1840 hours, the 157 IR assembles in Goldbach and Hoesbach awaiting further orders.

The battle of Aschaffenburg is over.

On 7 April, US Military Government Detachment H1A3 arrives to administer the destroyed city.

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OBERCOMMANDOS DES HEERES(Army High Command)

DAILY ANNOUNCEMENT3 April 1945

Aschaffenburg ging verloren.

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Extract fromthe 45th Infantry Division’s

Operations Summary for April l945

If a chart were composed representing resistance in Aschaffenburg at l00 percent, by analogy Bamberg would be assigned 25 percent, Nuremberg 75 percent and Munich l0 percent.

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BelligerentsThird US Army (25‐27 March 45)4th Armored Division • Combat Command B Seventh US Army (28 Mar‐1 Apr 45)XV US Corps 45th Infantry Division• 157th Infantry Regiment• 179th Infantry Regiment• 180th Infantry Regiment• 45th Division Artillery

German Seventh ArmyLXXXII Army Corps (Wehrmacht)• 416. Infanterie Division• 256. Volks‐Grenadier Division• 36. Volks‐Grenadier Division• 413. Replacement DivisionKampfkommando Aschaffenburg (KKA)• Pionierbataillon 9 (Pion.Btl 9)*• Infanteriebataillon 106 (Inf.Btl 106)*• Ungarisches Infanteriebataillon (4 Kp)**XIII Shutzstaffel (SS) Army Korps elements• SS Schule, Aschaffenburg

Commanders and leadersMG Robert Fredericks, 45th Inf DivCOL Walter O’Brien, 157th Inf Reg

Major Emil Lamberth, KKA

CasualtiesUS KIA – unknown (estimated 35‐75)US WIA – unknown (estimated 300‐500)

Estimated KIA 850; estimated WIA 1,800POWs – 3,500Civilian deaths – 900Schweinheim was 85% destroyed and Aschaffenburg 70% destroyed.


EXTRACT

45th INFANTRY DIVISIONOPERATIONS SUMMARY

APRIL l945

If a chart were composed representing resistance in Aschaffenburg at l00 percent, by analogy, Bamberg would be assigned 25 percent, Nuernberg 75 percent and Munich l0 percent.

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The former Oberburgomeister of Aschaffenburg, Wilhelm Wohlmuth, chopping wood in the prison yard of Aschaffenburg, Germany, under the eye of an armed German prison guard, on Dec. 24, 1945, while awaiting decision of the military government as to whether the local German government may be permitted to try him on charges of alleged murder and ordering the execution of five German soldiers during the battle for Aschaffenburg in March 1945.

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Encirclement of the Ruhr 1945

Aftermath

After initially taking over the administration of the ex‐Wehrmacht installations, which were then used as displaced persons camps, the American presence in the Aschaffenburg military community began after general renovations in 1948.

The six kasernes housed the armour, infantry, engineer, maintenance and artillery elements of the U.S. Army 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division.

When the Cold War ended in 1992, troops left Aschaffenburg and The last buildings, which were primarily used for housing, were handed back to the local government in 2007.

In the decades following the war, Aschaffenburg and the surrounding region experienced robust economic prosperity, partially due to its close proximity to Frankfurt am Main.

In 2002 and again in 2006, surveys showed Aschaffenburg having one of the highest ratings for quality of life in Europe.

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The fighting around Aschaffenburg was a very small part of the · There is a lesson with respect to...

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