Editing Volkssturm (section)

==Battle of Berlin==
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J28787, Volkssturmbataillon an der Oder.jpg|thumb|''Volkssturm'' members receiving orders in an [[Defensive fighting position|entrenched position]] along the [[Oder]] River, February 1945. Note the mixed assortment of firearms, a [[Volkssturmgewehr|VG 1-5]], a [[MG 42]] and a scope-equipped [[Karabiner 98k]].]]
Their most extensive use was during the [[Battle of Berlin]], where ''Volkssturm'' units fought in many parts of the city. This battle was particularly devastating to its formations; however, many members fought to the death out of fear of being [[Gulag|captured by the Soviets.]]{{sfn|Kissel|1962|p=32}} The ''Volkssturm'' had a strength of about 60,000 in the Berlin area, formed into 92 battalions, of which about 30 battalions of ''Volkssturm I'' (those with some weapons) were sent to forward positions, while those of ''Volkssturm II'' (those without weapons) remained in the inner city.{{sfn|Beevor|2002|p=178}} One of the few substantive fighting units left to defend Berlin was the [[LVI Panzer Corps]], which occupied the southeastern sector of the town, whereas the remaining parts of the city were being defended by what remained of the SS, the ''Volkssturm'', and the Hitler Youth formations.{{sfn|Ziemke|1968|p=481}} Nonetheless, a force of over 2.5 million Soviet troops, equipped with 6,250 tanks and over 40,000 artillery pieces, were assigned to capture the city, and the diminished remnants of the ''Wehrmacht'' were no match for them. Meanwhile, Hitler denounced every perceived "betrayal" to the inhabitants of the ''[[Führerbunker]]''.{{sfn|Bessel|2010|pp=104–109}} Not eager to die what was thought to be a pointless death, many older members of the ''Volkssturm'' looked for places to hide from the approaching Soviet Army.{{sfn|Kershaw|2001|p=811}} 

One notable and unusual ''Volkssturm'' unit in the Battle for Berlin was the 3/115 [[Siemensstadt]] Battalion. It comprised 770 men, mostly World War I veterans in their 50s who were reasonably fit factory workers, with experienced officers. Unlike most ''Volkssturm'' units it was quite well equipped and trained. It was formed into three rifle companies, a support company (with two [[infantry support gun]]s, four infantry mortars, and heavy machine guns), and a heavy weapons company (with four Soviet [[152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20)|M-20 howitzers]] and a French De Bange 220mm mortar). The battalion first engaged Soviet troops at [[Friedrichsfelde]] on 21 April and saw the heaviest fighting over the following two days. It held out until 2 May, by which time it was down to just 50 rifles and two light machine guns. The survivors fell back to join other ''Volkssturm'' units. 26 men from the battalion were awarded the [[Iron Cross]].{{sfn|Le Tissier|2008|p=212}} Allied bombing and Soviet artillery had reduced Berlin to rubble; meanwhile the final stand in Berlin dwindled to fighting against highly trained, battle-hardened Soviet troops on the brink of final victory, who viewed resistance fighters like the ''Volkssturm'' as terrorists in much the same way the ''Wehrmacht'' once had viewed potential partisans during [[Operation Barbarossa]].{{sfn|Beevor|2002|p=299–301}} [[Red Army]] soldiers called the Hitler Youth formations and members of the ''Volkssturm'' still fighting to the end in Berlin "totals" for being part of Germany's total mobilisation effort.{{sfn|Beevor|2002|p=316}}