Smoke rises from a distant battle as PzKpfw iii and ii tanks group near an SdKfz 250 half truck.The picture gives an idea of the huge scale of tank battles in the East which were fought over distances that many urban Germans found intimidating.

Tanks

One of the last eight German assault guns of the &quot;Fortress Breslau&quot; concealed in a damaged building. The siege of Breslau lasted from January 23 until May 6, 1945. 72% of the town's buildings were destroyed, about 20000 civilians were killed. The Wehrmacht lost about 6000 soldiers, the Red Army about 7000.

Last assault guns

2nd Lieutenant Graf Rüdiger von Moltke (on the right), nicknamed &quot;Molch&quot; (newt). Moltke and his Panzer IV platoon knocked out 35 Soviet tanks within two months during the Battle of West Prussia in 1945. To Moltke's left company leader 1st Lieutenant Klemm. Panzer-Regiment 35 of 4. Panzer-Division.