57th Fustung Regiment April 1945

57th Festung Regiment

Winter is almost upon us so I am planning my painting for the Analogue painting challenge. High on my list this winter are my 20mm collections. One of these is my fall of Berlin German forces. So I have gathered as much information as I can to build my Volkssturm troops. I have based my units on the 57th Festung Regiment who were at the brunt of the breakthrough assault in the north east, I have given numbers involved where possible for conversion to other rule sets. My battalions are set up for Rapid Fire Rules.

The 57th Defended Sector Anton- Biesdorf, Kaulsdorf, Mahlsdorf, Hellesdorfer farm (advance position).

57th Festungs Regiment Known locations

Sector Anton, Formed in October 1944 under the command of Olt Bärenfanger - two Volkssturm battalions, 1 police battalion and various units Luftwaffe AA crews manning AA batteries around the train stations, plus Festung MG coy, SP AT company and Festungs artillery battery.

20th April Von Trockels marschgruppe who had been pulled back from the Seelow heights (around the 19th April), and another Volkssturm unit was added to the Festung on the 21st of April.

21st April soviet assault begins on the outer positions

22 April The regiment defended positions between the Kaulsdorf and Mahlsdorf railway stations, the Hellersdorf farm complex was the picket position for the Siemens battalion. The left flank was defended by Trockels Wehrmacht Marschgruppe and right flank was the Warnholz police battalion at the Kaulsdorf Barnhof.23-24th moved to defend the central cattle market

25th April moved to Friedrichsfelde Ost S-bahn station.

27th April, moved to Löwen-Böhmisch Brewery (overlooking Volkspark Frederichshain)

28th April

Surrendered 12th May

I plan to build the regiment over the next 12 months mostly with Simons Soldiers, Blitz/battlefield, FAA and CP models. 

Rapid Fire 57th Festungs Regiment

Commander Sector Anton 

Generalleutnant Erich Bärenfänger (Schloss Biesdorf)
Festung HQ coy
CO + 5 figures

57th Regiment HQ Company 

Commander Major Funk

ADC lt Von Schoenebeck

Pioneer platoon  2 figs x pioneer pltn 1 flamethrower. 
Medical Dressing Company (Schloss Biesdorf) 2 figs medics

Signals x2, supply x 2 kitchen wagon
SS Ordnungspolizie platoon 2 figs

Warnholz Polizei-Wachbataillone SS Sturmbahnnführer Herman Warnholz
HQ coy OC + 2
1st coy 6 figs Ordnungspolizie, 2 panzerfaust per coy

2nd coy 6 figs, Ordnungspolizie 2 panzerfaust per coy
3rd coy 6 figs, 2 panzerfaust per coy (Feuerschutzpolizei) 

Wehrmacht Marschgruppe (433 men) Oberleutnant Trockels
Hq Coy OC + 5 signals, medic, sniper, panzerschrek
1st to 3rd coys 7 figs 2 panzerfaust per coy

3/121 Volkssturm Konigs Wüsterhausen battalion Olt Wagner
HQ coy
Co + 3 signals, runner, medic
3 companies 7 figs, (Russian rifles and lmg), 1 panzerfaust per coy

3/115 Siemenstadt Volksturm battalion 

Commander Olt Erich Krull, ADJ Dr Pourroy

(770 WW1 veterans and officers formed from the Siemens workers battalion)

HQ coy
Co plus 3 medic and signals, runner
3 rifle companies 7 figs (French rifles and lmg ) 1 panzerfaust per coy

57th Heavy Weapons Company lt Fleck (wehrmacht and volkssturm crews)
1 x 81mm mortar 3 crew
1 x French 75mm infantry gun 4 crew

Festungs-Sector A MG Abteilung lt Schmidt
1 x MMG MG42 3 crew
2 x HMG maxim 6 crew

Festung Regiment 57 Artillery 

Artillery Support element "Blucher" Obl Mahr
1 x M20 152mm Soviet howitzers crewed by Wehrmacht
1 French demage 220mm mortar (Kaulsdorf Church yard) limited ammunition 
(crewed by volkssturm 115th Siemensstadt battalion Berlin)

Festungs Sector A Anti Tank Battalion Major Theodore Baechle
panzerschreck fungstruppe
HQ coy 

Co + 3 signals, medic, runner 
1st coy

6 figs Hitlerjugen 3 x panzerschrek

2nd coy
Hitlerjugend x 10 figs, 5 panzerfaust
Self Propelled gun coy
1 x SdKfz 251/22 75mm gun (photo page 200 Panzerwrecks Berlin)

1 x 50mm AT gun Armoured truck (wehrmacht)

Luftwaffe AA 422nd heavy flak battalion
HQ OC + 3
10/126 battery (6 guns) 1 x 10.5 railway flak gun 8 crew at Henningsdorf steel works (across the Wuhle canal)

2/501 light Flak Regiment
1 x 37mm AA gun 4 crew
SP 1 x qaud 20mm flak 4 crew ( in the Mahlsdorf railway station switch yard)