Seelow Heights was the scene of the bloodiest battle on German soil during the Second World War. One million soldiers were in action in the battle of the Seelover Heights. Here, the German forces quickly made up a defence line when it was clear that the Red Army had reached the Oder after 1 January 1945.

100 000 German soldiers faced an overwhealming force. About 900 000 Red Army and Polish soldiers were ready to attack in the beginning of April.

The defenses at the Seelow Heights lay about 48 meters above the flat terrain to the border River Oder , about 17 kilometers to the east.

Despite poorly equiped and little training, the German defenders were able to repel the first assault on 16 April. The second day, the Soviet forces broke through the defences. On 19 April, the road to Berlin lay open.

Military historians have long questioned the cleverness in Marshal Sjukovs plan of attack because it was fully possible to circumvent the german defences.

50,000 soldier died during the four day battle.

Two weeks after the collapse at the Seelow Heights, Hitler was dead.