Evening star., 1945-04-21
F|anking Drive Within Is Miles
Of y. S. Forces Also Is Reported
Outskirts of City
Reached at Five
Points, Nozis Say
Dy the Associated Press.


LONDON, April 21.-The Ger.
mans said today that massiv,
Russian forces were envelopins
Berlin through suburbs on thu
east, north and southwest, ane
were shelling the Potsdamel
Platz in the center of the city.
Soviet forces. by enemy account
had fought their way into Berlin
suburbs at five places-Bernau
Strausberg. Fuerstenwalde, Koenigs
-Wusterhausen and Zossen.
The Russians drive to Bernau,
miles from the city limits, was an
nounced by the German high COM
mand. This action constituted part
of the northern development move
against Berlin.
Swift Drive Below Capital.
In q swift penetration of Nazi
defenses below the capital, other
Russian forces advanced to posi-
tions southwest of the capital, the
German Transocean agency an
nounced. In this sweep the Rus
slams reached the vicinity of Beel-
itz and Treuenbrietzen, respectfully
IL and % miles southwest of Ber-
Inns great southwestern suburb of
Potsdam
Treuenbrietzen is 80 miles north
east Of the last reported American
positions in the vicinity of Dessau.
Russian forces in a 35-mile break
through also reached the important
rail junction town of Jueterbog, 10
miles southeast of Treuenbrietzen
and q miles below Berlin, the Ger
man high command said.
With this sweep the Russians
severed virtually all the southwark
avenues of retreat out of Berlin.
Goebbels to Speak.
The Berlin radio announced that
Nazi Propaganda Minister Paul
Joseph Goebbels, in his capacity as
gauleiter and defense commissioner
for Berlin, would address the resi-
dents Of, the besieged city later
today.
Marshal Ivan S. Konev's 1st
Ukrainian Army was engaged in the
drive south of Berlin.
Farther south in Saxony where
Konev's men also were driving to-
ward a linkup with the Americans
the Russians reached Kamenz, 10
miles northeast of Dresden and
50 miles from Chemnitz, the Ger
mans said.
To the north the LIST White Rus
sian Army, making frontal assault
ON Berlin, was locked in bitter bat
tie with Nazi defenders of the capi-
tai along the Fuerstenberg- -Straus-
oerg-Bernau line. the German high
command said.
Two Oder Bridgeheads.
Still farther north other Russian
forces were declared to have forced
two bridgeheads over the Oder be-
tween Schwedt and Stettin, guard
ing the northern approaches to Ber-
lin.
Great Russian encircling moves
are drawing closer toward the cap
ital," the German Transocean
agency said. Russian spearheads
have reached the northeastern,
eastern and southern suburbs of
Berlin"
Both German and Russian ac-
counts described the fighting along
the outskirts of Berlin as violent
tank battle with the Russians max
ing use of planes to disperSe Ger
man armored formations.
An earlier German broadcast said
100000 persons still were in fire.
blackened Berlin awaiting the bat
tle."
The announcement of the shelling
of the German capital by Russian
artillery was made by the Germans
Transocean agency.
Five Key Points.
BY enemy account these are the
five key points of the suburban
fighting:
Bernau-Virtually at the north
eastern city boundary just outside
the ring autobahn encircling the
capital and IA miles from the heart
Of the city.
Strausberg-8 miles east-northeast
Of the ring autobahn.
Fuerstenwalde-12m miles southeast
on the Frankfurt railway.
Koenigs Wusterhausen -3 miles
from the southeastern boundary.
Zossen-About 10 miles south on
the main railway to Saxony.
Describing the situation in the
southeastern suburbs as most criti-
eal," Transocean said:
The Russians have broken
through between Cottbus and Baut-
zen and enemy spearheads have
reached Koenigs Wusterhausen,
where they were halted. Another
thrust is being made in the direc-
ton OF ZoSSen."
Forest Reported Fired.
Meanwhile, Moscow dispatches
said the Nazi defenders of Berlin
had fired the forests outside the city
In desperate attempt to halt the
Russian tank armies grinding
through suburban defense lines.
The German radio said decree
had been issued in the doomed cap
ital requiring all men and women
unable to reach their customary
places Of work because of the cur
tailment Of transportation to report
Immediately and build antitank OBJ
stacles and dig trenches.
Barricades are already blocking |
many streets of the town and are
being strengthened and supple
mented continuously" the broadcast
said.