The Battle of the Seelow Heights, April 1945: conflict archaeology in the forests of Eastern Brandenburg, Germany

Abstract

ABSTRACT During the final days of World War II, the Red Army’s Berlin Operation culimnated in the capture of the Reich’s capital and the unconditional surrender of the Wehrmacht. Between 16 and 19 April 1945, the most intense fighting of the operation ensued in what is now called the Battle of the Seelow Heights. Due to the vast quantities of men and matériel involved in the fighting, an extensive militarised landscape has developed within the forests of East Brandenburg that has largely evaded archaeological scrutiny. A combination of airborne laser scanning data, archival research, and GIS-analysis reveals a highly diverse archaeological assemblage, including trenches, firing positions, dugouts, logistics facilities, along with other types of war- and conflict-related infrastructure. This unprecedented degree of preservation distinguishes the Seelow battlefield from other WWII contexts in Europe and provides a unique opportunity to investigate the combat activities and supply infrastructures of two combatting forces.