Stavka of the Supreme Commander directive Nr 11072 to the commanders of 1st and 2nd Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts about the necessity for humane treatment towards the German population and prisoners of war.

20 April 1945 20:40

Stavka of the Supreme Command orders:

1. To require the forces to change their treatment of Germans both towards prisoners of war and civilians and treat them better.
   Cruel treatment makes them fear and provokes more stubborn resistance without surrendering.
   The civilians, fearing revenge, gather into gangs. This situation is not good for us. More humane treatment of the Germans will make our fighting easier on their territory and without doubt will reduce their stubbornness in the defence.
2. In German regions to the West of the line between river Oder mouth, river Oder until Furstenberg and further until river Neise (western), create German administrations and put Germans as burgomasters.
   Do not touch ordinary members of the national-socialist party, if they are loyal towards the Red Army, only leaders may be taken into custody if they weren’t able to flee yet.
3. Better treatment of the Germansmust not lower your vigilance and cause familiarities with them.

Stavka of the Supreme command
J.Stalin, A.Antonov

ЦАМО. Ф. 148а. Оп. 3763. Д. 212. Л. 13.

Directive Nr 11071 of the Stavka of the Supreme Commander to the Commander of the 1st Belorussian front to strike, surpassing Berlin from the North.

18 April 1945 04:00

Stavka of the Supreme Command orders:

1. After crossing Oder river no later than 22.04 with the main forces, continue the offensive to the South Westin the overall direction towards Graifenberg, Gross-Schenbekk, Birkenverder, performing a strike surpassing Berlin from the North.
2. From 24:00 on 20.04 Set up the following delimiting line with the 1st Belorussian front: until Angermunde as before, then AltHuttendorf (for 2nd Belorussian front inclusive).
3. Report about the issued instructions.

Stavka of the Supreme Command
J.Stalin, A.Antonov

Source: ЦАМО. Ф. 148а. Оп. 3763. Д. 213. Л. 85.

Directive Nr 11060 of Stavka of the Supreme Commander to the Commander of 1st Ukrainian Front about the elimination of the enemy group in the region of Kotbus and to the South of Berlin.

3 April 1945 21:00

The Stavka of the Supreme Commander orders:

1. To prepare and implement an offensive operation with the objective to eliminate the enemy group in the region of Kotbus to the South of Berlin. No later than on 10-12 day of operation take Beelitz, Wittenberg and further along Elbe to Dresden. Later, after Berlin is taken, prepare to advance towards Leipzig.
2. The main strike with forces of five combined arms armies and two tank armies should be made from the Triebel region in the direction towards Shpremberg, Beltzig.
   In the region of breakthrough gather six breakthrough artillery divisions to create artillery density of no less than 250 barrels per kilometer of 76mm and higher.
3. To support the main group from the South perform a supportive strike with forces of the 2nd Polish Army and parts of 52nd Army from the region of Kolfurt to the overall direction of Bautzen, Dresden.
4. The tank armies and combined arms armies of the second echelon must be sent in after the breakthrough is achieved to supplement the success in the direction of the main strike.
5. The left flank of the front must stay in a rigid defence with special caution to the Breslau direction.
   The 5th guards Army must be swapped and used in the offensive in the main direction.
6. Establish the following delimiting line from 15.04.1945 with the 1st Belorussian front: Up to Unrushtadt -as before, then lake Einsdorfer-Ze, Gros-Gastroze, Lubben (all points except Lubben for the Belorussian front inclusive). Responsibility for maintaining the joint as before.
7. The beginning of the operation is according to instructions you have received personally.

Stavka of the Supreme Command
J.Stalin, A.Antonov

Source: ЦАМО. Ф. 148а. Оп. 3763. Д. 139. Л. 231, 232.