Battle of Düsseldorf
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Battle of Düsseldorf was air campaign and ground troop advance of World War II in the Western Front European theatre between the Allied forces and Nazi Germany. Part of the larger Ruhr Pocket encirclement. It started with a major bombing on 12 June 1943 and ground troops taking the city on 17 April 1945 without a firefight.[1][2]
The first bombing of the city occurred on 1 August 1942. A major bombing of Düsseldorf occurred on 12 June 1943, which caused a firestorm that destroyed much of the city. The August 1, 1942, night raid involved over 700 bombers. The city was part of the strategic bombing during World War II, during the RAF bombing campaign in 1943.[3][4][5][6]
Ground events
The Allied troops were planning a ground battle to take Düsseldorf. But, in what is called the "Aktion Rheinland" (Action Rhineland), a German Nazi Resistance effort was taking place in Düsseldorf in 1945. Knowing that the war was lost, leaders like Aloys Odenthal worked to turn over Düsseldorf peacefully and surrender. They hope to avoid further destruction of the city.[7] The Nazi SS learned of this action and arrested some of the leaders. The Nazi Army, the Wehrmacht, had already evacuated the city. Control of the city was done by a small group of German police and SS Troops. To negotiate the peaceful surrender of Düsseldorf, Lawyer Dr. August Wiedenhofen and architect Aloys Odenthal worked their way to the US Army positions 17 Km away in the City of Mettmann. They arrived on 16 April 1945 to negotiate with the US Troops. In Düsseldorf, the local German resistance captured the city's police chief. The local German resistance was led by Theodor Andresen, Franz Jürgens, Karl Kleppe, Josef Knab and Hermann Weill. A local betrayed them and they were arrested. The five were convicted of treason and executed on 16 April 1945. But, this did not end the resistance, the “Aktion Rheinland”. The City was successfully turned over to the US Troops of the 97th Infantry Division on 17 April 1945, without a firefight.[8][9]