16 Facts of the Last Days of the Third Reich in Hitler’s Bunker

15. The Bunker was cut off from the rest of the Reich, and as the Red Army advanced, Hitler was forced to rely on everyday Berliners and message boys for his updates

The Bunker was completely cut off from the rest of Berlin, and, thus, the rest of the world. Of course, since he was still the ultimate power in Nazi Germany, Hitler still needed to give orders, plus he needed to be informed of all the latest developments above ground. Which is why the radio was so important. The Bunker had its own outside antenna. It also had a telephone exchange which was manned around-the-clock. However, as the Red Army began advancing through the streets of Berlin, the Bunker became increasingly isolated.

According to the historian Antony Beevor, as the Red Army advanced and won ground, they would take over the German Army’s communications. On several occasions, the Bunker would try to issue orders to a general above ground only to be greeted by the sound of mocking Russian soldiers on the other end. By mid-April, the generals were often relying on householders to give them information on the fighting. Then, at the very end, Hitler had to rely on messengers to get his orders out. Boys from the Hitler Youth dodged bullets and mortar shells to get in and out of the Bunker.