Alsfeld freed!US-Truppen befreien Alsfeld von der NS-Diktatur

On March 7, 1945, the U.S. Army had managed to cross the Rhine. The Allied troops Allied troops advanced as far as the Vogelsberg.

In Alsfeld, the situation was confusing: scattered Wehrmacht units as well as parts of the Frankfurt Gestapo had found shelter in the town. The district administrator mobilized the “Volkssturm”. Alsfeld was to be held “to the last cartridge”. The U.S. troops advanced on the morning of March 30. On the Pfefferhöhe, where positions had been built, there was heavy fighting. As a result, tanks now slowly advancing toward the city came under fire. The Americans called for air support. For unknown reasons, however, this remained inconsequential: no bombers ascended, otherwise Alsfeld would probably have been largely razed to the ground.

Even without air help, the tanks moved into the town and the German soldiers withdrew from Alsfeld.

Although the fighting left damage in its wake, the town only narrowly escaped far worse. The prisoners of war and forced laborers – among them especially many Poles – were liberated. Afterwards, there were attacks against their tormentors. The situation quickly calmed down, however, and a new administration began to be set up under U.S. supervision. CCRH