the central government district (Zitadelle sector) in Defence sector Z. Krukenberg's headquarters was a carriage in the Stadtmitte U-Bahn station. Thereafter, the troops in the government district were pushed back into the Reichstag and the Reich Chancellery. On 30 April, after receiving news of Hitler's suicide, orders were issued that those who could do so were to break out. Prior to that Brigadeführer Wilhelm Mohnke briefed all commanders that could be reached within the Zitadelle sector about the events as to Hitler's death and the planned breakout. The break out from the Reich Chancellery and Führerbunker started at 2300 hours on 1 May. There were ten main groups that attempted to head northwest. Fierce fighting continued all around, especially in the Weidendammer Bridge area. In that area, what was left of the division was destroyed by Soviet artillery and anti-tank guns. Nordland's last Tiger was knocked out attempting to cross the Weidendammer Bridge. Several small groups reached the Americans at the Elbe's west bank, but most (including Mohnke's group and men from Krukenberg's group), were not successful. Most were killed in the fighting or taken prisoner after they surrendered to Soviet troops. Ziegler was gravely wounded after the break out group he was in came under heavy Soviet fire. He died on 2 May. Krukenberg made it to Dahlem, where he hid out in an apartment for a week, before surrendering to Soviet troops. On 2 May hostilities officially ended by order of General Helmuth Weidling, commander of the Defence Area Berlin. Commanders SS-Brigadeführer Franz Augsberger (22 March 1943 – 1 May 1943) SS-Gruppenführer Fritz von Scholz (1 May 1943 – 27 July 1944) SS-Brigadeführer Joachim Ziegler (27 July 1944 – 25 April 1945) SS-Brigadeführer Gustav Krukenberg (25 April 1945 – 8 May 1945) See also List of Waffen-SS units Ranks and insignia of the Waffen-SS Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts References Citations Bibliography Hillblad, Thorolf – Twilight of the Gods: A Swedish Waffen-SS Volunteer's Experiences with the 11th SS-Panzergrenadier Division Nordland, Eastern Front 1944–45 11 Foreign volunteer units of the Waffen-SS Panzergrenadier divisions of the Waffen-SS Military units and formations established in 1943 Battle of Berlin Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 Collaboration with the Axis Powers