At the end of World War II, Germany was facing imminent defeat, and many of its military resources were outdated, repurposed, or in short supply. The Battle of Berlin, which took place from April 16 to May 2, 1945, involved intense fighting between Soviet Red Army forces and Nazi German defenders. By this time, Germany had lost much of its modern equipment and was relying on whatever vehicles and armaments they had left.
Use of World War I Tanks in Berlin
Among the older military vehicles, the German army had some World War I-era tanks left in their inventory, such as the Sturmpanzer A7V, which was one of the very few German tanks used during World War I. These tanks were primitive compared to the much more advanced tanks of WWII. However, by the time of the Battle of Berlin, most of these tanks had long been obsolete and were not in active service. That said, there were reports that some surplus or abandoned World War I tanks were recommissioned for use in the desperate final battles.
It is important to note that the Soviet forces, advancing into Berlin, also faced some unusual circumstances. The Germans used anything they had left, including ancient vehicles, to fight off the Soviet siege. Although it’s not certain that Sturmpanzer A7Vs specifically participated in the Battle of Berlin, there are anecdotes of older armored vehicles being rolled out for final defense efforts in a last-ditch attempt to hold off the enemy.
While World War I-era tanks like the A7V were not a major force during the Battle of Berlin, they were among the older military hardware that was still in existence. The main fighting forces at this stage of the war were comprised of modern tanks, such as Soviet T-34s and German Panther and Tiger tanks, but it’s clear that the Germans were scraping the bottom of the barrel with what remained of their tank fleet, including some from World War I.