Battle of Cologne 1945: A young woman between the frontlines - The original source

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This Video outtake is one of the keystories Adam Makos picked for his book "Spearhead" from Hermann Rheindorfs Research.
This is a once lost human story behind the newsreel pictures of 1945 that went around the world, back then and in hundrets of documentaries about World War II in Europe. The famous research of the Cologne based journalist Hermann Rheindorf brought former enemies and the family of a civilian victim together. The outcome of this research was indeed sad and unexpected. Official documents made Kathi Essers family always believe, that her body was later smashed in pieces and run over by sn american tank. This horrifying detail is not mentioned in Spearhead.
Watch the full 200 minutes documentary as VoD (Stream and Download):
www.vimeo.com/channels/colognehistory
Book editions: The complete photo and document edition is available in german and english.
Out now (February 2023) the english edition is available. Get the complete photo and document edition as printed book or ebook and save 33% with our limited couponcode MARCH1945.
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Research and Documentary by Hermann Rheindorf 2008-2020
The german book edition 1945-Kriegsende in Köln (1945 - war´s end in Cologne) was first published in 2015 and completely revised and updated in 2020.

[@bradfordeaton6558]

I read about this in a book about the 3d Armor Division. After the war Smoyer and the German gunner met and became friends. I think it was a comfort to both of them that they may not have been the one who shot her. It's great story; it epitomizes the tragedy, irony and humanity of war. I'm glad the two gunners met and had a chance to help in each others healing and that journalists had the humanity themselves to tell this story as well as they did. It moves me deeply.

[@zeelowsguys]

I was in cologne briefly on my holiday in 2019 hard to believe the city endured such destruction, Cologne cathedral is amazing and also the fact it remained untouched

[@GermanASVlogs]

Cologne is my hometown. Its scary to see how it looked like in the time when my grandfaher was as old as me today.

[@mridza1193]

The west feeds them well today..gave them land...

[@tomvogt1696]

A really sad story - and it becomes clear that for the veterans of both sides the war-memories are part of them for the rest of their lives...

[@essendi2868]

True. That's why NEVER ANOTHER ONE!!

[@michaelnixson9099]

She died either way. Tragic, but war is evil. I saw an interview ages ago with a German tanker who was in tears because he remembered riding his tank over German women and other non combatants; children too. They were in the middle of a retreat to regroup and were ordered to keep going. The guys face said it all. True PTSD even 50 years on. This is why as Churchill said " jaw jaw is better than war war".

[@davenickel2942]

michael nixson

[@sagesruhigweiter35]

Hallo und guten Abend, wie heißt denn die Dokumentation über diesen Panzerfahrer !? Gruß aus Deutschland

[@johnplaid648]

That's not what I read. The car was in the way of the U.S. soldiers firing on the German soldiers crossing the street. The girl in the car was left to die in the street. A US soldier was carrying a Browning 1919 machine gun that he rigged up to carry and used rope as a sling. A Pershing tank was chasing a German tank and shot first and the German tank was disabled. Smoyer went along and filmed the action. When he arrived at Cologna the commander announced, "Gentlemen, welcome to Cologne. Now go and knock the hell out of it." Things are not always pretty when all is war.

[@johnmagill3072]

I noticed that both the German and American tankers, both felt they may have shot at that car hitting her. But neither knew for sure. But you could also tell both felt very bad over what happened to her. She was simply in wrong place at wrong time. AS they said in the film. If you had a German Panzer firing at you, you would have run over Eisenhower himself to escape. So in all, no one knows for sure exactly what happened. Cant imagine the guilt those two men felt, thinking they may have been the ones to have pulled the trigger.

[@philiphughes4021]

Multiply this single, unbelievably dreadful incident by more than 50,000,000 to begin to understand just one part of the human cost of the second world war.

[@striker1553]

What a shame. War is waste. such waste.

[@goti1963]

Sehr sehr traurig. Respekt für die Recherche und die Mühe die investiert wurde um das Schicksal der jungen Frau aufzuklären, so bedrückend es auch sein mag.

[@cf6965]

And has humanity learned from it ? No !

[@thurin84]

how tragic. old mens wars end young peoples lives.

[@halcasey3461]

War is never the true answer to disagreement. Both sides, especially the Germans, lost more than they could recover and rebuild. A beautiful woman killed needlessly, remaining in the hearts of those involved and a hurting sister.

[@pizzafrenzyman]

Even if she refused to stay in her basement, the decision to cross through a battle in progress is mind boggling. The noise would have been deafening, so it can't be argued that they didn't know.

[@gingermegs138]

The woman was bandaged up and put on a stretcher for pick up later. She was left on the side of the road for retrieval.This was a hot zone. They did not know if there were snipers. Unfortunately she was run over by a Sherman Tank that did not see her. R.I.P

[@liliankuhn4671]

My parents lived through this. They are educated, normal & loving parents. Very strong.

[@MrRobbyvent]

millions died in that damn war but knowing this single sad story in all these details makes us feel closer to the tragedy it was.

[@maximusextreme3725]

This happens in war all the time, the only reason we're commenting about it 77 years later is the fact it was captured on video. You could probably fill up KZbin if everytime this happened it was on video.

[@pickleweedpete7326]

How very sad. And I pity the old soldiers too who still grieve for the young woman.

[@raymondbourcicault7737]

so sad history. Poor woman.

[@alanpeterson6224]

Well, damn, that was depressing. I'm going to have to watch some Bullwinkle or Married with Children.

[@TicklerDude]

Raymond Bourcicault Her death is no worse or better than anyone else that died in WW2. Everyone is equal. Therefore, every death is equally tragic.

[@rafaellopez2765]

A very sad history of 2 civilians who made a wrong decission ata very moment of a street combat. RIP

[@magnusdunning6113]

My uncle Colonel AJ Touart. 414th In Regiment Commander, was killed by a German mortar round 1 March 1945 in Sindorf just before the final Cologne push.

[@stubi1103]

bloody war, people who didn't know each other had to kill each other.

[@xcesar4impx666]

Poor beautiful lady . cought in the middle of madness and zero humanity

[@sillygoose2508]

there's a lot of sadness but this really got me I mean actual tears and I don't let much shake me

[@hairglowingkyle4572]

I always knew that there was indeed two civilians who were caught in the crossfire, but never in such detail did I know about the victims. Rest in peace all those who did not deserve to die in someone else's war.

[@taxidavethethird]

A very important video and interviews, thanks for uploading

[@Timotheus157]

Real stories such as this make it more clear that war equals death on all sides until both sides stop. The only being that laughs until the fighting stops is the devil. We need to stop demonizing the ones fighting for their lives on all sides.

[@JannikBoRasmussen]

So eine traurige Geschichte 😞 Am falschen Ort zur falschen Zeitpunkt, das ist zum heulen. Und dass sie an ihren Verlobten wollte, dass sie aus Liebe losgefahren ist, macht es um so schlimmer.

[@sarahbrunn3032]

Jannik

[@semsemeini7905]

Ja sehr traurig. Auch traurig das sie die Deutschen haben 6 millioned Juden gemordet und auch geraubt.

[@superfuzzymomma]

Excellent research, heartbreaking...such is war! Prayers now......

[@Taiyou536]

My mother was bombed out of Cologne she was 2 years old - they have lost everything and were REAL refugees

[@karlaiken6152]

Such are the perilous journeys of civilians who venture into fighting zones. Such a pity, but history well reconstructed from interviews with ex servicemen from both sides and her sister. Thanks for this moving story.

[@Chuck8417]

Wow, what a sad story.

[@jimkey920]

It is interesting to see the cooperation from former enemies. An interesting but tragic story. Where, in an instant ,the hope of a young woman and her boss are extinguished. "Don't ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee!" (John Donne)

[@powerhouse1981]

Incredible work. Thank you for sharing this story.

[@leomarkaable1]

The pain from that war never ends.

[@AchimReinhardt1]

Danke für die Aufklärung! Hatte diese Szene in einigen Videos gesehen.

[@stnicholas54]

1000 casualties is a statistic but one young woman killed presents the whole melee to one on a more visceral level.

[@andreal5947]

War is disgusting and we never learn.. may she and her boss Rest In Peace.

[@legendzeroone1537]

Echt professionell gemacht und mit erstaunlichen Ergebnissen, Danke!

[@frankdrebin8785]

A little piece of real bistory. Danke.

[@eddatorrey6493]

I was born 1938 in Berlin, my brother and myself did not have a childhood!!!

[@JohnSmith-he7yv]

Edda Torrey no I'm sure you didn't have a childhood neither did many Jewish and gypsie children I hope you went one of them cause they had it very very bad too

[@sanwlysardarpind_matta4105]

A really sad story.a big human loss both sides...

[@kimngan4040]

everywhere on fire ... why did she drive out on danger street?

[@gerthoffmann5436]

Sie wollten zu ihrem Verlobten auf der anderen Seite des Flußes am Rhein, bevor die Brücke gesprengt wird.

[@Darwinawards-fin-2024]

Khatarina ❤😓😓 R.I.P

[@chrisc6504]

my god ! and the world is still fighting will mankind ever learn

[@johnboythai1514]

Blame the politicians,bankers,elites,etc. They are the real wicked people...they make tons of money from Wars!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@s.p.2494]

so if i understood correctly the lady got run over by a tank while laying on medical stretch by the road ?

[@bastonero7572]

I was totally unprepared for the ending. I was expecting to find out she was treated in hospital and survived 😢

[@michaelengel3407]

There was no functioning hospital in cologne at that time. All hospitals had been ruined by 262 air raids on cologne.

[@reneelehmann5100]

Min: 2:02, Das Gebäude aus der Bauhausära fällt sofort auf, trotz des Chaos wirkt dieses Gebäude wie aus einer anderen Zeit.

[@allanalt8958]

So we see Katerina being treated by US Medics, then the letter in 1946 says the lady saw a tank crush her....DURING the firefight. BUT the army had cleared that street of the German Army, and left her as comfortable as they could, with infantry continuing past her....... So we are to believe then ..that some time later a US Tank crushed her? Doesn't add up. She most likely unfortunately died of her wounds, but I don't buy the "eyewitness" statement that is was Katerina. Her poor sister had to hear that when we have photographic evidence she wasn't crushed by a tank.. There were many civilians there that were killed. Could have been another woman. Also, and don't get me wrong I appreciate the documentary, but they show the US cameraman that filmed the tank duel, recreated where he was standing during the engagement. BUT on the footage, the cameraman was on an upper story of a building, Look at the angle of the footage, looking DOWN at the German tank.

[@firefish21]

So many innocent paid the ultimate unfair price

[@dichebach]

What enthusiastic citizen of the Reich could have guessed in 1939 as their Fuhrer led them on their initial glorious conquests into Poland that their entire country and many hundreds of thousands of citizens would suffer such ignominy.

[@scotteam9687]

Gustav they need you outside the cathedral every New Year these days......

[@deevnn]

Just one of hundreds of thousands of incidents like this...ain't war grand.

[@gerthoffmann5436]

Nein, alle aber- milliarden Kriegsvorfälle in der Menschheitsgeschichte sind und waren immer KRIEG, der IMMER SCHLECHT ist !

[@rub3nski]

so much tragedy, maybe she lost someone close to her and didnt care anymore..

[@emmaearnshaw3282]

There's not much has me in tears on KZbin, but this did.

[@Tristan-om2ff]

Me too

[@HappyFlapps]

It likely doesn't matter who shot the poor girl, but the clues are there. I've seen enough bullet wounds to know that the bullet hole in her back was an entry point. The car was being filmed from the rear by the Americans. Therefore, we can presume that the bullet that struck her was fired from behind - the direction of the Americans.

[@leddidi]

So sad she was young

[@docholladay7638]

7:10 a few random human legs laying in the street

[@13thBear]

The Totenkopf was also used by the German Werhmacht tankers. It wasn't associated exclusively with the SS. This sorry story of the young woman killed brings up the point that the innocent die just as readily as the soldiery during wartime. Every single person that urges and revels when their country declares war or any other military action against another country shares blame for every innocent killed. You can claim, "that happens in war" and you can claim, "they shouldn't have done whatever the enemy supposedly did," but when the military starts shooting and dropping bombs, innocents die. War is the most horrible aberration of human nature. Sometimes all you can do is fight to protect yourself and your own people, but wars are unspeakable. War is just another name for Mass Murder.

[@bigmartin]

Its hard to believe that the lady was initially treated for her wounds by the US army medics, then left on the street to be crushed to death by a tank. I feel its more likely she was medivac'd to a field hospital where she either died or fled Germany.. Many families lost loved one who survived the war and never returned to their home towns for many reasons. I hope she survived.

[@corn1971]

Is likely she was left there for support units to take care of when they came on being as it was an active battlefield. A lull in fighting doesn't mean the area is secure. Subsequent fighting erupted before support troops made it to the area. As noble as it would be, unlikely the front line units would have detailed needed troops to carry a civilian out of the area. The locals account is most likely accurate, and that the sister never returned to seek out her family means she probably did indeed die.

[@christiandude3149]

What tells us this? No more War! Nie wieder Krieg!

[@chaddicusmaximusdestroyero8259]

Wow. On my mother's side of the family we have a german family bible with names dates and locations. The last place my mother's family lived before immigrating to America was Cologne

[@ohmm8891]

This so fascinating but there is so much I don't understand. How did the person who witnessed their deaths know they were boss and employee and not say daughter and father? How come no one checks if the lady's sister is actually the same person we're seeing on film? The young woman was clearly being treated by medics and someone even gave her a coat, and she is shown on her way to the field hospital. Doesn't add up at all to the witness report that she was shot trying to help her boss, and then run over by a tank. Seems fairly obvious to me that either the witness report is inaccurate, or these are two different young women who sadly died that day.

[@tinklvsme]

Today is March 4, 2021. 😔😔🪖❤️✌️🙏. All these men just trying to kill each other. Why? Will wars ever stop?

[@N97082]

Schrecklich einfach nur Schrecklich das zu sehen.

[@az93850]

I'm in köln right now and it is amazing how they repaired all this mess and look it now the most Beautiful city in the world the germans are nice

[@96Delta]

I know that this is way off-topic, but could you tell me what font you use for your titling? It's just the style I'm looking for to use in an upcoming project. Hope you can help...and thanks for putting this view together. Very nice work on the intro as well.

[@endlesssummer9139]

Human being are so fucking mean to each other.

[@bobbrown5529]

did they say she was run over by a US tank and only body parts were found . Yet in the footage you see her being treated by US medic's , & laying face on a litter .??????. or are they talking about someone else . Either way a very tragic story for all involved ..

[@112chapters3]

I wished I’d cared more about Ww2 more, not that I didn’t already have a fascination. But I was in cologne a few times. Too drunk to notice. Thankfully I cared more in Munich

[@6565hopepy]

So she survived by the American gun fired, but got killed by tank ram over 😱

[@northof-62]

I am disturbed by some of the comments to this video.

[@Tristan-om2ff]

God Bless her soul. So so sad. Such a beautiful person.

[@outlet6989]

Today their deaths would be classified as collateral damage. The soldiers would probably have said, "Sorry bout that, but you were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

[@CatsEyethePsycho]

Interesting that both the German and American soldiers felt bad because they thought they were ones that shot her. Just proving that no matter if you’re the winner or loser, war is a devastating thing that no one wants.

[@therealmaxspeedster]

This story is so incredibly sad...So very very close to escaping alive...But no..I also have to say this..And I'm sorry in advance if it seems coarse..But..I have never, ever seen worse timing for a very smart decision ever. I mean, getting out of town was probably a very good and wise decision...But why on earth would they not have done so in the hours/days/weeks/months BEFORE opposing forces were literally shooting it out in town? Why would you wait until battle is raging to decide "Hey let's pack up the car and get out of here"? And then...Drive DIRECTLY THROUGH the battle (how about a detour maybe?). I honestly do feel terrible for the folks in the car, and also for the young man that was only briefly mentioned who may have been waiting on the other side of the bridge for a love that will never come (but then again if you really love her what on earth are you doing sitting there safely and making HER find her way across a battlefield to YOU on her own?). But I also feel bad for the soldiers speaking in this video who while experiencing the worst thing that happens to humans on earth, that experience was made just that much worse for them by a couple of crazy civilians suddenly driving directly in front of their guns during a firefight. As if either of them needed anything else to regret or have nightmares over after all these years.

[@martkbanjoboy8853]

If you look around in the vid description there is a link to a dvd documentary on the more global situation in Cologne at the time. Not pleasant at all.

[@henkschoute5659]

Max Speedster hello max, evacuation of a town was then not in line of the national-socialist ideologie. Everybody fleeying (fahnenflucht) for the enemy was to be shot (soldiers) or hanged ( civilians). Victims ran in 10.0000's

[@speedy_comet]

Iv'e seen people die like that in movies but to see someone die like that in real life is something else, very sad.

[@jeon1524]

전쟁은 무조건 슬픈 일이 벌어진다 어서 모든 전쟁이 멈추길. 평화를 바란다

[@dprague]

Amazing story.

[@Kazuya720]

Imagine.. this just one of maybe 100 million peoples (or likely more) fates and lives. So sad... every one of them :(

[@Schugger1]

Some people find it strange that civilians put themselves into danger by entering a combat zone. Well, first it's quite difficult to assume that people act always in a logical way when put under stress, especially civilians and secondly the situation in cologne was very chaotic and confusing and people certainly didn't want to get trapped in a pile of ruins when they had a safer place to stay just on the other side of the Rhine. The fear being cut off was not unfounded as was proven later, when the last bridge over the Rhine was blown trapping civilians and military on the same day (6th March). So the Panzerbrigade unit who made it from Köln-Wahn to fight in Cologne found themselves trapped on the very same day. How confusing and chaotic the situation in Cologne was, can easily found: Without much search you'll find a video here on yt picking a fight between a Panther knocking out a Sherman before in turn being knocked by a Pershing (which is not mentioned in this vid).

[@filmschatzarchiv]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZWymn2JlL10mdE

[@jeffreytong5581]

When you think of maschinen gewehr (guns) firing hundreds of rounds, you become desensitized to war. But you have to be aware that every single bullet can have deadly consequences. Every bullet has a story, and the story of this young woman is one, all that her life could have been, all snuffed out in an instant! Individual lives, lovers, families, all devastated!

[@cyclennon3753]

"A fleeing Nazi car". God, what idiocy.

[@SnowBlind853]

Really cool! As an American living in Cologne it's fascinating to see the history here.

[@sunnymas2656]

Another example, how stupid is war.

[@sweeteric76]

No country nor government is better or worse than another ..EVERYONE of them has committed atrocities. which of you has the sinlessness to cast the first stone?!! you should all be ashamed of your hate..70 years ago ..let it rest! civilians in a war zone are collateral damage..they have every opportunity to flee before a battle like this one.. dead is dead...regardless who shot her..it's a war..

[@OCEANSIDEGANGBUSTER]

After studying this incident it seems the woman was first rescued and treated by Medics, set down for the ambulance to arrive - then the Panzers showed up. The American tanks skeedaddled for cover. They ran over the woman as they withdrew from that scene. They didn't do it on purpose of course - but she is laying in the roadway near a wrecked car. They didn't see her.

[@SA-121]

"One death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic."

[@user-jg2md2fb8n]

"We defeat wrong enemy" G.Patton

[@DuttyDoogz]

Great research went into this so the story could be told. I've seen that clip so many times and wondered who could possibly be in that car. such a sad end. Also is the German machine gunner in the Panther that gets hit and destroyed by the Pershing in the other clips of this battle?

[@triumphmanful]

so I am confused . Did she die ? Is there any record of her anywhere ? Sad, war is hell and should not be allowed to happen an y more. Let the polyticians fight it out by a game of arm wrestling, marbles or checkers . No young boys will die and civilians can reamin safe in their homes !

[@darthjack2860]

Köln war kein Einzelfall. Häuserkampf ist immer für alle Beteiligten Fraktionen mit massiven Verlusten verbunden. Rein strategisch ist der Häuserkampf das letzte Mittel und sollte falls möglich vermieden werden.

[@Shisizuwa]

The letter says she was run over by a tank and only a few body parts were left. Then why are there video recordings where she is being helped? 7:25 Or was she dead and left behind? Or is it another woman from another recording? because Gustav Schäfer sayed "She" drives, but the Driver was a "man" sayed the other. But her Sister Anna Lettau recognized her sister Katharina Esser while viewing the video recordings.

[@gerthoffmann5436]

Wahrscheinlich hatten die Kameramänner große Angst und sind geflüchtet, um nicht auch noch getroffen zu werden.

[@claudermiller]

war is so horrible.

[@marylamb6063]

It's sad that a lot of attention is focused on a pretty woman. If she had been a man, no one would have cared. No one would have started researching the incident if a man was hit.

[@TypicalT89]

Toll und gleichzeitig traurig was da recherchiert wurde

[@kadijaish]

And that sums up the war pritty well. Thats war for ya. She was a pretty girl. If that happend in war to a beautiful girl I knew I would cry like a little kid

[@KKinterlude]

i live right around the corner

[@oodimvale]

my god..... São Paulo - Capital - Brasil