This bridge was defended by about 5000 SS soldiers and Volkssturm militias during the Battle of Berlin in April 1945. The bridge was barricaded on two sides, undermined and defended by machine gun and artillery posts in the flanks. On April 28, 1945, the 150th and 171st Soviet Infantry Divisions went on the offensive with the aim of capturing the Reichstag, but to achieve this goal the Soviets first had to cross the Moltkebrücke. The bridge was blown up with little success by the German defenders and was still passable by infantry formations. Around midnight the bridge was captured from the Germans and a bridgehead was erected on the other side.