Members of Volkssturm Militia armed with Panzerfaust Anti-Tank weapons.

The Volkssturm "people's storm" was a national militia established by Nazi Germany during the last months of World War 2. It was not set up by the German Army, but by the Nazi Party on the orders of Adolf Hitler and established on the 25th September 1944.

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It was staffed by conscripting males between the ages of 16 and 60 years, who were not already serving in some military unit. The Volkssturm comprised one of the final components of the total war promoted by Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels, part of a Nazi attempt to overcome their enemies' military strength through force of will.

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On 12 February 1945, the Nazis conscripted German women and girls into the auxiliaries of the Volkssturm. Correspondingly, girls as young as 14 years were trained in the use of small arms, panzerfaust, machine guns, and hand grenades from December 1944 through May 1945.

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Volkssturm units fought unsuccessful futile battles against the Allied forces at the end of the war and on several occasions, its members participated in atrocities accompanied by German civilians and the Hitler Youth, which were overseen by members of the SS or Gau leaders.

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One notable and unusual Volkssturm unit in the Battle for Berlin was the 3/115 Siemensstadt Battalion. It comprised 770 men, mainly First World War veterans in their 50's who were reasonably fit factory workers, with experienced officers. Unlike most Volkssturm units it was quite well equipped and trained. The battalion first engaged Soviet troops at Friedrichsfelde on the 21st April and saw the heaviest fighting over the following two days. It held out until the 2nd May, by which time it was down to just 50 rifles and two light machine guns. The survivors fell back to join other Volkssturm units. 26 men from the battalion were awarded the Iron Cross.

Source: Wikipedia

Volkssturm militia troops with their weapons during the march past

Reich Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda Dr. Goebbels.

A Volkssturm trooper explaining the handling of a Panzerfaust to a female civilian.