In this book, the authors Ralf Anton and Rebecca Schäfer recount the final days of World War II in the Altenkirchen district and the surrounding areas, including Siegerland, parts of the Westerwald, and the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis. Through 19 years of research on the events from March 22 to April 10, 1945, a comprehensive account of the war has emerged from the perspective of former soldiers on the front lines. Over these 19 years, the authors were able to interview more than 500 German and American veterans who served in these regions. Additionally, they obtained extensive archival material from the United States, which now allows for a detailed reconstruction of the events of the last days of the war at the southern edge of the Ruhr pocket. On March 22, 1945, the divisions of the 1st U.S. Army began their attacks.