Volkssturm 人民冲锋队
![](/Images/godic/202502/20/Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1971-033-15,_Vorbeimarsch_des_Volkssturms_an_Goebbels,_Berlin3003.jpg")
![Volkssturm defending the Oder River February 1945](/Images/godic/202502/20/Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-J28787,_Volkssturmbataillon_an_der_Oder3003.jpg")
![Two old members of the Volksturm seem relieved to have surrendered to British troops in Bocholt, 28 March 1945.](/Images/godic/202502/20/The_British_Army_in_North-west_Europe_1944-45_BU28103003.jpg")
![English: With a torn picture of his Führer beside his clenched fist, a dead major of the Volkssturm (erroneously described as a “Volkssturmgeneral”) Walter Doenicke (* July 27, 1899; † April 19, 1945) lies on the floor of city hall, Leipzig, Germany. He committed suicide rather than face U.S. Army troops who captured the city.](/Images/godic/202502/20/Volkssturm3003.jpg")
The Volkssturm (German pronunciation:[ˈfɔlks.ʃtʊɐ̯m], "people's storm") was a German national militia established during the last months of World War II. It was set up, not by the traditional German Army, but by the Nazi Party on the orders of Adolf Hitler and its official existence was not announced until October 18, 1944. It was staffed by conscripting males between the ages of 16 and 60 years who were not already serving in some military unit as part of a German Home Guard. The Volkssturm comprised one of the final components of the Total War promulgated by Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels, part of a Nazi endeavor to overcome their enemies' military strength through force of will.