 Weidling replaced Lieutenant-Colonel ("Oberstleutnant") Ernst Kaether as commander of Berlin.Only one day earlier, Kaether had replaced Lieutenant-General ("Generalleutnant") Helmuth Reymann, who had held the position for only about a month.By 23 April, some of Chuikov's rifle units had crossed the Spree and Dahme rivers south of Köpenick and by 24 April were advancing towards Britz and Neukölln.