The closeness of Allied forces had caused the majority of the city's government officials to leave before the citizens were moved out. (For this, Hitler had all Nazi officials who had fled sent to the Eastern front as privates.) von Schwerin wanted to surrender the city to Allied forces. However, on 13 September, before he could surrender, he was ordered to launch a counterattack against American forces southwest of Aachen. He attacked with his panzergrenadier forces.