at around 16:15, linge ordered ss-"untersturmführer" heinz krüger and ss-"oberscharführer" werner schwiedel to roll up the rug in hitler's study to burn it. the two men removed the blood-stained rug, carried it up the stairs and outside to the chancellery garden. there the rug was placed on the ground and burned. on and off during the afternoon, the soviets shelled the area in and around the reich chancellery. ss guards brought over additional cans of petrol to further burn the corpses. linge later noted the fire did not completely destroy the remains, as the corpses were being burned in the open, where the distribution of heat varies. the burning of the corpses lasted from 16:00 to 18:30. the remains were covered up in a shallow bomb crater at around 18:30 by lindloff and reisser.