Country: Third Reich.

Type: motorized division.

1939 - SS division reserve troops (German: SS-Division Verfügungstruppe),

1940 - Reich,

1942 - 2nd Motorized Division "Das Reich" (2.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Das Reich),

the final name was given in 1943.

Motto: "My honor is called "loyalty"" (German: "Meine Ehre heißt Treue").

Participation in World War II:

Invasion of France.
Smolensk battle (1941).
Battle for Moscow.
Rzhev battle.
Battle of Kursk
Kharkov operation (1943).
resistance to the Normandy landings.
Arden operation.

Insignia: sleeve cuff tape

Known commanders: Paul Hausser, Wilhelm Bittrich, Matthias Kleinhesterkamp.

The SS Reserve Division (German: SS-Verfügungsdivision) was formed on October 10, 1938 by combining the “SS Reserve Troops” (German: SS-Verfügungstruppen) with a part of the “Totenkopf” SS formations. Type of troops - motorized infantry (German: Panzergrenadier).

The first commander is SS Gruppenfuehrer Paul Hausser.

Connection history.

SS division "reserve army" (SS-Division Verfügungstruppe).

In the Polish campaign in September 1939, individual regiments of the division were included in the larger formations of the Wehrmacht. Paul Hausser with the Deutschland Regiment, propaganda and reconnaissance unit was attached to the headquarters of the Kempf Panzer Division. Regiment "Germany" became a reserve part of the 14th Army under the command of General List. The shock assault battalion served with the life standard of von Reichenau's 10th Army. The Der Fuhrer Regiment was kept in a special reserve during the entire campaign and did not take an active part in the battles.

In 1940, the division participated in campaigns in the West (Netherlands, France).

SS Division "Reich".

Transformed into the SS division "Reich" (in Russian sources also "Reich") on February 25, 1941. Participated in the capture of Yugoslavia in April 1941. On the evening of April 12, 1941, SS Hauptsturmführer Klingenberg, at the head of the reconnaissance patrol of the Reich division, occupied the capital of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and officially (in the presence of a German diplomatic person) accepted the keys to the city from the mayor of Belgrade.

Eastern front.

From 06/22/41 - was part of the 46th Corps (motorized) of the 2nd Panzer Group (Guderian), Army Group Center:

Smolensk battle.

Since 1942, she fought in the Rzhev region.

The composition of the division in 1941-42:

• SS Regiment "Der Fuhrer".
• SS Regiment "Deutschland".
• 11th SS Infantry Regiment.
• Artillery Regiment:

1. Battery of assault guns.
2. Anti-tank battalion.
3. Motorcycle Battalion.
4. Reconnaissance Battalion.
5. Sapper Battalion.
6. Anti-aircraft gun battalion.
7. Communication Battalion.

SS Motorized Division "Reich".

Reorganized since November 1942 in Normandy (Northern France).

From February 1943 on the southern sector of the Eastern Front (Third Battle for Kharkov).

April 20, 1943 USSR, after the third battle for Kharkov. Walter Krueger at the Knight's Cross ceremony.

T-34 tanks from the Das Reich division.

Grenadiers and armored vehicles of the Harmel battle group in Kharkov, 1943.

Division units participated in punitive operations in the occupied territories.

In July 1943, as part of the 2nd SS Panzer Corps - in the Battle of Kursk (participated in battles with the 5th Guards Tank Army of General Rotmistrov near Prokhorovka). In August 1943 - on the Mius Front. Then the fighting in Ukraine, from February 1944 - assigned to France.

In October 1943, it was renamed from a motorized to a tank division (in fact, even before the renaming, it corresponded to the state of a tank division).

From July 1944 - in the battles in Normandy. At the end of 1944, she participated in the Battle of the Ardennes, in February-March 1945 - in battles in Hungary, in April 1945 she retreated to the Czech Republic, in May 1945 she surrendered to American troops in Austria.

The composition of the division in 1943-45:

• 2nd SS Panzer Regiment.
• SS Grenadier Regiment "Deutschland".
• Grenadier Regiment of the SS "Der Fuhrer".
• SS Grenadier Regiment "Langemark".
• Artillery Regiment.

1. Assault gun battalion.
2. Rocket mortar battalion.
3. Anti-tank battalion.
4. Anti-aircraft artillery battalion.
5. Reconnaissance Battalion.
6. Sapper Battalion.
7. Communication Battalion.

Tank division (Pz Kpfw VI Ausf H "Tiger") near Kursk. June 1943. The belonging of the tank to this unit, as well as the period of time, unambiguously follow from the characteristic tactical emblem applied to the frontal armor.

Commanders:

• Oberstgruppenführer Paul Hausser, October 19, 1939 - October 14, 1941.
• Obergruppenführer Wilhelm Bittrich, October 14, 1941 - December 31, 1941.
• Obergruppenführer Matthias Kleinheisterkamp, ​​December 31, 1941 - April 19, 1942.
• Obergruppenführer Georg Keppler, April 19, 1942 - February 10, 1943.
• Brigadeführer Herbert-Ernst Wahl, February 10, 1943 - March 18, 1943.
• Oberführer Kurt Brazak, March 18, 1943 - March 29, 1943
  Obergruppenführer Walter Krüger, March 29, 1943 - October 23, 1943.
• Gruppenfuehrer Heinz Lammerding, October 23, 1943 - July 24, 1944.
• Standartenführer Christian Tichsen, July 24, 1944 - July 28, 1944.
• Oberführer Otto Baum, July 28, 1944 - October 23, 1944.
• Gruppenfuehrer Hans Lammerding, October 23, 1944 - January 20, 1945.
• Standartenführer Karl Kreutz, January 20, 1945 - January 29, 1945.
• Gruppenfuehrer Werner Ostendorf, January 20, 1945 - March 9, 1945.
• Standartenführer Rudolf Lehmann, March 9, 1945 - April 13, 1945.
• Standartenführer Karl Kreutz, April 13, 1945 - May 8, 1945.

Applications.

Document #1.

SS Panzergrenadier Division Divisional Headquarters 01/07/43.

"Das Reich"

Order for the day

Soldiers of the SS Panzer-Grenadier Division "Das Reich"!

The Führer calls us to the East. Together with other units of the SS troops and the army, he assigned us tasks that would require us to go either on the attack or on the defensive. We will do it!

We are grateful to the Fuhrer for demanding the most from us. He relies on us, and we will prove to him that we are his faithful followers. Let everyone in difficult times remember our motto, the motto of the SS: “SS man! Your honor is loyalty!”

The SS Panzergrenadier Division "Das Reich" must carry out an order in memory of our fallen comrades.

Document #2.

Certificate from the head of the 7th department of the political department on the composition and status of enemy formations in the offensive zone of the Voronezh Front

We are currently facing the following enemy units.

Army Corps of the SS, consisting of the divisions "Reich", "Adolf Hitler", "Grossdeutschland", "Totenkopf".

The SS corps was transferred from France on January 16, 1943. Of the four divisions of this corps, two divisions first operated: "Grossdeutschland" and "Adolf Hitler", then the Reich division appeared, replacing the defeated division "Grossdeutschland", and in recent days it has been celebrated the action of the division "Dead Head".

Since December 1942, the SS Army Corps has been called the Panzergrenadier Corps. According to the testimony of prisoners of war, the name "grenadier" was given to the best divisions in honor of the continuation of the traditions of the grenadiers of the time of Frederick the Great.

Each SS division has two motorized grenadier regiments, tank and artillery regiments. For example, the Reich division consists of the Deutschland SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment, the Fuhrer Motorized Regiment, the Langemark Motorized Rifle Regiment and the 2nd Artillery Regiment.

Commander of the SS Panzer Corps - Lieutenant General Gausser (Obergruppenführer).

The commander of the Reich division is Lieutenant General Keppler (Obergruppenführer).

The commander of the division "Dead Head" - Lieutenant General Eike.

The commander of the division "Adolf Hitler" - Lieutenant General Dietrich.

Commander of the division "Grossdeutschland" - Colonel General Kasnitz.

Commander of the "Deutschland" regiment - Colonel Carmel.

The commander of the regiment "Der Führer" - Obersturmbannführer Kumm.

The divisions are completed in most of the ages of 1923-1924. birth. 75% are Germans from Germany, the rest are Germans from other countries. There is a small number of non-Germans (Czechs, Poles, Croats).

Noteworthy is the fact that in the SS divisions there are many soldiers from the Volksdeutsche, and not from the Reichsdeutsche, that is, the majority are Germans from Slovakia, Croatia and other occupied countries. The parents of most of the interviewed soldiers are members of the National Socialist Party, and the soldiers themselves were brought up in the organizations of the Nazi youth and fooled by nationalist propaganda.

As a survey of prisoners of war showed, the soldiers of these divisions for the most part represent a rather raw contingent. This is a replenishment poured into the divisions in 1942, during their reorganization after the winter fighting in Russia. The officers are exclusively Germans.

The SS divisions were supposed to finish training their personnel in March. In early January, the entire corps was unexpectedly transferred to the Eastern Front. There was a rumor that the corps was tasked with helping the encircled Stalingrad group. We reached Stalino, and it was impossible to go further.

The reorganization of the SS corps took place in France. The soldiers of the SS divisions arrived with the confidence of a German victory and that they would stop the Russian advance. The stories of soldiers demoralized by heavy fighting and a hasty retreat had a depressing effect on the mood of those approaching the front.

First, two SS divisions were sent to the front: "Reich" and "Grossdeutschland", then "Adolf Hitler", and recently the appearance of the "Dead Head" division has been noted at the front. The divisions suffered heavy losses. During the retreat to Kharkov, the Reich lost, for example, 53 tanks out of 80. At first, they were tasked with delaying the advance of the Red Army along the Volchanok, Kupyansk line, but under the onslaught of our troops, they retreated to Kharkov, and then beyond Kharkov.

Retreating, SS units committed incredible atrocities against the civilian population: they killed men, the elderly and children, blew up and destroyed all industrial buildings and residential buildings in cities, and burned entire villages. In Kharkov, they destroyed all large public buildings and industrial enterprises.

Head of the 7th Department of Political Administration

Voronezh Front Lieutenant Colonel Kirsanov.

TsAMO. F.203. Op.2777. D. 1, L.59-64.

Document #3.

Brief description of the enemy divisions operating in front of the Voronezh Front, as of May 15, 1943

SS Panzer Division "Reich". The division includes the 1st and 2nd motorized regiments, a tank regiment and an artillery regiment. Motorized regiments - three battalions, artillery regiment - four divisions.

The division commander is Gruppenführer Kepler. The commander of the mp "Fuhrer" - Obersturmführer Kumm. The commander of the Deutschland MP is Obersturmbannführer Harmil. The division was formed in 1939 from independent personnel regiments, participated in the war with Poland, fought with great audacity. Transferred to the Eastern Front in early July 1941. She acted in the Smolensk direction, fighting in the area of ​​Orsha and Yelnya. Later it advanced on the Volokolamsk, Rzhev and Sychev directions. In these battles, she lost almost all of her personnel. In March 1942, she was assigned to Germany for replenishment and reorganization, after replenishment she was transferred to France. The personnel was almost completely renewed (no more than 20% of the old regular soldiers remained). The division was replenished mainly by volunteers from members of the Hitler Youth League, gathered from various regions of Germany. Age structure 19-22 years. The term of study is 9 months.

In January 1943, the division was transferred a second time to the Eastern Front. The Fuhrer regiment with an artillery battalion and a tank company plunged into the echelons on 01/08/43 and followed the railway. to Stalino, where he arrived on January 21, from Stalino, parts of the regiment departed on a march to Voroshilovgrad. On January 25, 1943, they took up defensive positions east of Voroshilovgrad. In defensive battles near Voroshilovgrad, according to the testimony of prisoners, he had heavy losses, many frostbitten. In the first half of February 1943, he was transferred to the Kharkov direction, where on February 8 he became part of his division. The Deutschland regiment, the motorcycle regiment, the division headquarters and other special units of the division unloaded in the Kyiv region in the period 01/18-27/43 and were transferred by march to the Kharkov, Volchansk region, where in the first days of February, advanced units entered into battle with our advancing troops. After unsuccessful oncoming battles, units of the Reich division from 02/07/43 began to retreat with battles from the line of the Seversky Donets River in the direction of Kharkov, Merefa, Krasnograd. By 02/20/43, the division withdrew to Krasnograd, from where it launched a counterattack on Pavlograd and on February 25 captured Pavlograd. By March 20, the division reached the Seversky Donets River in the Starosaltovsky direction, after which it was replaced by the 11th TD and transferred to the Belgorod region. During the fighting (January - March), the division lost up to 2,000 people killed and over 2,000 people frostbitten. The strength and combat composition of the division as of May 15, 1943 is: 7,000 people, 50 guns, 62 anti-tank guns, 40 mortars, 260 machine guns, 80 tanks. German victory.

CONCLUSION: the Reich division has losses of up to 30%, is currently replenished to full strength, the training of soldiers is high, the offensive spirit is not undermined, it is a combat-ready formation.

Document #4.

Army order

On July 18, the 2nd SS Panzer Corps leaves the 4th Panzer Army. In the second half of March, the corps, with its three panzer-grenadier divisions, as part of the army, stopped the great Russian winter offensive at the moment of its apogee and strengthened the German front. In the most difficult conditions, the SS corps fought shoulder to shoulder with the army units and endured the brunt of the struggle in the big spring battle. With incomparable morale, the corps drove back the Russian shock armies and turned, with the recapture of Kharkov and Belgorod, a threatening catastrophe into a brilliant victory. After weeks of recovery filled with hard training work, the corps was back in action on 5 July. Well-fortified enemy positions were stormed with a strong offensive spirit, which, in the toughest tank battles, broke the counterattacks launched by the Russian tank corps.

I affirm that the 2nd SS Panzer Corps has demonstrated loyalty, firmness and exemplary courage throughout the entire period of subordination to the 4th Panzer Army, and I convey to him my gratitude and my highest recognition. If now the command assigns new, difficult tasks to the corps, then I am sure that the corps will also successfully cope with them, with loyalty to the Fuhrer, on the day of the German victory.

Literature.

Penaud, Guy - "La "Das Reich" 2e SS Panzer Division" (Parcours de la division en France - 560 pages), Editions de La Lauze/Périgueux - ISBN 2-912032-76-8

Akunov V. SS division "Reich". History of the Second SS Panzer Division. 1939-1945. - Moscow: Yauza, 2006. - 416 p. — 4,000 copies. — ISBN 5-87849-197-4

Ponomarenko R. SS division "Reich". March to the East 1941-1942. - Moscow: Yauza-Press, 2009. - 288 p. - (SS troops in battle. You need to know the enemy!). — 5,000 copies. — ISBN 978-59955-0043-8

Ponomarenko R.O. 1943. SS division "Reich" on the Eastern Front. - Moscow: Yauza-Press, 2010. - 512 p. - (Trench truth of the Wehrmacht). - 3000 copies. — ISBN 978-5-9955-0086-5

Mattson G.L. History of the Second SS Panzer Division Das Reich. 1939-1945 = SS-DAS REICH. The history of the second SS division 1939-45. - Moscow: AST: AST MOSCOW: Transitbook, 2006. - 189, p. — 5,000 copies. — ISBN 5-17-036614-0 (Publishing house AST LLC), 5-9713-2419-5 (Publishing house LLC AST MOSCOW), 5-9578-4101-3 (Tranzitkniga LLC)

Note: material used

The offensive of the German troops on July 5, 1943 near Kursk received the code name "Citadel". The latest postponement of the offensive date - from June 13 to July 5 - gave the Germans the opportunity to send two more battalions of Panther tanks in General Model's division to the northern flank of the arc, as well as a number of new medium tanks to the southern section of the Kursk salient. The main blows were delivered by the 4th Panzer Army of Colonel General Hoth from the south and the 9th Panzer Army of Colonel General Model from the north. Both groups were to link up east of Kursk, squeezing large Red Army forces on the ledge into steel pincers. The 4th Panzer Army advanced with the forces of the 48th Panzer Corps (3rd, 11th Panzer Divisions and the motorized division "Grossdeutschland") and the SS Panzer Corps, consisting of three divisions (LSSAH, "Reich" and "Totenkopf") .

The Battle of Kursk was preceded by an unprecedented concentration of armored vehicles in military history. In the photo - a column of tanks of the SS division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" stretched to the horizon. In the foreground - tanks Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. G from the 7th company of the tank regiment of the division.

Its right flank was covered by the army group of General Kempf, which attacked to the northeast - one tank (300 tanks) and two infantry corps. Due to the exposure of other sectors of the Eastern Front, the German grouping of troops near Kursk looked exceptionally formidable. The two German strike groups numbered more than 900,000 people, about 10,000 guns and mortars, up to 2,700 tanks and self-propelled artillery mounts, and about 2,050 aircraft. They were opposed by the troops of the Central and Voronezh fronts, which by the beginning of July 1943 included 1336 thousand people, more than 19 thousand guns and mortars, 3444 tanks and self-propelled guns and 2172 aircraft. The troops of the reserve Steppe Front had 573 thousand people, 7401 guns and mortars, 1551 tanks.

The SS tank corps, located in the center of the Manstein grouping on the southern flank of the arc, advanced on Kursk and Oboyan. The Germans were opposed by the 6th Guards Army, which included two tank corps. At the beginning of the offensive, the SS units managed to achieve some success - the Red Army was forced to yield advanced defensive lines. SS units, using PzKpfw VI "Tiger" tanks from heavy tank battalions and PzKpfw V "Panther" tanks from specially formed Panther Brigade, were able to break through the defenses of the Red Army in several places. Air support played a big role: a special anti-tank version of the famous Junkers Ju-87 "Stuka" aircraft intensively cleared the way for German tanks and infantry. In just one day, covering the leading fierce battles of the 4th tank army of Hoth, German aviation made 1,700 sorties. By noon on July 6, the SS Regiment "Fuhrer" (SS division "Reich") occupied Luzhki 30 km deep in the defense of the Soviet troops. However, further progress slowed down. By July 9, they managed to drive three deep wedges into the Russian defenses, but due to fierce resistance, they could not connect in any way and, being subjected to continuous flank counterattacks, suffered serious losses in manpower and equipment. The 3rd Panzer Corps, which was supposed to support the flank of the SS division "Reich", advanced too slowly.

The SS division "Totenkopf" managed to force the Psel River and penetrate somewhat into the defenses of the Soviet troops. On July 11, the LSSAH and Reich were able to link up with each other, but the Dead Head still operated alone. By July 12, the commander of the 4th Panzer Army decided to break through the defenses of the Red Army and enter the operational space. On the morning of July 12, all the combat-ready tanks of the Kempf, Hausser and Knobelsdorf corps - about 750 vehicles, including more than 100 "Tigers" were gathered into a fist and thrown into a decisive battle. The Germans were opposed by Rotmistrov's 5th Guards Tank Army, which had about 850 tanks (T-34, KV-1 and T-70, the latter - 261 pieces). The tank battle near Prokhorovka began in an unusual manner, and its beginning was unexpected for both opponents. When the Soviet tanks left their hiding places and moved forward, the observers noticed that the equally formidable German armada also went on the offensive and was moving towards them, Soviet and German aircraft rushed to help their tanks, but a thick veil of smoke and dust and mixed battle formations made it difficult for the pilots to distinguish friends from strangers, as a result, the air armada grappled with each other and fierce air battles were in full swing over the battlefield from morning to evening. A few minutes later, the first Soviet tanks, firing on the move, crashed into the battle formations of the Germans, literally piercing them with a diagonal through blow.

Battle of Kursk Soviet counteroffensive

A German tanker, a participant in the battle near Prokhorovka, later wrote: “We were warned that we would meet with anti-tank guns and individual tanks buried in the ground, and also, possibly, with several separate tank brigades of slow-moving KVs. In fact, we were faced with a seemingly inexhaustible mass of Russian tanks - never before had I had such a vivid impression of Russian power and numbers as on that day.Clouds of thick dust made it impossible to get support from the Luftwaffe, and soon numerous T-34s broke through our forward barrier and, like predatory animals, prowled the singing battle."

In this close combat, the Tigers and Panther tanks lost their advantage, which gave them more powerful guns and thick armor. The whole world seemed to tremble at the deafening roar of battle. The rumble of hundreds of strainedly roaring engines, feverish artillery fire, explosions of thousands of shells and bombs, the roar of exploding tanks, the howl of falling planes - all merged into an infernal thunder that did not stop until dark. More than 1,200 tanks and self-propelled guns mingled in a gigantic whirlpool, shrouded in a veil of smoke and dust, illuminated by the flashes of hundreds of tank guns. The dashing attack of the T-34 was carried out so swiftly that the carefully worked out German battle plans were thwarted, and the Germans did not get the opportunity to establish control over their units and subunits. Tanks circled the battlefield, bumping into each other in the midst of the roar of guns, flashes of fire, sudden bright flashes of exploding tanks and self-propelled guns. The battlefield seemed too cramped for so many combat vehicles, and within an hour it was littered with the skeletons of burning, smoky, mangled tanks; from the explosions of ammunition, the towers took off into the air and flew off for tens of meters. The surviving tank crews could not get out of the battlefield - under a shower of shells, flying fragments and machine-gun bursts, walking across the battlefield was tantamount to suicide. The battle broke up into fierce clashes between separate groups of tanks, which constantly maneuvered, concentrating fire on the enemy. Rotmistrov, apparently, was shocked and stunned by the picture that opened up to him from his observation post. In a thick cloud of dust, where hundreds of tanks blazed like torches and suffocating oily columns of smoke stretched up above the motionless vehicles, it was difficult to determine who was advancing and who was defending. In the darkness that had descended on the battlefield, for a long time one could still see the fires of burning tanks and aircraft. The Germans lost 400 tanks, and the surviving vehicles needed repairs, maintenance, refueling and replenishment of ammunition. There were other irretrievable losses - more than 10,000 people: tank crews, infantrymen, as well as dozens of aircraft with crews.

Self-propelled gun "Ferdinand" was shot down in the Battle of Kursk.

The German historian Leo Kessler wrote in his book Iron Fist: “On the evening of July 12, Goth himself arrived on the battlefield in a command tank. He was dissatisfied with what he saw. him to the aid of the 6th Panzer Division." The 5th Guards Tank Army lost about 300 tanks.

Destroyed tank "Panther" (PzKpfw V Ausf. D2) in the operation "Citadel"

By July 17, it became clear that the offensive had finally bogged down. In addition, Anglo-American troops landed in Sicily and there was a danger of Italy withdrawing from the war. Therefore, Operation Citadel was officially terminated. Hitler decided to transfer the SS Panzer Corps to Italy. In reality, only the SS division LSSAH was sent to Italy. Before the SS divisions "Reich" and "Dead Head" had time to plunge into the wagons, they decided to use them to strike at the bridgehead captured by the Red Army on the Mius River. Their attacks were successful and the front line in this area stabilized. However, these battles were no longer of decisive importance, since the Red Army went on the offensive along the entire front. "Reich" and "Dead Head" were urgently transferred to the north. For the third time that year, SS divisions under the command of Hausser entered Kharkov. However, their stay in the city turned out to be short - the German units began to retreat to the Dnieper. On August 22 "Reich" and "Dead Head" left Kharkov, and in early September they were in reserve in the Kyiv region, having received only a short respite. The SS division "Viking", which did not have time to recover from last year's campaign, was in reserve during the battle on the Kursk Bulge. When the Red Army launched a major offensive in the Orel region, this division was transferred to this sector of the front in order to stop the advance of the enemy. But it was all in vain: "Viking" did not have sufficient combat power to solve the task. After fierce fighting, the division retreated across the Dnieper to the Gomel region and then was sent to the Balkans for rest and re-equipment. The LSSAH division was in Italy. By the end of the summer, a new tank regiment was included in its composition, which included a battalion of heavy tanks PzKpfw VI "Tiger". At the same time, the division was renamed 1-SS-Panzer-Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler". When the German units in Russia were unable to stop the advance of the Red Army and rolled back further and further to the Dnieper, the LSSAH was urgently transferred to the Eastern Front.

Kyiv was supposed to be the location of the division, but while the division was on the way. The Red Army has already entered the capital of Ukraine. By the beginning of 1944, the location of the SS divisions was as follows: LSSAH occupied positions beyond the Dnieper, "Reich" - in the Kyiv region, "Dead Head" was in reserve in the Dnepropetrovsk region, "Viking", after returning to the front in December 1943, was sent in the Cherkassy region. Meanwhile, the first of the four new divisions of the SS "Nordland" entered the battles in the Leningrad direction. She participated in bloody battles during the winter retreat of German troops to Narva. When the Red Army crossed the Dnieper north of Kyiv in November 1943, only the SS division "Reich" was able to counterattack the enemy. The Germans no longer had the strength to stop the advance of the enemy. November 6, 1943 "Reich" was forced to leave their positions in the Kyiv region and begin a retreat to the southwest. After continuous stubborn fighting, the division managed to gain a foothold only in the Fastov area. The entry into battle of the SS division LSSAH on November 12 could not change anything: by this time it was no longer possible to push back the advancing units of the Red Army beyond the Dnieper. Between November 15 and December 30, the 48th Panzer Corps, based on the LSSAH and the badly battered Reich, launched several fairly powerful counterattacks. Having thrown back three Russian corps to Brusilov and captured Radomyshl, the LSSAH cut off the significant forces of the advancing enemy in the Korosten area. The front line in the Kyiv region was temporarily stabilized. All subsequent events in the Korosten region clearly showed how catastrophically the Germans lacked reserves.

LSSAH, 1st and 7th Panzer Divisions opposed seven Soviet corps on this sector of the front. The Germans not only failed to keep part of the Red Army surrounded, but also had to urgently retreat so as not to be defeated by their own recent victims. Parts of the Red Army broke through the German defense line in the Brusilov area, defeating the 24th Panzer Corps, which by this time included the SS Reich division. The retreating LSSAH linked up with the remnants of the SS division "Reich". This group, waging stubborn battles, retreated to Zhitomir, where, finally, the German defensive lines were restored. The battles in the Zhytomyr region had not yet died down, as the LSSAH, together with the 1st Panzer Division, entered the battles in the Berdichev region. Only by repelling the offensive of the Red Army in this direction, the division received a much-needed respite. By this time, the troops on both sides of the front were heavily exhausted and the decisive battle for Ukraine was postponed for the time being. The backbone of the Reich division, which had been greatly thinned in the battles near Kiev and Brusilov, was withdrawn to France in early February 1944. Several disparate units of this division were consolidated into the "Lamerding" combat group (numbering up to a battalion), and, together with the LSSAH, were left on the Eastern Front.

Tanks "Tiger" from the division "Das Reich" in the forest near Berdichev.

Subsequent battles flared up near Cherkassy. The Red Army offensive was halted north of Berdichev and Kirovograd (where the Totenkopf and Great Germany divisions were involved in heavy fighting). Now the Soviet command planned to deliver a powerful blow to the center of the German positions. The Russians threw two corps into the gap, which launched an offensive against the German defense line between Cherkassy and Kanev. After stubborn fighting, units of the Red Army on February 1 overcame the enemy's defensive lines in the south and north, and surrounded six German divisions (including the SS Viking division) near the city of Korsun. Prior to this, the German units were surrounded more than once. Before the disaster at Stalingrad, the Germans always managed to save their encircled units. Based on this experience, the encircled divisions were ordered to hold their positions and wait for outside help. However, this was the largest encirclement of German troops after Stalingrad, and the Russians were determined to destroy the encircled units, preparing for them the fate of the 6th Paulus Army. To break through the encirclement, the Germans assembled four panzer divisions, led by the 1st SS Panzer Division LSSAH. Strength had to crush strength. Arriving in the Buzhanovka area, on February 3, the LSSAH immediately entered the battle near the village of Shenderovka, where the distance to the encircled units was the smallest.

Partly due to the fact that the German formations, by the decision of the OKH, were thrown into battle separately, over several days, and most importantly due to the fact that the four exhausted divisions had insufficient combat power (they were opposed by two tank and one guards tank armies) an attempt to break through failed. After twelve days of continuous desperate fighting, the Germans barely overcame only half of the 30 km that separated them from the encircled group. After another four days, the German command realized that the breakthrough troops urgently needed help from the encircled divisions. On February 7, the SS division "Viking" was transferred to the village of Shenderovka. On the morning of February 11, the Germania regiment took the village. For the next six days, the heavily bled German troops repulsed the continuous attacks of the Red Army, which sought to recapture these key positions. However, all the efforts of the Germans came to nothing - the breakthrough troops could not overcome the remaining 5 km, which separated them from the encircled troops. In this regard, the German command ordered the encircled divisions to break out of the ring on their own. On the morning of February 16, the German units, led by the SS division "Viking", attempted to break through. After a day and a half of fighting, at the cost of huge losses, individual German units managed to break out of the ring and go to their own.

During this attempted breakthrough, most of the German divisions were effectively destroyed. The Russians threw the main forces of the 5th Panzer Army to the place of the breakthrough. The Belgian officer, who was in the "boiler" along with the SS "Wallonia" brigade, later described a terrible picture of the impact of Soviet tanks on German columns trying to break out of the encirclement. T-34 tanks rolled on the Germans in waves, crushing wagons, vehicles and guns with caterpillars. When the German units reached the river, many soldiers and officers threw themselves into the icy water in the hope of reaching the opposite bank, while Soviet tanks poured lead rain on this floundering mass of people. Thousands of German soldiers found their death on the snow-covered banks of the river. Another column, which included the remnants of the SS division "Viking" and the SS brigade "Wallonia" at dawn on February 17 near the village of Shenderovka, was also subjected to massive attacks. The divisions that managed to link up with the LSSAH were in a deplorable state. They retained only about 30% of their staff and lost all heavy weapons. At the very time when the "Viking" broke out of the boiler, having lost almost all military equipment, it was officially renamed the "tank" division of the SS.

After the catastrophe near Korsun, it became clear to the German command that their defensive lines should be significantly reduced. The northern front, which had been relatively calm since the spring of 1942, was on the verge of collapse after the winter battles of 1943-1944. The SS division "Nordland" had been fighting on this front since November 1943, and already in mid-January 1944 it was forced to retreat before the onslaught of superior enemy forces. Due to the acute shortage of tactical reserves, the German command was forced to hastily transfer several mobile formations to the north. Because of the danger of the Russian offensive on the Vistula, the practically defeated SS division "Viking" and the still relatively strong SS division "Totenkopf" were transferred to Warsaw, where they formed the 19th Panzer Corps. The SS divisions LSSAH, "Reich" and the "Lamerding" group were transferred to the German defensive lines in Western Ukraine.

It was no secret to anyone that the next offensive of the Red Army units in the south could lead to the encirclement of a large number of German troops and the enemy's withdrawal to Rovno and Uman. The offensive began unexpectedly, before the end of the spring thaw, which, as a rule, made it impossible to conduct major offensive operations. Nevertheless, the Red Army went on the offensive not in April or May, as the Germans believed, but on March 4, 1944, taking the German units by surprise, since they were not yet prepared. The advanced positions were occupied with minimal losses. Despite the confusion, the LSSAH, being part of the 4th Panzer Army, immediately launched a counterattack in the direction of Rovno, but it was impossible to stop the Russian advance with such forces. A few days later, the division was drawn into bloody battles and was forced to begin a retreat to the west. The battle group "Lamerding" and the SS division "Reich" (1st Panzer Army) also quickly retreated in front of superior enemy forces to Kamenetz-Podolsk on the Dniester. In just a few days, the advancing wedges of the Red Army, breaking through the enemy defenses on the move, went deep into the rear of the Germans for 80 km and dismembered two German armies.

Manstein, the commander of this grouping of troops, was extremely concerned about the growing gap between his armies. He understood that if the 1st Army continued its retreat to the south, then the Russians would have a great opportunity to surround this formation. Manstein could not afford to lose eight panzer divisions at once, so the 1st Panzer Army was ordered to break through to the west. The task was extremely difficult - the 1st and 4th tank armies were separated by more than 100 km, and more and more armored formations of the Red Army rushed into this gap. The German attack began on March 29. The two armies were advancing towards each other and were to join in the Bukhach area. Two new SS divisions (9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen" and 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg"), which formed the 2nd SS Panzer Corps, were urgently transferred to the Eastern Front and took part in this offensive. After several days of stubborn The 2nd SS Panzer Corps captured Buchach and the two German armies were able to link up.However, the situation remained disastrous on the entire front.German losses were enormous, many divisions were almost destroyed, and the last strong and mobile divisions of the SS, such as the LSSAH, after continuous fighting in dire need of rest and re-equipment.At the same time as the offensive in the south, the Soviet command conducted a somewhat smaller operation in eastern Poland, during which the Russians surrounded Kovel. a little later, the Hohenstaufen and Frundsberg allowed the Soviet units to be pushed a little and to establish contact with the surrounded city. After that, the front line in this sector of the front stabilized until mid-July.

By this time, on paper, the Waffen SS was a formidable force, including 17 divisions, 12 of which had armored units. In fact, even these 12 divisions were far from fully equipped. The most depleted of them were transferred to the west to rest and protect the coast from a possible Allied landing. The LSSAH and the literally pieced together SS division "Reich" were stationed in France, where two new SS divisions "Hitlerjugend" and "Goetz von Berlichingen" were formed. Parts of the "Peichsfuehrer SS" brigade that fought in Anzio, together with the SS division "Prinz Eugen" were transferred to the Balkans, and the SS divisions "Nordland", "Florian Geyer", "Hohenstaufen", "Frundsberg", "Totenkopf" and " Wiking" were left on the Eastern Front.

Parts of the SS by this time were no longer the relatively few elite troops that represented the flower of the German nation. Heavy losses and numerous replacements greatly diluted those specially selected personnel who had previously been sent to the SS. The only difference between the elite troops, which the SS units could still claim, was the relatively good equipment compared to army divisions. Nevertheless, during a brief lull in the early summer of 1944, the SS divisions continued to be regarded as the most formidable and combat-ready German formations, despite the heavy losses they suffered in terms of manpower and equipment.

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List of tank units of the SS troops

Between 1939 and 1945, the German Armed Forces included the following tank units:

Army: 1st - 27th Panzer Divisions, 116th Panzer Division, 233rd Reserve Panzer Division, training Panzer Division, Feldherrnhalle Panzer Division, Grossdeutchland Panzer Division, Hermann Goering Panzer Division. In total: 33 tank divisions, 11 separate heavy tank battalions (on "tigers"), 1 battalion (512th) tank destroyer "jagdtiger", 13 separate tank brigades (101st - 113th).

(In 1944, separate tank brigades were formed as part of the ground forces, which received numbers from 101 to 113. Parts of these brigades were used mainly to reinforce tank and motorized divisions until the end of the war.)

SS troops: 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler", 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich", 3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf", 5th SS Panzer Division "Viking", 9th Panzer SS division "Hohenstaufen", 10th SS Panzer Division "Frundsberg", 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend", 11th SS Panzer Regiment "Nordland" (in the battle for Berlin), 561st battalion tank destroyers "Jagdtiger" ". Total: 7 SS Panzer Divisions, 3 SS Heavy Panzer Battalions (on Tigers): 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion as part of I Panzer Corps, 102nd SS Heavy Panzer Battalion as part of II Panzer Corps, 103rd Heavy Panzer Battalion SS battalion as part of the III Panzer Corps (in 1944, the battalions were renamed the 501st, 502nd and 503rd, respectively, and received the "royal tigers").

Visiting one of the SS units During a walk through the village, we met with the soldiers of the SS unit stationed nearby, who immediately invited us to their place for lunch. While for us soldiers, hunger was a constant state, and the 12th squadron during the offensive

“Royal Tigers” in tank battles in Pomerania Fritz Kauerauf, SS Untersturmführer, crew commander of the 503rd SS heavy tank battalion

At the head of the Cossack units, on December 1, 1941, Lieutenant Colonel and holder of the Knight's Cross Helmut von Panwitz was appointed referent to the Inspector General of the Mobile Forces under the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces (Referent bei Generalinspektor der schnellen Truppen), whose headquarters was located in

Panzer tactics in Operation Citadel Light and medium tanks, which were used in the first three years of the war, played an important role in the fighting of that period. But as Russian anti-tank defenses became more effective and their tanks more

New movement of the Cossack units Having lost Erzinjan, the Turks made pressure at the junction of the 1st and 4th Caucasian corps in the area of ​​​​the city of Kiga, which is a hundred miles south of the city of Memakhatun, with the goal of reaching Erzurum. “In view of the serious situation prevailing on this sector of the front,

The new head of the tank troops After the death of A.Kh. Babadzhanyan, in 1978 Colonel-General Yuri Mikhailovich Potapov, who had previously held the post of chief of staff of the Far Eastern Military District, was appointed chief of the tank troops. He was three years younger than me

GUARDS LIEUTENANT GENERAL OF THE TANK TROOPS N. POPEL Leaders The hearts of the tank guards were beating with the greatest military pride. They traveled a glorious, legendary path from Moscow to Berlin. They had the honor to inflict the last, so ingeniously prepared by a comrade

MG WEINRUB, retired lieutenant general of tank troops, Hero of the Soviet Union LEFT SHORE - RIGHT SHORE Officers gathered at the headquarters of the 133rd Smolensk Rifle Division. Divisional Commander Colonel A.P. Dmitriev explained the situation and set the task. The division was to

KO PETROVSKY, retired Major General of Tank Troops, Hero of the Soviet Union Brigade Commander On the road that led from Ternopil to Zalishchyky, it was busy. And day and night there was an unceasing rumble and roar in the air. Along the roadsides, where it was drier, trucks and wagons were moving, wet

ZK Slyusarenko, retired lieutenant general of the tank troops, twice Hero of the Soviet Union PAYING Zakhar Karpovich Slyusarenko in 1939 took part in the liberation campaign of the Red Army troops in Western Ukraine. In 1941 he commanded a tank battalion, fought

CHAPTER 5 THE CREATION OF TANK TROOPS When events of colossal importance, occurring in the course of a clash of revolutionary causes, cast a shadow on the diplomatic and political scene, attracting everyone's attention, it is a symptom that

My detours of division units On the same day, I issued the following orders as a result of my detours of division units: did not come

Maneuver and strike of tank formations In the July days of 1941, Hitler's tank divisions were approaching Minsk. Two giant armored wedges - from Brest and Vilna - pierced into Belarus in order to connect with their tip east of Minsk, cut off and surround the troops of the Red

Heterogeneity of parts of the composition The parts of the performance are also diverse in spatio-temporal certainty. In Pugachev, episodes of the poem alternated with scenes of three peasants and scenes of mourners. The image of the "trinity" developed mainly in time. Not only because

SYSTEM OF REPLENISHMENT OF PARTS On the third day of the regiment's stay in Lgov, I received a telephone message with an order to arrive immediately at the headquarters of the corps, located at the Lgov station. General Kutepov was having dinner and first of all asked: Have you had dinner?

The formations of the SS (Waffen SS) had an interesting difference from the formations of the Wehrmacht, and probably from all other formations of the warring parties.

Almost all of these divisions had their own emblems (tactical, or identification marks), which were by no means worn by the ranks of these divisions as sleeve patches (rare exceptions did not change the overall picture at all), but were applied with white, black or yellow oil paint on divisional military equipment and motor transport; buildings in which the ranks of the respective divisions were quartered; corresponding pointers in the locations of the parts; aircraft (if any), etc. These identification (tactical) signs, or emblems (“Erkennungszeichen”, German: Erkennungszeichen) of SS divisions are almost always inscribed in heraldic shields (having a “Varangian”, or “Norman”, form or the form of a tarch) / 1 / - in many cases differed from the lapel pins of the ranks of the respective divisions.

I present to your attention a brief description and emblems of all divisions of the Waffen SS.

1st SS Panzer Division "SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler".

The name of the division means "SS Regiment of Adolf Hitler's personal guard". The emblem (tactical, or identification mark) of the division was a shield-tarch with the image of a master key (and not a key, as is often incorrectly written and thought). The choice of such an unusual emblem is explained very simply. The surname of the division commander Josef ("Sepp") Dietrich was "speaking" (or, in heraldic language, "vowel"). Dietrich means "master key" in German. After Dietrich's Sepp was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the division's emblem began to be framed with 2 oak leaves or a semicircular oak wreath.

2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich.

The name of the division - "Reich" ("Das Reich") translated into Russian means "Empire", "Power". The emblem of the division was the “wolfsangel” (“wolf hook”) inscribed in the shield-tarch - an old German amulet that scared away wolves and werewolves (in German: “werewolves”, in Greek: “lycanthropes”, in Icelandic: “ ulfhedins", in Norwegian: "varulvov" or "vargs", in Slavic: "ghouls", "volkolaks", "volkudlaks" or "volkodlaks"), located horizontally.

"Wolfsangels" (slightly different in form) served as identification marks for some other formations of the armed forces of the Third Reich - the 4th SS Police Division, as well as the motorized infantry (panzer-grenadier, tank-grenadier) divisions "Feldgerrngalle", 209th and 256 th infantry divisions and the 19th tank division of the German Wehrmacht. In addition, the “wolf hook” (without a central vertical line) originally served as the identification mark of the 11th SS Panzer Division “Nordland”, until it was replaced by a “sun wheel” (a swastika with arcuate ends) inscribed in a circle.

3rd SS Panzer Division "Dead Head" ("Totenkopf").

The division got its name from the emblem of the SS - the "dead (Adam's) head" (skull with bones) - a symbol of loyalty to the leader until death. The same emblem, inscribed in the shield-tarch, also served as the identification mark of the division.

4th SS Motorized Infantry Division "Police" ("Police"), also known as the "(4th) SS Police Division".

This division received its name because it was formed from the ranks of the German police. The emblem of the division was the "wolf hook" - "wolfsangel" in a vertical position, inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch.

5th SS Panzer Division "Viking".

The name of this division is explained by the fact that, along with the Germans, it was recruited from the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden), as well as Belgium, the Netherlands, Latvia and Estonia. In addition, Swiss, Russian, Ukrainian and Spanish volunteers served in the ranks of the Viking division. The emblem of the division was the “oblique cross” (“sun wheel”), that is, a swastika with curved crossbars, on a heraldic shield-tarch.

6th Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division of the SS "Nord" ("North").

The name of this division is explained by the fact that it was recruited mainly from natives of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia and Latvia). The emblem of the division was the ancient German rune "hagall" inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch (resembling the Russian letter "Zh"). The rune "hagall" ("hagalaz") was considered a symbol of unshakable faith.

7th SS Volunteer Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division "Prince Eugen (Eugen)".

This division, recruited mainly from ethnic Germans living in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Vojvodina, Banat and Romania, was named after the famous commander of the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" of the second half of the 17th - early 18th centuries. Prince Eugene (in German: Eugen) of Savoy, who became famous for his victories over the Ottoman Turks and, in particular, won Belgrade for the Roman-German emperor (1717). Eugene of Savoy also became famous in the War of the Spanish Succession for his victories over the French and earned himself no less fame as a patron of the arts. The emblem of the division was the ancient Germanic rune “odal” (“otilia”, “etel”) inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch with curved lower ends.

A similar rune "odal", according to some sources, served as the identification mark of the 23rd Volunteer Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division of the SS "Kama" (Croatian No. 2).

The rune "odal" of a somewhat simplified form (without curved lower ends) was used as an identification mark of the 14th Panzer Division of the German Wehrmacht.

It should be noted that the version of the “odal” rune (with curved lower ends) used as an identification mark of the SS division “Prince Eugen (Eugen)” by some foreign and domestic runologists (for example, Anton Platov in his capital study “The Magical Arts of Ancient Europe”, "Sofia", Publishing House "Helios", M., 2002, pp. 289 and 376) tend to be considered as a separate, "irregular" rune "erda" ("earth rune").

According to their interpretation, the rune of the earth and the earth goddess, bearing the same name in the Germanic languages ​​\u200b\u200b- “erda”, symbolizes, on the one hand, the earth itself and its holiness, and on the other hand, the native land, homeland, clan (which is why " rune of the earth "became the emblem of the Main Directorate of the Race and Settlements of the SS). This circumstance makes the rune "erd" related to its simplified version (without curved lower ends) - the "classical" rune "odal". The main meaning of the rune "odal" is inheritance, heritage (both spiritual and material), clan, family, homeland, home, property, traditions, kinship (in spirit and blood). All this made the rune "odal" a rune-amulet protecting the family, property, and the well-being of the clan.

Nevertheless, apparently, in the Third Reich in general, and in the SS in particular, no distinctions were made between the runes "odal" and "Erda" (in relation to both variants of the runic sign described above, as well as in relation to the third option - with arrow-shaped lower ends, used as the emblem of the Dutch SS division "Landstorm Nederland" - the name "odal rune" was used).

8th SS Cavalry Division "Florian Geyer"

This division was named after the imperial knight Florian Geyer, who led during the Peasants' War in Germany (1524-1526) one of the detachments of German peasants ("Black detachment", in German: "Schwarzer Haufen"), who rebelled against the princes (large feudal lords who opposed the unification of Germany under the scepter of the emperor). Since Florian Geyer wore black armor and his "Black Squad" fought under a black banner, the SS considered him as their predecessor (especially since he opposed not only the princes, but also for the unification of the German state). Florian Geyer (immortalized in the drama of the same name by the classic of German literature Gerhart Hauptmann) died heroically in battle with the superior forces of the German princes in 1525 in the Taubertal valley. His image entered German folklore (especially song folklore), enjoying no less popularity than, say, Stepan Razin - in Russian song folklore. The emblem of the division was a straight naked sword inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, pointing up, crossing the shield from right to left diagonally, and a horse's head.

9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen"

This division was named after the dynasty of the Swabian dukes (since 1079) and the medieval Roman-German Kaiser emperors (1138-1254) - the Hohenstaufen (Staufen). Under them, the medieval German state (“Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation”), founded by Charlemagne (in 800 A.D.) and renewed by Otto (n) I the Great, reached the peak of its power, subordinating Italy to its influence, Sicily, the Holy Land and Poland. The Hohenstaufen tried, relying on economically highly developed Northern Italy as a base, to centralize their power over Germany and restore the Roman Empire - "at least" - the Western (within the borders of the empire of Charlemagne), ideally - the entire Roman Empire, including the Eastern Roman (Byzantine), in which, however, they did not succeed. The most famous representatives of the Hohenstaufen dynasty are the Crusader Kaisers Frederick I Barbarossa (who died during the Third Crusade) and his great-nephew Frederick II (Emperor of Rome, King of Germany, Sicily and Jerusalem), as well as Konradin, who was defeated in the fight against the Pope and Duke Charles of Anjou for Italy and beheaded by the French in 1268. The emblem of the division was a straight naked sword inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, pointing upwards, superimposed on the capital Latin letter "H" ("Hohenstaufen").

10th SS Panzer Division "Frundsberg"

This SS division was named after the German Renaissance commander Georg (Jörg) von Frundsberg, nicknamed the "Father of the Landsknechts" (1473-1528), under whose command the troops of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and King of Spain Charles I of Habsburg conquered Italy and in 1514 took Rome, forcing the pope to recognize the supremacy of the Empire. They say that the ferocious Georg Frundsberg always carried a golden noose with him, with which he intended to strangle the Pope if he fell into his hands alive. In the ranks of the SS division "Frundsberg" served in his youth, the famous German writer, Nobel Prize winner Günther Grass. The emblem of this SS division was the capital Gothic letter “F” (“Frundsberg”) inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, superimposed on an oak leaf, located diagonally from right to left.

11th SS Infantry Division "Nordland" ("Northern Country")

The name of the division is explained by the fact that it was recruited mainly from volunteers born in northern European countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Latvia and Estonia). The emblem of this SS division was originally a "wolf hook" without a central vertical line, and later - a heraldic shield-tarch with the image of a "sun wheel" inscribed in a circle.

The "sun wheel", inscribed in a circle, also served as the emblem of the 4th Jaeger Division of the German Wehrmacht.

12th SS Panzer Division "Hitler Youth" ("Hitler Youth")

This division was recruited mainly from the ranks of the youth organization of the Third Reich "Hitler Youth" ("Hitler Youth"). The tactical sign of this "youth" SS division was the ancient German "solar" rune "sig" ("sovulo", "sovelu"), inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch - a symbol of victory and the emblem of the Nazi youth organizations "Jungfolk" and "Hitler Youth", from among whose members were recruited by the volunteers of the division, imposed on the master key ("alignment with Dietrich").

13th mountain (mountain) division of the Waffen SS "Khanjar"

Often referred to in military literature as "Handshar" or "Yatagan", which consisted of Croatian, Bosnian and Herzegovina Muslims (Bosnyaks). "Khanjar" is a traditional Muslim edged weapon with a curved blade (related to the Russian words "konchar" and "dagger", also meaning a bladed edged weapon). The emblem of the division was a curved sword-khanjar inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, directed diagonally upwards from left to right. According to the surviving data, the division also had another identification mark, which was an image of a hand with a khanjar superimposed on a double "SS" rune "sig" ("sovulo").

14th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Galician No. 1, since 1945 - Ukrainian No. 1); she is the SS division (Sichevyh Striltsov) "Galicia"

The emblem of the division was the ancient coat of arms of the city of Lvov, the capital of Galicia - a lion walking on its hind legs, surrounded by 3 three-pronged crowns, inscribed in the "Varangian" ("Norman") shield.

15th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Latvian No. 1)

The emblem of the division was originally a "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield with the image of the Roman numeral "I" above the stylized printed capital Latin letter "L" ("Latvia"). Subsequently, the division received another tactical sign - 3 stars against the background of the rising sun. 3 stars meant 3 Latvian provinces - Vidzeme, Kurzeme and Latgale (a similar image adorned the cockade of the pre-war army of the Republic of Latvia).

16th SS Infantry Division "Reichsführer SS"

This SS division was named after Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler. The emblem of the division was a bunch of 3 oak leaves inscribed in a heraldic shield-tarch with 2 acorns near the handle framed by a laurel wreath, inscribed in a shield-tarch.

17th SS Panzer Division "Götz von Berlichingen"

This SS division was named after the hero of the Peasant War in Germany (1524-1526), ​​the imperial knight Georg (Götz, Goetz) von Berlichingen (1480-1562), the fighter against the separatism of the German princes for the unity of Germany, the leader of the rebel peasants and the hero of the drama Johann Wolfgang von Goethe "Goetz von Berlichingen with an iron hand" (Knight Goetz, who lost his hand in one of the battles, ordered to make an iron prosthesis instead of it, which he owned no worse than others - a hand of flesh and blood). The emblem of the division was the iron hand of Goetz von Berlichingen clenched into a fist (crossing the shield-tarch from right to left and from bottom to top diagonally).

18th SS Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division "Horst Wessel"

This division was named after one of the "martyrs of the Nazi movement" - the commander of the Berlin attack aircraft Horst Wessel, who composed the song "Banners up"! (which became the anthem of the NSDAP and the "second anthem" of the Third Reich) and was killed by communist militants. The emblem of the division was a straight naked sword with the tip up, crossing the shield-tarch from right to left diagonally. According to the surviving data, the Horst Wessel division also had another emblem, which was the Latin letters SA stylized as runes (SA = Sturmabteilungen, i.e. “assault squads”; “Martyr of the Movement” Horst Wessel, after whom the division got its name , was one of the leaders of the Berlin stormtroopers) inscribed in a circle.

19th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Latvian No. 2)

The emblem of the division at the time of formation was the “Varangian” (“Norman”) heraldic shield with the image of the Roman numeral “II” above the stylized printed capital Latin letter “L” (“Latvia”). Subsequently, the division received another tactical sign - an upright right-sided swastika on the "Varangian" shield. The swastika - the “fiery cross” (“ugunskrusts”) or the “cross (of the god of thunder) Perkon” (“perkonkrusts”) has been a traditional element of the Latvian folk ornament for centuries.

20th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Estonian No. 1)

The emblem of the division was the “Varangian” (“Norman”) heraldic shield with the image of a straight naked sword, point upwards, crossing the shield from right to left diagonally and superimposed on the capital Latin letter “E” (“E”, that is, “Estonia”). According to some reports, this emblem was sometimes depicted on the helmets of Estonian SS volunteers.

21st mountain (mountain) division of the Waffen SS "Skanderbeg" (Albanian No. 1)

This division, recruited mainly from Albanians, was named after the national hero of the Albanian people, Prince George Alexander Kastriot (nicknamed "Iskander-beg" or, in short, "Skanderbeg" by the Turks). While Skanderbeg (1403-1468) was alive, the Ottoman Turks, who repeatedly suffered defeats from him, could not subjugate Albania to their power. The emblem of the division was the ancient coat of arms of Albania, inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch - a double-headed eagle (the ancient Albanian rulers claimed kinship with the basileus-emperors of Byzantium). According to the surviving information, the division also had another tactical sign - a stylized image of the “Skanderbeg helmet” with goat horns superimposed on 2 horizontal stripes.

22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division "Maria Theresa" (and not "Maria Theresa", as they often write and think wrong!)

This division, recruited mainly from ethnic Germans living in Hungary, and from Hungarians, was named after the Empress of the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" and Austria, Queen of Bohemia (Czech Republic) and Hungary Maria Theresa von Habsburg (1717-1780), one of the most prominent rulers of the second half of the 18th century. The emblem of the division was the image of a cornflower flower inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch with 8 petals, a stem, 2 leaves and 1 bud - (subjects of the Austro-Hungarian Danube Monarchy, who wanted to join the German Empire, until 1918 wore cornflower in their buttonhole - the favorite flower of the German emperor Wilhelm II of Hohenzollern).

23rd Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Kama"

Croatian No. 2, consisting of Croatian, Bosnian and Herzegovina Muslims. "Kama" is the name of a cold weapon traditional for the Balkan Muslims with a curved blade (something like a scimitar). The tactical sign of the division was a stylized image of the astronomical sign of the sun in a crown of rays on a heraldic shield-tarch. Information has also been preserved about 2 other tactical signs of the division, which were:

1) the rune "Tyr" with 2 arrow-shaped processes perpendicular to the trunk of the rune, in its lower part:

2) rune "odal" (similar to the tactical sign of the SS division "Prince Eugene")

23rd Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Netherlands" (Netherlands No. 1)

The name of this division is explained by the fact that its personnel were recruited mainly from the Dutch (Dutch) Waffen SS volunteers. The emblem of the division was the rune "odal" ("otilia") with the lower ends in the form of arrows, inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch.

24th Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division of the Waffen SS "Karst Jaegers" ("Karst Jaegers", "Karstjäger")

The name of this division is explained by the fact that it was recruited mainly from the natives of the mountainous Karst region, located on the border between Italy and Yugoslavia. The emblem of the division was a stylized image of a “karst flower” (“karstbloom”), inscribed in the heraldic shield of the “Varangian” (“Norman”) form.

25th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS "Hunyadi" (Hungarian No. 1)

This division, recruited mainly from the Hungarians, was named after the medieval Transylvanian-Hungarian Hunyadi dynasty, the most prominent representatives of which were Janos Hunyadi (Johannes Guniades, Giovanni Vaivoda, 1385-1456) and his son King Matthias Corvinus (Matyas Hunyadi, 1443- 1490), who heroically fought for the freedom of Hungary against the Ottoman Turks. The emblem of the division was the “Varangian” (“Norman”) heraldic shield with the image of the “arrow-shaped cross” - the symbol of the Viennese National Socialist Arrow Crossed (“Nilashists”) party Ferenc Salashi - under 2 three-pronged crowns.

On June 6, 1944, the Allies finally opened a second front in Western Europe. On this day, American, British and Canadian units successfully landed on five sections of the Normandy coast in France, Operation Overlord began. For the successful development of the offensive deep into the continent, the Allied forces needed to capture the French city of Caen. This city was considered the key that would open the way for the Allied troops to the south-east of France.

Caen, this ancient city of Normandy, played an exceptional role in the system of transport communications on the Norman coast of France. In fact, he was the main link between the Cotentin Peninsula and the rest of France. This was well understood by both the Germans and the Allies. The main task of the 3rd Infantry Division of the British Army was to capture this city on the first day of the invasion - June 6th. In addition, the main tasks of the Allied troops in this direction were to capture and hold the Carpiquet airfield, located in the vicinity of Caen at a distance of 18 kilometers from the coast; access to the landing zones of paratroopers of the 6th British Airborne Division, which was able to capture a number of bridges over the Orne River; capture of the dominant heights near Caen.

The Allied attempt to take Caen on the move failed. The Allied troops were able to capture the city only on July 20, 1944, and the battle for Caen itself lasted until August 6. In many ways, the plans of the allies were thwarted by the German tank divisions. Already at 4 pm on June 6, 1944, the Germans brought the forces of the 21st Panzer Division into battle in this direction. It was the only tank division that began to act against the landing forces directly on the day of the landing. The division was unable to throw the British and Canadians into the sea, but seriously confused their plans, preventing them from taking Caen on the very first day of the operation and allowing other tank and mechanized units of the Wehrmacht and SS troops to approach the city.

Having managed to stop the advance of British and Canadian troops on Caen on June 6, 1944, the German command began to hatch a plan for a powerful offensive in this sector. On June 7-9, trying to improve their positions before the upcoming offensive, the German troops carried out several local counterattacks against the Allied forces. The most stubborn battles in the end had to be fought by Canadians who fought in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe settlements of Ro, Bretville-l'Orgueyuse and Norrey-en-Bessin.

Here the allies first encountered the German Panthers, which during the fighting in Normandy turned out to be a “hard nut to crack” for them. In total, by the time the Allied forces landed in France on June 6, 1944, there were a total of 663 Panthers in the tank formations of the SS and Wehrmacht troops in the West. This tank was distinguished by good frontal armor and a formidable long-barreled 75-mm gun, which made it possible to effectively destroy all types of allied tanks. The only truly formidable rival for the German Panthers was only the British Sherman Firefly tank (Sherman Firefly), re-equipped with an English 17-pounder anti-tank gun (76.2 mm gun, barrel length 55 calibers).

British and Canadian units could have encountered even more Panthers near Caen, but the German industry could not produce this tank in the volumes that the military required. Initially, it was planned to replace all Pz III and Pz IV tanks with Panther tanks in combat units, but the pace of mass production could not satisfy the needs of the troops in armored vehicles. In the end, the General Inspector of the Wehrmacht's tank troops, Colonel General Heinz Guderian, after consulting with the Minister of Armaments Albert Speer, decided that only one battalion in a tank regiment was to be re-equipped with new tanks.

The battalion was supposed to include 4 companies of 17 Panther tanks each. At the same time, at the headquarters of the battalion there were 8 more tanks, an air defense platoon armed with Mobelwagen or Wirbelwind ZSU, and a sapper platoon. Also, the battalion was supposed to have a technical company, equipped with various vehicles and evacuation tractors. In practice, the number of units in the German army never corresponded to the staffing table. So in parts of the Panzerwaffe there were an average of 51-54 Panther tanks in the battalion, and in the SS troops - 61-64 tanks.

First appearance of the Panthers

The first appearance of the Panther tanks did not make much of an impression on the Allies. The debut of the formidable cat on the western front came out crumpled and led to heavy losses of tanks. The first three Panther companies (approximately 40 tanks) arrived at the front near Caen on the evening of June 8, 1944. These were combat vehicles from the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitler Youth". The division was formed from more than 16 thousand members of the Hitler Youth. It called for 17-year-old members of this Nazi organization, who then underwent a 6-month training. In addition, about a thousand soldiers and officers of veterans of the SS troops and experienced commanders from the Wehrmacht were transferred to the division. The division was transferred to Normandy in the spring of 1944, at that time it had more than 20 thousand people and about 150 tanks. It was one of the most fanatically fighting German units. By July 9, 1944, the division had lost 60% of its original strength in combat.

The commander of the PzKpfw V "Panther" tank of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitler Youth", in the commander's turret hatch, during a march as part of a column. Machines from the 3rd company. photo: waralbum.ru

Arriving at the front on the evening of June 8, 1944, the Panthers of the 12th Hitler Youth Panzer Division attacked the allies at night, trying to capture the village of Ro. The Canadian infantry, which was in the village, did not resist for long, retreating to Bretville, where a well-prepared defense was waiting for the Germans. As the German tanks approached Bretteville, they were met with a flurry of fire from anti-tank artillery, tanks and hand grenade launchers. As a result, several Panthers were hit and burned. Canadian Joe Lapointe especially distinguished himself in this battle, who, having entered into a duel with the Panther, knocked out the tank with three shots from a PIAT grenade launcher. The German infantry also did not succeed and was forced to retreat, leaving their tanks without support. As a result, the Panthers retreated after her.

Having failed to immediately capture Bretville and Norrey in a night attack from 8 to 9 June 1944, the Germans decided to repeat the offensive during the day. However, they failed to prepare a truly powerful blow to the allies, since the 12th SS Panzer Division entered the battle in parts. This development of events not only weakened the offensive capabilities of the division, but also prevented the organization of full-fledged interaction between tanks, infantry and artillery.

At noon on June 9, the 1st and 3rd Panther companies (approximately 25 tanks) took part in the attack on Norrey. Another tank company covered their actions, firing from a place. At the same time, the German infantry almost did not support the attack, most likely for the reason that they were pressed to their trenches by strong Allied artillery fire. As a result, German tanks were forced to operate with little or no support, accompanied by only two or three dozen soldiers.

Panther shot down by Joe Lapointe

The Panthers were racing towards Norrey at top speed. At the same time, the tanks of the 1st company made a short stop and fired at the spire of the church, believing that Canadian observers could hide there. After that, the Panthers again rushed forward. The tanks had not yet reached the village when Canadian anti-tank guns opened fire on them. There was a short fight. Although in this battle the German tankers destroyed a couple of guns without losing a single one of their tanks, the company commander decided not to tempt fate by ordering the tanks to retreat. On this, the participation of the 1st company "Panthers" from the 12th SS Panzer Division in the battles of June 9 ended.

Massacre of the Panthers at Bretteville-l'Orgueyuse

A much sadder fate awaited the 3rd Panther Company of the same Panzer Division. This company was commanded by Captain Luderman, who was urgently found to replace the main unit commander, who was wounded the day before. Very little is known about his personality; his name is not even preserved in the sources. It is known that 12 tanks of his company advanced along the railway. At some point, he gave the order to slow down and turn left towards Norrey. According to Luderman, in this way, his "Panthers" turned to the Canadian anti-tank guns with their most protected part - their forehead. However, in practice, this order turned out to be fatal, only a few seconds passed and allied shells flew into the Panthers, but not from the front, but from the right side. In just a few minutes of the battle, the Germans lost 7 tanks - five destroyed and two knocked out.

Everything happened so quickly that the crews of German tanks did not even understand who exactly was shooting at them. The Panthers simply caught fire, and their crews tried to leave the burning cars as soon as possible. Those who participated in this battle and survived later remembered him with horror. The Panther, commanded by Germani (name and rank not preserved), was hit on the starboard side of the turret. The shell hit under the gunner's seat, causing a fire. Germani was an experienced tanker, before the battle he did not lock the cover of the commander's hatch. Thanks to this, he was the first to leave the burning tank. The gunner had to get out through the flames, he received serious burns.

The commander of another Panther tank leaned out of the turret to look around and was killed by a direct hit from a shell. Another "Panther" received a lot of hits in the tracks and rollers, but managed to keep moving and somehow retreated to their original positions. Some of the 7 Panthers destroyed in this attack had their turrets torn off by an explosion of ammunition.

As a result, the remnants of the 3rd Panzer Company of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitler Youth" retreated without seeing their enemy. Many tankers after the battle were shocked by what they saw and experienced. The company commander Luderman even had a nervous breakdown. The captain was sent to the hospital, where it took him several days to recover. One of the German officers who witnessed the beating of the Panthers in that battle noted after the end of World War II: “I could then cry with rage and grief.”

Canadian "fireflies"

Who ended up knocking out the Panthers? Their killers were Sherman tanks from a reserve unit that had arrived to replenish the 1st Canadian Hussars Tank Regiment. Among the 9 tanks that arrived, there were several in the Firefly (Firefly) modification, armed with long-barreled 76.2-mm guns that perfectly pierced any of the German tanks. It was this Allied tank that could fight on equal terms with the German Panthers and Tigers. The armor-piercing projectile of the English 17-pounder accelerated to 884 m/s, the piercing projectile to 1204 m/s. At the same time, at a distance of 900 meters, a conventional armor-piercing projectile of this gun pierced armor 110 mm thick, located at an angle of 30 degrees. Armor-piercing with a ballistic tip in the same conditions - 131 mm of armor, and a sub-caliber projectile - 192 mm. This was more than enough to fight the Panther tank.

When the German tankers went on the attack on Norrey, the Shermans were located in the neighborhood, not far from Bretville. The Panthers of the 3rd company, having made their turn, substituted the sides of the Canadian tanks. The sides of the panthers had armor of only 50-40 mm (top and bottom of the hull, respectively), armor of the turret side - 45 mm. The shooting distance was those same 900 meters. At such a battle distance, the very first shells fired by the Canadians were able to find targets.

Tank Sherman Firefly

In this battle, the crew of the Canadian tank, commanded by Lieutenant Henry, especially distinguished himself. His gunner managed to knock out 5 attacking Panthers with five shots. Two more Fireflies were able to chalk up one of the seven Panthers that were left burning on the battlefield. At the same time, all available Shermans fired on German tanks, so some Panthers received several hits at once. While the Fireflies quite easily pierced their sides with armor-piercing shells, conventional Sherman tanks fired high-explosive fragmentation shells. They could not seriously harm the German tanks, but they confused their crews, and also prevented them from observing the surroundings and finding targets. That is why for the German tankers it remained a mystery who exactly fired at them.

Canadian Sherman tanks on the afternoon of June 9, 1944, were at the right time in the right place. And although the German troops launched a counterattack suddenly, the Canadians managed to quickly orient themselves and do their job perfectly, without suffering losses in tanks on their part. At the same time, the German command again became convinced that haste in organizing and carrying out tank attacks inevitably leads to the failure of the offensive. At the same time, this battle was the first victory of Canadian tankers and their Shermans over the German Panthers.

Information sources:
http://worldoftanks.ru/ru/news/pc-browser/12/panthers_defeat_near_bretteville
http://armor.kiev.ua/Tanks/WWII/PzV/txt/PzV2.php
http://narkompoisk.ru/arhivy-dokumenty-analitika/2015/10/28/diviziya-ss-gitleryugend.html
Materials from open sources