History 20/01/20 What elite troops of the Third Reich fought against the red Army
In the German armed forces during the Second World war, unlike other armies, specially formed units and formations, which in modern language can be called elite. These parts were sent to selected personnel, they were different from others, reinforced structure, first acquired new and better weapons and equipment. And left in the history of the war imprint.
to learn their history and what they represented, it is best to use translated into Russian language of a book B. the müller-Hillebrandt “Land army of Germany” or the more recent Handbook K. Shishkin, “the German Armed forces. 1939-1945”.
among the most famous elite units should be called “greater Germany” (Großdeutschland). Its history dates from created in 1921, the guard battalion, in 1934, called “Berlin”. Battalion in 1937 and deployed in the same regiment, performed ceremonial and guard functions. Of the regiment was allocated to the special company, for the personal protection of Hitler. By the beginning of the Second World war, the regiment of the guard was deployed in motorized infantry and received the name of “Great Germany”. In its composition it probably could be considered a team, staffed by volunteers from different connections of the Wehrmacht, from 18 to 30 years, of Aryan descent, with good health and taller than 170 cm, the Regiment participated in almost all operations of the Second World war, fought on the most important and dangerous sectors of the front. In the spring of 1942 the regiment was deployed in the same division (‘infanterie-Division Großdeutschland), a year later renamed Panzer-Grenadier-Division Großdeutschland. Division, and the regiment fought in different parts of the Eastern front, for which he received the nickname “fire brigade”. In 1944, on the basis of diviii was deployed Panzer corps “grossdeutschland”, and the division of its members was not included. The division also fought to end the war, graduated in East Prussia, from which the remains of the compound was evacuated by sea and surrendered to the allies.
On the basis of the parts division was formed at the end of the war, several elite compounds. They were considered the “child” and as well as members of the “greater Germany”, carried on the shoulder straps the monogram “GD”.
Selected from the regiment “Great Germany” in 1939, the escort guard company of Hitler, was in 1944 deployed in the first regiment, then a brigade and converted into a combat unit. To do this, its composition was separated divisions of the “greater Germany”. Later, the brigade was deployed in division (Führer-Begleit-Division), although the composition remained a team. First participated in the offensive in the Ardennes, then it was transferred to the Eastern front, where division and was defeated.
From the spare brigade of “greater Germany” in 1944 was formed the Grenadier brigade “Führer”, later expanded into a division (the Führer-Grenadier-Division). Brigade and then a division, was constantly transferred from one front to another. As a result, in Austria the remnants of the division surrendered to the allies.
In early 1945 from the replacement parts division “Great Germany” was formed panzergrenadiere division “Curmark” (Panzer-Grenadier-Division Kurmark), who fought on the Oder. The division was crushed by Soviet troops, but the remnants of it made its way to the West and surrendered to the Americans.
Not all elite formation were related to “greater Germany”.
In April 1943, 800-th regiment of special purpose “Brandenburg”, was created as a reconnaissance and sabotage division of the Abwehr, was deployed in the same division, under the command of the army. True, the first “worked” division is still at his old mission, was sent to the Balkans to fight partisans (in particular, for the capture of the headquarters of Tito). In September 1944 divisiu reformed into panzergrenadiers (Panzer-Grenadier-Division Brandenburg) and in the composition of Panzer corps “grossdeutschland” she fought on the Oder.
Another elite division (more division) the end of the war has an interesting origin. After the surrender of Paulus at Stalingrad, Hitler ordered to form a new connection with the rooms there destroyed divisions. In February 1943, was the newly formed 60th motorized division, which was headed by the former commander of the division. He was evacuated from the “pot” being wounded. Soon, however, the division was renamed the “Feldherrnhalle” (Panzer-Grenadier-Division Feldherrnhalle), in honor of “Hall of the Bavarian generals” in Munich. Although the title and suitable for elite military units, but for the Nazis this place in the first place was due to the “Beer hall putsch” of 1923.
the Division was sent to the Eastern front where it was destroyed in the summer of 1944 during operation “Bagration”.
part of the newly restored, but as a tank (Panzer-Division Feldherrnhalle) and she took part in the battles for Budapest. After a battle in the Hungarian capital on the basis of residual compounds to break out of the encirclement, the division was rebuilt under the name of Panzer-Division Feldherrnhalle 1. The room did not appear by accident, because of the training units of the division “Feldherrnhalle” then formed a new connection, which was assigned the number two (Panzer-Division Feldherrnhalle 2). And the 4th tank corps in November 1944, was renamed the tank corps “Feldherrnhalle” (Panzerkorps Feldherrnhalle). And corps and divisions fight did not stay long, the remains of them soon surrendered to the allies.
in addition to the land forces elite connections were in the part of the Luftwaffe, and it’s not about the aircraft, and it is about the land formation. They were composed of the Waffen-SS, which, at the initial stage, all were considered elite forces.
Cyril Shishkin
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