NationMaster - Encyclopedia: 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend

The 12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend ("Hitler Youth") was a German Waffen SS armoured division which saw action on both the Eastern and Western fronts during World War II. As with all parts of the Waffen-SS, it was found to be a criminal organization by the Nuremberg Trials. The 12th SS Panzer-Division in particular established a reputation for atrocities in the first days it saw combat in Normandy. Image File history File links 12SSHJinsig. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Alternative meanings: vehicle armour, Armor (novel) A hoplite wearing a helmet, a breastplate and greaves (and nothing else). ... Symbol of the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division in NATO code A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to twenty thousand soldiers. ... Combatants Soviet Union,[1] Poland, Tannu Tuva (until 1944 incorporation with USSR), Mongolia Germany,[2] Italy (to 1943), Romania (to 1944), Finland (to 1944), Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, Spain (to 1943, unofficial) Commanders Joseph Stalin, Aleksei Antonov, Ivan Konev, Rodion Malinovsky, Ivan Bagramyan, Kirill Meretskov, Ivan Petrov, Alexander Rodimtsev, Konstantin Rokossovsky... During World War II, the Western Front was the theater of fighting west of Germany, encompassing the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Denmark. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The SÃ¼ddeutsche Zeitung announces The Verdict in Nuremberg. ...

The Hitlerjugend was unique because the majority of its junior enlisted men were drawn from members of the Hitler Youth born in 1926, while the senior NCOs and officers were generally veterans of the Eastern Front. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Formation and Training

The idea of a Waffen-SS division composed of Hitlerjugend (HJ) members was first proposed by SS-Gruppenführer Gottlob Berger in January 1943. Berger approached Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler with the proposition, and Himmler soon became an enthusiastic advocate. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Gottlob Berger (July 16, 1896 - January 5, 1975) was a German SS general during World War II. From 1940, he was Chief of Staff for the military SS and head of the SS main leadership office. ... Heinrich Himmler as the ReichsfÃ¼hrer-SS ReichsfÃ¼hrer-SS was a special SS rank that existed between the years of 1925 and 1945. ... Heinrich Luitpold Himmler ( ; 7 October 1900â€“23 May 1945) was the commander of the Schutzstaffel (SS) and one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany by being second in power to Adolf Hitler in the Nazi hierarchy. ...

The plan for a combat division made up of all HJ members born in 1926 was passed on to Adolf Hitler for his approval. Hitler was also enthusiastic about the idea, and on 10 February 1943, the official order for the creation of an HJ division was issued. Berger nominated himself as the divisional commander, but Himmler instead chose 1.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH) veteran, SS-Oberführer Fritz Witt. Hitler redirects here. ... is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (Lifeguard Standarte of the SS Adolf Hitler) was a Waffen SS guard and combat formation which saw action on both the Eastern and Western fronts during the Second World War. ... Fritz Witt (1908 - 1944) was a German Waffen-SS officer who served with the 1. ...

A competition was held to design insignia for the new unit. The winning design, picked from thousands of entries, depicted the Hitlerjugend sigrune crossing a key from the 1.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division LSSAH's insignia. Two Sig Runes: The symbol of the Nazi SS Sig Rune is the name given by Guido von List for the Sigel or s rune of the futhark. ...

By 1 September 1943 over 16,000 HJ recruits had completed their six-week basic training and were listed on the rosters of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Hitlerjugend. As training continued in Beverloo, Belgium, the division was notified that it was to be formed as a panzer rather than a panzergrenadier unit, and the division was redesignated SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend. Many of the recruits were so young that they were supplied with sweets and candies instead of the standard tobacco and alcohol ration. In late October 1943 the division received its final designation, 12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend. September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Panzer IV Ausf. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

While the HJ members, who had grown up under NSDAP propaganda, were fanatically committed to the Nazi cause, they lacked any military aptitude. To provide a skilled backbone for the division, veterans from the 1.SS-Panzer-Division LSSAH were assigned to the Hitlerjugend division as officers and NCOs. Training for the division was unusual. Witt, realising that the division had to be made ready for combat as quickly as possible, ignored many rules and regulations and instead focused on realistic combat scenarios and live-fire exercises. A result of this was that the morale of the HJ was exceptionally high, and the relationship between the officers, NCOs and men was an informal one, based on mutual trust and respect. The Nazi swastika The National Socialist German Workers Party (German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), better known as the NSDAP or the Nazi Party was a political party that was led to power in Germany by Adolf Hitler in 1933. ... In military organizations, an officer is a member of the service who holds a position of responsibility. ... A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), also known as an NCO or noncom, is a non-commissioned member of an armed force who has been given authority by a commissioned officer. ...

In March 1944 the HJ was deemed ready for active service and was ordered to move to Caen in Normandy, where it was to form a part of Panzergruppe West, the German armoured reserve. Caen (pronounced /kÉ‘Ìƒ/) is a commune of northwestern France. ... Flag of Normandy Normandy (in French: Normandie, and in Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region in northern France. ... 5. ...

Throughout the spring of 1944 the division continued training exercises in the peaceful area around Caen, familiarising itself with the terrain. This was to prove invaluable in the months to come. On 27 May, Witt celebrated his 36th birthday and his recent promotion to SS-Brigadeführer. The peaceful 'holiday atmosphere', as one grenadier described it, was soon to be shattered. is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... BrigadefÃ¼hrer was an SS rank that was used in Nazi Germany between the years of 1932 and 1945. ...

At the beginning of June 1944 the division was declared ready for combat operations. The Division's tank strength at this time was 81 Panther ausf A / G and 104 Panzer IV ausf H / J tanks. The division was also equipped with Jagdpanzer IV/L70 tank destroyers, three prototype Wirbelwind flakpanzer vehicles, along with a number of 20 mm, 37 mm and 88 mm flak guns, Hummel, Wespe and sIG 33 self-propelled guns and regular towed artillery pieces. The Panther ( ) was a tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. ... Panzer IV is the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the late 1930s by Nazi Germany and used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen IV (abbreviated PzKpfw IV) and the tank also had the ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 161. ... Jagdpanzer IV/48 Jagdpanzer IV/70 (V) Jagdpanzer IV/70 (A) Prototype The Jagdpanzer IV, Sd. ... Wirbelwind at CFB Borden Wirbelwind at CFB Borden The Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind (Whirlwind in German) was an anti-aircraft vehicle based on the Panzer IV. It was developed in 1944 as a successor to the earlier AA tank MÃ¶belwagen. ... German 88 mm guns were used in anti-aircraft and anti-tank roles. ... FLAK was a punk rock side project of members of the band Machinae Supremacy in 2001. ... The Hummel (‘Bumble Bee’) was a self-propelled artillery unit based on the Geschutzwagen III/IV chassis, armed with a 150 mm howitzer. ... The Wespe (German for wasp) was a German self-propelled artillery vehicle during World War II based on the Panzer II tank. ... The sIG 33 (schwere InfanterieGeschÃ¼tz 33) was a German 150 mm close support gun used in the Second World War. ...

Its tank destroyer unit, SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 12, however, was not ready for action and was understrength in Jagdpanzer IV. A self-propelled anti-tank gun, or tank destroyer, is a type of armoured fighting vehicle. ... Abteilung (shortened Abt) is a German language word often used when referring to German or Swiss military formations (although the German uses the term in a more civilian fashion, e. ... Jagdpanzer IV/48 Jagdpanzer IV/70 (V) Jagdpanzer IV/70 (A) Prototype The Jagdpanzer IV, Sd. ...

Normandy Campaign

On 6 June 1944, the Western Allies launched Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. The HJ, along with the 21.Panzer-Division, was the closest armoured unit to the landing beaches. Due to Hitler's authorisation being required to release the panzer units, the HJ was not ordered to the front until 1430 on 6 June. The division's advance to the areas near Sword and Juno Beaches was severely hampered by incessant allied Jabo (fighter-bomber) attacks. Forward elements of the HJ finally reached their assembly area near Evrecy at 2200 on 6 June. is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The Battle of Normandy was fought in 1944 between the German forces occupying Western Europe and the invading Allies. ... Flag of Normandy Normandy (in French: Normandie, and in Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region in northern France. ... The 21st Panzer Division was a German armoured division best known for its role in the Battles of El Alamenein (1942) and Normandy (1944) during World War II. Created as 5th Light Division or 5th Light Afrika Division in Africa in early 1941, from an ad hoc collection of smaller... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants United Kingdom Germany Commanders General-Lieutenant Miles Dempsey, British 3rd Infantry Division Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Hans von Luck, German 21st Panzer Division Strength 28,845 Unknown Casualties 630 Unknown German defense at Ouistreham. ... This article is about the beach codenamed in WWII. For other uses, see Juno Beach (disambiguation) Combatants Canada Germany Commanders Major-General R.F.L. Keller, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Strength 15,000[1] 7,771 Casualties 340 dead, 739 other casualties... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Évrecy is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région in France. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On 7 June, SS-Standartenführer Kurt Meyer's ("Panzermeyer") SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25, along with the II./Abteilung from SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Max Wünsche's SS-Panzer-Regiment 12, were supported by artillery and ordered to crush advancing Canadian infantry and armour and drive through to the coast, still only a few miles away. In Meyer's words they were to "throw the little fish into the sea". Although they destroyed many Canadian tanks and overran a company of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders in Authie, the attack failed to break through the advancing Canadians. Meyer had relied on the shock value of the rapid attacks that had served his units so well on the Eastern front. June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer in 1942 after being awarded the Oakleaves to the Knights Cross Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer (December 23, 1910-December 23, 1961) served as an officer in the Waffen-SS during the Second World War. ...

Without support from other units on his own flanks and no reconnaissance information with which to plan his attack it was initially very successful but rapidly lost its momentum. The Sherbrooke Fusiliers lost over 25 Sherman tanks to the Panzer IV tanks and anti tank guns of 12th SS in the opening minutes of the counterattack. The 12th SS managed to push the portion of the Canadian spearhead they attacked back two miles but the remaining North Nova Scotia Highlanders halted the 25th regiment and established a defence. The North Nova Scotia Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces. ...

The fighting was brutal and there were reports from both sides of atrocities. German prisoners were found shot dead along the railway line South of Rots, Oberst Luxemburger of Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 130 was tied to the front of a British tank as a bullet shield, and the Canadian 3rd Division was given orders to "take no prisoners". According to accounts from Canadian prisoners, the youth of the Hitler Jugend were frustrated and mad with rage and there were numerous incidences of North Nova prisoners being shot, bludgeoned to death, and even run over with a truck. After the war, war crimes judges in Canada acknowledged the bitter and ruthless nature of the fighting and that often enemy soldiers trying to surrender were mistakenly shot. Battle casualties for the day on both sides were virtually even. Both forces suffered approximately 80 killed and around 175 wounded or captured. It was a hard and bloody fight to a draw. The German Nazi party established the Hitler Youth (in German: Hitler-Jugend or HJ) in 1926. ...

Meyer set up his command post in the Abbey Ardennes, whose towers provided an excellent view of the countryside. In the early evening of 7 June, as he planned the regiment's next moves. Meyer's regiment was deployed near the villages of Authie and Buron, in positions covering the vital Carpiquet Aerodrome. Repeated assaults by Canadian units and continuous artillery and air bombardment failed to dislodge them until they were finally driven off in vicious hand-to-hand fighting with the Highland Light Infantry of Canada on 8 July. The abbaye dArdenne (Ardenne Abbey) is a site in Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe, near Caen, France containing a chapel built in 1121 and other medieval buildings. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... Authie is the name of several places in France: Communes Authie, commune of the Calvados département Authie, commune of the Somme département River Authie, French river This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... BÃ¼ron is a municipality in the district of Sursee, in the canton of Lucerne, Switzerland. ... Carpiquet is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse_Normandie région in France. ... The Highland Light Infantry later the Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment) was a regiment of the British Army. ... is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On 8 June, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26 under command of SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Wilhelm Mohnke arrived on the battlefield. Meyer's attack had pushed back one part of the Canadian advance but another brigade had occupied a group of small villages two miles into the German line. They crossed behind Meyer's regiment and the 26th took up positions to their west. After planning and positioning the regiment for a powerful thrust the I Battalion launched an attack towards Norrey-en-Bessin, defended by the Regina Rifles of the 3rd Canadian Division. Their orders were to drive over the Canadians and force a deep wedge between them and the British division to the west. Again, no reconnaissance of the Canadian positions was done and this time the youth of the 12th SS infantry would wade into a maelstrom of defensive fire from firmly established defensive positions. is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Wilhelm Mohnke, 1944 SS-BrigadefÃ¼hrer Wilhelm Mohnke (March 15, 1911 - August 6, 2001) was one of Hitlers last remaining generals. ... The 3rd Canadian Division was a formation of the Canadian Corps during the First World War. ...

The attack, launched at 0330 hours - had little initial success. The various companies in the attacking 12th SS failed to co-ordinate their moves towards the Canadians and, despite heavy casualties during repeated attempts by the infantry, Canadian artillery and supporting heavy machine guns of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa took a heavy toll on each attacking company of SS troops. The Regina Rifles held their ground and the I Battalion fell back. The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa is a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces. ...

On the Canadian right the II Battalion attacked the Royal Winnipeg Rifles defending the village of Putot-en-Bessin. The Battalion managed to break into the village and surround several companies, effectively pushing the Winnipeg's out of the village, inflicting 256 casualties - of which 175 were taken prisoner.^[1] A counter-attack launched at 20:30 by the Canadian Scottish, however, regained Putot-en-Bessin, and the II Battalion withdrew and dug-in south of the village. The Royal Winnipeg Rifles are a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces. ... Putot-en-Bessin is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... Canadian Gaelic (Gaelic: GÃ idhlig Canadanach, locally just Gaelic or The Gaelic) is the dialect of Scots Gaelic that has been spoken continuously for more than 200 years on Cape Breton Island and in isolated enclaves on the Nova Scotia mainland. ...

Following the battle SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 12 deployed to the west of Mohnke's regiment and, by the evening of 8 June the division, while having failed in its assignment to drive the Canadians into the sea, had effectively halted the units of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division in the Allied advance on Caen. is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The formation of the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was authorized on 17 May 1940. ...

Despite the ferocity of the 12th SS counterattacks, the Division failed to fulfil its orders to throw the attacking allies back into the sea. Once British troops had moved up to the positions now firmly held by the troops of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division that faced the 12th SS, the British dug in and established a firm line of defence from which they could launch future attacks. The allies were firmly on the continent to stay. The panzer army that contained the 12SS and the 21st Army Group they opposed, settled into a bitter series of battles that would finally lead to the liberation of Normandy. Image File history File links HJ-Norrey-en-Bessin. ... Image File history File links HJ-Norrey-en-Bessin. ...

On 14 June, a British naval barrage hit the divisional command post in Venoix, killing Witt and leaving the division without a commander. The thirty-three-year-old "Panzermeyer" was ordered to take command of the division, becoming the youngest divisional commander of either side during the war. June 14 is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Over the next four weeks, the division managed to halt all Allied attempts to take Caen, despite the Allies' superior numbers and overwhelming air supremacy. The ferocity of the combat during this period equalled or exceeded anything the German troops had encountered on the Eastern front. Both sides claim that the other gave orders not to take prisoners but it was scarcely needed by the Allies at any rate. Time and again to the consternation of the attacking Allied troops, the youth of the 12th SS fought to the bitter end. Despite their successes in breaking up several major attacks, the division suffered immense losses, and in the first week of July 1944, Meyer ignored orders to hold the line north of Caen and withdrew the shattered remnants of his division south of the city. In the fighting from the day after D-Day until 9 July the division had lost 4,000 dead with a further 8,000 wounded and missing. is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The division was to have little respite though, and on 19 July took part in the defence against the Anglo-Canadian Operation Goodwood. Following this, the division was pulled out of the line and used to form the mobile reserve for I.SS-Panzerkorps. Rather than rest and refitting, the division found itself involved in constant fire-brigade actions. In early August, the division took part in defensive actions to halt two Allied operations, Totalise and Tractable. At the launch of Totalise, the sixty remaining panzers of the HJ were faced with over 600 tanks of the Canadian First Army. Despite these odds, the division managed to halt the offensive short of its objectives. is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Operation Goodwood was an Allied military operation of World War II from July 18 to 20 July 1944 taking place in Normandy some weeks following D-Day. ... I.SS-Panzerkorps I.SS-Panzerkorps Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler The I.SS-Panzerkorps Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was a German Waffen-SS panzer corps which saw action on both the Western and Eastern Fronts during World War II. // Formation and Training The corps was raised on 27 July 1943... Combatants First Canadian Army Germany Commanders Lieutenant General Guy Simonds SS General Kurt Meyer Strength 2 infantry divisions, 2 armoured divisions, 2 armoured brigades 3 infantry divisions, 1 SS Panzer Division During World War II, Operation Totalise (Allies, 1944) was a ground attack on 7 August 1944 by British, Canadian... Operation Tractable was a military operation commanded by II Canadian Corps in Normandy in August 1944. ... The Canadian First Army was the overall command for the Canadian military forces in Europe during World War II. It was formed in early 1942 to command two corps composed of the three infantry divisions, two armoured divisions, and two armoured brigades that had assembled in England. ...

Hitlerjugend, reduced to a few thousand men and a handful of vehicles, now took part in operations to try to keep the Falaise Pocket open and to help trapped German forces to escape. On 20 August the pocket collapsed and tens of thousands of troops of the Seventh Army went into captivity. The scattered remnants of the division were pulled back behind the Seine River. Combatants North: United Kingdom Canada Polish Army in the West South: United States Free French Forces Nazi Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Omar Bradley Guy Simonds George Patton GÃ¼nther von Kluge Walter Model Strength unknown 150,000 Casualties Canadian: 18,500 Polish: 2,300 U.S and French: unknown 10... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Ensign of the German 7th Army from 1944 The German Seventh Army (German: ) was a World War II field army. ... The Seine (pronounced in French) is a major river of north-western France, and one of its commercial waterways. ...

The 12th SS had established a reputation as fierce combatants. Of the battles around Caen, it was said by a former opponent "The 12th SS-Panzer Division, which defended this sector, fought with a toughness and intensity which was not encountered anywhere else during the entire campaign."

Withdrawal - Wacht Am Rhein

Hitlerjugend was given a brief respite, but received virtually no reinforcements or equipment. The division was soon thrown back into battle, and took part in the fighting withdrawal to the Franco-Belgian border. By September 1944, the division counted less than 2,000 men, without armour or heavy equipment. On 6 September, Kurt Meyer was captured by Belgian partisans. Meyer had removed his SS uniform and was wearing the uniform of a regular German army officer. In the confusion of the withdrawal, the division was unable to undertake a rescue attempt. SS-Obersturmbannführer Hubert Meyer was placed in command of the division. is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer in 1942 after being awarded the Oakleaves to the Knights Cross Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer (December 23, 1910-December 23, 1961) served as an officer in the Waffen-SS during the Second World War. ... Look up partisan in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...

In November 1944, the division was pulled out of the line and sent to Neinburg in Germany, where it was to be reformed. The majority of the much-needed reinforcements were transferred Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine personnel, and the reformed division would never match the elite status it had boasted in the spring of 1944. Late in the month, Hubert Meyer was replaced by SS-Obersturmbannführer Hugo Kraas, and the division was attached to SS-Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich's 6.SS-Panzer-Armee, which was forming up for Operation Wacht Am Rhein (the Second Battle of the Ardennes, popularly known as the Battle of the Bulge), a large-scale offensive to recapture Antwerp and halt the Allied advance. The Deutsche Luftwaffe or (German: air force, literally Air Weapon IPA: ) is the commonly used term for the German air force. ... The Kriegsmarine (or War Navy) was the name of the German Navy between 1935 and 1945, during the Nazi regime, superseding the Reichsmarine. ... SS-BrigadefÃ¼hrer Hugo Kraas (1911 - 1980) was a German Waffen-SS officer who served with the 1. ... General Sepp Dietrich Josef Sepp Dietrich (May 28, 1892–April 21/22, 1966) was a German Waffen-SS general, an SS-Oberstgruppenführer, and one of the closest men to Hitler. ... The German Sixth Panzer Army (6. ... For the film based on this event, see Battle of the Bulge. ... For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ...

The operation opened on 16 December 1944. Kampfgruppe Peiper from the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler led the assault, breaking through the enemy lines. The HJ, which was to follow the Kampfgruppe and exploit the breakthrough, became bogged down in traffic jams caused by the 12.Volksgrenadier-Division. When the division reached the front, it was met with heavy resistance from American troops stationed on the Elsenborn Ridge. Despite several intense efforts, the division could not budge the American defenders. As a result, the division was ordered to swing left and follow the advance line of the remainder of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. American defenders prevented the division from reaching its objective, and after the destruction of Kampfgruppe Peiper, the advance of Dietrich's army altogether. Near the end of the year, the HJ was shifted south to take part in the efforts to capture Bastogne, and saw heavy fighting around the city. By 18 January 1945, the HJ, along with all the German forces, had been pushed back to its starting positions. is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... 12th Infantry Division 12th Volksgrenadier Division The German 12th Infantry Division was formed in 1934 under the cover name of InfanteriefÃ¼hrer II, and did not assume its bona-fide designation until the creation of the Wehrmacht was announced in October 1935. ... Combatants United States 2nd Division 99th Division 1st Division 78th Division Nazi Germany The Elsenborn Ridge is a mountainous area in the Ardennes forest that is notable for its role in the Battle of the Bulge. ... The coat of arms of the Bastogne municipality. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ...

Hungary - Austria

On 20 January 1945, Dietrich's 6.SS-Panzer-Armee was ordered east to Hungary where it was to take part in an offensive to recapture the Hungarian oilfields and open the way to Budapest, where 45,000 men of the IX.SS-Gebirgskorps had been encircled. January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... IX.Waffen-Gebirgskorps der SS (kroatisches) IX.SS-Gebirgs-Korps The IX.Waffen-Gebirgskorps der SS (kroatisches) was a German Waffen-SS alpine corps which saw action on the Eastern Front during World War II. The Waffen in the title denoted the fact that the corps was a sub-standard...

While the division was in transit, the IV.SS-Panzerkorps launched several ill-fated relief operations. The HJ, alongside the LSSAH as a part of I.SS-Panzerkorps arrived in Hungary in early February 1945, only a few days before the city fell. The division was thrown into action against the Gran Bridgehead, a strong salient formed by the Soviets over the Danube near the town of Gran. The HJ and the LSSAH both fought well, and by the end of February the bridghead had been destroyed. The IV.SS-Panzerkorps was a German Waffen-SS armoured corps which saw action on the Eastern Front and in the Balkans during World War II. The Panzerkorps was formed in August, 1943 in Poitiers, France. ... I.SS-Panzerkorps I.SS-Panzerkorps Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler The I.SS-Panzerkorps Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was a German Waffen-SS panzer corps which saw action on both the Western and Eastern Fronts during World War II. // Formation and Training The corps was raised on 27 July 1943... The Danube (ancient Danuvius, Iranian *dÄnu, meaning river or stream, ancient Greek Istros) is the longest river in the European Union and Europes second longest river. ... Basilica in Esztergom. ...

The division was next to take part in Operation Frühlingserwachen (Spring Awakening), the operation to retake the Hungarian oilfields. Hitler, desperate to keep the operation a secret, had ordered that no reconnaissance of the battlefield was allowed before the attack began. The attack got underway on 6 March 1945 in atrocious conditions. The spring thaw meant that the German attack was confined to a few narrow roads, and after initial successes, the offensive was aborted after a Soviet counterattack threatened to encircle the German forces. After the failure of "Frühlingserwachen", Hitler lost faith in the Waffen-SS and ordered that the honorary cuffbands issued to the divisions involved in the attack be returned. Outraged at the order, Dietrich refused to pass it on to his men. Combatants Germany Hungary Soviet Union Bulgaria Commanders Josef Dietrich (6th SS Panzer Army) Fyodor Tolbukhin (3rd Ukrainian Front) Strength 140,000 900 AFVs 465,000 Casualties 14,818 32,899 Launched in great secrecy on 6 March 1945, the Lake Balaton Offensive was the last major German offensive launched during... is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ...

In mid-March, a heavy Soviet counterattack near Stuhlweissenberg split Armeegruppe Balck in half and resulted in a general withdrawal towards Vienna. The HJ was involved in many desperate rearguard actions, and on 13 April fell back from Vienna. Withdrawing through Odenburg and Hirtenburg, the division reached Linz, Austria near the American lines. On 8 May 1945, 10,000 survivors of the division surrendered to the Americans near Enns. In a final act of defiance, the division refused to drape their vehicles with white flags, as the Americans had ordered. SzÃ©kesfehÃ©rvÃ¡r (German: StuhlweiÃŸenburg, Latin: Alba Regia, colloquial Hungarian: FehÃ©rvÃ¡r) is a city in central Hungary, located around 65 km southwest of Budapest. ... The 6. ... â€œWienâ€ redirects here. ... is the 103rd day of the year (104th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Sopron is the name of a town in Hungary. ... The Poestlingberg church in Linz. ... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Enns is a river in Austria. ...

War crimes

In all, over 100 Canadian soldiers were executed by their captors in the 12th SS "Hitlerjugend" Panzergrenadier Division. Their murders, and the consequent search for justice, is well documented in the book Conduct Unbecoming: The Story of the Murder of Canadian Prisoners of War in Normandy by Howard Margolian (ISBN 0-8020-8360-9) (University of Toronto Press, 1998).

When the division was first engaged in action in June 1944, there were several cases of atrocities being committed by both sides (for example, the killing of surrendered members of the Panzer-Lehr Division, and the abuse and death of Oberst Luxenberger by members of the Inns of Court Regiment on 8 June 1944). That same day thirty-six Canadians were executed by Wilhelm Mohnke's SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26. Again, on the same day the Division's reconnaissance company killed over a dozen more. The Panzerlehrdivision (also called Panzer-Lehr-Division), commonly known as Panzer Lehr, was a German armoured division during World War II, one of the most Ã©lite units in the entire German army. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

Between 7 June and 8 June 1944, Canadian prisoners were executed by elements of Kurt Meyer's SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25 at the Abbey Ardennes south of Caen. As this was Meyer's command post, he, along with several subordinates, was charged with this crime after the war. Testimony at his war crimes trial also indicated that Meyer later made it clear he expected no prisoners to be taken during subsequent fighting. June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The abbaye dArdenne (Ardenne Abbey) is a site in Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe, near Caen, France containing a chapel built in 1121 and other medieval buildings. ... Caen (pronounced /kÉ‘Ìƒ/) is a commune of northwestern France. ...

All the allegations against the 12th SS are dated between 6 - 17 June. The ferocity of the fighting near Carpiquet, Authie and Buron, their brutal discipline and the political indoctrination and fanaticism of the young HJ grenadiers created an environment where the murder of prisoners might well have been encouraged. There are instances of 12 SS officers opposing the killings, and within two weeks their views prevailed. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Discipline is any training intended to produce a specific character or pattern of behaviour, especially training that produces moral, physical, or mental development in a particular direction. ... Indoctrination is instruction in the fundamentals of a system of belief (such as a philosophy, religion or science). ... Fanaticism is an emotion of being filled with excessive, uncritical zeal, particularly for an extreme religious or political cause, or with an obsessive enthusiasm for a pastime or hobby. ...

After the war, Meyer was tried and condemned to death by a Canadian military court for collusion in the shooting of Canadian and British prisoners. The main weight of the Prosecutions case rested on Jan Jesionek. Jesionek, a Pole who had been forcibly conscripted into the Waffen-SS from which he deserted. As on reflection it was decided that Jesionek's testimony was questionable to say the least, in January 1946, Meyer's sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by Canadian Major General Christopher Vokes, who considered all evidence against him circumstantial. Vokes recognized that in the heat of battle it was often difficult to decide who had killed an enemy and who had murdered a prisoner. There was no proof Meyer ordered the murder of Canadian prisoners but it was clear from physical evidence collected after the fighting that dozens of unarmed Canadians had been murdered and as the commander, Meyer, while not guilty of the murders was at least fully responsible. The circumstances surrounding the shooting of the prisoners within the grounds of Meyer's HQ in the Abbey d'Ardennes was especially damning. Vokes well realized that in the heat of battle men were often killed while trying to surrender. However, the physical evidence and testimony from German soldiers that Canadians were executed inside Meyer's HQ after being interogated could not be ignored. Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Brigadier Robert Moncel (left) and Major-General Christopher Vokes, 10 April 1945 Christopher Vokes, C.B. ,C.B.E., D.S.O., C.D. (April 13, 1904 â€“ March 27, 1985) was a Canadian soldier. ...

On 7 September 1954, with the support of several Canadian and British officers who had faced him in Normandy, he was released from prison. is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The case of Wilhem Monke is difficult to understand. Charges were brought against him several years after the war by Britain, Canada and the United States for separate incidents during the war. In the first case, after an attack during the invasion of Belgium in 1940, elements of LSSAH's II.Battalion, under the command of SS-Hauptsturmführer Wilhelm Mohnke, were mistakenly informed that their divisional commander Sepp Dietrich had been killed in the fighting. In what is known as the Wormhoudt massacre, about 80 British POWs of 2nd Battalion of the The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers were executed in retaliation for the supposed death of Dietrich. Although it is unarguable that the massacre occurred, Mohnke's level of involvement is impossible to know, and as such he was never brought to trial to face the allegations (see^[2]). Wilhelm Mohnke, 1944 SS-BrigadefÃ¼hrer Wilhelm Mohnke (March 15, 1911 - August 6, 2001) was one of Hitlers last remaining generals. ... The Wormhoudt massacre was an atrocity against soldiers hors de combat in World War II that occurred on Tuesday 28 May 1940 when the German Infantry Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler under the command of Sepp Dietrich, and allegedly specifically the 2nd Battalion controlled by HauptsturmfÃ¼hrer Wilhelm Mohnke, killed... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, also known as the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. ...

Some members of his 26th Regiment of the 12th SS were responsible for dozens of killings on 8 June again, after he took up duties with the 1st SS in time for the Battle of the Bulge, his men committed what has come to be known to Americans as the Malmédy Massacre. In spite of these charges no nation was ever successful in having German courts present him for trial. is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... United States soldiers discover the aftermath of the Malmedy Massacre. ...

Commanders

Fritz Witt (1908 - 1944) was a German Waffen-SS officer who served with the 1. ... June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 190 days remaining. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer in 1942 after being awarded the Oakleaves to the Knights Cross Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer (December 23, 1910-December 23, 1961) served as an officer in the Waffen-SS during the Second World War. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... SS-BrigadefÃ¼hrer Fritz Kraemer (1900 - 1959) was a German Waffen-SS and Heer officer, and a commander of the 12. ... October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... SS-BrigadefÃ¼hrer Hugo Kraas (1911 - 1980) was a German Waffen-SS officer who served with the 1. ... is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ...

Order of battle

PanzerjÃ¤ger (German tank-hunters) are German armoured fighting vehicles of the Second World War. ... This is a list of German divisions in WWII. Only ground units are covered; divisions of aircraft are not. ...

References

Contents