The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (German for "Adolf Hitler's Bodyguard Regiment") was a unit of the SS. It was a Waffen SS security and combat formation which saw action on both the Eastern and Western fronts during World War II. November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... May 8 is the 128th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (129th in leap years). ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, or other means. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Combatants Poland Germany, Slovakia, Soviet Union Commanders Edward Rydz-ÅšmigÅ‚y Fedor von Bock (Army Group North), Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group South), Mikhail Kovalov (Belorussian Front), Semyon Timoshenko (Ukrainian Front), Ferdinand ÄŒatloÅ¡ (Field Army Bernolak) Strength 39 divisions, 16 brigades, 4,300 guns, 880 tanks, 400 aircraft Total: 950... The Battle of Arras, was an Allied counter-attack to the German blitzkrieg through France during World War II. // Background Early on during the Battle of France, German forces managed to repel Allied forces and push them back considerably. ... During World War II, Operation Marita was the German invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941. ... The current version of this article or section is written in an informal style and with a personally invested tone. ... Four battles of World War II around the city of Kharkov in the Soviet Union are known as the Battle of Kharkov: Axis troops captured the city in the First Battle of Kharkov, 1941. ... Battle of Kursk Conflict World War II Date July 4, 1943 - July 22, 1943 Place Kursk, USSR Result Indecisive The Battle of Kursk was a significant battle on the Eastern Front of World War II. It remains the largest armored engagement of all time, and included the most costly single... Combatants Germany Soviet Union Commanders Erich von Manstein, Wilhelm Stemmerman (Gruppe Stemmerman), Hermann Breith, III Panzerkorps Georgi Zhukov, Nikolai Vatutin (1st Ukrainian Front), Ivan Konev (2nd Ukrainian Front), Strength 56,000 70 tanks and assault guns In packet only but much large with relief troops 200,000 500 tanks Casualties... 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. ... 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 Günther von Kluge Walter Model Strength unknown 150,000 Casualties Canadian: 18,500 Polish: 2,300 U.S and French: unknown 10... 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. ... Hitler redirects here. ... Bodyguards of Viktor Yushchenko (far left) after leaving Gdansk city hall. ... British regiment A regiment is a military unit, consisting of a variable number of battalions - commanded by a colonel. ... The   (German for Protective Squadron), abbreviated (Runic) or SS (Latin), was a large security and military organization of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) in Germany. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... 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 Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

As its name suggested, the Leibstandarte started life in the early days of the NSDAP as Hitler's personal, elite bodyguard. As the Waffen SS increased in size throughout the 1930s and into the war years, so the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler evolved into a full-sized panzer division, a detachment of which was always close to Hitler. It went from being guards or "asphalt soldiers" to being one of the most famous military units in the history of modern warfare. The National Socialist German Workers Party (German: , or NSDAP, or commonly, The Nazi Party), was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. ... Face The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ... Panzer IV Ausf. ...

Early history (1923–1933)

In the earliest days of the NSDAP, it was realised by the leaders that bodyguard units composed of trustworthy and loyal men would be a wise development. Ernst Röhm formed a guard formation from the 19.Granatwerfer-Kompanie, and from this formation the Sturmabteilung (SA) soon evolved. Adolf Hitler, realising the potential threat that the SA had presented, in early 1923 ordered the formation of a bodyguard for himself. The tiny unit, originally formed by only eight men (and commanded by Julius Schreck and Joseph Berchtold), was designated the Stabswache (Staff Guard). The guards of the Stabswache were issued uniforms that showed their difference from the SA (despite the fact that at this stage the Stabswache still was under overall SA control). Schreck resurrected the use of the Totenkopf (skull) as insignia, which had been a symbol used by various élite forces throughout the Prussian kingdom and the later German Empire. Ernst Julius Röhm, also known as Ernst Roehm in English (November 28, 1887 - July 2, 1934) was a German military officer, and the commander and co-founder of the Nazi Sturmabteilung, or storm troopers — the SA. // Röhm was one of three children of Julius Röhm and his... The seal of SA The   or SA (German for Storm division, usually translated as stormtroop(er)s ), functioned as a paramilitary organization of the NSDAP — the German Nazi party. ... Julius Schreck in 1933 Julius Schreck (July 13, 1898 – May 16, 1936) was an early Nazi Party member and also the first commander of the Schutzstaffel (SS). ... Joseph Berchtold (March 6, 1897-August 23, 1962), a former stationary salesman succeeded Julius Schreck as Reichsführer-SS in 1926. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Motto: Suum cuique Latin: To each his own Prussia at its peak, as leading state of the German Empire Capital Königsberg, later Berlin Political structure Duchy, Kingdom, Republic Duke1  - 1525–68 Albert I  - 1688–1701 Frederick III King1  - 1701–13 Frederick I  - 1888–1918 William II Prime Minister1,2... Motto Gott mit Uns (German: God with us”) Anthem Heil dir im Siegerkranz (unofficial) Territory of the German Empire in 1914, prior to World War I Capital Berlin Language(s) Official: German Unofficial minority languages: Danish, French, Frisian, Polish, Sorbian Government Constitutional monarchy Emperor  - 1871–1888 William I  - 1888 Frederick...

Julius Schreck and the men of the Stoßtrupp Adolf Hitler, 1923.

Soon after its formation, the unit was renamed Stoßtrupp Adolf Hitler. On 9 November 1923, the Stoßtrupp, along with the SA and several other NSDAP paramilitary units, took part in the abortive Beer Hall Putsch in Munich. In the aftermath of the putsch, Hitler was imprisoned and the NSDAP and all associated formations, including the Stoßtrupp, were officially disbanded. Image File history File links Julius Schreck and the men of the Stoßtrupp Adolf Hitler, 1923. ... Image File history File links Julius Schreck and the men of the Stoßtrupp Adolf Hitler, 1923. ... The Beer Hall Putsch was a failed coup détat that occurred between the evening of Thursday, November 8 and the early afternoon of Friday, November 9, 1923, when the Nazi partys Führer Adolf Hitler, the popular World War I General Erich Ludendorff, and other leaders of the...

Shortly after Hitler's release in 1924, he ordered a new bodyguard unit formed, again called the Stabswache, but this time it did not fall under SA control. In 1925, the Stabswache was renamed as the Schutzstaffel, abbreviated SS. By March 1933, the SS had grown from a tiny personal bodyguard unit to a formation of over 50,000 men. The decision was made to form a new bodyguard unit, picking the most capable and trustworthy SS men to form its cadre. The   (German for Protective Squadron), abbreviated (Runic) or SS (Latin), was a large security and military organization of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) in Germany. ...

On 17 March 1933, the SS-Stabswache Berlin was formed, under the command of Josef 'Sepp' Dietrich, Hitler's personal bodyguard. Dietrich hand-picked 120 men to form the SS-Stabswache. The unit was based at the Alexander Barracks in Berlin. Later in 1933, the formation was redesignated SS-Sonderkommando Zossen and a second unit of 120 men, designated SS-Sonderkommando Jüterbog was raised. The two Sonderkommandos provided guards for the NSDAP hierarchy, functioned as training cadres for the SS, and for a short time acted as auxiliary police units. 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. ... Location of Berlin within Germany / EU Coordinates Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country NUTS Region DE3 City subdivisions 12 boroughs Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit (SPD) Governing parties SPD / Left. ...

In September 1933, the two Sonderkommandos were merged into the SS-Sonderkommando Berlin. In November 1933, on the 10th anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch, the Sonderkommando took part in the rally and memorial service at the Feldherrnhalle, erected in the place where many NSDAP members had fallen during the putsch. All members of the Sonderkommando then swore personal allegiance to Hitler himself. To conclude this ceremony, the Sonderkommando received a new title, Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler. View from the Odeonsplatz on to the Feldherrnhalle and the Theatinerkirche The Feldherrnhalle The Feldherrnhalle (also written Feldherrenhalle, Hall of the Commanders) is a monumental building in Munich, Germany. ...

Trial by fire—Leibstandarte expands

Leibstandarte grenadiers on parade, Berlin, 1936.

In early 1934, Heinrich Himmler, the Reichsführer-SS, ordered the Leibstandarte to be renamed Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH). In late June, the LSSAH was called into action for the first time. Ernst Röhm, the Stabschef-SA, began to push for greater power for his already powerful SA. Hitler decided that the SA had to be put in its place, and ordered Himmler and Hermann Göring to prepare their elite units, Himmler's Leibstandarte and Göring's Landespolizeigruppe General Göring, for immediate action. The LSSAH formed two companies under the control of Jürgen Wagner and Otto Reich, and these formations were moved to Munich on 30 June. Image File history File links Troops of the Infanterie-Regiment (mot) Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler on parade, Berlin 1936. ... Image File history File links Troops of the Infanterie-Regiment (mot) Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler on parade, Berlin 1936. ... Heinrich Luitpold Himmler ( ; October 7, 1900 – May 23, 1945) was the commander of the German Schutzstaffel (SS) and one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany. ... Heinrich Himmler as the Reichsführer-SS Reichsführer-SS was a special SS rank that existed between the years of 1925 and 1945. ... For other uses of the term Stabschef please refer to Chief of Staff Stabschef (Chief of Staff) was a paramilitary rank in the Sturmabteilung (SA), the paramilitary stormtroopers associated with the Nazi movement. ... The seal of SA The   or SA (German for Storm division, usually translated as stormtroop(er)s ), functioned as a paramilitary organization of the NSDAP — the German Nazi party. ... Hermann Wilhelm Göring ( ) (also Goering in English) (January 12, 1893 – October 15, 1946) was a German politician and military leader, a leading member of the Nazi Party, second in command of the Third Reich, and commander of the Luftwaffe. ... Polizeiabteilung z. ... Munich (German: , pronounced  ; Austro-Bavarian: Minga [1]) is the capital of the German Federal State of Bavaria. ...

Hitler ordered all SA leaders to attend a meeting at the Hanselbauer Hotel in Bad Wiessee, near Munich. On 30 June, Hitler joined Sepp Dietrich and a unit from the Leibstandarte and travelled to Bad Wiessee to personally command Röhm's arrest and subsequent execution. In what the Nazis called the Röhm Putsch to give their action an appearance of legitimacy, but otherwise came to be known as the Night of the Long Knives, the execution companies of the LSSAH, together with Göring's Landespolizeigruppe, performed Death Squad actions, carrying out many executions without trials over the next few days. By 13 July 1934, at least 177 people had been executed. Bad Wiessee is a spa town on Lake Tegernsee, Bavaria, Germany. ... This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ...

The actions of the LSSAH and Göring's unit had succeeded in effectively decapitating the SA and removing the threat to Hitler's leadership. Following the 'success' of the Night of the Long Knives, in recognition of their actions, both the LSSAH and the Landespolizeigruppe General Göring were expanded to regimental size and motorised. In addition, the SS was finally removed from overall SA control.

As the SS began to swell with new recruits, the LSSAH remained the pinnacle of Hitler's Aryan ideal. Strict recruitment regulations meant that only those deemed sufficiently Aryan, as well as being physically fit and fervent National Socialists, would be admitted. Aryan (/eərjən/ or /ɑːrjən/, Sanskrit: ) is a Sanskrit and Avestan word meaning noble/spiritual one. ...

Sepp Dietrich and his adjutant, Hans Collani, enjoy the festivities at Leibstandarten-Ball, January 1939.

The LSSAH provided the honour guard at several of the Nuremberg Rallies and in 1935 took part in the reoccupation of the Saarland. The Leibstandarte was also in the vanguard of the March into Austria as part of the Anschluss. The LSSAH then took part in the occupation of the Sudetenland. In March 1939, it was involved in the annexation of Bohemia and Moravia. Soon after this action, the LSSAH had several motorised components attached, including an armoured car platoon and a motorcycle unit, and was redesignated Infanterie-Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (mot.). Image File history File links Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler commander Sepp Dietrich and Hans Collani enjoy the festivities at Leibstandarten-Ball, January 1939. ... Image File history File links Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler commander Sepp Dietrich and Hans Collani enjoy the festivities at Leibstandarten-Ball, January 1939. ... SS-Obergruppenführer Sepp Dietrich Josef Sepp Dietrich also known as Ujac (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 Nazi partys 1936 Nuremberg Rally was its largest. ... Location Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country NUTS Region DEC Capital Saarbrücken Minister-President Peter Müller (CDU) Governing party CDU Votes in Bundesrat 3 (from 69) Basic statistics Area  2,569 km² (992 sq mi) Population 1,044,000 (11/2006)[1]  - Density 406 /km... German troops march into Austria on 12 March 1938. ... It has been suggested that Germans in Czechoslovakia (1918-1938) be merged into this article or section. ... Flag of Bohemia Bohemia (Czech: ; German: ) is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western and middle thirds of the Czech Republic. ... Flag of Moravia Moravia (Czech and Slovak: Morava; German: ; Hungarian: ; Polish: ) is a historical region in the east of the Czech RepublicCzechia. ... Military armored cars A French VBL reconnaissance vehicle. ...

In January 1939, the Leibstandarten-Ball was held at the Berlin Zoo. Sepp Dietrich had organised this high-profile gala for his men, with famous performers Hans Albers, Heinrich George, and Käthe von Nagy. The guest of honor was Heer commander-in-chief, Walther von Brauchitsch. Hans Albers Hans Albers (September 22, 1891 Hamburg - July 24, 1960 Starnberg) was a German actor and singer. ... Heinrich George (October 9, 1893 - September 26, 1946) was a German actor. ... Wehrmacht   (armed forces, literally defence force(s)) was the name of the armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. ... Walther von Brauchitsch in 1939. ...

When Hitler ordered the formation of an SS division in mid 1939, the Leibstandarte was designated to form its own unit, unlike the other Standarten of the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT), (SS-Standarte Deutschland, SS-Standarte Germania, and SS-Standarte Der Führer). The Polish crisis of October 1939 put these plans on hold, and the LSSAH was ordered to join XIII.Armeekorps, a part of Army Group South which was preparing for the attack on Poland. The SS-Verfügungstruppe (combat support force) (short: SS-VT) was created in 1934 from the merger of various Nazi and right-wing paramilitary formations. ... Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd in German) was a German Army Group during World War II. Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South. ...

Early war campaigns

The Leibstandarte on the march before the war.

During the initial stages of the Invasion of Poland, the LSSAH was attached to the 17.Infanterie-Division and tasked with providing flank protection for the southern pincer. The regiment was involved in several ferocious battles against Polish cavalry brigades attempting to hit the flanks of the German advance. At Pabianice, a town near Łódź, the LSSAH fought off elements of the Polish 28th Infantry Division and the Wołyńska Cavalry Brigade in ferocious close combat. Image File history File linksMetadata LSAH.jpg‎ This image is a screenshot from a copyrighted film, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by the studio which produced the film, and possibly also by any actors appearing in the screenshot. ... Image File history File linksMetadata LSAH.jpg‎ This image is a screenshot from a copyrighted film, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by the studio which produced the film, and possibly also by any actors appearing in the screenshot. ... Combatants Poland Germany, Slovakia, Soviet Union Commanders Edward Rydz-ÅšmigÅ‚y Fedor von Bock (Army Group North), Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group South), Mikhail Kovalov (Belorussian Front), Semyon Timoshenko (Ukrainian Front), Ferdinand ÄŒatloÅ¡ (Field Army Bernolak) Strength 39 divisions, 16 brigades, 4,300 guns, 880 tanks, 400 aircraft Total: 950... Wehrgauleitung Nürnberg Infanterieführer VII 17. ... Pabianice is a town in central Poland, with 71,313 inhabitants (2004). ... Łódź ( ) is Polands second largest city (population 776,297 in 2004). ... The 28 Dywizja Piechoty was a Polish infantry division which saw action against the invading Germans during the Polish September Campaign of World War II. The division suffered heavy casualties in battles near Lodz and the remnants retreated to Warsaw, where they surrendered. ... The WoÅ‚yÅ„ska Brygada Kawalerii was a Polish cavalry brigade which saw action against the invading Germans during the Polish September Campaign of World War II. Raised from recruits in the area of WoÅ‚yÅ„, the division was posted to the Łódź Army. ...

After the success at Pabianice, the LSSAH was shifted to the area near Warsaw and attached to the 4.Panzer-Division under Generaloberst Georg-Hans Reinhardt, where it saw action preventing encircled Polish units from escaping, and repelling several desperate attempts by other Polish troops to break through. The LSSAH had proved itself an effective fighting unit during the campaign, though several Heer Generals had reservations about the high casualties which the LSSAH and the SS-VT units had sustained in combat. Motto: Contemnit procellas (It defies the storms) Semper invicta (Always invincible) Coordinates: Country Poland Voivodeship Masovia Powiat city county Gmina Warszawa Districts 18 boroughs City Rights turn of the 13th century Government  - Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz (PO) Area  - City 516. ... German tank of the 4th Division during the failed assault of Warsaw The German 4th Panzer Division () was established in 1938. ... Georg-Hans Reinhardt (March 1st, 1887 to November 23rd, 1963)) was Colonel General of the German Third Reichs Panzer Group 3, 3rd Panzer Army, Army Group Center. ... The SS-Verfügungstruppe (combat support force) (short: SS-VT) was created in 1934 from the merger of various Nazi and right-wing paramilitary formations. ...

The regiment was shifted to the Dutch border for the launch of Fall Gelb, and was to form the vanguard of the ground advance into the Netherlands, tasked with capturing a vital bridge over the IJssel and linking up with the Fallschirmjäger of Generaloberst Kurt Student's airborne forces, the 7.Flieger-Division and the 22.Luftlande-Infanterie-Division. In World War II, Battle of France or Case Yellow (Fall Gelb in German) was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, executed 10 May 1940 which ended the Phony War. ... Satellite image of the IJssel basin River IJssel, sometimes called Gelderse IJssel (Gelderland IJssel) to avoid confusion with its Holland counterpart, is a 120 km long branch of the Rhine in the Dutch provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel. ... Fallschirmjäger during the Battle of Normandy. ... Kurt Student Kurt Student (May 12, 1890-July 1, 1978) was a German Luftwaffe General who fought as a pilot on the Eastern Front during the First World War and as the commander of the German parachute troops during the Second World War. ... The German 1st Parachute Division was a German military parachute-landing Division that fought during World War II. A division of paratroopers was termed a Fallschirmjäger Division. ... 22. ...

The Invasion of France and the Netherlands was launched on 10 May 1940. On that day, the LSSAH covered over 75 km, securing a crossing over the IJssel near Zutphen after discovering that their target bridge had been destroyed. Over the next four days' fighting, the LSSAH covered over 215km, and earned itself dubious fame by accidentally shooting at and seriously wounding Generaloberst Student near Amsterdam. After the surrender of the Netherlands on 14 May, the regiment was used to form part of the reserve for Army Group B. Zutphen (old alternate spelling: Zutfen) is a municipality and a town in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands on the right bank of the IJssel at the influx of the Berkel, and a junction station 29 km by rail N.N.E. of Arnhem. ... Kurt Student Kurt Student (May 12, 1890-July 1, 1978) was a German Luftwaffe General who fought as a pilot on the Eastern Front during the First World War and as the commander of the German parachute troops during the Second World War. ... Nickname: Motto: Heldhaftig, Vastberaden, Barmhartig (Valiant, Determined, Compassionate) Location of Amsterdam Coordinates: Country Netherlands Province North Holland Government  - Mayor Job Cohen (PvdA)  - Aldermen Lodewijk Asscher Hennah Buyne Carolien Gehrels Tjeerd Herrema Maarten van Poelgeest Marijke Vos  - Secretary Erik Gerritsen Area [1][2]  - City 219 km²  (84. ... Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II. The first was involved in the western campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in...

A colorised photograph of Leibstandarte troops in the Netherlands, May 1940.

After the British armoured counterattack at Arras, the LSSAH, along with the SS-Verfügungs-Division was moved to the front lines to hold the perimeter around Dunkirk and reduce the size of the pocket containing the encircled British Expeditionary Force and French forces. Near Wormhoudt, the LSSAH ignored Hitler's orders for the advance to halt and continued the attack, suppressing the British artillery positions on the Wattenberg Heights. During this battle the regiment suffered heavy casualties. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (452x638, 29 KB)A colorised photograph of Waffen SS troops from Infanterie-Regiment (mot. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (452x638, 29 KB)A colorised photograph of Waffen SS troops from Infanterie-Regiment (mot. ... The Battle of Arras, was an Allied counter-attack to the German blitzkrieg through France during World War II. // Background Early on during the Battle of France, German forces managed to repel Allied forces and push them back considerably. ... SS-Division Verfügungstruppe SS-Division Deutschland SS-Division Reich SS-Division Das Reich 2. ... For other uses of Dunkirk or Dunkerque, see Dunkirk (disambiguation). ...

After the attack, 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 Royal Warwickshire Regiment were murdered 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 [1]). Wilhelm Mohnke, 1944 SS-Brigadeführer Wilhelm Mohnke (March 15, 1911 - August 6, 2001) was one of Hitlers last remaining generals. ... 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. ... Cap badge of the regiment The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers, for most of its history known as The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. ...

The tragic events at Wormhoudt reveal how much the men of LSSAH were politically indoctrinated to form an excellent fighting machine and disregarded the established military code of conduct. The regiment ended the campaign on the coast near Dunkirk.

Brigade status—Balkans

Main article: Battle of Vevi (1941)

After the conclusion of the Western campaign, the LSSAH was expanded to brigade size. Despite this, it retained the designation regiment. A FlaK battalion and a StuG Abteilung were among the formations added to the LSSAH. During the later months of 1940, the regiment trained in amphibious assaults in preparation for Operation Seelöwe. After the failure of the Battle of Britain and the cancellation of the operation, the LSSAH was shifted to Bulgaria in preparation for Operation Marita, part of the planned invasion of Greece and the Balkans. Combatants Australia United Kingdom New Zealand Greece Germany Commanders Iven Mackay (operational); George Vasey (infantry) Fritz Witt Strength About 2,000 personnel, including some artillery support About 1,500 personnel, including artillery support and some tanks (see below) Casualties Australian: about 25 dead N.Z.: about 12 dead; U.K... In military science a brigade is a military unit that is part of a division and includes regiments (where that level exists), or (in modern armies) is composed of several battalions (typically two to four) and directly attached supporting units. ... FLAK was a punk rock side project of members of the band Machinae Supremacy in 2001. ... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO military graphic symbols A battalion is a military unit usually consisting of between two and six companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. ... German StuG III with high-velocity 75 mm gun, 1943 An assault gun is a gun or howitzer mounted on a motor vehicle or armored chassis, designed for use in the direct fire role in support of infantry when attacking other infantry or fortified positions. ... 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. ... Operation Sealion (Unternehmen Seelöwe in German) was a World War II German plan to invade Britain. ... Combatants United Kingdom Including combatants from:[1] Poland New Zealand Canada Czechoslovakia Belgium Australia South Africa France Ireland United States Jamaica Palestine Rhodesia Germany Including combatants from Italy Commanders Hugh Dowding Hermann Göring Strength 754 single-seat fighters 149 two-seat fighters 560 bombers 500 coastal 1,963 total... During World War II, Operation Marita was the German invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

The Operation was launched on April 6 1941. The LSSAH was to follow the route of the 9.Panzer-Division, part of General der Panzertruppen Georg Stumme's XL.Panzer-Korps. The regiment crossed the border near Prilep and was soon deep in Greek territory. German 9th Panzer Division, sometimes simply called as 9th Panzer Division came into existence after 4th Light Division was reorganized in January 1940. ... Georg Stumme (1886-1942) was a World War Two German general most remembered for his brief command of the German-Italian forces during the Second Battle of El Alamein. ... City motto : Coordinates Municipality : Prilep municipality Elevation 620 – 650 m Population 76 768 Time zone  - Standard  - Summer (DST) CET (UTC+1) CEST (UTC+2) Founded Area code +389 048 Postal code 7500 Car plates PP Official Website www. ...

Elements of SS-Aufklärungsabteilung 1 of the Leibstandarte negotiate difficult terrain in Greece during Operation Marita.

The LSSAH captured Vevi on April 10. Sturmbannführer Kurt Meyer's reinforced Aufklärungs-Abt 1 LSSAH was tasked with clearing resistance from the Klissura Pass, south-west of Vevi and driving through to the Kastoria area to cut off retreating Greek and British Commonwealth forces. Resistance from the Greek 20th Division was fierce. According to some accounts, the SS were inspired to capture the Klissura Pass only after Meyer threw a grenade at the feet of some of his soldiers.[2] Image File history File links Elements of the Aufklärungsabteilung 1 of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler negotiate difficult terrain in Greece during Operation Marita. ... Image File history File links Elements of the Aufklärungsabteilung 1 of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler negotiate difficult terrain in Greece during Operation Marita. ... Vevi, rarely Veve (Greek Βεύη, Macedonian Баница - Banitsa) is a village located in Greek Macedonia (Northern Greece). ... 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. ... An Aufklärungsabteilung (lit. ... Kastoria (Greek: Καστοριά) is a city in northern Greece. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ...

Sturmbannführer Fritz Witt's I.Battalion was tasked with clearing the Klidi Pass, just south of Vevi and strongly defended by Australian, British and New Zealand troops. Witt's Battalion was reinforced and renamed Kampfgruppe Witt. An Australian officer wrote of the Germans' "insolence" in driving "...trucks down the main road — to within 3000 yards of our infantry", and there unloading the SS troops.[3] The Germans were forced off the road and faced fierce resistance for more than two days. On the morning of April 12, the Germans launched a frontal assault, and by late afternoon the pass was cleared. I.Battalion LSSAH had inflicted many casualties and captured over 520 prisoners for the loss of only 37 dead and 95 wounded.^{[citation needed]} Fritz Witt (1908 - 1944) was a German Waffen-SS officer who served with the 1. ... Combatants Australia United Kingdom New Zealand Greece Germany Commanders Iven Mackay (operational); George Vasey (infantry) Fritz Witt Strength About 4,000 personnel, including some artillery support About 2,000 personnel, including significant artillery support and some tanks (see below) Casualties  ?; 520 taken prisoner 37 dead, 95 wounded The Battle of...

With the fall of the two passes, the main line of resistance of the Greek First Army was broken, and the campaign became a battle to prevent the escape of the enemy. On April 20, following a pitched battle in the 5,000-foot-high Metsovon Pass in the Pindus Mountains, the commander of the Greek First Army surrendered the entire Hellenic Army to Dietrich. British Commonwealth troops were now the only Allied forces remaining in Greece, and they were falling back across the Corinth Canal to the Peloponnesos. By April 26, the LSSAH had reached the Gulf of Patras, and in an effort to cut off the retreating British Commonwealth forces, Dietrich ordered that his regiment cross the Gulf and secure the town of Patras in the Peloponnesos. Since no transport vessels were available, the LSSAH commandeered fishing boats and successfully completed the crossing, despite being forced to leave much of their heavy equipment behind. By April 30, the last British Commonwealth troops had either been captured or escaped. The LSSAH occupied a position of honour in the victory parade through Athens. The Greek First Army was a Greek field army that fought in Southern Europe during World War II. On October 28, 1940, Italy attacked Greece from bases in Albania, which it had annexed in 1939. ... Metsovo (Greek: Μέτσοβο, Aromanian: Aminciu) or Metsovon is a town in Epirus on the mountains of Pindus in Northern Greece, between Ioannina to the north and Meteora to the south. ... The Pindus (Greek: Πίνδος, Albanian: Pino) mountains are a range located in central Greece, roughly 160 km (100 miles) long, with a maximum elevation of 2636 m (8650 ft), along the border of Thessaly and Epirus. ... The Hellenic Army (Greek: Ελληνικός Στρατός) is the land force of Greece (The Hellenic Republic). ... The Corinth Canal The Corinth Canal is a canal connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. ... Peloponnesos (Greek: Πελοπόννησος, Pelops Island, sometime Latinized as Peloponnesus or Anglicized as The Peloponnese) is a large peninsula in Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Isthmus of Corinth. ... Gulf of Patras from space, March 1994 The Gulf of Patras (Greek: Πατραϊκός Κόλπος Patraikós Kólpos) is a branch of the Ionian Sea. ... Coordinates 38°15′ N 21°44′ E Country Greece Periphery West Greece Prefecture Achaea Province Greece Population 161,114 (2001 [1]) Area 125. ... Athens (Greek: Αθήνα - Athína) is the largest city and capital of Greece, located in the Attica periphery of central Greece. ...

Following Operation Marita, the LSSAH was ordered north, to join the forces of Army Group South massing for the launch of Operation Barbarossa. Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd in German) was a German Army Group during World War II. Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South. ... The current version of this article or section is written in an informal style and with a personally invested tone. ...

Barbarossa

Following the LSSAH's outstanding performance during Marita, Himmler ordered that it should be upgraded to divisional status. As such, the Regiment, already the size of a reinforced brigade, was redesignated SS-Division (mot.) Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. Despite this, there was no time to refit the division to full divisional status before the launch of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, and so the new 'Division' remained the size of a reinforced brigade. The current version of this article or section is written in an informal style and with a personally invested tone. ...

The Aufklärungsabteilung (reconnaissance battalion) near Uman in Ukraine, August 1941.

The LSSAH was attached to the LIV.Armee-Korps and held in reserve during the opening stages of the attack. In August, it was transferred to III.Panzer-Korps, part of Generalfeldmarschall Ewald von Kleist's Panzergruppe 1. During this time, the LSSAH was involved in the Battle of Uman and the subsequent capture of Kiev. During this time, the division was involved in heavy fighting, with Meyer's Abteilung particularly distinguishing itself. Image File history File links The Aufklärungsabteilung of SS-Division (mot. ... Image File history File links The Aufklärungsabteilung of SS-Division (mot. ... III Armeekorps III Armeekorps (mot) III Panzerkorps Gruppe Breith III Panzerkorps III Corps was a corps level formation of the German Heer which saw action in World War II. III Armeekorps History The III Corps was formed in October 1934 as III. Armeekorps. ... Ewald von Kleist could refer to: Ewald Jürgen Georg von Kleist (c. ... Panzer Group Kleist Panzer Group 1 First Panzer Army The First Panzer Army (German ) was a German tank army that fought during World War II. When formed the First Panzer Army was named Panzer Group Kleist (Panzergruppe Kleist) and was activated on November 16, 1940 with Field Marshal Ewald von... The eastern front at the time of the Battle of Uman. ... Map of Ukraine with Kiev highlighted Coordinates: Country Ukraine Oblast Kiev City Municipality Raion Municipality Government  - Mayor Leonid Chernovetskyi Elevation 179 m (587. ... 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. ...

In early September, the division was transferred back to LIV.Armee-Korps, preparing to launch an offensive to clear the Crimean peninsula. The operation was launched on 17 September 1941. The LSSAH was involved in heavy fighting for the town of Perekop, before advancing across the Perekop Isthmus to assault the Soviet defensive positions near the Tarter Ditch. Motto: Процветание в единстве - Prosperity in unity Anthem: Нивы и горы твои волшебны, Родина - Your fields and mounts are wonderful, Motherland Location of Crimea (red) on the map of Ukraine. ... Perekop may refer to the following objects located basically at the same site. ... The Isthmus of Perekop is the narrow, three to four mile wide strip of land that connects the peninsula of Crimea to the rest of mainland Ukraine. ...

In October, during the mision in Taganrog, soldiers of LSSAH murdered about 4 thousands of soviet army war prisoners as an act of revenge of death of 6 german LSSAH soldiers. Taganrog (Russian: , IPA: ) is a seaport city located on Taganrog Bay in Rostov Oblast, Russia. ...

In November, the LSSAH was transferred back to Panzergruppe 1 and took part in the heavy fighting for the city of Rostov-on-Don, which was captured in late November. During Operation Barbarossa, the division had penetrated 960 kilometers into Soviet territory. Central market near Nativity Cathedral. ...

Heavy Soviet counterattacks during the winter meant that Army Group South had to fall back from Rostov-on-Don to defensive lines on the river Mius. The LSSAH spent the winter fighting ferocious defensive battles in temperatures of down to -40°C, with minimal winter clothing and only 150 grams of rations per man per day. Despite this, the division held. After the spring rasputitsa had cleared, the exhausted division joined in Fall Blau, partaking in the fighting to retake Rostov-on-Don, which was recaptured in late July, 1942. Severely understrength and completely exhausted, the LSSAH was pulled out of the line. The division was ordered to the Normandy region of occupied France to join the newly formed SS-Panzer-Korps and to be reformed as a panzergrenadier division. ... The rasputitsa (Russian: распу́тица) is the twice annual flooding of Belarus, western Russia and the Ukraine. ... Fall Blau (Case Blue in German) was the German code name for two WWII studies in future combat. ... Flag of Normandy Normandy (in French: Normandie, and in Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region in northern France. ... The II.SS-Panzerkorps was a German Waffen-SS armoured corps which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II. // Formation - Kharkov The II.SS-Panzerkorps was formed in July 1942 in Bergen in The Netherlands as SS-Panzer-Generalkommando. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

Kharkov

The LSSAH spent the remainder of 1942 refitting as a panzergrenadier division. Thanks to the efforts of the Reichsführer-SS, along with SS-Obergruppenführer Paul Hausser, the SS-Panzerkorps commander, the four SS panzergrenadier divisions (LSSAH, Wiking, Das Reich and Totenkopf were to be formed with a full regiment of tanks rather than only an Abteilung. This meant that the SS Panzergrenadier divisions were full-strength Panzer divisions in all but name. Also, the division received nine Tiger 1 tanks, and these were formed into 13.(schwere)Kompanie/SS-Panzer-Regiment 1. Paul Papa Hausser (October 7, 1880 - December 21, 1972) was an officer in the German Army, achieving the high rank of Lieutenant General in the inter-war Reichswehr, after retirement from regular Army he became the father (thus the nickname “Papa”) of the Waffen-SS and one of its most... SS Division Germania SS Division Wiking SS Panzergrenadier Division Wiking 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking Formed around SS Regiment Germania as SS Division Germania in late 1940, and renamed SS Division Wiking in early 1941. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 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. ... General characteristics Length 6. ...

The collapse of the front around Stalingrad and the encirclement of the 6.Armee meant that the entire eastern front was close to collapse. Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein, commander of Army Group Don, requested reinforcements to halt the Soviet attack near Kharkov. The SS-Panzerkorps was ordered east to join Manstein's forces. The 6. ... Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... Kharkov (rus: Ха́рьков) or Kharkiv (ukr: Ха́рків) is the second largest city in Ukraine, a center of Kharkivska oblast. It is situated in the northeast of the country and has a population of two million. ...

Arriving at the front in late January 1943, the LSSAH was thrown into the line defending Kharkov itself as a part of Hausser's SS-Panzer-Korps. Facing them were the hundreds of T-34s of Mobile Group Popov, a Soviet armoured Army sized formation which formed the spearhead of the Soviet advance. On 8-9 February, 1943, the LSSAH's SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1 under SS-Sturmbannführer Fritz Witt, fighting alongside SS-Sturmbannführer Max Wünsche's I./SS-Panzer-Regiment 1, fought a bitter delaying action near the town of Merefa, halting a major Soviet attack. The division fought in many desperate defensive battles over the next few weeks, gradually being pushed back into the city of Kharkov itself. The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank first produced in 1940. ... Fritz Witt (1908 - 1944) was a German Waffen-SS officer who served with the 1. ... Merefa, (Ukrainian: ÐœeÑ€eÑ„a, Russian: ), is a town in the Kharkiv Oblast of Ukraine. ...

SS-Panzergrenadiers of Kampfgruppe Witt in the Kharkov outskirts, March 1943.

Despite inflicting heavy losses on the Soviets, and rebuffing all enemy attacks, the Soviets succeeded in outflanking the corps. On 15 February, Hausser ignored Hitler's orders to hold the city at all costs and ordered the SS-Panzer-Korps to abandon the city and withdraw towards Krasnograd. Over the next week, the SS-Panzer-Korps annihilated Mobile Group Popov in a series of brilliant and hard fought battles. The LSSAH was a major participant in these battles, destroying several Soviet divisions and inflicting heavy losses. Image File history File links SS-Panzergrenadiers of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler in the Third Battle of Kharkov, March 1943. ... Image File history File links SS-Panzergrenadiers of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler in the Third Battle of Kharkov, March 1943. ... Krasnograd is a town in Ukraine. ...

Hausser now ordered that Kharkov should be recaptured. The LSSAH, Das Reich and Totenkopf were to form the spearhead of the attack. The attack got underway on 2 March. The LSSAH was formed into three Kampfgruppen which would attack towards and capture Kharkov. Over the next weeks, the LSSAH would take part in the ferocious battles to take the city. Kampfgruppe Meyer, under Panzermeyer's command, penetrated to Red Square before being cut off. Kampfgruppe Witt saw heavy fighting against a Soviet blocking force near Dergatschi before it also broke through into the city. Both Kampfgruppen were repeatedly cut off during the confused fighting, and it was not until Kampfgruppe Peiper, under Joachim Peiper, broke through that the defenders were finally overwhelmed. By 21 March, the battle was over and Kharkov was back in German hands, with Peiper's Kampfgruppe having penetrated as far as Belgorod. The Kampfgruppe was a common combat formation used by the German Wehrmacht during the Second World War. ... Joachim Peiper (January 30, 1915 - July 13, 1976) more often known as Jochen Peiper from the common German nickname for Joachim, was a senior Waffen-SS officer and commander in the Panzer campaigns of 1941-1945 and a convicted war criminal. ... Coat of arms of Belgorod Belgorod (Russian: ) is a city in Western Russia, situated on the Severny Donets river just 40 km north from the Ukrainian border, at 50°37′N 36°35′E. It is the administrative center of Belgorod Oblast. ...

In honour of the 4,500 casualties suffered by the Leibstandarte in the fighting, Kharkov's Red Square was renamed Platz der Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. The division was pulled back for much needed rest and refit.

Kursk

The spring rasputitsa halted offensive operations, giving the Leibstandarte time to rest and refit. By early June 1943, the division had been fully refitted. Its armour strength was 12 Tiger Is, 72 Panzer IVs, 16 Panzer III and Panzer IIs, and 31 StuGs. In late June 1943, the formation of I.SS-Panzerkorps meant that Hausser's SS-Panzerkorps was renamed II.SS-Panzerkorps. The rasputitsa (Russian: распу́тица) is the twice annual flooding of Belarus, western Russia and the Ukraine. ... The Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. ... The Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV), more commonly referred to as the Panzer IV, was a tank developed by Germany and used extensively in World War II. It was designed initially as an infantry-support medium tank, to work in conjunction with the anti-tank Pzkpfw III. Later in the war... The Panzerkampfwagen III (PzKpfw III), more commonly referred to as the Panzer III, was a tank developed in the 1930s by Nazi Germany and used extensively in World War II. It was designed to fight other armoured fighting vehicles, serving alongside the infantry-support Panzer IV. It soon became obsolete... The Panzer II was a German tank used in World War II. Designed as a stopgap while other tanks were developed, it played an important role in the early years of World War II, during the Polish and French campaigns. ... StuG III Ausf G The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was one of Germanys most produced AFVs during World War II. It was built on the chassis of the Panzer III. Initially intended as a mobile, armoured light gun for infantry support, the StuG was continually... 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 II.SS-Panzerkorps was a German Waffen-SS armoured corps which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II. // Formation - Kharkov The II.SS-Panzerkorps was formed in July 1942 in Bergen in The Netherlands as SS-Panzer-Generalkommando. ...

The II.SS-Panzerkorps was moved north to Belgorod in preparation for the upcoming Summer offensive, Operation Citadel. The LSSAH, along with the Totenkopf and Das Reich, was to form the spearhead of Generaloberst Hoth's 4.Panzer-Armee, tasked with breaching the southern flank of the Kursk salient. Battle of Kursk Conflict World War II Date July 4, 1943 - July 22, 1943 Place Kursk, USSR Result Indecisive The Battle of Kursk was a significant battle on the Eastern Front of World War II. It remains the largest armored engagement of all time, and included the most costly single... General Hermann Hoth Hermann Papa Hoth (12 April 1885 - 26 January 1971) was a general of the Third Reich during World War II, notable for victories in France and on the Eastern Front, and later, after serving six years in prison for war crimes, as a writer on military history. ... Panzergruppe 4 4. ... Kursk (Russian: ; pronunciation: koorsk; IPA: ) is a city in the western part of Central Russia, at the confluence of Kur, Tuskar, and Seym rivers. ... In military terms, a salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. ...

Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model's 9.Armee was to breach the northern flank, and the two forces were to meet near the city of Kursk, thereby encircling a large Soviet force. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The German Ninth Army (German: ) was a World War II field army. ...

The II.SS-Panzerkorps reached its assembly areas on 28 June and began preparing for the assault. The attack was set for 5 July, and on 4 July the II.SS-Panzerkorps, as well as the XLVIII.Panzerkorps on its left and the III.Panzerkorps on the right, began minor attacks to secure observation posts. Fighting lasted throughout the day, with the LSSAH Pionier-Bataillon seeing heavy action clearing out the entrenched Soviets. The XLVIII Panzer Corps (German ), originally called the XLVIII Motorized Corps, was a corps level formation of the German Heer which saw extensive action on both the east and western fronts during World War II. History The corps was originally formed on 15 December 1940 in Germany as the XLVIII... ...

The Soviet run Lucy Spy Ring had infiltrated the German OKW and informed STAVKA of the impending operation. Captured German troops provided details of the objectives and locations of the major assaults. Before dawn on July 5, 1943, the Soviet artillery launched a massive bombardment against the German assembly areas. Despite this, the attack got underway after only a brief delay, and under perhaps the largest air battle in history, as the German aircraft defended against a Soviet VVS's attempt to annihilate the Luftwaffe on the ground. In World War II espionage, the Lucy spy ring was an anti-German operation which operated in Switzerland. ... Oberkommando der Wehrmacht OKW most notably stands for Oberkommando der Wehrmacht - the high Command of the Third Reich armed forces. ... Stavka (Ставка) was the General Headquarters of armed forces in late Imperial Russia and in the Soviet Union. ... The Soviet Air Force, also known under the abbreviation VVS, transliterated from Russian: ВВС, Военно-воздушные силы (Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily), formed the official designation of the air force of the Soviet Union. ... This or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The LSSAH panzers, advancing in Panzerkeils, soon ran into the Soviet Pakfronts. The elaborate system of Soviet defences slowed the attack, but unlike in Model's sector, the 4.Panzer-Armee, spearheaded by the SS-Panzerkorps and the LSSAH, was not halted, and eventually broke through. The Panzerkeil was a military tactic developed by the Germans on the eastern front during World War II. The Panzerkiel was developed in response to the soviet employment of the Pakfront tactic. ... The Pakfront was a military tactic developed by the Germans on the eastern front during World War II. The Soviets quickly copied the tactic, and used it to great effect at the Battle of Kursk in July 1943. ...

By 9 July, the SS-Panzerkorps had advanced 30 miles north, and were nearing the small town of Prokhorovka. The Leibstandarte again took the lead, by now its armour strength reduced to just 77 armoured vehicles. SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2, supported by several panzers, advanced straight up the road to Prokhorovka against heavy resistance. By midday, the grenadiers had cleared the Komsomolets State Farm and the began the attack on Hill 241.6, which they secured shortly after nightfall on 10 July. --152. ...

Tankers from SS-Panzer-Regiment LSSAH treat wounded Soviet POWs during a lull in the fighting near Prokhorovka.

On 11 July, the advance resumed. With the division capturing Oktiabr'skii State Farm and Hill 252.2 in heavy fighting against Soviet Paratroops of the 9th Guards Airborne Division. On 12 July, the Soviets threw the 5th Guards Tank Army into a counterattack near Prokhorovka. Two tank corps faced the Leibstandarte hitting the advancing Germans around Oktiabr'skii State Farm and Hill 252.2. In the ensuing fighting, the outnumbered Germans inflicted heavy casualties on the Soviets, knocking out many tanks. In the process, the Leibstandarte also suffered relatively light casualties, however the Soviet counterattack had stalled the German advance, and the division was forced to fall back to Oktiabr'skii. Fighting continued on the 13th, but the focus of the Soviet attack had shifted to the Totenkopf, to the left of the Leibstandarte. Image File history File links LSSAH_-_Kursk_POW.jpg Troops from the Panzer Regiment of the 1. ... Image File history File links LSSAH_-_Kursk_POW.jpg Troops from the Panzer Regiment of the 1. ... An American Paratrooper using a T-10C series parachute Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and formed into an airborne force. ... A corps (plural same as singular; a word that migrated from the French language, pronounced IPA: (cor), but originating in the Latin corpus, corporis meaning body) is either a large military unit or formation, an administrative grouping of troops within an army with a common function (such as artillery or...

With the Battle of Prokhorovka still in the balance, a massive Soviet counteroffensive near Orel, caused Hitler to order the cancellation of Citadel. The SS-Panzerkorps was pulled back. LSSAH was ordered out of the line. It was to be sent to Italy to help stabilise the situation caused by the deposal of Mussolini by the Badoglio Government and the Allied Landings in Sicily on 10 July. The division left its armour and equipment, which was given to Das Reich and Totenkopf, and entrained for the trip to Italy. Orel or Oryol (Орёл) is a city in Russia, administrative center of the Oryol Oblast. ... Benito Mussolini created a fascist state through the use of propaganda, total control of the media and disassembly of the working democratic government. ... Pietro Badoglio (September 28, 1871 - November 1, 1956) was an Italian soldier and politician. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ...

Italy

The division travelled back from the front, stopping at Innsbruck in Austria, where it disembarked. The division was re-equipped with vehicles and continued the journey by road, travelling across the alps and into Northern Italy. The division arrived on the Po River Plain on 8 August 1943. Innsbruck is a city in western Austria, and the capital of the federal state of Tyrol. ... The Po (Latin: Padus, Italian: Po) is a river that flows 652 kilometers (405 miles) eastward across northern Italy, from Monviso (in the Cottian Alps) to the Adriatic Sea near Venice. ...

The Leibstandarte was given the task of guarding several vital road and rail junctions in the area of Trient-Verona. After several weeks operating in this area, the division was moved to the Parma-Reggio area. During this period, the Leibstandarte was involved in several skirmishes with partisans. With the Italian collapse of 8 September 1943, the division was ordered to begin disarming nearby Italian units. This went smoothly, with the exception of a brief skirmish with Italian troops stationed in Parma on 9 September. By 19 September, all Italian forces in the Po River Plain had been disarmed, but OKW was concerned by reports that elements of the Italian Fourteenth Army were regrouping in Piedmont, near the French border. Sturmbannführer Peiper's mechanised III./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2 was sent to disarm these units. Upon arriving in the Province of Cuneo, Peiper was met by an Italian officer who warned that his forces would attack unless Peiper's unit vacated the province immediately. Peiper refused, which goaded the Italians into attacking. The veterans of Peiper's battalion defeated the Italians in a fierce battle, and then proceeded to disarm the remaining Italian forces in the area. A view of Trento from Castello del Buonconsiglio. ... Verona is a city and provincial capital in Veneto, Northern Italy. ... Country Italy Region Emilia-Romagna Province Parma (PR) Mayor Elvio Ubaldi (since May 28, 2002) Elevation 55 m Area 260 km² Population  - Total (as of December 31, 2004) 175,789  - Density 676/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Coordinates Gentilic Parmigiani (Parmensi are called the provinces inhabitants) Dialing code... Reggio is the name of two Italian towns: Reggio Emilia, in the North, sometimes called Reggio nell Emilia or, in ancient times, Reggio di Lombardia or Reggio di Modena Reggio Calabria, in the South (also called Reggio di Calabria) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists... Look up partisan in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Country Italy Region Emilia-Romagna Province Parma (PR) Mayor Elvio Ubaldi (since May 28, 2002) Elevation 55 m Area 260 km² Population  - Total (as of December 31, 2004) 175,789  - Density 676/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Coordinates Gentilic Parmigiani (Parmensi are called the provinces inhabitants) Dialing code... For other uses, see Piedmont (disambiguation). ... Joachim Peiper (January 30, 1915 - July 13, 1976) more often known as Jochen Peiper from the common German nickname for Joachim, was a senior Waffen-SS officer and commander in the Panzer campaigns of 1941-1945 and a convicted war criminal. ...

Following the disintergration and capitulation of Italy, the activities of partisan groups increased all across the area. The Leibstandarte was sent to the Istria Peninsula and was engaged in several major anti-partisan operations. During its period in Italy, the Leibstandarte was reformed as a full panzer division, and redesignated 1.SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. In early November, the deteriorating situation in the east meant that the division was ordered back to the Russian Front, arriving in the Zhitomir area in mid November. Istria (Croatian and Slovenian: Istra, Venetian and Italian: Istria) is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. ... Zhytomyrs’ka oblast’ (Житомирська область in Ukrainian; Żytomierzczyna in Polish) is an oblast (province) of northern Ukraine. ...

Eastern Front

The division was posted to XLVIII.Panzer-Korps, a part of 4.Panzer-Armee, which was struggling to hold the line near Shitomir. The division was broken up into several Kampfgruppen and thrown into action. On 18 November, Kampfgruppe Frey halted the advance of the Fifth Guards Tank Army near the town of Kotscherovo. Over the next two months, the division's Kampfgruppen saw very heavy fighting in the Shitomir area, performing fire-brigade actions and enabling XLVIII.Panzer-Korps to hold the line. The XLVIII Panzer Corps (German ), originally called the XLVIII Motorized Corps, was a corps level formation of the German Heer which saw extensive action on both the east and western fronts during World War II. History The corps was originally formed on 15 December 1940 in Germany as the XLVIII... Panzergruppe 4 4. ... The Kampfgruppe was a common combat formation used by the German Wehrmacht during the Second World War. ...

In January 1944, one of the Leibstandarte's s.SS-Panzer-Abt 101 Tiger commanders, Michael Wittman, was awarded the Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross for his actions in halting the attack of an entire Soviet armoured brigade. The division was transferred to the Cherkassy area at the end of January, where it was assigned to III.Panzer-Korps, a part of 1.Panzer-Armee. Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 501 Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, commonly abbreviated as s. ... Michael Wittmann (April 22, 1914 - August 8, 1944), during World War II, was the SS-Hauptsturmführer (SS-Captain) in the Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, one of the most successful tank commanders in the history of warfare. ... The Iron Cross (German: Eisernes Kreuz) is a military decoration of Germany which was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and first awarded on 10 March 1813. ... Cherkasy (Ukrainian Черкаси) - a city in the central part of Ukraine (about 200km south of Kyiv), capital of Cherkaska oblast, with 280,700 inhabitants (2004). ... III Armeekorps III Armeekorps (mot) III Panzerkorps Gruppe Breith III Panzerkorps III Corps was a corps level formation of the German Heer which saw action in World War II. III Armeekorps History The III Corps was formed in October 1934 as III. Armeekorps. ... Panzer Group Kleist Panzer Group 1 First Panzer Army The First Panzer Army (German ) was a German tank army that fought during World War II. When formed the First Panzer Army was named Panzer Group Kleist (Panzergruppe Kleist) and was activated on November 16, 1940 with Field Marshal Ewald von...

When the 56,000 men of Gruppe Stemmermann were trapped in the Korsun Pocket in February 1944, the Leibstandarte, along with the remainder of III.Panzer-Korps and XLVII.Panzer-Korps were ordered to attempt to break the Soviet cordon and rescue the trapped forces. Hitler intervened, and ordered the relief attempt be transformed into an impossible attempt to counter-encircle two Soviet fronts. The Leibstandarte, along army panzer units including Oberstleutnant Dr. Franz Bäke's 503rd schwere Panzer Abteilung spearheaded the attack. Despite initial gains, the attack soon stalled due to a combination of the resistance of four Soviet tank corps and the thick mud of the rasputitsa. The exhausted Germans managed to reach the Gniloy Tikich river, where a small bridgehead was established. The survivors of the encirclement fought their way through to the bridgehead and by late February the battle was over. Korsun Pocket, also known as the Cherkassy Pocket, was the name of the large pocket of German troops between the towns of Korsun and Cherkassy on the lower Dnepr River in the Southern Ukraine, during World War II. In January of 1944, the encroaching Soviet Red Army executed a pincer... A colour photograph of Oberst der Reserve Dr.med. ... The schwere-Panzer-Abteilung 503 (abbreviated sPzAbt 503) was a German heavy panzer abteilung equipped with Tiger I tanks and Panzer IIIs. ... The rasputitsa (Russian: распу́тица) is the twice annual flooding of Belarus, western Russia and the Ukraine. ...

The majority of the Leibstandarte was withdrawn to Belgium for rest and refit, however a Kampfgruppe was left behind. On 22 March, the entire 1.Panzer-Armee was encircled in the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket. The Leibstandarte Kampfgruppe took part in the desperate fighting to escape the encirclement, forming a part of the spearhead which linked up with the II.SS-Panzer-Korps near Buczacz on 6 April, 1944. The shattered remnant of the Kampfgruppe was ordered to Belgium where it was to rest, refit and rejoin the remainder of the division. Combatants Germany Soviet Union Commanders Erich von Manstein (Army Group South) Hans-Valentin Hube (First Panzer Army) Georgi Zhukov Nikolai Vatutin (1st Ukrainian Front) Ivan Koniev (2nd Ukrainian Front) Strength 200,000 500,000 Casualties  ?  ? 357 tanks The Battle of the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket, also known as Hubes Pocket... The II.SS-Panzerkorps was a German Waffen-SS armoured corps which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II. // Formation - Kharkov The II.SS-Panzerkorps was formed in July 1942 in Bergen in The Netherlands as SS-Panzer-Generalkommando. ... Buchach (Ukrainian: Бучач, Buchach; Polish: Buczacz; Yiddish: בעטשאָטש, Betshotsh; German Butschatsch) is a small town in the Ternopil Oblast of Ukraine. ...

Normandy

The LAH's most crucial role in Normandy would be the part it played against operation Goodwood. Launched 18 July, three strong British armoured divisions, with infantry support on their flanks, were to swing through the gap between Caen and the eastern heights. There they would have to get across the hills at Bourgibus and break through towards open ground. The operation was preceded by a three hour bombing assault by 2,500 aircraft, which knocked the German infantry senseless, rendered their MG-42's useless by the vibrations, and knocked out most of the Panzers on the ground.

Immediately afterwards the British tanks came rumbling on and seized all their primary objectives. 2.Kp./SS-Panzerregiment 1, located by the woods near Garcelles, received orders to attack the British at Soliers. SS-Obersturmführer Malkomes drove in the direction of Bourguιbus with his 13 Panthers and discovered 60 enemy tanks S-SE of the town. He attacked them, destroying 20, and took Soliers. Around 12:00 hours the entire Panther-Battalion, I./SS-Panzerregiment 1, 46 Panther, was engaged in combat with the 29th Tank Brigade of the 11th Armoured Division. The body of Leibstandarte was rushed to the front from Falaise, where it was in reserve. It immediately counterattacked around 17:00, together with 21. Panzerdivision, which halted the British offensive on the left front. The British withdrew to Caen, leaving behind 126 destroyed tanks.

At first, 19 July seemed to bring a discontinuation of Goodwood, as only some individual tanks assaults were carried out. But by 13:00 the Brits charged again, having brought up reinforcements to continue the attack. They quickly overran the forward German units and pressed on hard, a wave of tanks spearheading the attack. But when the leading Sherman/Fireflies and Cromwells approached the hill at Bourguιbus at 1600 hours, squad after squad was taken under fire and blown up. What happened? The Panthers of the Leibstandarte had taken up positions on the hill itself. Around 15:00 hours the first 12. SS-Pz. Div. HJ's elements arrived, which relieved the right front. The Brits failed to break out of their bridgehead, but Caen was now fully in their hands and their bridgehead had been expanded for 9 km. They had suffered the loss of 493 tanks, and 4,011 casualties.

Paul Hausser

Despite this victory, in the face of complete Allied numerical superiority, 5 days later the Americans saw the chance to break out of their beachhead. The weakened German defense could not keep up with the savage battle of attrition as little or no reinforcements had arrived, supplies were shot up, and movement by day was made impossible. They stormed into the open, one column headed towards Avranches, and another column making an encircling movement towards St. Lτ. Hitler, never allowing a retreat, remained true to his creed and, instead, ordered an assault to be made. Leibstandarte, together with 4 other SS-Panzer Divisions and 3 Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions went on the attack on 7 August after moving to the assembly areas on 5 and 6 August. SS-Panzerregiment 1 along with two Panzergrenadier-Battalion, one Pionierkompanie and the FlaK-Abt. were used. The weather wasn't suited for flying that day, so the attack went smoothly at first, despite the fact that the Allies knew the attack was coming. Das Reich managed to recapture Mortain, and a gepanzerte Kampguppe under Jochen Peiper managed to go as far Bourlopin, but was stopped by massive swarms of Allied aircraft. Another attempt was mounted the next day, but failed. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

A report from SS-Obersturmführer Preuss, 10.Kp./SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 2 describes the impossible situation:

"It is true that one fighter bomber we shot down landed on a Panzer and destroyed it. Most other Panzer and Schützenpanzer, however, fell victim to this intensive air bombardment, which lasted hours. Those Grenadiere still able to fight had spread themselves out to the left and right through the terrain's many hedges. They were happy to see that the bombers swarming like bees over our heads were finding more rewarding targets than individual men. I agreed with them. I heard that Peiper had suffered a heart attack. Diefenthal (the commander of the III./2) lost his hearing when a bomb fell right next to him. Kuhlmann was unable to get the attack moving forward again. My brave messenger, Sturmmann Horst Reinicken, was killed as he tried to reach the command post of the Heer Panzerabteilung to which we were subordinated. He was trying to bring the Panzerabteilung the news that its commander and Adjutant lay dead not far from our hedge."

After that it was over with the campaign in Normandy; Leibstandarte got encircled by the Americans and Brits in what would be called the Falaise pocket, but by then the unit was reduced to several small Kampfgruppen. Hausser, commander of 7. Armee was told by von Kluge (commander in chief West, as successor to von Rundstedt) to withdraw II. SS-Panzerkorps (Hohenstauffen and Frundsberg), his motors and his administrative personnel from the pocket. The Führer had still not given orders to withdraw at this point, so it all depended on the will of the units themselves to get out. Leibstandarte withdrew from the pocket with Unterführers and Führers each taking the lead of a small Kampfgruppe and smashing through the ring, on 22 August, after which no combat ready tanks or artillery pieces were reported. The whole campaign caused some 5,000 casualties to the LSSAH.

Lineage of the unit

Deposition of captured 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler standards by Soviet soldiers near the Kremlin Wall during the Victory Parade, June 24, 1945.

• Stabswache (SA controlled)
• Stoßtrupp Adolf Hitler (SA controlled)
• Stabswache (not under SA control)
• SS-Stabswache Berlin
• SS-Sonderkommando Zossen
• SS-Sonderkommando Jüterbog
• SS-Sonderkommando Berlin
• Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler
• Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
• Infanterie-Regiment (mot.) Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
• SS-Division (mot.) Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
• SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
• 1.SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

Image File history File links Summary Deposition of captured Wehrmacht standards near the Kremlin walls during the Victory Parade, June 24, 1945. ... Image File history File links Summary Deposition of captured Wehrmacht standards near the Kremlin walls during the Victory Parade, June 24, 1945. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Kremlin towers. ... The 1945 Victory parade was the first major Soviet event recorded on color film. ... June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 190 days remaining. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday. ...

Orders of battle

Infantry Regiment (mot) Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler—April 1941—Operation Marita

• Regimental Headquarters Staff (SS-Gruppenführer Josef Dietrich)
• I. Infantry Battalion (mot): (SS-Sturmbannführer Fritz Witt)
• II. Infantry Battalion (mot): (SS-Sturmbannführer Theodor Wisch)
• III. Infantry Battalion (mot): (SS-Sturmbannführer Weidenhaupt)
• IV. Infantry Battalion (mot): (SS-Sturmbannführer Jahnke)
• V. Infantry Battalion (mot): (SS-Sturmbannführer Van Bibber)
• Heavy Infantry Battalion (mot): (SS-Sturmbannführer Steineck)
• Anti-aircraft Battalion Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler: (SS-Hauptsturmführer Bernhard Krause)
• Assault gun (Sturmgeschütz) Battalion Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler: (SS-Sturmbannführer Georg Schönberger)
• SS Engineer Battalion Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (mot): (SS-Sturmbannführer Christian Hansen)
• SS Reconnaissance Battalion 1 Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler: (SS-Sturmbannführer Kurt Meyer)

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. ... Fritz Witt (1908 - 1944) was a German Waffen-SS officer who served with the 1. ... Sturmgeschütz is a German word for assault gun, abbreviated StuG. They were widely as fire support to infantry, panzer and panzergrenadier units. ... Christian Marius Hansen (born September 24, 1891 - died June 13, 1961) was a Danish gymnast who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics and in the 1912 Summer Olympics. ... 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. ...

References

• The Leibstandarte - Volumes I - IV/2 by Ralf Tiemann and Rudolf Lehmann.
• Steel Inferno: I SS Panzer Corps in Normandy by Michael Reynolds (New York: Sarpedon, 1997, ISBN 1-885119-44-5; Staplehurst, Kent : Spellmount, 1997, ISBN 1-873376-90-1).
• The 1st SS Armored Division: A Documentation in Words and Pictures Herbert Walther (West Chester, Pa.: Schiffer Pub., 1989, ISBN 0-88740-165-1).
• Hitler's Guard: The Story of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, 1933–1945 by James J. Weingartner (Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Press, 1974, ISBN 0-8093-0682-4).
• SS-Leibstandarte: The History of the First SS Division, 1934–45 by Rupert Butler (Staplehurst, Kent: Spellmount, 2001, ISBN 1-86227-117-8).

See also

• Panzer division, Division (military), Military unit, List of German divisions in WWII
• Waffen-SS, SS

Panzer Division is the German term for armored division. ... 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. ... A military unit is an organisation within an armed force. ... This is a list of German divisions in WWII. Only ground units are covered; divisions of aircraft are not. ... Waffen-SS recruitment poster; Volunteer to the Waffen-SS The Waffen-SS was the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel. ... SS or ss or Ss may be: The Schutzstaffel, a Nazi paramilitary force Steamship (SS) (ship prefix) The United States Secret Service A submarine not powered by nuclear energy (SS) (United States Navy designator), see SSN A Soviet/Russian surface-to-surface missile, as listed by NATO reporting name Shortstop...

External links

• 1.SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler at Feldgrau.com.
• 1. SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler at Axis History Factbook.
• Leibstandarte SS
• Leibstandarte "Adolf Hitler" - Waffen SS, miscellaneous photos and Information.
• 1.SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte the premier LAH reenacting unit.