2nd SS Division Das Reich

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2.SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich
Image:Dasreichsymbol.jpg
The Wolfsangel
Active Raised 1939, Surrendered 1945
Country Nazi Germany
Branch Armour
Type Panzer Division
Part of Created as SS-Division Verfügungstruppe in 1939, restructured as SS-Division Reich in 1940, redesignated a Panzer-Grenadier Division as 2.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Das Reich in 1942 and finally as 2.SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich in 1943.
Battles/wars France 1940, Barbarossa 1941, Operation Typhoon, Kursk 1943
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Oberstgruppenführer Paul Hausser (10.19.39 - 10.14.41)

SS-Division Verfügungstruppe
SS-Division Deutschland
SS-Division Reich
SS-Division Das Reich
2.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Das Reich
2.SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich

The SS Division Das Reich was one of the thirty-eight divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS during World War II. It is one of the most well-known and researched of all the SS divisions. Das Reich was composed of some of the best, most well trained and battle-hardened troops in the world at the time.

The symbol for the Das Reich division was the wolf's hook or Wolfsangel rune.

Contents

[edit] History

The 2.SS first took part in the Campaigns in the West against the Low Countries and France in 1940, and did so as the SS-V.T.-Division. It first saw action in the main drive for Rotterdam. After Rotterdam the Division, along with other Divisions, intercepted a French Force and pushed them back to the area of Zeeland. Next, it was used to mop-up small pockets of resistance in the areas already captured by the Germans. The Division was then transferred to France and helped breach a stiffly defended canal line, and then participated in the drive on Paris. At the end of the Campaign, it had advanced all the way to the Spanish Frontier.

Originally, the SS-V.T.-Division was composed of three of the original four SS-Standarten. LAH was the other SS-Standarten, and it was developed on its own. The other three SS-Standarten were Deutschland, Germania and Der Führer. After the Western Campaign was over, the SS-V.T.-Division was reorganized. The SS-Standarten Germania was transferred out of the Division and along with the SS-Standarten, Nordland and Westland, formed the backbone of a different SS-Division, Germania, which was soon to become the Wiking Division. For the loss of Germania, the SS-V.T.-Division was given a SS-Totenkopfstandarte designated as SS-Infanterie Regiment 11. Soon after, the Division changed its title from V.T. to Deutschland, and soon after that, to Reich.

During the period after the fall of France, the Division was stationed in France preparing for the invasion of England. The Division, now called Reich, was moved to Romania to take part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece in March of 1941. In April, 1941, Reich took part in the successful capture of Belgrade, the Capital of Yugoslavia. After the capture of Belgrade, the Division was moved to Poland to take part in the upcoming invasion of the Soviet Union.

During the invasion of the Soviet Union, Reich fought with Army Group Center, taking part in the Battle of Yalnya near Smolensk, and then in the spearhead to capture Moscow. Reich came within a few miles of the Soviet Capital in November, 1941, reaching a sort of "High Water Mark" of the German advance in the Soviet Union. With the Soviet Capital within sight of the Division, weather, massive losses and a major Soviet Winter Counter-Offensive pushed the Division back. After a period of very bloody losses for the Division, Reich was pulled out of the fighting and sent to France to refit as a Panzer-Grenadier Division. Part of the Division was left in the East, and they were titled Kampfgruppe Ostendorf. Ostendorf was sent to join Reich on June, 1942.

In November, 1942, portions of the Division took part in an attempt to prevent the scuttling of the French Fleet at Toulon. Soon after, the Division was retitled again, this time to SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Das Reich".

Early in 1943, Das Reich was transferred back to the Eastern Front where it helped reclaim the crumbling central front around Kharkov. After helping recapture the city of Kharkov (Third Battle of Kharkov), Das Reich along with many other Divisions was thrown into a massive assault into the Kursk Salient, a huge bulge in the Soviet Front line around the area of Kursk. Das Reich pushed upwards of 40 miles into the southern sector of the bulge, but was pulled out of the battle along with the other SS-Division when the offensive was called off. After a period of brief encounters, Das Reich was refit once again, this time as SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich". In doing so, it left a portion the Division in the East titled Kampfgroup Das Reich, and officially known as Kampfgroup Lammerding. The rest of the Division was transferd to the West to refit, and while doing so, took part in anti-partisan operations in France.

In Winter, 1943/1944, another massive Soviet Winter Counter Offensive managed to encircle German units in the center of the front. The Kamfgruppe that Das Reich had left behind was one of the units encircled by the Soviet Offensive, and an assault by II. SS Panzer Korps managed to rescue the trapped elements of Das Reich. The Kampfgruppe was then transferred to France to join the rest of the Division already stationed there. The remaining small portion of Das Reich left in the East was renamed Kampfgruppe Weidinger and was involved in the retreats through Proskurow and Tarnopol.

After the D-Day invasion in Normandy, France, Das Reich was committed to stop the Allied advance, and took part in the many attempts to stop the Allies near Caen and St. Lo. The Division recaptured Mortain, but was forced to retreat when it became apparent the Allies were going to encircle the Division along with a large number of other German units in the Falaise Pocket. Thanks to the efforts of Das Reich along with the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen, a large number of German forces were able to escape the pocket and retreat to the east.

Pulled back across the Seine River and then behind the West Wall fortifications in Germany, the 2nd SS Panzer Division took part in the operations to punch through the Ardennes Forest in December, 1944. Coming within 23 miles of the River Meuse, the Division was halted at Manhay, and then slowly smashed by fierce Allied counter-attacks. Pulled out of the offensive, Das Reich was transferred into Germany to again refit, and to take part in the last German offenisve of the war in Hungary in an attempt to break the siege around Budapest. This offensive also ground to a halt, and Das Reich spent the rest of the war more-or-less fighting in parts from Dresden, to Prague to Vienna. In the end, most of the Division managed to escape to the West to surrender to the Americans.

[edit] Commanders

  • Oberstgruppenführer Paul Hausser, 10.19.39 - 10.14.41
  • Obergruppenführer Wilhelm Bittrich, 10.14.41- 12.31.41
  • Obergruppenführer Matthias Kleinheisterkamp, 12.31.41 - 4.19.42
  • Obergruppenführer George Keppler, 4.19.42 - 2.10.43
  • Brigadeführer Hebert-Ernst Vahl, 2.10.43 - 3.18.43
  • Oberführer Kurt Brasack, 3.18.43 - 3.29.43
  • Obergruppenführer Walter Krüger, 3.29.43 - 10.23.43
  • Gruppenführer Heinz Lammerding, 10.23.43 - 7.24.44
  • Standartenführer Christian Tychsen, 7.24.44 - 7.28.44
  • Brigadeführer Otto Baum, 7.28.44 - 10.23.44
  • Gruppenführer Heinz Lammerding, 10.23.44 - 1.20.45
  • Standartenführer Karl Kreutz, 1.20.45 - 1.29.45
  • Gruppenführer Werner Ostnedorff, 1.20.45 - 3.09.45
  • Standartenführer Rudolf Lehmann, 3.09.45 - 4.13.45
  • Standartenführer Karl Kreutz, 4.13.45 - 5.08.45

[edit] Combat Operations

For the 1939 invasion of Poland, three SS regiments ("Deutschland", "Der Führer", and "Germania") were grouped into a division, the SS-Verfügungstruppe ("Special-Purpose Troops"). After Poland, one regiment ("Germania") was sent to form another division (5.SS-Division Wiking), and a new third regiment was created (SS Regiment 11); this became the 2nd SS Division Reich ("Empire").

In November 1942, the division became a Panzergrenadier division and its name was changed to 2.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Das Reich. In 1943 the division was reorganized as a Panzer division by adding the 2.SS Panzer Regiment, thus creating the 2.SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich".

After fighting on the Eastern Front for a long time, the division was recalled from battle for refitting in February 1944. Most of Das Reich was stationed in the southern French town of Montauban north of Toulouse gaining new equipment and freshly trained SS men. The joint allied invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord), meant that the division was in action again, and was pulled up to support the defence of France alongside the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend and the elite German Panzer Lehr Division fighting north of Caen.

Das Reich was trapped in the Falaise Pocket for some time, before escaping to the west. After the substantial losses in the Allied summer campaign, the Wermacht was pushed back almost to the borders of Germany in late 1944. In the second week of December, 1944, the German army was ready to make it's counter-offensive to reclaim the port of Antwerp, and regain the initiative in the west. The German Ardennes offensive opened a large break in the American lines. Das Reich played a role in the Battle of the Bulge.

Major gains were made, but by December 25, the German offensive was halted. The sieged town of Bastogne was never captured, even though numerous attempts were made to enter the city. Das Reich's panzer commander Ernst Barkmann became famous for the creation of Barkmann's Corner, where he destroyed numerous American tanks in small skirmishes.

After the Ardennes debacle, SS division Das Reich was again pulled back, this time to Germany, for refitting. The crisis in the south-east saw Das Reich in the thick of it. The failed German counter-offensive around Budapest saw Das Reich pushed back into Germany, after fighting in Vienna and Prague.

The remnants of the division in the south surrendered to the Americans in May 1945.

[edit] 1939-1941: Poland, France and Yugoslovia

The 2. SS started their Polish, French and Yugoslovian operations in August of 1939 all the way to May of 1941.

[edit] Capture of Belgrade

Haupsturmführer Fritz Klingenberg

On the morning of April 12th, 1941, SS Hauptsturmführer Fritz Klingenberg and members of his motorcycle assault company approached Belgrade from Pancevo along the bank of the Danube river. Klingenberg was anxious to enter the city but the swollen river and lack of any usable bridges prevented a direct assault, and the motorcycle assault company had no bridging equipment or rafts. Klingenberg's men discovered a motor launch on the north bank of the river. With one of his platoon leaders, two sergeants and five privates, Klingenberg crossed the Danube. When the group had reached the other side, Klingenberg sent two men back for reinforcements and proceeded with the remaining six men into downtown Belgrade. Soon after entering the city, Klingenberg encountered a group of twenty Yugoslavian soldiers and without firing a shot the Yugoslavs surrendered. Later on, a group of military vehicles approached Klingenberg's men, and after a short battle, the Germans captured the vehicles. The assault group (now motorized) headed towards the Yugoslavian War Ministry, but when they arrived the building had been abandoned, probably vacated during the Luftwaffe's attack on the city. Since there was no military command left in Belgrade, Klingenberg proceeded to the German embassy which had remained open in Belgrade. The Germans unfurled a large swastika and raised it over the embassy to declare the capture of the city. Two hours later, the mayor of Belgrade arrived at the embassy and surrendered the city to Klingenberg. It was not until the next day that a sizeable German force arrived to secure the city. For capturing Belgrade, SS Haupsturmführer Fritz Klingenberg was awarded the Knight's Cross.

[edit] War Crimes

The division is infamous for the massacre of 642 French civilians in the village of Oradour-sur-Glane, on 10 June 1944, in the Limousin region. A trial was held in the post war years, but very few of the accused perpetrators were found guilty and punished. Apart from this, Das Reich was one of the front-line SS divisions that had an illustrious, mostly crime free career. Only the Regiment "Der Führer" was held responsible for the massacre.

[edit] See also

[edit] References


Divisionen der Waffen-Runic 'SS'

Divisions of the Waffen-SS
(see complete list)
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