SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

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DougENash
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SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#1

Post by DougENash » 10 Feb 2016, 15:19

Greetings - am laying the preliminary groundwork for a photo book about SS-Regiment Germania using a newly-discovered set of negatives from the famous SS photographer Ernst Baumann (The same one whose photos RZM used for its forthcoming book "Kampfgruppe Mühlenkamp" - which has finally arrived in the USA & will be shipped out soon!). Anyway, am trying to determine WHEN the regiment's III. (3rd) Battalion was detached from the division (sometime during the early spring of 1943) to be shipped back to the homeland to be rebuilt as the division's only SPW-mounted Pz.Gren.Btl. The photos cover the entire period from the summer of 1942 to the Spring of 1944 - over 100 contact sheets worth of negatives, all extremely high quality as only Baumann could produce. I have general histories of the Germania Regiment as well as the SS-Division "Wiking", but since most of the division's records were destroyed, with a few exceptions, I have not been able to identify when that battalion was detached & where exactly it went (in chronological sequence). I know it was shipped to Croatia for a while, and then to France before it was shipped to Kovel, but it appears that there were points in between where the records are mute on the subject (what few records there are). Would appreciate any assistance.
Thanks!
Regards,
Doug Nash
RZM Publishing

Charles Trang
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Re: SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#2

Post by Charles Trang » 10 Feb 2016, 22:01

The last traces of III./Germania in the battle accounts and in the situation maps can be found till 18 January 1943. I guess it was removed from the frontlines at that date. Where did it go ? I have no idea ...


BramvanS
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Re: SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#3

Post by BramvanS » 10 Feb 2016, 22:11

NARA T-78 R-719 contains a Zustandsbericht dated 5-12-1943 from Wiking which says that all personnel of III./Germania was missing (Fehl) (just like III./Westland).

DougENash
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Re: SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#4

Post by DougENash » 10 Feb 2016, 22:15

Thanks Bram - that helps! The earliest Zustandbericht I had was dated July 1943 and like the one from May also showed them as "Fehl." Do you know if they took out all of the "Grabenkämpfer" from the battalion before they shipped it back home? That was usual practice, with only the "Rahmen" (Framework) of the battalion being pulled out, which means commanders, staff, headquarters personnel & specialists got to go home. I know that the battalion, like the rest of Germania & the SS-Division "Wiking", had suffered heavy casualties in the Caucasus & the withdrawal to Rostov, so that would make sense. Any ideas? Thanks again! -- Doug

BramvanS
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Re: SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#5

Post by BramvanS » 10 Feb 2016, 23:44

Hi Doug,

Ewald Klapdor mentions the following in his book Wiking Panzers "The 3rd Battalion of Germania was sent to me as the only combat-capable formation. It had been recently established as an SPW battalion." (page 256, Report by SS-Standartenführer Richter, 16 March 1944).

Bram

Charles Trang
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Re: SS-Regiment "Germania" - Looking for Info

#6

Post by Charles Trang » 11 Feb 2016, 09:05

As I wrote earlier, III./Germania was still in action in the first half of January 1943. On 10 January, when "Germania" was holding the line Kundrjuschewskij - Kurmojarskij - Schiroki, the battalion, led by Franz Hack, was ordered to counter attack in the direction of Bjenota (Divisions-Meldung an LVII. Pz.Korps, BAMA, RH24-57/59). The assault went forward thanks to Gerhard Mahn whose Zug broke the Soviet resistance before the battalion was stopped dead in its tracks. On 13 January, III./"G" was part of Kampfgruppe "Wagner" during the battle of Orlowskaja. On 15 January, it fought north of Romanoff. There are no more mention of it after the battle of Proletarskaja. It must have been disbanded due to its heavy losses as there are no traces of it in the different Meldungen sent by the division after that nor, in the different KTB (RH21-1/90, RH24-40/45) dealing with the battle of Krassnoarmeiskoje and then later with the battles south of the Donets (RH24-40/47). On 26 March 1943, Wiking sent its order of battle to the XXXX. Pz.Korps staff in which it shows that "Germania" was reduced to two battalions. As I. and II. Btl. were still involved in the fighting, it is certain that III./"Germania" was no more with the division by that date.

GregSingh
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Re: SS-Regiment "Germania" - Looking for Info

#7

Post by GregSingh » 11 Feb 2016, 10:49

The question remains when III./"Germania" was recreated after early 1943 disbandment.
June 1943 reorganization? Or October 1943 conversion to Panzer-Division? Or April 1944 when newly arrived III./"Germania" joined division near Kovel.
May 1944 chart for 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking" shows full three battalions in SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania".

Blanusa
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Re: SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#8

Post by Blanusa » 11 Feb 2016, 13:14

Hello,

The III./Germania must have been reformed during the summer of 1943, probably at the same time as the Stab and II.Battalion of the SS-Pz.Rgt.5 were established, as it was later active in Croatia during September to December 1943. This assumption is based on the personnel file of Franz Hack, where it is noted that he was transferred from the SS-Ersatz-Bataillon Germania to the III.(germ)SS-Pz.Korps with effect from 15 May 1943.

I can confirm that the III./Germania was in Croatia through at least two document. One which mentions them successfully defending from an attack by Yugoslav partisans on 13 October 1943 and another that mentions the battalion had conducted reconnaissance on 22 October revealing that Yugoslav partisans had occupied a hill.
In addition, there are several photos of Franz Hack riding on and testing the Sd.Kfz.250/9, which were delivered to 2./SS-Pz.Aufkl.Abt.11 in Croatia during November 1943.


Best regards
Blanusa

DougENash
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Re: SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#9

Post by DougENash » 11 Feb 2016, 14:37

Thanks to one and all - Charles, Bram, Greg and Blanusa. This is great gouge. Am aware of those shots of Hack and the SdKfz 250 - we were wondering who they belonged to, since Hack's battalion wasn't authorized any (in fact, his battalion wouldn't draw its authorized SPWs until May 1944, but that's another story.
Great. Thanks to you guys, we can now narrow this down a bit. Would love to see the order from the SS Hauptamt directing the Wiking to detach the III./Germania in 1943, but I guess that would be next to impossible to find.
Cheers, guys!

Charles Trang
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Re: SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#10

Post by Charles Trang » 11 Feb 2016, 14:49

I have been looking for years for every document relative to Wiking in the Bundesarchiv and in the US National Archives and I have never seen this order, unfortunately !

DougENash
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Re: SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#11

Post by DougENash » 11 Feb 2016, 16:30

Thanks Charles! Well, by working together on websites like this, we can all forge ahead by sharing information! Regards,
Doug

BramvanS
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Re: SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#12

Post by BramvanS » 11 Feb 2016, 17:02

I haven't seen an order either to detach III./Germania in 1943. Perhaps there is such a notification available in Corps, Army and armygroup documents, but I have scanned lots of these and found nothing.

Blanusa
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Re: SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#13

Post by Blanusa » 11 Feb 2016, 17:46

Hello,

While SS-Division Wiking is not the focal point of my research, I am taking a closer look at Franz Hack for completely different reasons. Unfortunately I don't have his complete SS-personnel yet, but am waiting for it to arrive soon. However, from what I do have available, it is mentioned that Hack was transferred from III./Germania to SS-Ers.Btl. Germania with effect from 1 April 1943. Whether this means that the battalion was disbanded by then or if someone else had taken command and Hack sent on leave or further training, I can't say for sure.
Two things are clear though. (1) The battalion was not disbanded in early 1943 and (2) in one way or another, it existed until at least 1 April 1943.
Maybe taking a closer look at company commanders and their personnel files might reveal a more detailed picture.


Best regards
Blanusa

BramvanS
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Re: SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#14

Post by BramvanS » 11 Feb 2016, 18:00

In the archives of Pz-AOK-1 (NARA T-313 R-0061) I found a "Meldung" of Wiking dated 13-4-1943, where Wiking reports to possess 3 + 3 + 2 = 8 Panzergrenadier Btl..

In the archives of Pz-AOK 1 (NARA T-313 R-0058) I found a "Meldung" of Wiking dated 1-5-1943, where Wiking reports to possess 6 Panzergrenadier-Btl.s I am not sure if Nordland was stil with Wiking at that moment. I think the 2 missing Btl. compared to 13-4-1943 are the Nordland Btl.

DougENash
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Re: SS-Regiment Germania - Looking for Info

#15

Post by DougENash » 11 Feb 2016, 18:50

Thanks guys - as far as Hack goes, he went west with the rest of the battalion and was its commander when it was reformed in Croatia in the summer of 43 - we have lots of photographic evidence showing him there with his troops. I think it was normal practice to temporarily assign an officer (or soldier) to one of the SS-Ersatz & Replacement units, or his home "Depot" unit, while he was attending a training course. Since Germania was "His" regiment, it makes sense that he was assigned to SS-Ers.Btl. "Germania," which would have been administratively responsible for him while he was away from his regiment. So to continue this line of thinking, after he completed his training course, or convalescence, or home leave or whatever, he would have then rejoined his battalion in Croatia, then being reformed and would have resumed command. And we know that he commanded III./Germania until May 1944, when he handed it off to Paul Kuemmel. I have read where Hack states that he briefly commanded the Pz.Aufkl.Abt., but apparently never in combat because that unit was undergoing complete reconstitution from March - August 1944 after being destroyed during the breakout from the Cherkassy Pocket. I do know that Hack took over the "Westland" regiment in September 1944 & led it until the end of the war. He is a fascinating character but too bad that his memoirs were never published.

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