Lets build the 3. SS-Pz.Div. "Totenkopf"

[Lasse]

Hi!

So, I hope you guys dont get to bored by another "Lets Build" thread, but as these are great ways for me to learn about divisions Im starting this one.

What kind of info Im looking for; Basicly anything on the structure of the Totenkopf division, especially down to company level. Also a list of commanders and RK, DKiG, Nahkampfspange in Gold and Ehrenblattespange-Träger would be really nice.

And of course; Any information dealing with the Totenkopf division would be great, also if you have any maps showing where they fought, important dates like when they where upgraded to a Pz. div for example and such would be great.

If I have understood it correct they fought something like this;

Poland 1939.
France/The Netherlands 1940
Russia 1941:
Demjansk, jan 42-october 42.
Rebuilding. France?
Back to Russia, this time Kursk (Summer of 43)
Kharkow winter of 43.
Southern russia 43-44.
Warzaw 44.
Hungary 45.

(Would really enjoy some more detailed information about their involvment during the battles there, the only books I got on this subject is basic books like "SS: The blood soaked soil" and such, my main intresst is the Nordland division and the Swedish volounteers, so I have pretty much based my books on that subject this far. )

Then finaly surrendering to the americans, who hand them over to the russians. What strenght where the division at during this time? I have heard something about 6 tanks but I have no idea about what kind or how many soldiers/officers.

So, please help me out I know there are some great books on the Totenkopf division out there, but I enjoy this kind of threads so please help me out. Also if you can, please give the sources.

Best regards: Lasse.

[panzerschreck]

Here's something I've got. Hopefully it's correct. Some things are still under development. ..

II. SS-Panzerkorps (03.1943 - 03.1943)
II. SS-Panzerkorps (07.1943 - 07.1943)
IV. SS-Panzerkorps (08.1944 - 12.1944)
IV. SS-Panzerkorps (02.1945 - 03.1945)
II. SS-Panzerkorps (04.1945 - 05.1945)

LINEAGE
SS-Totenkopf-Division (16. oktober 1939 - 9. november 1942)
SS-Panzergrenadierdivision Totenkopf (9. november 1942 - 22. november 1943)
3. SS-Panzerdivision Totenkopf (22. november 1943 - 8. mai 1945)

COMMANDERS:
Division:
Eicke, Theodor 01.11.1939 07.07.1941
Kleinheisterkamp, Matthias 07.07.1941 18.07.1941
Keppler, Georg 18.07.1941 19.09.1941
Eicke, Theodor 19.09.1941 26.02.1943
Priess, Hermann 26.02.1943 27.04.1943
Lammerding, Heinz 27.04.1943 15.05.1943
Simon, Max 15.05.1943 22.10.1943
Priess, Hermann 22.10.1943 21.06.1944
Becker, Helmuth 21.06.1944 08.05.1945

SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 5 "Thule":
SS-Oberführer Eicke, Theodor 26.06.1933 04.07.1934
SS-Sturmbannführer Schulze, Ernst 04.07.1934 20.04.1936
SS-Standartenführer Augustini, Otto 20.04.1936 16.04.1937
SS-Sturmbannführer? Simon, Max 16.04.1937 26.02.1943
SS-Obersturmbannführer Baum, Otto 26.02.1943 09.11.1943
SS-Sturmbannführer Kühn, Max 09.11.1943 00.01.1944
SS-Sturmbannführer Eckert, Fritz 00.00.1944 00.00.1945
SS-Obersturmbannführer Baum, Otto 00.01.1944 13.03.1944
SS-Obersturmbannführer Haussler, Ernst 13.03.1944 18.09.1944
SS-Obersturmbannführer Kühn, Max 00.00.1945 08.05.1945

I./SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 5 "Thule":
Becker, Helmuth 00.00.0000 00.00.0000
Reder, Walter 00.00.0000 00.00.0000

II./SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 5 "Thule":
SS-Sturmbannführer Deisenhofer, Dr. Eduard 00.00.0000 00.00.0000
SS-Sturmbannführer Schulze, Wilhelm 00.00.1943 00.00.1943

III./SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 5 "Thule":
SS-Sturmbannführer Bestmann, Walter 00.00.0000 00.00.0000

SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 6 "Theodor Eicke"
SS-Standartenführer Götze, Hans-Friedemann 00.10.1939 27.05.1940
SS-Standartenführer Kleinheisterkamp, Matthias 03.06.1940 07.07.1941
SS-Obersturmbannführer Becker, Helmuth 07.07.1941 15.07.1941
SS-Oberführer Kleinheisterkamp, Matthias 15.07.1941 27.10.1941
SS-Obersturmbannführer Becker, Helmuth 27.10.1941
SS-Obersturmbannführer Petersen, Heinrich 01.03.1942 15.03.1942
SS-Obersturmbannführer Becker, Helmuth 15.03.1942 09.11.1943
SS-Obersturmbannführer Ullrich, Karl 09.11.1943 20.06.1944
SS-Standartenführer Ullrich, Karl 13.07.1944 09.10.1944
SS-Obersturmbannführer Kleffner, Frank 09.10.1944 18.03.1945
SS-Obersturmbannführer Breimaier, Wilhelm 18.03.1945 08.05.1945

I./SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 6 "Theodor Eicke"
SS-Obersturmbannführer Petersen, Heinrich 00.02.1941 00.01.1942

II./SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 6 "Theodor Eicke"
SS-Sturmbannführer Launer, Kurt 00.03.1943 17.01.1944
SS-Hauptsturmführer Endress, Hans 00.00.0000 00.00.1945

III./SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 6 "Theodor Eicke"
?

SS-Totenkopf-Infanterieregiment 2
SS-Obersturmbannführer Lippert, Michael 01.07.1937
SS-Standartenführer Nostitz, Paul 11.11.1939 00.00.1940
SS-Standartenführer Bertling, Heinz 00.00.1940 00.00.1940
SS-Standartenführer Herrmann, Karl 23.08.1940 08.07.1941

SS-Panzerregiment 3
SS-Sturmbannführer Leiner, Karl 14.10.1942 00.04.1943
SS-Sturmbannführer Kunstmann, Eugen 00.04.1943 08.07.1943
SS-Sturmbannführer Bochmann, Georg 01.08.1943 01.11.1943
SS-Sturmbannführer Meierdress, Hubert Erwin 01.11.1943 00.01.1944
SS-Obersturmbannführer Laackmann, Anton 00.01.1944 00.09.1944
SS-Sturmbannführer Pittschellis, Adolf 04.01.1945 26.01.1945
SS-Obersturmbannführer Adam, Gerhard 00.02.1945 00.02.1945
SS-Sturmbannführer Berlin, Kurt Anton 00.02.1945 08.05.1945

SS-Panzer-Artillerieregiment 3
Allihn, Friedrich ? - ?
Priess, Hermann ? - 00.05.1943
Swientek, Josef 00.05.1943 - ?

I./SS-Panzer-Artillerieregiment 3
SS-Sturmbannführer Brasack, Kurt

II./SS-Panzer-Artillerieregiment 3
Priess, Hermann
Swientek, Josef 00.00.1943

III./SS-Panzer-Artillerieregiment 3
?

IV./SS-Panzer-Artillerieregiment 3
?

SS-Panzerjägerabteilung 3
SS-Hauptsturmführer Leiner, Karl 00.05.1940

SS-Sturmgeschützabteilung 3
Dehmel, Ernst ? - 00.10.1943
Pittschellis, Adolf 00.01.1944 00.00.1944

SS-Panzer-Nachrichtenabteilung 3
Sansoni, Richard 00.08.1937 06.03.1941
Schumacher, Erwin 06.03.1941 01.10.1943
Borggrefe, Wolfgang 01.10.1943 - ?

SS-Panzer-Aufklärungsabteilung 3
SS-Sturmbannführer Hierthes, Heino
Bestmann, Walter

SS-Panzer-Pionierbataillon 3
Lammerding, Heinz 00.00.1939 15.11.1940

SS-Panzergrenadier-Ausbildungs- und Ersatzbataillon 3
SS-Sturmbannführer Launer, Kurt 17.01.1944 20.03.1944

SS-Totenkopf-Kradschützenbataillon
Becker, Helmuth 00.00.1941 25.10.1941

OOB:
SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 5 "Thule"
SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 6 "Theodor Eicke"
SS-Totenkopf-Infanterieregiment 2
SS-Panzerregiment 3
SS-Panzer-Artillerieregiment 3
SS-Panzerjägerabteilung 3
SS-Sturmgeschützabteilung 3 (merged with the SS-Pz.-Jäg.-Abt 3 in 1944)
SS-Werferabteilung 3
SS-Panzer-Nachrichtenabteilung 3
SS-Panzer-Aufklärungsabteilung 3
SS-Panzer-Pionierbataillon 3
SS-Feldersatzbataillon 3
SS-Panzergrenadier-Ausbildungs- und Ersatzbataillon 3
SS-Totenkopf-Kradschützenbataillon

/Henrik

[scarecrow]

Well, George Nipe's book Decision in the Ukraine, Summer 1943, gives an very detailed view on the Totenkopf's involvement in the Mius area, as well as its fight in the Kharkov-Belgorod area in august 1943 ( against the soviet operation "Rumyantsev" ( or the soviet counter-attack at Kursk) ). Although the book is not focused only on the Totenkopf division but also on the other units of the 2nd SS Pz.Korps and the 3rd Pz.Korps, it gives an very detailed but "dry" account of these battles. It also states the strengh of the Totenkopf at various moments ( especially in tanks)

cédric

[IMW]

Lets build,

SS-T served with the following SS-Panzer Korps from July 1944 to May 1945.

28.7.44 to 21.3.45 - IV SS Pz.Korps
21.3.45 to 1/2.4.45 - I SS Pz.Korps
2.4.45 to 9.5.45 - II SS-Pz.Korps.

Mike.

[scarecrow]

The Totenkopf's strenght on the 1st July 1943 was :

_63 Pz.III (L)
_8 Pz.IV (s)
_44 Pz.IV (L)
_15 Tiger
_35 StuG

on the 4th July:

_59 Pz.III (L)
_5 Pz.IV (s)
_42 Pz.IV (L)
_11 Tiger
_28 StuG

on the 8th July:

_52 Pz.III (L)
_7 Pz.IV (s)
_28 Pz.IV (L)
_5 Tiger
_13 StuG

on the 9th July:

_47 Pz.III (L)
_7 Pz.IV (s)
_20 Pz.IV (L)
_2 Tiger
_12 StuG

on the 10th July:

_48 Pz.III (L)
_7 Pz.IV (s)
_21 Pz.IV (L)
_2 Tiger
_21 StuG

on the 11th July:

_54 Pz.III (L)
_4 Pz.IV (s)
_26 Pz.IV (L)
_10 Tiger
_20 StuG

on the 13th July:

_32 Pz.III (L)
_3 Pz.IV (s)
_14 Pz.IV (L)
_0 Tiger
_20 StuG

on the 15th July:

_28 Pz.III (L)
_3 Pz.IV (s)
_17 Pz.IV (L)
_7 Tiger
_20 StuG


These figures represent the operational strenght

The source is The Battle of Kursk by Glantz

hope this helps
cédric

[Eightball]

Here's something I've got. Hopefully it's correct. Some things are still under development. ..

[...]

COMMANDERS:
Division:
Eicke, Theodor 01.11.1939 07.07.1941
Kleinheisterkamp, Matthias 07.07.1941 18.07.1941
Keppler, Georg 18.07.1941 19.09.1941
Eicke, Theodor 19.09.1941 26.02.1943
Priess, Hermann 26.02.1943 27.04.1943
Lammerding, Heinz 27.04.1943 15.05.1943
Simon, Max 15.05.1943 22.10.1943
Priess, Hermann 22.10.1943 21.06.1944
Becker, Helmuth 21.06.1944 08.05.1945

[...]
/Henrik

Might not be very relevant, but does anyone know why Theodor Eicke was removed from command in 1941, only to be reinstated in '43?

[scarecrow]

Eightball wrote:

Might not be very relevant, but does anyone know why Theodor Eicke was removed from command in 1941, only to be reinstated in '43?

On July the 6th 1941, he was seriously wounded in the foot and returned only on the 21st September. Later on he was send back to germany to restore his health. Then Eicke oversaw the creation of a new Totenkopf div. in France after the old was almost destroyed at Demyansk. On the 26th Feburary 1943, Eicke was killed when his plane was shot down.

Hope this helps
cédric

[Jan-Hendrik]

Here I would recommend the detailed bio of Eicke in "Die Generale der Waffen-SS und der Polizei" , Vol.1 by our "own" Andreas Schulz and Dieter Zinke

Jan-Hendrik

[Lasse]

Thank you all!!!

Some very good info there!

How did the SS-Totenkopf division develope into the SS-panzergrenadier division "Totenkopf"? Did they get halftracks or such?

Also; Scarecrow, the number of tanks/stugs; Does it say anything about which unit in the TK division they belonged to? To the SS pz.Rgt 3 or where they in all kinds of units?

Best regards:

[scarecrow]

Thank you all!!!

Some very good info there!

How did the SS-Totenkopf division develope into the SS-panzergrenadier division "Totenkopf"? Did they get halftracks or such?

Also; Scarecrow, the number of tanks/stugs; Does it say anything about which unit in the TK division they belonged to? To the SS pz.Rgt 3 or where they in all kinds of units?

Best regards:

hi lasse. these tanks belonged to the SS Pz.Rgt 3, and the SS Assault Gun Battalion 3. However the company of Tiger was attached to the division. The SS-Totenkopf was almost destroyed in the Demyansk area and then it was decided to "upgrade" the division into a Panzer-grenadier division.

The division did have half-tracks at the battle of Kursk, but i dont know in what numbers.
Of course, later on it also had half-traks.

cédric

[Kirishima]

"T" SS PzGrD

le and m.SPW as of July 4th 1943 includes operational and in repair

250 le.SPW x 51 various version ( 1 in repair )
(250/1) le.SPW
(250/3) Funkwagen
(250/4) Luftschutzwagen
(250/5) Beobachtungswagen
(250/11) sPzB 41 auf le SPW
(250/12) Messtrupp Panzerwagen
(252) Munitions carrier
(253) le.Panzerbeobachtungswagon

250 le.SPW
(250/7) x 3, 8cm Gr.W-wagen
(250/10) x 3, 3.7cm Pak (Sf.)

251 m.SPW x 55 various versions ( 2 in repair )
(251/1) m.SPW
(251/3) Funkwagen
(251/6) Command vehicle
(251/7) m Pi Pz Wg

251 m.SPW
251/2 m Schütz Pz Wg (s Gr W) x 2
251/8 m kr Pz Wg x 3 ( 1 in repair )
251/9 m Schütz Pz Wg (7,5 cm K) x 2
251/10 m Schütz Pz Wg (3,7 cm Pak) x 8 ( 1 in repair )

Hope this helps.
Courtesy of Rich Anderson

[phactr]

The best book on the SS-Division "Totenkopf" is undoubtedly "Soldaten, Kämpfer, Kameraden", written by Wolfgang Vopersal. It contains 8 volumes and about 4000 pages and thousands of photographs. Another great book is "Soldiers of destruction" by Sydnor but you will not find in it the kind of details that you want. "Wie ein Feels im Meer" ("Like a cliff in the ocean") is easier to find and gives a good approach to this division. "Totenkopf" (Heimdal Editions) is unfortunately written in french but it contains a very complete command structure (down to company level + staff officers down to battalion level) as its author has told me. It also contains tens of short biographies of the main officers.

[Georg_S]

Look here:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=103919

BTW, SS-T.-Div never fought in Poland in 1939

//Georg

[Mark V.]

The honorary title for SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt.5 wasn't Thule but rather Totenkopf (see Vopersal, Ullrich). Thule was given to SS-Inf.Rgt.9 (mot.), remnants of which were together with SS-Totenkopf Kradschützen Bataillon used to form a new unit in 1942 -

Schnelle Schützen Regiment "Thule" (SS-Ostubaf. Lammerding) - Fast rifle regiment "Thule"

Rgt. HQ

I./Thule (SS-Stubaf. Kleffner - RK)
1. (fast rifle company) - Ostuf. Vogt (RK, DKiG)
2. (fast rifle company) - Hstuf. Eichert
3. (SPW company) - Hstuf. Zech
4. (heavy company) - with engineer, anti-tank and infantry gun platoons – Hstuf. Waller

II./Thule (SS-Stubaf. Bochmann - RK)
5. (fast rifle company) - Hstuf. Säumenicht
6. (fast rifle company) - Ostuf. Dege
7. (SPW company) - Hstuf. Stepphuhn
8. (heavy company) - with engineer, anti-tank and infantry gun platoons – Hstuf. Arnold

After the Kharkov battles in 1943 the regiment was disbanded.

Eicke, Theodor 01.11.1939 07.07.1941
Kleinheisterkamp, Matthias 07.07.1941 18.07.1941
Keppler, Georg 18.07.1941 19.09.1941
Eicke, Theodor 19.09.1941 26.02.1943
Priess, Hermann 26.02.1943 27.04.1943
Lammerding, Heinz 27.04.1943 15.05.1943
Simon, Max 15.05.1943 22.10.1943
Priess, Hermann 22.10.1943 21.06.1944
Becker, Helmuth 21.06.1944 08.05.1945

After Eicke's death, Simon became the Div.Kdr., he was replaced by Priess in April 1943. Priess remained the commander till June 1944 (with Baum also acting as temporary Kdr. for a few weeks in 1944), he was replaced by Ullrich until July when Becker took over and held the position till the end of the war.

A few more usefull links:
DKiG recipients SS-TK div.
III SS Div. Totenkopf Org Chart for 1940

[panzerschreck]

After Eicke's death, Simon became the Div.Kdr., he was replaced by Priess in April 1943. Priess remained the commander till June 1944 (with Baum also acting as temporary Kdr. for a few weeks in 1944), he was replaced by Ullrich until July when Becker took over and held the position till the end of the war.

So this means that the commander list on feldgrau and axis history are wrong?