Lets build: Leibstandarte 1945...

[Timo]

Many people, including myself, are very interested in the 1. SS-Panzer-Division "LSSAH" yet the OoB, TO&E, locations and actions of the weakened Division in 1945 are sketchy at best. Even Ralf Tiemann didn't manage to reconstruct the Division as it saw action in the last year of the war. War diaries are lost, huge gaps between Soll and Ist Gliederung, those holding posts with gaps and errors. It's quite a mess.

Thus my proposal for a "lets build" thread: the Leibstandarte in 1945

[Timo]

Nobody?

[Tolga Alkan]

I would like to read anythings about unit history of sch.SS-Pz.Abt.501(sub-unit of LSSAH) in the period of Jan 1945 - May 1945.

Tolga

[Roger Griffiths]

Timo,

I have just tried to load 1SSPD Zustandsberict listing for January 1945 (Probably date towards end of the month) but it will not take xls files. If you send me e-mail address, that should be OK. There was no 1st January 45 Return and 1 March was last one.

Roger

[Wolfkin]

Hello Timo!

I am also very interested in the Leibstandarte! I will contribute some information to this thread tomorrow or the next day. I can check Men Of Steel and The Leibstandarte Volume IV/2 for information regarding 1945. I will take notes and then post the information.

Cheers,

Wolfkin

[Dan Reinbold]

I'd be willing to help as well Timo...do we want to set this thread possibl as a sticky?

[Timo]

Great. I'll add as much info as possible too

[Timo]

Here's a start. It will take some time to translate what I have from German to English...

01.04.1945 - In the afternoon a Russian rocket hits the Gefechtsstand (HQ) of the Aufklärungsabteilung in Steinbrückl.

The only survivor is Oberscharführer Theo Gernt:
"On the first day of Easter 1945 the Aufklärungsabteilung deployed to Steinbrückl. The Abteilungsgefechtsstand was set up in a settlement. We were sitting at a table in one of these houses: Hauptsturmführer Wawrzinek, commander of the Aufklärungsabteilung, Obersturmführer Gerlach, Chef der 1. Kompanie, Untersturmführer Schröder the adjutant, Oberscharführer Wiese, communications officer and I. We were discussing the situation and the impending end of the war. Suddenly, sounds of fighting compelled me to go outside. There were two four-barreled self propelled FlaK guns set up in defensive position on the eastern edge. They were firing at a column of panje wagons coming from the direction of Wiener Neustadt. I could not make out any other vehicles in the distance (approx. 2 km). The column turned in wild flight. I reported to the commander and returned to the discussion. Suddenly we heard a single mortar round explode, probabely in front of the town. Shortly after came another, this time closer. I was about to move into the next room when suddenly the roof over the table collapsed with a deafening crack. The pressure threw me into the next room. After a brief while I was able to disentangle myself and saw that my left leg from the knee down was covered in blood, but I was still able to walk. I returned to the next room and found that, except for Untersturmführer Schröder, who was sitting in front of the table, no one else showed any signs of life. The entire timber-work had collapsed. Untersturmführer Schröder asked me to help him. I pulled him into the open, he collapsed and died. Then all hell broke loose outside. Tank cannon fired into the town. I could not stay on my feet. The crew of a passing SPW lifted me onto the radiator. In the next village (Wöllersdorf) I saw our divisional commander and reported. I was loaded into an ambulance and driven to the nearest first aid station. The X-ray showed fifty-two fragments in my left leg." (source: Tiemann: "Die Leibstandarte", Bd. IV/2)

† Hauptsturmführer Emil Wawrzinek (Schneidenburg/OS, 09.03.1917 / SS-No. 382 430) was KIA on 01.04.1945 and is burried at the war cemetery in Blumau, Austria (block 3, grave 393)

† Untersturmführer Kurt Schröder (Dossen, 11.02.1922 / SS-Nr. 498 107) was KIA on 01.04.1945 and is burried at the war cemetery in Blumau, Austria (block 3, grave 400)

† Untersturmführer Alfred Gerlach (Iserlohn, 20.03.1916) was KIA on 01.04.1945 as cdr. of 1./SS AA 1.

† Oberscharführer Fritz Wiese (25.10.1921) was KIA on 01.04.1945 and is burried at the war cemetery in Blumau, Austria (block 3, grave 399)

Hans-Martin Leidreiter takes over the Aufklärungsabteilung as Stellvertretender Kommandeur.

Theodor Gernt recently passed away.

[Wolfkin]

Hello all!

I will begin with a brief summary of the events from January 1st to May 8th 1945 in regards to the Leibstandarte. The details can be filled out at a later time. For now, let’s begin with an introduction to what went on during this time.

1945 began with the Leibstandarte operating in the area to the Southeast of Bastogne, in the Ardennes, in Belgium. At this time the Leibstandarte was organized into two Kampfgruppen; KG Poetschke and KG Hansen. From January 1st to January 9th these formations were engaged in combat in the Lutremange -Lutrebois - Villers La Bonne Eau area. The Leibstandarte saw action against elements of both the U.S. 35th Infantry Division and U.S. 4th Armoured Division. On January 10th the Leibstandarte was ordered to withdraw from all engagements and the Division was in a new assembly area to the Southwest of St. Vith by January 15th.

By the 12th of February the Leibstandarte was in a staging area around Nove-Zamky in Hungary. During the time from the 12th of February to the 16th of February the Division was organized into a Panzer Kampfgruppe under Peiper and a Panzergrenadier Kampfgruppe under Hansen. On February 17th the Leibstandarte began it’s involvement in Operation Southwind, along with the Hitlerjugend Division in I SS Panzer Korps, an operation to destroy a Soviet bridgehead on the Gran River. By the 24th the bridgehead had been eliminated and the Leibstandarte had been withdrawn from the front to prepare for another offensive.

Now, the Leibstandarte was to be involved in Operation Spring Awakening, to begin on March 6th. The objective for this operation was to be the launching of a powerful thrust between Lakes Balaton and Valencei, destroying all Soviet forces in the area, and then towards an establishment of a bridgehead on the Danube River. From February 25th to March 2nd the Leibstandarte prepared for this new offensive in an assembly area around Gyor in Hungary. On March 3rd to March 4th the Division moved up to staging areas around Polgardi. Once again the Leibstandarte was to be in I SS Panzer Korps with the Hitlerjugend Division.

The offensive began on March 6th in terrible conditions. It was not until March 8th when the Leibstandarte was able to gain a good measure of ground. On March 9th KG Peiper reached an area near Simontornya on the Sio Canal. This was about 25 kilometres from the start line. The Leibstandarte spent the days of March 10th to March 11th clearing the area North of Simontornya including Point 146. On March 12th the Leibstandarte launched an attack on the town of Simontornya itself and by March 13th the town was taken and a bridgehead established on the Sio Canal.

But the situation would change on March 14th, when Soviet counterattacks intensified in the area, and KG Peiper was withdrawn to the Deg area as a mobile reserve, leaving the Panzergrenadier Kampfgruppe to hold the Sio bridgehead. On March 16th a major Soviet attack was launched to the rear of the Leibstandarte, indeed to the rear of the entire 6th Panzer Armee including I SS Panzer Korps, and the Leibstandarte was forced to withdraw on March 17th. By March 18th the units holding the Sio bridgehead had joined the elements in the Deg area and together they moved to the Inota - Varpalota area on March 19th. From March 20th to March 23rd the Leibstandarte counterattacked and was itself counterattacked in the Varpalota - Veszprem area.

From the time between March 24th and March 26th the Leibstandarte was trying to avoid being encircled as they moved through the Papa - Devecser area. By March 27th the Division had withdrawn across the Marcal Canal between Marcalto and Janoshaza to the area of Celldomolk - Kenyeri, but were soon pushed further back by Soviet attacks, to the Raba River. By March 28th the Leibstandarte was in the area of Vasegerszeg. From March 29th to April 1st the Division conducted a fighting withdrawal from the area of Vasegerszeg, through the route of Lovo - Sopronkovesd - Nikitsch - Sopron to the area of Langenkirchen - Mattersburg.

From April 2nd to April 8th the Leibstandarte was pushed back to the area Northwest of Weiner Neustadt, known as the Vienna Woods. From April 9th to April 21st the Division was fighting for it’s survival in an area between Weiner Neustadt and St. Polten, mainly in the Vienna Woods. On April 22nd a phased withdrawal began with a move to the area South of the Traisen - Hainfeld road, into positions in the nearby mountain valleys. By April 26th the Leibstandarte was holding an area in the Austrian Alps between Lilienfeld and Pernitz. The Leibstandarte remained in this area from April 26th until the night of May 7th/8th when they moved through Scheibbs to Waidhofen to Steyr and then crossed the Enns River, where they then surrendered.

Well, here is what happened, in a brief summary. More details such as Panzer strengths and such can be added later on. I think this will suffice for now as a good description. This is a compilation of notes taken from information contained in the books Men Of Steel by Michael Reynolds and The Leibstandarte Volume IV/2 by Ralf Tiemann.

Cheers,

Wolfkin

[Timo]

Thanks Jon. Thats a perfect introduction to this topic to start this thread from.

BTW, I will be away from my computer the whole next week and wont be able to reply.

[Wolfkin]

Hello Timo!

That's ok, I'll try to keep this going. I will add a few more posts with KG compositions and Panzer strengths. Hurry back though, eh? I bet you have some great info to add!

Cheers,

Wolfkin

[Wolfkin]

Hello all!

In January 1945 during the fighting to the Southeast of Bastogne KG Poetschke was composed of the I/SS Panzer Regiment 1 with all available Panzer, two battalions of Panzergrenadiers and a Pioneer Kompanie. KG Hansen was composed of SS Panzerjager Abteilung 1, all Panzergrenadier elements not in KG Poetschke, a Reconaissance platoon and a Pioneer Kompanie.

It is interesting to see how the KG's composition has changed from the structure in December 1944 when the Campaign started. Gone were all of those Kampfgruppen; KG Peiper, KG Hansen, KG Knittel, KG Sandig.

Cheers,

Wolfkin

[Wolfkin]

Hello!

The Panzer strength in January 1945 in Ardennes:

PzKpfw IV- 26
PzKpfw V- 16
PzKpfw VI- 33
Jagdpanzer- 18

These are the "On Hand" strengths and it is unsure how many were operational. Apparently though, from some records it appears that only 16 PzKpfw IV and only 3 PzKpfw V of I/SS Panzer Regiment 1 were actually operational. Of the 33 Tiger II of sSSPzAbt 501 only 15 were operational.

Cheers,

Wolfkin

[Wolfkin]

Hello!

In February 1945, during Operation Southwind, the Panzer KG under Peiper was composed of the I/SS Panzer Regiment 1, III/SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 2, sSSPzAbt 501 and elements of I/SS Panzerartillerie Regiment 1. The Panzergrenadier KG under Hansen was composed of elements of SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 1 and 2, elements of SS Panzer Aufklarung Abteilung 1, 1./SS Panzerjager Abteilung 1, and parts of SS Flak Abteilung 1.

Cheers,

Wolfkin

[Wolfkin]

Hello!

The Panzer strength in February 1945 during Operation Southwind in Hungary:

PzKpfw IV- 21 operational out of 30 on hand
PzKpfw V- 25 operational out of 35 on hand
PzKpfw VI- 19

The Panzer strength on March 6, 1945 during Operation Spring Awakening in Hungary:

PzKpfw IV- 14
PzKpfw V- 26
PzKpfw VI- 4
Jagdpanzer- 15

Cheers,

Wolfkin