Why is the 4. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division not famous?

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Panzerfusilier
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Why is the 4. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division not famous?

#1

Post by Panzerfusilier » 23 Jun 2018, 21:38

Good day my friends,
I always hear about the 1st three W-SS Divisions, the 5th (Wiking) and the 12th (Hitlerjugend). Why does it seem the Police Division is always over looked or forgotten. Was it due to its size , it personnel , or leaders?
Thank you - Bob

GregSingh
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Re: Why is the 4. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division not famous?

#2

Post by GregSingh » 25 Jun 2018, 02:08

It was not a "Panzer" one. No Panthers or Tigers? Boring.
Also it spent most of the time in the trench warfare near Leningrad. Later in Hungary and finally in Pommern/Westpreußen.
Hardly exciting.


Panzerfusilier
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Re: Why is the 4. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division not famous?

#3

Post by Panzerfusilier » 25 Jun 2018, 08:53

You bring up good points. Thanks Greg.

sons of anzac
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Re: Why is the 4. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division not famous?

#4

Post by sons of anzac » 25 Jun 2018, 15:08

From on old memory from hohne's 'order of the deaths head' in in initial formation of the 4 x Waffen-SS divisions, the 1st LSSAH was seen as the parade ground, ceremonial origins unit, 2nd DAS REICH origins was from the military SS-VT origins, the 3rd TOTENKOPF origins was the SS concentration and prison staff units and finally the 4th POLIZEI originated from the non SS police based battalions. The police were now part of the SS, but were subsumed / drafted into the SS rather than volunteering like all the other 3 units. It was an important pride and snobbery point between them. The 4th always had less glamour, more mundane duties, less favour in terms of equipment e.g issued stocks surplus lower quality artillery and transport often captured material.

CNE503
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Re: Why is the 4. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division not famous?

#5

Post by CNE503 » 25 Jun 2018, 15:14

Yes. And it never was a fully armored division, status reached by the three other divisions in 1942 (officially in late 1943). As GregSingh said, it was involved in vicious positional warfare in the Northern sector of the Eastern Front, far away from the gallantly fought mobile battles that occurred in the Ukrainian open grounds. And yes, it came for a branch of the SS, the police which was lately incorporated ot it, less glamorous.
It explains why this division is in the shadow of the armored SS divisions.

CNE503
"Sicut Aquila" / "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre" / "par l'exemple, le coeur et la raison" / "Labor Omnia Vincit"

Panzerfusilier
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Joined: 23 Jun 2018, 07:18
Location: United States

Re: Why is the 4. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division not famous?

#6

Post by Panzerfusilier » 25 Jun 2018, 23:18

sons of anzac & CNE503 thank you. Both your posts were entirely new information for me.

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