Kg Hansen, Kg Peiper, Kg Sandig and Kg knittel

[Lasse]

These 4 kampfgruppes where involved in the battle of the bulge, but where there any more kampfgruppes from any other divison than from LAH involved in the battle for the bulge?
Which of these kampfgruppes had most strenght and which succeed best with their task?
Also: does anyone have list over which regiments that where in Kg Hansen, Sandig and Knittel?

I did a search on the forum, but i dident find the info i was looking for.

[Andy H]

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=39307

The above link has some information within it that may be of some use

Andy H

[Timo]

These 4 kampfgruppes where involved in the battle of the bulge, but where there any more kampfgruppes from any other divison than from LAH involved in the battle for the bulge?

...Yes, many Kampfgruppen. To name a few:
The HJ Division had the Kampfgruppen Müller, Kuhlmann, Bremer and Krause. Panzerlehr had the Kampfgruppen von Fallois, 901 and 902.

Which of these kampfgruppes had most strenght

...in overall firepower that would be Kampfgruppe Peiper

and which succeed best with their task?

...I suppose that was Kampgruppe von Böhm or Kampfgruppe von Cochenhausen, both from the 2. Panzer-Division which came very close to the Meuse River near Dinant.

Also: does anyone have list over which regiments that where in Kg Hansen, Sandig and Knittel?

Peiper:
- I./SS-Pz.Rgt. 1 LSSAH
- s. SS-Pz.Abt. 501
- III./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 2 LSSAH
- 3./SS-Pz.Pio.Btln. 1 LSSAH
- II./SS-Pz.Art.Rgt. 1 LSSAH
- FlaK-Sturm-Abt. 84

Knittel:
- SS AA 1 LSSAH
- 2./SS-Pz.Pio.Btln. 1 LSSAH
- 2./SS-Pz.Art.Rgt. 1 LSSAH

Hansen:
- SS.Pz.Gren.Rgt. 1 LSSAH
- SS-PzJgr.Abt. 1 LSSAH
- I./SS-Pz.Art.Rgt. 1 LSSAH
- 1./SS-Pz.Pio.Btln. 1 LSSAH

Sandig:
- SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 2 LSSAH (minus III.)
- III./SS-Pz.Art.Rgt. 1 LSSAH
- SS-FlaK-Abt. 1 LSSAH

[Lasse]

Ah great!!
Just the info i needed, what would I do without you guys? Thanks once again!!

Is my information correct that the Flak.Abt. 84 was a luftwaffe unit?
And: is the s. SS-Pz.Abt. 501 the heavy panzer abt?

Thanks once again!!!

[Timo]

The answer to both questions is...yes 8)

[Lasse]

Thanks once again!
Did any else non SS unit become attached to any of the KG´s?

[Timo]

The LSSAH Kampfgruppen you mean? No, but s. PzJgr. Abt. 560 was assigned to Kampfgruppe Kuhlmann (12. SS)

[Tolga Alkan]

There was a fallschirmjager task force commanded by Oberstleutnant Von der Heydte called Kampfgruppe Von der Heydte.They had some unsuccesful jumpings in Ardennes and surrendered Christmas Eve 1944.

Best
Tolga

[Lasse]

Hi again!
Thanks both of you!
Is it correct that KG Peiper got the longest of the 4 kampfgruppes of LAH?

(excuse me if my questions and so are maybe simple or dumb to you, but iam very intressted)

[Timo]

You're welcome

They're not simple or dumb, everybody has to start somewere. Eight years ago I asked the same questions on Feldgrau.

But what do you mean by "got the longest"? Got closest to the Meuse?

Hi again!
Thanks both of you!
Is it correct that KG Peiper got the longest of the 4 kampfgruppes of LAH?

(excuse me if my questions and so are maybe simple or dumb to you, but iam very intressted)

[Lasse]

Yes, got closes to its target if you understand how i mean

[Timo]

Indeed Peiper got closest to the Meuse but got encircled in La Gleize. Kampfgruppe Hansen made an attempt to break the encirclement but failed. The other Kampgruppen tried to free the supply route which had also been cut by the Americans (by taking Stavelot) but this also failed. Thus Peiper was without reinforcements, ammo or fuel and forced to retreat, escaping by sneaking through the American encirclement, leaving all equipment behind.

[Tolga Alkan]

For more information about Kampfgruppe Von der Heydte,check this out:

http://www.eagle19.freeserve.co.uk/ardennes.htm

Best Regards
Tolga

[Lasse]

Tolga, thanks for the link!! I really appriciate it!
Timo: Thanks once again, really nice that you take time to handle my questions!!

Last question: Which parts of KG peiper was involved in the Malmedy massacer and when did the massacer happen (what date).

[Timo]

Date is 17.12.1944. Involved units are tanks from 7./SS-Pz.Rgt. 1, Engineers from the Pionierkompanie and Grenadiers from III./SS-PzGren.Rgt. 2. But who exactly fired the shots and why is, despite many possible scenarios, a mystery to date.