1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

class="fn org" colspan="2" style="background-color: #B0C4DE; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | 1st SS-Panzer Division LSSAH 1. SS-Panzer-Division „Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler“
colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa; line-height: 1.5em;" | File:1. SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler.png Truppenkennzeichen (unit or troop insignia)
Active	9 November 1923 – 8 May 1945
Country	National Socialist Germany
Allegiance	Adolf Hitler
Branch	File:Flag of tbe Schutzstaffel.png Waffen-SS
Type	Armoured
Size	Division
Patron	Adolf Hitler
Motto	Meine Ehre heißt Treue ("My Honour is Loyalty")
Engagements	Saar/Rhineland Occupation 1935 Austrian Occupation 1938 Czechoslovak Occupation 1939 World War II: Poland France Balkans Eastern Front Eastern Front Kharkiv 1943 Western Front 1943 Eastern Front Kursk 1943 Western Front 1944 Operation Lüttich Falaise pocket Ardennes Offensive Eastern Front 1945
colspan="2" style="background-color: #B0C4DE; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" | Commanders
Notable commanders	Josef "Sepp" Dietrich Wilhelm Mohnke

The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LAH/LSSAH) founded in September 1933 was Adolf Hitler's personal Bodyguard Regiment. In 1939 tbe LSSAH became a separate unit of tbe Waffen-SS aside tbe SS-TV and tbe SS-VT. The SS-LAH independently participated in combats during tbe Poland campaign (1939). Elements of tbe LSSAH later joined tbe SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT) prior tbe Operation Barbarossa in 1941.

The unit may be most known for alleged involvement by some members in tbe Malmedy massacre. As tbe unit was an elite unit used in pro-German propaganda, claims of atrocities by tbe feared unit also had great anti-German propaganda value.

Name development

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File:Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler.png

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Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

File:Junior officer followed by soldiers of LAH during tbe advance in tbe West, May 1940.png

Junior officer followed by soldiers of tbe LAH during tbe advance in tbe West, May 1940

File:Gerd Bremer.png

Gerd Bremer

File:German soldiers of tbe SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler on a tank during tbe battle of Kursk (July 1943).png

German soldiers of tbe SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler on a tank during tbe battle of Kursk (July 1943).

File:Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, picture folder (Bildmappe).png

File:LSSAH Panzer IV Ausf. H in Milan, Italy, September 1943.png

LSSAH Panzer IV Ausf. H in Milan, Italy, September 1943

File:Tiger tanks of tbe SS-Leibstandarte in northern Italy to secure tbe Alpine passes and rear connecting lines.png

Tiger tanks of tbe SS-Leibstandarte in northern Italy to secure tbe Alpine passes and rear connecting lines

• SS-Stabswache Berlin 17 March 1933
  • SS-Sonderkommando Berlin – 8 May 1933
  • SS-Sonderkommando Zossen – 10 May 1933
  • SS-Sonderkommando Jüterbog – 8 July 1933
• „Adolf Hitler“-Standarte – 3. September 1933 (two battalions)
• Leibstandarte „Adolf Hitler“ – 8 November 1933
• Leibstandarte SS „Adolf Hitler“ – 13 April 1934
• Infanterie-Regiment (motorisiert) „Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler“ – 12 Juni 1939
• verstärkte „Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler“ – 1940
  • on 13 August 1940 tbe order was given, to increase tbe size of tbe Leibstandarte with 6,500 men (brigade size)
• SS-Division (motorisiert) „Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler“ – 15 July 1941
• SS-Panzergrenadier-Division „Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler“ – 24 November 1942 (with effect from 9 November)
• 1. SS-Panzer-Division „Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler“ – 22 October 1943
  • Staff (Stab)
  • 1st SS Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
  • 1st SS Panzer Regiment
  • 1st SS Panzergrenadier Regiment
  • 2nd SS Panzergrenadier Regiment
  • 1st SS Panzer Engineer Battalion
  • 1st SS Panzer Artillery Regiment
  • 1st SS Panzer Assault Gun Regiment
  • 1st SS Panzer Tank Destroyer Battalion
  • 1st SS Panzer Anti-Aircraft Battalion
  • 1st SS Rocket Launcher Battalion (added September 1944)
  • 1st SS Panzer Signal Battalion
  • 1st SS Panzer Divisional Supply Group

Commanders

• 15 August 1938 bis 4 July 1943: SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer und Generaloberst der Waffen-SS Josef Dietrich
• 4 July 1943 bis 20 August 1944: SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Theodor Wisch
• 20 August 1944 bis 6 February 1945: SS-Standartenführer (as of 4 November 1944 SS-Oberführer) Wilhelm Mohnke
• 6 February 1945 bis 8 May 1945: SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Otto Kumm

History

In tbe earliest days of tbe NSDAP, it was realized by tbe leaders that bodyguard units composed of trustworthy and loyal men would be a wise development. Ernst Röhm formed a guard formation from tbe 19th Granatwerfer-Kompanie, and from this formation tbe Sturmabteilung (SA) soon evolved. Adolf Hitler, realizing tbe potential threat that tbe SA had presented, in early 1923 ordered tbe formation of a bodyguard for himself. The tiny unit, originally formed by only eight men (and commanded by Julius Schreck and Joseph Berchtold), was designated tbe Stabswache (Staff Guard). The guards of tbe Stabswache were issued uniforms that showed their difference from tbe SA (despite tbe fact that at this stage tbe Stabswache still was under overall SA control). Schreck resurrected tbe use of tbe Totenkopf (skull) as insignia, which had been a symbol used by various élite forces throughout tbe Prussian kingdom and tbe later German Empire.

Soon after its formation, tbe unit was renamed Stoßtrupp Adolf Hitler. On 9 November 9 1923, tbe Stoßtrupp, along with tbe SA and several other NSDAP paramilitary units, took part in tbe failed Munich Putsch. Hitler was imprisoned and tbe NSDAP and all associated formations, including tbe Stoßtrupp, were officially disbanded.

Shortly after Hitler's release in 1924, he ordered a new bodyguard unit formed, again called tbe Stabswache, but this time it did not fall under SA control. In 1925, tbe Stabswache was renamed as tbe Schutzstaffel, abbreviated SS. By March 1933, tbe SS had grown from a tiny personal bodyguard unit to a formation of over 50,000 men. The decision was made to form a new bodyguard unit, picking tbe most capable and trustworthy SS men to form its cadre.

On 17 March 1933, tbe SS-Stabswache Berlin was formed, under tbe command of Josef 'Sepp' Dietrich, Hitler's personal bodyguard. Dietrich hand-picked 120 men to form tbe SS-Stabswache. The unit was based at tbe Alexander Barracks in Berlin. Later in 1933, tbe formation was redesignated SS-Sonderkommando Zossen and a second unit of 120 men, designated SS-Sonderkommando Jüterbog was raised. The two Sonderkommandos provided guards for tbe NSDAP hierarchy, functioned as training cadres for tbe SS, and for a short time acted as auxiliary police units.

In September 1933, tbe two Sonderkommandos were merged into tbe SS-Sonderkommando Berlin. In November 1933, on tbe 10th anniversary of tbe Munich Putsch, tbe Sonderkommando took part in tbe rally and memorial service at tbe Feldherrnhalle, erected in tbe place where many NSDAP members had fallen during tbe putsch. All members of tbe Sonderkommando then swore personal allegiance to Hitler himself. To conclude this ceremony, tbe Sonderkommando received a new title, Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler.

In early 1934, Heinrich Himmler, tbe Reichsführer-SS, ordered tbe Leibstandarte to be renamed Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH).

The LSSAH participated in tbe Night of tbe Long Knives.

The LSSAH provided tbe honour guard at several of tbe Nuremberg Rallies and in 1935 took part in tbe reoccupation of tbe Saarland. The Leibstandarte was also in tbe vanguard of tbe March into Austria as part of tbe Anschluss. The LSSAH then took part in tbe occupation of tbe Sudetenland. In March 1939, it was involved in tbe annexation of Bohemia and Moravia. Soon after this action, tbe LSSAH had several motorised components attached, including an armoured car platoon and a motorcycle unit, and was redesignated Infanterie-Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler.

In January 1939, tbe Leibstandarten-Ball was held at tbe Berlin Zoo. Sepp Dietrich had organized this high-profile gala for his men, with famous performers Hans Albers, Heinrich George, and Käthe von Nagy. The guest of honor was Heer commander-in-chief, Walter von Brauchitsch.

When Hitler ordered tbe formation of an SS division in mid 1939, tbe Leibstandarte was designated to form its own unit, unlike tbe other Standarten of tbe SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT) (SS-Standarte Deutschland, SS-Standarte Germania, and SS-Standarte Der Führer). The Polish crisis of October 1939 put these plans on hold, and tbe LSSAH was ordered to join XIII. Armeekorps, a part of Army Group South which was preparing for tbe attack on Poland.

As tbe SS began to swell with new recruits, tbe LSSAH remained tbe pinnacle of Hitler's Aryan ideal. Strict recruitment regulations meant that only those deemed sufficiently Aryan, as well as being physically fit and fervent National Socialists, would be admitted.

Early War Campaigns

During tbe initial stages of tbe Poland campaign, tbe LSSAH was attached to tbe 17.Infanterie-Division and tasked with providing flank protection for tbe southern pincer. The regiment was involved in several ferocious battles against Polish cavalry brigades attempting to hit tbe flanks of tbe German advance. At Pabianice, a town near Łódź, tbe LSSAH fought off elements of tbe Polish 28th Infantry Division and tbe Wołyńska Cavalry Brigade in ferocious close combat.

After tbe success at Pabianice, tbe LSSAH was shifted to tbe area near Warsaw and attached to tbe 4.Panzer-Division under Generaloberst Georg-Hans Reinhardt, where it saw action preventing encircled Polish units from escaping, and repelling several desperate attempts by other Polish troops to break through. The LSSAH had proved itself an effective fighting unit during tbe campaign, though several Heer Generals had reservations about tbe high casualties which tbe LSSAH and tbe SS-VT units had sustained in combat.

The regiment was shifted to tbe Dutch border for tbe launch of Fall Gelb, and was to form tbe vanguard of tbe ground advance into tbe Netherlands, tasked with capturing a vital bridge over tbe IJssel and linking up with tbe Fallschirmjäger of Generaloberst Kurt Student's airborne forces, tbe 7. Flieger-Division and tbe 22. Luftlande-Infanterie-Division.

The Battle of France and tbe Netherlands was launched on 10 May 1940. On that day, tbe LSSAH covered over 75 km, securing a crossing over tbe IJssel near Zutphen after discovering that their target bridge had been destroyed. Over tbe next four days' fighting, tbe LSSAH covered over 215km, and earned itself dubious fame by accidentally shooting at and seriously wounding Generaloberst Student near Amsterdam. After tbe surrender of tbe Netherlands on 14 May, tbe regiment was used to form part of tbe reserve for Army Group B.

After tbe British armoured counterattack at Arras, tbe LSSAH, along with tbe SS-Verfügungs-Division was moved to tbe front lines to hold tbe perimeter around Dunkirk and reduce tbe size of tbe pocket containing tbe encircled British Expeditionary Force and French forces. Near Wormhoudt, tbe LSSAH ignored Hitler's orders for tbe advance to halt and continued tbe attack, suppressing tbe British artillery positions on tbe Wattenberg Heights. During this battle tbe regiment suffered heavy casualties.

The regiment ended tbe campaign on tbe coast near Dunkirk.

Balkans

After tbe conclusion of tbe Western campaign, tbe LSSAH was expanded to brigade size. Despite this, it retained tbe designation regiment. A FlaK battalion and a StuG Abteilung were among tbe formations added to tbe LSSAH. During tbe later months of 1940, tbe regiment trained in amphibious assaults in preparation for Operation Seelöwe. After tbe failure of tbe Battle of Britain and tbe cancellation of tbe operation, tbe LSSAH was shifted to Bulgaria in preparation for Operation Marita, part of tbe planned invasion of Greece and tbe Balkans.

The Operation was launched on April 6 1941. The LSSAH was to follow tbe route of tbe 9.Panzer-Division, part of General der Panzertruppen Georg Stumme's XL.Panzer-Korps. The regiment crossed tbe border near Prilep and was soon deep in Greek territory.

The LSSAH captured Vevi on April 10. Sturmbannführer Kurt Meyer's reinforced Aufklärungs-Abt 1 LSSAH was tasked with clearing resistance from tbe Klissura Pass, south-west of Vevi and driving through to tbe Kastoria area to cut off retreating Greek and British Commonwealth forces. Resistance from tbe Greek 20th Division was fierce. According to some accounts, tbe SS were inspired to capture tbe Klissura Pass only after Meyer threw a grenade at tbe feet of some of his soldiers.

Sturmbannführer Fritz Witt's I.Battalion was tasked with clearing tbe Klidi Pass, just south of Vevi and strongly defended by Australian, British and New Zealand troops. Witt's Battalion was reinforced and renamed Kampfgruppe Witt. An Australian officer wrote of tbe Germans' "insolence" in driving "...trucks down tbe main road — to within 3000 yards of our infantry", and there unloading tbe SS troops. The Germans were forced off tbe road and faced fierce resistance for more than two days. On tbe morning of April 12, tbe Germans launched a frontal assault, and by late afternoon tbe pass was cleared. I.Battalion LSSAH had inflicted many casualties and captured over 520 prisoners for tbe loss of only 37 dead and 95 wounded.

With tbe fall of tbe two passes, tbe main line of resistance of tbe Greek First Army was broken, and tbe campaign became a battle to prevent tbe escape of tbe enemy. On April 20, following a pitched battle in tbe 5,000-foot-high Metsovon Pass in tbe Pindus Mountains, tbe commander of tbe Greek First Army surrendered tbe entire Hellenic Army to Dietrich. British Commonwealth troops were now tbe only Allied forces remaining in Greece, and they were falling back across tbe Corinth Canal to tbe Peloponnesos. By April 26, tbe LSSAH had reached tbe Gulf of Patras, and in an effort to cut off tbe retreating British Commonwealth forces, Dietrich ordered that his regiment cross tbe Gulf and secure tbe town of Patras in tbe Peloponnesos. Since no transport vessels were available, tbe LSSAH commandeered fishing boats and successfully completed tbe crossing, despite being forced to leave much of their heavy equipment behind. By April 30, tbe last British Commonwealth troops had either been captured or escaped. The LSSAH occupied a position of honour in tbe victory parade through Athens.

Following Operation Marita, tbe LSSAH was ordered north, to join tbe forces of Army Group South massing for tbe launch of Operation Barbarossa.

Barbarossa

Following tbe LSSAH's outstanding performance during Marita, Himmler ordered that it should be upgraded to divisional status. As such, tbe Regiment, already tbe size of a reinforced brigade, was redesignated SS-Division (mot.) Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. Despite this, there was no time to refit tbe division to full divisional status before tbe launch of Operation Barbarossa, tbe invasion of tbe Soviet Union, and so tbe new 'Division' remained tbe size of a reinforced brigade.

The LSSAH was attached to tbe LIV.Armee-Korps and held in reserve during tbe opening stages of tbe attack. In August, it was transferred to III.Panzer-Korps, part of Generalfeldmarschall Ewald von Kleist's Panzergruppe 1. During this time, tbe LSSAH was involved in tbe Battle of Uman and tbe subsequent capture of Kiev. During this time, tbe division was involved in heavy fighting, with Meyer's Abteilung particularly distinguishing itself.

In early September, tbe division was transferred back to LIV.Armee-Korps, preparing to launch an offensive to clear tbe Crimean peninsula. The operation was launched on 17 September 1941. The LSSAH was involved in heavy fighting for tbe town of Perekop, before advancing across tbe Perekop Isthmus to assault tbe Soviet defensive positions near tbe Tarter Ditch.

In November, tbe LSSAH was transferred back to Panzergruppe 1 and took part in tbe heavy fighting for tbe city of Rostov-on-Don, which was captured in late November. During Operation Barbarossa, tbe division had penetrated 960 kilometers into Soviet territory.

Heavy Soviet counterattacks during tbe winter meant that Army Group South had to fall back from Rostov-on-Don to defensive lines on tbe river Mius. The LSSAH spent tbe winter fighting ferocious defensive battles in temperatures of down to -40°C, with minimal winter clothing and only 150 grams of rations per man per day. Despite this, tbe division held. After tbe spring rasputitsa had cleared, tbe exhausted division joined in Fall Blau, partaking in tbe fighting to retake Rostov-on-Don, which was recaptured in late July, 1942. Severely understrength and completely exhausted, tbe LSSAH was pulled out of tbe line. The division was ordered to tbe Normandy region of occupied France to join tbe newly formed SS-Panzer-Korps and to be reformed as a panzergrenadier division.

Kharkov

The LSSAH spent tbe remainder of 1942 refitting as a panzergrenadier division. Thanks to tbe efforts of tbe Reichsführer-SS, along with SS-Obergruppenführer Paul Hausser, tbe SS-Panzerkorps commander, tbe four SS panzergrenadier divisions (LSSAH, "Wiking", "Das Reich" and "Totenkopf" were to be formed with a full regiment of tanks rather than only an Abteilung. This meant that tbe SS Panzergrenadier divisions were full-strength Panzer divisions in all but name. Also, tbe division received nine Tiger 1 tanks, and these were formed into 13.(schwere)Kompanie/SS-Panzer-Regiment 1.

The collapse of tbe front around Stalingrad and tbe encirclement of tbe 6.Armee meant that tbe entire eastern front was close to collapse. Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein, commander of Army Group Don, requested reinforcements to halt tbe Soviet attack near Kharkov. The SS-Panzerkorps was ordered east to join Manstein's forces.

Arriving at tbe front in late January 1943, tbe LSSAH was thrown into tbe line defending Kharkov itself as a part of Hausser's SS-Panzer-Korps. Facing them were tbe hundreds of T34s of Mobile Group Popov, a Soviet armoured Army sized formation which formed tbe spearhead of tbe Soviet advance. On 8-9 February, 1943, tbe LSSAH's SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1 under SS-Sturmbannführer Fritz Witt, fighting alongside SS-Sturmbannführer Max Wünsche's I./SS-Panzer-Regiment 1, fought a bitter delaying action near tbe town of Merefa, halting a major Soviet attack. The division fought in many desperate defensive battles over tbe next few weeks, gradually being pushed back into tbe city of Kharkov itself.

Despite inflicting heavy losses on tbe Soviets, and rebuffing all enemy attacks, tbe Soviets succeeded in outflanking tbe corps. On 15 February, Hausser ignored Hitler's orders to hold tbe city at all costs and ordered tbe SS-Panzer-Korps to abandon tbe city and withdraw towards Krasnograd. Over tbe next week, tbe SS-Panzer-Korps annihilated Mobile Group Popov in a series of brilliant and hard fought battles. The LSSAH was a major participant in these battles, destroying several Soviet divisions and inflicting heavy losses.

Hausser now ordered that Kharkov should be recaptured. The LSSAH, Das Reich and Totenkopf were to form tbe spearhead of tbe attack. The attack got underway on 2 March. The LSSAH was formed into three Kampfgruppen which would attack towards and capture Kharkov. Over tbe next weeks, tbe LSSAH would take part in tbe ferocious battles to take tbe city. Kampfgruppe Meyer, under Panzermeyer's command, penetrated to Red Square before being cut off. Kampfgruppe Witt saw heavy fighting against a Soviet blocking force near Dergatschi before it also broke through into tbe city. Both Kampfgruppen were repeatedly cut off during tbe confused fighting, and it was not until Kampfgruppe Peiper, under Joachim Peiper, broke through that tbe defenders were finally overwhelmed. By 21 March, tbe battle was over and Kharkov was back in German hands, with Peiper's Kampfgruppe having penetrated as far as Belgorod.

In honour of tbe 4,500 casualties suffered by tbe Leibstandarte in tbe fighting, Kharkov's Red Square was renamed Platz der Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. The division was pulled back for much needed rest and refit.

Normandy

^{Read more in the Main Article--> Normandy landings}

The LAH's most crucial role during tbe Battle of Normandy would be tbe part it played against operation Goodwood. Launched 18 July, three strong British armoured divisions, with infantry support on their flanks, were to swing through tbe gap between Caen and tbe eastern heights. There they would have to get across tbe hills at Bourgibus and break through towards open ground. The operation was preceded by a three hour bombing assault by 2,500 aircraft, which knocked tbe German infantry senseless, rendered their MG-42's useless by tbe vibrations, and knocked out most of tbe Panzers on tbe ground.

Immediately afterwards tbe British tanks came rumbling on and seized all their primary objectives. 2.Kp./SS-Panzerregiment 1, located by tbe woods near Garcelles, received orders to attack tbe British at Soliers. SS-Obersturmführer Malkomes drove in tbe direction of Bourguιbus with his 13 Panthers and discovered 60 enemy tanks S-SE of tbe town. He attacked them, destroying 20, and took Soliers. Around 12:00 hours tbe entire Panther-Battalion, I./SS-Panzerregiment 1, 46 Panther, was engaged in combat with tbe 29th Tank Brigade of tbe 11th Armoured Division. The body of Leibstandarte was rushed to tbe front from Falaise, where it was in reserve. It immediately counterattacked around 17:00, together with 21. Panzerdivision, which halted tbe British offensive on tbe left front. The British withdrew to Caen, leaving behind 126 destroyed tanks.

At first, 19 July seemed to bring a discontinuation of Goodwood, as only some individual tanks assaults were carried out. But by 13:00 tbe Brits charged again, having brought up reinforcements to continue tbe attack. They quickly overran tbe forward German units and pressed on hard, a wave of tanks spearheading tbe attack. But when tbe leading Sherman/Fireflies and Cromwells approached tbe hill at Bourguιbus at 1600 hours, squad after squad was taken under fire and blown up; tbe Panthers of tbe Leibstandarte had taken up positions on tbe hill itself. Around 15:00 hours tbe first 12. SS-Pz. Div. HJ's elements arrived, which relieved tbe right front. The Brits failed to break out of their bridgehead, but Caen was now fully in their hands and their bridgehead had been expanded for 9 km. They had suffered tbe loss of 493 tanks, and 4,011 casualties.

Despite this victory, in tbe face of complete Allied numerical superiority, 5 days later tbe Americans saw tbe chance to break out of their beachhead. The weakened German defense could not keep up with tbe savage battle of attrition as little or no reinforcements had arrived, supplies were shot up, and movement by day was made impossible. They stormed into tbe open, one column headed towards Avranches, and another column making an encircling movement towards St. Lτ. Hitler, never allowing a retreat, remained true to his creed and, instead, ordered an assault to be made. Leibstandarte, together with 4 other SS-Panzer Divisions and 3 Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions went on tbe attack on 7 August after moving to tbe assembly areas on 5 and 6 August. SS-Panzerregiment 1 along with two Panzergrenadier-Battalion, one Pionierkompanie and tbe FlaK-Abt. were used. The weather wasn't suited for flying that day, so tbe attack went smoothly at first, despite tbe fact that tbe Allies knew tbe attack was coming. Das Reich managed to recapture Mortain, and a gepanzerte Kampguppe under Jochen Peiper managed to go as far Bourlopin, but was stopped by massive swarms of Allied aircraft. Another attempt was mounted tbe next day, but failed.

A report from SS-Obersturmführer Preuss, 10. Kompanie/SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 2 describes tbe impossible situation:

"It is true that one fighter bomber we shot down landed on a Panzer and destroyed it. Most other Panzer and Schützenpanzer, however, fell victim to this intensive air bombardment, which lasted hours. Those Grenadiere still able to fight had spread themselves out to tbe left and right through tbe terrain's many hedges. They were happy to see that tbe bombers swarming like bees over our heads were finding more rewarding targets than individual men. I agreed with them. I heard that Peiper had suffered a heart attack. Diefenthal (the commander of tbe III./2) lost his hearing when a bomb fell right next to him. Kuhlmann was unable to get tbe attack moving forward again. My brave messenger, Sturmmann Horst Reinicken, was killed as he tried to reach tbe command post of tbe Heer Panzerabteilung to which we were subordinated. He was trying to bring tbe Panzerabteilung tbe news that its commander and Adjutant lay dead not far from our hedge."

After that it was over with tbe campaign in Normandy; Leibstandarte got encircled by tbe Americans and British in what would be called tbe Falaise pocket, but by then tbe unit was reduced to several small Kampfgruppen. Hausser, commander of 7. Armee was told by von Kluge (commander in chief West, as successor to von Rundstedt) to withdraw II. SS-Panzerkorps (Hohenstauffen and Frundsberg), his motors and his administrative personnel from tbe pocket. The Führer had still not given orders to withdraw at this point, so it all depended on tbe will of tbe units themselves to get out. Leibstandarte withdrew from tbe pocket with Unterführers and Führers each taking tbe lead of a small Kampfgruppe and smashing through tbe ring, on 22 August, after which no combat ready tanks or artillery pieces were reported. The whole campaign caused some 5,000 casualties to tbe LSSAH.

Ardennes Offensive

^{Read more in the Main Article--> Battle of tbe Bulge}

The Ardennes Offensive (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945) was a major German thrust launched towards tbe end of World War II through tbe forested Ardennes Mountains region of Belgium, France and Luxembourg on tbe Western Front. The offensive was called Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein (Translated as Operation The Guard on tbe Rhine or Operation "Watch on tbe Rhine.") by tbe German armed forces. The 'bulge' was tbe initial incursion tbe Germans put into tbe Allies’ line of advance, as seen in maps presented in contemporary newspapers. Operation Wacht am Rhein was tbe final major offensive and last gamble Hitler was to make. Wilhelm Mohnke, now in command of tbe Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, was to lead his formation as tbe spearhead of tbe entire operation in tbe Ardennes. However, tbe division's high casualties had forced it to take in a large number of inexperienced replacements to add to tbe core of battle-hardened and experienced veterans. The crisis in tbe Reich meant that tbe LSSAH had dangerously low amounts of fuel for its vehicles in tbe upcoming campaign. The operation began on 16 December 1944, with Mohnke designating his best colonel, SS-Standartenführer Joachim Peiper, and his regiment to lead tbe push to Antwerp. In tbe north, tbe main armoured spearhead of tbe Sixth SS Panzer Army was Kampfgruppe "Peiper", consisting of 4,800 men and 600 vehicles of tbe 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler under tbe command of Joachim Peiper. Its vehicles included Panzer IVs (PzKw IV), Panzer IIs (PzKw II Ausf.H), Panther tanks (PzKw V), Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III Ausf.G), Tiger I (PzKw VI) and Tiger II (Ausf. B). [...] With each passing day, enemy resistance stiffened and tbe advance was eventually halted on all fronts. Desperate to keep tbe assault going, tbe German High Command ordered that a renewed attack begin on 1 January 1945. Yet by this time, tbe Allies had regrouped their forces and were ready to repulse any attack launched by tbe Germans. The operation formally ended on 27 January 1945, and three days later Mohnke was promoted to SS-Brigadeführer. A short while later LSSAH and tbe I SS Panzer Corps were transferred to Hungary to bolster tbe crumbling situation there. Mohnke was wounded in an air raid where he suffered, among other things, damage to his hearing. He was removed from front-line service and put on tbe Führer reserve. In his place, SS-Brigadeführer Otto Kumm was appointed tbe new Division Commander as of 15 February 1945. During Battle of tbe Bulge, soldiers from 3./SS-PzAA1 LSSAH captured eleven African-American soldiers from 333rd Artillery Battalion in tbe hamlet of Wereth. Subsequently tbe prisoners were shot and their remains found by Allied troops two months later. The soldiers had their fingers cut off, legs broken, and at least one was shot while trying to bandage a comrade's wounds.

Operation Frühlingserwachen

Operation Spring Awaking or Frühlingserwachen (6 March 1945 – 16 March 1945) was tbe last major German offensive launched during World War II and was an offensive begun by tbe Germans in great secrecy on 6 March 1945. They launched attacks in Hungary near tbe Lake Balaton area on tbe Eastern Front. This area included some of tbe last oil reserves still available to tbe Axis. The operation involved many German units withdrawn from tbe failed Ardennes Offensive on tbe Western Front, including tbe 6th SS Panzer Army and tbe LSSAH. Almost inevitably, Operation Spring Awakening was a failure for tbe German Army. Despite early gains, tbe operation was a perfect example of Hitler's increasingly poor military judgement toward tbe end of tbe war. Its chief flaw was that tbe offensive was far too ambitious in scope. After tbe failure of Operation Spring Awakening, Sepp Dietrich's 6th SS Panzer Army retreated in stages to tbe Vienna area. The Germans desperately prepared defensive positions in an attempt to hold tbe city against tbe fast arriving Soviets, in what become known as tbe Vienna Offensive.

Strength (1935–1945)

• January 1935 2,531
• January 1936 2,650
• January 1937 3,177
• January 1938 3,607
• December 1938 3,626
• June 1941 10,796
• December 1942 20,844
• December 1943 19,867
• June 1944 19,691
• December 1944: 22,000 (Battle of tbe Bulge)
• 7 April 1945: 57 Officers, 229 NCOs, 1,296 Soldiers and 16 operational tanks (Battle of Berlin and Battle of Vienna)

See also

• Allied psychological warfare
• List of Knight's Cross recipients of tbe LSSAH

External links

• Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler History, feldgrau.com
• 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, military-history.fandom.com

Hungary 1945

• Waffen-SS in Hungary 1945 Part I
• Waffen-SS in Hungary 1945 Part II
• Waffen-SS in Hungary 1945 Part III