Führer Grenadier Brigade
Encyclopedia
The Führer Grenadier Brigade was an élite German
Heer
combat unit which saw action during World War II
. The Führer Grenadier Brigade is sometimes mistakenly perceived as being a part of the Waffen-SS
, whereas it was actually a Heer
unit and technically assigned to the Großdeutschland Division
. This misconception comes from its original duty of guarding Adolf Hitler
's East Prussian Wolfsschanze
Headquarters, a task which sounded similar to the original one of Waffen-SS 1. Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler", which in turn stemmed from the Führer's original bodyguard corps. Fighting on both the eastern and western fronts, the brigade surrendered to U.S. forces in Austria in 1945.
Despite the idea of Hitler's bodyguards being drawn from the SS
, a small detachment was drawn from the Wach Regiment to become Hitler's private bodyguard. This unit was called the Führer Begleit (or Führer Escort), and was to eventually be expanded to divisional size (see Führer Begleit Brigade
).
pool of hand-picked personnel. In October 1944, it was assigned to XXVII Korps of the Fourth Army and sent to the vicinity of Gumbinnen. They fought at Daken and Grosswaltersdorf from October 21–23. The brigade operated in conjunction with 5th Panzer Division and the 'Hermann Göring" Division.
The brigade's composition did not match any standard unit configuration. The Großdeutschland Division
never fought on the western front in 1944–45 (it did see action in the 1940 invasion of France but in regiment form), however, the Führer Grenadier Brigade was technically a part of the division and some photographs show the Großdeutschland Insignia from the Battle of the Bulge
. As a part of Großdeutschland, FGB was permitted to wear cuff-title insignia. The Großdeutschland was ordered to wear the cuff title on the right sleeve (as did veterans of the North African campaign or the taking of Crete with their own honour bands), while the SS wore theirs on the left. In 1945, the brigade was awarded their own cuff title, FGB.
FGB was assigned to Seventh Army Reserve for Operation Herbstnebel.
In April, it was reassigned to Sixth SS-Panzer Army.
The Führer Grenadier Division surrendered to U.S. troops in May 1945 near Vienna, Austria.
1 Companie - 12 Panthers
2 Companie - 12 Panthers
3 Companie - 12 Panthers
4 Companie - 11 Jagdpanthers with 88mm Pak 43
5 Companie - 14 Stug III
92 Armored Personnel Carriers
12 - 150mm guns (10 guns on loan to Skorzeny's Panzer Brigade 150 during Herbstnebel)
1 Companie - 10 Stug III
2 Companie - 14 Stug III
3 Companie - 6 Stug III
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Heer
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
combat unit which saw action during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Führer Grenadier Brigade is sometimes mistakenly perceived as being a part of the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
, whereas it was actually a Heer
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
unit and technically assigned to the Großdeutschland Division
Großdeutschland Division
The Großdeutschland Division was an elite Heer combat unit of the Wehrmacht. The Großdeutschland was considered to be the premier unit of the German Army and as such it was one of best-equipped unit of the German Armed Forces, receiving equipment before all other units.- Early history -...
. This misconception comes from its original duty of guarding Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's East Prussian Wolfsschanze
Wolfsschanze
Wolf's Lair is the standard English name for Wolfsschanze, Adolf Hitler's first World War II Eastern Front military headquarters, one of several Führerhauptquartier or FHQs located in various parts of Europe...
Headquarters, a task which sounded similar to the original one of Waffen-SS 1. Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler", which in turn stemmed from the Führer's original bodyguard corps. Fighting on both the eastern and western fronts, the brigade surrendered to U.S. forces in Austria in 1945.
Creation and Early History
The Führer Grenadier Battalion was raised in April, 1943 to act as a second guard unit on the outer perimeter of Hitler's Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia.Despite the idea of Hitler's bodyguards being drawn from the SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
, a small detachment was drawn from the Wach Regiment to become Hitler's private bodyguard. This unit was called the Führer Begleit (or Führer Escort), and was to eventually be expanded to divisional size (see Führer Begleit Brigade
Führer Begleit Brigade
The Führerbegleitbrigade was a German armoured brigade and later armoured division , in World War II...
).
Brigade - Eastern Front
In 1944, the battalion was reorganized as an armored brigade at Fallingbostel. Personnel were drawn from the Großdeutschland DivisionGroßdeutschland Division
The Großdeutschland Division was an elite Heer combat unit of the Wehrmacht. The Großdeutschland was considered to be the premier unit of the German Army and as such it was one of best-equipped unit of the German Armed Forces, receiving equipment before all other units.- Early history -...
pool of hand-picked personnel. In October 1944, it was assigned to XXVII Korps of the Fourth Army and sent to the vicinity of Gumbinnen. They fought at Daken and Grosswaltersdorf from October 21–23. The brigade operated in conjunction with 5th Panzer Division and the 'Hermann Göring" Division.
Western Front - Wacht am Rhein
Between December 11–17, 1944, the brigade was sent west to participate in Operation Herbstnebel.The brigade's composition did not match any standard unit configuration. The Großdeutschland Division
Großdeutschland Division
The Großdeutschland Division was an elite Heer combat unit of the Wehrmacht. The Großdeutschland was considered to be the premier unit of the German Army and as such it was one of best-equipped unit of the German Armed Forces, receiving equipment before all other units.- Early history -...
never fought on the western front in 1944–45 (it did see action in the 1940 invasion of France but in regiment form), however, the Führer Grenadier Brigade was technically a part of the division and some photographs show the Großdeutschland Insignia from the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. As a part of Großdeutschland, FGB was permitted to wear cuff-title insignia. The Großdeutschland was ordered to wear the cuff title on the right sleeve (as did veterans of the North African campaign or the taking of Crete with their own honour bands), while the SS wore theirs on the left. In 1945, the brigade was awarded their own cuff title, FGB.
FGB was assigned to Seventh Army Reserve for Operation Herbstnebel.
Großdeutschland Insignia
 |
Division - 1945
The brigade was pulled from the line in early January. On paper, it was enlarged to a division and assigned to Heeresgruppe Vistula.In April, it was reassigned to Sixth SS-Panzer Army.
The Führer Grenadier Division surrendered to U.S. troops in May 1945 near Vienna, Austria.
Commanders
| Führer Grenadier Brigade (April 1943 – May 1945) | |
| In work | 1 |
| In work | 1 |
| Oberst Hans-Joachim Kahler Hans-Joachim Kahler Hans-Joachim Kahler was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield... (badly wounded) |
July 10, 1944 – December 23, 1944 |
| Major von Courbière | December 1944 – January 1945 |
| Generalmajor Hellmuth Mäder Hellmuth Mäder Hellmuth Mäder was a German general during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords... (Führer Grenadier Division) |
January 26, 1945 – February 1, 1945 |
| Generalmajor Erich von Haßenstein (February 1, 1945 – May 8, 1945) | February 1, 1945 – May 8, 1945 |
Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- Generalmajor Hellmuth Mäder, awarded Swords to his Knight's Cross on April 18, 1945 as Commander of the Führer Grenadier Division.
101 Panzer Regiment
Hauptmann Herbert Hensel, Knight's Cross on March 5, 1945 as Commander of the II. Abteilung (Panzer-Füsilier-Bataillon)/Panzer-Regiment 101 (former I./PzGrenRegt 99).99 Panzergrenadier Regiment
Major Ernst-Günter Lehnhoff, Knight's Cross on December 12, 1944 as Commander of the Panzer-Füsilier-Bataillon of the Führer-Grenadier-Brigade (I./PzGrenRegt 99).Order of battle
- 101 Panzer Regiment
1 Companie - 12 Panthers
2 Companie - 12 Panthers
3 Companie - 12 Panthers
4 Companie - 11 Jagdpanthers with 88mm Pak 43
5 Companie - 14 Stug III
- 99 Panzergrenadier Regiment
92 Armored Personnel Carriers
- Artillerie Regiment 'FGB'(-)
12 - 150mm guns (10 guns on loan to Skorzeny's Panzer Brigade 150 during Herbstnebel)
- 911 Sturmgeschutz Brigade
1 Companie - 10 Stug III
2 Companie - 14 Stug III
3 Companie - 6 Stug III
- 124 Flak Abteilung
- Kampfschule 'FGB'
- 1124 Infantriegeschutz Kompanie
- 1124 Panzerjäger Kompanie - 3 Marder III, 4 Hunting Panthers, 6 Hetzer
- 1124 Panzer Aufklärungs Kompanie
- 1124 Flak Kompanie - 26 guns
- 1124 Pionier Kompanie
- 1124 Nachrichten Abteilung
- Nachschub Truppe 'FGB'
- Werkstatt Kompanie 'FGB'
- Sanitäts Kompanie 'FGB'
Printed references
- Quarrie, Bruce The Ardennes Offensive, I ARMEE & VII ARMEE (Order of Battle series book, Osprey Publishing Group, London, UK. 2001. ISBN 1 85532 913 1
Web resources
- Pipes, Jason. "Panzergrenadier-Division Großdeutschland". Retrieved December 29, 2007.
- "Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland". German language article at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de. (Follow links for Infanterie Division Großdeutschland (mot).) Retrieved December 29, 2007.