18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
(Redirected from 18 SS)
Jump to: navigation, search

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

18th SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division Horst Wessel
18th SS Division Logo.svg
Active 1944–1945
Country Nazi Germany Germany
Allegiance Adolf Hitler
Branch Flag of the Schutzstaffel.svg Waffen SS SA-Logo.svg SA
Type Panzergrenadier
Size Division

The 18th SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division Horst Wessel was formed in 1944 around a cadre from the 1 SS Infantry Brigade and included mainly Hungarian ethnic Germans (Volksdeutsche). The 8th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade France was led by a former Foreign Legionnaire, Obersturmbannführer Paul Marie Gamory-Dubourdeau. The 1st battalion of about 1000 men was attached to SS Division Horst Wessel and sent to Galicia.

It was used for anti-partisan duties until it was sent to the Eastern front, with the exception of one regiment that fought the Slovak National Uprising in August 1944. It later fought as a single unit in Hungary and later in Czechoslovakia where it was destroyed.

The Division was named after SA member, Horst Wessel, known for being the author of the lyrics to the Nazi party anthem, the Horst Wessel Song, and glorified by the Nazi regime as a martyr of the party's early years.

Commanders

Knight's Cross recipients

Knight's Cross with Swords

1./SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 40

SS Flak Battalion 18

Battles

  • Hungary (January 1944 – July 1944)
  • Eastern front, central sector (July 1944 – October 1944)
  • Poland & Czechoslovakia (October 1944 – May 1945)

Order of battle

  • 39th SS-Panzer Grenadier Regiment (I - III)
  • 40th SS-Panzer Grenadier Regiment (I - III)
  • 18th SS-Artillery Regiment
  • 18th SS-Panzerjäger Battalion
  • 18th SS-Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
  • 18th SS-Panzer Battalion
  • 18th SS-Sturmgeschütz Battalion
  • 18th SS-Flak Battalion
  • 18th SS-Signals Battalion
  • 18th SS-Pionier Battalion
  • 18th SS-Administration Battalion
  • 18th SS-Wirtschafts Battalion
  • 18th SS-Supplies Troop
  • 18th SS-Instandsetzungs Battalion
  • 18th SS-Feldgendarmerie Battalion
  • 18th SS-Reserve Battalion
  • 18th SS-Sanitäts Battalion