37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Lützow
Encyclopedia
37. SS Freiwilligen Kavallerie Division "Lützow" was ordered to be formed in February 1945, consisting of remnants of 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer
8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer
The 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer was a Waffen-SS cavalry Division during World War II. It was formed in 1942 from a cadre of the SS Cavalry Brigade which was involved in anti partisan operations behind the front line and was responsible for the extermination of tens of thousands of the...

 and 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia
22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia
The 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia. was a German Waffen SS cavalry division which saw action on the Eastern Front during the Second World War...

, including former's SS Pionier Battalion 8, in addition to mostly 16- or 17-year old German, Hungarian Volkdeutsche, and ethnic Hungarian recruits. The division was intended to have three cavalry regiments of two battalions each, but due to lack of men and equipment it could only field two understrength regiments as main its combat units.

Initially the division was commanded by SS-Oberführer
Oberführer
Oberführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party dating back to 1921. Translated as “Senior Leader”, an Oberführer was typically a Nazi Party member in charge of a group of paramilitary units in a particular geographical region...

, Waldemar Fegelein
Waldemar Fegelein
Waldemar Fegelein was a Standartenführer in the Waffen-SS during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...

, but in March he was replaced by a more competent officer, SS-Standartenführer
Standartenführer
Standartenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in the so-called Nazi combat-organisations: SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK...

, Karl Gesele
Karl Gesele
Karl Gesele was a Standartenführer in the Waffen SS during World War II. Who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.-Early life:Karl Gesele was born on the 15...

.

The division saw action against Soviets as a part of 6. SS-Panzerarmee during the final weeks of war, before surrendering to Americans in Austria in May.

It was named after the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...

n Generalmajor Adolf Freiherr von Lützow
Ludwig Adolf Wilhelm von Lützow
Ludwig Adolf Wilhelm Freiherr von Lützow was a Prussian lieutenant general notable for his organization and command of a Lützow Freikorps of volunteers during the Napoleonic Wars...

 (1782 – 1834).

Commanders

  • SS-Standartenführer Waldemar Fegelein
    Waldemar Fegelein
    Waldemar Fegelein was a Standartenführer in the Waffen-SS during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...

      (February 1945 - March 1945)
  • SS-Standartenführer Karl Gesele
    Karl Gesele
    Karl Gesele was a Standartenführer in the Waffen SS during World War II. Who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.-Early life:Karl Gesele was born on the 15...

      (March 1945 - May 1945)

Order of battle

  • SS Cavalry Regiment 92
  • SS Cavalry Regiment 93
  • SS Cavalry Regiment 94
  • SS Artillery Battalion 37 (two batteries with le.FH18 10,5 cm)
  • SS Reconnaissance Battalion 37
  • SS Panzerjäger
    Panzerjäger
    Panzerjäger was a branch of service of the Wehrmacht during the Second World War which were the anti-tank arm-of-service who operated anti-tank artillery, and made exclusive use of the tank destroyers which were also named Panzerjäger...

     Battalion 37 (one company equipped with Hetzer
    Hetzer
    The Jagdpanzer 38 , later known as Hetzer , was a German light tank destroyer of the Second World War based on a modified Czechoslovakian Panzer 38 chassis. The project was inspired by the Romanian "Mareşal" tank destroyer.The name Hetzer was at the time not commonly used for this vehicle...

    )
  • SS Pionier Battalion 37
  • SS Signals Company 37
  • SS Medical Battalion 37
  • SS Nachschub Troop 37
  • Feldersatz Battalion 37
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