III (Germanic) SS Panzer Corps
Encyclopedia
The III SS Panzer Corps (III. (germanische) SS-Panzerkorps) was a German
Waffen-SS
armoured corps
which saw action on the Eastern Front
during World War II
. The (germanische) (lit. Germanic) part of its designation was granted as it was composed primarily of foreign volunteer formations.
. The corps was placed under the control of former Wiking commander SS-Obergruppenführer Felix Steiner
. After training, the corps took part in anti-partisan
operations in the Balkans against Josip Broz Tito
's forces, enjoying some successes. The corps then was sent to a quiet sector in Army Group North
, now made up of the Nordland Division and the 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Netherlands
. By this stage, the Wiking had been sent south and came under the control of Army Group South's
Eighth Army
. Forced back by the Russian winter 1944 offensive, the corps took a leading role in the defense of the Narva salient
in the summer of 1944, in what was then characterized by some Germans as The Battle of the European SS. It then withdrew with the rest of the army group across Estonia
and into the Courland
Peninsula, fighting several actions there until the end of January. Brought back to the Oder Front and placed under Steiner's Eleventh SS Panzer Army, the corps participated in Operation Sonnenwende
before being assigned as the reserve corps to Third Panzer Army
. The 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Netherlands was renamed 23d SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division "Nederland" and was attached to XI SS Panzer Corps. The 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland was attached to the LVI Panzer Corps and became involved in the defense of Berlin during the Battle of Berlin
where it was destroyed. The remnants of the XI SS Panzer Corps got trapped in the Halbe Pocket around April 28, 1945. Together with the remnants of the German 9th Army and 12th Army, the remnants of the 23d SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division "Nederland" surrendered on 4 May 1945 to US troops across the Elbe near Tangermünde
, Germany.
June 15 1944 - Narva Front
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...
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...
armoured corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
which saw action on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
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 (germanische) (lit. Germanic) part of its designation was granted as it was composed primarily of foreign volunteer formations.
History
The Panzerkorps was formed in April, 1943 as a headquarters for the 5th SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Wiking and 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland
The 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland, also known as Kampfverband Waräger, Germanische-Freiwilligen-Division, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 11 or 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland, was a Waffen SS, Panzergrenadier division recruited from foreign volunteers...
. The corps was placed under the control of former Wiking commander SS-Obergruppenführer Felix Steiner
Felix Steiner
Felix Martin Julius Steiner was a German Reichswehr and Waffen-SS officer who served in both World War I and World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
. After training, the corps took part in anti-partisan
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
operations in the Balkans against Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
's forces, enjoying some successes. The corps then was sent to a quiet sector in Army Group North
Army Group North
Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...
, now made up of the Nordland Division and the 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Netherlands
4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Netherlands
The 23rd SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division Nederland. was a German Waffen SS volunteer division comprising volunteers of Dutch background...
. By this stage, the Wiking had been sent south and came under the control of Army Group South's
Army Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
Eighth Army
German Eighth Army
The 8th Army was a World War I and World War II field army.-World War I:At the outbreak of World War I, the 8. Armee was stationed in East Prussia to defend against the expected Russian attack, Plan XIX. After the scrappy Battle of Gumbinnen, 8. Armee commander Generaloberst Maximilian von...
. Forced back by the Russian winter 1944 offensive, the corps took a leading role in the defense of the Narva salient
Battle of Narva - Battle for the Narva Bridgehead (1944)
This is a sub-article to Battle of Narva.The Battle of Narva Bridgehead was the campaign that stalled the Soviet Estonian Operation in the surroundings of the town of Narva for five and a half months...
in the summer of 1944, in what was then characterized by some Germans as The Battle of the European SS. It then withdrew with the rest of the army group across Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
and into the Courland
Courland
Courland is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
Peninsula, fighting several actions there until the end of January. Brought back to the Oder Front and placed under Steiner's Eleventh SS Panzer Army, the corps participated in Operation Sonnenwende
Operation Solstice
Operation Solstice , also known as Unternehmen Husarenritt or the "Stargard tank battle", was one of the last German armoured offensive operations on the Eastern Front in World War II....
before being assigned as the reserve corps to Third Panzer Army
German Third Panzer Army
The 3rd Panzer Army was a German army that saw action during World War II. It was formed from Panzergruppe 3, which had been formed on November 16, 1940....
. The 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Netherlands was renamed 23d SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division "Nederland" and was attached to XI SS Panzer Corps. The 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland was attached to the LVI Panzer Corps and became involved in the defense of Berlin during the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
where it was destroyed. The remnants of the XI SS Panzer Corps got trapped in the Halbe Pocket around April 28, 1945. Together with the remnants of the German 9th Army and 12th Army, the remnants of the 23d SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division "Nederland" surrendered on 4 May 1945 to US troops across the Elbe near Tangermünde
Tangermünde
Tangermünde is a town in the district of Stendal, in the northeastern part of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the Elbe river in the Altmark region.-History:Tangermünde can look back at an 1000-year history...
, Germany.
Commanders
- SS-Obergruppenführer Felix SteinerFelix SteinerFelix Martin Julius Steiner was a German Reichswehr and Waffen-SS officer who served in both World War I and World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
(1 May 1943 - 30 Oct 1944) - SS-Obergruppenführer Georg KepplerGeorg KepplerGeorg Keppler was an SS-Obergruppenführer , a Heer and Polizei officer who served in both World War I and World War II. During World War II, Keppler commanded the 2. SS-Division Das Reich, 3. SS-Division Totenkopf, I. SS-Panzerkorps, III. SS-Panzerkorps and the XVIII.SS-Armee-Korps...
(30 Oct 1944 - 4 Feb 1945) - SS-Obergruppenführer Matthias KleinheisterkampMatthias KleinheisterkampMatthias Kleinheisterkamp was an SS Obergruppenführer and a Heer officer who served in both World War I and World War II. During World War II, Kleinheisterkamp commanded the 3. SS-Division Totenkopf, 6. SS-Gebirgs-Division Nord, 2. SS-Division Das Reich, III. SS-Panzerkorps, VII. SS-Panzerkops,...
(4 Feb 1945 - 11 Feb 1945) - Generalleutnant Martin UnreinMartin UnreinGeneralleutnant Martin Unrein was a general officer of the German Army during the Second World War.-Early career:...
(11 Feb 1945 - 5 Mar 1945)
- SS-Brigadeführer Joachim ZieglerJoachim ZieglerJoachim Ziegler was a Brigadeführer and Major General in the Waffen SS during World War II and the commander of the 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland, who was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves...
June 15 1944 - Narva FrontBattle of Narva (1944)The Battle of Narva was a military campaign between the German Army Detachment "Narwa" and the Soviet Leningrad Front fought for possession of the strategically important Narva Isthmus on 2 February – 10 August 1944 during World War II....
- Korps Stab
- Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 503 (SS Nr.103)
- 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division NordlandThe 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland, also known as Kampfverband Waräger, Germanische-Freiwilligen-Division, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 11 or 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland, was a Waffen SS, Panzergrenadier division recruited from foreign volunteers...
- 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian)
- 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Netherlands4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade NetherlandsThe 23rd SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division Nederland. was a German Waffen SS volunteer division comprising volunteers of Dutch background...
- SS-Werfer-Abteilung 103 / 503
- Schwere SS-Artillerie-Abteilung 503
- SS-Korps-Nachrichten-Abteilung 3
- Schwere Beobachtungs Batterie 103 / 503
- SS-Nachschubtruppen 503
- SS-Sanitäts-Abteilung 503
- Feldgendarmerie-Trupp 103 / 503
- SS-Feldpostamt 503
- SS-Feld-Ersatz-Brigade 103
September 16 1944
- Korps Stab
- 103 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion103 SS Heavy Panzer BattalionSS Heavy Panzer Battalion 103 or s.SS-Panzer Abteilung 103 was originally formed on 1 July 1943 as the II.Battalion, 11 SS Panzer Regiment and sent to Yugoslavia to fight as infantry, however, at the end of November, the battalion was converted back to the Tanks.The Battalion was then issued six...
- 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division NordlandThe 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland, also known as Kampfverband Waräger, Germanische-Freiwilligen-Division, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 11 or 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland, was a Waffen SS, Panzergrenadier division recruited from foreign volunteers...
- 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian)
- 23rd SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division Nederland
- 27th SS Volunteer Division Langemarck
- 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Wallonien (Only the Battle Group)
- 11th Infantry Division11th Infantry Division (Germany)The 11th Infantry Division was a formation of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. Formed 1 October 1934 as Infanterieführer I in Allenstein it was renamed 11. Infanterie-Division on 15...
- 300th Infantry Division
- SS-Werfer-Abteilung 103 / 503
- Schwere SS-Artillerie-Abteilung 503
- SS-Korps-Nachrichten-Abteilung 3
- Schwere Beobachtungs Batterie 103 / 503
- SS-Nachschubtruppen 503
- SS-Sanitäts-Abteilung 503
- Feldgendarmerie-Trupp 103 / 503
- SS-Feldpostamt 503
- SS-Feld-Ersatz-Brigade 103