The Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1. ''Hermann Göring'' (1st Paratroop Panzer Division ''Hermann Göring'' - abbreviated Fallschirm-Panzer-Div 1 ''HG'') was a German
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
armoured
Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or f ...
division. The ''HG'' saw action in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
,
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
,
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
and on the
Eastern Front during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. The division began as a battalion-sized police unit in 1933. Over time it grew into a regiment, brigade, division, and finally was combined with the
Parachute-Panzergrenadier Division 2 Hermann Göring on 1 May 1944 to form a
Panzer corps
A panzer corps (german: Panzerkorps) was an armoured corps type in Nazi Germany's ''Wehrmacht'' during World War II. The name was introduced in 1941, when the motorised corps (''Armeekorps (mot)'' or ''AK(mot)'') were renamed to panzer corps. Pan ...
under the name ''
Reichsmarschall
(german: Reichsmarschall des Großdeutschen Reiches; ) was a rank and the highest military office in the ''Wehrmacht'' specially created for Hermann Göring during World War II. It was senior to the rank of , which was previously the highes ...
''. It surrendered to the
Soviet Army
uk, Радянська армія
, image = File:Communist star with golden border and red rims.svg
, alt =
, caption = Emblem of the Soviet Army
, start_date ...
near
Dresden
Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label= Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth ...
on 8 May 1945.
Its personnel was initially recruited from volunteers from
Nazi organizations such as the
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth (german: Hitlerjugend , often abbreviated as HJ, ) was the youth organisation of the Nazi Party in Germany. Its origins date back to 1922 and it received the name ("Hitler Youth, League of German Worker Youth") in July 1926. ...
, later receiving intakes from the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
(especially
panzer troops) and
conscripts
Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day und ...
of the
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
. The unit was stationed in
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
in the newly built Hermann Göring barracks (today's Julius Leber barracks) and in
Velten
Velten is a town in the Oberhavel district of Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated 10 km southwest of Oranienburg, and 24 km northwest of Berlin.
History
In 1905 Velten had 38 stove factories that delivered 100,000 tiled stoves to Berl ...
; being named after the ''Reichsmarschall'' and
Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German politician, military leader and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1 ...
. This naming was intended to establish a close connection between
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
units and
National Socialism
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Naz ...
, while at the same time documenting the domestic power within the
party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often featur ...
hierarchy. Among its combat missions, the ''Hermann Göring'' maintained guard forces, such as a guard in the ''Reichsmarschall''
's estate at
Carinhall and the
Flak
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...
defense of
Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
's
headquarters and
personal train.
The division, during its time in Italy, committed a number of war crimes, and, together with the
16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS
The 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division "Reichsführer-SS" (german: 16. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Reichsführer SS") was a motorised infantry formation in the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II.
The division, during its time in It ...
, was disproportionately involved in massacres of the civilian population, the two divisions accounting for approximately one-third of all civilians killed in war crimes in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
.
Formation
Establishment and initial phase - Police Administration
![Ordnungspolizei flag](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Ordnungspolizei_flag.svg)
When
Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
, of the
National Socialist German Workers' Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported th ...
(NSDAP), was appointed
Reich Chancellor
The chancellor of Germany, officially the federal chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany,; often shortened to ''Bundeskanzler''/''Bundeskanzlerin'', / is the head of the federal government of Germany and the commander in chief of the G ...
on January 30, 1933,
Captain Hermann Göring was appointed the
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...
n
Minister of the Interior
An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...
in February 1933. This gave him the supreme command of the entire Prussian police and a
general
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...
's rank.
On February 24, 1933, Göring established the ''Polizeiabteilung z. b. V. Wecke'' (z. b. V. meaning "for special use").
His intention was to create a police association that was loyal to the NSDAP regime. The outfit was named after its commander ''Major der Schutzpolizei''
Walther Wecke,
a veteran of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and a member of the NSDAP. Numbering 400 men, it was stationed in the
Kreuzberg
Kreuzberg () is a district of Berlin, Germany. It is part of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg borough located south of Mitte. During the Cold War era, it was one of the poorest areas of West Berlin, but since German reunification in 1990 it ha ...
district of
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
- a notoriously
left-wing
Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...
working-class area.
The battalion soon became notorious for its brutal practices. In cooperation with the
Gestapo
The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe.
The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one orga ...
, which was also under Göring's control, the Special Duties Police Battalion was involved in many attacks against
Communists
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
and
Social Democrats
Social democracy is a political, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by academics as advocating economic and social interventions to promote so ...
and was responsible for the arrest of opponents of the regime.
In June 1933, Göring enlarged the battalion and placed it under the command of the state police (''
Landespolizei''), becoming the ''Landespolizeigruppe Wecke z. b. V.'' (Special Duties State Police Group Wecke), and then ''Landespolizeigruppe General Göring'' in January 1934. In the same month, under pressure from
Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
and
Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was of the (Protection Squadron; SS), and a leading member of the Nazi Party of Germany. Himmler was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of th ...
, Göring gave Himmler's
SS control of the
Gestapo
The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe.
The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one orga ...
. To reinforce the position of his remaining unit, Göring increased its size and instituted a military training program. During the
Night of the Long Knives
The Night of the Long Knives (German: ), or the Röhm purge (German: ''Röhm-Putsch''), also called Operation Hummingbird (German: ''Unternehmen Kolibri''), was a purge that took place in Nazi Germany from 30 June to 2 July 1934. Chancellor Ad ...
, Hitler resorted to both Göring's state police group and Himmler's
Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
The 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler or SS Division Leibstandarte, abbreviated as LSSAH, (german: 1. SS-Panzerdivision "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler") began as Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard unit, responsible for guarding ...
, who executed many
SA leaders, thus removing the formation as a threat to the NSDAP.
Air Force Control - Early Missions
![Bundesarchiv Bild 102-13805, Hermann Göring](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-13805%2C_Hermann_G%C3%B6ring.jpg)
In 1935 Göring was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the
Air Force
An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...
. Since he wanted to keep control of his "favorite unit", it was transferred to the Luftwaffe in September 1935 and renamed the ''Regiment General Göring''.
The regimental order of battle:
* Regimentstab (HQ
staff)
* Musikkorps (
military band
A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the ti ...
)
* I.
Jäger-Bataillon (
light infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...
)
*II.Jäger-Bataillon
* 13.Kradschützen-Kompanie (
motorcyclists
Motorcycling is the act of riding a motorcycle. For some people, motorcycling may be the only affordable form of individual motorized transportation, and small- displacement motorcycles are the most common motor vehicle in the most populous c ...
)
* 15.Pionier-Kompanie (
engineers
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the ...
)
* Reiterzug (
cavalry platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...
)
* Nachrichtenzug (
signals
In signal processing, a signal is a function that conveys information about a phenomenon. Any quantity that can vary over space or time can be used as a signal to share messages between observers. The ''IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing'' ...
platoon)
At the beginning of 1936 the regiment was ready to fight again. At that time all organized resistance against the NSDAP had been eliminated. During this time, the regiment served Göring as a personal
bodyguard and covered Hitler's headquarters with its
anti-aircraft guns. During this time the ''IV. (Jäger-) Bataillon/RGG'' and the 15th Pioneer Company (''15. Pionier-Kompanie'') were assigned to the Döberitz Aviation School for
parachute training; at the end of 1937 these units were renamed ''IV.Fallschirmschützen-Bataillon'' (Parachute Rifle Battalion).
The battalion was separated from the regiment in March 1938, sent to the training grounds of
Stendal
The Hanseatic City of Stendal () is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the capital of the Stendal District and the unofficial capital of the Altmark region.
Geography
Situated west of the Elbe valley, the Stendal town centre is located s ...
and transformed into the ''I./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1'', the first
paratrooper
A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during Worl ...
unit of the
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
.
The regiment participated in the so-called ''Blumenkrieg'' (Flower Wars), taking part in the annexation of
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
(''
Anschluss
The (, or , ), also known as the (, en, Annexation of Austria), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into the German Reich on 13 March 1938.
The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a " Greater Germany ...
''); being among the first units to cross the border. Two companies landed by
Junkers Ju 52/3m
Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG (JFM, earlier JCO or JKO in World War I, English: Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works) more commonly Junkers , was a major German aircraft and aircraft engine manufacturer. It was founded there in Dessau, Germ ...
transport planes at Aspern Airport near
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
. The unit remained in-country for several weeks on duty in
Wiener Neustadt
Wiener Neustadt (; ; Central Bavarian: ''Weana Neistod'') is a city located south of Vienna, in the state of Lower Austria, in northeast Austria. It is a self-governed city and the seat of the district administration of Wiener Neustadt-Land Distr ...
.
The Regiment General Göring was also involved in the occupation of the
Sudetenland in October 1938 and the
occupation of the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939; after which, the regiment undertook guard duties at the strategically important
Skoda
Škoda means ''pity'' in the Czech and Slovak languages. It may also refer to:
Czech brands and enterprises
* Škoda Auto, automobile and previously bicycle manufacturer in Mladá Boleslav
** Škoda Motorsport, the division of Škoda Auto respons ...
vehicle works.
Training and selection
![Lw Fahne LPG GG I Bat](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Lw_Fahne_LPG_GG_I_Bat.svg)
The Regiment General Göring intended for its ranks to be filled with selected personnel to square off with its competitors, the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
's élite ''
Infanterie-Regiment "Großdeutschland"'' and the
Waffen-SS
The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscripts from both occup ...
Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler. Among the criteria for acceptance in the regiment:
* Age of 18–25 years old,
* Minimun height of 1.68m (5 ft 6ins),
* German citizenship,
* Eligibility for military service,
* Fitness for active service,
* Aryan ancestry,
* Unmarried status,
* Clean police record and no charges pending,
* Confirmed open support for the
National Socialist
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
state.
During the wars years a further requirement was added: the volunteer would have to sign up for 12 years service. Those conditions were much the same as those demanded for ingress into the Großdeutschland and the Leibstandarte. As the war progressed and the scale of combat losses mounted, such restrictive criteria could not be sustained in any of these élite formations. Many
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
personnel would simply be drafted into the Hermann Göring from other units to replace combat losses.
With high caliber recruits, the regiment occupied a brand new purpose-built barracks complex at Berlin-
Reinickendorf
Reinickendorf () is the twelfth borough of Berlin. It encompasses the northwest of the city area, including the Berlin Tegel Airport, Lake Tegel, spacious settlements of detached houses as well as housing estates like Märkisches Viertel.
Subdi ...
, which was constructed to the highest standards and with the most modern of facilities. The complex boasted over 120 buildings and included gymnasia, outdoor and indoor swimming pools, sports areas and its own post office. The smartly dressed ''General Göring'' soldiers, in their distinctive uniforms with white collar patches and special unit cuffband (''
Ärmelstreifen''), became a regular sight on the streets of Berlin.
By 1939, the regiment had grown considerably. Troops of the regiment took part in many of the great pre-war parades through Berlin. They provided guards for ''
Reichsmarschall
(german: Reichsmarschall des Großdeutschen Reiches; ) was a rank and the highest military office in the ''Wehrmacht'' specially created for Hermann Göring during World War II. It was senior to the rank of , which was previously the highes ...
''
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German politician, military leader and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1 ...
's own headquarters, the changing of the guard often being performed with all due ceremony including the presence of the regiment's own military band. The regiment also undertook guard duties at Göring's private retreat, the sumptuous
Carinhall estate - named after Göring's deceased first wife,
Carin Axelina Hulda Göring.
Regimental order of battle on the eve of WW2:
* Regimentstab
* Musikkorps
* Stabsbatterie (HQ artillery battery)
* I.(schwere) Flak-Abteilung (heavy AA artillery battalion)
* II.(leichte) Flak-Abteilung (light AA artillery battalion)
* ScheinwerferAbteilung (
searchlight
A searchlight (or spotlight) is an apparatus that combines an extremely bright source (traditionally a carbon arc lamp) with a mirrored parabolic reflector to project a powerful beam of light of approximately parallel rays in a particular direc ...
battalion)
* IV.(leichte) Flak-Abteilung
* Wachbataillon (guard infantry battalion)
** Reiterschwadron (cavalry squadron)
** 9.Wachkompanie (infantry)
** 10.Wachkompanie
** 11.Wachkompanie
* Reserve-Scheinwerfer-Abteilung
* Ersatz-Abteilung (replacement training battalion)
* (schwere) Einsenbahn Flak-Batterie (heavy railway AA battery)
* (leichte) Flak-Batterie (light AA battery)
Combat history
Blitzkrieg in the West
During the attack on
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
, which marked the beginning of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, only a small part of the Regiment General Göring (RGG) was involved in the fighting. Most of the unit remained in
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
to protect
Göring's headquarters and the ''
Reichshauptstadt''.
During the
Phoney War
The Phoney War (french: Drôle de guerre; german: Sitzkrieg) was an eight-month period at the start of World War II, during which there was only one limited military land operation on the Western Front, when French troops invaded Germa ...
parts of the regiment formed an infantry battalion and took part in
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung (german: Unternehmen Weserübung , , 9 April – 10 June 1940) was Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign.
In the early morning of 9 Ap ...
against
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
and
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
in the spring of 1940; with the largest part of the RGG relocated to the west on the German-Dutch border under the camouflage designations "Flak-Regiment 101" and "Flak-Regiment 103".
In April, a detachment under ''
Hauptmann
is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian, and Swiss armies. While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has and originally had the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literally ...
'' Kluge was sent to
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
.
Composed of a company of the Wachbataillon, a
2cm self-propelled Flak-Batterie and a Kradschützen-Kompanie,
it took part in the seizure of the airfield and radio station at
Esbjerg
Esbjerg (, ) is a seaport town and seat of Esbjerg Municipality on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. By road, it is west of Kolding and southwest of Aarhus. With an urban population of 71,698 (1 January 2022) and the securing of the coastline of
Jutland
Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...
. The detachment was then transferred by sea to
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...
, in
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
, being engaged alongside the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
first in the advance to
Trondheim
Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...
, then north up into the
Arctic Circle to take the port of
Bodo Bodo may refer to:
Ethnicity
* Boro people, an ethno-linguistic group mainly from Northwest Assam, India
* Bodo-Kachari people, an umbrella group from Nepal, India and Bangladesh that includes the Bodo people
Culture and language
* Boro cu ...
and relieve the pressure on the beleaguered élite
Gebirgsjäger
''Gebirgsjäger'' () are the light infantry part of the alpine or mountain troops (''Gebirgstruppe'') of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The word '' Jäger'' (meaning "hunter" or "huntsman") is a characteristic term used for light infantry in ...
further north at
Narvik. At first the German forces were pushed back by the Allies, with General
Eduard Dietl
Eduard Wohlrat Christian Dietl (21 July 1890 – 23 June 1944) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 20th Mountain Army. He was magnanimously awarded of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords of Na ...
making a fighting retreat and retiring along
Beisfjord. With
Fall Gelb
(Case Yellow), the invasion of France and the Low Countries
, scope = Strategic
, type =
, location = South-west Netherlands, central Belgium, northern France
, coordinates =
, planned = 1940
, planned_by = Erich von ...
initiated, the Allies evacuated Norway to concentrate on
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
, leaving
Narvik to the Germans. After completing its mission, Kluge's detachment was sent back home to Berlin.
As part of the
Western campaign, the RGG took part in the invasion of the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
. During the campaign the
Eben-Emael fortress in Belgium was taken by
paratroopers
A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during World ...
under Captain
Walther Koch, many of whom had previously served in the Regiment General Göring - including Koch himself. The RGG took part in the crossing of the
Maas and the advance into eastern Belgium. There it crossed the
Albert Canal
The Albert Canal (, ) is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, which was named for King Albert I of Belgium. The Albert Canal connects Antwerp with Liège, and also the Meuse river with the Scheldt river. It also connects with the Dessel ...
against stiff resistance and took part in the capture of
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
.
After the surrender of the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, the regiment was divided into several small combat groups (''
Kampfgruppen''), which were assigned to the
panzer divisions that spearheaded the attack on France. The anti-aircraft troops were particularly noted for their efficacy, with the superb
8.8cm anti-aircraft of the heavy batteries often used to fight tanks and the 3rd and 5th batteries of the RGG destroyed 18
French tanks at
pointblank range during a battle in the
Forest of Mormal, breaking their
counterattack
A counterattack is a tactic employed in response to an attack, with the term originating in "war games". The general objective is to negate or thwart the advantage gained by the enemy during attack, while the specific objectives typically seek ...
; the crews of the guns Casar and Dona kept firing at the French heavy tanks at 15 meters.
The Regiment General Göring was rewarded for its excellent performance by forming part of the
honour guard
A guard of honour ( GB), also honor guard ( US), also ceremonial guard, is a group of people, usually military in nature, appointed to receive or guard a head of state or other dignitaries, the fallen in war, or to attend at state ceremonials, ...
of the ''Fürher-Begleit-Kompanie'' (Fürher's Escort Company)
for the formal armistice at
Compiègne
Compiègne (; pcd, Compiène) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France. It is located on the river Oise. Its inhabitants are called ''Compiégnois''.
Administration
Compiègne is the seat of two cantons:
* Compiègne-1 (with 19 ...
on 21 June 1940.
After the
capitulation of France, the RGG provided Flak defences in
bunker
A bunker is a defensive military fortification designed to protect people and valued materials from falling bombs, artillery, or other attacks. Bunkers are almost always underground, in contrast to blockhouses which are mostly above ground. T ...
s on the
Channel coast as well as contributing to the anti-aircraft defence ring around
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
.
The new regimental commander was Colonel
Paul Conrath in June 1940, who was to lead the regiment and the later division until 1944. At the end of 1940 the regiment was transferred back to
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
to resume its old job as a
bodyguard and
air defense unit.
The invasion of the USSR
![Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F016221-0016, Russland, Brennender T-34](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Bundesarchiv_B_145_Bild-F016221-0016%2C_Russland%2C_Brennender_T-34.jpg)
At the beginning of 1941 the unit was motorized and renamed ''Regiment (mot.) Hermann Göring'' after Göring had been appointed ''
Reichsmarschall
(german: Reichsmarschall des Großdeutschen Reiches; ) was a rank and the highest military office in the ''Wehrmacht'' specially created for Hermann Göring during World War II. It was senior to the rank of , which was previously the highes ...
'' in 1940.When Germany joined hostilities in the
Balkans
The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
in April 1941, the motorized regiment was sent to
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...
for intended attachment to ''
Generaloberst
A ("colonel general") was the second-highest general officer rank in the German ''Reichswehr'' and ''Wehrmacht'', the Austro-Hungarian Common Army, the East German National People's Army and in their respective police services. The rank was ...
''
Wilhelm List
Wilhelm List (14 May 1880 – 17 August 1971) was a German field marshal during World War II who was convicted of war crimes by a US Army tribunal after the war. List commanded the 14th Army in the invasion of Poland and the 12th Army in the ...
's
12.Armee; instead it was held in reserve and placed in the air defense of the strategic oil fields at
Ploesti.
In preparation for the invasion of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
in June 1941 the regiment had been moved into positions along the
River Bug, the dividing line between the German and Soviet
occupation zones of Poland; forming part ''II.Flak-Korps'' of ''
Panzergruppe von Kleist
The House of Kleist is the name of an old and distinguished Pomeranian Prussian noble family, whose members obtained many important military positions within the Kingdom of Prussia and later in the German Empire.
Notable members
* Henning Alex ...
''.
Organization as of 15 June 1941:
* Regimental Staff (Colonel
Paul Conrath)
* Nachrichtenzug (signals platoon)
* Werkstattzug (Workshop train)
* Ammunition supply column 25t
* I. Abteilung (Flak) (Major Hullmann)
** 1. Batterie (4x 8,8 cm)
** 2. Batterie (4x 8,8 cm)
** 3. Batterie (4x 8,8 cm)
** 5. Batterie (12x 2 cm)
* IV. Abteilung (Flak) (Captain Geicke)
** 6. Batterie (9 x 3,7 cm)
** 15. Batterie (6 x 2 cm, 6x 3,7 cm)
** 16. Batterie mot S. Ketten (12 x 2 cm)
* Schützen-Bataillon (Captain Funck)
** 8. Batterie mot. S. Räder (12 x 2 cm)
** 1. Schützen-Kompanie
** 3. Schützen-Kompanie
** Kradschützen-Kompanie
* II. / Flak-Regiment 43 (Major Karlhuber)
** 6. Batterie (4 x 8,8 cm)
** 7. Batterie (4 x 8,8 cm)
** 8. Batterie (4 x 8,8 cm)
** 9. Batterie (4 x 8,8 cm)
** 10. Batterie (12 x 2 cm)
* Reinforced supply column division I./200 (Major Buchmann)
![Karl Roßmann](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Karl_Ro%C3%9Fmann.jpg)
During
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named after ...
, the regiment was attached to the
11th Panzer Division
The 11th Panzer Division ( en, 11th Tank Division) was an armoured division in the German Army during World War II, established in 1940.
The division saw action on the Eastern and Western Fronts during the Second World War. The 11th Panzer Di ...
, a part of
Army Group South
Army Group South (german: Heeresgruppe Süd) was the name of three German Army Groups during World War II.
It was first used in the 1939 September Campaign, along with Army Group North to invade Poland. In the invasion of Poland Army Group So ...
. The regiment saw action in the initial
breakthrough and the advance via
Radziechów, where the Flak crews once again showed remarkable performance against
enemy tanks.
The unit then drove towards
Dubno
Dubno ( uk, Ду́бно) is a city and municipality located on the Ikva River in Rivne Oblast (province) of western Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Dubno Raion (district). The city is located on intersection of two major ...
, fighting in the tank battle of
Brody
Brody ( uk, Броди; russian: Броды, Brodï; pl, Brody; german: Brody; yi, בראָד, Brod) is a city in Zolochiv Raion of Lviv Oblast (province) of western Ukraine. It is located in the valley of the upper Styr River, approximately ...
in
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
, against Soviet
T-34
The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank introduced in 1940. When introduced its 76.2 mm (3 in) tank gun was less powerful than its contemporaries while its 60-degree sloped armour provided good protection against anti-tank weapons. The C ...
and
KV tanks; with the
11th Panzer Division
The 11th Panzer Division ( en, 11th Tank Division) was an armoured division in the German Army during World War II, established in 1940.
The division saw action on the Eastern and Western Fronts during the Second World War. The 11th Panzer Di ...
being momentarily cut-off by Soviet armoured forces. The regiment then took part in the encirclement of
Kiev and the
Battle of Bryansk
The Battle of Bryansk (2–21 October 1941) was a twenty-day battle during World War II conducted in the Bryansk Oblast as a part of the overall Moscow campaign. Returning from the Kiev operation, Heinz Guderian attacked in an unexpected direc ...
. These battles were hard-fought and the regiment took significant losses, albeit reinforcing the unit's growing reputation for steadfastness in combat. At the end of 1941, the regiment was moved back to Germany for rest and refitting, with the ''Schützen-Bataillon Hermann Göring'' remaining at the front until May 1942. At the same time, a newly formed ''II.Schützen-Bataillon'' was sent to the Eastern Front, where it was all but decimated in extremely heavy-fighting around
Juchnow and Anissowo-
Goroditsche.
At the end of the
Battle of Uman
The Battle of Uman (15 July – 8 August 1941) was the World War II German offensive in Uman, Ukraine against the 6th and 12th Soviet Armies. In a three-week period, the Wehrmacht encircled and annihilated the two Soviet armies.
The battle occ ...
, the encircled Soviet forces attempted a desperate breakout by night, running into the 16th batterie of the Flak Regiment Hermann Göring, under ''
Oberleutnant'' Karl Rossmann (aka ''Batterie Roßmann'') and with a handful of infantry including troops from the
SS-Division “Wiking” between Uman and Slatopol near the town of Swerdlikowo. The Rossman's formation held out for 14 hours against all attacks, thus playing a major role in ensuring the destruction of Soviet
6th,
12th and elements of the
18th
18 (eighteen) is the natural number following 17 and preceding 19.
In mathematics
* Eighteen is a composite number, its divisors being 1, 2, 3, 6 and 9. Three of these divisors (3, 6 and 9) add up to 18, hence 18 is a semiperfect number. ...
Armies. For this action Rossmann received the
Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross (German language ''Ritterkreuz'') refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that often denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
Most frequently the term Knight's Cross is used to refer to the Knight's Cr ...
on 12 September 1941.
Back in Germany, the Flak elements in the Reich took positions in
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...
where they contributed to the city's air defence for a short period, before being moved near Paris, remaining there into the spring of 1942.
Upgrade to division
In May–July 1942 the regiment was expanded to
brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
B ...
size and renamed ''Brigade Hermann Göring'', under ''
Generalmajor''
Paul Conrath and during this period undertook general
occupation and security duties in France.
Brigade order of battle:
* Stabskompanie (staff company)
* I.Schützen-Regiment (1-4 infantry
companies
A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...
)
* II.Schützen-Regiment (5-8 infantry companies, 9th heavy weapons company)
* III.Schützen-Regiment (10th motorized, 11th armoured engineer and 13th anti-tank companies)
* Flak-Regiment
** I.Flak-Abteilung (3 heavy and 3 light batteries)
** II.Flak-Abteilung (3 heavy, 2 light and 1 howitzer batteries)
** III.Flak-Abteilung (3 batteries)
** IV.(Führer) Abteilung (3 batteries, provided Flak cover at Hitler's HQ)
* Musikkorps
* Wachbataillon (3 companies)
* Ersatz-Abteilung
In October 1942, when the brigade was still being reformed in
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...
, it was decided to expand the HG to
division
Division or divider may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
*Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division
Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...
size, entitled ''Division Hermann Göring'', whereby it should be structured according to the guidelines of a tank division of the army. Göring arranged for experienced army tank crews to be assigned to his division and reinforced the infantry with up to 5,000 paratroopers - including remnants of the ''Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5'' (FJ-Regt 5), decimated in the airborne
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete (german: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, el, Μάχη της Κρήτης), codenamed Operation Mercury (german: Unternehmen Merkur), was a major Axis airborne and amphibious operation during World War II to capture the island ...
.
The formation of the divisional elements was carried out at numerous locations in France, Holland and back at regimental depot in Berlin. A number of Luftwaffe personnel was detached to the Army for training with Panzer units.
The FJ-Regt 5 was set up in May 1942 on the training area of
Groß-Born with 3 battalions, with the staff and the 1st battalion newly formed, the 2nd and 3rd battalions formed by the 2nd and 3rd battalions of the ''
Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1'' (also called ''Sturm-Regiment
Koch''); coming back from the
Eastern Front and being augmented by replacements. In July 1942 the ''I.'' and ''III. Bataillonen'' were sent to the
Mourmelon military training area for further training, southeast of
Reims. The 2nd Battalion was subordinated to the
Ramcke Parachute Brigade
The Ramcke Parachute Brigade was a Luftwaffe paratroop (''Fallschirmjäger'') brigade which saw action in the Mediterranean Theatre during World War II.
Operational history
The brigade was formed in 1942 and sent to join the Afrika Korps in ...
under Major
Friedrich Hübner for use in
northern France.
![Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-787-0510-31, Nordafrika, feuerndes Geschütz](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-787-0510-31%2C_Nordafrika%2C_feuerndes_Gesch%C3%BCtz.jpg)
Paper strength of main divisional combat units:
* Grenadier-Regiment 1 "HG" (3 battalions, 1 heavy weapons company, 1 AT company)
* Grenadier-Regiment 2 "HG" (3 battalions, 1 heavy weapons company, 1 AT company)
* Jäger-Regiment "HG" (2 battalions, former FJ-Regt 5)
* Panzer-Regiment "HG" (2 battalions)
* Flak-Regiment "HG" (3 battalions plus Führer-Flak-Abteilung)
* Artillerie-Regiment "HG" (4 battalions plus V.Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung, later transferred to Pz-Regt "HG" as III.Abt)
* Aufklärungs-Abteilung "HG" (reconnaissance)
* Panzer-Pionier-Abteilung "HG" (armoured engineers)
* Panzer-Nachrichten-Abteilung "HG" (armoured signals)
This expansion was interrupted by the sudden Allied landings in
French North Africa
French North Africa (french: Afrique du Nord française, sometimes abbreviated to ANF) is the term often applied to the territories controlled by France in the North African Maghreb during the colonial era, namely Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. I ...
in
Operation Torch, with
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
invading the French Free Zone in November 1942. At the time, the bulk of the division was located in the area around
Mont-de-Marsan
Mont-de-Marsan (; Occitan: ''Lo Mont de Marçan'') is a commune and capital of the Landes department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France.
Population
Military installations
The French Air and Space Force operates the '' Constantin Roza ...
, where it continued its training and working up. Those sub-units nearest to being fully formed were gradually moved down into
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
while the reminder stayed in
southern France.
Afrikakorps
From 10 November 1942, the paratroopers being transferred from FJ-Regt 5 were moved by train to
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
and by plane via
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
to
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
, being assigned to support the
10th Panzer Division. Immediately after landing, the regiment was moved to defensive positions west and south-west of
Tunis
''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois
, population_note =
, population_urban =
, population_metro = 2658816
, population_density_km2 =
, timezone1 = CET
, utc_offset1 ...
and occupied the important bridges over the
Madjerda River. Around 20 November 1942, the regiment was engaged in heavy fighting against the tank-led attacks by the Americans coming from Algeria at
Medjez El Bab. Those were beaten back until the superior enemy pressure forced the regiment to give up the position on 25 November.
The bulk of the Hermann Göring Division, still not fully organized, was despatched piecemeal to
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
in February–March 1943 forming a combat group numbering 7,000-11,000 thousand men under command of Colonel
Joseph Schmid
Joseph "Beppo" Schmid (24 September 1901 – 30 August 1956) was a German general who served in the ''Luftwaffe'' during World War II. Schmid commanded the Luftwaffe's Military Intelligence Branch during the Battle of Britain.
Career
A close ...
; who was promoted to ''
Generalmajor'' shortly after. This ''Kampfgruppe Schmid'' was committed into battle dispersed and attached to various Army units, and they quickly earned a reputation for aggression in the attack and reliability under fire.
Under the title of ''Division Hermann Göring'', the combat group was commended in official
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
communiqués in April 1943 for their "exemplary fighting spirit and intrepid valour".
When Axis forces surrendered on 12 May 1943, almost all of the remainder of the ''Kampfgruppe'' was taken into captivity, including its most experienced veterans. Some 400 Hermann Göring soldiers were
killed in action in Tunisia.
Sicily
General
Schmid Schmid is a German surname that is a cognate of "Smith", an occupational surname for a blacksmith. The spelling is more common in Switzerland than Schmidt or Schmitt. Notable people with the surname include:
* Alex P. Schmid, Dutch scientist on ...
and a few of his men escaped to mainland Italy, on Göring's express orders, before the surrender.
These survivors would join the newly reformed division entitled ''Panzer-Division Hermann Göring''. ''Generalmajor'' Schmid was awarded the
Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross (German language ''Ritterkreuz'') refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that often denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
Most frequently the term Knight's Cross is used to refer to the Knight's Cr ...
on 21 May 1944 for his leadership of the HG ''Kampfgruppe'' in Tunisia.
The new division, meanwhile, was built around those scattered elements still working up in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and Germany, which now gathered in the
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
area. Efforts to mould these troops into a cohesive fighting force went ahead at full speed, as the Germans expected an Allied invasion of
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
. Over the next few weeks, HG troops would cross over to the island; this new extremely powerful armoured division being ready in June 1943, taking positions around
Caltagirone.
![Gela 11 lug 43](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Gela_11_lug_43.jpg)
The divisional order of battle in Sicily was:
* Divisionsstab (divisional HQ)
* Panzer-Regiment "HG" (2 tank battalions, 1 assault gun battalion)
*
Panzergrenadier
''Panzergrenadier'' (), abbreviated as ''PzG'' (WWII) or ''PzGren'' (modern), meaning '' "Armour"-ed fighting vehicle "Grenadier"'', is a German term for mechanized infantry units of armoured forces who specialize in fighting from and in conjun ...
-Regiment 1 "HG" (3 mechanized infantry battalions)
* Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2 "HG" (3 mechanized infantry battalions)
* Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung "HG" (armoured reconnaissance battalion)
* Flak-Regiment "HG" (2, later 3 battalions)
* Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment "HG" (3, later 4 battalions plus attachments)
* Panzer-Pionier-Abteilung "HG" (armoured engineers)
* Panzer-Nachrichten-Abteilung "HG" (armoured signals)
* Feldersatz-Battailon "HG" (replacement and training)
* Divisions-Kampfschule (combat school company)
* Nachschub-Abteilung "HG" (supply battalion)
* Instandsetzungs-Abteilung "HG" (repair workshop battalion)
* Verwaltungstruppe "HG" (administrative troops)
* Sanitäts-Abteilung "HG" (medical battalion)
Operation Husky
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
initiated on 10 July 1943, and saw the Hermann Göring and the
15th Panzergrenadier divisions surrounded by mostly third-rate Italian units, geared to coastal defense and equipped with 38 obsolete
Fiat 3000
The Fiat 3000 was the first tank to be produced in series in Italy. It became the standard tank of the emerging Italian armored units after World War I. The 3000 was based on the French Renault FT.
History
Although 1,400 units were ordered, with ...
light tanks
A light tank is a tank variant initially designed for rapid movements in and out of combat, to outmaneuver heavier tanks. It is smaller in size with thinner armor and a less powerful main gun, tailored for better tactical mobility and ease of ...
. The only Italian mobile division was the
4th Mountain Infantry Division Livorno, supported by the Italian Mobile Group E equipped with 12
Renault R 35 light tanks under Captain
Giuseppe Granieri; they were joined on the afternoon of the first day by 9,000 troops of the Panzer-Division Hermann Göring with 46
Panzer III
The ''Panzerkampfwagen III'', commonly known as the Panzer III, was a medium tank developed in the 1930s by Germany, and was used extensively in World War II. The official German ordnance designation was Sd.Kfz. 141. It was intended to fight ot ...
and 32
Panzer IV
The ''Panzerkampfwagen'' IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), commonly known as the ''Panzer'' IV, was a German medium tank developed in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 161.
The Pan ...
medium tanks coming from Caltagirone, and reinforced with a battalion of the
15th Panzergrenadiers (''III. / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 129'').
![Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-569-1586-31, Italien, Fallschirmjäger, Major Walter Gericke](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-569-1586-31%2C_Italien%2C_Fallschirmj%C3%A4ger%2C_Major_Walter_Gericke.jpg)
The Germans and Italians engaged in counter-attacks at the amphibious
Battle of Gela on 10 and 11 July, being forced back by heavy Allied naval bombardment. On 11 July 1943, after a 10-minute artillery preparation, the Italian
Livorno Division attacked the
US Rangers
United States Army Rangers, according to the US Army's definition, are personnel, past or present, in any unit that has the official designation "Ranger". The term is commonly used to include graduates of the US Army Ranger School, even if t ...
in three columns from the west side of the Gela River, supported by obsolescent Renault R 35 light tanks, while the Hermann Göring Division attacked the
1st Infantry Division beachhead on the east side of the Gela River. The attack was contained and then abandoned. The Germans reinforced Sicily with the
29th Panzergrenadier Division
The 29th Infantry Division was a unit of the German army created in the fall of 1936. It was based on the old Reichswehr 15th Infantry Regiment and drew its initial recruits from Thuringia. It was upgraded to 29th Motorized Infantry Division in ...
, a veteran of
Stalingrad flown in from mainland Italy, and the
1st Fallschirmjäger Division brought from France.
The HG Division then engaged into heavy street fighting from 2–4 August with the British
Battleaxe Division in the city of
Centuripe
Centuripe (Latin: Centuripae; Sicilian: Centorbi) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Enna (Sicily, southern Italy). The city is from Enna in the hill country between the Rivers Dittaìno and Salso.
The economy is mostly based on agricu ...
, retreating to
Messina afterward. The Allies steadily pushed the Axis back and the Hermann Göring formed part of the rearguard, providing cover to German units being evacuated to mainland Italy; being one of the last German units leaving Sicily.
Surprisingly, despite the heavy fighting in which it had been involved, and the intensive bombing of the port of Messina through which it was being withdrawn, the bulk of the HG troops and most of its heavy equipment were successfully evacuated.
Italy
The division was stationed near
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
for resting and reffiting, but was almost immediately put into alert due to the
Armistice of Cassibile.
On 3 September 1943, the British landed in
Calabria and five days later the
Italian governament surrendered to the Allies.
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
quickly implemented a contingency plan to occupy strategic points in the peninsula and to disarm Italian troops -
Operation Achse
Operation Achse (german: Fall Achse, lit=Case Axis), originally called Operation Alaric (), was the codename for the German operation to forcibly disarm the Italian armed forces after Italy's armistice with the Allies on 3 September 1943.
...
. The following day, on 9 September, the
US 5th Army
The United States Army North (ARNORTH) is a formation of the United States Army. An Army Service Component Command (ASCC) subordinate to United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM), ARNORTH is the joint force land component of NORTHCOM. landed in
Salerno and successfully established a
beachhead. German efforts to destroy said beachhead lasted for nine days. The Hermann Göring Panzer Division fought in General
Hube's
XIV Panzer Corps
XIV Panzer Corps (also: XIV Army Corps or XIV. ''Armeekorps'') was a corps-level formation of the German Army which fought on both the Eastern Front and in the Italian Campaign.
History
The XIV Panzer Corps was originally formed as the XIV Mot ...
beside
16th Panzer and
15th Panzergrenadier divisions, fighting hard but being progressively pushed back by the Allies under heavy naval and air firepower. The HG pulled back into Naples, where it held on tenaciously until finally giving up the devastated port on 1 October, withdrawing to positions on the
Volturno
The Volturno (ancient Latin name Volturnus, from ''volvere'', to roll) is a river in south-central Italy.
Geography
It rises in the Abruzzese central Apennines of Samnium near Castel San Vincenzo (province of Isernia, Molise) and flows southe ...
-
Termoli
Termoli ( Molisano: ''Térmëlë'') is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south Adriatic coast of Italy, in the province of Campobasso, region of Molise. It has a population of around 32,000, having expanded quickly after World War II, ...
line.
In this new positions, the Hermann Göring and the 15th Panzergrenadier put up a spirited defence, gaining essential time for the main defences of the
Gustav Line
The Winter Line was a series of German and Italian military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt and commanded by Albert Kesselring. The series of three lines was designed to defend a western section ...
to be prepared.
This defensive network ran from
Gaeta on the west coast to
Ortona on the east, with its western end blocking the
Liri Valley
{{refimprove, date=December 2020
The Valle del Liri (''Liri valley'') is a valley and a geographical region of southern Lazio and part of the larger Latin Valley, located in the province of Frosinone, crossed by the Liri river (as well as the Va ...
- the gateway to
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
. The retreating Germans employed highly successful delaying actions:
sapper
A sapper, also called a pioneer or combat engineer, is a combatant or soldier who performs a variety of military engineering duties, such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing ...
s destroyed bridges,
mined roads and demolished buildings while infantry, artillery and panzers fought stubborn rearguard actions. Those measures ensured the Allied advance to be slow and costly, gaining time for the arrival of winter and the stabilization of the front. With the coming of the autumn rains the bulk of the HG was then pulled back to rest in new reserve positions around
Frosinone
Frosinone (, local dialect: ) is a town and ''comune'' in Lazio, central Italy, the administrative seat of the province of Frosinone. It is located about south-east of Rome close to the Rome-Naples A1 Motorway. The city is the main city of the ...
.
Elements coming mostly from the Flak and Panzer-Artillery regiments remained at the front and were involved in heavy winter fighting until relieved in January 1944.
Art treasures of Monte Cassino
![Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-729-0001-23, Italien, Überführung von Kunstschätzen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-729-0001-23%2C_Italien%2C_%C3%9Cberf%C3%BChrung_von_Kunstsch%C3%A4tzen.jpg)
With the Allies pushing further north, the ancient
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
monastery of
Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Latin Valley, Italy, west of Cassino and at an elevation of . Site of the Roman town of Casinum, it is widely known for its abbey, the first ho ...
was facing almost certain destruction of countless priceless treasures; its strategically dominanting position as the western anchor of the
Gustav Line
The Winter Line was a series of German and Italian military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt and commanded by Albert Kesselring. The series of three lines was designed to defend a western section ...
would necessarily place the abbey amid the heavy fighting for the possession of the terrain. The commander of the division's repair workshop battalion, ''
Oberstleutnant
() is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedi ...
''
Julius Schlegel,
approached the
abbot
Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The ...
to offer his assistance in transporting the treasures to safety in the
Vatican
Vatican may refer to:
Vatican City, the city-state ruled by the pope in Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum
The Holy See
* The Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church and sovereign entity recognized ...
.
A cultured man endowed with great artistic feeling, in the interwar period Schlegel had run a bookshop in
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
, his hometown. After much persuasion and with the sounds of battle drawing ever nearer, the monks agreed to Schlegel's offer, and the division's vehicles were used to secure the works of art, including paintings by
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...
,
Titian
Tiziano Vecelli or Vecellio (; 27 August 1576), known in English as Titian ( ), was an Italian (Venetian) painter of the Renaissance, considered the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, nea ...
and
Raphael
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual a ...
, and the remains of
Benedict of Nursia, before the attack on
Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome. In this way they escaped destruction in the
Battle of Monte Cassino.
![Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-729-0003-13, Italien, Überführung von Kunstschätzen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-729-0003-13%2C_Italien%2C_%C3%9Cberf%C3%BChrung_von_Kunstsch%C3%A4tzen.jpg)
Over three weeks the HG trucks made the voyage to Rome. Then, an Allied radio broadcast accused troops of the Hermann Göring Division of looting the abbey.
Given
Göring's reputation as a
plunderer of Europe's art treasures, the suspicion was reasonable. Also, Schlegel had not informed his commander, ''Generalleutenant''
Paul Conrath, of the operation and the colonel's unauthorised use of military assets (vehicles and men) on a non-military matter, without direct relation to the war effort, could have resulted in his
court martial
A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...
and even execution. A detachment of
Waffen-SS
The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscripts from both occup ...
Feldgendarmerie (field police) was dispatched to the abbey with the intention of arresting the "looters", and had to be persuaded by the monks that Schlegel was helping them - not robbing them.
After Schlegel admitted to General Conrath he was using 20 trucks for purposes unrelated to advancing the war and explained why, Conrath consented to the operation. Now with the full backing of Conrath, the remaining treasures were transported to safety (including the sacred relic of Saint Benedict). In gratitude, the monks of Monte Cassino held a special mass and awarded Julius Schlegel an illuminated scroll certificate in
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
which reads:
![Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-729-0005-25, Italien, Überführung von Kunstschätzen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-729-0005-25%2C_Italien%2C_%C3%9Cberf%C3%BChrung_von_Kunstsch%C3%A4tzen.jpg)
Conrath is described by a rather idiosyncratic translation of "Leader of a tank division" into Latin as ''Dux ferreae legionis''.
In July 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Schlegel was wounded in an air raid in the
Bologna
Bologna (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language, Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 1 ...
region, losing one foot, and thus ending his participation in the conflict. Nevertheless, he was arrested by the Allies after the war on charges of
looting, and held in prison for over seven months before the personal intervention of British
Field Marshal Harold Alexander
Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis, (10 December 1891 – 16 June 1969) was a senior British Army officer who served with distinction in both the First and the Second World War and, afterwards, as Governor G ...
.
By saving the art treasures and the library as well as the construction plans, the reconstruction of the destroyed monastery was later possible. Schlegel was found by
Pope Pius XII in the early 1950s and invited to a special audience. There is also a memorial plaque dedicated to the Austrian at Pokornygasse 5 in Vienna, and a memorial not far from it in Wertheimstein Park in the Vienna district of
Oberdöbling Oberdöbling (Central Bavarian: ''Obadöbling'') was an independent municipality until 1892 and is today a part of Döbling, the 19th district of Vienna. It is also one of the 89 Katastralgemeinden.
Geography
Oberdöbling lies in the south of ...
on a natural slope towards the
Danube Canal
The Donaukanal ("Danube Canal") is a former arm of the river Danube, now regulated as a water channel (since 1598), within the city of Vienna, Austria. It is long and, unlike the Danube itself, it borders Vienna's city centre, Innere Stadt, ...
.
Further fighting in Italy
As the Allies kept pushing against the mountainous defences of the Gustav Line, the HG left the reserve and moved south against the British
8th Army on the
Garigliano River
The Garigliano () is a river in central Italy.
It forms at the confluence of the rivers Gari (also known as the Rapido) and Liri. Garigliano is actually a deformation of "Gari-Lirano" (which in Italian means something like "Gari from the Liri") ...
. On 22 January 1944, the US Army landed at
Anzio and Nettuno, north of the Gustav Line's western end, taking the Germans completely by surprise.
''
Generalfeldmarschall
''Generalfeldmarschall'' (from Old High German ''marahscalc'', "marshal, stable master, groom"; en, general field marshal, field marshal general, or field marshal; ; often abbreviated to ''Feldmarschall'') was a rank in the armies of several ...
''
Albert Kesselring
Albert Kesselring (30 November 1885 – 16 July 1960) was a German '' Generalfeldmarschall'' of the Luftwaffe during World War II who was subsequently convicted of war crimes. In a military career that spanned both world wars, Kesselring beca ...
despatched units to block the beachhead, among them elements of the Hermann Göring. The beachhead was successfully contained and put under such pressure the Allies had to shift reserves from the Cassino sector.
The division fought in
Cisterna
A cisterna (plural cisternae) is a flattened membrane vesicle found in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. Cisternae are an integral part of the packaging and modification processes of proteins occurring in the Golgi.
Function
Protei ...
, on the German left flank, facing the US
3rd Infantry Division and the
1st and
3rd Ranger
A Ranger is typically someone in a military/paramilitary or law enforcement role specializing in patrolling a given territory, called “ranging”. The term most often refers to:
* Park ranger or forest ranger, a person charged with protecting and ...
battalions.
After a night infiltration, the Rangers were counterattacked by the HG and
715 Infantry divisions, resulting in 700 US prisoners being captured. The HG was then retired to
Tuscany
it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Citizenship
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 = Italian
, demogra ...
to reform.
In February 1944, the Hermann Göring was redesignated ''Fallschirm-Panzer-Division'' (Parachute Armoured Division).
The new designation was merely honoric, involving minimal alteration to the unit's structure or capability.
On 14 April, General Conrath stepped down, the command passing to ''
Generalmajor''
Wilhelm Schmalz.
In May 1944, the Allies managed the break-out of the Anzio-Nettuno
bridgehead
In military strategy, a bridgehead (or bridge-head) is the strategically important area of ground around the end of a bridge or other place of possible crossing over a body of water which at time of conflict is sought to be defended or taken over ...
and captured Monte Cassino after its outflanking by the
French Expeditionary Corps There have been several French Expeditionary Corps (French ''Corps expéditionnaire'' 'français'':
* Expeditionary Corps of the Orient 'Corps expéditionnaire d'Orient'', CEO(1915), during World War I
* Expeditionary Corps of the Dardanelles 'Co ...
, and started advancing up the
Liri Valley
{{refimprove, date=December 2020
The Valle del Liri (''Liri valley'') is a valley and a geographical region of southern Lazio and part of the larger Latin Valley, located in the province of Frosinone, crossed by the Liri river (as well as the Va ...
. With Rome threatened and the ''
10. Armee'' retreating, the Hermann Göring was ordered to march to the
Velletri
Velletri (; la, Velitrae; xvo, Velester) is an Italian ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome, approximately 40 km to the southeast of the city centre, located in the Alban Hills, in the region of Lazio, central Italy. Neighbouring comm ...
sector of the front, which was done in broad daylight despite the total Allied air superiority. The German columns were badly mauled by relentless attacks by fighter-bombers.
From June 4, the retreat passed through the Italian capital, which had been declared an “
open city
In war, an open city is a settlement which has announced it has abandoned all defensive efforts, generally in the event of the imminent capture of the city to avoid destruction. Once a city has declared itself open the opposing military will be ...
” in order to avoid its destruction. Although the division was initially able to hold the Allied advance, it was eventually forced into retreat, pulling back to positions on the
Aniene River, east of Rome, in early June; being mentioned again in the official Wehrmacht communiqués by exemplary conduct in the face of overwhelming odds.
On July 4, the division carried out a
massacre
A massacre is the killing of a large number of people or animals, especially those who are not involved in any fighting or have no way of defending themselves. A massacre is generally considered to be morally unacceptable, especially when per ...
of residents of the town of
Cavriglia
Cavriglia is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Arezzo in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southeast of Florence and about west of Arezzo.
Cavriglia borders the following municipalities: Figline Valdarno, Gaiole in Chianti, ...
, killing 180 civilians. By July the division had been forced back to positions south of
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions of Italy, region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilan ...
; being pulled out of Italy altogether on 15 July 1944.
Corps size and defeat
The Corps size Fallschirm-Panzerkorps Hermann Göring was created in 1944 through the combination of the unit with the
Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier Division 2 Hermann Göring
Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Division 2 "Hermann Göring" was a German military unit formed on 24 September 1944 in the area of Radom. It subsequently was joined with the Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Göring to form the Fallschirm Panzer C ...
. After the start of the Allied offensive,
Operation Diadem
Operation Diadem, also referred to as the Fourth Battle of Monte Cassino or, in Canada, the Battle of the Liri Valley, was an offensive operation undertaken by the Allies of World War II (U.S. Fifth Army and British Eighth Army) in May 1944, as p ...
, on 12 May, the division retreated towards Rome and then abandoned the city. The division arrived in Poland in late-July and fought alongside
SS Division Wiking
The 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking (german: 5. SS-Panzerdivision Wiking) or SS Division Wiking was an infantry and later an armoured division among the thirty-eight Waffen-SS divisions of Nazi Germany. It was recruited from foreign volunteers ...
and the 19th Panzer Division on the
Vistula River
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
between
Modlin Fortress
Modlin Fortress ( pl, Twierdza Modlin) is one of the largest 19th-century fortresses in Poland. It is located in the town of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki in district Modlin on the Narew river, approximately 50 kilometers north of Warsaw. It was o ...
and Warsaw. In August, its counter-attack against the Magnuszew bridgehead, defended by the 8th Guards Army, failed after heavy fighting. Between August and September 1944, the division used captured Polish non-combatant civilians as
human shields when attacking the insurgents' positions during the
Warsaw uprising
The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occurred in the summer of 1944, and it was led ...
. Following the destruction of the town, the division was attached to the newly formed
Army Group Vistula formed 24 January 1945, defending the ruins of Warsaw in what Hitler termed "
Festung Warschau
In the German language, ''Festung Warschau'' ("Fortress Warsaw") is the term used to refer to a fortified and well-defended Warsaw. In the 20th century, the term was in use on three occasions during World War I and World War II. It was used when t ...
", or Fortress Warsaw. During the
Vistula-Oder Offensive, much of the division was broken in battle.
![Soldier with a Panzerfaust from the Panzer Division Hermann Göring smiling to the camera, Russia, 1944](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Soldier_with_a_Panzerfaust_from_the_Panzer_Division_Hermann_G%C3%B6ring_smiling_to_the_camera%2C_Russia%2C_1944._%2837342442900%29.png)
In April, the remnants of the ''Hermann Göring'' Panzerkorps were sent to
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
, and in heavy fighting were slowly pushed back into
Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
. On April 22, the Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1. ''Hermann Göring'' was one of two divisions that broke through the inter-army boundary of the
Polish 2nd Army (Polish People's Army or LWP) and the Soviet 52nd Army, in an action near
Bautzen
Bautzen () or Budyšin () is a hill-top town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and the administrative centre of the district of Bautzen. It is located on the Spree river. In 2018 the town's population was 39,087. Until 1868, its German name was ''Budi ...
, destroying parts of their communications and logistics trains and severely damaging the Polish (LWP) 5th Infantry Division and 16th Tank Brigade before being stopped two days later.
In early May, units of the corps attempted to break out towards the American forces on the
Elbe
The Elbe (; cs, Labe ; nds, Ilv or ''Elv''; Upper and dsb, Łobjo) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Re ...
, but were unsuccessful. The corps surrendered to the Red Army on 8 May 1945.
War crimes
According to a
British Government report, the ''Hermann Göring'' Division was involved in several
reprisal
A reprisal is a limited and deliberate violation of international law to punish another sovereign state that has already broken them. Since the 1977 Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions (AP 1), reprisals in the laws of war are extreme ...
operations during its time in Italy. One of these occurred in the surrounding area of the village of
Civitella in Val di Chiana on 6 June 1944 where 250 civilians were killed.
The division was also involved in a number of other massacres in Italy at
Cavriglia
Cavriglia is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Arezzo in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southeast of Florence and about west of Arezzo.
Cavriglia borders the following municipalities: Figline Valdarno, Gaiole in Chianti, ...
(173 victims),
Monchio, Susano and Costrignano (130 victims)
and
Vallucciole (107 victims).
Soldiers of the ''Hermann Göring'' Division used civilians as human shields in front of its tanks while clearing barricades during the Warsaw Uprising.
Around 800 soldiers from the division took part in fighting during the August–October 1944
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occurred in the summer of 1944, and it was led ...
in the
Wola district, where mass executions of civilians occurred in connection with Hitler's orders to destroy the city. Units of the division were also involved in the excesses committed in the Dutch city of Putten, also called the
Putten raid
The Putten raid (Dutch: ''Razzia van Putten'') was a civilian raid conducted by Nazi Germany in occupied Netherlands during the Second World War. On 1 October 1944, a total of 602 men – almost the entire male population of the village – were ...
.
The units were:
* II./Fallschirm-Panzer-Regiment "Hermann Göring" (20 PzKpfw IV tanks)
* III./Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2. "Hermann Göring"
* IV./Fallschirm-Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment "Hermann Göring"
Organization
Structure of the division:
* Headquarters
* Hermann Goering Panzer Regiment
* 1st Hermann Goering Panzergrenadier Regiment
* 2nd Hermann Goering Panzergrenadier Regiment
* 1st Hermann Goering Artillery Regiment
* 1st Hermann Goering Anti-Aircraft Regiment
* 1st Hermann Goering Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
* 1st Hermann Goering Tank Destroyer Battalion
* 1st Hermann Goering Panzer Engineer Battalion
* 1st Hermann Goering Panzer Signal Battalion
* 1st Hermann Goering Divisional Support Group
Commanders
Fallschirm-Panzer-Korps ''Hermann Göring''
Historical unit titles
: Polizeiabteilung z. b. V. Wecke – February 1933 to June 1933
: Landespolizeigruppe Wecke z. b. V. – June 1933 to January 1934
: Landespolizeigruppe General Göring – January 1934 to September 1935
: Regiment General Göring – September 1935 to the beginning of 1941
: Regiment (mot.) Hermann Göring – Beginning of the year 1941 to July 1942
: Brigade Hermann Göring – July to October 1942
: Division Hermann Göring – October 1942 to June 1943
: Panzer-Division Hermann Göring – June 1943 to April 1944
: Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1 Hermann Göring – April to October 1944
: Fallschirm-Panzerkorps Hermann Göring – October 1944 to May 1945
Notes
Report of British War Crimes Section of Allied Force Headquarters on German Reprisals for Partisan Activities in ItalyPolish government page
Citations
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Goring
HG
Luftwaffe Divisions
German units in Africa
Military units and formations established in 1935
Military units and formations disestablished in 1945
War crimes of the Wehrmacht