I SS Panzer Corps
Encyclopedia
The I SS Panzer Corps Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler or I SS Panzer Corps was a German
Waffen-SS
panzer
corps
which saw action on both the Western
and Eastern Fronts
during World War II.
, with initial mustering taking place on the Truppenübungsplatz at Beverloo, in occupied Belgium. The formation resulted in SS-Obergruppenführer
Paul Hausser
's existing (unnumbered) SS Panzer Corps being renamed to II SS Panzer Corps
. SS-Obergruppenführer Josef "Sepp" Dietrich
, previously in charge of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
, was the corps' first commander. The Leibstandarte division's symbol was a lockpick, in honour of Dietrich (dietrich is German for lockpick), and it was retained and modified to serve as the Corps' symbol.
In August 1943, the corps was transferred to Meran in Italy, where it took part in operations to disarm Italian troops. After the completion of this, the Corps continued its training, being sporadically engaged in anti-partisan
operations in northern Italy. By December 1943, the Corps was fully formed and deemed ready for action, and its HQ was set up in Brussels
.
, to the west of Paris, where it was assigned the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
, 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend
, Panzer-Lehr-Division and the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
. The corps was to form a part of General Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg
's Panzer Group West, the Western theatre's armoured reserve. During this time, the corps was granted the honorary title Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler.
With the launch of Operation Overlord
and the allied invasion of France on 6 June 1944, the corps was ordered to Falaise. The Hitlerjugend engaged British and Canadian troops to the north of Caen
on 8 June. The corps was tasked with holding the area of Caen and saw heavy fighting around the villages of Authie
, Buron
and the airport at Carpiquet
. The Tigers
of the corps' 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion
distinguished themselves during the fighting defeating a British armoured breakthrough near the village of Villers-Bocage
.
The corps played a major role in the halting of the British Epsom
and Goodwood
operations, and the 17th SS Panzergrenadier and Panzer Lehr Divisions bitterly contested the American advance in the bocage
country near Saint-Lô
.
After the launch of the American Operation Cobra
, which decimated the Panzer Lehr, the Corps was ordered to take part in Operation Lüttich
, the abortive counter-offensive towards Avranches
. The remnants of the Corps were caught in the Falaise Pocket
, where they fought hard to keep open an escape corridor for the trapped German forces, losing virtually all their armour and materiel in the process. After the fall of the Falaise pocket and the collapse of the front, the Corps took part in the fighting withdrawal to the Franco-German border.
region to join its old commander, Sepp Dietrich's Sixth SS Panzer Army
, in preparation for a major offensive codenamed Wacht Am Rhein, and the ensuing Battle of the Bulge
.
The Corps played a major role in the battle with Kampfgruppe
Peiper of the Leibstandarte division forming the spearhead. After several weeks heavy fighting, and with severely limited fuel supplies, the Corps was exhausted. The offensive was called off, and the Corps, together with the whole of Dietrich's Army, was moved to Hungary.
on 6 March 1945. The Corps, which formed the left flank of Dietrich's assault, was soon bogged down by mud and, despite initial gains, the attack was soon halted by intense Soviet opposition. The Corps fell back in an attempt to support the IV SS Panzer Corps
, which was to their left and engaged in heavy action near Stuhlweissenberg. On 15 March, the Soviets launched the Vienna offensive
, which split the lines of the neighbouring German Sixth Army
and forced the entire southern front to retreat towards Vienna
. The Corps engaged in scattered resistance, retreating through Hungary and Austria, finally surrendering to the Americans on 8 May 1945.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
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...
panzer
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
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 both the Western
Western Front (World War II)
The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale ground combat operations...
and Eastern Fronts
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.
Formation and training
The corps was raised on 26 July 1943 in Berlin-LichterfeldLichterfelde (Berlin)
Lichterfelde is a locality in the borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf in Berlin, Germany. Until 2001 it was part, with Steglitz and Lankwitz of the former Steglitz borough.-History:...
, with initial mustering taking place on the Truppenübungsplatz at Beverloo, in occupied Belgium. The formation resulted in SS-Obergruppenführer
Obergruppenführer
Obergruppenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the SA and until 1942 it was the highest SS rank inferior only to Reichsführer-SS...
Paul Hausser
Paul Hausser
Paul "Papa" Hausser was an officer in the German Army, achieving the high rank of lieutenant-general in the inter-war Reichswehr. After retirement from the regular Army he became the "father" of the Waffen-SS and one of its most eminent leaders...
's existing (unnumbered) SS Panzer Corps being renamed to II SS Panzer Corps
II SS Panzer Corps
The II SS Panzer Corps was a Nazi German Waffen-SS armoured corps which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II.- Formation - Kharkov :...
. SS-Obergruppenführer Josef "Sepp" Dietrich
Sepp Dietrich
Josef "Sepp" Dietrich was a German SS General. He was one of Nazi Germany's most decorated soldiers and commanded formations up to Army level during World War II. Prior to 1929 he was Adolf Hitler's chauffeur and bodyguard but received rapid promotion after his participation in the murder of...
, previously in charge of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard. Initially the size of a regiment, the LSSAH eventually grew into a divisional-sized unit...
, was the corps' first commander. The Leibstandarte division's symbol was a lockpick, in honour of Dietrich (dietrich is German for lockpick), and it was retained and modified to serve as the Corps' symbol.
In August 1943, the corps was transferred to Meran in Italy, where it took part in operations to disarm Italian troops. After the completion of this, the Corps continued its training, being sporadically engaged in anti-partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
operations in northern Italy. By December 1943, the Corps was fully formed and deemed ready for action, and its HQ was set up in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
.
Western Front: Normandy
In April 1944, the corps was moved to SepteuilSepteuil
Septeuil is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.-See also:*Communes of the Yvelines department . it's an historic commune with an old church from the XIIe century-References:*...
, to the west of Paris, where it was assigned the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard. Initially the size of a regiment, the LSSAH eventually grew into a divisional-sized unit...
, 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend
12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend
The 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend was a German Waffen SS armoured division during World War II. The Hitlerjugend was unique because the majority of its junior enlisted men were drawn from members of the Hitler Youth, while the senior NCOs and officers were generally veterans of the Eastern...
, Panzer-Lehr-Division and the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
The 17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Götz von Berlichingen was a German SS panzergrenadier division which saw action on the Western Front during World War II.-Formation and training:...
. The corps was to form a part of General Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg
Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg
Leo Dietrich Franz Freiherr Geyr von Schweppenburg was a German cavalry officer in World War I and a general during World War II. He was particularly noted for his expertise in armoured warfare and his command of Panzer Group West during the Invasion of Normandy.- Biography :Geyr was born in...
's Panzer Group West, the Western theatre's armoured reserve. During this time, the corps was granted the honorary title Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler.
With the launch of Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
and the allied invasion of France on 6 June 1944, the corps was ordered to Falaise. The Hitlerjugend engaged British and Canadian troops to the north of Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
on 8 June. The corps was tasked with holding the area of Caen and saw heavy fighting around the villages of Authie
Authie
Authie is the name of several places in France:*Authie, Calvados, commune of the Calvados département*Authie, Somme, commune of the Somme département*Authie , a river in northern France...
, Buron
Buron
Buron is a village in France near Caen, in the communes of Saint-Contest and Cairon .It was the site of two major battles, one on June 7, 1944, and another during Operation Charnwood on July 8, 1944 when the Highland Light Infantry of Canada liberated the town from defending elements of the 12th SS...
and the airport at Carpiquet
Carpiquet
Carpiquet is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. Caen – Carpiquet Airport is located in Carpiquet.-Geography:Carpiquet is on the western side of the Caen metropolitan area...
. The Tigers
Tiger I
Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank developed in 1942 and used in World War II. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of...
of the corps' 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion
101st SS Heavy Panzer Detachment
SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 (in German Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, commonly abbreviated as s.SS-Pz. Abt. 101 was one of Waffen-SS's elite armored units, acting as a fire brigade and a crack assault unit on all fronts...
distinguished themselves during the fighting defeating a British armoured breakthrough near the village of Villers-Bocage
Battle of Villers-Bocage
The Battle of Villers-Bocage took place during the Second World War on 13 June 1944, one week after the Allies landed in Normandy to begin the liberation of German-occupied France. The battle was the result of a British attempt to improve their position by exploiting a temporary vulnerability in...
.
The corps played a major role in the halting of the British Epsom
Operation Epsom
Operation Epsom, also known as the First Battle of the Odon, was a Second World War British offensive that took place between 26 and 30 June 1944, during the Battle of Normandy...
and Goodwood
Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on 18 July 1944, during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen...
operations, and the 17th SS Panzergrenadier and Panzer Lehr Divisions bitterly contested the American advance in the bocage
Bocage
Bocage is a Norman word which has entered both the French and English languages. It may refer to a small forest, a decorative element of leaves, a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, or a type of rubble-work, comparable with the English use of 'rustic' in relation to garden...
country near Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
.
After the launch of the American Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra was the codename for an offensive launched by the First United States Army seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy Campaign of World War II...
, which decimated the Panzer Lehr, the Corps was ordered to take part in Operation Lüttich
Operation Lüttich
Operation Lüttich was a codename given to a German counterattack during the Battle of Normandy, which took place around the American positions near Mortain from 7 August to 13 August 1944...
, the abortive counter-offensive towards Avranches
Avranches
Avranches is a commune in the Manche department in the Basse-Normandie region in north-western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called Avranchinais.-History:...
. The remnants of the Corps were caught in the Falaise Pocket
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
, where they fought hard to keep open an escape corridor for the trapped German forces, losing virtually all their armour and materiel in the process. After the fall of the Falaise pocket and the collapse of the front, the Corps took part in the fighting withdrawal to the Franco-German border.
Battle of the Bulge
In early October 1944, the Corps was pulled back from the front line for rest and refit in Westfalen. Refitting was complete by early December, and it was ordered to the ArdennesArdennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
region to join its old commander, Sepp Dietrich's Sixth SS Panzer Army
German Sixth SS Panzer Army
The 6th Panzer Army was a unit of Wehrmacht Heer, formed in the Autumn of 1944. The 6th Panzer Army is best noted for its leading role in the Battle of the Bulge . On 2 April 1945, it was transferred to the Waffen-SS...
, in preparation for a major offensive codenamed Wacht Am Rhein, and the ensuing Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
.
The Corps played a major role in the battle with Kampfgruppe
Kampfgruppe
In military history and military slang, the German term Kampfgruppe can refer to a combat formation of any kind, but most usually to that employed by the German Wehrmacht and its allies during World War II and, to a lesser extent, in World War I...
Peiper of the Leibstandarte division forming the spearhead. After several weeks heavy fighting, and with severely limited fuel supplies, the Corps was exhausted. The offensive was called off, and the Corps, together with the whole of Dietrich's Army, was moved to Hungary.
Eastern Front: Hungary
The German forces began Operation FrühlingserwachenOperation Frühlingserwachen
Operation Frühlingserwachen was the last major German offensive launched during World War II. The offensive was launched in Hungary on the Eastern Front...
on 6 March 1945. The Corps, which formed the left flank of Dietrich's assault, was soon bogged down by mud and, despite initial gains, the attack was soon halted by intense Soviet opposition. The Corps fell back in an attempt to support the IV SS Panzer Corps
IV SS Panzer Corps
The IV.SS-Panzerkorps was a German Waffen-SS armoured corps which saw action on the Eastern Front and in the Balkans during World War II.The Panzerkorps was formed in August, 1943 in Poitiers, France...
, which was to their left and engaged in heavy action near Stuhlweissenberg. On 15 March, the Soviets launched the Vienna offensive
Vienna Offensive
The Vienna Offensive was launched by the Soviet 3rd Ukrainian Front in order to capture Vienna, Austria. The offensive lasted from 2–13 April 1945...
, which split the lines of the neighbouring German Sixth Army
German Sixth Army
The 6th Army was a designation for German field armies which saw action in World War I and World War II. The 6th Army is best known for fighting in the Battle of Stalingrad, during which it became the first entire German field army to be completely destroyed...
and forced the entire southern front to retreat towards Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. The Corps engaged in scattered resistance, retreating through Hungary and Austria, finally surrendering to the Americans on 8 May 1945.
Commanders
- SS-Oberstgruppenführer Josef Dietrich (4 July 1943 - 9 Aug 1944)
- SS-Brigadeführer Fritz KraemerFritz KraemerSS-Brigadeführer Fritz Kraemer was a German Waffen-SS and Heer officer, and a commander of the I. SS-Panzer Corps Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and the 12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend. He was also a winner of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.-Early life - Pre-war service:Kraemer was born in...
(9 Aug 1944 - 16 Aug 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...
(16 Aug 1944 - 30 Oct 1944) - SS-Obergruppenführer Hermann PriessHermann PriessHermann Prieß was the commander of 3rd SS Division Totenkopf following the death of Theodor Eicke in February 1943. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
(30 Oct 1944 - 8 May 1945)
6 June 1944 (Normandy)
- 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion101st SS Heavy Panzer DetachmentSS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 (in German Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, commonly abbreviated as s.SS-Pz. Abt. 101 was one of Waffen-SS's elite armored units, acting as a fire brigade and a crack assault unit on all fronts...
- 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
- 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend12th SS Panzer Division HitlerjugendThe 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend was a German Waffen SS armoured division during World War II. The Hitlerjugend was unique because the majority of its junior enlisted men were drawn from members of the Hitler Youth, while the senior NCOs and officers were generally veterans of the Eastern...
- 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von BerlichingenThe 17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Götz von Berlichingen was a German SS panzergrenadier division which saw action on the Western Front during World War II.-Formation and training:...
- Heer Panzer-Lehr-Division
16 December 1944 (Battle of the Bulge)
- 501st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion101st SS Heavy Panzer DetachmentSS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 (in German Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, commonly abbreviated as s.SS-Pz. Abt. 101 was one of Waffen-SS's elite armored units, acting as a fire brigade and a crack assault unit on all fronts...
- 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
- 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend12th SS Panzer Division HitlerjugendThe 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend was a German Waffen SS armoured division during World War II. The Hitlerjugend was unique because the majority of its junior enlisted men were drawn from members of the Hitler Youth, while the senior NCOs and officers were generally veterans of the Eastern...
- 3rd Parachute Division
- 12th Volksgrenadier Division
- 277th Infantry Division277th Infantry Division (Germany)A first 277th Infantry Division was ordered to form on May 22, 1940 as part of the 10th mobilisation wave , but this order was rescinded after the French Surrender. A new 277th Infantry Division was formed in Croatia on November 17, 1943 as part of the 22nd mobilisation wave A first 277th Infantry...
6 March 1945 (Operation Frühlingserwachen)
- 501st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion101st SS Heavy Panzer DetachmentSS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 (in German Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, commonly abbreviated as s.SS-Pz. Abt. 101 was one of Waffen-SS's elite armored units, acting as a fire brigade and a crack assault unit on all fronts...
- 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
- 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend12th SS Panzer Division HitlerjugendThe 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend was a German Waffen SS armoured division during World War II. The Hitlerjugend was unique because the majority of its junior enlisted men were drawn from members of the Hitler Youth, while the senior NCOs and officers were generally veterans of the Eastern...