Martin Groß was an Obersturmbannführer

Obersturmbannführer

Obersturmbannführer was a paramilitary Nazi Party rank used by both the SA and the SS. It was created in May 1933 to fill the need for an additional field grade officer rank above Sturmbannführer as the SA expanded. It became an SS rank at the same time...

 (Lieutenant Colonel), in the 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...

 (SS number 6684) during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

Background

He was born in Frankfurt

Frankfurt

Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...

 on 15 April 1911. Information about his early life is sparse.

Career in the Waffen-SS

He was a Battalion commander in the 1st SS 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...

 where he commanded the II/Battalion of the SS Panzer Regiment 1. It was when he was in command of this battalion during the Battle of Kharkov

Battle of Kharkov

Battle of Kharkov may refer to:* First Battle of Kharkov, a 1941 battle in which German troops captured the city* Second Battle of Kharkov, a 1942 battle in which Soviet forces attempted to retake the city...

 1943 and was awarded the Knight's Cross

Knight's Cross

Knight's Cross refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield....

 in July 1943 when during a three hour engagement his battalion destroyed 90 Soviet tanks.

In August 1944 Groß was given command of a new Panzer Brigade, known as SS Panzer Brigade Gross

SS Panzer Brigade Gross

SS Panzer Brigade Gross. was a formation of the Waffen SS during World War II. It was formed in 1944, from the SS Training and Reserve Regiments based in Latvia, to keep the road to Riga open and to counter the Red Armys summer offensive, which had captured Mitau and Tukums and putting the whole...

. The brigade was formed from elements of the SS Panzer Troop Training and Replacement Regiment at Dundaga

Dundaga

Dundaga is a village in Courland, Latvia. From 2009 its an administrative centre of Dundaga municipality.Dundaga is famous for its castle from late 13th century, constructed by Archbishopric of Riga. From the 16th until the 20th century, Dundaga Castle was the centre of the largest private estate...

 , Latvia, along with SS Panzer Troop Training Regiment "Seelager". By 16 August, the brigade had attained a personnel strength of 2,500 and was attached to a new and temporary Divisional Command: Panzer Division Strachwitz.

The brigade first went into action against the Soviet 51st Army units in and around the town of Tukums

Tukums

Tukums is a town in Latvia. Three regions of Latvia meet in the vicinity of Tukums – Vidzeme, Zemgale and Courland. The city was host to the Cold War facility Tukums air base.- History :...

 on 20 August. In September, Brigade Gross was detached from Panzer Division Strachwitz and dispatched to the Tartu

Tartu

Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...

 area to counter another Soviet offensive. The brigade fought in the Baltic area from September to October 1944.

In November the unit was withdrawn from the Baltic and sent to the Waffen SS Troop Training Area Sennelager near Danzig, East Prussia

East Prussia

East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...

 (present-day Gdańsk, Poland). From there it was sent to another training area in Westphalia

Westphalia

Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...

. There the brigade was broken up and its men sent to the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich

2nd SS Division Das Reich

The 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich was a Waffen-SS division during World War II. It is considered to be an elite formation amongst the thirty-eight divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS....

, 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen

9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen

The 9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen", also known as SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9 Hohenstaufen or 9. SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen, was a German Waffen-SS Armoured division which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II. The...

 and the 12th SS-Panzer Division Hitlerjugend, which were a part of the 6th Panzer Army. The disbanding of Brigade Gross was disguised as the forming of a new panzer regiment: SS-Panzer-Regiment 26 Reichsmarschall.

In March 1945 Groß was transferred to the 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...

 and was the last commander of the SS Panzer Regiment 12.

Decorations

• Iron Cross II: 1 October 1939
• Iron Cross I: 20 July 1940
• Inf. Assault Badge: October 1940
• German Cross in Gold: 28 March 1943
• Knight's Cross: 22 July 1943
• Wound Badge in Gold:
• Tank Combat Badge in Silver:

Promotions

• SS-Untersturmführer: 10 March 1935
• SS-Obersturmführer: 9 November 1936
• SS-Hauptsturmführer: 30 January 1940
• SS-Sturmbannführer: 30 January 1943
• SS-Obersturmbannführer: 9 November 1944

SS Panzer Brigade Gross Order of Battle (8 Aug. 1944–Nov. 1944)

• Brigade Headquarters
• 1st SS Infantry Battalion
  • 4x Companies
• 2nd SS Infantry Battalion
  • 4x Companies
• SS Panzer Battalion "Gross"
• 3x Companies
• Schwere Panzer Company
• 1st SS Sturmgeschütz
  Sturmgeschütz
  Sturmgeschütz is a German word for "assault gun", usually abbreviated StuG. The vehicle was a leading weapon of the Sturmartillerie, a branch of the German artillery tasked with close fire support of infantry in infantry, panzer, and panzergrenadier units...
  
   Battalion
• Artillery Batteries x2
• SS Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion "Gross"
• Motor Cycle Company
• Panzer-Späh Company
• RAD/Kettenrad Company
• Flak Company
  • 4x Platoons
• Pionier Company
• Military Police Troop
• Supply Company
• Workshop Company