17th SS division "Gotz von Berlichingen"
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:29 pm
Taken from my website; http://www.17thss.co.uk
Unit History
The order to create the 17th SS Division was given in the middle of 1943 although it was not formally activated until 1944 when training and forming was complete. This activation was marked by a ceremony on the 10th April at the town hall in Thouars, France, where the division had been carrying out its training. The ceremony was attended by no less than Reichfuhrer SS Himmler and "Sepp" Dietrich. The cufftitle, "Gotz von Berlichingen" was bestowed upon the division.
D-Day Normandy, Ardennes and Retreat
Under its first commanding officer, SS - Brigadenfuhrer Werner Ostendorff, the division formed its order of battle. This comprised two regiments of panzer grenadiers. The 37th and 38th each composed of three motorised battalions, artillery regiment and the usual attached services. The divisional strength as of 1st June 1944 was 17,321 men although, given the state of Germany at this stage of the war it was deficient in weapons and equipment. An example given is at least two of the grenadiers battalions were mounted on bicycles!
On D-Day the division was released from the high command reserve (OKW) and assigned to Army Group B and started to make its way to the beach head. The division Aufklarungs - Bataillon ( reconnaissance battalion) reach the area around Tessy during the 8th June, followed slowly by the rest of the division caused by the lack of mobility and constant harassment by allied air superiority. The Aufklarungs - Bataillon took up positions in a sector previously held by the Wehrmacht 352nd Division in the Trevieres-Littry area where, on the 10th June, the Aufklarungs - Bataillon finally clashed with units of the British 7th Armoured Division.
The main force of the division was still arriving and due to continued fuel shortages the bulk was still stranded in and around Vers. Fuel supplies eventually got through and some units became mobile, advancing to a point North of Periers.
This area was being held by the 6th Fallschirmjager Regiment under the experienced and bold Major Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte. Ostendorff went forward to meet up with von der Heydte in the town of Carentan where a fierce battle was raging. Under continued allied superiority FJR 6 was forced to withdraw and become subordinate to the command of "GvB". There was a well documented clash between von der Heydte and commanding officers of "GvB". Heydte had a low opinion of the "GvB" and for their part, several senior "GvB" officers attempted to have Heydte court-martialled for giving up Carentan.
By the 12th June, Carentan fell to the US 101st and 82nd Airborne and GvB moved into defensive positions in the South. Despite a counterattack in the Coutances area, it is clear that "GvB" and the German forces in general could not sustain domination of the battle. Shortage of ammunition for the heavy support weapons limited the effectiveness of any attacks by the grenadiers, a fact further compounded by Luftwaffe support failing to materialise. That said, "GvB" opened their first attack against both the US 101st and 82nd A/B Divisions and the 2nd Armoured Division. Fighting continued for a few weeks with few advances and culminated in the "GvB" going back into defensive positions and Ostendorff being badly wounded on 16th June. He was replaced by SS Standartenfuhrer Otto Baum. On 18th June, "GvB" was relieved from the Periers-Neumesnil sector by the Wehrmacht 353rd Division. Escaping the decimation of the other German divisions in the Falaise pocket, "GvB" was sent initially to Paris and then Merzig in the Saarland for rest and refit.
"GvB" spent the remainder of 1944 defending Metz. They defended it with resolve and held up the US advance through France. However, repeated US attacks over two months considerably weakened "GvB" and lack of replacements again forced "GvB" to be withdrawn in November to Saarbruecken.
1945 saw "GvB" holding the line from Aachen, Bettweder, Urbach and Nussweder. The Ardennes offensive, or Unternehmen Nordwind, began with "GvB" playing a major role in attacking the US forces. However, the seemingly limitless supplies of US men and material prevailed and Nordwind failed.
As the allies continued their advance, "GvB" suffered defeat after defeat, withdrawal after withdrawal, finally finding itself defending Nuremburg on 20 April, the Fuhrer's birthday. The last days of April saw "GvB" fighting around Munich after which it headed South. By this time, the writing was on the wall and "GvB" finally surrendered to the US forces on 7 May, 1945 and was sent into captivity.
"GvB" had existed for 17 months, 11 months of which involved heavy fighting. The Division had been repeatedly decimated, reformed and sent back into action. That said, it fought hard with distinction, was not tarnished with any involvement in war crimes and fought exclusively on the Western Front.
Personalities/Commanders
It is not my intention to chonologically list all of “GvB’s” commanders as this is not very interesting for the reader and similarly is of little merit unless the commander can be assigned some special noteworthy contribution to the units history. However, of special note are the following.
Gruppenfurhrer Werner Ostendorff held command of the “GvB” at two separate times. He was it’s first Divisional commander from activation in 1943, initially relinquishing this command when he was badly wounded on the 16th June 1944 in and around the Periers-Neumesnil sector where “GvB” was defending debilitating attacks from the US 82nd, 101st A/B and 2nd Armoured Divisions. Ostendorff went on to command the “GvB” on another occasion releiving Standartenfuhrer Gustav Mertsch on the 21st October 1944 and finally leaving “GvB” on the 15th November 1944.
Standartenfuhrer Otto Binge also had the distinction of having Divisional command of the “GvB” on two occasions, June 17th to the 20th 1944 and again between the 1st and 29th August 1944. He was replaced at the end of his first command by Standartenfuhrer Otto Baum who led “GvB” between June the 20th and August 1st 1944 and who had the distinction of subordinating “GvB” to the 2nd SS “Das Reich” and immediately to take over as commander of DasReich with the now attached “GvB”
Knights Cross winners
Only four men within the Division ever won the Knights Cross or Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes whilst on active service within “GvB”. This is relatively low when compared to other W-SS formations but still credible given the relatively short time “GvB” was in existence and the narrow (western) front on which it fought. To put this in context, Divsions such as the 2nd SS “Das Reich” and the 1st SS “Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler”, units which pretty much fought throughout WWII and on both fronts had 72 and 54 Knights Cross winners respectively. Total for all W-SS formations in WWII was 410. The Knights Cross was a new grade of Iron Cross and was introduced in 1939. It was awarded for a variety of reasons, from skilled and continuous leadership to a single act of extreme gallantry or bravery and was available to any man regardless of rank. As the war progressed further distinctions or grades were created to bestowe further glory on existing holders, namely Oak Leaves, Oak leaves with Swords and ultimately Oak Leaves with Swords and Diamonds!
Sturmbanfuhrer Kurt Wahl
Kurt Wahl won his Knights Cross aged 30. In late August 1944 he was leading a battle group of the 38th Regiment whilst the Division was concerntrated near Mortain and was involved in a counterattack (Op LUTTICH) against the US 30th Infantry Division.
Obersturmfuhrer Ortwin Kuske
Ortwin Kuske was leading 3 Kompanie,17 Aufklarungs Abteilung (recon) with an attached Wehrmacht unit when it stopped a US armoured advance dead in it’s tracks whilst “GvB” was involved in defending Metz. Metz subsequently fell to the US forces on the 22nd of November 1944. Kuske was awarded his Knights Cross for “….Outsanding bravery and leadership”. Testimony to the savagery of this particular event was that 8O% of Kuskes battlegroup was killed or wounded.
Obersturmfuhrer Fred Papas
As with all recon outfits the world over, they are always in the vanguard of any action and not suprisingly another officer from the 17 Aufklarungs Abteilung, Fred Papas won his award when as an Untersturmfuhrer, he was involved in that units action during the time German forces were being pushed back as far as the Maderbach river.
Oberscharfuhrer Heinrich Gottke
The only “enlisted man” within the Division to win the Knights Cross, Gottke was a member of 3 Batterie, 17 Flak Abteilung which was under concerntrated US armoured attack. Using a Flak gun in an anti-tank role the twice wounded Gottke remained at his gun knocking out several US tanks and more or less held off the attack on his own as his comrades lie dead and dying around him. Eventually reinforcements arrived and he was relieved. He was awarded his Knights Cross on the 17th December 1944
Finally, and of particular note is one of “GvB’s” most well known commanders, Oberfuhrer Fritz Klingenberg, holder of the Knight Cross, an award he won on the 14thMay 1941 when as a Hauptsturmfuhrer he led a small party of men from the motorcycle battalion he was commanding from 2nd SS “Das Reich” and entered Belgrade and by sheer dash and bluff forced the civilian population to capitulate without a fight. This he did by informing them he would call in an air strike if they didn’t immediately surrender. The bluff being that he didn’t have a radio to call in such a strike and anyway was so far ahead of his Division to rely on any other concerntarted support. He led the “GvB” from January 10th until March 22nd 1945 at which time this dashing and brilliant officer was killed. His body was never found.
Unit History
The order to create the 17th SS Division was given in the middle of 1943 although it was not formally activated until 1944 when training and forming was complete. This activation was marked by a ceremony on the 10th April at the town hall in Thouars, France, where the division had been carrying out its training. The ceremony was attended by no less than Reichfuhrer SS Himmler and "Sepp" Dietrich. The cufftitle, "Gotz von Berlichingen" was bestowed upon the division.
D-Day Normandy, Ardennes and Retreat
Under its first commanding officer, SS - Brigadenfuhrer Werner Ostendorff, the division formed its order of battle. This comprised two regiments of panzer grenadiers. The 37th and 38th each composed of three motorised battalions, artillery regiment and the usual attached services. The divisional strength as of 1st June 1944 was 17,321 men although, given the state of Germany at this stage of the war it was deficient in weapons and equipment. An example given is at least two of the grenadiers battalions were mounted on bicycles!
On D-Day the division was released from the high command reserve (OKW) and assigned to Army Group B and started to make its way to the beach head. The division Aufklarungs - Bataillon ( reconnaissance battalion) reach the area around Tessy during the 8th June, followed slowly by the rest of the division caused by the lack of mobility and constant harassment by allied air superiority. The Aufklarungs - Bataillon took up positions in a sector previously held by the Wehrmacht 352nd Division in the Trevieres-Littry area where, on the 10th June, the Aufklarungs - Bataillon finally clashed with units of the British 7th Armoured Division.
The main force of the division was still arriving and due to continued fuel shortages the bulk was still stranded in and around Vers. Fuel supplies eventually got through and some units became mobile, advancing to a point North of Periers.
This area was being held by the 6th Fallschirmjager Regiment under the experienced and bold Major Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte. Ostendorff went forward to meet up with von der Heydte in the town of Carentan where a fierce battle was raging. Under continued allied superiority FJR 6 was forced to withdraw and become subordinate to the command of "GvB". There was a well documented clash between von der Heydte and commanding officers of "GvB". Heydte had a low opinion of the "GvB" and for their part, several senior "GvB" officers attempted to have Heydte court-martialled for giving up Carentan.
By the 12th June, Carentan fell to the US 101st and 82nd Airborne and GvB moved into defensive positions in the South. Despite a counterattack in the Coutances area, it is clear that "GvB" and the German forces in general could not sustain domination of the battle. Shortage of ammunition for the heavy support weapons limited the effectiveness of any attacks by the grenadiers, a fact further compounded by Luftwaffe support failing to materialise. That said, "GvB" opened their first attack against both the US 101st and 82nd A/B Divisions and the 2nd Armoured Division. Fighting continued for a few weeks with few advances and culminated in the "GvB" going back into defensive positions and Ostendorff being badly wounded on 16th June. He was replaced by SS Standartenfuhrer Otto Baum. On 18th June, "GvB" was relieved from the Periers-Neumesnil sector by the Wehrmacht 353rd Division. Escaping the decimation of the other German divisions in the Falaise pocket, "GvB" was sent initially to Paris and then Merzig in the Saarland for rest and refit.
"GvB" spent the remainder of 1944 defending Metz. They defended it with resolve and held up the US advance through France. However, repeated US attacks over two months considerably weakened "GvB" and lack of replacements again forced "GvB" to be withdrawn in November to Saarbruecken.
1945 saw "GvB" holding the line from Aachen, Bettweder, Urbach and Nussweder. The Ardennes offensive, or Unternehmen Nordwind, began with "GvB" playing a major role in attacking the US forces. However, the seemingly limitless supplies of US men and material prevailed and Nordwind failed.
As the allies continued their advance, "GvB" suffered defeat after defeat, withdrawal after withdrawal, finally finding itself defending Nuremburg on 20 April, the Fuhrer's birthday. The last days of April saw "GvB" fighting around Munich after which it headed South. By this time, the writing was on the wall and "GvB" finally surrendered to the US forces on 7 May, 1945 and was sent into captivity.
"GvB" had existed for 17 months, 11 months of which involved heavy fighting. The Division had been repeatedly decimated, reformed and sent back into action. That said, it fought hard with distinction, was not tarnished with any involvement in war crimes and fought exclusively on the Western Front.
Personalities/Commanders
It is not my intention to chonologically list all of “GvB’s” commanders as this is not very interesting for the reader and similarly is of little merit unless the commander can be assigned some special noteworthy contribution to the units history. However, of special note are the following.
Gruppenfurhrer Werner Ostendorff held command of the “GvB” at two separate times. He was it’s first Divisional commander from activation in 1943, initially relinquishing this command when he was badly wounded on the 16th June 1944 in and around the Periers-Neumesnil sector where “GvB” was defending debilitating attacks from the US 82nd, 101st A/B and 2nd Armoured Divisions. Ostendorff went on to command the “GvB” on another occasion releiving Standartenfuhrer Gustav Mertsch on the 21st October 1944 and finally leaving “GvB” on the 15th November 1944.
Standartenfuhrer Otto Binge also had the distinction of having Divisional command of the “GvB” on two occasions, June 17th to the 20th 1944 and again between the 1st and 29th August 1944. He was replaced at the end of his first command by Standartenfuhrer Otto Baum who led “GvB” between June the 20th and August 1st 1944 and who had the distinction of subordinating “GvB” to the 2nd SS “Das Reich” and immediately to take over as commander of DasReich with the now attached “GvB”
Knights Cross winners
Only four men within the Division ever won the Knights Cross or Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes whilst on active service within “GvB”. This is relatively low when compared to other W-SS formations but still credible given the relatively short time “GvB” was in existence and the narrow (western) front on which it fought. To put this in context, Divsions such as the 2nd SS “Das Reich” and the 1st SS “Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler”, units which pretty much fought throughout WWII and on both fronts had 72 and 54 Knights Cross winners respectively. Total for all W-SS formations in WWII was 410. The Knights Cross was a new grade of Iron Cross and was introduced in 1939. It was awarded for a variety of reasons, from skilled and continuous leadership to a single act of extreme gallantry or bravery and was available to any man regardless of rank. As the war progressed further distinctions or grades were created to bestowe further glory on existing holders, namely Oak Leaves, Oak leaves with Swords and ultimately Oak Leaves with Swords and Diamonds!
Sturmbanfuhrer Kurt Wahl
Kurt Wahl won his Knights Cross aged 30. In late August 1944 he was leading a battle group of the 38th Regiment whilst the Division was concerntrated near Mortain and was involved in a counterattack (Op LUTTICH) against the US 30th Infantry Division.
Obersturmfuhrer Ortwin Kuske
Ortwin Kuske was leading 3 Kompanie,17 Aufklarungs Abteilung (recon) with an attached Wehrmacht unit when it stopped a US armoured advance dead in it’s tracks whilst “GvB” was involved in defending Metz. Metz subsequently fell to the US forces on the 22nd of November 1944. Kuske was awarded his Knights Cross for “….Outsanding bravery and leadership”. Testimony to the savagery of this particular event was that 8O% of Kuskes battlegroup was killed or wounded.
Obersturmfuhrer Fred Papas
As with all recon outfits the world over, they are always in the vanguard of any action and not suprisingly another officer from the 17 Aufklarungs Abteilung, Fred Papas won his award when as an Untersturmfuhrer, he was involved in that units action during the time German forces were being pushed back as far as the Maderbach river.
Oberscharfuhrer Heinrich Gottke
The only “enlisted man” within the Division to win the Knights Cross, Gottke was a member of 3 Batterie, 17 Flak Abteilung which was under concerntrated US armoured attack. Using a Flak gun in an anti-tank role the twice wounded Gottke remained at his gun knocking out several US tanks and more or less held off the attack on his own as his comrades lie dead and dying around him. Eventually reinforcements arrived and he was relieved. He was awarded his Knights Cross on the 17th December 1944
Finally, and of particular note is one of “GvB’s” most well known commanders, Oberfuhrer Fritz Klingenberg, holder of the Knight Cross, an award he won on the 14thMay 1941 when as a Hauptsturmfuhrer he led a small party of men from the motorcycle battalion he was commanding from 2nd SS “Das Reich” and entered Belgrade and by sheer dash and bluff forced the civilian population to capitulate without a fight. This he did by informing them he would call in an air strike if they didn’t immediately surrender. The bluff being that he didn’t have a radio to call in such a strike and anyway was so far ahead of his Division to rely on any other concerntarted support. He led the “GvB” from January 10th until March 22nd 1945 at which time this dashing and brilliant officer was killed. His body was never found.