Updated by

Dr.Chuang

on 18/07/2021

Created by

Dr.Chuang

on 16/2/2020

Panzer Lehr's Panzergrenadier

Totenkopf's Panzergrenadier

SS Langemarck

Göring's kradschützen

SS KG Peiper

Panzer-Brigade 107

Panther on the Oder

38(t) Recon Tank in Hungary/Czech

9 February 1945, 5:30 AM, Streblow (Strzebielewo in Poland at present), SS-Obersturmbannführer Léon Degrelle (aged 39) personally led the II. battalion/SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment 69 and crossed the River Ihna (River Ina in Poland at present). The Battalion was heading south and retook Heinrichsthal (an estate possible around Przewłoki in Poland at present) and Karlsburg (an estate in south of Przewłoki in Poland at present) swiftly. Their objective: a small hill called Lindenberg (a long clay cliff in southweat of Strzebielewo in Poland at present but you never find the name on Google Map) where could cover the Y shape crossroad through which the Russian tanks regularly passed (1, 2, 3).

9 February 1945, 9:30AM, Lindenberg (a small hill in south of Strzebielewo in Poland at present but you will find the name on Google Map at different place), the II. battalion/SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment 69 took the hill under the artillery support and anti-tank gun protection. The Russian tanks and infantry (12th Guards Tank Corps) disengaged and fled to the south. SS-Obersturmbannführer Léon Degrelle (aged 39) led the first assault wave to the southern extremity of the pine woods covering Lindenberg and sent out two combat patrol groups beyond the Y shape crossroad. The patrols reported concentrated Russian tanks nearby and they expected Russian counterattack to retake Lindenberg. The Wallonien Grenadier had to hold Lindenberg until the other units of XXXIX Panzerkorps fought their way to joint force at the Y shape crossroad in Lindenberg (1, 2).

It happened here: II. battalion/SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment 69 from Kolin to Karlsburg

9 February 1945, north of Pyritz (Pyrzyce in Poland at present, south of Lake Miedwie), the Russian (34th Guards Mechanized and 48th Guards Tank Brigades of 12th Guards Tank Corps) launched another attack and this time the German defenders Division Denecke (named after its commander Generalleutnant Erich Denecke, aged 40) was beaten back and withdrew in the direcetion of Stettin (Szczecin in Poland at present). Again the 4. SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division saved the situation between Lake Madue (Lake Miedwie in Poland at present) and River Oder and then counterattack in the direction of Pyritz (Pyrzyce in Poland at present, south of Lake Miedwie). The SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 7 supported by SS-Panzer-Abteilung 4 retook the village of Sabow (Żabów in Poland at present) and restored the contact with Pyritz (Pyrzyce in Poland at present, south of Lake Miedwie). The Polizei Panzergrenadier with close range anti-tank weapons such as Panzerfaust or Panzerschreck began a fierce engagement with dozens of Russian tanks near Alt-Grape (Stare Chrapowo in Poland at present) and Neu-Grape (Nowe Chrapowo in Poland at present). The Russian's attempt to pinch off Pyritz (Pyrzyce in Poland at present, south of Lake Miedwie) failed again but the XXXIX Panzerkorps also lost the momentum to retake the important railroad villages in Damnitz-Warnitz (Dębica-Warnice in Poland at present) and failed to join force with Wallonien Grenadier (2, 3, 4).

It happened here: SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 7 from Sabow to Pyritz (possible route)

9 February 1945, 11AM, Lindenberg, the Wallonien Grenadier could see, hear and smell the combat between German and Russian in the direction of Damnitz-Warnitz (Dębica-Warnice in Poland at present) all the morning but Russian began to counterattack upon them. Two Russian tanks came out in the southwest and fired on the hill. The Wallonien Grenadier knocked out one Russian tank with Panzerfuast and another Russian tank disenaged. One hour later a total of five Russian tanks supported by Stalin's organ began to pound on the hill. The Wallonien Grenadier with Panzerfaust and anti-tank gun began a fierce engagement with five Russian tanks. Finally the Russian tanks were beaten back after loss two tanks but the Wallonien Grenadier also suffered heavy casualties. At 3PM the fighting noise died away in the direcetion of Lake Madue (Lake Miedwie in Poland at present) and the joint force with other units of XXXIX Panzerkorps at the Y shape crossroad in Lindenberg failed. At 11PM the Wallonien Grenadier fall back to their original position under the cover of raining darkness after receiving telephone order from General Karl Decker (1).

Reference:

1. Degrelle, Léon. Campaign in Russia: The Waffen SS on the Eastern Front, p281-3. Institute for Historical Review, 1985.

2. Landwehr, Richard; Roba, Jean-Louis; Merriam, Ray. The "Wallonien": The History of the 5th SS-Sturmbrigade and 28th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division, p35. Hoosick Falls, NY: Merriam Press Military, 2012.

3. Tieke, Wilhelm. The Tragedy of the Faithful, A History of the III. (germanisches) SS-Panzer-Korps, p232. Winnipeg, Manitoba: J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing, 2001.

4. Urbanke, Axel. Endkempf: um das Reichsgebiet 1944/1945 Ostfront, p36. Bad Zwischenahn: Luftfahrtverlag- Start, 2017.

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