Updated by

Dr.Chuang

on 11/07/2021

Created by

Dr.Chuang

on 10/07/2021

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

16 February 1945 10AM, Lindenberg, the SS-Obersturmführer Jacques Capelle (aged 31) and his men occupied the strategic point. The SS-Obersturmbannführer Léon Degrelle (aged 39) retunred to Repplin (Rzeplino in Poland at present) for the start of the attack from bilateral divisions (1). The 1. Kompanie (Panther tank) under the command of SS-Obersturmführer Franz Scherzer/I. Bataillon/SS-Panzer Regiment 10 was subordinated to the Panzer Division Holstein on the far right flank since 11 February 1945. With the help of SS Panther tanks the attack went through well after hard fighting with Russian 34th Guards Mechanized and 48th Guards Tank Brigades in the afternoon (2). Panzer Division Holstein took Werben (Wierzbno in Poland at present) and train station of Gross-Schönfelde (Obryta in Poland at present). For this bold action SS-Obersturmführer Franz Scherzer was awarded with Knight Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 March 1945 (3).

But the right flank attack (10. SS-Panzerdivision "Frundsberg") was still not launched at 5PM. The staff of the 10. SS-Panzerdivision "Frundsberg" did not have time to get familiar with the terrain before the operation and moreover the SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 22 and I. battalion (minus 1. Kompanie)/SS-Panzer Regiment 10 were still on the railroad transport. The order specified the tanks started off at 10PM and the attack began from Cunow (Kunowo in Poland at present), Schlötenitz (east of Koszewko in Poland at present) toward the direction of Margarethenhof-Buslar (east of Koszewo in Poland at present, along the east shore of Lake Miedwie in Poland at present) and through Warnitz (Warnice in Poland at present) (1, 4). The attack bogged down in the face of fierce Russian anti-tank gun fires because the Russian 34th Guards Mechanized and 48th Guards Tank Brigades had aware the attack.

It happened here: Küssow to Gross-Schönfelde, the possible attack route of the Panzer Division Holstein

It happened here: Cunow to Warnice, the possible attack route of the 10. SS-Panzerdivision "Frundsberg"

16 February 1945 2PM, Brallentin (Bralęcin in Poland at present), the 4. SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division finally took the first village. The SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 7 pushed forward to Blumberg (Morzyca in Poland at present) and the SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 8 pushed via Blumenthal (can not find on the old map) to Dölitz (Dolice in Poland at present). At night the 10. SS-Panzerdivision "Frundsberg" shifted its troops behind the more successful 4. SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division and waited for the renewed attack on next morning (5). The original position was shifted to Panzer Division Holstein.

It happened here: Repplin to Dölitz, the possible attack route of the 4. SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division

Reference:

1. Degrelle, Léon. Campaign in Russia: The Waffen SS on the Eastern Front, p286. Institute for Historical Review, 1985.

2. Higgins, David R. King Tiger vs IS-2: Operation Solstice 1945, p64. Oxford, UK: Ospery Publishing, 0211.

3. For more information about SS-Obersturmführer Franz Scherzer's citation on Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, please visit Scherzer, Franz/TracesOfWar.

4. Stenger, Dieter. Panzers East and West: The German 10th SS Panzer Division from the Eastern Front to Normandy, Chapter 8. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2017.

5. Michaelis, Rolf. Die Panzergrenadier-Divisionen der Waffen-SS, p55. Eggolsheim: Dörfler Verlag, 2011.

Member of

Associated with