Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier Division 2 Hermann Göring
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Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Division 2 "Hermann Göring" was a German military unit formed on 24 September 1944 in the area of
2nd Paratroop Panzergrenadier Division Hermann Göring | |
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Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Division 2. Hermann Göring | |
Active | October 1944-1945 |
Country | Nazi Germany |
Branch | Luftwaffe |
Type | Fallschirmjäger Panzergrenadier |
Role | Airborne forces Mechanized infantry |
Size | Division |
Patron | Hermann Göring |
Engagements | World War II |
Insignia | |
Identification symbol | Fallschirm-PzG-Div 2 HG |
Cuff title Hermann Göring |
History
The Fallschirm-Panzerkorps Hermann Göring was activated in early October 1944, and the Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier Division 2 Hermann Göring, along with its sister Panzer division, Hermann Göring Panzer Division, was transferred to the command of the corps. The Panzerkorps was then transferred to the
The massive Soviet
Despite several breakout attempts, the Panzerkorps had to be evacuated by sea to
In April, the remnants of the Hermann Göring Panzerkorps was sent to
By early May, the Panzerkorps was positioned near the Saxon capitol of Dresden. The remains of the corps began breakout attempts to the west, in order to surrender to the Americans who were currently halted on the Elbe. Despite breakout attempts, the corps was encircled, and although several small groups successfully made it through to the west, the majority of the corps surrendered to the Soviets on 8 May 1945.
Commanding officers
- Generalmajor Erich Walther, 24 September – November 1944
- Oberst Wilhelm Söth, November 1944 – January 1945
- Oberst Georg Seegers (Army), February – March 1945
- Oberst Helmuth Hufenbach, March 1945 – 27 March 1945
- Generalmajor Erich Walther, March – May 1945
References
- ISBN 978-0-30007-813-8.
- ^ Ustinov, Dmitri F., ed. (1982). Geschichte des Zweiten Weltkrieges 1939-1945: 10. Die endgültige Zerschlagung des faschistischen Deutschlands [History of the Second World War 1939-1945: 10. The final crushing of fascist Germany] (in German). Berlin: Militärverlag der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik. p. 399.
- ^ von Ahlfen, Hans (1977). Der Kampf um Schlesien 1944/1945 [The Battle for Silesia 1944/1945] (in German) (2nd ed.). Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. pp. 208–209. v. Ahlfen quotes the April 27, 1945 war diary entry of Luftflottenkommando 6, noting that for all operations between Görlitz and Bautzen, involving multiple German divisions, during April 20–26, that the Soviet 94th Rifle Division was destroyed, and that the Soviet 7th Guards Mechanized Corps, the Soviet 254th Rifle Division, the Polish 1st Tank Corps (LWP), the Polish 16th Tank Brigade (LWP), and the Polish 5th, 7th, and 8th Infantry Divisions (LWP) took heavy losses. The war diary goes to state that 355 enemy tanks were destroyed, 320 enemy guns of all kinds were destroyed or captured, about 7,000 enemy dead were tallied, and that 800 prisoners were taken.
- ^ Grzelak, Czesław K.; Zwoliński, Stefan & Stańczyk, Henryk (2002). Armia Berlinga i Żymierskiego [Berling's and Żymierski's army] (in Polish). Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Neriton. pp. 275 & 279. As described here, after penetrating the inter-army boundary, the German attack struck the Polish 5th Infantry Division and 16th Tank Brigade (LWP) in the rear, practically destroying both units and killing the commanding general of the 5th Infantry Division. Losses for the Polish 2nd Army (LWP) in the area of Bautzen and Dresden are noted as approximately 5,000 KIA, 2,800 missing or taken prisoner, and 10,500 WIA. Overall the Polish 2nd Army lost 20 per cent of its personnel and material strength. Among these losses were 170 tanks, 56 self-propelled guns, 124 mortars, 232 guns of all calibers, 330 vehicles, and 1,373 horses.