The 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia ( German: 22.SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division ”Maria Theresia” ) was formed on April 29, 1944 from Hungarian “volunteers” (actually from military-laden Hungarian citizens - Germans, t. N. Volksdeutsche ). Named after Empress Maria Theresa of the Habsburg Dynasty.
| 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresa | |
|---|---|
| 22.SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division ”Maria Theresia” | |
 Division Symbols | |
| Years of existence | April 21, 1944 - February 1945 |
| A country | Third Reich |
| Included in | |
| Type of | cavalry , special forces |
| Motto | "My honor is called" fidelity "" ( German: "Meine Ehre heisst Treue" ) |
| Participation in | Budapest operation |
The division was largely defeated by the Soviet troops during the capture of Budapest in February 1945 . The remnants of the division, which were not surrounded, were used in the formation of the 37th volunteer cavalry division of the SS "Lyuttsov" .
Content
Usage
At first, the division consisted of only two cavalry regiments, later the third of the 8th SS cavalry division, Florian Gayer, was added to them. The honorary name "Maria Theresa" did not appear in official documents. The initial formation of the division continued until August 1944, followed by the transfer to the subordination of the army group Southern Ukraine . In October 1944, the division received baptism of fire during heavy defensive battles in the 6th Army . The Red Army, advancing from east and south in Hungary , surrounded the division on December 24, 1944 in Budapest. In early February 1945, when the fighting around Budapest ended, only a few soldiers of the division were able to break through to the west.
Action Area
- from April 1944 to August 1944 ( formation and training )
- September 1944 - February 1945 (defensive battles in eastern and southern Hungary against the advancing units of the Red Army ( battle for Budapest ))
Organization
- SS 52 volunteer cavalry regiment
- SS 53 Volunteer Cavalry Regiment
- SS 54 Volunteer Cavalry Regiment
- SS 17th Cavalry Regiment
- artillery regiment SS 22
- SS 22 tank reconnaissance unit
- SS 22 anti-tank unit
- SS 22 engineering battalion
- information unit SS 22
- SS 22 Division Supply Parts
- military unit SS 22
- sanitary unit SS 22
Commanders
- April 21, 1944 - February 12, 1945 SS brigadefuhrer and Major General of the SS troops Zeender, August
Awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (2)
- Anton Ameiser - November 1, 1944 - SS Sturmbannfuhrer, commander of the 52nd SS Cavalry Regiment.
- Werner Dallman - January 17, 1945 - SS Untersturmfuhrer, adjutant of the 53rd SS cavalry regiment.
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (1)
- August Zeander - February 1, 1945 - SS brigadefuhrer, commander of the SS division.
Links
Literature
- Rolf Michaelis: Die Kavallerie-Divisionen der Waffen-SS. 2. Auflage. Michaelis-Verlag, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-930849-02-X .
- Walther Held: Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg. 5 Bände, 1978.