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mogami -> (2/12/2001 6:39:00 AM)
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Hi there were no SS Divisions in Poland 1939.
A formal SS Division did not exist until October 1939, however certain SS-VT units did participate in the Polish Campaign. In July 1939, The Oberkommandoheer [OKH] decided to create a unique unit in preparation for the assault on Poland. This unit was officially designated as the East Prussian Tank Unit and command was given to Generalmajor Werner Kempf. Kempf was the former commander of the 4th Panzer Brigade, and after taking command of the East Prussian Tank Unit, the unit would be referred to as Panzer Division Kempf. Along with Kempf, other members of the 4th Pz. Brigade (which was subsequently disbanded) formed the core of the new division staff.
The Staff set up headquarters at the Stablak Training area, south of Königsberg, East Prussia and made preparations for the remaining units of the division to arrive. Pz. Division Kempf was indeed a unique unit, since it was the first Heer division to be composed of both Heer and Waffen SS units. The following units come under the divisions command (all SS Units are from the SS-VT): 7th Panzer Regiment
SS Regiment "Deutschland"
SS Artillery Regiment
SS Signal Battalion
II/47th Heavy Artillery Battalion
505th Pionier Battalion
SS Aufklarungs (Recon) Battalion
2. Co/SS Anti-Aircraft MG Battalion
506th Feldpost Office
171st Verwaltungsdienste (Subsistence)
Bakery Company
Butcher Platoon
Medical Services
On July 25th, 1939 units of the SS-Verfügungstruppe arrived by rail and sea at Stettin and Königsberg. Independent of the SS-VT units, the 7th Pz. Regiment (which also have previously been part of the 4th Pz. Bge) was transferred by freighters to Königsberg and proceed on to their assembly area near Zinten.
Despite the fact that Pz. Division Kempf was structured as a regular Heer Panzer Division, in fact it was no more than a reinforced Pz. Brigade. Pz. Kempf only had one (1) motorized infantry regiment as opposed to the authorized strength of two regiments. In addition, the unit was severly lacking in vehicles with cross-country capability, except for the 7th Pz. Regiment and the SS-Aufklarungs Battalion. However, the division was a unique experiment, and became the predecessor of the first SS division. Recognizing the potential for further expansion of the Waffen SS, Gruppenführer Paul Hausser accompanied the unit for the duration of its operations in Poland.
A short history of LAH
Lineage The pre-SS formations:
Stabswache (SA Control), 1923
Stosstrupp Adolf Hitler (SA Control), 1923
The formation of the SS:
Stabswache, 1925
Schutzstaffel, 1925
The Leibstandarte units:
SS-Stabswache Berlin, 1933
SS-Sonderkommando Berlin, (Also, SS-Sonderkommando Zossen and Jüterbog), 1933
Adolf Hitler-Standarte, 1933
Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, 1933
Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, 1934
Infanterie-Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (mot.), 1938
SS-Division Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler, 1941
SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, 1942
1.SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, 1944
The Leibstandarte had taken part in the occupation of the Sudetenland, the annexation of Austria and the invasion of Czechoslovakia but their first taste of combat came with the opening of the Polish Campaign in 1939. Within their ranks of 3,700 men there existed four infantry battalions, with supporting artillery, anti-tank, pioneer and reconnaissance units. This SS formation was attached to von Rudenstedt's Army Group South and quickly gained it's first blood against the Polish 10th Infantry Division at the River Prosna. They then went on to fight in the areas of Pabianice, Oltarzev and Blonie during the advance to Warsaw. It was during this campaign that the first recorded atrocity by the Waffen SS took place.
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I'm not retreating, I'm attacking in a differant direction!
[This message has been edited by Mogami (edited February 12, 2001).]
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