9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
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The 9th Waffen SS Panzerdivision "Hohenstaufen" was a German Waffen-SS armoured division which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II.
The 9th SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen was formed, along with its sister formation 10th SS-Panzer-Division Frundsberg, in France in February 1943. The division was mainly formed from RAD conscripts. Originally, Hohenstaufen was designated as a Panzergrenadier division, but in October 1943 it was promoted to full Panzer Division status. At its formation, Hohenstaufen was commanded by SS-Obergruppenführer Willi Bittrich. The title Hohenstaufen came from the Hohenstaufen dynasty, a Germanic noble family who produced a number of kings and emperors in the 12th and 13th centuries A.D.. It is believed that the division was named specifically after Friedrich II, who lived from 1194-1250.
After the encirclement of Generaloberst Hans-Valentin Hube's 1st Panzerarmee near Kamenets Podolsky in Ukraine, Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein requested that the Hohenstaufen and Frundsberg divisions be sent to attempt to link up with the trapped force.
Arriving in the east in late March 1944, the divisions were formed into the 2nd SS-Panzerkorps and were sent into the attack near the town of Tarnopol. After heavy fighting in the horrible conditions caused by the rasputitsa ("mud season"), the division effected a linkup with Hube's forces near the town of Buczacz. During these battles, Hohenstaufen had suffered heavy casualties, and in late April was pulled out of the line to refit. The 2nd SS Panzerkorps was to act as reserve for Heeresgruppe Nordukraine, performing "fire brigade" duties for the Army Group. After the Allied invasion of France on 6 June 1944, the II. SS-Panzerkorps, including Hohenstaufen, was sent west on 12 June to defend Caen in Normandy.
[edit] Normandy
Hohenstaufen suffered losses from Allied Jabos (fighter-bombers) during its move to Normandy, delaying its arrival until 26 June 1944. The original plan for Hohenstaufen to attack towards the Allied beachhead was made impossible by a British offensive to take Caen. The II. SS-Panzerkorps was instead put into the line to support the weakened forces defending Caen. Hohenstaufen was involved in ferocious fighting until early July, suffering 1,200 casualties. On 10 July, the division was pulled back into reserve, to be replaced by the 277 Infanterie-Division.
After the launching of another British offensive aimed at taking Caen, Hohenstaufen was again put back into the line, this time defending Hill 112, taking over the positions of the battered Frundsberg. After more heavy fighting, Hohenstaufen was again pulled out of the line on 15 July. The division's depleted Panzergrenadier regiments were merged to form Panzergrenadier Regiment Hohenstaufen. The division saw heavy action defending against British armour during Operation Goodwood, suffering heavy losses, but succeeded in holding the line.
After the launch of the Canadian Operation Totalize, Hohenstaufen performed a fighting withdrawal, avoiding encirclement in the Falaise pocket, and fighting to keep the narrow escape route from this pocket open. By 21 August, the battle of Normandy was over, and the German forces were in full retreat. SS-Obersturmbannführer Walter Harzer was now placed in command of the division. The division fought several rear-guard actions during the retreat through France and Belgium, and in early September 1944, the exhausted unit was pulled out of the line for rest and refit near the Dutch city of Arnhem. By this time Hohenstaufen was down to approximately 7,000 men, from 15,900 at the end of June.
