A Brief unit History of 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich

Formal Divisional Shield the "Wolfsangel"

The fledgling 2.SS Division first took part in the campaigns in the Low Countries and France in 1940, and was known than as the SS Verfügungstruppe Division, (SS VT).

Its first actions were part of the German drive on Rotterdam. Following the capture of Rotterdam the Division, in concert with other Divisions, attacked a French force pushing them back to the Zeeland area.

It was than deployed in mopping up pockets of resistance in German occupied areas. The Division was then relocated to France and helped subdue the Allied troops. At the campaigns end, the Division had advanced to the Franco/Spanish border.

The SS VT Division was composed of three of the original four SS-Standarten. Deutschland, Germania and Der Fuhrer.
The first Standarten, Liebstandarte Adolph Hitler, formed a Division in its own right, (1 SS Division). At the conclusion of the Western Campaign, the SS VT Division was reorganized. SS Standarten Germania, was detached from the Divisions Order of Battle and with the SS Standarten, Nordland and Westland, formed the core of a new SS Division, Germania, which soon became known as Wiking Division.

To replace Germania, the SS VT Division, received SS Totenkopfstandarte. Shortly after the Divisional title changed from VT, to Deutschland, closely followed by another change to, Reich.

SS Brigadeführer Paul "Papa" Hausser first Commanding Officer of the SS VT

Following the lull in fighting after the fall of France, the Division remained in France and started to prepare for the invasion of England.

The Division, by now called Reich, was reassigned to Romania to take part in the invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece in March 1941.

In April 1941, Reich, took part in the successful capture of Belgrade. The Division was transferred to Poland to prepare and refit for the upcoming invasion of the Soviet Union.

At the commencement of the invasion of the Soviet Union, Reich fought with Army Group Centre, taking part in the Battle of Yalnya near Smolensk, and then in the spearhead to capture Moscow.

Reich came within a few miles of the Soviet Capital in November 1941, with the Soviet Capital within sight, weather, heavy losses and a major Soviet winter counter offensive pushed the Division back.

  Das Reich reconnaissance section            Das Reich Anti-tank gun                   Mechanics working on a DR 231

After a period of very bloody losses for the Division, Reich was pulled out of the line and sent to France for a refit as a Panzergrenadier Division. Part of the Division was left in the East, and they were titled Kampfgruppe Ostendorff.

In late 1942, the Division was re-titled yet again, 2 SS Panzergrenadier Division "Das Reich".

In early 1943 Das Reich was moved back to the Soviet Union where it helped stabilise the crumbling central front around Kharkov. After helping recapture the city of Kharkov, Das Reich along with many other Divisions was used in a massive assault into the Kursk Salient, a huge bulge in the Soviet Front line around the area of Kursk.

MG42 Gunner                                         A Das Reich Tiger

Das Reich advanced forty miles into the southern sector of the salient, but was pulled out of the battle along with the other participating SS Divisions when the offensive was called off. After a period of small enemy encounters, Das Reich was refitted once again, this time as 2 SS Panzer Division "Das Reich".

Captured T34, used by Das Reich                     Das Reich Tigers at Kursk

It left a portion of the Division in the East, under the unofficial title Kampfgruppe Das Reich, and officially known as Kampfgruppe Lammerding. The rest of the Division was transferred to the West to refit, while doing so it also took part in anti-partisan operations in France.

Winter 1943/44, another massive Soviet winter counter offensive managed to encircle German units in the centre of the front. The Kampfgruppe that Das Reich left behind was one of the units encircled by the Soviet offensive, an assault by II. SS Panzer Korps managed to rescue the trapped elements of Das Reich.

The Kampfgruppe was then transferred to France to join the rest of the Division already station there. The remaining small portion of Das Reich, in the East was renamed Kampfgruppe Weidinger and was involved in the retreats through Proskurow and Tarnopol.

After the June, D-Day landings in Normandy, Das Reich was committed to stop the Allied advance, and took part in the many attempts to stop the Allies near Caen and St. Lo.

The Division recaptured Mortain, but was forced to retreat when it became apparent the Allies were going to encircle the Division along with a large number of other German units in the Falaise Pocket. Thanks to the efforts of Das Reich along with the 9th SS Panzer Division, a large number of Germans were able to escape the pocket and retreat to the east.

Pulled back across the River Seine and than behind the West Wall fortifications in France, the 2nd SS Panzer Division , next took part in the operations to punch through the Ardennes Forest in December 1944.

Coming within sight of the River Meus, the Division was halted, and then slowly smashed by fierce Allied counter-attacks. Pulled out of the offensive, Das Reich was transferred into Germany to again refit, then to take part in the last German offensive of the war in Hungary, the attempt to break the siege around Budapest.

This offensive also ground to a halt, and Das Reich spent the rest of the war more or less fighting in places from Dresden, Prague and Vienna. At the end, most of the Division managed to escape to the West to surrender to the Americans.

During these campaigns, (on all fronts apart from North Africa), men of the Division were awarded more Knights Crosses than any other Waffen SS formation, (72). This bears proof of the fighting abilities of Das Reich, both in the defence and offensive role.

Das Reich Name Designations 1939 until 1945

This is a list of unit designations given to the 2 SS Division from 1939-1945

Designation                                                         Dates used, from and until

SS VT Division (Motorised)                              10/10/1939 to 01/04/1940

SS V Division                                                    01/04/1940 to 02/12/1940

SS Division "Deutschland                                  03/12/1940 to 27/01/1941

SS Division "Reich"                                           28/01/1941 to 05/1942

SS Division "Das Reich"                                    05/1942 to 09/11/1942

SS Panzergrenadier Division "Das Reich"           09/11/1942 to 01/1944

SS Kampfgrüppe "Das Reich"                            17/12/1943 to 27/04/1944

SS Panzer-Division "Das Reich"                          Jan/1944 to May 1945

Note: SS Kampfgrüppe Das Reich, was formed from a portion of the division that stayed in Russia, following the return of Das Reich to France for refit.

Das Reich, Commanding Officers

Name, date commanded (from and to)

SS Obergruppenführer Paul Hausser  19/10/1939 to 14/10/1941

SS Brigadeführer Wilhelm Bittrich      14/10/1941 to 31/12/1941

SS Brigadeführer Matthias Kleinheisterkamp  01/01/1942 to 01/04/1942

SS Gruppenführer Georg Keppler  01/04/1942 to 15/02/1943

SS Oberführer Herbert Ernst Vahl  15/02/1943 to 18/03/1943

SS Standartenführer Kurt Brasack  18/03/1943 to 03/04/1943

SS Gruppenführer Walter Krüger  03/04/1943 to 01/11/1943

SS Brigadeführer Heinz Lammerding  09/12/1943 to 26/07/1944

SS Obersturmbannführer Christian Tychsen  26/07/1944 to 28/07/1944

SS Standartenführer Otto Baum  28/07/1944 to 23/10/1944

SS Brigadeführer Heinz Lammerding  23/10/1944 to 20/01/1945

SS Standartenführer Karl Kreutz  20/01/1945 to 04/02/1945

SS Gruppenführer Werner Ostendorff  04/02/1945 to 09/03/1945

SS Standartenführer Rudolf Lehmann  09/03/1945 to 13/04/1945

SS Standartenführer Karl Kreutz  13/04/1945 to 08/05/1945

Divisional Markings of Das Reich

The divisional symbol was often stencilled or hand painted on the divisional vehicles.

 The Wolfsangel was usually painted in yellow or white.

A temporary divisional marking was introduced, prior to Operation Citadel, (Kursk offensive) to confuse Allied intelligence about troop movements and formations.

The temporary insignia, a horizontal bar with two vertical bars, was seen on Das Reich vehicles for some months both before and after the Kursk offensive.

The "Gnome" used by the heavy tank Battalion