List of German brigades in World War II
The list aims to include all brigade-level military formations of the German Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS during World War II.
Brigades, in German army parlance prior to 1944, generally designated formations of two regiments from the same branch of arms.
[2]: 107 The usage of the term shifted in the army after 30 May 1944, when it was redefined to apply to singular strengthened regiments.
[3]: 200 It consisted of convicted political prisoners and violent criminals pressed into military service.
[3]: 200 Formed on 16 August 1939 from Landwehr formations in the Lötzen area in East Prussia for defensive purposes.
[6]: 193 Participated in the Battle of Lomza by contributing the Landwehr Infantry Regiment 162 to the German attack on 10 September.
Upgraded on 26 January 1945 to divisional status to become the Führer Escort Division (Führer-Begleit-Division), assigned to the Eastern Front and destroyed in the Spremberg cauldron towards the end of April 1945.[5]: 77f.
Formed in July 1944 in East Prussia by upgrading the strengthened Führer Grenadier Battalion.
[1]: 322 Two brigades of the National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK) were formed under the supervision of the Luftwaffe.
Equipped with SS Grenadier Regiments 39 and 40, as well as several support detachments, companies and battalions.
Integrated into 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel in the Zagreb-Cilli area in January 1944.
As per a decree issued in January 1944, the brigade was upgraded to divisional status and became the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian).
After severe casualties in the Cherkassy cauldron, the brigade was refreshed in accordance with an order of 28 April 1944.
On 18 October 1944, the brigade was ordered to be upgraded to divisional status, becoming the 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division "Wallonien".
After severe casualties, the brigade was refreshed in accordance with an order of 28 June 1944 and received a second Panzergrenadier Battalion.
On 18 October 1944, the brigade was ordered to be upgraded to divisional status, becoming the 27th SS Volunteer Division "Langemarck".
[21]: 46 Formed with the strength two regiments on 19 December 1944 from the SS Regiment Dirlewanger, which had been assembled as a penal unit in September 1943 using convicted criminals,[5]: 60 and which had conducted anti-partisan operations in German-occupied Belarus and Poland, notably including the Wola massacre, the mass murder of tens of thousands of Polish civilians following the failed Warsaw Uprising.[41]: 26f.&51ff.
In February 1945, the brigade was upgraded to divisional status and became the 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Italian).
On 10 February 1945, the brigade was upgraded to divisional status and became 23rd SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division "Nederland".
[34]: 173 Created in August 1941 in the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa and attached to Army Group Centre.
The brigade was affected heavily by the Soviet winter offensive of 1941/42 and was reduced to Kampfgruppe strength by late March 1942.
Remnant elements were gradually withdrawn from the frontline between January and August 1942 (the last one to withdraw being Kampfgruppe Zehender).[33]: 20f.
[33]: 21 Combined unit of SS and Wehrmacht soldiers (partially selected by English-language skills).
Infiltrated Allied lines in US uniforms and with disguised tanks as part of Operation Greif in preparation of the Ardennes Offensive of December 1944.
The SS Panzer Brigade "Westphalia" was formed on 29 March 1945,[45]: 74 and mainly active in early April.
[47]: 352 After the Allied capture of Paderborn on 1 April, Brigade Westphalia withdrew eastwards in the direction of 11th Army in the Harz.
[45]: 74 The SS construction brigades were formed from forced laborers (usually male non-Jewish concentration camp inmates) starting in late 1942.
