11th SS Panzer Army

It also allowed Himmler to promote SS officers to senior staff and field commands within the formation.

[2] After taking part in Operation Solstice east of the Oder River in February 1945, the army was assigned to OB West and reorganized in March 1945.

In early April, the 11th Army was assigned to strike west from Kassel to break the ring encircling the Ruhr pocket.

After launching a few small hopeless and unsuccessful attacks against the American 3rd Army, the 11th Army retreated to the Harz Mountains[3] After defending the Weser River and the Harz Mountains, the 11th surrendered to the Western Allies on 21 April.

[1] By 12 April the 11th SS Panzer Army was directly subordinated to OB West and had the following units assigned to it.

Situation 18 April 1945. With the complete destruction of Army Group B in the Ruhr Pocket by that date, 11th Army in the Harz Mountains (center right) became the only large cohesive formation ont the western front capable of offering significant resistance.