Seelow heights - April 1945

kowalski · Post by **kowalski** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 11:34 am

I'm looking for infos on the german 9.Armee in April 1945 during the battle of the Seelow Heights.
I found that at least 4 army corps were under its commandement: V.SS-Geb-Korps, XI.SS-AK, CI.(101.) AK & LVI.(56.) PzK. this last one seems to have been involved in the battle later but I can't find which units were subordinated to it.

Benoit Douville · Post by **Benoit Douville** » Sat Jul 26, 2003 9:19 am

Kowalski,

Good luck in your research, that's a very interesting Battle to study. The German losses at Seelow Heights were high, with 11 000 of the 18 000 troops positioned on the lower hill dying and the Third Panzer Army suffering a total of 80 000 killed during the week of fighting. The survivors would, for the most part, died in Berlin, fighting without respite in a city destined to be lost to the Red Army.

Regards

Vos · Post by **Vos** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 1:49 am

Kowalski,

On april 12th, 1945 LVI Korps consited of:

25. Inf. Div.
Pz. Div. "Müncheberg"
286. Inf. Div.

The korps was however "zum Verfugung" of the 9. Armee.

Regards,

Johan Vos

kowalski · Post by **kowalski** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 2:23 am

I guess the 25.ID you're mentioning is the 25.PzG Div. (25.ID was changed in 25.PzG in 1943)

i also found the following units under 56.PzK:
920 StuG Bde, 20.PzG Div., 9.FJ Div.

the 286.Ausbildung Div. seems to have been under 5.SS-Geb. korps.

Vos · Post by **Vos** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 2:46 am

Kowalski,

Indeed: 25. Pz.Gren.Div.

Sturmgeschütz-Lehr-Brigade 920 (or Panzer-Vernichtungs.Abt. 303) served under Inf.Div.Döberitz (303) which served under XI.SS Korps in april '45.

20.Pz.Gren.Div. served under XI.SS Korps in april '45.

9. Fallschirm-Jäger-Division served under XI.SS Korps in april '45, in may '45 it served under LVI kps.

Can't find a clou on 286.Ausb.Div. (indeed) serving under V.SS.Freiw.Geb.Korps. It's staff was located at Pillau.

Regards,

Johan Vos

kowalski · Post by **kowalski** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 3:58 am

well, the fact is the 56.PzK was sent to reinforce 11.SS-AK on the 16 April and was inserted between this one and 101.AK. So I guess that some units from these corps were quickly mixed then.

btw you're right about 920 StuG Bde, it was with 303.ID.

my oob for 11.SS-AK is : (in April 45)
404.VAK
169.ID
303.ID 'Döberitz'
Pz Div Kurmak
712.ID

Vos · Post by **Vos** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 4:20 am

Kowalski,

Well, please keep in mind that my info is based on the Schematische Kriegsgliederung of April 12th. So, I think that'll answers most questions.

Gliederung 9. AOK Apr. 12
CI: 5, 606, berlin - XI.SS: Kurmark, 9. Fs., 20, 303 (Döberitz), 169, 712 - V.SS: Fest. Frankfut, Raegener (433 und 463), 32. SS, 391 - z. Vfg.: 600, LVI, 25, P.z Müncheberg, 286

Volks-Artillerie-Korps 404; I only find info on it being assigned to XI. SS Kps... (The same thing again)...

Regards,

Johan Vos

kowalski · Post by **kowalski** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 4:46 am

thanks, very interesting infos .

except for some divisions my oob is almost the same as your Gliederung of 9.AOK.

Helmut · Post by **Helmut** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 9:14 am

Servus,
Several years ago there was an article in WORLD WAR II magazine ( I forget the author), on the Seelow Heights Battle. The article was terrible. Among aother things, it state that the PRINZ EUGEN and WIKING Divisions were involved in the battle and that the battle took place in March 1945. It was so badly written that I cancelled my charter subscription to the magazine since if they printed trash like that, what else did they print which I could not verify and therefore that periodical was of no value to me whatsoever.

Just my two cents worth.

Benoit Douville · Post by **Benoit Douville** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 4:36 pm

Helmut,

The World War II Magazine is a very good one, the only critic I have is the lack of article concerning the Eastern Front but of course it's a American Magazine... So, I have to disagree with your statement but I didn't read the article that you mentionned about the Battle of Seelow Heights but maybe you could yourself write an article about that Battle here on the forum. I would be very interested to read it because I am really interested about that Battle.

Regards

Vos · Post by **Vos** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 8:40 am

Hi,

I came across some info in the book: "Das Ende zwischen Oder und Elbe".

Here it is (freely translated):

The occupation of the front from north to south at the beginning of April 1945:

CI. Armeekorps
-5. Jägerdivision [Hohenstaaten to Lietzegöricke]
-Division z.b.V. 606 [Lietzegöricke to Ortwig]
-Division 309 "Groß-Berlin" [Ortwig to nw Zechin]

XI.SS-Panzerkorps
-9. Fallschirmjäger-Division [Frontabschnitt on both sides of Zechin]
-20. Panzergrenadier-Division [Both sides of Langsow]
-Division 303 "Döberitz" [Both sides of Sachsendorf]
-169. Infanterie Division [Abschnitt north of Lebus]
-712. Infanterie Division [Abschnitt Lebus]

Festung Frankfurt/Oder

V.SS-Gebirgs-Korps
-286. Infanterie-Division [Abschnitt Lossow-Brieskow]
-32. SS-Division "30. Januar" [Abschnitt Wiesenau to the north of Fürstenberg]
-391. (Sich.)Division [Abschnitt Fürstenberg to Wellnitz]

Artillerie der 9. Armee
*General der Artillerie z.b.V. 4 and Harko 307
-Volks-Artillerie-Korps 408 [north of Seelow]
-Volks-Artilleri-Koprs 404 [south of Seelow]
The II.Flak-Korps is with the 23. Flak-Division to coöperate.

In Auffrisschung und Reserve are for the 9. Armee:
-25. Panzergrenadier-Division [north of Buckow]
-Panzerdivision "Müncheberg" [Müncheberg]
-Panzergrenadier-Division "Kurmark" together with schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 502 [Petershagen-Sieversdorf]
-Division 600 (1. russische Wlassow-Division) [south of Beeskow near Friedland]

Hope this will help a bit more.

Regards,

Johan Vos

kowalski · Post by **kowalski** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 1:15 pm

thanks, it helps a lot!
especially the localization of the different units.