The formation of the 3rd Germanic SS Corps, under which the 11th Panzergrenadier Division “Nordland” was subordinated.
1942 was the year when the war changed. The German advance had been stopped, and efforts were focused on maintaining supplies and holding the front lines that had been won.
After heavy losses and the dispersal of units due to the wounded, retraining, and the arrival of new equipment, the General Command had to acknowledge that a reorganization of the German army was necessary.
In this context, the 11th division was formed. This unit became a Panzergrenadier division called “Nordland”. The idea was that elements from “Wiking”, including Regiment “Nordland”, would form the core together with smaller national units such as “Frikorps Danmark”, “Legion Nederland”, and “Legion Norwegen”.
The formation dates back to 5 February 1943, when the commander of Division “Wiking”, Gruppenführer and Lieutenant General Felix Steiner, was ordered by Hitler to take command of a newly created III Panzer Corps. The corps was intended to consist primarily of Germanic volunteers.
The reason for disbanding the smaller independent national battalions and legions was that they were small infantry units that could only be deployed on limited sections of the front. They would be sacrificed in place of the larger Germanic divisions, resulting in disproportionately high losses.
But the truth was, to a large extent, problems related to accommodating national interests.
The 11th SS Panzergrenadier Division was formed at the Grafenwöhr troop training area in southern Germany on 6 April 1943.
At the same time, the associated new regiments were formed, including Regiment 24 “Danmark”. Regiment 24 “Danmark” was officially created on 6 May 1943, but only became operational from 20 May 1943, when “Frikorps Danmark” was simultaneously disbanded.
The Free Corps was disbanded with 900 men, plus approximately 250 who joined from the recruit and replacement training unit in Graz.
Regiment 24 “Danmark” was established with:
Approximately 400 Danes were added during April, May, and June 1943.
Since there were not enough Danish volunteers to fill an entire regiment organizationally, a number of Reich Germans as well as ethnic Germans from Romania were assigned to the unit.
The motorised III Germanic Panzer Corps consisted of:
Felix Steiner and Fritz von Scholz.
See organizational structure with personnel list. Click here
Front deployment of Regiment 24 “Danmark”
Front service of Regiment 24 “Danmark”:
September 1943 – December 1943: Front service (including anti-partisan warfare), Croatia
December 1943 – 2 February 1944: Front line at Oranienbaum, Northern Russia
2 February 1944 – 21 September 1944: Front line at Narva + Kinderheim, Estonia
22 September 1944 – 30 January 1945: Front line in Courland, Latvia
5 February 1945 – March 1945: Front line in Pomerania (Arnswalde, Stargard, Altdamm)
March 1945 – 2 May 1945: Front line in central Berlin
In early spring 1944, I Battalion under Hstuf. Per Sørensen was so depleted that the entire battalion (together with I Battalion “Norway” from Regiment 23) was withdrawn from the front. The remaining personnel were sent to Rudolfzell in Germany for rebuilding, but neither battalion returned to Division “Nordland”, as they were instead committed to defensive fighting in southern Germany.
From 16 November 1944 to 8 May 1945, the battalions participated in combat in Hungary under the 5th SS Panzer Division “Wiking”.
Photo excerpt from Division “Nordland”.