Published: 24 December 2010
Last Updated: 07 April 2012
The 25. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS Hunyadi (ungarische Nr. 1) consisted of Hungarian volunteers and conscripts including a large number of solders from the Hungarian 13. Infantry Division.
It suffered 800 killed and 650 wounded 27 November 1944 in a US air attack on a train used to transport the unit.
It was still training when the Red Army entered Silesia and it retreated to Bavaria and later to Austria. Two combat-ready battalions remained in Silesia for about a week seeing heavy action and were destroyed. In Austria it fought against forces from the US Third Army before surrendering 4-5 May near the Attersee.
Lineage
25. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division (Apr 1944 – Nov 1944)
25. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS Hunyadi (ungarische Nr. 1) (Nov 1944 – May 1945)
Commander
SS-Standartenführer Thomas Müller (? Nov 1944 – ? Nov 1944)
SS-Gruppenführer Josef Grassy (? Nov 1944 – 8 May 1945)
Chief of Staff
SS-Hauptsturmführer Herbert Engel (? 1944 – 1 Mar 1945)
Waffen-Hauptsturmführer Andreas Szinay (? – ?)
Area of operations
Hungary (Nov 1944 – May 1945)
Manpower strength
Dec 1944 15.000
Honor titles
Johann (or János) Hunyadi (ca. 1385 – 11 August 1456) was a Hungarian military leader who in 1456 devastatingly defeated a Turkish army that lay siege to Belgrade. The symbol of the Hunyadi family, a black raven holding a ring in its beak, was to have been used on a shield in the Hungarian national colors of red, white and green as the division’s armpatch, but this was probably never worn.
Order of battle
Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS 61 (1)
Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS 62 (1)
Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS 63 (1)
Waffen-Artillerie-Regiment der SS 25
Waffen-Schi-Bataillon 25
SS-Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 25
SS-Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 25
SS-Veterinär-Kompanie 25
SS-Feldersatz-Bataillon 25
SS-Versorgungs-Regiment 25
Officers serving in the Einsatzgruppen and Concentration Camps
Concentration Camps 2
(includes officers serving in the Einsatzgruppen or Concentration Camps either prior to or after service in this unit)
Insignia
A collar insignia with a “H” was issued.
(Courtesy of The Ruptured Duck)
Footnotes
1. A third battalion was created in the infantry regiments in February 1945 when additional Hungarians were added to the division. These men were orginally assinged to planned Waffen-SS units that were not realized.
Sources used
John R. Angolia – Cloth insignia of the SS
Georges M. Croisier – Waffen-SS (PDF)
Terry Goldsworthy – Valhalla’s Warriors: A history of the Waffen-SS on the Eastern Front 1941-1945
Dr. K-G Klietmann – Die Waffen-SS: eine Dokumentation
David Littlejohn – Foreign Legions of the Third Reich, vol 3
Kurt Mehner – Die Waffen-SS und Polizei 1939-1945
Antonio J. Munoz – Teutonic Magyars: Hungarian volunteers in the Waffen-SS (in The Hungarian Army and its military leadership in World War II by Andris J. Kursietis)
Leo W.G. Niehorster – The Royal Hungarian Army 1920-1945
Marc J. Rikmenspoel – Waffen-SS Encyclopedia
Frank Thayer – SS Foreign volunteer collar insignia and their reproductions (in The Military Advisor, Vol 4 No 2)
Gordon Williamson – The Waffen-SS: 24. to 38. Divisions and Volunteer Legions
Mark C. Yerger – Waffen-SS Commanders: The Army, corps and divisional leaders of a legend (2 vol)
Reference material on this unit
Hermann Niederleig – Mit der Leibstandarte am Feind: Meine Fronteinsätze bei der Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler und der 25. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS Hunyadi
A.G. Payer – Armati Hungarorum
