6. SS-Panzer-Armee
6. SS-Panzer-Armee was formed as 6. Panzer-Armee and was a part of the regular Heer (army). It was not transferred into the Waffen-SS until 2 April 1945.
It was originally held in reserve but fought in the Ardennes December 1944 – January 1945 before it was removed from the front for refitting. It later fought in Hungary before ending the war near Vienna.
Commanders
SS-Oberstgruppenführer Josef Dietrich (26 Oct 1944 – 8 May 1945)
Chef des Stabes
Generalleutnant Alfred Gause (14 Sep 1944 – 16 Nov 1944)
SS-Brigadeführer Fritz Kraemer (16 Nov 1944 – 8 May 1945)
Operations Officers (Ia)
SS-Obersturmbannführer Georg Maier (1 Dec 1944 – 8 May 1945)
Area of operations
Western Germany & Ardennes (Oct 1944 – Jan 1945)
Hungary & Austria (Jan 1945 – May 1945)
Manpower strength (7 April 1945)
1. SS-Panzer-Division “Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler”
– 57 Officers
– 229 NCO
– 1.296 Soldiers
– 16 Operational tanks
2. SS-Panzer-Division “Das Reich”
– 45 Officers
– 123 NCO
– 1.330 Soldiers
– 11 Operational tanks
3. SS-Panzer-Division “Totenkopf”
– 44 Officers
– 87 NCO
– 873 Soldiers
– 6 Operational tanks
12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitler Jugend”
– 16 Officers
– 48 NCO
– 391 Soldiers
– 1 Operational tanks
6. Panzer-Division
– 44 Officers
– 229 NCO
– 962 Soldiers
– 8 Operational tanks
356. Infanterie-Division
– 56 Officers
– 264 NCO
– 894 Soldiers
– 3 Operational Jagdpanzer 38
Holders of high awards
Holders of the German Cross in Silver (1)
– Werncke, Berend, 26.04.1945, Major i.G. [Heer], Qu 1 /SS-Pz.AOK 6
Holders of the Knight’s Cross of the War Merit Cross with Swords (2)
– Colsman, Erwin, 04.11.1944, Oberst i.G. d.R., OQu Pz.AOK 6
– Ewert, Walther, 26.12.1944, SS-Standartenführer, OQu (Ib) Pz.AOK 6
Order of battle (31 December 1944)
At the disposal of the 6. Panzerarmee
– 12. Volks-Grenadier-Division
LXVII. Armeekorps
– 18. Volks-Grenadier-Division
– 62. Volks-Grenadier-Division
I. SS-Panzerkorps
– 9. SS-Panzer-Division “Hohenstaufen”
– 560. Volks-Grenadier-Division
– 2. SS-Panzer-Division “Das Reich”
Order of battle (21 January 1945)
LXVII. Armeekorps
– 277. Volks-Grenadier-Division
– 89. Infanterie-Division
– 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division
XIII. Armeekorps
– 246. Volks-Grenadier-Division
– 18. Volks-Grenadier-Division
– 326. Volks-Grenadier-Division
– 9. SS-Panzer-Division “Hohenstaufen”
Order of battle (31 March 1945)
At the disposal of the 6. Panzerarmee
– Kampfgruppe 356. Infanterie-Division
I. SS-Panzerkorps
– 1. SS-Panzer-Division “Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler”
– 3. SS-Panzer-Division “Totenkopf” + Kampfgruppe Hungarian 2nd Armored Division
– 12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitler Jugend”
– 232. Panzer-Division
II. SS-Panzerkorps
– 2. SS-Panzer-Division “Das Reich”
– Hungarian 1st Mountain Brigade
– 6. Panzer-Division + Hungarian 1st Cavalry Division (remnants)
Order of battle (12 April 1945)
I. SS-Panzerkorps
– Kampfgruppe Keitel
– Kampfgruppe 356. Infanterie-Division
– 1. SS-Panzer-Division “Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler”
– 12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitler Jugend”
Generalkommando Schultz
– 710. Infanterie-Division
– Kampfgruppe Oberst Staudinger
II. SS-Panzerkorps
– Kampfgruppe Oberst Folkmann
– Kampfkommandant von Bünau
– 2. SS-Panzer-Division “Das Reich”
– 3. SS-Panzer-Division “Totenkopf”
– 6. Panzer-Division
– Führer-Grenadier-Division
Order of battle (30 April 1945)
I. SS-Panzerkorps
– 1. SS-Panzer-Division “Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler”
– Kampfgruppe 356. Infanterie-Division
– 12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitler Jugend”
Generalkommando von Bünau (subordinated to I. SS-Panzerkorps)
– 710. Infanterie-Division
II. SS-Panzerkorps
– 3. SS-Panzer-Division “Totenkopf”
– Führer-Grenadier-Division
Notable members
Josef “Sepp” Dietrich (Member of the Reichstag, Holder of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds)
In fiction
The 2008 board game “Panzer Grenadier: Elsenborn Ridge” designed by Michael Bennighof and published by Avalanche Press focused on the fighting during the Battle of the Bulge between the US First Army and the 6. SS-Panzerarmee and 5. Panzerarmee.
Sources used
Roger James Bender & Hugh Page Taylor – Uniforms, Organization and History of the Waffen-SS, vol 2
Dr. K-G Klietmann – Die Waffen-SS: eine Dokumentation
Kurt Mehner – Die Waffen-SS und Polizei 1939-1945
Samuel W. Mitcham Jr – The Panzer Legions: A guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of WWII and Their Commanders
Marc J. Rikmenspoel – Waffen-SS Encyclopedia
Mark C. Yerger – Waffen-SS Commanders: The Army, corps and divisional leaders of a legend (2 vol)
Reference material on this unit
Aleksei Isaev & Maksim Kolomiets – Tomb of the Panzerwaffe: The Defeat of the Sixth SS Panzer Army in Hungary 1945
Georg Maier – Drama Between Budapest and Vienna: The Final Fighting of the 6. Panzer-Armee 1945
Bruce Quarrie – The Ardennes Offensive VI Panzer Armee: Northern Sector
