Published: 30 December 2010Last Updated: 17 May 2013
The SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 2 Brandenburg was formed in Oranienburg in July 1937 from SS-Sturmbann Brandenburg and SS-Sturmbann Ostfriesland. During the 1938 Reichsparteitage it received its Deutschland Erwache standard.
Two sturmbanne of this units took part in the occupation of Sudetenland (Czechoslovakia) in October 1938.
It was used for “police duties” during the invasion of Poland behind the lines of the 8. Armee at Poznan. These duties consisted of hunting down the remaining Polish soldiers, terrorising the civilians and murdering political leaders, priests, intellectuals and Jews.
Most of its men were used to create the Totenkopf-division and it was redesignated SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 5 Dietrich Eckhart.
Known war crimes
It was involved in numerous actions against civilians during the invasion of Poland. It began a four day “Judenaktion” in Wloclawek 22 September when it plundered Jewish shops, burned the synagogues and executing Jewish leaders. Two sturmbanne were sent to Bydgoszcz were they hunted down and shot 800 civilians who were mentioned on a death list provided by the security police. (2)
In November 1939 soldiers from TK-standarte was involved in the Aktion T4 killings at Grafeneck Castle. (3)
Commanders
SS-Sturmbannführer Michel Lippert (1)
SS-Standartenführer Otto Reich
SS-Standartenführer Paul Nostitz
Manpower strength
May 1938 2.989
Order of battle
Stab
I. Stuba
II. Stuba
III. Stuba
IV. Stuba
Nachrichten-Hundertschaft
Musikzug
Kraftfahrstaffel
Insignia
A cuff title with the text “Brandenburg” was authorized for this unit.
Footnotes
1. Often written as Michael.
2. “Soldiers of destruction: the SS Death’s Head Division, 1933-1945” by Charles W. Sydnor and “Murderous Elite: The Waffen-SS and its complete record of war crimes” by James Pontolillo, page 39.
3. “Murderous Elite: The Waffen-SS and its complete record of war crimes” by James Pontolillo, page 58.
Sources used
John R. Angolia – Cloth Insignia of the SS
Dr. K-G Klietmann – Die Waffen-SS: eine Dokumentation
Kurt Mehner – Die Waffen-SS und Polizei 1939-1945
James Pontolillo – Murderous Elite: The Waffen-SS and its complete record of war crimes
Alexander B. Rossino – Hitler strikes Poland: Blitzkrieg, Ideology and atrocity
Jacek Solarz – Totenkopf 1939-1943
Charles W. Sydnor – Soldiers of destruction: the SS Death’s Head Division, 1933-1945
Ulrich of England & Otto Spronk – Deutschland Erwache: History & Development of the Nazi Party and the “Germany Awake” Standards
Reference material on this unit
– None known at this time –
