RETURNING TO RUSSIA

During their refit, the Division came under command of Gruppenführer Georg Keppler, and was rechristened Das Reich.  Das Reich was later re-deployed to the Russian offensive in January 1943, at one point making a 60-mile trek to complete a hole in German lines.  Das Reich worked with the Leibstandarte to spearhead an offensive to capture Kharkov, which fell after only five days of combat. 

Unfortunately, the high determination of the SS troops over their Wehrmacht counterparts often found the SS men isolated.  Der Führer was put under the command of SS-Obergruppenführer Sepp Dietrich along with his Leibstandarte, and ordered to reclaim contact with those trapped units.  Facing temperatures approaching -20º and tenacious Soviet onslaught, Hausser disobeyed a direct order from the Führer to draw back and reorganize, in a desperate attempt to save his men from annihilation.

A few months later, Das Reich joined Leibstandarte and Totenkopf for another onslaught into Russia pushing farther and faster than the Wehrmacht was able.  Noticing a gap in the Russian lines, Hausser ordered his troops to advance, forcing Totenkopf to act as flanking support with the Army troops to far behind to be effective.  In the middle of July, Das Reich prepared itself to infiltrate the Russian town of Prokhorovka.  Anticipating the forces about to attack, Russian troops launched an early offensive that culminated in one of the largest tank battles in history.  The consequences of this battle had resounding effects on German forces, essentially bringing a halt to the Russian offensive.

By mid-August, a substantial breach had opened in the German lines, through which Russian forces poured mercilessly.  Das Reich, Wiking, and Totenkopf worked furiously to salvage their hold on the town of Kharkov.  However, their fighting was in vain as the SS troops were ordered back with the city lost.  The next few months saw German forces faced with retreat and defeat, though they fought fiercely in spite of their weakened ranks.

WESTERN FRONT SALVAGE ATTEMPTS

In December, an advance party of Das Reich troops pulled back to begin re-fit in East Prussian.  Finally, in February 1944, the Division at large had been exhausted of supplies and personnel, and were ordered once again back to France for rest and refit.  One battlegroup, Kampfgruppe Lammerding, remained to form the rearguard for escaping German units.

In June of 1944, Das Reich began mobilizing to counter the Allies in Normandy.  It was during this march that the Division’s greatest atrocity occurred.  While passing through Oradour, a Hauptsturmführer was shot and killed by a French sniper.  Though the shot could not have been definitively traced to a civilian, the Der Führer Regiment was ordered to decimate the town in reprisal.  Over 600 men, women and children were murdered, and the town subsequently burned to the ground.

Finally arriving at the coastline, Das Reich was ordered to counter the American forces who had arrived at Omaha and Utah beaches, but found themselves encircled at Coutances.  Managing to break free, Das Reich captured the French town of Mortain, but then had to feel along with other German forces against the overwhelming firepower and speed of Patton’s American troops.  Das Reich was able to avoid being trapped in the Falaise Pocket, and the Division was instrumental in defending the “neck” of this area against onslaught, allowing many other German units to escape potential decimation.  In September, German troops were pushed behind the West Wall.

THE FINAL DAYS

As part of one of Hitler’s last gambled offensives, Das Reich was ordered under the 6th SS Panzer Army to participate in the Ardennes offensive.  By Christmas they had gained substantial ground, then faced the fury of American troops in addition to a clearing of weather that allowed GI forces to mobilize much of their heavier weaponry.  A large portion of Das Reich was at this time surrounded and captured, while the rest retreated.

Following a hasty re-fit, the remaining Das Reich troops were sent into Hungary in an attempt to delay the advance of Russian troops.  Steadily pushed back, Das Reich defended Austria before Der Führer moved into Prague to counter insurrection in Prague at the beginning of May.  Managing to assist the city’s civilians in escaping the Russian onslaught, Der Führer complied with the order of surrender on 07 May 1945.  Deutschland capitulated three days later, bringing an end to the 2nd SS Division Das Reich.