Totenkopf SS in Hungary questions..

[Eldorado]

Hi,
a family member after he died left some papers behind from he´s "partition" in ww2.
The papers consists a claim to compenstation for forced labor sent to Austria after the war, also which places in Poland to Hungary they traveled and back to austria (period 1944-1945). After the war he returned from Austria to Poland and so did his brother, for some reason he never spoke about his twin brother to people after the war He´s twin brother died 6 days after his brother so I never got to find out more about their history.

My family member writes in his claim to Austria that he was with the Totenkopf SS in Hungary. He was Polish and found/captured by some SS in Poland outside a orfinage he lived in with he´s twin brother (I was told by mom). My question: is there Austrian Totenkopf SS aswell as german? Or did they just retreat to Austria from the russians? Where do I find out more about the SS movements in this area and maby what Unit?

There is also a Work Permit with some stamps for each month he was allowed to work or something, this Permit is written mostly in Polish and some few German words. He also got education in some Mecanical skills..for work at factories and similar. Grades from school (why did the germans give him that?!) with German language, Regligion and some more subjects that he passed with good results. Was told that he was asked to join the SS but he didn´t want to betray his own people but stayed with them, not sure he would have had a choise anyway. He looked pretty "german" with very clear bright blue eyes so maby thats why? He never spoke about the war, afraid of people beleving him to be nazi..but guess only he knew the truth about that. What is strange is that he´s 3rd brother run away to australia after russia captured half of europe, afraid of russians and what they would do to him. Have no clue what he did but anyone captured by Germans was to be shot anyway or have a "bad" lifte under the communist rule of eastern europe.

[Eldorado]

Found this so far, but would be nice if I could find out what cities they went to in 44-45..
3. SS-Panzer-Division Totenkopf was formed Oct 1939 from concentration camp guards with the addition of officers from the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT) and men from SS-Heimwehr Danzig.

It was initially held in reserve during the campaign in the west, but was soon sent to the front in Belgium. They suffered heavy losses compared to other units but managed to keep up the advance. It later fought in France seeing its only real action against colonial troops at Tarare.

It took part in the invasion of the USSR attached to Heeresgruppe Nord and advanced through the Baltic states and towards Leningrad. It remained in the Leningrad area until the Soviet counteroffensive pushed the Germans back and it was encirclede at Demyansk Jan to Mar 1942 when it broke out. It remained on the front until it was transferred to France Oct 1944 where it regrouped. It was sent back to the Eastern front where it fought at Kursk and Kharkov. It was sent to Hungary Dec 1944 where it took part in the failed attempt to relieve Budapest.

It surrendered to US forces in Austria, but was promtly turned over to the Soviets and few survived.

[Airdale]

Hello, to answer your questions-
Yes, there were Austrians in the Totenkopf division. By late '44 and '45, many Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine members had been drafted into the ranks of the Waffen SS, as well as Eastern Europeans from several countries. The Totenkopf took part in the 3 "Konrad" operations in Hungary in January of 1945, to relieve the encircled garrison in Budapest. In March of 1945 the Totenkopf took part in Operation "Spring Awakening", the German offensive against the Soviets in the Lake Balaton area of Hungary. After that the division retreated into Austria. For more specific information about the movements of Totenkopf in 1945, the following sources are very good-


"Drama Between Budapest and Vienna", by Georg Maier

"Like a Cliff in the Ocean", by Karl Ullrich.

Both of these books have been published in the German language as well as in English.

[Eldorado]

Many thx for the information. Ill look into those books. Realy means alot to try to find out abit more about there lifes at that time. Also found out something more:

Found out that my grandfater and his twinbrother was separated from eachother (when found by Totekopf SS ). His brother was in Mathausen near Linz..not same unit since he was there? What happend there in 44-45?
If he or "they" was working freely for SS they would been shoot by the russians after the war I guess since the americans left SS to them?
Could hes twinbrother fully joined the SS and then say he was Polish and forced or got away with working with the germans? Confusing..

Was told my grandfather never said anything bad about the germans after the war, just that he had it okej with them. Should not the normal reaction be to hate the germans?

Could I find answears by contacting the Austrian embassy maby?

Found this: "The unit suffered the misfortune of Papa Eicke's decision to bring the Totenkopf collar insignia with him and were massacred without reason. The vast majority of those alive in May 45 would have been 18/19 year old replacements who would have never seen a concentration camp".
so maby most of them was killed in Gulag, also read they was they only SS divsion given to the russins by americans.

[Airdale]

If you would like to find more information on your relatve you might try contacting the Deutsche Dienststelle at http://dd-wast.javabase.de/ . They might be able to tell you if your relative was in the 3rd SS or not.

[Kelvin]

Hi Airdale, Totenkopf did not take part in Fruhlingserwachen. What I know unit in this operation were Leibstandarte, Das Reich, Hohenstaufen, Hiterjugend, 1st, 3rd, 06th, 23rd and One PG division which I cannot remember.

[Kelvin]

Correction : No PG divison in Fruhlingserwachen. Sorry !

[Airdale]

Hi Airdale, Totenkopf did not take part in Fruhlingserwachen. What I know unit in this operation were Leibstandarte, Das Reich, Hohenstaufen, Hiterjugend, 1st, 3rd, 06th, 23rd and One PG division which I cannot remember.

The 3rd SS did indeed take part in Fruhlingserwachen. As part of the IV SS Panzer Corps, along with 5th SS Wiking, the Totenkopf was responsible for defending the left flank of Fruhlingserwachen, in the area of Stuhlweissenberg. They saw much heavy combat, as detailed in " Like a Cliff in the Ocean".

[Charles Trang]

I think it is not exact that Totenkopf participated in "Frühlingserwachen" as it covered - as part of IV.SS-Pz.Korps and of 6.Armee (Armeegruppe "Balck") - the flank of the attacking army (i.e. 6.Panzerarmee) without moving from 6th to 16th March. It was then heavily involved when the Soviets launched their counter offensive in the Stuhlweissenburg area. But Frühlingserwachen was by then stopped and I.SS-Pz.Korps - its main attacking force - was ordered north because of the massive threat in its rear.

[Kelvin]

Many thx for the information. Ill look into those books. Realy means alot to try to find out abit more about there lifes at that time. Also found out something more:

Found out that my grandfater and his twinbrother was separated from eachother (when found by Totekopf SS ). His brother was in Mathausen near Linz..not same unit since he was there? What happend there in 44-45?
If he or "they" was working freely for SS they would been shoot by the russians after the war I guess since the americans left SS to them?
Could hes twinbrother fully joined the SS and then say he was Polish and forced or got away with working with the germans? Confusing..

Was told my grandfather never said anything bad about the germans after the war, just that he had it okej with them. Should not the normal reaction be to hate the germans?

Could I find answears by contacting the Austrian embassy maby?

Found this: "The unit suffered the misfortune of Papa Eicke's decision to bring the Totenkopf collar insignia with him and were massacred without reason. The vast majority of those alive in May 45 would have been 18/19 year old replacements who would have never seen a concentration camp".
so maby most of them was killed in Gulag, also read they was they only SS divsion given to the russins by americans.

Why US only transfered Totenkopf only to Russian, Wiking only fought exclusively on the Eastern Front. Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler and Das Reich also spent three years there.