SS Panzer Grenadier Ausbildung und Ersatz Batallion 12

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Rammkommando
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SS Panzer Grenadier Ausbildung und Ersatz Batallion 12

Post by Rammkommando »

Hi

can somebody tell me something about this batallion? Any information is welcome. :wink:

I've dentistcards and on the backside there is written: SS Pz Gren A u E bat 12. On the front of the card, there is the name of the patient and his Kompagnie. The cards are from Holland, Arnhem so maybe they were involved in Operation Market Garden.

Thanks in advance!

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Scott Revell
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Post by Scott Revell »

This unit was based in Arnhem up to August 1944 when it sent around 2500 soldiers to its parent division 12 SS Panzer Division 'Hitlerjugend'. That unit changes name to the SS A.u.E. Btl 16 which fights in Arnhem in Sept 1944. I believe the SS A.u.E. Btl 12 is relocated to the East (Czech or somewhere like that). So soldiers from the unit in question would have seen the dentist in Arnhem before Market Garden.

Hope this helps.

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Scott
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Post by Rammkommando »

Thanks Scott, :up:

I have looked up the names of the soldiers from the dentistcards and some are buried in La Cambe, France were he died in August 1944. That's the time when the Hitlerjugend fought against the Allies in Caen. Another soldier is buried in Holland were he died in April. Maybe he was wounded and died 7 months later. So your story fits very well in the research I already made.
That unit changes name to the SS A.u.E. Btl 16 which fights in Arnhem in Sept 1944.
In the book "It never snows in September" I have read about the Commander of the SS A.u.E. Btl 16 named Krafft. He fought together with the remnants of the 9SS Division Hohenstaufen. I didn't knew bat 12 changed name in bat 16.

So I can conclude following thing:

Before september SS A.u.E. Btl 12 was fighting with the 12 SS Division Hitlerjugend. In September, SS A.u.E. Btl 12 was in the region of Arnhem to go back to the Reich. During this period, it changed name in SS A.u.E. Btl 16. After Arnhem, they were relocated to the east.

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Post by Scott Revell »

I guess my post was not clear. So i will expand on my original post.

SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Ausbildungs und Ersatz-Battalion 12 (SS A.u.E. Btl 12) was a training and replacement unit. It was stationed in Arnhem, Holland where it would train young recruits before sending them off to its parent division ('Hitlerjugend').

Due to the fighting in Normandy, the 12th SS Pz Division 'Hitlerjugend' suffered thousands of casualties. SS A.u.E. Btl 12 would send replacements when they were requested by the parent division throughout the period June - Aug 44.

In August I assume the parent division requested the SS A.u.E. Btl 12 to send all replacements they had and perhaps the cadre staff as well. It is known that at least 2500 men were sent to the front. I guess because it had sent everything then the SS A.u.E. Btl 12 didn't exist in name.

This is where SS A.u.E. Btl 16 pops up. The unit changed designation (for a better word) to 16 from 12 around Aug 44 and was commanded by Krafft. It may have had some of the same cadre staff but it is unknown. This unit had nothing to do with the 12th SS PZ Div 'Hitlerjugend'.

What is known is that during the battle of Arnhem some of Krafft's men were killed and their Dog tags had SS A.u.E. Btl 12. This means that some men were recruited in their local towns, sent to Arnhem to SS A.u.E. Btl 12 but when they got there is was SS A.u.E. Btl 16.

SS A.u.E. Btl 12 pops up, I think, in Czechslovakia in Sept 44 with new staff. Krafft and his men from SS A.u.E. Btl 16 are either absorbed into SS Panzer Division 9/10 as well as SS Pz Gr Division 'Landstorm Nederland' after the battle of Arnhem.

So it means you cards were from soldiers based in Arnhem. As you said one was killed in April (probably an accident) whilst others would have seen the dentisit in Arnhem then shipped off to Normandy during July-Aug 1944.

I hope that clears things up.

Cheers

Scott
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Post by Rammkommando »

Thanks mate,

now everything is clear!
:wink:
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Post by Hans Weber »

Hello

Just some info on SS-A.u.E. 12
SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Ausbildungs- und Ersatz-Bataillon 12 was reformed at Kaiserlautern in August 1944. Later transfered to Nienburg/Weser. Already in August, it was referred to just as SS-Feldersatzeinheit 12, became part of SS-Feldersatz Brigade Gen.Kdo I. SS-Pz. Korps Leibstandarte as such it was I think identical with the Feldersatz Bataillon 12. But during the Normandy Campaign, the Feldersatz Batallion 12 was a different unit from SS. A.u.E. 12 and it seems that it was formed only late, probably not before March 44 and maybe operational even later.

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Post by Jan-Hendrik »

In March/April 1945 the unit was , Kdr. was Hstuf. Peinemann , involved in heavy fights at the Weserlinie , the Allerlinie and the Area north of both rivers . Remants of this Btl. managed to breakthrough to the area of Hamburg. It even exist a book about that specific unit , but I have to look up the exact title & author if someone is interested .

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Post by Hans Weber »

Hello Jan-Hendrik

Try Schwarzwälder "Bremen und Nordwestdeutschland am Kriegsende 1945" Band 2. Der britische Vorstoss an die Weser.

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Post by Jan-Hendrik »

Endkampf - Das Schicksal des SS-Ausbildungs- und Ersatz-Bataillon 12
Wolfgang Buchwald, Selbstverlag 1977
is the one I have been talking about ...
Die Weserlinie - Kriegsende 1945
Hermann Kleinebenne
offers interesting information , too !

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Post by Hans Weber »

Hello Jan-Hendrik

Were you able to get hold of "Endkampf". I remember you enquired about it on a different website.

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Post by Jan-Hendrik »

Still not , It seems to be very rare ! I even could localize it in any library :roll:

The Kleinebenne I have already , the info on the fights of this unit presented by Ulrich Saft in his "Das bittere Ende zwischen Weser und Elbe" seems to base mainly on Buchwalds book .

Sorrowly Mr.Saft is not one of the authors you would call "cooperative" :shock:

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Post by Hans Weber »

Hello

To set things straight after checking the unit history of A.u.E. Btl. 12:

They were stationed for some time at Nienburg, during the time when also FEB 12 was stationed there. Bernhard Siebken led the FEB 12, the Feldersatzbrigade 501 and also A.u.E.Btl. 12. in personal union for a short time until going back to the HJ Division. But nonwithstanding all these connections, it seems that my above assumption was not correct and FEB 12 and A.u.E.Btl. 12 were to distinct units. None of the Company commanders of both units match.

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Post by Scott Revell »

Hans,

Do you have the names of the company commanders of SS AuE Btl 12???

Cheers

Scott
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Post by Hans Weber »

Hello


I presume so. But they were given for the time after Arnhem.

These were from the Ausbildungskompanien. There was also the Stammkompanie, the Einstellungskompanie and a Genesendenkompanie.

1. Kp Ostuf. Meyer, Ustuf. Früh
2. Kp Ostuf. Marsen
3. Kp Ustuf. Fries, Greiner, Ostuf. Bertelmann
4. Kp Ostuf. Szwerinski
5. Kp Ostuf. Wilke, Ustuf. Finger
6. Kp Ostuf. Stephan
7. Kp Ustuf Zeidler, Ustuf Früh


Buchwald "Endkampf"
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Post by Scott Revell »

You are right - the names do not match from the 16th. Thanks again

Scott
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