For the Homeland The 31st Waffen-SS Volunteer Grenadier Division in World War II

by Pencz, Rudolf

• ISBN13: 9780811735827
• ISBN10: 0811735826
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-12-16
• Publisher: Stackpole Books

Summary

Formed in the fall of 1944, the 31st Waffen-SS Volunteer Grenadier Division was composed mainly of ethnic Germans living in Hungary. After a brief period of training, the division endured its baptism of fire against the Red Army in the Hungarian sector of the Eastern Front in late 1944. The 31st then participated in the battles southeast of Berlin, where the division fought until its battered remnants surrendered to the Soviets in May 1945. Rudolf Pencz's carefully researched account records the complete history of this rarely covered Waffen-SS formation. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Rudolf Pencz lives in Hungary.

Table of Contents

List of Maps and Map Key	p. vii
Foreword	p. ix
Introduction	p. x
Beginnings of the 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division	p. 1
23rd Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS 'Kama' (Croatian Nr 2)	p. 3
Waffen-SS Recruiting in Hungary 1944	p. 8
Order of Battle of the 31st SS Division	p. 12
Developments at the Front and the Situation with Partisan Units in the Batschka	p. 35
Evacuation of the Batschka Germans and the Withdrawal of the 31st SS Division	p. 42
Battles in the Batschka and Kampfgruppe Syr	p. 52
The Unprepared Division is Brought Up to Secure the Danube	p. 57
The Battle for the Enemy Bridgeheads, 7-25 November 1944	p. 70
Defensive Battles in Southern Hungary, 26 November-6 December 1944	p. 93
The Division Is Withdrawn from the Front	p. 124
Rest and Refitting in the Lower Steiermark	p. 133
Transport of the Division to Silesia	p. 145
Deployment of the Division in the Jauer Area, March 1945	p. 156
Deployment of the Division in the Strehlen Area, April 1945	p. 171
The Surrender and Retreat of the 31stSS Division	p. 189
The 'Great Death' of the Division	p. 199
What Became of Them?	p. 221
The Reserve Units of the Division and Their History	p. 234
The Heimatschutz of the Ethnic Germans in Hungary	p. 238
Appendices
Officer List of the 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division	p. 243
Explanation of Geographical Names and Gazetteer	p. 249
Glossary	p. 253
Bibliography	p. 256
Index	p. 259
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