Walter Harzer

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Walter Harzer
29 September 1912 - 29 May 1982

Place of birth Stuttgart-Feuerbach
Place of death Stuttgart
Allegiance Germany
Years of service 1931-1945
Rank Oberführer
Unit SS-Standarte Deutschland
Commands 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen, 4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division.
Awards Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuz


SS-Oberführer Walter Harzer (1912-1982) was a German Waffen-SS officer who served in the SS-Standarte Deutschland and later commanded the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen and 4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division. He was also a winner of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes. After the war, he became active in the veteran's association HIAG.

Contents

[edit] Early Life - Pre-War SS Service

Walter Harzer was born in Stuttgart-Feuerbach on September 29, 1912. In the Spring 1933, Walter joined Politische Bereitschaft (SS Political Readiness Detachment) in Württemberg and in October 1933 also the German Army. He was assigned to the 13.(Württemburgisches) Infanterie-Regiment, eventually reaching the rank of Gefreiter. In March 1934 the 23-year old Harzer joined SS-Verfügungstruppe, graduating from the new SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tölz in 1936. After his graduation he was assigned to the SD-Hauptamt and later the SS-Standarte Deutschland.

[edit] Early War War II

With Deutschland, Harzer participated in the invasion of Poland and was awarded the Iron Cross II Class. However, on November 1, 1939 instead of continuing on with his regiment, Harzer was transferred as a Tactics Instructor to the SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig and later to the SS-Unterführerschule Radolfzell. He remained instructor until June 12, 1941 when he was assigned as a commander to the II./SS-Infanterie-Regiment 4. It was with this unit Harzer received the Iron Cross I Class. From mid 1942 until April 1943 Walter served as a staff officer first with the LVII.Panzerkorps and later, after completing General Staff Course, with the SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 10, later renamed the 10.SS-Panzer-Division Frundsburg.

[edit] Hohenstaufen

On April 10, 1943, Harzer was assigned to the SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9 (from October 23, 1943 the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen). He remained with the division for 19 months and saw it to become a fully equipped Panzer Division. He proved himself to be an excellent staff and combat officer during the division’s relief attack on Tarnopol and later during the Allied attacks on Caen. On August 19, 1944, Harzer was decorated with the German Cross in Gold for his exemplary leadership during the operations in Normandy. As the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen was ordered for a refit in Holland, Walter Harzer became its fifth commander, taking over for SS-Oberführer Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock. The division reached Arnhem on September 9, 1944, where they were to hand most of its vehicles and heavy equipment to Frundsburg in preparation for a move to Germany for refitting. However on Sunday September 17, 1944, the Allies launched Operation Market-Garden. Harzer’s division was engaged mainly to the west of Arnhem, preventing the British forces from linking with the elements of the Red Devils of the 1. Airborne Division that were surrounded in Arnhem and thus preventing them from securing a bridgehead across the Rhine. Later on under Walter Harzer’s command the remnants of his division played a major part in the near total destruction of the Allied forces in the Arnhem area, an achievement for which Harzer was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes.

[edit] End of War & Postwar

On October 10, 1944 Harzer left Hohenstaufen and went on to become the Chef des Stabes V.SS-Gebirgs-Korps before receiving the command of the 4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division in March 1945. Together with the rest of this division SS-Oberführer Walter Harzer surrendered himself to the Americans near Wittenberge-Lenzen on May 8, 1945.

After the war Walter Harzer worked as a historian for HIAG and passed away after a heart failure in Stuttgart hospital on May 29, 1982.

[edit] Personal Life

  • Harzer got married on December, 21 1941 and had one child.
  • His brother was NSKK-Oberführer Fritz Harzer.

[edit] Summary of SS career

[edit] Dates of rank

[edit] Notable decorations

[edit] References

  • A Bridge Too Far: The Classic History of the Greatest Battle of World War II by Cornelius Ryan (Simon & Schuster; Reprint edition (May 1, 1995), ISBN 0684803305, ISBN 978-0684803302).
  • The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror: The Full Story From Street Fighters to the Waffen-SS by Gordon Williamson (Motorbooks International, (March 1994), ISBN 0879389052, ISBN 978-0879389055).
  • The Waffen-SS (2): 6. to 10. Divisions (Men-at-Arms) by Gordon Williamson (Osprey Publishing (March 25, 2004), ISBN 1841765902, ISBN 978-1841765907).

[edit] External link

9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen


Preceded by
SS-Oberführer Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock		 Commander of 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
August 29, 1944 - October 10, 1944		 Succeeded by
SS-Brigadeführer Sylvester Stadler
Preceded by
SS-Brigadeführer Fritz Schmedes		 Commander of 4th SS Polizei Division
November 27, 1944 - March, 1945		 Succeeded by
SS-Standartenführer Fritz Göhler
Preceded by
SS-Standartenführer Fritz Göhler		 Commander of 4th SS Polizei Division
March, 1945 - May 08, 1945		 Succeeded by
none
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