25th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Hunyadi (1st Hungarian)

25th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Hunyadi (1st Hungarian)

Insignia of 25th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Hunyadi (1st Hungarian)
Active 1944 - 1945
Country Nazi Germany
Allegiance Adolf Hitler
Branch Waffen SS
Size Division

The 25th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Hunyadi (1st Hungarian) (German: 25. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS Hunyadi (ungarische Nr.1.)) was a Hungarian unit of the Waffen-SS. It was established on November 2, 1944 in Hungary.

The division personnel was formed from Hungarians, mainly army men, youngsters of Levente Institution and recruits. Officers and NCOs were transferred to the division by the German Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS as well as the Hungarian Honvédség. Elements of this and the other Hungarian SS division took part in rearguard defence operations around their training base near Neuhammer against the Red Army. The division was still forming when the Red Army reached Silesia, forcing the division to retreat to Bavaria and later to Austria. In Austria it fought against forces from the US Third Army before surrendering 4-5 May near the Attersee. [1]

Contents

Commanders

Order of battle

Chronological History

I and II battalions are mostly from “Hunyadi” and III and IV are mostly from “Hungaria”.

Early May 1945: The ,,Hunyadi” division battle group which has been travelling from Denmark is in Berlin near to the Brandenburg gate and the Spree. They move near the Reichstag to face more Russian divisions. Some men fall in the vicinity of the SS Headquarters at the corner of Berliner Straße and the Kaiserallee. Some of the unit survives by getting out of the city by using the U-Bahn (Underground) but end up getting captured by the Russians. In the fighting 83 men (including 1 officer) were killed. 12 men (including 1 officer) are missing.

References