The 6th Panzer Army (6.Panzer-Armee) was a unit of Wehrmacht Heer, formed in the Autumn of 1944. The 6th Panzer Army is best noted for its leading role in the Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945). On 2 April 1945, it was transferred to the Waffen-SS. The 6th Panzer Army then became known as 6th SS Panzer Army (6.SS-Panzerarmee).
Although it didn't receive the SS designation until after the Battle of the Bulge, the SS designation came into general use in military history literature after the Second World War for the formation as assembled prior to that campaign. After the Ardennes Offensive, the 6th SS Panzer Army was transferred to Hungary, where it fought against the advancing Soviet Army. In March 1945, after the fall of Budapest, the 6th SS Panzer Army launched one of the final German offensives of the war, Operation Frühlingserwachen around Lake Balaton. This was an attempt to protect the last sources of petroleum controlled by the Germans. In April 1945, the 6th SS Panzer Army defended Vienna against the advancing Soviets. When the war ended on 8 May 1945, the 6th SS Panzer Army was in Austria between Vienna and Linz.
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Also included the I SS Panzer Corps (SS-Gruf.Hermann Priess) and II SS Panzer Corps (SS-Ogruf.Wilhelm Bittrich)
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