The SS Brigade Westfalen was an adhoc unit composed of the men of the military training commands of the Paderborn area and the 507 Heavy Tank Battalion. The unit was committed into battle in March 1945 in an unsuccessful attempt to stop American troops from encircling Army Group B in the Ruhr Pocket.
Assigned to lead the Brigade was Obersturmbannführer, Hans Stern, who had won the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in 1941 while leading SS Panzer Battalion 11, 11th SS Panzergrenadier Division
The Brigade consisted of two regiments that were named after their commanders. Regiment "Meyer" consisted of three battalions: SS Panzer Reconnaissance Training and Replacement Battalion 1, SS Panzer Reconnaissance Training and Replacement Battalion 2, and an SS Panzer Reconnaissance NCO Training Battalion.
Regiment "Holzer" was named after its commander Obersturmführer , Friedrich Holzer and consisted of the SS Panzer Training and Replacement Regiment in Augustdorf, which consisted of five battalions.[1]
SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Kloskowski was killed by US forces 23 April 1945 after he was captured at Okerin the Harz mountains. According to some sources the killing was in revenge of the death of US 3rd Armored Division commander General Maurice Rose a few weeks earlier at the hands of 507th (Heavy) Panzer Battalion.[2]
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