Steam Group

1.SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (LSSAH)

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Die Leibstandarte SS im Einsatz!!!

Since September 20, 2007

56 Members

Beginning as the personal bodyguard to Adolf Hitler the SS was a very important element of the National Socialist organization. In the early 1920's some 200 men were recruited to form the ‘Stoßtruppe Adolf Hitler’, which was responsible for Hitlers personal safety and to keep order during public meetings. This group was later expanded to become the SS which in 1929 came under the command of Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler. ln 1933 with the growing threat to Adolf Hitlers life a new form of elite bodyguard was created and was given the title SS LEIBSTANDARTE ADOLF HITLER. Originally consisting of 120 handpicked pure Aryan men the recruits swore themselves body and soul to the Führer. Their commander was one of Adolf Hitler's best friends, Josef ‘Sepp’ Dietrich. The SS LAH were the only SS unit to wear white leatherwork during parades and as much of their training consisted of parade ground drill they were nick named ‘The Asphalt Soldiers’, a term which was soon proved to be misjudged as their intense training made them fearless in combat. By 1936 the SS LAH had developed into 2 fully armed regiments and by 1939 had 3700 trained men. In the same year they took part in the invasion of Poland and after the Dutch and French campaigns of 1940 the Leibstandarte was expanded to Brigade strength. In July 1941 the LAH took part in the invasion of Russia and it was during this campaign that the Waffen SS and in particular the 1st earned their reputation for their ferocity during battle.
The Leibstandarte became known as ‘The Führers Fire Brigade’, plugging gaps and routing the enemy where the normal German army divisions failed to hold. After a short rest and refit in France the Leibstandarte returned to Russia in the spring of 1943 where it took part in the great tank battle at Kursk. After once again suffering heavy casualties, the division was sent to Northern Italy where it helped disarm the Italian army. From November 1943 until April 1944 the LAH continued to fight In Russia where it suffered appalling losses when it broke out of encirclement at Skala. ln 1944 the Division was resting and refitting in Belgium when, in June, the Western Allies landed at Normandy. The Leibstandarte was sent to France where it saw heavy action in Caen and was once again surrounded, this time at Falaise. Before it broke out and returned to Northern Germany the Division was reduced to an armoured strength of only thirty tanks.
In December 1944 the LAH took part in Germany's last great offensive, the Ardennes campaign ‘Wacht am Rhein’. Due to fuel shortages, allied air superiority and poor weather conditions, the offensive, although giving the Allies a bloody nose, failed. In March 1945 the division was transferred to Hungary to stem the tidal wave of Russian armies sweeping in from the East. The 1st SS, fighting with desperation to defend the soil of greater Germany, finally capitulated to American forces at Styer in Austria, May 1945.

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