http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/overview.htm WACH REGIMENT BERLIN A permanent military body was required in Berlin not just as a safeguard against Revolution, but also in times of peace to carry out ceremonial parades and guard duties. A new unit named Wach Regiment Berlin was founded in 1921, then disbanded in June of that year, followed shortly after by the raising of Kommando der Wachtruppe (Headquarters Guard Troop) which soldiered in the capital until 1934. Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday the Kommando changed the guard in front of the public in a simple cermony. On Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, however, the full Guard, accompanied by the Regimental Band, marched from Moabit Barracks, through Brandenburg Gate, and on to the War Memorial with all the pomp and ceremony of the more famous public duties at Buckingham Palace in London. Troops for the Guard in Berlin were drawn from the seven divisions across Germany, each division represented by a company of the Guard. Each company served a three month tour of duty, and were then returned to their parent unit. In 1934, the unit was renamed Wachtruppe Berlin, and by 1936 the establishment was raised from seven to eight companies, with an additional headquarters company to administer the unit. In June 1937, the unit once again became Wach Regiment Berlin. Postings to the new unit were no longer done on divisional lines. By 1936, the Army had expanded greatly, and individual soldiers, or small groups, were now instead used to make up the Berlin Guard Regiment, and served six month tours. A depot company was also raised, and only 50 percent of the men were allowed to be returned to their former units at any one time. State visits and conferences (and even the Olympic Games) placed the Fatherland firmly in the world spotlight. Guards of Honour were continually furnished by the Wach Regiment Berlin, and a small detachment was formed to accompany Hitler on his foreign visits. Drawn from the Wach Regiment, the new unit was called simply the Führer Begleit (Führer Escort). INFANTRY REGIMENT GROSSDEUTSCHLAND The Wach Regiment lived a life of drill and parade square, with regimental parades every Sunday showing off all available companies and both regimental bands. In the first week of 1939, Hitler personally ordered, as Supreme Commander of the armed forces, that the Wach Regiment Berlin be renamed Infantry Regiment Grossdeutschland. The new unit would be permanently staffed and no longer require men seconded from other divisions, and unlike all other regiments of the German Army, which were procured, trained, and employed in locally based regiments (in a manner very similar to the British Army), recruits would be drawn from across the width and breadth of Greater Germany. The official date for the birth of the new regiment was 14 June 1939, and the occasion was marked by a parade in Berlin. The new regiment was distinguished by the addition of a monogram to their shoulder straps. While the former members of the Wach Regiment Berlin in their early days had been teased because they had no distinguishing marks on their shoulder straps (Infantry Regiments normally wore the number of their unit on the shoulder strap, in its early days the Wach Regiment wore none and so it was said that "You must be a blind regiment.") the new Grossdeutschland (sometimes written Gross Deutschland) wore a monogram with the letters "GD" intertwined. The monogram would be proudly worn until the end of the war in 1945. Also, small numbers of a cuff title were introduced. Cuff titles in the German armed forces were usually the mark of an elite unit (and later would also be used as campaign awards), but the men of GD were not happy with the new insignia, as the silver and green insignia looked too much like a similar device worn by postal units. In 1940, new cuff titles in black, like those worn only by elite Waffen SS formations, were introduced, and several versions of this title remained in use until the end of the war - always worn on the right sleeve to distinguish them from the SS, who wore theirs on the left. it was not until the French campaign in 1940 that the unit was to see combat. Placed in Panzergruppe Kleist, in Guderian's corps, the regiment participated in the opening phases of the campaign, providing troops to a special airlanding operation in Belgium while the main body of the regiment passed through Luxembourg and also into Belgium. Crossing the Meuse and fighting at Stonne, the regiment acquitted itself well, and after the six week conquest of France, it seemed there might be peace come 1941. The regiment trained for the invasion of Great Britain played a minor role in the Balkans in early 1941, then moved east to take part in the invasion of Russia. It was on the Russian Front that Grossdeutschland would spend the rest of the war, see itself raised from the status of a single regiment to that of a division, and eventually of a corps. INFANTRY DIVISION GROSSDEUTSCHLAND In April 1942, the Grossdeutschland was raised to the status of a Division. Infantry Regiment Grossdeutschland became Infantry Regiment Grossdeutschland 1, to be joined in the Division with Infantry Regiment Grossdeutschland 2. In September 1942, in light of reorganization throughout the army, specifically the adoption of the title "Grenadier" by infantry and armoured infantry units, GD's infantry regiments were renamed. The Infantry Regiment GD 1 became Grenadier Regiment Grossdeutschland, while Infantry Regiment GD 2 became Fusilier Regiment Grossdeutschland. PANZERGRENADIER DIVISION GROSSDEUTSCHLAND On 23 June 1943, the division was officially classified a Panzergrenadier Division. The two infantry regiments became known as Panzer Grenadier Regiment Grossdeutschland and Panzer Fusilier Regiment Grossdeutschland. Both units maintained their white arm-of-service or branch colour (waffenfarbe) rather than the new grassgreen piping of the panzergrenadiers. PANZERKORPS GROSSDEUTSCHLAND In November 1944, while the GD Division retained its status as a Panzergrenadier division, other units were expanded to divisional status, and the Panzerkorps Grossdeutschland was formed. The Corps was made up primarily of two Divisions - GD and the Brandenburg Division (linked throughout its history to GD, the Brandenburg Division also began life as a small unit (specifically, a commando-style battalion) and was continually upgraded in status and responsibility throughout the war). ---------- More on Fuhrer Begleit division: http://www.forces70.freeserve.co.uk/Grossdeutschland/Begleit.htm
Also, there was another regiment named 'Großdeutschland'. It was a guard regiment which formed Berlin infantry division in April 1945. Of course it was not even comparable to its homonimous regiments. It was formed by women, old men from the Volkssturm and kids from the Hitlerjugend. The division was never the size of a regiment... My grandfather fought 'commanding' this 'unit' i April 1945 at the ruins of Berlin.
Excellent info on the Grossdeutschland units. Over on another forums I used to visit--but not for about 2 yrs now--they used to have a man named Rudolf Salvermoser--who served in the G.D. He had been making postings there--I do not know if he still does or not. That website is: www.feldgrau.com
