Division |
raised (as division) |
disbanded, destroyed, surrendered |
infantry strength |
tank strength |
notes |
1. SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (LAH)
 |
15 July, 1942 |
surrendered to US on 9 May, 1945 near Linz, Austria (only 1,500 survivors with 16 tanks, released in 1950). |
2 motorised infantry regiments (one with APCs), each with 3 battalions (instead of 2 as in army formations). |
1 Panzer regiment (10 companies, one heavy company with Tiger I), 1 bataillon (67) assault guns, 1 anti-tank coy (14) self-propelled guns, 18 self-propelled artillery guns Hummel.
Total: 322 tanks. |
Total strength in June 1944 19,700 men.
Elements responsible for murdering 80 British POWs at Wormhout in May 1940 and 71 US PoWs at Malmedy in December 1944.
Highest combat reputation. |
2. SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich (R)
 |
October 1939 (as Panzer-Division on 9 November, 1942) |
majority surrendered to US near Pilsen, Czecheslovakia on 8 May 1945. |
2 motorised infantry regiments (most with APCs), each with 3 battalions. |
1 Panzer regiment with 10 companies (since spring 1944 4 companies with Panther, mid-1944 one company with Tiger I), 1 bataillon (67) assault guns, 1 anti-tank coy (14) self-propelled guns, 1 artillery batterie (12) with self-propelled artillery guns Hummel.
Total: 316 tanks |
First and oldest Waffen-SS division.
Company commanded by Dickmann murdered 642 men, women and children at Oradour-sur-Glane, June 1944.
Highest combat reputation. |
3. SS-Panzer-Division Totenkopf (T)
 |
November 1939 (as Panzer-Division on 23 October, 1943) |
surrendered to US near Linz, Austria (less than 1,000 men and 6 tanks). Mid-May handed over to Russians. |
2 motorised infantry regiments (most with APCs), each with 3 battalions. |
1 Panzer regiment (10 companies, including one with Tiger tanks), 1 Artillery battery with (12) Hummel SP-guns, three anti-tank coys from 1944 with StuGIII (42), three assault gun companies (66).
Total: 350 tanks |
Total strength 19,000 men.
Created original from concentration camp guards. Reinforcements by volunteers and conscripts. Responsible for mudering approx. 100 British POWs at Le Paradis, May 1940 (instigated by a hysterical SS-officer over the losses suffered by his ill-trained men against these British). Since 1941 highest combat reputation. |
4. SS-Polizei-Panzer-Grenadier-Division
 |
October 1940 (taken into Waffen-SS in February 1942) |
surrendered to US in May, 1945 |
3 motorised infantry regiments |
from 1944 one Panzer battalion.
Total: 71 tanks |
Raised from civilian police and not initially nominally or spirtually part of Waffen-SS. |
5. SS-Panzer-Division Wiking (W)
 |
December 1940 (as Panzer-Division from summer 1943) |
surrendered to British on 8 May, 1945 |
2 motorised infantry regiments (each with 3 battalions), 1 APC battalion in 1944.
Before summer 1944 included also Brigade Wallonien |
1 Panzer battalion from 1942, 3 batteries with StuGIII (30), until summer 1944 Assault Gun battery Wallonien (14 StuGIII/IV) - from 1944 additional Panther battalion, 1 Artillery battery with Hummel (12), 1 rocket-launcher battery on APCs (12).
Total: 137 until summer 1944, later 240 tanks |
First Waffen-SS division with volunteer recruits from other nations in Europe (Dutch, Flemings, Scandinavians, Wallonians).
Highest combat reputation. |
6. SS-Gebirgs-Division Nord (mountain division 'North')
|
May 1941 (training as mountain division from late summer 1941) |
surrendered to US in Bavaria, April 1945 |
2 mountain infantry regiments, 1 Panzer-Grenadier battalion (motorized) |
- |
raised original from concentration camp guards, initially very poor training. |
7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen (volunteer mountain division)
 |
March 1942 (operational October 1942) |
surrendered to Yugoslavs at Cilli, Slovenia.
Many personnel executed. |
2 mountain infantry regiments, also cavalry and light armoured elements. |
(armoured support units with captured French, Italian and Russian tanks ) |
raised from ethnic Germans living in the Balkans, officers mainly Austrians and Rumanians.
Used entirely against partisans and civilians, bad record atrocities. |
8. SS-Kavallerie-Division Florian Geyer
(Cavalry)
 |
as division from June 1942 |
annihilated in fall of Budapest, February 1945 |
3 cavalry regiments |
- |
operated partly on anti-partisan duties, partly front-line combat. |
9. SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen
 |
March 1943 (operational December 1943) |
surrendered to US at Steyr (Austria), 5 May 1945. |
2 motorised infantry regiments (each with 3 battalions) |
1 Panzer battalion, since June 1944 additional Panther battalion. Hummel SP artillery guns (12+).
Total: 105 tanks until June 1944, later 154 |
Rested near Arnheim when Allied parachute assault took place. |
| 10. SS-Panzer-Division Frundsberg |
January 1943 (operational March 1944) |
most soldiers surrendered to US in Czecheslovakia, May 1945. |
2 motorised infantry regiments (each with 3 battalions) |
1 Panzer battalion, since June 1944 additional Panther battalion.
Total: 93 tanks until June 1944, later 142 |
Raised from 18-year-old German conscripts, worked up in France during 1943.
Rested near Arnheim when Allied parachute assault took place. |
11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzer-Grenadier-Division Nordland
 |
May 1943 (operational September 1943) |
fought to annihilation at battle for Berlin. |
3 (1 Danish, 2 Norwegians) , later 2 motorised infantry regiments (each with 3 battalions) |
4 Panzer companies (Panzer IV, Panther, Tiger tanks), 3 assault gun companies (StuG IV).
Total: 159 tanks |
Total strength 1943 : 11,400 men.
Incorporating various foreign volunteer units (Danish, Norwegians, Swedish, Finns, Swiss, Dutch) and ethnic Germans, mainly from Hungary and Rumania.
Formidable combat reputation. |
12. SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend
 |
July 1943 (operational June 1944) |
surrendered to US near Enns, Austria (only 455 survivors). |
2 motorised infantry regiments (each with 3 battalions) |
4 Panzer companies with Panzer IV, 4 companies with Panther, 18 self-propelled artillery guns Hummel.
Total: 204 tanks |
Total strength 21,300 men. Personnel largely 17-year-old Hitler Youth boys, cadre from LAH. Lost over 60% in 4 weeks in Normandy.
Highest combat reputation. |
