Walter Harzer

Infobox Military Person
name=Walter Harzer
lived=29 September, 1912 - 29 May, 1982


caption=
placeofbirth=Stuttgart-Feuerbach
placeofdeath=Stuttgart
nickname=
allegiance= Germany
serviceyears=1931-1945
branch=
rank=Oberführer
commands= 9.SS-Panzer-Division "Hohenstaufen", 4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division.
unit=SS-Standarte "Deutschland"
battles=World War II
awards=Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuz
laterwork=

SS-Oberführer Walter Harzer (1912-1982) was a German Waffen-SS officer who served in the SS-Standarte "Deutschland" and later commanded the 9.SS-Panzer-Division "Hohenstaufen" and 4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division. He was also a winner of the "Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes". After the war, he became active in the veteran's association HIAG.

Early Life - Pre-War SS Service

Walter Harzer was born in Stuttgart-Feuerbach on September 29, 1912. In the Spring 1933, Walter joined Politische Bereitschaft (SS Political Readiness Detachment) in Württemberg and in October 1933 also the German Army. He was assigned to the 13.(Württemburgisches) Infanterie-Regiment, eventually reaching the rank of Gefreiter. In March 1934 the 23-year old Harzer joined SS-Verfügungstruppe, graduating from the new SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tölz in 1936. After his graduation he was assigned to the SD-Hauptamt and later the SS-Standarte "Deutschland".

Early World War II

With "Deutschland", Harzer participated in the invasion of Poland and was awarded the Iron Cross II Class. However, on November 1, 1939 instead of continuing on with his regiment, Harzer was transferred as a Tactics Instructor to the SS-Junkerschule "Braunschweig" and later to the SS-Unterführerschule "Radolfzell". He remained instructor until June 12, 1941 when he was assigned as a commander to the II./SS-Infanterie-Regiment 4. It was with this unit Harzer received the Iron Cross I Class. From mid 1942 until April 1943 Walter served as a staff officer first with the LVII.Panzerkorps and later, after completing General Staff Course, with the SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 10, later renamed the 10.SS-Panzer-Division "Frundsburg".

Hohenstaufen

On April 10, 1943, Harzer was assigned to the SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9 (from October 23, 1943 the 9.SS-Panzer-Division "Hohenstaufen"). He remained with the division for 19 months and saw it to become a fully equipped Panzer Division. He proved himself to be an excellent staff and combat officer during the division’s relief attack on Tarnopol and later during the Allied attacks on Caen. On August 19, 1944, Harzer was decorated with the German Cross in Gold for his exemplary leadership during the operations in Normandy.As the 9.SS-Panzer-Division "Hohenstaufen" was ordered for a refit in Holland, Walter Harzer became its fifth commander, taking over for SS-Oberführer Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock. The division reached Arnhem on September 9, 1944, where they were to hand most of its vehicles and heavy equipment to "Frundsberg" in preparation for a move to Germany for refitting. However on Sunday September 17, 1944, the Allies launched Operation Market-Garden. Harzer’s division was engaged mainly to the west of Arnhem, preventing the British forces from linking with the elements of the "Red Devils" of the 1. Airborne Division that were surrounded in Arnhem and thus preventing them from securing a bridgehead across the Rhine. Later on under Walter Harzer’s command the remnants of his division played a major part in the near total destruction of the Allied forces in the Arnhem area, an achievement for which Harzer was awarded the "Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes".

End of War & Postwar

On October 10, 1944 Harzer left "Hohenstaufen" and went on to become the Chef des Stabes V.SS-Gebirgs-Korps before receiving the command of the 4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division at the end of November 1944. Together with the rest of this division SS-Oberführer Walter Harzer surrendered himself to the Americans near Wittenberge-Lenzen on May 8, 1945.

After the war Walter Harzer worked as a historian for HIAG and died after a heart failure in Stuttgart hospital on May 29, 1982.

Personal life

* Harzer got married on December, 21 1941 and had one child.
* His brother was NSKK-Oberführer Fritz Harzer.

ummary of SS career

Dates of rank

* SS-Anwärter: November 01, 1931
* SS-Mann: February 22, 1932
* SS-Rottenführer: August 25, 1933
* SS-Unterscharführer: December 10, 1933
* Gefreiter: 1933
* SS-Scharführer: July 01, 1934
* SS-Oberscharführer: December 23, 1934
* SS-Junker: April 25, 1935
* SS-Untersturmführer: May 05, 1936
* SS-Unterscharführer- demoted: November 04, 1936
* SS-Untersturmführer: September 29, 1937
* SS-Obersturmführer: January 30, 1939
* SS-Hauptsturmführer: May 16, 1940
* SS-Sturmbannführer: April 20, 1943
* SS-Obersturmbannführer: January 30, 1944
* SS-Standartenführer: November 30, 1944
* SS-Oberführer: April 20, 1945

Notable decorations

* German Cross in Gold (1944)
* Eastern Front Medal (1942)
* Iron Cross Second (1939) and First (1941) Classes
* SS-Honour Ring (?)
* Sudetenland Medal (?) with Prague Castle bar (?)
* Anschluss Medal (?)
* Knight's Cross (1944)
* Infantry Assault Badge(1942)
* Waffen-SS Long Service Award (?)
* NSDAP Long Service Award in Bronze(?)

References

*"A Bridge Too Far: The Classic History of the Greatest Battle of World War II" by Cornelius Ryan (Simon & Schuster; Reprint edition (May 1, 1995), ISBN 0684803305, ISBN 978-0684803302).
*"The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror: The Full Story From Street Fighters to the Waffen-SS " by Gordon Williamson (Motorbooks International, (March 1994), ISBN 0879389052, ISBN 978-0879389055).
*"The Waffen-SS (2): 6. to 10. Divisions (Men-at-Arms) " by Gordon Williamson (Osprey Publishing (March 25, 2004), ISBN 1841765902, ISBN 978-1841765907).

External links

* [http://www.feldgrau.com/9ss.html 9.SS-Panzer-Division "Hohenstaufen"]