4th SS Polizei Division

The SS Polizei Division was one of the thirty-eight divisions fielded as part of the "Waffen-SS" during World War II.

The division was formed in 1939 as part of the SS-controlled Regular Police, and was transferred to the "Waffen-SS" in 1942. After a variety of splits and reunions it was eventually upgraded to a "Panzergrenadier" division, the "4th SS Polizei Panzergrenadier Division". It surrendered to the Americans at the end of the war.

Commanders

*Generalleutnant der Polizei Konrad Hitschler (1 Sep 1940 - 8 Sep 1940)
*SS-Obergruppenführer Karl von Pfeffer-Wildenbruch (8 Sep 1940 - 10 Nov 1940)
*SS-Gruppenführer Arthur Mülverstadt (10 Nov 1940 - 10 Aug 1941)
*SS-Gruppenführer Emil Höring (16 Aug 1941 - 18 Aug 1941)
*SS-Obergruppenführer Walter Krüger (18 Aug 1941 - 15 Dec 1941)
*Generaloberst der Polizei Alfred Wünnenberg (15 Dec 1941 - 14 May 1942)
*SS-Oberführer Alfred Borchert (15 May 1942 - 18 July 1942) - for Alfred Wünnenberg
*Generaloberst der Polizei Alfred Wünnenberg (19 July 1942 - 10 June 1943)
*SS-Brigadeführer Fritz Schmedes (10 June 1943 - 5 July 1943)
*SS-Standartenführer Otto Binge (5 July 1943 - 18 Aug 1943)
*SS-Brigadeführer Fritz Freitag (18 Aug 1943 - 20 Oct 1943)
*SS-Oberführer Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock (20 Oct 1943 - 19 Apr 1944)
*SS-Brigadeführer Jürgen Wagner (19 Apr 1944 - ? May 1944)
*SS-Oberführer Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock (? May 1944 - 7 May 1944)
*SS-Brigadeführer Hebert-Ernst Vahl (7 May 1944 - 22 July 1944)
*SS-Standartenführer Karl Schümers (22 July 1944 - 16 Aug 1944)
*SS-Oberführer Helmut Dörner (16 Aug 1944 - 22 Aug 1944)
*SS-Brigadeführer Fritz Schmedes (22 Aug 1944 - 27 Nov 1944)
*SS-Standartenführer Walter Harzer (27 Nov 1944 - 1 Mar 1945)
*SS-Standartenführer Fritz Göhler (1 Mar 1945 - ? Mar 1945)
*SS-Standartenführer Walter Harzer (? Mar 1945 - 8 May 1945)

Area of operations

* Germany (Sep 1939 - May 1940)
* Luxemburg, Belgium & France (May 1940 - June 1941)
* Eastern front, northern sector (June 1941 - May 1943)
* Czechoslovakia & Poland (May 1943 - Jan 1944)
* Greece (Jan 1944 - Sep 1944)
* Yugoslavia & Romania (Sep 1944 - Oct 1944)
* Hungary (Oct 1944 - Dec 1944)
* Czechoslovaka & Eastern Germany (Dec 1944 - May 1945)

Order of battle

1939

*Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 1
*Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2
*Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 3
*Polizei-Panzerabwehr-Abteilung
*Polizei-Pionier-Battalion
*Radfahr-Kompanie
*Artillery Regiment 300
*Nachrichten-Abteilung 300
*Versorgungstruppen 300

Later

*SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 7
*SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 8
*SS-Artillerie Regiment 4
*SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 4
*SS-Panzer-Abteilung 4
*SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 4
*SS-Flak-Abteilung 4
*SS-Nachrichten-Abteilung 4
*SS-Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 4
*SS-Pionier-Battalion 4
*SS-Dina 4
*SS-Panzer-Instandsetzungs-Abteilung 4
*SS-Wirtscharfts-Battalion 4
*SS-Sanitas-Abteilung 4
*SS-Polizei-Veterinar-Kompanie 4
*SS-Kriegsberichter-Zug 4
*SS-Feldgendarmerie-Trupp 4
*SS-Feldersatz-Battalion 4

Manpower strength

* June, 1941 = 17,347
* Dec, 1942 = 13,399
* Dec, 1943 = 16,081
* June, 1944 = 16,139
* Dec, 1944 = 9,000

See also

* List of German divisions in World War II
* "Waffen-SS"
* "Ordnungspolizei"

References

* [http://www.feldgrau.com/4ss.html "4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division" at www.feldgrau.com]

* Huseman, Friedrich. In Good Faith: The History of 4. SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division: Volume 1, 1939-1943. Winnipeg, Canada: J.J. Fedorowicz, 2003 ISBN 0-921991-74-6