Panzer Elite - The Story of Nazi Germany's Crack Grossdeutschland Corps

The roots of the unit go back to 1921 when the guard unit of the city of Berlin (Wachregiment Berlin) was created. The unit originally started out as a ceremonial guard unit in the 1920s and by the late 1930s had grown into a regiment of the German Army. The unit grew in size, function and responsibility throughout the 1930s The regiment saw action in France in 1940. It was attached to Panzer Group 2 in the opening phases of Barbarossa, and was nearly annihilated in the vicious fighting outside of Moscow While resting and refitting near Orel, the Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland reorganized and expanded to become Infanterie-Division Großdeutschland (motorized).

The regiment would later be expanded and renamed Infantry Division Grossdeutschland in 1942, and after significant reorganization was renamed Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland in May 1943. And later in November 1944, while the division retained its status as a Panzergrenadier division, some of its subordinate units were expanded to divisional status, and the whole group of divisions were reorganized as Panzerkorps Großdeutschland. During the combined Soviet winter offensives Operation Uranus and Operation Mars, the Division was involved in heavy winter fighting . In January February 1943, Grossdeutschland and XLVIII.Panzerkorps, along with the II SS Panzer Corps took part in the Third Battle of Kharkov. In May 1943, with the addition of armoured personnel carriers and Tigers the division was redesignated Panzergrenadier Division Grossdeutschland, though in reality it now had more armoured vehicles than most full strength panzer divisions. After the launch of Operation Citadel, the division was heavily engaged.

Grossdeutschland continued fighting in the area of Krivoi-Rog Grossdeutschland was involved in heavy fighting in East Prussia. November 1944, while the division retained its status as a Panzergrenadier division, several attached units were expanded to divisional status, and the Panzerkorps Großdeutschland was formed. By March 1945, the Panzergrenadier Division Grossdeutschland had been reduced to around 4,000 men. By 25 April 1945, the division ceased to exist, having been completely destroyed in the battles around Pillau, East Prussia.