Published in „Siegrunen“
Magazine - Vol. V, No. 4, Whole Number 28, January 1982
By Richard
Landwehr
Effective 1 April 1938, the Reichsführer-SS ordered the
formation of 4 Totenkopf Standarten (Deathshead Regiments) from the Totenkopf
Guard Battalions. One of these regiments was the SS-TK Standarte 4 “Ostmark”
that was formed in Steyr, Austria, with a staff element and two battalions
(Sturmbann) composed of 4 rifle companies (Sturm) each. The formation of III./SS-TK
“Ostmark” began in October 1938 under the leadership of SS-Ostubaf. Goetze. The
core personnel for this battalion came from the SS-TK Standarte 1 “Oberbayern”
(Upper Bavaria) and the SS-TK Standarte 2 “Brandenburg” as well as from the SS
Junkerschule (officer’s school) “Toelz.”
In
June 1939 the Senate of the Free City of Danzig voted to create a “Heimwehr
Danzig” (Danzig Home Defense) and Reichsführer-SS Himmler volunteered to raise
and train this force. He decided to give this assignment to the III. Battalion/
“Ostmark” (also known as SS-Sturmbann “Goetze”). III./“Ostmark” therefore
immediately began to relocate to Danzig from its Berlin-Adlerschof barracks,
passing through the cities of Leinigsberg and Elbing on the way.
The
SS-Totenkopf Standarten Anti-tank Training Company, which was formed on 1 May
1939 in Prettin, also joined III./ Ostmark” and was soon transformed into the
Company “Leiner” of the Heimwehr Danzig. In the course of the formation of the
Danzig SS unit, 500 volunteers from that city were added to bring it up to the
strength of more than a battalion but somewhat less than a regiment. In July
1939, Heimwehr Danzig completed its final transformation with the official
incorporation of III./“Ostmark.” At this time the unit contained 42 officers
and about 1500 men, two-thirds of whom were “Reich” Germans and the rest
“Danzigers.”
On
18 August 1939, the unit formally became a part of the armed SS and was put on
dress parade for the first time in field gray uniforms with SS insignia. Also
on that day SS-“HD” received its own distinctive flag incorporating the “Danzig
crowns” the “SS runes” and the swastika. It was presented to Ostubaf. Goetze by
the Gauleiter of Danzig.
The
SS Heiniwehr Danzig was heavily engaged throughout the course of the Polish
campaign of September 1939. On 1 September the unit had expelled the Polish
occupiers from the Danzig post office and the Dirschau railroad station in very
violent fighting. For the rest of the campaign, SS-“HD” fought on the
“Westerplatte” and in the Oxhoefter Bight. By the time Poland finally
capitulated, the Heimwehr Danzig had lost around 50 men killed and quite a few
wounded.
SS Heimwehr
Danzig Operational Areas:
1
September to 5 September 1939: General fighting in and around Danzig.
8 September
to 19 September 1939: Fighting for Gdingen and Oxhoefter.
Structure
and Field Post Numbers of the SS-“HD”:
SS
Heimwehr Danzig Staff: 09 723
1st
Rifle Company: 24 293
2nd
Rifle Company: 31 292
3rd
Rifle Company: 31 700
4th
Rifle Company: 32 304
Machine-gun
Company: 33 094
Infantry
Gun Company: 33 475 (artillery)
1st
PAK Company: 33 832 (anti-tank)
2nd
PAK Company: 34 799 (anti-tank)
Additional
staff, signals and engineer elements: 24 611
Commander:
Ostubaf. Goetze (later killed near Dunkirk in June 1940 by a British sniper).
Shortly
after the Polish campaign, the SS-“HD” was disbanded. The rifle companies were
sent to the Dauchau SS training camp where they were used to build II.
Battalion and part of III. Battalion/SS Totenkopf Infantry Regiment 3 of the
new SS- Totenkopf Division. The two anti-tank PAK companies were used as the
nucleus of the anti-tank detachment (Panzerjäger Abteilung) of the
SS-T-Infantry Rgt. 3.
Special
Insignia of the SS-“HD”:
A
silver skull on a black field was worn on the right collarpatch (and in many
instances on both collarpatches), and at this time could be either vertical or
horizontal in format. The unit was issued a special cuff band which bore the
title “SS Heimwehr Danzig” in silver thread on black.
The
whole, detailed story of the SS-“HD’”s most famous battle — the struggle for
the Danzig post office — will appear in a future issue of “Siegrunen.”
Riffle Company “Thier”/SS-Heimwehr Danzig during a march-past before
Danzig Gauleiter Forster on 18 August 1939.
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