The Formation of the SS-Totenkopf Reiterstandarten, 1939-40

Published in „Siegrunen“ Magazine - Volume 6, Number 3, Whole Number 33,

January – March 1984

The SS-Totenkopfverbande mounted infantry detachment was formed (more or less) on 15 September 1939 and consisted initially of 250 men and 252 horses. For the most part the „cavalrymen” were farmers riding farm horses, although some world class riders with their show mounts were also with the contingent. The military training for all personnel seems to have been minimal. Soon after it was assembled, this somewhat motley force was ordered into Poland by the Reichsführer-SS for security duties.

In mid-November 1939, RF-SS Himmler visited Lodz, Poland and spoke with Standartenführer Hermann Fegelein, the designated „SS Cavalry Chief.” He told Fegelein that he was incorporating his „bunch” into the Waffen-SS and that he had better be ready to turn them into a real cavalry regiment or they would be quickly converted back into foot infantry. With this threat hanging over his head, Staf. Fegelein went to work in a hurry.

By 15 December 1939 the SS-“T“ cavalry had grown to a strength of 46 officers, 91 NCOs and 450 men (total: 587) with 455 horses. The OB/Command Structure at this time was as follows:

Commander: SS-Staf. Hermann Fegelein

Adjutant: SS-Hstuf. Friedrich

Ordnance Officer: SS-Hstuf. Fassbender

Supply Officer: SS-Ustuf. Warth

Regimental Doctor: SS-Ustuf. Dr. Strohschneider

Regimental Veterinarian: SS-Hstuf. Dr. Herling

Additional Officers on the Staff: Hauptmann der Schutzpolizei Lehner and SS-Stubaf. Temme

1st Squadron (Warsaw): SS-Hstuf. Waldemar Fegelein

2nd Squadron (Garwolin): SS-Stubaf. Ruge

3rd Squadron (Seroczyn): SS-Ostuf. Gustav Lombard

4th Squadron (Zamosc): SS-Stubaf. Magill

5th Squadron (Cholm): SS-Hstuf. Reichenwallner

6th Squadron (Tarnow): SS-Hstuf. von Zastrow

7th Squadron (Krakau): SS-Ostuf. Schoenfeld

8th Squadron (Kielce): SS-Ostuf. Duensch

9th Squadron (Lodz): SS-Hstuf. Becher

1st Mounted Battery (Radom): SS-Ustuf. Traeger

2nd Mounted Battery (Krakau): SS-Ustuf. Lindemann

Signals Platoon (Lublin): SS-Ostuf. Krug

Technical-Specialist Unit: SS-Hstuf. Fritz

As one can see, the detachment was scattered into small units all over Poland and at this time weaponry and equipment was still minimal and insufficient. The officers even had to provide their own handguns! According to Gustav Lombard (later an SS-Brigfhr. and divisional CO), the formation of the regiment went „according to plans” even though it was hindred somewhat by a long, hard winter. By April 1940, the SS-”T” Cavalry Standarte had reached all of the formation goals set for it but the overall scheme of things was changing in the SS Main Office. The concept of independent SS regiments was being abandoned in favor of large formations. As a result, Staf. Fegelein was summoned to Berlin and instructed to start building his new regiment into a brigade; this was no easy task and in fact it would take somewhat more than a year to complete the transformation.

Hstuf. Gustav Lombard leading 3./SS-“T” Reiterstandarte 1.

Waffen-SS cavalry.

A lot of work and improvisation was involved in rounding up the adequate quantities of horses and riders and providing quarters for both of them. Fortunately, early in 1940, service in the Waffen-SS began to count as „Wehrdienst” or as military service the same as in the Army. This helped bring a lot of new recruits into the armed SS. The SS-“T” Cavalry Rgt. attracted volunteers from all over Germany, as well as ethnic - Germans from different parts of Europe. In fact, some recruits arrived from South Tyrol who were veterans of the Italian campaign in Ethiopia.

By July 1940, the near impossible task of getting adequate horseflesh had nearly been surmounted. Some 3,000 mounts had been rounded up, a majority of which were „booty“ animals from the former Polish Army. The rest of the horses came from all over the Reich and quality ranged from good to rag-tag. There were even a few trained circus horses. These caused some problems, not to mention much hilarity, as they leanded to launch into their „acts” when certain simple commands, such as „Halt!” were given, much to the chagrin of their riders! The job here was to find out through trial and error how the circus horses would respond to various directives and then try and remember to avoid giving an „inappropriate” command! The horses were segregated by color and condition so that the units that they were assigned to would make a good impression.

In the summer of 1940, the regiment split into two regiments, each consisting of six squadrons containing 200 or more men and up to 250 horses each. Much of the rest of the year was devoted to training and formation activities. The regiments received supplies and equipment that to a large extent had belonged to the ex-Polish Army, as well as „booty“ weapons from Czechoslovakia and older equipment from Germany, including antiquated water-cooled machine guns. Each squadron received a heavy machine gun platoon and the mounted artillery batteries were outfitted with howitzers and heavy mortars. Engineer, antitank and signals platoons were further expanded and developed.

On 28 July 1940 the twin „Deathshead” cavalry regiments had the following strengths:

1. SS-“T“ Reiterstandarte (Warsaw): 54 officers/190 NCOs/ 1585 men

2. SS-“T“ Reiterstandarte (Lublin): 31/114/1366

Total personnel: 3.340

The great testing for the regiments came on 11 November 1940, when Oberführer Krueger from the SS Military Inspectorate in Berlin visited Warsaw to see a full demonstration of the units' capabilities. The SS cavalrymen went through a wide variety of exercises, drills and parades both on horseback and on foot and the impression they made was a good one. Krueger turned in his report to the SS Main Office and it in turn was forwarded to Hitler, who officially approved the continuation and further development of the SS „Deathshead” Cavalry regiments.

On 27 November 1940 the news reached the SS Cavalry staff, and Staf. Fegelein issued the following order-of-the-day:

„The Führer has authorized our regiments for deployment. We are now the beginning of the cavalry tradition in the Waffen-SS.”

The last phase of the early formative period of the SS cavalry ended on 6 December 1940 when the Waffen-SS high command ordered the incorporation of the 1st and 2nd SS-“T”-Reiterstandarten into one large regiment which was designated: SS- Totenkopf-Kavallerie Rgt. 1. The two former regiments were now demoted to „half-regiments,” and each was further subdivided into two detachments.

Now the job was to make the unit ready for battle. For one reason or another the first tactical ID sign of the new regiment was a radish! This was replaced by a rightward tilting sword at the beginning of the Russian campaign in 1941. which in turn would have a horse head added to it when the formation attained divisional status in 1942.