ϟϟ-Panzergrenadier-Division „Wiking“ – Reserve Force during Zitadelle

Commander of the Wiking Herbert Gille as SS-Gruf.

SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 Wiking

SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Wiking was moved to Izyum on the Donets River in Kharkov Oblast under command of SS-Brigadeführer Herbert Gille in late June 1943 where it, along with 17.Panzer-Division was to form the reserve force for Feldmarschall Erich von Manstein's Army Group South during the approaching Operation Citadel. Before the Wiking moved to the area of Izyum the Finnisches Freiwilligen-Bataillon der Waffen-SS had been replaced by Estnisches SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Bataillon Narwa. Von Manstein ordered the reserve force to move up to the vicinity of Kharkov so that this corps could exploit any major success. It began moving from the Donbas in the evening of July 10 1943 with orders to move to Belgorod. While the operation was in effect the Wiking was engaged against enemy forces near Kharkov, with the newly added Estonian battalion Narwa. The Estonians acquitted themselves well throughout the action, destroying around 100 Soviet tanks over several days. Because of the tardiness of von Manstein's decision, Army Group South's reserve would not be present on the battlefield when it was needed most; thus, the II.SS-Panzerkorps would be left to fight the critical Battle of Prokhorovka with only its own resources. When Citadel was cancelled, the Wiking was still involved in halting Soviet attacks. It remained fully capable of fighting and destroyed various enemy tank formations during the operation. Further to the south, on the Mius-Front, a major Soviet offensive, Operation Rumyantsev, threatened to break the German lines. The Wiking spent the rest of the year fighting in the slow retreat to the Dnieper River. Credit: Prof. at the USAWC Jonathan Klug. Top image: Wiking Commander Herbert Gille as SS-Gruppenführer. Photo taken by SS-KB Alois Jarolim during the Kowel encirclement in March 1944. U.S. NARA. Bottom image: an SS-Panzergrenadier of the Wiking speaking through Feldfernsprecher 33, while behind him the Panthers hit the dusts. The Panthers in the background numbered II011 and II014 belonged to the 2nd Battalion's recon platoon of SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 Wiking. The photo was most probably taken during the one day military Op. Ilse on April 27 1944 south of Kowel. According to the author Dennis Oliver, Panther II011 was commanded by SS-Untersturmführer and Zugführer Dr. Manfred Renz. Photo by SS-Unterscharführer Ernst Baumann, staff member of Germania. c. Bundesarchiv.