The Waffen-SS had led the way back to the city of Kharkov in close combat under extreme conditions. They were sent into the most difficult combat situation to face death and win. By March 10 1943 the first phase of Feldmarschall Erich von Manstein's offensive was complete. The SS-Panzerkorps and 4.Panzer Armee now linked up for the assault on Kharkov itself. Top image: Tiger n°821 of 8./SS-Panzer-Regiment 2 Das Reich in March 1943, whitewashed for the battle of Kharkov with a Mickey Mouse figure painted on the front of the hull. We can clearly see the small cleats that were added on Feb. 11 1943 to the tracks of these Tigers in response to the icy roads. The tanker standing on the Tiger with a cigarette is tank commander SS-Uscharf. Arthur Glagow. The tank commanders in front of the tank is SS-Ostuf.
Philipp Theiss, KIA on July 15 1943 during
Operation Zitadelle, and SS-Ustuf. Walter Reininghaus and SS-Ostuf. Hans Gerlach. Priv.coll. Bottom image: with downtown Kharkov looming in the far distance SS-Panzergrenadiers of the Das Reich ride to their destiny. In the far-left background, the tower blocks around Kharkov's town square Maidan Dzerzhynskoho are visible, known to the German army as Red Square. The square was named after the founder of the Bolshevik secret police and later renamed by the Germans as
Platz der Leibstandarte. Supported by panzers and assault guns, Das Reich pushed farther into the western section of city. The soldiers mounted on this Sturmgeschütz III belong to the 3rd Battalion of SS-Regiment Deutschland. Das Reich divisional insignia the
Wolfsangel rune is faintly visible on the rear of the vehicle. The
Third Battle of Kharkov could begin. c. Bundesarchiv.
One of the original Tigers of Das Reich. These Tigers were all repainted in April 1943 at the latest. Tiger 821 will be numbered S11 in the summer of 1943.
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