On November 9 1942, the division was redesignated from SS-Division Wiking to
SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Wiking. The infantrymen of SS-Regiments Germania, Nordland and Westland had become Panzergrenadiers. The front of the division seemed secure but on the flanks there was bitterly hard fighting. The Soviets tried to break through the front with strong forces. Tanks and infantry attacked relentlessly day in, day out without success. On November 19 1942, the Wiking ended its attachment relationship to the 23.Panzer-Division which was withdrawn from the front to be sent to
Stalingrad to participate in the upcoming relief effort. Left image: according to various sources, a Soviet tank crew being taken prisoners by the Wiking. The
Wikinger has his
Schmeißer MP40 slung behind his back. The photo appeared in Signal magazine in October 1943 edition published by the Wehrmacht. Commons Bundesarchiv. Right image: Panzergrenadiers riding on a Panzer III of SS-Panzer-Abteilung 5
Wiking. The Soviet T-34 was generally invulnerable in frontal combat engagements with the Panzer III until the 50 mm tank gun was introduced on the tank beginning in the spring of 1942. Production of the Panzer III ceased in 1943 and was replaced as the main German medium tank by the Panzer IV and the Panzer V Panther. Nevertheless, the Panzer III's capable chassis provided hulls for the Sturmgeschütz III assault gun until the end of the war. Photo by SS-Kriegsberichter Willi Altstadt. Credit: Julius Jääskeläinen. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Fair use.
The illustrated photo journal Signal of the Wehrmacht was published in 26 European languages, and at its height had a circulation of 2,500,000 copies. It was available in the United States in English until December 1941. The last number was 6/45, only known in one sample from the Swedish edition.
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