StuG IV “4334” of the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division “Götz von Berlichingen 1944
The 17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division “Götz von Berlichingen” was established on November 15, 1943, in western France. Its creation was based on a Führer order from October 3, 1943, and it was initially formed with elements from the 10. SS-Panzer-Division “Frundsberg.” Together with “Frundsberg,” it was intended to form part of the VII. SS-Panzer Corps.
The division’s two primary Panzergrenadier regiments were initially designated with numbers 35 and 36 in the formation records but were officially renumbered 37 and 38 on November 12, 1943:
- SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 37
- SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 38 (comprising battalions I-III)
Other divisional units were assigned the number 17 to align with the division’s designation.
Normandy and Destruction at Saint-Lô
Although the division was only partially combat-ready by May 1944, it was deployed to Normandy, where it saw significant action. The division was heavily engaged in the fighting near Saint-Lô, and by July 29, 1944, it had been largely destroyed during the fierce battles around that area.
Reformation near Paris and Champagne
The division was reformed near Paris and in the Champagne region, drawing replacements from SS-Panzergrenadier-Brigades 49 and 51, which had originally been slated to form the 26th and 27th SS Divisions. On September 8, 1944, these brigades were dissolved:
- SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 37 was reconstituted from SS-Panzergrenadier-Brigade 49.
- SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 38 was reformed from SS-Panzergrenadier-Brigade 51.
Both regiments retained the identification numbers from the original 17th SS-Panzergrenadier Division.
Further Losses and Reformation
Despite the reformation, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 38 was once again destroyed at Metz on November 22, 1944. A new reformation order, dated January 1, 1945, dictated that the 17. SS-Panzergrenadier Division would be reinforced by the SS-Panzergrenadier-Ausbildungs-Regiment. This regiment included:
- Three battalions
- A heavy tank destroyer company (schwere Panzerjäger-Kompanie)
- A flak company (Flak-Kompanie)
- A pioneer company (Pionier-Kompanie)
These reinforcements were drawn from the training grounds at Beneschau in Bohemia (modern-day Benešov, Czech Republic) and rushed to the front in early 1945.