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{{Short description|Elite German Army unit during World War II}}
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Infantry Regiment ''Großdeutschland''}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name =
| native_name = ''Infanterie-Regiment [[German Question|Großdeutschland]]''
| image= GDInsig.svg
| image_size = 155
|caption=Divisional insignia of Infantry Regiment ''Großdeutschland''
|country= {{flag|Weimar Republic}}<br />{{flag|Nazi Germany}}
|branch=[[German Army (
|type=[[Regiment]]
|role= Mechanized Infantry
|dates=1921–45
|command_structure= [[
|garrison=Berlin
|nickname=''Die Feuerwehr'' (The Fire Brigade)
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** [[Operation Barbarossa]]
** [[Battle of Kursk]]
|notable_commanders= ''[[Oberst]]'' [[Karl Lorenz]]
}}
The '''Infantry Regiment ''Großdeutschland''''' ({{lang-de|Infanterie-Regiment "Großdeutschland"}}; {{literally|Infantry Regiment "[[German Question|Greater Germany]]"
''Großdeutschland'' is sometimes mistakenly perceived to be part of the [[Waffen-SS]], whereas it was actually a unit of the regular German Army (''Heer''). In 1942 it was expanded into the [[Großdeutschland Division]], the best-equipped division in the [[Wehrmacht]], which received equipment before all other units, including some Waffen-SS units; however it remained a regiment within the division and was renamed to ''Grenadier-Regiment Großdeutschland''. It received its final name, ''Panzergrenadier-Regiment Großdeutschland'', in 1943.
== Creation and early history - ''Wachregiment Berlin'' ==
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-08315, Berliner Wacht-Regiment.jpg|thumb
After the [[Treaty of Versailles]], Germany's ground forces (the ''[[Reichswehr|Reichsheer]]''),
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-13187, Berlin, Parade der Wachtruppen.jpg|thumb|right|Bundesarchiv Bild {{not a typo|102-13187}}, Berlin, Parade der Wachtruppen 1932]]
To offset the threat of revolution, the ''Wachregiment Berlin'' was founded in early 1921. Besides defending the fledgling republic, the ''Wachregiment'' was used for ceremonial and representative duties such as parades and guard duties in the capital. The ''Wachregiment'' was short-lived, and was disbanded in June 1921. However, the unit was soon reformed as ''Kommando der Wachtruppe'' (lit. Guard Troop Command), a unit with the same duties as the ''Wachregiment''.
The ''Wachtruppe'' comprised seven companies, each drawn from one of the seven divisions permitted Germany by the [[Treaty of Versailles|treaty]]. Each company served for three months before returning to their parent division. In this way, the ''Wachtruppe'' represented the whole ''
The ''Kommando'' was based at Moabit Barracks, and every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, performed a [[Guard Mounting|changing of the guard]] ceremony for the public. This ceremony was quite modest, but on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursdays the entire ''Wachtruppe'', accompanied by the regimental band, marched from the barracks through the [[Brandenburg Gate]] and to the War Memorial at the [[Neue Wache]], similar to the [[Queen's Guard|changing of the Queen's Guard]] at [[Buckingham Palace]].
The ''Wachtruppe'' was left in place by the [[NSDAP]] leadership after [[Adolf Hitler]]'s [[Machtergreifung|appointment]] as [[Chancellor]] in 1933. In 1934, the unit was renamed ''Wachtruppe Berlin'' and in 1936 the addition of a headquarters and administration company raised the unit size to
In June 1937, the unit was again renamed, this time to ''Wach Regiment Berlin''. The recruitment system was reworked, with postings no longer on divisional lines, but instead individual soldiers were posted to the unit for 6-month tours of duty. A supply company was also added to the Regiment's [[order of battle]].
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In the months leading up to World War II, while the rest of the ''[[German Army (Wehrmacht)|Wehrmacht Heer]]'' marched into The Saarland, Austria and Czechoslovakia, the men of ''Wach Regiment Berlin'' marched up and down [[Unter den Linden]] Strasse every Sunday. However they were not to stay out of the front lines for long.
In the first week of 1939, Hitler ordered that the Wach Regiment be renamed ''Infanterie-Regiment Großdeutschland''. The unit was now a permanent cadre, and unlike other regiments of the German Army (which were raised from a particular region),
The regiment was being reorganized in September 1939, and did not take part in [[Fall Weiss (1939)|Fall Weiss]] (the invasion of Poland), a fact that dented the pride of the regiment which bore the name of the nation on their sleeves. However, in May 1940, the
On the first day of the invasion, the majority of the ''Großdeutschland'' regiment was attached to the [[10th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|10th Panzer Division]] and engaged in fighting in [[Luxembourg]] in an attempt to outflank southern Belgian fortifications. Meanwhile, III. Battalion was involved in an airborne attack further north in Belgium. The regiment was then involved in the crossing of the [[Meuse]] river. Near the town of [[Stonne]], the regiment was involved in heavy fighting with French armoured forces, and acquitted itself well.
The regiment then marched north towards [[Dunkirk]], and was involved in defeating the British counterattack at [[Arras]]. ''Großdeutschland'' was then involved in holding the Dunkirk pocket, before being transferred south to join the attack across the [[Seine
During the rout of the French Army, in June 1940, the regiment massacred [[Senegalese Tirailleurs|African soldiers]] and their White officers it had taken prisoner near the [[Bois d'Eraine massacre|Bois d'Eraine.]]<ref>{{cite book|last1=Forczyk|first1=Robert|title=Case Red: The Collapse of France|date=30 November 2017|publisher=Osprey Publishing|location=5217}}</ref> Ten more Black Frenchmen were murdered near Lyon.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Forczyk|first1=Robert|title=Case Red: The Collapse of France|date=30 November 2017|publisher=Osprey Publishing|location=6169}}</ref>
The French surrender found the regiment in [[Lyon]]. After a stopover in Paris to take part in the German victory parade, the regiment was then sent north to Celsace in preparation for [[Operation Sea Lion]], the projected invasion of Britain. After Sea Lion was called off, the regiment was moved to the south of France in preparation for [[Operation Felix]], the planned invasion of [[Gibraltar]].
== Yugoslavia - Barbarossa ==
After the cancellation of Felix, the ''Großdeutschland'' was moved east to Romania to take part in the Yugoslav campaign then in progress. The regiment's operations in this campaign were mostly pursuing the broken Yugoslav forces. I. Battalion was involved in the occupation of [[Belgrade]], before the regiment was moved back north into Poland in preparation for [[Operation Barbarossa]].
On 22 April 1941, soldiers of the [[Infantry Regiment Grossdeutschland]] committed a [[war crime]] in the town cemetery of Pančevo when 35 men and one woman were executed as a reprisal for the deaths of four German soldiers. Propaganda photos and film of the executions were used decades after the event to help chronicle the Wehrmacht's complicity in German atrocities during the war.<ref>
For the invasion of the Soviet Union, the regiment was attached to ''Generalfeldmarschall'' [[Fedor von Bock]]'s [[Army Group Centre|Heeresgruppe Mitte]]. After crossing the border on 27 June 1941, the regiment was involved in the battles around [[Minsk]] and the creation of the Minsk pocket. ''Großdeutschland'' then crossed the Dnieper and advanced on [[Yelnya]], where it was involved in heavy fighting and suffered heavy losses. After the reduction of the Yelnya salient, the regiment advanced again and took part in the [[Battle of Kiev (1941)|Battle of Kiev]]. The end of the year saw ''Großdeutschland'' providing support to three Infantry divisions engaged holding the [[Oka River]] line near [[Oryol|Orel]].
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== Infantry Regiment ''Großdeutschland '' 11 April 1942 ==
[[File:Gdmap1942.gif|right|thumb|
On 1 Apr 1942, while resting and refitting near Orel, the
After the reorganization, the ''Großdeutschland'' Division was assigned to [[German XLVIII Panzer Corps|XLVIII.Panzerkorps]] during the opening phases of [[Fall Blau]], the assault on [[Stalingrad]]. The division took part in the successful attacks to cross the upper [[Don River, Russia|Don river]] and to capture [[Voronezh]]. In August, the division was pulled back to the north bank of the [[Donets]] and held as a mobile reserve and counterattack force.
== Grenadier Regiment ''Großdeutschland'' 1 October 1942 ==
On 1 Oct 1942, the
===Kharkov===
In January–February 1943, ''Großdeutschland'' and XLVIII Panzerkorps, along with the [[II SS Panzer Corps]] took part in the [[Third Battle of Kharkov]]. The division fought alongside the [[Leibstandarte|1.SS Division ''Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler'']], [[SS Division Das Reich|2.SS Division ''Das Reich'']] and [[SS Division Totenkopf|3.SS Division ''Totenkopf'']] during these battles. After the fall of Kharkov, the ''Großdeutschland'' was pulled back and refitted. This included equipping the division with a company of [[Tiger I]] tanks.
The 1st Battalion of Grenadier Regiment GD was re-equipped at this time with a handful of Sd Kfz 251 vehicles, mainly command vehicles but also some troop carriers ([[
==Panzergrenadier Regiment ''Großdeutschland''==
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==1944==
''Großdeutschland'' continued fighting in the area of Krivoi-Rog early in January 1944 until it was transferred west for rest and refit. During this period, 1./Panzer Regiment 26 (Panther) joined the Panzer Regiment GD, and GD's I. Battalion moved to France to refit and train with the new tanks; they did not rejoin the
The division, less the Panzer Regiment, was involved in heavy fighting from the [[Dniester]] to Northern [[Bessarabia]]. In early May 1944, the division, as a part of LVII.Panzerkorps took part in the [[Second Battle of Târgu Frumos|Battle of Târgul Frumos]], near [[Iaşi]] in [[Romania]].
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== 1945 ==
By March 1945, the Division ''Großdeutschland'' had been reduced to around 4,000 men. These escaped by ferry from the collapsing Memel bridgehead and landed at [[Pillau]]. By 25 April 1945, the division ceased to exist, having been destroyed in the battles around Pillau. A few hundred of the surviving personnel made their way to [[Schleswig-Holstein]] and surrendered to British forces. The remainder surrendered to the Soviet army.
== ''Großdeutschland'' Insignia ==
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<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:cuffti3.gif|frame|right|275px|Image of the Sütterlin Script cuff title introduced in 1940. <small>From the GD for CM website, courtesy the webmaster.</small>]] -->|-
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The cuff band was not awarded until after a soldier had completed his trade training and was accepted into the division. As with all items of German military dress, older patterns were permitted to be "worn out" once newer patterns were available, and the older green cuff titles could still be seen worn in Russia by veterans of the original GD Regiment.
After expansion to a division, the
== Commanders ==
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==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Infantry Regiment Grossdeutschland}}
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