The Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Division 2 Hermann Göring fought the Soviet offensive in East Prussia in October 1944 and later took part in the static fighting November 1944 - January 1945. It was encircled in East Prussia with the rest of the German troops at the end of January 1945.

It was evacuated by the Kriegsmarine on 25 March and was shipped to Swinemünde and Denmark. It was transferred to Berlin and later to Silersia where it continued to fight the Red Army.  When the war ended it was fighting near Dresden and tried to reach the western Allies but was encircled by the Red Army and only a few soldiers reached their destination.

Commanders

Generalmajor Erich Walther (24 Sep 1944 - ? Nov 1944)
Oberst Wilhelm Söth (? Nov 1944 - ? Jan 1945)
Oberst Georg Seegers (? Feb 1945 - ? Mar 1945)
Oberst Helmut Hufenbach (? Mar 1945 - 27 Mar 1945)
Generalmajor Erich Walther (? Mar 1945 - 8 May 1945)

Area of operations

Poland (Oct 1944 - Feb 1945)
East Prussia (Feb 1945 - May 1945)

Holders of high awards

Holders of the Close Combat Clasp in Gold (1)
- Ostermeier, Hans-Arno, 00.12.1944, Major, Fhr. Fsch.Pz.Gren.Rgt. 3 “HG”
[date per Dörr, "Nahkampfspange", 4th ed. ; 30.04.1945 per Scherzer, "RKT", 1st ed. 2005 , and Fl. Berger]
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (2)
- Naumann, Heinz, 05.05.1945 [Lw-Vobl. ; no Karteikarte], Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel, I./Fsch-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 3 "HG"
- Ostermeier, Hans-Arno, ?? , Major d.R., Führer Fsch-Pz.Gren.Rgt 3 „HG“
-- [ 00.00.1945 per V.S. ; 26.03.1945 per F. Berger ; 06.03.1945 per Dörr, 4th ed., and this date is given in several other references ; not listed in Patzwall/Scherzer (!)]
Holders of the Knight's Cross (8) (6 RK + 1 EL + 1 SW)
- Swords
-- Walther, Erich 01.02.1945 [131. Sw] Oberst Führer Fsch-Pz.Gren.Div 2 „HG“
- Oakleaves
-- Ostermeier, Hans-Arno 15.04.1945 [834. EL] Major d.R. Führer Fsch-Pz.Gren.Rgt 3 „HG“
- Knight’s Cross
-- Hansen, Hans-Christian 11.02.1945 Hauptmann Führer II./Fsch-Pz.Gren.Rgt 3 „HG“
-- Koepsell, Herbert 07.02.1945 Unteroffizier KpTruppführer 1./Fsch-Pz.Pi.Btl 2 „HG“
-- Köppen, Eckhardt 15.03.1945 Unteroffizier KpTruppführer 1./Fsch-Pz.Pi.Btl 2 „HG“
-- Kuhlwilm, Wilhelm 30.11.1944 Oberleutnant Kp-Führer im Fsch-Pz.Gren.Rgt 3 „HG“
-- Richter, Hans-Heinrich 26.03.1945 Hauptmann Kdr Fsch-Pz.Aufkl.Abt 2 "HG"
-- Schweim, Heinz-Herbert 28.02.1945 Major i.G. [Heer] Ia Fsch-Pz.Gren.Div 2 „HG“

Order of battle

Divisionsstab
Stabskompanie
Feldgendarmerietrupp
Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 3 Hermann Göring (1)
Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 4 Hermann Göring
Fallschirm-Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 2 Hermann Göring
Fallschirm-Panzer-Füsilier-Bataillon 2 Hermann Göring
Fallschirm-Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 2 Hermann Göring
Fallschirm-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung Hermann Göring
Fallschirm-Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 2 Hermann Göring
Fallschirm-Panzer-Nachrichten-Abteilung 2 Hermann Göring
Fallschirm-Panzer-Feldersatz-Bataillon 2 Hermann Göring
Feldpostamt 2 Hermann Göring

Insignia

The "Hermann Göring" cuff title was used by this unit.

Footnotes

1. Formed from Fallschirm-Jäger-Regiment 16 of 6. Fallschirmjäger-Division.

Sources used

Roger James Bender & George A. Petersen - Hermann Göring: From Regiment to Fallschirmpanzerkorps
Franz Kurowski - The history of the Fallschrim Panzerkorps Hermann Göring

Reference material on this unit

Roger James Bender & George A. Petersen - Hermann Göring: From Regiment to Fallschirmpanzerkorps
Karl Knoblauch - Dem Ende entgegen: Mit dem Fallschirm-Panzerfüsilierbataillon 2 "Hermann Göring" in Ostpreußen 1944/45
Franz Kurowski - The history of the Fallschrim Panzerkorps Hermann Göring
Alfred Otte - The HG Panzer Division
Bruce Quarrie - Fallschirmpanzerdivision ‘Hermann Göring’
Gordon Williamson - The ‘Hermann Göring’ Division