The Führer-Begleit-Brigade was formed in November 1944 from the Führer-Begleit-Regiment and upgraded to the Führer-Begleit-Division on 26 January 1945.

See also The Führer-Begleit-Brigade in the Ardennes by Otto Ernst Remer written in 1954.

Commanders

Oberst Otto Ernst Remer (? Nov 1944 - 26 Jan 1945)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Oberstleutnant Reidel (30 Nov 1944-26 Jan 1945)

Manpower strength (16 December 1944)

Officers 202 (231 authorized)
Officials 23 (21 authorized)
NCOs 798 (1122 authorized)
Enlisted men 5014 (5803 authorized)
Total 6037 (7177 authorized)

These figures include Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 200 which was serving as the II./ Panzer-Brigade FBB and Bicycle battalion 928 which was serving as III./ Panzergrenadier-Regiment FBB.

Holders of high awards

Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (1)
- Balser, Johannes, 05.03.1945, Oberleutnant, 2./I.Btl. Führer-Begleit-Brig.
Holders of the Knight's Cross (3)
- Holm, Max 19.01.1945 Oberwachtmeister Sturmgeschütz-Kdt i. d. II./Pz.Rgt Führer-Begleit-Brigade
- Moellendorff von, Leonhard 08.01.1945 Rittmeister d.R. Kdr III./Führer-Begl-Brig [III. Btl = Gren.Btl 928]
- Scheunemann, Kurt 08.01.1945 Feldwebel Zugführer i. d. 2./Pz.Rgt Führer-Begleit-Brigade

Equipment (16 December 1944)

Vehicles
Panzer IV authorized 62 and had 51 operational and 4 in short term repair. They were the following types:
PzKpw. IV with L48 gun = 17
Panzer IV/70(A) with the L70 gun = 38
StuG III and StuH 42 authorized 41 and had 34 operational and 6 in short term repair and 1 in long term repair. They were the following Types:
StuG III = 27
StuH 42 = 14
Panzerbeobachtungswagen III authorized 0 and had 5 operational. They were assigned to the Artillerie-Bataillon FBB.
Flakpanzer IV authorized 8 and had 8 operational [4 Möbelwagen and 4 Wirbelwind]
Bergepanzer IV authorized 4 and had 3 operational and 1 in short term repair
SdKfz 251s authorized 161 and had 129 operational and 8 in short term repair and 8 in long term repair. They were the following types:
SdKfz 251/1 = 44
SdKfz 251/2 = 8
SdKfz 251/3 = 17
SdKfz 251/7 = 11
SdKfz 251/8 = 3
SdKfz 251/9 = 16
SdKfz 251/11 = 6
SdKfz 251/16 = 4
SdKfz 251/17 = 24
SdKfz 251/21 = 12
There were also 6 SdKfz 251/21s and 4 SdKfz 251/22s that were in transit on 30 December 1944 to the brigade.
SdKfz 232 authorized 16 and had 12 operational and 1 in short term repair
SdKfz 138/1 “Grille” authorized 6 and had 6 operational
SdKfz 165 “Hummel” authorized 12 with none on this date but 12 in transit to the brigade on 30 December 1944.
SdKfz 2 Kettenkrads autgorized 142 and had 21 operational and 1 in repair
Motorcycle with sidecar authorized 48 and had 46 operational and 14 in repair
Motorcycle authorized 65 and had 104 operational and 19 in repair
Civilian type car authorized 37 and had 122 operational and 11 in repair
Cross country type car auhorized 499 and had 238 operational and 4 in repair
Civilian type truck authorized 584 and had 371 operrational and 40 in repair
Cross country type truck authorized 336 and had 216 operational and 18 in repair
SdKfz 3 Maultiers authorized 54 and had 34 operational and 6 in repair
SdKfz 7 had 39
SdKfz 7/1 had 16
SdKfz 7/2 had 12
SdKfz 9 had 4
SdKfz 9/1 had 1
SdKfz 10 had 25
SdKfz 10/4 had 18
SdKfz 11 had 3
RSO had 20

Heavy weapons
10.5cmFH towed = 12
15cm FH towed = 6
8.8cm Flak towed = 24
2cm Flak towed=6
12cm Mortars towed = 4
15cm sIG33 towed = 4
8cm mortar[not mounted]=20
7.5cm Pak40 towed=5
5cm mortar [not mounted]=9

Order of battle (16 December 1944)

PANZER-REGIMENT FBB (Manpower at 90%)
Stab and Stab Company
I. Battalion
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie
Supply Company
Workshop Company
II. Battalion [Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 200]
Stab and Stab Battery
1.Battery
2.Battery
3.Battery
Escort Battery
PANZERGRENADIER-REGIMENT FBB (Manpower at 95%)
Regimental Stab and Stab Company
I.Battalion
Stab and Stab Company
1.Company
2.Company
3.Company [composed of Waffen SS troops]
4.Company (Heavy)
5.Company (Flak)
6.Company (Engineer)
Supply Company
II.Battalion
Stab and Stab Company
7.Company
8.Company
9.Company
10.Company (Heavy)
Supply Company
III.Battalion [Bicycle Battalion 928]
Stab
11.Company
12.Company
13.Company
14.Company (Heavy)
Supply Company
FLAK REGIMENT FBB
Stab and Stab Company
1.Battery
2.Battery
3.Battery
4.Battery
5.Battery
6.Battery
7. Battery
ARTILLERIE-BATAILLON FBB
Stab
1.Battery
2.Battery
3.Battery
PANZER-AUFKLÄRUNGS-KOMPANIE FBB

Notable members

Otto Ernst Remer (as commander of Wachbattalion Großdeutschland he played an important part in preventing the men behind the July 20 1944 attempt on Hitlers life from taking control of key buildings in Berlin, post-war he founded the neo-nazi Sozialistische Reichspartei (SRP) which was banned in 1952)

Insignia

The “GD” monogram was authorized for wear on the shoulder boards of all ranks of this unit: gold metal for officers, white metal for senior NCOs, and for ranks up to Unteroffizier the monogram was embroidered directly onto the strap in appropriate Waffenfarbe.


The “Großdeutschland” cuff title was authorized for this unit. Those members of the unit actually on duty at Hitler’s headquarters wore the “Führerhauptquartier” cuff title.

Sources used

Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945
Gordon Williamson - German Army Elite Units, 1939-45

Reference material on this unit

Helmuth Spaeter - The History of the Panzerkorps Grossdeutschland Vol 1-3