Hungarian Units of the Waffen SS

26 Waffen Grenadier Division der SS ,,Hungaria” (ungarische Nr. 2) (30.12.1944 – 13.04.1945) ⁽²⁾

SS – Brigadefuhrer Berthold Maack (German) (23.01.1945 – 20.03.1945) ⁽⁴⁾

November 30 1944: Organisation of a second Hungarian SS Division is decided.

December 22 1944: 2 000 pro-fascist university students from Budapest arrive at Rajka to join the Hungarian SS divisions. They have to sleep outdoors in –12 degrees Celsius due to lack of quarters.

The Hungarian defence Minister Beregfy issues special order 1787 which authorises the formation of a second Hungarian SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division.

December 24 1944: The command from the Hungarian Defence Ministry for the setting up of a second Hungarian SS division arrives at Neuhammer (along with the news that 10,000 more troops are on their way to the camp) and at 08.15 the order is released. ⁽⁷⁾ The division’s commander position is filled temporarily by András Podhradszky ⁽⁸⁾

December 25 1944: The order issued by Hungarian defence Minister Beregfy is read out in the main square at Rajka. Almost immediately the troops are marched to the points of embarkation (the grenadiers board trains at Pozsonz and artillery men and Pioneers board at Bruck an der Leitha)

December 26 1944: After travelling via Vienna and Oppeln the trains carrying the grenadiers arrive at Oberleschen station. They have their first hot meal in 24 hours and then march to the Neuhammer camp. The artillery men arrive at Sagan station after travelling via Bruck an der Leitha station-Brünn-M.Ostrau-Litzmannstadt-Posen-Thorn-Osterode stations. They then march to Neuhammer camp.

December 28 1944: 4 days after the arrival of the Hungarian Ministry command it is announced by SS Head Office that a second Hungarian SS division is to be set up. 8 000 men from 25. SS Division ,,Hunyadi” are used as the nucleus for the new division. This becomes 26. SS Division ,,Hungaria”.

December 30 1944: ,,Hungaria” numbers 16 761 men. ⁽⁹⁾It has808 K98 rifles, 10 rifles with telescopic sights, 792 Mannlicher rifles (from the Hungarian gendarmerie}, 400 M08 pistols, 273 M09 pistols, 50 Beretta machine pistols, 15 light and 2 heavy machine guns, 4 motorcycles, 2 cars and 2 trucks ⁽¹⁰⁾. Approximately 3 706 men are equipped with German uniforms and 2 601 men are in Hungarian uniforms and the rest are in civilian dress. SS ranks are used from this day.

Amongst the arrivals to join 26. ,,Hungaria” at Neuhammer are 650 trained armoured troops (intended to form 26. Panzerjaeger but instead they become grenadiers), a company of cavalry (also destined to become grenadiers) 400 Airforce personnel (including 110 pilots) and a full company of paratroopers (in camouflage smocks) recently withdrawn from the front (approximately 60% of the division are former members of the Honved).

January 1 1945: At 03.00 ,,Hungaria” is ordered to Sieradz in Poland thus leaving ,,Hunyadi” (with a few small parts of ,,Hungaria”) alone at Neuhammer camp. At 05.30 SS Transport company 500 arrive to help move ,,Hungaria”.At 06.00 men from ,,Hungaria" board lorries to take them to Oberleshen station. They are warned of partisan action in and around the area they are being transported to. At 08.00 64 Regiment starts to load onto trains at Oberleshen railway station (near Neuhammer)for transporting to the new camp. At 10.00 the trains leave for Sieradz via Sagan and Glagau. The men are issued with 2 blankets to help them with the cold temperatures due to lack of clothing along with bread bags, water flask and backpack along with 3 days food. The food for the journey is served cold.

January 2 1945: At 01.00 the trains carrying 64 regiment arrive at Sieradz camp.

January 5 1945: 26 schi battalion is assigned to IV SS Panzer Corps ⁽¹¹⁾ to assist the Corps efforts to relieve Budapest. Before leaving they are equipped with assault rifles. They travel by rail via Ostrava and Bratislava to Gyroszentivan

26 Artillery regiment is the last of the regiments to come into existence ⁽¹²⁾ and leaves Neuhammer.

January 6 1945: The transfer of the bulk of ,,Hungaria” to Sieradz is completed ( some parts of ,,Hungaria" are transported to Skierniewicz). The soldiers then march to their place of accomadation. ⁽¹³⁾

Conditions are basic, as most of the accommodation to which the troops are assigned consists of farmhouses where there is no lighting or drinking water. The lack of clothing combined with the cold (it is minus thirty degrees) and 50 inches of snow lowers the morale of the troops.

1a Waffen-Hauptsturmführer János Zoltay

1b Waffen-Hauptsturmfuhrer Meyer Gerhardt

1ia Waffen-Hauptsturmfuhrer Benno Festetics

Composition I (1-3 battr) 7.5cm PAK (FP ?? ???) II(4-6 battr) 10.5 cm (FP 64 881)

January 7 1945: A Cossack unit is attached to 26. ,,Hungaria”, the unit numbers 105 men and their horses along with 150 ho. Standartenfuhrer Jeno Brenner takes command of 26 Artillary Regiment. 26 Artillery regiments head quarters staff arrives at Strans.⁽¹⁴⁾ The enlisted men arrive 5 days later from Rajka

January 8 1945: Training begins in 50-60 cm of snow. The training is mainly theory due to the weather and lack of ammunition and mainly consiits of stripping and cleaning weapons and making coffee. Over the next few days ,,Hungaria” receives various deliveries of equipment from the German 9^th army

January 10 1945: By this date the division has received the following equipment. 2000 K98k, 200 Beretta type machine gun, 40 light and five heavy machine guns, eight light and eight heavy mortars, 10 flame throwers, eight infantry cannon, 10 light and 10 heavy field howitzers, two telegraph machines, 11 radios, along with five motorcycles, an automobile and 200 bicycles.⁽¹⁵⁾

Because of the set up difficulties Hauptsturmführer Ferenc Pálfay and his staff arrives at Strans.

January 11 1945: A supply unit from 26. ,,Hungaria” is attacked between Sieradz and Klein by Polish fighters which results in men being killed and wounded. Hungarian field police later take over the protection of the convoys from the cossacks which leads to a reduction in attacks.

January 12 1945: The enlisted men that will make up 26 Artillery Regiment start to arrive at Strans from Rajka

January 13 1945: The last of the 550 men of the 26 Artillery Regiment arrive at Strans.⁽¹⁶⁾

January 14 1945: Russian offensive breaks through the German lines and threatens the area in which ,,Hungaria” is stationed.

The division waits for news and instructions from SS Headquarters but non-are forth coming.

Around this date a detachment arrives from the 9^th German army and requisitions most of the stores and equipment from ,,Hungaria” for use by local German troops.

January 15/16 1945: The Russians are advancing in Silesia around Breslau and still there is no communication from SS Headquarters. To find out the latest situation members of ,,Hungaria” listen to the BBC broadcasts on Polish Resistance radio.

The Cossack unit attached to ,,Hungaria” is temporally attached to a Army group A unit.

January 17 1945: With no communication of any kind from the SS Head quarters and after hearing of bomb attacks on Lodz ,,Hungaria”s commander makes the decision to move ,,Hungaria” to the west as there is a danger it being encircled.⁽¹⁷⁾ Waffen-Hauptsturmführer János Zoltay with the help of Captain Reinholdt manages to secure enough cold food for 4 days to feed ,,Hungaria” on the withdrawal from Sieradzi. They also manage to provide various coats and other items of clothing along with military blankets to protect the men from the cold (these blankets were of russian, Czech, French and Italian origin).

January 18 1945: At 13.00 ,,Hungaria” headquarters hear that the Russians have captured Lodz and that the German 9th army headquarters is retreating towards Kalish. At 22.00 the scattered units are placed on full alert. By 23.00 most of the units of ,,Hungaria” have received their orders to march

January 19 1945: The Russians advance close to Sieradz. Volunteers from 26. SS ,,Hungaria” form SS Kampfgruppe ,,Krasznay" ⁽¹⁸⁾ ⁽¹⁹⁾ Around 15.30 they move out to the east of Sieradz between Sieradz and Freihaus to defensive positions. These positions are held until January 22. After assembling the scattered units, at 08.00 the rest of ,,Hungaria” retreat on foot along with the rest of the German 9^th Army on the one road that is still passable in the bad weather.⁽²⁰⁾

January 20 1945: ,,Hungaria”s artillery regiment having not set up their quarters in Sieradzi arrive back at Neuhammer camp. The division accomplishes 80 kilometre over the first 24 hrs and at Kalisch find a detachment of the German's 9th army command in the city. There is a difference of opinion on where the division should head. Zoltay wants the division to go towards Neuhammer–Strans, Pisky on the other hand wants to go towards Posen. Since both are in the same direction the division leaves towards Glogau, hoping to reach Jarotschin. They replenish their supplies from the German supplies abandoned by the side of the road.⁽²¹⁾

II company of 65 grenadier regiment and 26 Pioneer regiment have not been heard from since the division left Sieradzi.

January 21 1945: Around 03.00 the division arrives at Jarotschin and Pisky orders a rest-day for the division in any local accommodation that can be found. Captain Reinholdt decides to try and reach Posen by car to try to get equipment (mainly clothing) from the local German commander. Around 12.15 Pisky attempts to reach the local German commander in a Kubelwagon but at around 14.00 Pisky returns to the division after he was unable to reach the local German commander due to the congestion on the roads. He locates some horses in a local stable and tries to reach the commander on horseback. Setting off before it grows dark he is not seen again and his fate is unclear.⁽²²⁾

January 22 1945: At 4.00 Kampfgruppe ,,Kresznay” moves in a south westerly direction back to Sieradz. At mid day they meet up with Gruppe ,,Nehring”

In the morning when Pisky has not returned Hauptsturmführer János Zoltay takes temporary command of 26. Division ,,Hungaria”

I company of 65 grenadier regiment led by Obersturmfuhrer Dr Lengyel goes to nearby Gostingen to search for any German civilians and more importantly supplies. They return with some food and 7 automobiles. Also found are SA uniforms and great coats which are distributed to the soldiers still in civilian clothes.

January 23 1945: Contact is made with the ,,Hunnyadi" division and they are informed of Pisky's disapperance and by the end of the day Brigadefuhrer Berthold Maack (German) is named as replacing Pisky as commander of 26. ,,Hungaria”. He arrives at Neuhammer camp two weeks later just as the bulk of ,,Hungaria” arrives.

Kampfgruppe ,,Kresznay” along with Gruppe ,,Nehring” are joined by II.companyof Waffen Grenadier regiment 65 (ung. Nr. 5) which has been wandering since it left Sieradz. ⁽²³⁾ All the soldiers then walk from Kalish in a westerly direction.

During the morning division headquarters receive orders that the ,,Hungaria” division resume its march. In the course of the march one of the companies take a wrong turning due to the traffic signs being turned the wrong way. The companies’ commander realises his mistake and turns back. When they come to the river Warta they notice that the bridge is protected by Volkssturm personnal and that German pioneers are getting ready to blow up the bridge. The company, thinking that the division had not yet crossed the bridge becomes involved in a debate with the Germans. While this is going on 7 Russian tanks cross Warta Bridge and capture the German and Hungarian troops.⁽²⁴⁾

At around 14.00 on the road between Sandburg and Gostingen the division comes across a burning supply warehouse and are able to rescue approximately 2 000 items of clothing (uniforms, footware and some winter clothing) for use by the division.

At around 18.40 approximately 70 men from 1 company/II Battalion/ 85 regiment rejoin ,,Hungaria” after coming into contact with Russian forces near Schrimm.⁽²⁵⁾

Around 19.00 a burial takes place of a fallen member of ,,Hungaria" in Krotoschin.
Around 22.00 the command is issued to proceed to Lissa

January 24 1945: In the evening the Hungarian units decide to leave Gruppe ,,Nehring” to try and re-join the rest of ,,Hungaria”.

The main part of the "Hungaria" division is about 130 kilometres from Neuhammer in Leszno (Lissau) which is reached about 10.00. A German officer caterer - SS standartenoberjunker - managed to obtain 10,000 pieces of bread to give to the Hungarians The ,,Hungaria" grenadiers have to stay in the Polish town for an extra two days before carrying on to join the main part of ,,Hungaria”. The delay is due the Grenadiers on several occasions having problems with the local German Feldgendarme before being allowed to carry on the withdrawal.

January 25 1945: 26 SS Ausbildungs & Ersatz Einheiten (training and replacement) arrives at Neuhammer.

January 26 1945: At around 16.00 after a 36 hour march the men of Kampfgruppe ,,Kreszney” and II./W.-Gren.Rgt. d.SS 65 (ung. Nr. 5) rejoin ,,Hungaria” ⁽²⁶⁾

Parts of the division due to road signs showing the wrong direction end up in Kozmin and Krotocsin forcing the main bulk of the division which is at Leszno to wait.

A kampfgruppe of 220 men is formed from ,,Hungaria” to help German field police defend the town of Leszno/Lissau. ⁽²⁷⁾

At around 17.00 the main body sets off again

January 27 1945: A battalion from 26. ,,Hungaria” takes part in action near Kriewen. It stays in the area until withdrawing on February 2 1945.

January 28 & 29 1945: Rest days for ,,Hungaria”. Approximately 7 000 soldiers along with 400 horses are at Fraustadt and 1 500 soldiers are at Altkranz.

January 29 1945: SS FHA issues command Tgb no. 587/45g (signed by SS Obergruppenführer Hans Juttener) on the formation of 26. SS Waffen Grenadier Division (ung. nr. 2)

January 30 1945: the grenadier division of 26. ,,Hungária” arrives at Neuhammer and joins ,,Hunyadi” being stationed between Strans and Neuhammer. Zoltay asks Grassy for help in providing warm food, clothing and support for ,,Hungaria” which is near Glogau.

Due to frostbite 117 men have to have operations to have feet removed at a nearby German hospital train. ⁽²⁸⁾ On the train they also give first aid to 272 troops suffering from smaller cold related injuries and wounds.

January 31 1945: ,,Hungária” crosses over the old German-Polish border at Glogau where ,,Hunyadi” feld gendarmes are already waiting for them. The feld gendarmes list the number of troops and their equipment. On arriving warm food is distributed on the local barracks' yard which is the first the troops have had since leaving Sieradz. After feeding, the troops are ordered to go to Sagan where basic hygienic is checked and bathing and delousing carried out. The troops are transported by lorries on the 65 kilometre journey from Neuhammer. Radio contact is made with SS Headquarters for the first time in 12 days.

February 1 1945: 25^th SS divisions ,,Hunyadi” and 26th SS divisions ,,Hungaria” reunite. This situation remains unchanged for the rest of the war. By this date the Russians have already moved 50-60 kilometres closer to Neuhammer training camp.

,,Hungaria” takes over the accommodation recently vacated by the 20 SS division (Estonian) close to the 26. Artillery group.

Gruppenfuhrer Josef Grassy informs Hauptsturmführer János Zoltay that SS Headquarters has ordered that ,,Hungaria” is rebuilt and reformed as a 1945 pattern Waffen grenadier division.

Delousing continues at Sagan.

The divisional staff arrive at Neuhammer around 16.15.

February 2 1945: A casualty list is complied on this day. It lists 2570 casualties of which 147 have been killed, 101 are classed as wounded and 370 have been transported with cold related injuries, the rest are classed as missing ( although classed as missing, some members of ,,Hungaria" were taken to form small kampfgruppe's, some where taken into German units, some got lost and others probably deserted. In the chaos of the march it is not possible to account for the missing men) The division’s numbers do not show this drop as about 1/3 of ,,Hungaria” remained at Neuhammer and the division has received new volunteers and new equipment.

Over the next few days uniforms are issued to the troops. Most are issued German uniforms but French, Czech and Italian items are also issued

February 4 1945: The last remnants of ,,Hungaria” pass through Glogau. The feld gendarmes compile the following list of troops and equipment that has passed by them. This consists of 7515 men, 71 men with light wounds and another 50 men suffering with illness. There is also 331 Cossacks. The ,,Hungaria" division also have 827 K98k (17 with telescopic sites), 610 M1917 Mannlicher rifles, 171 Russian Tokarjev rifles, 73 Beretta sub-machine guns, 11 MG–42 machine guns, three 2 cm MG 213 types (originally aeroplane guns) 2 8 cm mortars, 5 Panzerschreck and 50 Panzerfaust. It also has seven automobiles, 15 motorcycles and 808 horse drawn vehicles (of which 441 were carts and 367 are stretcher type carriers) ⁽²⁹⁾

Of the 808 horses that ,,Hungaria" brings to Neuhammer camp approximately 50% end up in the slaughter house and 50% are handed to the ,,Hunyadi" division.

26. Artillery group reaches 1267 men (including 67 officers) which are partly supplied with uniforms but have no artillery pieces. These form 4 batteries, which are commander by Obersturmfuhrer Toth, Obersturmfuhrer Lontay, Obersturmfuhrer Dr. Filippiny and Untersturmfuhrer Tarkoy

February 5 1945: A courier arrives at the camp with an order from Hungarian defense Minister Beregfy stating that as officers and non-commisioned offices are not available that the formation of the 3rd and 4th Hungarian SS divisions be halted and the troops moved to the ,,Hunyadi" and ,,Hungaria" divisions.

February 6 1945: ,,Hungaria” make quarters in the area around Oldenburg and Kloppengurg.
Troops from the unformed ,,Gombos" and ,,Gorgey" divisions are absorbed by ,,Hungaria" and ,,Hunyadi"

February 7 1945: It is decided that the remaining units of the ,,Hungaria” division ⁽³⁰⁾ are to move out of Neuhammer camp and move approximately 50 kilometres to the south to the Deutschgabel area in order to develop new barracks. It had been decided during the previous German-Hungarian meeting that 4 divisions were to be sent to the area so sufficient stores were brought in.
Around noon uniforms are issued to members of ,,Hunyadi" and ,,Hungaria" and basic training for the soldiers starts. Around the same time the preparations for the evacution of the camp begins.

Around this date Hauptsturmfuhrer Tibor Szentgróthy accompanies 21 lower rank officers to Kőszeg who for various reasons did not continue to serve in either ,,Hunyadi" or ,,Hungaria".

February 8 – 13 1945: (For details of the fighting around Neuhammer camp please see the section on the Alarm regiment and the battle for Neuhammer)

A group of men from ,,Hungaria” under Standartenoberjunker Balla arrives at Neuhammer on the night of 8/9 February along with a group of 7 under the command of Sturmman A.V. Payer.

February 9 1945: At around 11.00 Brigadefuhrer Berthold Maack and two other German officers arrive at Neuhammer camp by car. It is explained to Maack that the ,,Hungaria" division is about to leave due to the Russian advancing towards Neuhammer. The staff officers impression of Maack is mixed. Maack informs the headquarters staff that they are not needed as he has his own team with him (Other than the two SS Officers who arrive with Maack it is not explained where the rest of Maack's team will come from. Later Maack brings Sturmbannfuhrer Talbot von Pistor to ,,Hungaria" who manages to locate and secure for the division transport vehicles, mobile kitchens, machine repairing maintenance cars, a field butcher workshop and bakehouse section along with machine guns and some artillery equipment). The replacing of the Hungarian Officers is rejected by Benno Festetich (the ,, Hungária” division's adjutant) stating that the Honvéd Ministry had ordered most of the officers there and so the order to replace the Hungarian staff is not carried out. Maack also informs the staff Officers that ,,Hunagria" will be going to the north of Dresden as part of a deception plan against allied air reconnaissance (nothing becomes of this). Maack then startles the officers by saying that he would like to visit the front. This is delayed by Hungarian Feldgendarmes checking Maack's documents. It is then decided to visit Grassy and his staff at his headquarters in a foresters lodge at Koberbunni. After a drink Maack and 2 Hungarian officers set off for the headquarters. Some days after Maack's arrival Beregfy confirms Maack as commander of ,,Hungaria".
At around 12.40 ,,Hungaria” is split into 2 columns and leaves Neuhammer camp. Its aim is to reach the Lissa area by the end of the day. The right hand column is commanded by Waffen-Standartenführer Ödön Magyar and consists of the SS 64. Waffen grenadier regiment, the SS 26. Pioneer Regiment, the SS 26. Artillery Regiment and the SS 65. Waffen Grenadier Regiment. The left-hand column is commanded by Waffen-Standartenführer Vadnay and consists of the SS 85. Waffen Grenadier Regiment, the SS 26. Supply Regiment, the cyclist battalion and the field depot battalion. Due to the weather and the conditions on the roads Lissa is not reached and at approximately half way the columns turn around and march back to Neuhammer.101 men from ,,Hungaria” leave Neuhammer to go to the Waffen Junkerschule der SS in Prague.

February 10 1945: after the previous days march ,,Hungaria” has a rest day. Brigadefuhrer Berthold Maack takes the opportunity to inspect the division.

February 11 1945: ,,Hungaria” leaves Neuhammer camp once again and by the end of the day reaches the Burgundenau–Lissa– Zodel–Oberneundorf area as planned.

February 12 1945: Keeping the same formation and taking the same route as the previous march (and seeing part of the ,,Hunyadi” division on the way) ,,Hungaria” reaches the Goritz-Radmeritz-Ostriz-Marienthal district.

February 13 1945: During the march so far 21 soldiers have disappeared and another seven are sent to hospital. The commander of the right hand column publishes a warning regarding looting, plundering etc that anyone caught committing such crimes would face an SS court martial, which would result in the death penalty.

February 14 1945: Units of the ,,Hungaria” division have reached the Kiesdorf-Neudorf-Grosshennersdorfon district after crossing the Strahwalde region.

The 101 men going to the Junkerschule at Prague arrive in Dresden but luckily they stay outside the city and stay overnight on Pirna.

February 15 1945: The men on the way to Prague re-start their journey.

February 20 1945: ,,Hungaria” reaches the Bautzen and Zittau area. While here Maack orders the families of the division's officers and non-commissioned officers to leave the march and they are transported by the divisions supply regiment to a railway station nearby and they travel by train to the Bamberg and Bayreuth area. ,,Hungaria” carries on marching west.

February 21 1945: the ,,Hungária” division aim is to reach the area north of Drezda (Lichtenberg–Leppersdorf–Gross-Röchsdorf–Breitning-Hauswelde) in the hope that once there they would be transported by rail The division's columns keep their formation and while heading to Drezda the following measure’s are ordered to be taken due to the threat of Allied air raids– in between each unit of the division a 100 metre gap should be left, between the vehicles at least 10 metres should be left. In case of an air raid all infantry who have a weapon should open fire on the enemy plane. The men in vehicles (except the drivers who should stop with the vehicle) should leave the vehicles on the roads and seek cover.

February 25 1945: the ,,Hungária” artillery group in Canitz is informed that some of the men will be leaving the division to attend training courses. 48 men (including two officers) will be attending the towed anti tank course at Leer near the Dutch border. 34 men (including one officer) will be attending the hunter tank and assault gun course at Beneschau and 60 men (including one officer) will be attending the air defence course in Munich. They would be training along side the men from 25. Division ,,Hunyadi”

February 28 1945: ,, Hungária” anti aircraft and anti tank sections begin assembling at their training camps. The rest of ,,Hungaria” resume training near Gruno. The 32. SS division ,,30. Januar” division is part of the IX. Army command around Görlitz along with soldiers from 1461. Fortress Battalion. To help increase numbers in the 2 groups 250 men (including 5 officers) from the ,,Hungária” artillery group are sent to the 32. SS division ,,30 Januar” while 100 men (including 2 officers) are sent to help in the building of fortification works in Görlitz. Altogether ,,Hungaria” looses 494 men due to training courses and transfers.

1 A 26 panzer grenadier division was considered by the SS Head Office around 13 September 1944 for use on the western front. The division was to use the 49. SS Panzer grenadier brigade as the nucleus. The brigade was moved from Denmark to France in preparation for the formation of the division. The 49 Panzer grenadier brigade was eventually used to form part of the 37. SS Panzer grenadier regiment, part of the 17. ,,Götz von Berlichingen” SS-Panzer grenadier division which had suffered heavy losses.

2 There seems to be some confusion as to the naming of the division. All Hungarian sources state the name ,,Hungaria” as the name of the division from when it was first formed to when it was absorbed into ,,Hunyadi”(please see note 7). Some sources do not give the division a name, some name it both ,,Hungaria” and ,,Gombos” The question of naming is not helped by some late war papers (deutschen Dokumenten S. 451, Anm. 24 being one) referring to the 26. Division as ,,Gombos” and not ,,Hungaria” (a date of 21.03.1945 is mentioned in one source as the date of naming/renaming another as 14.03.1945). A Hungarian source states that the paper (s?) “mistakenly”calls the division ,,Gombos”. One source states the division started life as ,,Gombos” but that on 29^th January 1945 the 26. Division ,,Gombos” was renamed ,,Hungaria”. The division will be referred to as ,,Hungaria” through out this section .

3 Some Hungarians sources state the 28^th when Pisky takes over while other sources states the 23rd. Colonel Laszlo Incze of the ministry of defence was originally considered for the command of ,,Hungaria"

4 Hauptsturmführer János Zoltay took temporary command after the disappearance of Pisky for 2 days until the appointment of Maack. Some sources list Laszlo Deak as a commander from January 23^rd 1945 until January 29^th 1945 with Maack taking over on the 29th. This is unlikely as Oberfuhrer Laszlo Deak was nominally in command of the SS XVII (ungarisches) Army Korps by the end of January 1945

5 He took over as temporary commander whilst Grassy was incapacitated due to a car accident late in the war

6 Two source’s list Tiemann as commander of the 26. Division in November 1944. In March 1945 he is listed as chief of staff. Perhaps he filled the same role as Muller did with 25. ,,Hunyadi”

7 According to one source the wording was as follows:

Divisional Order Number 1

a- I wish it to be known to the assembled volunteers in the town of Rajka and vicinity (the zone of the Rajka assembly area), that the Royal Hungarian Army Minister, Generaloberst Beregfy, has on 23 December 1944, through the special order number 1787, authorised the formation of a second Hungarian (SS) Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division

b- The esteemed Army Minister has simultaneously bestowed upon the unit the name ,,Hungaria”. The title of the unit therefore reads: Panzergrenadier Division ,,Hungaria”

c- The commander of the Division is – the under signed – Zoltan Pisky Oberst der Honved. The regimental commanders are the following

4.Pz.Gr.Rgt – Andor Podhradsky

5.Pz.Gr.Rgt – Dr Bela Lengyel

6.Pz.Gr.Rgt – Ferenc Varney

The further appointments of command positions will be addressed in the course of following divisional orders

d- All of the grouped volunteers in the vicinity of the Rajka assembly area, who at this time hears the reading of these orders, will, without regard to rank or former unit membership, will be placed at the further disposal of the 2^nd Volunteer Division

e- All of the volunteers will immediately be placed into military formations under designated officers and NCO’s with the assistance of the field police.

f- The troop strength will be reported to me by 12.00 hours on the 24^th

g- All members of the division will then, in an orderly formation, prepare for transport and relocation.

Signed Pisky Divisional Commander

Attested to by Geza Both Acting Divisional Adjutant

8 András Podhradszky is Ádám Podhradszky’s (,,Hunyadi” division's first staff officer) younger brother and he was a colonel in the airforce.

9 This consists of 351 Officers, 1 270 NCO’s and 15 140 men. 10 750 are organised into units and 6 011 are still to be allocated to a unit

10 The plan was that ,,Hungaria” would receive the rest of its equipment when it had assembled at Sieradz

11This battalion along with the 25. Schi battalion form 1 Hungarian SS Attack hunter (Sturmjaeger) regiment. Please see separate section on 1^st Hungarian Sturmjaeger Battalion.

12 The regiment took the Hunyadi division's name temporarily.

13 Approximately 10 750 men move from Neuhammer to Sieradz They are based as follows:

Sieradz - Division HQ along with 26 Security/Recce co (the latter were originally in the town but moves on January 14 1945 to barracks just outside the town)

Warte – I Battalion 64 Regiment

Jakubice II Battalion 64 Regiment and 26 Pioneer battalion (The Pioneers left Neuhammer on January 12 and on January 14 had arrived at Schieradz. Passing through Jakubicéra, but after three days they were ordered to march to Opatow, where they arrived on January 19. They then received an order to return to Neuhammer. At the station they were originally ordered to - Krotochin - they were not able to take a train because of a carriage deficiency, they then moved to Kalish where they succeeded in boarding a train. They then spent four days in virtually open field conditions. On January 26 they return to Sagan station, from where they marched towards the camp again. Finally on February 2 they arrived back at Stransi camp).

Chojne – I Battalion 85 Regiment

Dombrowka-Wielka – II Battalion 85 Regiment

Birkenland – I Battalion 65 Regiment

Klein Gliczkow – II Battalion 65 Regiment

Dombrowka – 26 Artillery Regiment

14this consists of 49 officers and NCO’s from the ,,Hunyadi” divisions artillery regiment

15Another source puts the equipment received as - 1943 rifles (40 with telescopic sights), 250 Baretta machine pistols, 35 light and 8 heavy machine guns along with mortars and artillery pieces, 50 Panzershreks, 500 Panzerfausts and 1 000 hand grenades. The division also receives 3 Teletype machines, 15 radio sets, 1 car, 6 motorbikes, 500 bicycles, 22 000 tent quarters, 1 000 gas masks, 11 000 mess tins and 11 000 sets of cutlery. Yet another source lists 2711 K98k,50 cabines,450 P-08 pistols, 792 Hungarian rifles,300 beretta’s,271 Hungarian pistols,50 light and 10 heavy machine guns,10 81mm mortars, 10 120mm mortars, 10 FmW41 rocket launches,10 Pak 75 mm anti tank guns,10 IG-18 75MM howitzers, 10 FH-18 105mm artillery pieces, 10 FH-18 150mm artillery pieces, 50 panzershreks, 500 panzerfausts, 1000 hand grenades, 10 motorcycles, 500 horses, 5 trucks and 18 pieces of field radio equipment.

16 Their accommodation is Ostlager-Strans training camp M/ 5 building, the 6., the 8. and 9. in stables

17 One source states that Reinholdt contacted SS Headquarters and obtained permission for the division to withdraw, Another that the division was ordered to move by the General Staff Officer of Army Group A

18 It comprises of 324 men. They are issued with 200 K98k rifles, 50 MP40’s; 10 mg’s and 25 PanzerFaust’s. One source lists the weapons as 200 carbines, 50 Italian Beretta Machine pistols, 10 light machine guns and 50 panzerfausts. Kampfgruppe ,,Kransznay" has losses of 2 officers and 130 men killed and 6 listed as missing.

19 Some sources mention another kampfgruppe formed at this time, this comprised of approximately 200 volunteers fron ,,Hungaria", 200 Russians from the Vlaszov division, members of the Hitler Jugend, and members of the R.A.D Reichsarbeitsdienst. Approximately half the Hungarians return to ,,Hungaria" but the others are all killed

20 One account states that Russian aircraft attacked the camp shortly after the evacuation.

21 One source states that one company liberated supplies from a local fire station and wore the fireman’s outfit complete with helmets on the march. 150 Russian automatic rifles and ammunition along with 400 horses and 85 horse drawn carts are listed as being acquired by ,,Hungaria” on the march.

22 There are several versions of what may have happened. Killed in fighting by Russian tanks near Schroda is one, killed after running into a Russian roadblock (along with Reinholdt, Obersturmfuhrer Kasas and his driver) is another, captured by the Russians and then killed by them is another. Yet another version is that he was captured by the Russians and taken prisoner and dies in captivity. One Hungarian source states that Pisky was wounded in the fighting and taken to a hospital in Posen and was killed along with 2 000 others when the Russians set fire to the hospital on January 23 1945.

23 II company of Grd Rgt 65 had not been told of the retreat due to bad weather.

24 Later approximately 50 men eventually caught back up with it the ,,Hungaria” division. 169 more were captured/killed by the Russians at the bridge.

25 Approximately 100 – 120 men from ,,Hungaria” are killed in this encounter.

26 Kanmpfgruppe ,,Kreszney” has 190 men (including 40 slightly wounded men) andII./W.-Gren.Rgt. d.SS 65 (ung. Nr. 5) has 400 men

27 These men end up becoming part of the 32 SS Division ,,30 Januar" (there is 2 lists in existance (dated 27.02.1945) of men originally from ,,Hungaria" who are listed as being in 32 SS Division ,,30 Januar".

28 One source lists the medical staff as being 2 veterinarians,2/3 medical students, 1 pharmacist and 1 field medic

29 An alternate list according to one source is 810 K98k, 17 M43 rifles, 610 personal weapons (mostly Hungarian rifles) 171 Tukarev machine pistols, 73 Berrata’s, 3 heavy machine guns, 5 panzer Shreks, 50 Panzerfaust’s, 2 8cm mortars, 507 pistols,1 field telephone outfit, 5 radio sets, 808 horses, 3 trucks,7 cars and 15 motorbikes.

30 Men from the ,,Hungaria” division form another Kampfgruppe. This is called Alarm battalion ,,Szalasi” Please see separate section on kampfgruppe ,,Szalasi”.

26. Waffen Grenadier Division der SS ,,Hungaria” (ungarische Nr. 2) (1)

26. Waffen Grenadier Division der SS ,,Hungaria” (ungarische Nr. 2) ⁽¹⁾