The Alarm Regiment & The battle for Neuhammer

February 6 1945: The "Ungarisches Waffen Alarm Regiment der SS" comes into existance this numbers 2600 men with 2450 men in 4 battalions (apporoximately 600 per battalion)  and 150 men in the Headquarters Staff

(Military operations) Chief Officer (Ib): Hauptsturmfuhrer Janos Zoltay (26 SS ,,Hungaria")

SS I Waffen – Alarm battalion: Waffen - Hauptsturmfuhrer Erno Solti (25 SS ,,Hunyadi")

SS II Waffen – Alarm battalion: Waffen - Hauptsturmfuhrer Alajos Duska  (25 SS ,,Hunyadi")

SS III Waffen – Alarm battalion: Waffen - Hauptsturmfuhrer Geza Pataki  (26 SS ,,Hungaria")

SS IV Waffen – Alarm battalion: Waffen - Hauptsturmfuhrer Gyorgy Hermandy – Berencz  (26 SS ,,Hungaria")



                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                             

Hauptsturmfuhrer Gyorgy Hermandy – Berencz

The 4 companies (the heavy weapons are shared equally) are allocated 2 000 rifles, 70 machine pistols, 4 heavy machine guns, 21 light machine guns, as well as approximately 50 panzerfausts and 500 - 1000 grenades and around 100 mortar shells. Each soldier is given approximately 200 rounds of ammunition.

I and II battalions are mostly from ,,Hunyadi” and III and IV are mostly from ,,Hungaria”

Due to the fact it is only a temporary unit the Alarm Regiment has no resupply capability. No field kitchens are available so all rations are issued cold. A small 13 man 4/5 truck supply column from ,,Hunyadi” (Waffen Versorgungs regiment der SS 25) is on hand for emergency purposes (this 12 man team is commanded by Sturmbannfuhrer Denes Exerde)

The battalions are not fully equipped and have only 3 days training at Neuhammer. They are regarded as being ready for holding the Russian advance. The Alarm Battalion is left behind as an insurance with sufficient food and ammunition to cover the withdrawal of the rest of the ,,Hunyadi” and ,,Hungaria” divisions as with the speed of the Russian advance it is decided to move the divisions

The Alarm formation is told that all Hungarian formations at Neuhammer are to be evacuated. The Alarm unit’s temporary commander is Obergruppenfuhrer Grassy and he give’s the order that within 2 hours the unit is to be ready to move out. Some of the troops move to the Strans camp complex because of this the ,,Hungaria” fire regiment commander Waffen – Scharfuhrer Bizco is sent to Neuhammer even though it is being evacuated.

February 6 1945: The ,,Hunyadi” division make quarters in the area around Oldenburg and Kloppengurg. Standartenfuhrer Jeno Temesvary Galgoc takes over command of 61 regiment. The Hungarian divisions leave on time. Approximately 55 000 – 60 000 soldiers are to be evacuated from Neuhammer and Osszesen camps.

February 7 1945: The remaining units of the ,,Hunyadi” divisionmove 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.

February 8 1945: The Alarm regiment gradually occupies a defensive line on the Strans part of the camp on the training centres eastern part, facing eastwards on the western bank of the River Bobo. I battalion takes up positions on the left wing in and around Oberleschant including the railway line. They have a front that stretches to south of the town of Buchwald. III battalion secure’s the right wing from Strans to the Wenigtreben \ Luisenthal area. In the north the Alarm regiment is joined for one week only by a German-Russian battle group which includes a group led by Andrej Andrejevics Vlaszov. Between I and III battalions is II battalion, which is the main defensive position, which goes from just south of Buchwald and centres mainly on the Strans training headquarters. IV battalion under Hauptsturmfuhrer Gyorgy Hermandy – Berencz are still training at Neuhammer camp and are held in reserve there along with an Estonian kampfgruppe ⁽³⁾(actually the SS 20 panzer grenadier regiment commanded by Obersturmbannfuhrer Emil Rehfeld) and also the 1 SS Hungarian Ski battalion kampfgruppe commanded by Obersturmfuhrer Gencsy . ⁽⁴⁾ Neither the Estonian nor Hungarian Ski kampfgruppe’s are under the command of Peinlich and this later cause’s problems.The Alarm regiment defends a front between Oberleschent and Wenigtreben of almost 12 kilometres. The regimental headquarters is located at Strans camp. From this headquarters telephone lines are laid to each of the frontline battalions.

 

 

Grenadier Pál Gereby (born in 1925) from 25. SS Division  ,, Hunyadi"
Listed as MIA at Neuhammer

February 9 1945: In the morning I battalion sends out hourly reconnaissance patrols to locate the Russian positions. At 1000 a platoon sized outpost from I battalion based around the village of Armadebrunn (approximately 9 kilometres east of the I battalion’s defensive line) reports sighting a Russian reconnaissance patrol approaching the village in strength, the outpost troops are ordered to fall back to Oberleschant on the West Bank of the river and after a short skirmish reach Oberleschant without casulaties. In the afternoon the complete Alarm regiment arrives to meet the advanced Russian formations. 1 battalion occupies an area close to Neuhammer near Oberleschent, which they think is the main Russian thrust as it was directly north of the highway but they fail to realise that the Russians are advancing from the south west from Buchwald and have set up a bridgehead on the western bank of the River Bober. Zoltay tries to get extra equipment for the Alarm Regiment from ,,Hunyadi” and ,,Hungaria” but fails. ⁽⁵⁾ At 1200 hrs shells start landing on Strans camp and at 1500 hrs the Russians attack with an advance on the Oberleschent railway station which results in heavy close combat. I battalion knocks out 2 Russian tanks before finally giving up ground at around 1800hrs. During the night the Russians cross the river in force and set up a bridgehead.

 On the right wing of the Alarm regiment the soviets attack successfully and capture a bridge at Urbanstreben that had not been destroyed to allow troops on the eastern bank to withdraw.. III battalion is hit hard. The company on the far right flank is isolated around the village of Luisenthal. The Russians lauch an attack across the river with the aid of boats and create a bridgehead. In the afternoon about 150 men from the SS 20 Waffen Grenadier arrive at Neuhammer to help III battalion but they do not take part in any fighting. The Ski Alarm Company takes up positions to the south of the Breslau – Berlin autobahn near Gross-Goellmisch. A round mid-day the Schi Alarm battalion repulses a Russian attack. Around 14.00 hours the Alarm battalion takes up positions near to Nitschenk
Peinlich decides that a counter attack is needed to help relieve the presure on the Alarm Battalion. Eventually Rehfeld agrees to the attack. The Estonians are chosen to lead the attack mainly due to their equipment and armament (they are equipped with winter clothing).

February 10 1945: By 0530 hrs III battalion has suffered heavy losses and is trying to defend the area to the north of Buchwead. After calling for re-enforcement’s 3 Estonian companies are sent to the front (1 to help III battalion and 2 to help II battalion) At 06.00 the SS 20 Waffen-grenadier (Estonian) kampfgruppe at last advance to the II battalion’s frontline, which is in Strans. The Estonian kampfgruppe is 300 - 350 strong (each man as 2/3 grenades). They have to cross the long bridge, which crosses the river Bobo. 3 Hungarian SS combat engineers accompany the Estonian attack to help remove anti personal mines that had been laid by Hungarian pioneers earlier and help cut the barbed wire barriers. During the advance Peinlich and his staff climb onto the roof of a house in Strans and watch the attack. The removing of the mines and cutting of the wire takes 13 - 15 minutes and when completed a torch signal is used to start the attack. Around 100 soldiers take part in the 2nd wave. The advance starts without any artillery barrage. After an advance of 500 – 600 metres and the retaking of the villages of Kochnicht and Holgerei the advance is halted. A tank company (consisting of 11 tanks including 2 Sherman's) is spotted by II battalion command post This was expected to be a German column that was rumoured to be retreating towards Strans however Peinlich and the observers soon realise that the columns are in fact Russian columns . The Russians with strong armour and infantry units attack on both sides of the highway, attacking both the Estonian Alarm regiment and the bridgehead and push the Estonia Kampfgruppe behind the Hungarian lines. The dead and most of the wounded are captured by the Russians. About half of the Estonian troops who arrive back at the Hungarian lines are wounded in some way. At about 0730 hrs the Russians open fire on Strans camp with katyusha rockets, shortly the Russians attack III battalion on the right wing where Hungarian and Estonian soldiers are asked to holdout. Ammunition runs low and the Hungarians resort to using Russian weapons and ammunition taken from dead bodies. By nightfall the Russians have completely surrounded the defensive positions of III battalion. III battalion breaks out of the encirclement suffering losses.. I Battalion by this time have taken heavy casualties. Its commander Hauptsturmfuhrer Solti and the whole battalion staff are killed in close combat.⁽⁶⁾ By nightfall both I and III battalions withdraw under Russian pressure and eventually reform near the river Queis and their earlier positions are occupied by the Russians. Around Strans the flank of II battalion are unprotected and so Standartenfuehrer Peinlich orders the reserve IV battalion to be deployed

February 11 1945: It is reported to regimental headquarters that isolated pockets from III battalion are fighting down to the last bullet with the wounded prefering suicide to being captured At 0800 hrs Russian scout troops are reported west of regimental HQ. At the same time Strans camp comes under heavy bombardment. At 0840 IV battalion is alerted to be ready to move out. It is transported by lorry to Koberbrunn to be reorganised into operational formation. It has used its 3 days at Neuhammer well, with extra training and extra equipment such as new uniforms, Hungarian issue helmet netting and extra radios. IV battalion is split into 2 assault groups with a weak company of support troops ⁽⁷⁾. In the course of the day (around 1100 hrs) 4-5 lorries from the ,,Hunyadi” supply regiment headed by Denes Exterde (he was a cavalryman with the rank of Sturmbannfuhrer)  ⁽⁸⁾ go to Neuhammer camp for ammunition ⁽⁹⁾, after encountering some problems they return to Strans camp. Whilst at the camp getting the ammunition the Russians launch an attack on Strans and over 600 Russians are killed (around 1400 Russians are killed in the fighting around Strans and Buchwald) (Due to lack a of weapons and ammunition members of the Alarm Regiment use weapons and ammunition taken from dead Russians to use in the fighting). The 1^st Assault Company is ordered to attack the Russian bridgehead on the West Side of the Bobo River opposite II battalion’s weak positions. II battalion was ordered not fire in case they hit their own men in the Assault Company. II battalion was to act in support after the 1^st Assault Company had reached its objectives. The 2^nd Assault Company was to attack at the same time from the south. The 2 assault companies leave behind their overclothes and wear a sleeveless sheepskin jacket to allow better movement and their helmets are disguised. The attack occurs at 1200 hrs and the 1^st Assault Company (using only bayonets and hand grenades) overruns the first Russian positions. They become pinned down by Russian machine guns. 5 sharp shooters had been sent in support of the attack and they swiftly kill the Russian gunners, the advance continues and the 1^st assault group from IV battalion advance 3kms within an hour and enter Strans town. There the II battalion and the newly arrived IV battalion engage in serious street fighting. At 1315 the Russians launch a massive artillery barrage which lasts approximately 10 minutes. Lacking artillery pieces the Hungarians replied with a mixed barrage of hand grenades and mortars.⁽¹⁰⁾ Hermandy and his troops attack and fight their way into the town. After 30 minutes hard fighting (including hand to hand fighting using entrenching tools and bayonets) both elements of the Assault Company link up in the town centre. II Battalion advances and clears up bypassed Russian positions. At 13.45 Regimental HQ is informed that Strans has been retaken.. 47 men from the Assault Company had been killed and 80 wounded in the fighting for Strans. At around 13.00 a lorry with SS number plates arrives and its load of anti tank weapons aresplit between II and IV battalions.

 I, II and IV battalions are now surrounded on 3 sides with only the neck at Neuhammer still open. III battalion position is unknown as contact has been lost but it turns out to be still fighting in fragments to the south-west. The drivers on their return join the fighting, they are later killed. Sometime after 14.00 the Russians once again bombard Strans camp setting several buildings alight. The ammunition supply improves as a result of a delivery (at 16.00 a lorry arrives filled with anti tank weapons – panzerfaust’s and crates of other ammunition) and they are able to hold the Russian attacks. Also at 16.00 a German Officer arrives at Koberbrunn and introduces himself to Standartenfuhrer Peinlich. The Officer praises the Hungarians for their actions and asks that the Alarm Regiment holds the Russians at bay for one more day stating that the requested German armour support will not be appearing. At 16.25 II battalion under Hauptsturmfuhrer Alajos Duska (after borrowing ammunition from regimental staff so low was their supplies) attack a small Russian patrol. At 16.30 a German officer order’s the stores in the Strans camp to be destroyed. At 17.00 the first sections start reporting a shortage of ammunition. Under cover of darkness 4 trucks carry 120 wounded back to Neuhammer camp.⁽¹¹⁾ At 19.30 a strong Russian attack is launched against the elements of the Alarm regiments positions in Strans. Within minutes IV battalion destroy 3 Russian tanks. At regimental Headquarters 100 men are given the task of retrieving as many weapons as possible from the bodies of dead Russians ⁽¹²⁾. Regimental headquarters withdraw to new positions at Koberbrunn along with a large number of lightly wounded soldiers. This withdrawal is cover by II battalion under Hauptsturmfuhrer Duska. Once at Koberbrunn headquarters learn that III battalion is engaged in a fighting retreat due south of Koberbrunn. Shortly after it is learnt that 15 Hungarian SS men are with an Estonia unit 250 meters to the south. At Koberbrunn Hungarian Feld gendarmes and 70 wounded are formed into a Alarm guard by Peinlich.




   
                                                                                                      

Neuhammer Camp 1939

February 12 1945: Early in the morning communications are restored to IV battalion in Strans. Hauptsturmfuhrer Hermandy reports that IV battalion is surrounded and Russians are slowly breaking into his position. He requests a relief attack, as 1/3 of his troops has no ammunition. II battalion is still holding the western part of Strans camp but is separated from IV battalion and is fighting to avoid being surrounded itself. The entire regimental staff is organised into a kampfgruppe and marches at 06.00 towards Strans. At 07.15 it arrives at II battalions positions.Hauptsturmfuhrer Janos Zoltay along with 2 gendarmes (armed with machine guns and panzerfausts) go in a VW SCHWIMMWAGEN to Neuhammer for ammunition (on an earlier trip men from the Alarm Regiment whilst looking for ammunition came across stocks of chocolate, coffee and cigerettes which had not been issued). Rehfeld of the Estonian regiment does a trade with Zoltay of 5000 rounds of ammunition in return for some panzerfausts. A Sd.kfz.233/4 (armed with 7.5cm guns) and Sd.kfz.7/1 (armed with 20mm flak38 Vierling) arrive to support the defence of Neuhammer ⁽¹³⁾. Its is learnt that Hermandy has been wounded twice in the right arm. Using these as support II battalion launches an attack to relieve IV battalion. II battalion is split into two groups each of 70 men. One group with the 233/4 in support advance on the north side of the road and the other group with the 7/1 in support advances on the south side of the road. The advance slowly progresses and 15 minutes later they enter Strans. The Russians launch a counter attack. II battalion is running out of ammunition and is now without the support of the armoured cars. They have not reached IV battalion and are now fighting for their own lives. Anyone who is left at Headquarters who can walk and fire a gun is organised into a battlgroup under Obersturmfuhrer Ulvetzky to help out in the fighting. After fierce fighting IV battalion (which is about 400 strong) breakout towards the relieving force. This forces the Russians to withdraw.⁽¹⁴⁾

During the course of the fighting the local army sector colonel is so impressed by the IV battalions’ performance that he places his own knights cross around Hermandy’s neck whilst on a visit to its postions (this takes place at a field hospital where Hermandy was receiving treatment for his wounded arm. After treatment Hermandy returns to his battalion) .⁽¹⁵⁾ After the breakout I, II and IV battalions are ordered to withdraw (III battalion is still not in contact with the rest of the Alarm Regiment) back to Neuhammer. Approximately 48 badly wounded soldiers are carried on the few available vehicles. The retreat nearly turns into a rout but order is restored to a degree. After being wounded again (in the foot this time) Hermandy is placed on a cart and during the retreat Hermandy is killed by one of his own men (the cart is blown up with a panzerfaust) to prevent him being captured by a Russian patrol . By 16.20 it was possible to sort out the remaining soldiers of the Alarm Regiment. There were 200 soldiers who are classed as combat ready,⁽¹⁶⁾ 231 troops who need resting before being ready for action,⁽¹⁷⁾ 133 men with panzerfausts and hand weapons (pistols), 280 men with weapons but no ammunition and 210 wounded soldiers.⁽¹⁸⁾ At 17.00 the total manpower available is 1054 men of all ranks. ⁽¹⁹⁾ Also at this time (17.00) the two German vehicles commander (a Heer Oberleutnant) receives a radio message to leave the Alarm regiment. They leave 4000 rounds of ammunition for the Alarm Regiment and after an exchange of compliments depart.

 

February 13 1945: After withdrawal the division takes up new positions on the river Queis. Sturmbannfuhrer Rehfeld is confident that German help will arrive the next day. At 06.30 a group of Germans (XXII Fortress Commando) arrive in 5 cars with orders to turn Neuhammer into a fortress. During talks with the commander of the Alarm regiment the Major in charge of the Fortress company promises to replenish the ammunition supplies of the Alarm regiment. Coffee and bread are made available.  Towards mid morning III battalion appears at the camp. Out of 600 troops 150 are killed or missing and 100 wounded.⁽²⁰⁾ About 150 men were ready for combat. The defensive positions were:- II battalion to the north of Neuhammer, IV battalion in the centre and III battalion to the south of the camp (there was also a small kampfgruppe of 20 Germans under a reserve captain defending the main road bridge to the south of the camp, these were armed with rifles and 5 anti tank weapons). The remnants of I battalion are held in reserve. At 11.15 a Russian aircraft strafe III battalion on their way to their new positions . This results in 3 dead and a few wounded. Just after 12.00 the battalions take up their new positions. At 13.45 Russian tanks are seen approaching Neuhammer camp.The Major from XXII Fortress Commando tells Zoltay that the lines have to be held until the following morning as a German armoured column would be arriving to lead a counter attack which will push the Russians back to the river Bobo. It was also announced that the bridges (2 in Neuhammer and the main road bridge) were not to be demolished as Estonian and German troops were still on the east bank and required the bridges for withdrawal. A decision is made to defend the camp until morning. When the last troops had left Neuhammer then the bridges would be blown.⁽²¹⁾ As the afternoon progresses the artillery fire increases and IV battalion reports its first men killed at 16.00. At the same time III battalion repulses a Russian attack in which they try to cross the Queis river in boats. Some of the boats are destroyed by members of the Alarm regiment using anti tank weapons. At dusk a supply column brings hot food to the troops. At 18.00 another heavy bombardment hits the Alarm regiment. At 19.15 a Russian armoured column is seen approaching Neuhammer camp ( 3 tanks are later destroyed by the Estonian troops)  At 20.20 XXII Fortress Commando blow up the ammunition supplies at Neuhammer camp.  At 21.00 II battalion reports Russian tanks and in the fighting that follows several tanks are destroyed by panzerfaust’s. At midnight Hauptsturmfuhrer Pataki asks for permission to withdraw III battalion but this is refused and he is threatened with arrest if he tries to move his men.

February 14 1945: During the night of the 14^{th at} 04.00 Pataki radios headquarters and informs them that if ammunition was not forthcoming then the battalion would be over run. Around 30 minutes later the IV battalion also annouces that they running short of ammunition. Seeing that the Alarm regiment would be over run and destroyed Penilich starts making arrangements for the blowing up of the bridges. At 05.15 Peinlich orders the withdrawal of the alarm regiment and the survivors march on foot to Halbaut. After allowing time for any survivors on the east bank to withdraw across the river, at 06.00 the bridges over the River Quueis are blown up by German sappers from XXII fortress command. The wounded are transported on 3 sledges and the commanders VW Kubelwagon and VW Schimmwagen. At 09.00 the Alarm regiment arrives at Halbaut. A German officer informs the Alarm regiment that a Russian column is close by. He also states that he cannot provide any ammunition but promises to get the wounded to hospital.  Around 20 badly wounded at last get sent to hospital for treatment. The officer informs he Alarm regiment that the area around Rothenburg maybe safer and so the troops carry on walking 25 km to Rothenburg. The troops are that exhausted that the column is forced to have 15 minute breaks every half hour. The column suffers 2 air attacks with more losses. Rothenburg is reached in the evening. On arriving at Rothenburg the local security forces on checking the retreating soldiers are puzzled by the appearance of the troops (the members of the Alarm regiment are wearing Hungarian dogtags, German soldbuchs, Feldgrau uniforms, French great coats, Hungarian back packs and a mixture of other items along with German and Russian weapons). What makes things worse is that no paper work exists containing orders of where the regiment is from and where it is suppose to be heading to. The officer gives 2 options, these are that the troops are re-deployed at the front or that they help build fortifications. Peinlich argues that the troops are to only used for the defense of Hungary and that the troops belong to SS Headquarters. After some phone calls it is decided that the troops would rest in a local school and and then the soldiers are employed for a short time digging earthworks. While this is happening Hauptsturmfuhrer Zoltay along with 2 field police leave in a VW Schimmwagen (they carry 4 anti tank weapons for protection) to try to find the Hungarian SS headquarters.
 

February 15 1945: Around dawn Zoltay arrives at Görlitz and after passing through 2 roadblocks without incident finally arrives around 06.00 in Zittau. Unable to find information regarding the location of the headquarters Zoltay drives around for about 60 minutes before finding the headquarters in a small village on the outskirts of Zittau. Divisional Commander Grassy agrees to the Alarm regiment moving and asks for lorries to achieve this. 11 trucks from the .,,Hunyadi” supply regiment arrive to move the remnants of the Alarm regiment. 11 more trucks join in during the day moving the men.⁽²²⁾

February 17 1945: The last of the Alarm regiment’s soldiers are relocated back to their original units and the official casualty list is complied. The Alarm regiment has suffered around 57% losses. Out of approximately 2600 men there are around 1499 wounded,killed or missing, 544 men (including 17 officers ⁽²³⁾) have been killed and 955 men are listed as wounded or missing. Between 380-410 wounded are evacuated from Neuhammer and treated in German hospitals (the exact number is not known as records were not kept at the time of the wounded being transport from Neuhammer) but approximately 500 are left and they are captured by the Russians.
 

Dezso Torday
(Tordai/Torday Family)⁽²⁴⁾

 

March 23 1945: 10 Hungarians are awarded the Iron Cross first class, 20 receive the Iron Cross second class, Untersturmfuhrer Huba Szocs is awarded the Hungarian Golden Honour medal and one Scharfuhrer is awarded the Hungarian Great Golden Honour medal for destroying 7 Russian tanks with panzerfaust’s. 3 Russian tanks are confirmed destroyed by the Alarm Battalion and 14 by the 1 SS Hungarian anti-tank platoon. Hermandy is postumously awarded the Hungarian Knights Cross with swords. According to a Hungarian book Dezso Torday may have been awarded the Hungarian Goldern medal of bravery for Officers but that  it is claimed by one source only and is not accepted by others.
 

 
Hungarian SS soldiers at Neuhammer
 

Men listed as Killed/MIA during the battle of Neuhammer

The bodies of all the Hungarians (and Estonians) killed in the fighting are buried in unmarked graves somewhere in the Neuhammer / Stans area.