Soldbuch Normandy / Ardennes 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend

[HD1450]

Here is my latest acquisition & you like it too

I have used the original owners photo's & wordings about it ,

Werner Renz was born on 28.09.1913 in Hemsbach, in the south of Germany. He was married with Elfriede Zwischenberg and he lived in München. In his normal life he was a policeman. As a policeman he was directly involved with the “Einmarsch” of Austria and later Sudetenland. His Soldbuch was opened on 30.04.1940. His first unit was “(Ersatz) / Polizei Regiment 1 der SS Polizei Division” based in Hohenstadt(March). He started his military career as Unteroffizier and was promoted on 01.10.1940 to Feldwebel. In 1941 he was transferred to “Kommandeur der Ersatz Einheiten der SS Polizei Division” and was on 01.11.1941 promoted to Oberfeldwebel. He stayed in this unit till early 1942 when he was transferred to “Der Befehlshaber der Waffen SS in den Niederlanden” based in Apeldoorn. Now he also get an official SS rank: SS-Hauptscharführer ( in the Wehrmacht Oberfeldwebel) , a kind of a platoon/squad leader. In the early 1943 the 12 SS. Panzer Division Hitlerjugend was raised. The division would be manned by soldiers of 16/17/18 years old trained by hardened, experienced SS veterans of the east front. It was trained from 1943 till April 1944 in Belgium. Werner Renz wasn’t with the division when they were trained but in that time he was still in Holland. In 1943 he was 2 months in SS Lazarett Dachau with skin problems. In January and February 1944 he was again 20 days in SS Lazarett Dachau. Short after this he was prepared finally to join a “feld-unit”. You can see he was poorly equipped, he had no Helmet, Feldmütze, Gloves/handschuhe, Kochgeschirr etc. etc. But on 04.03.1944 you can see he was equipped very well, he get a Stahlhelm, Feldmütze, Schnürschuhe, Schnürstiefel, Gloves, a Zeltbahn with accessories and many more. He was ready to go and shortly afterwards he was send to the rest of the 12 SS. Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. The division was send to Normandy in May 1944 in the area of Evreux – Bernay – Chambois – Thun, prepared to counterattack an Allied invasion. He joined the 2 (Fu)./ SS Panzer Nachrichten Abteilung 12. In the following replies I will tell more about the fights in Normandy , Ardennes and Hungary.

He got the:

- Medaille zür erinnerung a.d. 13.03.1938
- Medaille zür erinnerung a.d. 01.10.1938
- Polizei - Dienstauszeichung III Stufe für 8 jahrige Dienst Zeit
- KVK 2e klasse mit schwertern

On 6 June 1944 the division was as I said in the Evreux – Bernay – Chambois – Thun area, only 50 – 100 kilometers from Caen and the later invasion area. In the early hours of D-Day when the paratroopers landed the 7 Armee must be ready for action as an invasion was expected in this area. Also the 12. SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend(on that moment in the area of the 15. Armee) under command of the OKW was send to Caen by General Hans Speidel. Speidel was handling in his own and the OKW did not agree with him, to division was only allowed to move with directly orders of Hitler. The HJ Division started already to move to Caen and reached Lisieux( 40 kilometers of Caen) but was stopped there; waiting for new orders. Around 14.30 in the afternoon of D-Day Hitler allowed the Division to move to the invasion area but it was to late! The division moved slowly because of the constantly air attacks. The first elements reached the invasion area around 22.00 in the evening(6 June), the rest of the division arrived that night and on the following day( 7 June). The division takes the positions to the north and to the west of Caen and they jumped of the first seriously counterattack(except the counterattack of the 21 P.D. in the evening of 6 june) on 7 june 1944. Despite their fanaticism, courage and their willing to die for the Führer, Nation and Homeland the 12 SS HJ pulled back from the cities/villages north and west from Caen during Operation Charnwood(8-9 July). During Operation Goodwood(18-20 July) the Allies captured the south of Caen and the 12. SS HJ is pulled back against Falaise. It was responsible for keeping open a Gap in the Falaise Pocket; through this Gap other (SS) units succeeded to escape. When the Pocket was closed parts of the division were caught in the Pocket. The others retreated to Germany. Werner Renz survived Normandy and was the following months in Germany, the division was refitted to take part in the Battle of the Bulge. The Battle of the Bulge started on 16 December 1944 and the 12. SS Division Hitlerjugend was fighting in the area of Elsenborg till 30 December 1944. On 31 December it jumped to Bastogne area to take the city and Hill 510. With extreme efforts the Hill is taken by the division on 8 January 1945 but the division was heavy beaten and lost the Hill 2 days later. The division pulled back and was send on 14 January 1945 to Hungary to defend the precious oilfields. After weeks of heavy fighting’s against the Sovjets the division pulled back and surrendered to the Americans in Linz; Austria.
It’s amazing to see that Werner Renz survived Normandy, the Ardennes and Hungary. The last entries are from 1945. He wasn’t killed or captured but I think but he took his old job immediately after the war; policeman because he received Wehrsold in November 1945.

[LizardKing]

Perfect item and perfect story behind it! Thanks for sharing!!!

[Danmark]

Very well researched / translated ...... a nice soldat's record!

Dan

[HD1450]

Thanks guys

[Woolgar]

Fantastic Mark !! What a superb addition to your SS collection

Nick

[HD1450]

Fantastic Mark !! What a superb addition to your SS collection

Nick

Thanks Nick , these are addictive

[Wagriff]

Curious, that the SS runes seem to have been officially covered and blanked out. If so, I think they may have taken the "de-Nazify" business a wee bit too far at times. It's understandable that, given the past circumstances, they would want to stop seeing swastika's, but in Some cases, it looks like they were blaming All the problems on the mere Sight of a swastika. So many soldiers on Both sides had to Instantly scratch off or deface anything with one on it-sometimes radically so and sometimes just removing the offending symbol-no matter how large or small. I wonder....has any other defeated country had such an occurrence in the past? Did the Red Army, for example, go around and Immediately file off the double-headed Russian eagle from all captured Imperial medals and equipment like belt buckles? Does anyone here know of any such complete eradication of a defeated enemy's symbols anywhere or anytime? Just curious..

[HD1450]

Curious, that the SS runes seem to have been officially covered and blanked out. If so, I think they may have taken the "de-Nazify" business a wee bit too far at times. It's understandable that, given the past circumstances, they would want to stop seeing swastika's, but in Some cases, it looks like they were blaming All the problems on the mere Sight of a swastika. So many soldiers on Both sides had to Instantly scratch off or deface anything with one on it-sometimes radically so and sometimes just removing the offending symbol-no matter how large or small. I wonder....has any other defeated country had such an occurrence in the past? Did the Red Army, for example, go around and Immediately file off the double-headed Russian eagle from all captured Imperial medals and equipment like belt buckles? Does anyone here know of any such complete eradication of a defeated enemy's symbols anywhere or anytime? Just curious..

William , i think the SS runes on the front & inside cover of the soldbuch were defaced because at wars end the SS were seen as a criminal organization ! If this is wrong , please someone correct me if i am wrong with this

[Wagriff]

Absolutely, the SS had been declared a criminal organization, and this is certainly understood. But, this does not explain the total Thoroughness and almost obsessive Hate so many Allied soldiers showed and continued to show for their enemy's Symbol. You see such Minute things as typewriter keys either ground off, replaced, or at the very least, their number pads scratched off. Captured badges and medals with the swastika peened off or beaten into unrecognizable paste. I understand, that they were, pretty much, Ordered to do so, but to the length and breadth that one sees that they went to is at times baffling. In conflicts like Viet Nam, where the enemy was Intensely Hated and despised, you never saw GI's scratching off and filing away VC symbols, etc from everything they could get their hands on to. And yet even to this Day, the swastika is Against the Law in many countries to even draw on a piece of paper.

But, I suppose, this really isn't the place to carry such a discussion and, no doubt, the sounds I hear in the background is that of a heavy shod and angry Mod coming to end the talk, in any case, so I suppose I can, someday perhaps, restart the question in the Discussion Section! As for your Soldbuch, I agree-they are, indeed, addicting! They are the Personal records of a defeated enemy and are Fascinating to read and follow the former owners trail throughout the War and to imagine what they must have seen and likely even did along the way! Yours being from a famed Division makes it even more amazing! Nice pick up!

[hucks216]

Good to see that it has arrived. Is there a HJ related signature next to that entry in the second from last image?