Führer Begleit Brigade

The Führerbegleitbrigade (FBB: Führer escort brigade) was a German armoured brigade and later armoured division (Panzer-Führerbegleitdivision), in World War II. It was formed in November 1944 and destroyed in April 1945.

The original Führerbegleitbattalion (FBB), 1939–1940
Before the 1 September 1939 attack on Poland, Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard unit came from two distinct, independent units based in Berlin: the Chancellery Guards, assigned for the purpose by the army, and the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler ("SS bodyguard regiment 'Adolf Hitler'," often abbreviated to LSSAH), which replaced the Chancellery Guards. When hostilities started, Hitler ordered the LSSAH to participate in the campaign against Poland, leaving him with no personal bodyguard unit (except for a small formation from the Leibstandarte) keep in Berlin.

At the time, a brilliant infantry instructor, Oberst (Colonel) Erwin Rommel, came to Hitler's attention. Impressed by Rommel's book on infantry tactics and holding him in high regard, Hitler put Rommel in charge of a new battalion being organized to function as his personal escort to the front in the absence of the Leibstandarte and other appropriate frontline units. This led to the formation of the Führerbegleitbattalion (FBB). By the time of the invasion of France and the Low Countries, Rommel was promoted to major general, and he left the FBB to take command of the army's 7th Panzer Division. The FBB started accompanying Hitler on his battlefield tours following the Battle of France.

The Führerbegleitabteilung, Panzergrenadierdivision "Großdeutschland"
With the expansion of the elite Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland into a division on 3 March 1942, the number of subunits under its control was expanded. Among these subunits was a new Führerbegleit-unit, as well as another unit with Führer in its name, the Führergrenadierabteilung.. Although the new Führerbegleit-unit had practically the same purpose as the original and still-existing Führerbegleitbattalion, and was approximately the same size, it was different from the FBB in that it was motorized. The newer unit was further distinguished by nomenclature: it was known as the Führerbegleitabteilung (FBA: Führer escort detachment). This is because battalion-sized Wehrmacht (and even Waffen-SS) ground units were designated according to class, with Abteilung for motorized, mechanized, armoured, or self-propelled battalion-sized units controlled by a battalion headquarters, and Battalion for infantry units.

As a result of its transfer to the Großdeutschland (GD) division, the detachment—by now incorporating a heavy battery from Flak-Regiment "Hermann Göring", First Paratroop Panzer Division Hermann Göring—was moved to the eastern front, with headquarters in Hitler's Wolfschanze. Parts of the GD were used to build out the FBA until it eventually served as GD's replacement and reserve battalion.

The FBA saw action along with the rest of Panzer-Grenadier-Division Großdeutschland in its campaigns on the eastern front. Although not permanently attached to the division and composed mainly of an ad hoc collections of several units, the FBA and its successors would retain the traditional Fritz-style helmet insignia of its parent division, and when sub-units of the Großdeutschland division were being expanded to bring GD to corps strength (Panzerkorps Großdeutschland), the FBA was enhanced to brigade strength as well.

While the FBA was being refitted for service on the eastern front, Hitler ordered it to head west, along with most of its vehicles and personnel, to prepare for the Ardennes counter-offensive, for which it would be expanded to a brigade.

Führerbegleitbrigade
Radically upgraded for the Ardennes Offensive ("Operation Wacht am Rhein") to provide General der Panzertruppe Hasso von Manteuffel's Fifth Panzer Army with additional firepower, the Führerbegleitbrigade (FBB) was formed from elements of the FBA, Panzerkorps Großdeutschland, Hitler's personal army guard detail, and the mobile artillery from Hitler's Wolfschanze headquarters. This unit was placed under the command of Oberst (Colonel) Otto Remer as a reward for his successfully foiling a critical part of the July Stauffenberg assassination plot aimed at Hitler and the Nazi leadership.

The new FBB was essentially a restructured tank brigade, with units created from whatever excess personnel were available. Its combat strength included long-barrelled Panzer IVs and the turretless assault guns of the Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 200, two organic Panzergrenadier (mechanized infantry) battalions, the 928th Bicyclist Battalion, and a self-propelled artillery battalion with 105-millimeter Wespe and 150-millimeter Hummel artillery pieces.

Committed to the front on 18 December 1944 as part of Fifth Panzer Army's XLVII. Panzerkorps, the FBB saw action against the US Army 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne.

On 26 January 1945 the FBB was ordered to expand and form the Führerbegleitdivision.

Führerbegleitdivision
When the Großdeutschland Division was expanded to Panzer Corps Großdeutschland, its subordinate units were expanded to bring GD to corps status. Included in the upgrade were the FBB and the Führergrenadierbrigade (FGB), both of which had participated in the Ardennes counteroffensive and acquitted themselves well in action.

As part of this drastic reorganization, the FBB was detached from army control, expanded by incorporating elements of the Führergrenadierbrigade and Panzergrenadier-Division Großdeutschland, and redesignated the Führer-Begleit-Division (FBD); at the same time, its sister formation, the Führergrenadierbrigade, was also upgraded to divisional status and renamed the Führer-Grenadier-Division (FGD). Both "Führer" divisions were put in the OKH reserve until committed to the eastern front.

Commanded by Otto Remer, now a major general, the FBD continued to defend the Reich in its final, desperate battles. The FBD and FGD served in local counterattacks and later assumed fire-brigade roles in preventing major Soviet breakthroughs.

The FBD and FGD were sent to the eastern front to help defend the Vistula front against massing Red Army forces during the Upper Silesian Offensive. It was trapped and finally destroyed in the Spremberg pocket in April 1945, with survivors surrendering to the Americans.

Orders of Battle
Führerbegleitabteilung, Panzergrenadierdivision ''Großdeutschland (1941)

Führerbegleitbrigade, Operation Wacht-am-Rhein (December 1944)

Brigadestabskompanie (headquarters company)
 * Stabszug (headquarters platoon) - Sdkfz 251/1 armoured cars
 * Aufklärungszug (reconnaissance platoon) - Armed with MP-40 and StG44
 * Sdkfz 250/1 armoured cars
 * Aufklärungszug (reconnaissance platoon) - as above
 * Volkswagen and Kübelwagen cars
 * Flakzug (anti-aircraft platoon) - 3 x 37mm Flakpanzer IV Ostwind self-propelled flak vehicle

Primary source

 * Tessin, Georg. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS 1939–1945, Volume 14