37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Lützow
37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division "Lützow" (German: 37. SS-Freiwilligen Kavallerie-Division "Lützow")[1] was a unit in the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany unit of World War II. It was formed in February 1945, consisting of remnants of SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer and SS Cavalry Division Maria Theresia, in addition to mostly under-age German, Hungarian Volkdeutsche, and ethnic Hungarian recruits. The division was intended to have three cavalry regiments of two battalions each, but due to lack of men and equipment it could only field two understrength regiments as its main combat units.
| 37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Lützow | |
|---|---|
 Unit insignia | |
| Active | February - May, 1945 |
| Country | .svg.png){kind=small} |
| Branch |  |
| Type | Cavalry |
| Size | Division |
Initially the division was commanded by SS-Oberführer Waldemar Fegelein, but in March he was replaced by SS-Standartenführer Karl Gesele. The unit saw action against Soviets as a part of the 6th Panzer Army during the final weeks of war, before surrendering to Americans in Austria in May. It was named after the Prussian general Adolf von Lützow.
Commanders
- SS-Standartenführer Waldemar Fegelein (February 1945 - March 1945)
- SS-Standartenführer Karl Gesele (March 1945 - May 1945)[2]
References
- Official designation in German language as to „Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv“ in Freiburg im Breisgau, stores of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS.
- Bishop, Chris. The Essential Vehicle Identification Guide - Waffen-SS Divisions 1939-1945, Amber Books Ltd. 2007, p 184.
Sources
- Fowler, Jeffrey T. Axis Cavalry in World War II. ISBN 1-84176-323-3.
- Trang, Charles. Division Florian Geyer. ISBN 2-84048-141-3.
