| 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division | |
|---|---|
| 22. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division 22. SS-Önkéntes-Lovashadosztály | |
 | |
| Active | 29 April 1944 – 14 February 1945[3][4] |
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch |  Waffen-SS |
| Type | Grenadier |
| Role | Cavalry |
| Size | 12,453 (20 September 1944)[5] 13,911 (25 October 1944)[6][7] 11,345 (26 December 1944)[7] |
| Part of | |
| Garrison/HQ | Bicske,Budapest,Győr,Kisbér,Rétság andZsámbék.[8][9] |
| Nicknames | 'Maria Theresia'[3] (Hungarian:'Mária Terézia')[10] 'Wonder Weapon Division'[8][11] (German:'Wunderwaffe Division')[11] |
| Motto | "Meine Ehre heißt Treue!" |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | [12][13] |
The22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division (German:22. SS-Freiwilligen Kavallerie-Division)[14] (Hungarian:22. SS-Önkéntes-Lovashadosztály)[5] was aGermanWaffen-SScavalrydivision which was active on theEastern Front duringWorld War II. The division was composed primarily ofRoyal Hungarian ArmyVolksdeutsche conscripts who were transferred to the Waffen-SS following an agreement between Germany andHungary. The division is commonly known under theMaria Theresia name in publications, although no documents have been found to confirm this name.[15]
In December 1943, the 17th SS-Cavalry Regiment from the8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer was ordered to become the cadre for a new SS cavalry division. On 29 April 1944, theSS-Führungshauptamt authorised the division to be raised on basis of the 17th SS-Cavalry Regiment. The unit was sent toKisbér inHungary to begin forming the new division. While personnel from theFlorian Geyer formed the nucleus of the division, the bulk of the troops were HungarianVolksdeutsche (ethnic German) conscripts, transferred to the Waffen-SS following an agreement between Germany and Hungary.[15]
The division was designated the 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia. The title referred toMaria Theresa, who had ruledAustria,Hungary andBohemia in the 18th century. The symbol of the division, acornflower, was emblazoned on the divisional shield. However, some authors claim that the division was always referred-to in official documents as the 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division, and there are no records that would officially confirm it being namedMaria Theresia.[15]
Over the next months, the division continued its organization and training in Kisber,Győr andBudapest, equipped with mostly Hungarian weapons, vehicles and equipment. By June 1944, the divisional strength reached 4,900. In early AugustOberkommando des Heeres (OKH) ordered all divisions forming up in Hungary to send units to the combat zone. The 52nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Regiment entrained for the front inRomania, while the 17th SS Volunteer Cavalry Regiment remained in Hungary to train the rest of the division.[15]
Kampfgruppe Wiedemann consisted ofSS Volunteer Cavalry Regiment 52 with attached artillery,Flak andreconnaissance elements. TheKampfgruppe was transported fromGyula-Szalonta, Hungary toArad, Romania, where it was attached toGeneral der PanzertruppeHermann Breith'sIII Panzer Corps, stationed in the area aroundDebrecen. Elements of the division went into the line on 30 September, forming a defensive ring around the city ofArad along with theHungarian 9th Infantry Division.[15]
On 2 October, the Soviet spearheads of MarshalRodion Malinovsky's2nd Ukrainian Front began probing towards Arad. On 6 October, Malinovsky launched a major offensive, thus beginning theBattle of Debrecen. Units of the division were quickly outflanked and encircled. The second echelon of Soviet forces sought to destroy the pocket; on 8 October it was split in two. One unit broke out however, with troops swimming across theHarmas river to German lines on the other side.
In mid-October 1944, pro-German Honvédség officers had revealed that the Hungarian Regent, AdmiralMiklós Horthy, was negotiating a secret surrender to the Soviets. Hitler sent SS-ObersturmbannfüherOtto Skorzeny to deal with the problem. Skorzeny commandeered all available elements of theMaria Theresia to take part inOperation Panzerfaust, which began at 0600 on 15 October. In little over half an hour, a German column led by fourTiger IIs, including a number ofMaria Theresia men, stormedBuda Castle and forced Horthy to abdicate. Simultaneously, OperationPanzerfaust resulted in the forced detainment of Horthy's youngest son, the pro-peaceNicholas Horthy. Pro-GermanArrow Cross leaderFerenc Szálasi replaced Horthy, negotiations were broken off and Hungary remained in the war.[15]
The battle-ready units of the division were assigned to theIX SS Mountain Corps, which was deployed in Budapest. The division arrived in early November 1944 and took up defensive positions. There it was encircled along with the rest of the Axis troops in the Hungarian capital and destroyed.
Waffen-SS divisions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Panzer | |||
| Panzer- grenadier | |||
| Mountain | |||
| Cavalry |
| ||
| Infantry | |||
| Police | |||
| Deception "Panzer" | |||
| Lists | |||
Units marked inbold were officially named "volunteer".See also:SS heavy Panzer battalions | |||
