11th SS Panzer Army

The 11th SS Panzer Army (SS-Panzer-Armeeoberkommando 11) was little more than a paper army formed in February 1945 by Heinrich Himmler while he was commander of Army Group Vistula. (The army was officially listed as the 11th Army but it was also known as SS Panzer-Armeeoberkommando 11 and is often referred to in English sources as the 11th SS Panzer Army.)

Military historian Antony Beevor writes that when the 11th SS Panzer Army was created the available units at best could constitute a corps, but 'panzer army', observed Hans-Georg Eismann, 'has a better ring to it'. It also allowed Himmler to promote SS officers to senior staff and field commands within the formation. Obergruppenführer Felix Steiner was named its commander.

After taking part in Operation Solstice east of the Oder River in February 1945, the army was assigned to OB West and reorganized in March 1945. Many of the units formerly subordinated to the 11th SS Panzer Army were transferred to the 3rd Panzer Army and other units were assigned to the 11th Army for operations against the Western Allies.

In early April, the 11th Army was assigned to strike west from Kassel to break the ring encircling the Ruhr pocket. After launching a few small hopeless and unsuccessful attacks against the American 3rd Army, the 11th Army retreated to the Harz Mountains

After defending the Weser River and the Harz Mountains, the 11th surrendered to the Western Allies on 21 April.

February 1945
By 5 February the 11th SS Panzer Army, subordinated to Army Group Vistula, had the following units assigned to it:


 * Tettau Corps Group:
 * Köslin
 * Bärwalde
 * X SS Corps
 * 5th Jaeger Division Logo.svg 5th Jäger-Division
 * Division Nr 402
 * Munzel Corps Group:
 * GDInsig.svg Führer Grenadier Division
 * Standarte FFB.svg Führer Escort Division
 * III (Germanic) SS Panzer Corps:
 * 281st Infantry Division
 * 23rd SS Division Logo "Nederland".svg 23rd SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland
 * Division Voigt
 * 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division „Nordland“.svg 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland
 * 27. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division „Langemarck“ (1. flämische).svg 27th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Langemarck
 * XXXIX Panzer Corps
 * 4. SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division.svg 4th SS Polizei Panzergrenadier Division
 * 10th SS Division Logo.svg 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg
 * 28. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division, „Wallonien”.svg 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Wallonien
 * Panzer Division Holstein
 * HQ, Wehrkreis II as corps-level field command (stellv. II):
 * Swinemünde Defensive Region
 * Division Deneke
 * 9. Fallschirm-Jäger-Division.png 9th Parachute Division
 * Direct army command
 * 163rd Infanterie-Division Logo.svg 163rd Infantry Division

March 1945
By 1 March the 11th SS Panzer Army, subordinated to Army Group Vistula, had no units assigned to it.

April 1945
By 12 April the 11th SS Panzer Army was directly subordinated to OB West and had the following units assigned to it.


 * LXVII Army Corps:
 * Kampfgruppe Fellner
 * Division Ettner
 * Division Heidenreich
 * Division Grosskreuz
 * Stellv. IX:
 * 26. Infanterie-Division(Wehrmacht).svg 26th Volksgrenadier Division
 * 326th Volksgrenadier Division
 * LXVI Army Corps:
 * 277. Infanterie Division.png 277th Volksgrenadier Division
 * SS Brigade Westfalen
 * 9th Panzer Division logo 3.svg 9th Panzer Division
 * 116th Panzer-Division logo.svg 116th Panzer Division