60. ID (mot.) - Pz Div. Feldherrnhalle - Kampfgruppe Eberhardt - Maginot Line - Heimwehr Danig - SA

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The 60. ID (mot.) which would eventually become the elite Panzer Division Feldherrnhalle has a unique history. Associated with the Sturmabteilung and the Danziger Heimwehr it saw heavy combat first in Poland, then France and the Balkan countries, and finally in the Soviet Union.

In Part 1 of this series we’ll look at film material from various sources and see the unit’s development from a small Kampfgruppe, up to the fully motorized Infantry Division that it was as it moved into Russia.

Some of the footage you’ll see is shows the harsh treatment of Ukraine Jews and I’ll be describing the content to the best of my ability. Your comments are certainly welcome, please remain respectful.

During the Polish Campaign the Kampfgruppe Eberhardt which was part of the Heimwehr Danig distinguished itself by famously capturing the Polish Post office and then later some fortified positions being defended by Poles along the Baltic coast. When the campaign was over the Kampfgruppe was rewarded by being made the 60. ID.

In France they were active in the Saarbrücken area and then in mid June they took part in the assault on the Maginot Line and broke through to the south of the City. This Wochenschau footage is from the end of June 1940. It remained in France as an occupying force after the French surrender and on July 17 it was refitted and became the 60. ID (mot.)

Following training in Romania and Bulgaria early 1941 the 60. took part in the attack against Yugoslavia as part of Panzer Gruppe Kleist. This footage is from part 2 of the 3 part series Entscheidung auf den Balkan. Part of the division remained until May and fought with the 5th Pz. Div. in Greece.

This photograph is in the Signal magazine from the second May edition Nr. 10. The caption states

In Twelve Days…

With cannon and camera, just as in Poland, Norway, Belgium, Holland, France and over England and even in Afrika the embedded war correspondents are always on the front line. Here a cameraman is sitting in a tank next to the gunner and has positioned his lens through the observation slit. This is how he travelled and fought from the border to Belgrad.

Finally, in June of 1941 the entire division was transferred to Silesia as a reserve for the Army Group South for the invasion of the Soviet Union.

In occupied western Europe and in Britain the populations began painting V for victory everywhere as a sign of defiance. At first the Germans tried to stomp the practice but then changed policy and began using the symbol themselves. This sign, written in Polish, is an example of that new policy and reads German Victory on all fronts.

Early in the morning of July 3, the 60. boarded the trains and traveled East towards their staging area. Being able to identify where they were when this footage was taken was lucky. Only the very last frame that you see here shows that they were passing through - Jaroslau or modern day Jaroslaw. which is in Eastern Poland right on the border with the Ukraine.

After a long Journey the unit finally arrived to Lemberg, or in modern day Ukraine, Lviv. Lemberg was a special city in that it had been originally Polish territory that was annexed by the Soviets in 1939. The population at that time was about 312k, 50% were Poles, 32% were jews and Ukrainians made up only about 16% of the population.

By the time the Germans had arrived in 1941 a large influx of jewish refugees fleeing from the west had doubled the jewish population. Many of these new arrivals were destitute, and unfamiliar with the local culture and language. With everyone competing for limited resources there was a hierarchy of the nationalities with the Germans on top, then the Ukrainians, next the Poles and finally the jews.

This is the town hall that the Germans have turned into their headquarters. This footage of a synagog I’ve slowed down so that you can get a good look at it.

The cameraman is interested in filming the Jews who have been forced to wear the star of david arm band, it’s almost certain that it’s the first time he’s seen that. Not until September of 1941 would jews in Germany be forced to wear them.

This footage is important but unfortunately this time I didn’t get that last frame of information. Because of the black uniforms, the arm bands and pistols they are likely Gendarmerie which is a paramilitary force that has law enforcement duties among the civil population. If we could see the title on the arm band we could be sure.

It’s most likely that they are Ukrainian but they could also be Volksdeutsche, which were easterners of German heritage. The woman seems to be proudly wearing a traditional Ukrainian dress and providing drinks to the uniformed men. If you have other ideas about what we’re seeing please let me know in the comment section.