7.SS Prinz Eugen (English)

 7.SS PRINZ EUGEN

Autor:Krešimir Musić

 7.SS volunteer mountain division Prinz Eugen or in German  7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division „Prinz Eugen“ was military unit of Waffen SS during WWII . It was formed in 3.1942 from Banat Volksdeutsche(Germans from outside Reich) by order of H.Himmler dated 01.03.1942
After capitulation of Royal Yugoslav Army , Germans in Banat were hoping that Banat will be made a special enclave of the Reich  called "Prinz Eugen Gau" . Germans in Banat were granted self-government as part of occupied Serbia , but were not made part of the Reich.
By the end of 06.1941 "Deutsche Manschaft" was formed in Banat, its task was military training of Volksdeutche from Banat and Serbia . Soon after formation of  "Deutsche Manschaft"  6 Battalions were raised each with 1000 soldiers.
In 11.1941 it was decided that an SS division was to be formed form Volksdeutche of Southeastern Europe. Arthur Phleps an experienced officer of  Austro-Hungarian and Romanian army was named a commander of division , he himself was Romanian Volksdeutsche.
In late 1941 and early 1942 recruitment of volunteers was done,  9000 men were accepted to division  , also battalions of Banat "Deutsche Manschaft" 6x1000 men were added to division ,in total 15 000 soldiers.
On 01.04.1942 divison was named Prinz Eugen  , training was completed by 10.1942 when division was involved in first combat actions near Serbia-Montenegro border. At the beginning of 12.1942 Divison is transfered to Croatia. During first half of 1943 Croatian "Einsatzstaffel der Deutschen Mannschaft" was included in division ,and  it size grew to 21 000 men.
Division took part in big anti-partisan operations ; in 1-3.1943 operation Weiss 1 and 2 , in 5-6.1943 operation Schwartz . One source states that division had replacements in 8.1943, and 3345 Croatian  Volksdeutsche man from Syrmia and Slavonia joined Prinz Eugen.
After Italian capitulation in 9.1943 division took part in occupation of Dalmatia where it is involved in heavy fighting with partisans. After rest and refitting division cleared partisans from Dalmatian islands of Brač,Hvar ,Korčula and peninsula Pelješac. From 11.1943 till 5.1944 division takes part in  operations in Bosnia with short stay around Split in  2-3.1944 . It returns to Bosnia and participates in late 5.1944 in big operation Knights move (Op.Rosselsprung).

Division spent summer of 1944 in action in Bosnia . In 9.1944 division moves to Serbia where it protects flank of retreating Army group E  on move from Greece . Division crosses river Drina  at the end of 11.1944 and is once again in Bosnia then part of  Croatia , at that time its size is around   11 000 men. Division participates in 1.1945 in successful German-Croatian counter-assault on Syrmian front , in which city of Šid is  retaken and Yugoslav forces are pushed away.
Prinz Eugen than moves to city of Osijek and to area of Virovitica , from there it moves in 3.1945 to area of Zenica in Bosnia . In 4.1945 division retreats to Brod na Savi where it crosses Sava River on 21.04.1945 , marching toward Zagreb and Slovenia . Division moves via Zidani Most to Kranj area where its 7000 soldiers  surrender to partisans  on 14.05.1945 .After surrender around 2000 soldiers are executed near  Brežice ,Slovenia., the rest are taken on Death marches to Yugoslav camps. Those few who survived camps later emigrated to Germany

 Composition of division on 20.02.1944
Officers 392  , NCO 1,901 , Soldiers 18,985  and 1,381 men in divisions supply  total  22,659 men

At that time ethnic composition was : 8,5% Reich Germans,  91.5% Volksdeutsche .
Volksdeutsche were from :  53.6% Banat  and Serbia, 21.3%  Romania , 11.24%  Croatia , 2.92%  Slovakia , 2.57%  Hungary..

In the end of  1944 division was made up of 5% Reich Germans , 60% Volksdeutsche from  Banat and  35% Volksdeutche from Croatia



Feldpost:

Feldpost office of  division  Feldpostamt 7 S was formed in 8.1942 with Feldpost number Fp.43726 .
Feldpost uses Kenn number  969  for registered mail.

Most often we see mail sent to Reich , much rarer mail to Banat and very rarely mail sent to Croatia.
Probable cause of this is that mail sent to Reich was saved by families of soldiers while mail sent to Banat and Croatia was lost during the war and in later expulsions of Germans from Yugoslavia.

After Italian armistice a number of Italian soldiers joined Prinz Eugen and letters mailed to Italian Socialist Republic from division are occasionally seen
Registered mail is very scarce , it includes only official mail written to military commands and offices in Reich

Division had its own censorship service  : Fp.35914 Feldpostprüfstelle d. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen , usually censorship for SS military units  in Croatia was performed by   Fp.03161 C =SS-Feldpostprüfstelle AGRAM , SS-Fp.-Amt Kroatien.


Organisation of Division by Feldpost numbers.

Div.-Stab .
46000  Stab SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen,- Kenn 969
40787 (1.3.1942) Stabskompanie (Divisionsstab) SS-Freiwilligen -Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen,

Regiment 1
46936  (1.3.1942) Regimentsstab u. Stabskomp Geb.-Reg 1 SS-Freiw-Gebirgs-Div. Prinz Eugen,
I.Btl.  l.-6.Kp.
41797 (12.3.1943) Stab I u. 1.-6. Kompanie SS-Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 1 (Prinz Eugen) /Reg. 13.
II.Btl., 7.-12.Kp.
42643 (1.3.1942)Stab II u.7.-12.Kompanie Gebirgsjäger-Reg. 1 SS-Freiw-Gebirgs-Div.Prinz Eugen,
III.Btl.  13.-18.Kp.
43476 ( 1.3.1942) Stab III u. 13.-18. Komp Gebirgsjäger-Reg 1 SS-Frei-Gebirgs-Div Prinz Eugen
IVBtl. , 19.-2 1 .Kp.
44525  (1.3.1942) Stab IV u. 19.-21. Komp Gebir-Regt 1 SS-Freiwill--Gebirgs-Div Prinz Eugen,

Regiment 2
44609 (1.3.1942-7.9.1942) Regimentsstab u. Stabskompa Geb.Reg.2 SS-Fre-Geb-Div Prinz Eugen
I.Btl.  l.-6.Kp.
45437 Stab I u. 1.-6. Kompanie Gebirgsjäger-Regi. 2 SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Div. Prinz Eugen,
II.Btl. , 7.-12.Kp.
45777  Stab II u. 7.-12. Kompanie Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 2 SS-Freiwil-Gebirgs-Div Prinz Eugen,
III.Btl.  13.-18.Kp.
46194 (1.3.1942-7.9.1942) Stab III Gebirgsjäger-Reg. 2 SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Div Prinz Eugen
IV.Btl.  19.-21.Kp.
46824 (1.3.1942-7.9.1942) Stab IV u. 19.-21. Komp Gebir-Reg. 2 SS-Freiwi-Geb.-Div Prinz Eugen,
37389 (12.3.1943) leichte. Infant -Kolonne SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgsjäger-Reg. 2 (Div.Prinz Eugen),

Artl.-Regiment
47140 Regimentsstab u. Stabsbatterie Gebirgs-Artillerie-Regiment SS-Fr-Gebirgs-Div Prinz Eugen,
I.Abt. 1. und 2.Bttr.
47323 (1.3.1942) Stab I, Stabs- u.1.-2. Batterie Geb-Arti-Reg SS-Frei-Gebirgs-Div Prinz Eugen,
II.Abt. , 3. und 4.Bttr.
47537( 1.3.1942) Stab II, Stabs- u. 3.-4. Batt. Gebirgs-Art-Regi SS-Frei-Gebirgs-Div Prinz Eugen,
III.Abt.  5.-7.Bttr.
47819 (1.3.1942) Stab III, Stabs- u. 5.-7. Batterie Geb-Arti-Reg SS-Frei-Gebirgs-Div P.Eugen,
IV.Abt.  8.-10.Bttr.
18200 (15.7.1942) Stab IV u. 8.-10.Batterie Gebirgs-Art-Reg-SS-Freiwil.-Gebirgs-Div Prinz Eugen.
48673 (2.1.1940-11.3.1943) Kolonne Gebirgs-Artill-Reg SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Div Prinz Eugen

Radfahr-Btl.
41781 (12.3.1943) Stab u. 1.-3. Schwadron SS-Radfahr-Bataillon (Prinz Eugen)/Aufklarungs

Kavallerie-Schwadronen
40878 (1.3.1942) 1. Reiter-Schwadron Kavallerie-Abteilung SS-Freiwilligen-Geb-Div Prinz Eugen,
42992 (1.3.1942) 2. Reiter-Schwadron Kavallerie-Abteilung SS-Frei.-Gebirgs-Div. Prinz Eugen,

Panzer-Kp.
42659 (1.3.1942) 1. Kompanie Panzer-Abteilung SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen,

Pionier-Btl.
44516   1.3.1942-7.9.1942) Stab, 1.-2. Kompanie Seilbahn-Kommando, Pionier-Maschinen-Zug,leichte Kolonne und Werkstatt-Zug Pionier-Bataillon SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Divi. Prinz Eugen,(8.9.1943-22.4.1944) 11.12.1943 Stab u. Einheit Pionier-Bataillon 7 (7. SS-Division).
57116(12.3.1943-7.9.1943) 3. Kompanie SS-Pionier-Bataillon (Prinz Eugen)
44985 (1.3.1942) Brücken-Kolonne Pionier-Bataillon SS-Freiwill.-Gebirgs-Div Prinz Eugen,

Nachrichten-Abt .
43733 Stab, 1.-2. Komp.u. leichte Kolonne Nachrichten-Abteilung SS-Freiw-Geb-Div Prinz Eugen

Feldgendarmeriezug
42896 (1.3.1942) Feldgendarmerie-Trupp 1 SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen,
43059 (1.3.1942) Feldgendarmerie-Trupp 2 SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen,

Div.-Nachschub
34688 (12.3.1943-7.9.1943) Nachschub-Kompanie SS-Freiwilligen-Division Prinz Eugen
45900  Stab Divisions-Nachschub-Führer SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen
58012 (12.3.1943) 1. Fahrkolonne SS-Divisions-Nachschub-Trupp (Prinz Eugen), 8.3.1944 gestr.
44814 (1.3.1942) 3. Fahrkolonne SS-Frei-Gebirgs-DivKolonne Prinz Eugen / Nachschub Trupp.
44963  (1.3.1942) 4. Fahrkolonne SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Divisions-Kolonne Prinz Eugen,
45975  6. Fahrkolonne SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Divisions-Kolonne Prinz Eugen,
44497 (12.3.1943-7.9.1943) 7. Fahrkolonne SS-Divisions-Nachschub-Trupp (Prinz Eugen),
44532 (1.3.1942) 8. Fahrkolonne SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Divisions-Kolonne Prinz Eugen,
45571  11. Fahrkolonne SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Kolonne Prinz Eugen,
57118 (12.3.1943-7.9.1943) II. Gebirgs-Fahrkolonne SS-Div-Nachschub-Trupp (Prinz Eugen), 08.03.1944 gestrichen
59879 (12.3.1943-7.9.1943) III. Gebirgs-Fahrkolonne SS-Divisions-Nachschub-Trupp (Prinz Eugen), 8.3.1944 gestrichen.
56269 (2.1.1940-11.3.1943) 8. kleine Kraftwagen-Kolonne fur Betriebsstoff SS-Divisions- Nachschub-Trupp (Prinz Eugen) 08.03.1944 gestr.
46286 (12.3.1943)13. kleine Kraftwagen-Kolone f. Betriebsstoff SS-Div-Nachschub,Trupp(Prinz.E)
43055  3. kleine Kraftwagen-Kolonne SS-Fre-Gebirgs-Div.-Kolonne Prinz Eugen 08.03.1944 gest.
43463 (1.3.1942) 4. kleine Kraftwagen-Kolonne/ 1 Fahrkolonne SS-Frei.-Gebirgs-Divisions-Kolonne Prinz Eugen,
43601 (1.3.1942) 5 .kleine Kraftwagen-Kolonne/ 2 Fahrkolonne SS-Frei-Gebirgs-Div-Kolonne Prinz Eugen
43927 ( 1.3.1942) 6. kleine Kraftwagen-Kolonne/ grosse SS-Frei-Gebirgs-Div-Kolonne Prinz Eugen
42799(12.3.1943) 1. kleine Kraftwagen-Kolonne SS-Divisions-Nachschub-Trupp (Prinz Eugen),
42959(23.4.1944)  Kraftwagen-Werkstatt-Kompanie Nachschub-Trupp 7 (7. SS-Division),

Flak-Abt.
31999 (8.9.1942-11.3.1943) Stab Flak-Abteilung SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen
27456 (31.7.1942) Kolonne Flak-Abteilung SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen,
30067 (31.7.1942) 1. Batterie Flak-Abteilung SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen,
29136 (31.7.1942) 2. Batterie Flak-Abteilung SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen,
28757( 31.7.1942) 3. Batterie Flak-Abteilung SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen,

Wirtschafts-Btl.
46649 (1.3.1942-7.9.1942) Bäckerei-Kompanie SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen,
46711 (1.3.1942-7.9.1942) Schlächterei-Kompanie SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen
46934 (1.3.1942-7.9.1942) Verpflegungsamt SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen

Werkstatt-Kp.
33262 (12.3.1943-7.9.1943) Waffen-Werkstatt-Kompanie SS-Freiwilligen-Division Prinz Eugen
43046 (1.3.1942) Werkstatt-Zug Panzer-Abteilung SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen

Sanitäts-Abt.
56292(2.1.1940-11.3.1943) Stab Lazarett-Abteilung (Prinz Eugen),
47022 (1.3.1942) Feldlazarett SS-Frei-Gebirgs-Div.  Prinz Euge gestrichen 11.03.1943
47199(1.3.1942) 1. Gebirgs-Sanitäts-Kompanie SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen
47246 (1.3.1942-7.9.1942) Kranken-Karren-Zug SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen, dann  15.2.1944 Stab Sanitäts-Abteilung 7
46058 (1.3.1942-7.9.1942) Kranken-Kraftwagen-Zug SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Div. Prinz Eugen,
47358 (1.3.1942) 1. Kranken-Kraftwagen-Zug SS-Fre-Gebi-Div Prinz Eugen/Sanitäts-Abteilung 7
47444 (1.3.1942) 2. Kranken-Kraftwagen-Zug SS-Fre-Gebi-Div Prinz Eugen/Sanitäts-Abteilung 7
43412 (8.9.1943-22.4.1944) 14.12.1943 Feldlabor SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen.

Veterinär-Abt.
45858 Veterinär-Park SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen,
45792  1. Gebirgs-Veterinär-Kompanie SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen,
56260(?) SS-Pferde-Depot SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen, (8.9.1943-22.4.1944) 15.2.1944 Pferde-Depot 7 (7. SS-Division)

Gebirgs-Panzerjäger-Abteilung
26941 (31.7.1942) Stab Panzerjäger-Abteilung SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen
16538 15.7.1942 1. Kompanie Panzerjäger-Abteilung SS-Frei.-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen
25613(31.7.1942) 2. Kompanie Panzerjäger-Abteilung SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Div. Prinz Eugen
24286 (31.7.1942) 3. Kompanie Panzerjäger-Abteilung SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Div Prinz Eugen

Panzer-Aufklärungs-Zug
14129 (1.8.1943-23.3.1944) SS-Panzer-Aufklärungs-Zug (Prinz Eugen) 27.4.1944 gestrichen.

Feldpostdienste
43726 (1.3.1942-7.9.1942) Feldpostamt SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen, Kenn 969
35914 (8.9.1942-11.3.1943) Feldpostprüfstelle d. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen

Kradschützen-Bataillon
48044  (2.1.1940)Stab u. 1.-3. Komp.Kradschützen-Bat.SS-Frei-Geb.Div. Prinz Eugen-ges.07.09.43

Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Aufklärungs-Abteilung
48940 (2.1.1940-11.3.1943) Stab u. 1.-4. Kompanie Aufklärungs-Abteilung SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen gest. 31.07.1944

Wehrgeologisches Bataillon
48362 (2.1.1940-11.3.1943) SS-Wehrgeologen-Kompan.SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Div Prinz Eugen,

Feldersatz-Bataillon 7
58587 (12.3.1943-7.9.1943) Stab u. 1.-5. Kompanie SS-Feldersatz-Bataillon (Prinz Eugen).
47188 (1.3.1942) Stab u. 1.-4. Kompanie SS-Geb.-Ersatz-Bataillon Prinz Eugen - 10.08.1944 gestr.