17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen

17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
Insignia of 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
Active	1943–45
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Waffen-SS
Type	Panzergrenadier
Size	Division
Nickname(s)	LMAA
Engagements	Allied Invasion of Normandy Battle of Metz Allied Operation Nordwind Battle of Heilbronn Battle for Castle Itter
Commanders
Notable commanders	Werner Ostendorff

The 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen was a German Waffen-SS division that saw action on the Western Front during World War II.

The division was raised near Poitiers, France as the Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Götz von Berlichingen" in October 1943. It was formed from scratch, with the majority of its original cadre coming from replacement units and conscripts, many of whom were Romanian Germans and French volunteers. The division was granted the honour-title Götz von Berlichingen. Obersturmbannführer Otto Binge oversaw the formation of the division, with the newly promoted Brigadeführer Werner Ostendorff taking command in January 1944. The Götz von Berlichingen was placed under the LXXX Army Corps, a part of Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt's Heeresgruppe D.

As part of a plan to number all named SS divisions in early 1944, the division was re-titled the 17th SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Götz von Berlichingen". In February 1944, the division still lacked vehicles. During the same year, on the orders of LXXX Army Corps, the division began to round up French vehicles in an attempt to complete its mobilization. By March, most of the major combat formations were fully motorised, although two of the six infantry battalions were still on bicycles. On 1 June, the Götz von Berlichingen found itself at Thouars in France, with no tanks (although the crews were fully equipped with 42 Sturmgeschütz IV assault guns), only a few months' training, and below strength in officers and NCOs.

After the Allied invasion of June 6, 1944, the Götz von Berlichingen was ordered to Normandy to take part in the efforts to reduce the Allied beachhead. On June 10 the Division made contact with 182 paratroopers of the 3rd Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division, and B Company, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division, at the village of Graignes. This small group of paratroopers had been dropped mistakenly by the U.S. 9th Army Air Force Troop Carrier Command and had decided to try and hold their positions. The ensuing battle, and the criminal execution of wounded paratroopers and French civilians by the "Götz von Berlichingen", has since been known as the Battle of Graignes. On June 11 the reconnaissance battalion engaged in combat near the town of Carentan with the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division.