22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia
| 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 1943 - 1945 |
| Country |
 Nazi Germany
|
| Branch |
 Waffen SS
|
| Type | Cavalry |
| Size | Division |
The 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division was a German Waffen SS cavalry division which was active on the Eastern Front during the Second World War. The division was composed primarily of Hungarian Army Volksdeutsche conscripts who were transferred to the Waffen-SS following an agreement between Germany and Hungary. The division is commonly known under the Maria Theresia name in publications, although no documents have been found to confirm this name.
In December 1943, the 17th SS-Cavalry Regiment from the 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer was ordered to become the cadre for a new SS cavalry division. On 29 April 1944, the SS-Führungshauptamt authorised the division to be raised on basis of the 17th SS-Cavalry Regiment. The unit was sent to Kisbér in Hungary to begin forming the new division. While personnel from the Florian Geyer formed the nucleus of the division, the bulk of the troops were Hungarian Volksdeutsche (ethnic German) conscripts, transferred to the Waffen-SS following an agreement between Germany and Hungary.
The division was designated the 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia. The title referred to Maria Theresa, who had ruled Austria, Hungary and Bohemia in the 18th century. The symbol of the division, a cornflower, 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 named Maria Theresia.
Over the next months, the division continued its organization and training in Kisber, Győr and Budapest, equipped with mostly Hungarian weapons, vehicles and equipment. By June 1944, the divisional strength reached 4,900. In early August Ober Kommando der Heer (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 in Romania, while the 17th SS Volunteer Cavalry Regiment remained in Hungary to train the rest of the division.
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Wikipedia