Creation and Service history
On September 28, 1944 the OKH ordered the creation of Panzer Corps Grossdeutschland. It was planned to contain enlarged corps troops and several panzer divisions; a unit that could be used as strong reserve for an army. To achieve this, parts of the Panzer-Grenadier-Division Großdeutschland were, while the division retained its status, used as base for the Generalkommando Panzerkorps Großdeutschland.
Units for the staff and the corps troops were:
Remnants of the (dissolved) 18th Artillery DivisionArtillerie-Division-Stab 18 (Division Staff)Divisions-Nachrichten-Abteilung 88 (Signals Battalion 88)Div.Nachschubtruppen 88 (Division Supply Troops 88)Remnants of the Generalkommando XIII. Army CorpsElements of the Panzer-Grenadier-Division GroßdeutschlandIII., Grenadier Regiment GroßdeutschlandElements of the Panzer-Grenadier-Division BrandenburgIII., Jäger(mot) Regiment 1 BrandenburgElements of the Wehrkreiskommando I (Military District I)Feldpostamt z.b.V. 605 (Field Post Office z.b.V. [for special purpose] 605)With the addition of the Panzer-Grenadier-Division Brandenburg the corps had its first structure with two active divisions. The first commander of the corps was General der Panzertruppe Dietrich von Saucken, the former commander of the XXXIX Panzer Corps.
Still in the forming phase during the looming of the Soviet Vistula–Oder Offensive the staff and the Brandenburg Division were ordered to Poland, while the Division Großdeutschland was detached to Eastern Prussia. Ultimately the corps never fought as a unified body, and during the retreat towards the west its composition steadily changed. When von Saucken was promoted to command the 2nd Army in February he was succeeded by General der Panzertruppe Georg Jauer, who commanded the corps's 20. Panzer-Grenadier-Division. Never surrendering at-large the corps was dismissed on war's end on May 8, 1945.
Heavy Panzer Battalion GroßdeutschlandCorps Fusilier Regiment GroßdeutschlandI. Fusilier (Bicycle) Btln.II. Fusilier (Bicycle) Btln.Regimental Support Company (mot)Panzer Field-Replacement Rgt. Großdeutschland44th Panzer Signals Battalion500th Artillery Brigade StaffObservation Battery (mot)500th Panzer Artillery Regiment (I. & II. Btln.)500th Pioneer Regimental Staff (mot)500th Panzer Pioneer Btln.500th Reconnaissance Company (half-track)500th Staff Escort Company500th Sound Ranging Platoon (mot)500th Mapping Detachment (mot)500th Military Police Detachment500th Supply Regiment (mot)Generalmajor Gerd-Paul von Below
Division Staff z.b.V. 615687th Pioneer Brigade3093rd Fortress Machine-Gun Btln.3094th Fortress Machine-Gun Btln.3095th Fortress Machine-Gun Btln.1485th Fortress Infantry Btln.Infantry Battalion z.b.V. 500Generalmajor Max Lemke
Division StaffFallschirm-Panzergrenadier Regiment 1 Hermann Göring (I. & II. Btln.)Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier Regiment 2 Hermann Göring (I. & II. Btln.)Fallschirm-Panzer Regiment Hermann Göring (I., II. & III. Btln.)Fallschirm-Panzer Artillery Regiment 1 Hermann Göring (I., II. & III. Btln.)Fallschirm-Panzer Fusilier Btln. 1 Hermann GöringFallschirm-Panzer Reconnaissance Btln. 1 Hermann GöringFallschirm-Panzer Pioneer Btln. 1 Hermann GöringFallschirm-Panzer Signals Btln. 1 Hermann GöringFallschirm-Panzer Field-Replacement Btln. 1 Hermann GöringMilitary Police DetachmentField Post Office 1 Hermann GöringSupply Detachment 1 Hermann GöringPanzer-Grenadier-Division Brandenburg
Generalmajor Hermann Schulte-Heuthaus
Division Staff BrandenburgJäger(mot) Regiment 1 Brandenburg (I. & II. Btln.)Jäger(mot) Regiment 2 Brandenburg (I. & II. Btln.)Panzer Regiment BrandenburgI. Panzer Btln. (detached)II. Panzer Btln.Tank Destroyer Btln. BrandenburgArmoured Artillery Regiment Brandenburg (I., II. & III. Btln.)Armoured Flak Artillery Btln. BrandenburgArmoured Reconnaissance Btln. BrandenburgPanzer Pioneer Btln. BrandenburgPanzer Signals Btln. BrandenburgField-Replacement Btln. BrandenburgSupply Regiment BrandenburgGeneralmajor Georg Scholze
Division Staff76th Panzer-Grenadier Regiment (I., II. & III. Btln.)90th Panzer-Grenadier Regiment (I., II. & III. Btln.)8th Panzer Btln.20th Artillery Regiment (I., II. & III. Btln.)284th/285th Flak Artillery Btln.120th Armoured Reconnaissance Btln.20th Anti-Tank Btln.20th Field-Replacement Btln.20th Armoured Signals Btln.20th Supply RegimentCommanders
General Dietrich von Saucken (1944 – February 11, 1945)General Georg Jauer (February 12, 1945 – May 8, 1945)