The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH) was founded in September 1933 as Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard formation. It was given the title Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (LAH) in November, 1933.[1] On 13 April 1934, by order of Himmler, the regiment became known as the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH).[1] In 1939 the LSSAH became a separate unit of the Waffen-SS aside the SS-TV and the SS-VT.[2]
The LSSAH independently participated in combat during the Invasion of Poland (1939). Elements of the LSSAH later joined the SS-VT prior to Operation Barbarossa in 1941 and by the end of World War II they had been increased in size from a Regiment to a Panzer Division.[3]
1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler - Normandy 1944
Panther tank as used by I /1st SS Panzer Battalion, LSSAHPanzer IV as used by II /1st SS Panzer Battalion,LSSAHSturmgesschutz (Assault gun) as used by 1st SS Assault Gun Battalion, LSSAH
^ a bCook, Stan & Bender, R. James. Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, R. James Bender Publishing, 1994, pp. 17, 19.
^Reynolds p. 6.
^Reynolds
^Reynolds p. 2.
^Reynolds p. 4.
^Reynolds, pp. 288 - 291.
Bibliography
Cook, Stan and Bender, Roger James. (1994). Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler: Uniforms, Organization, & History, San Jose, CA: R. James Bender Publishing. ISBN 978-0-912138-55-8.
Reynolds, Michael (1997). Steel Inferno: I SS Panzer Corps in Normandy, Spellmount. ISBN 1-873376-90-1.
External links
1.SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler at Feldgrau.com.
1. SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler at Axis History Factbook.
Leibstandarte "Adolf Hitler" - Waffen SS, miscellaneous photos and Information.
1.SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte the premier LAH reenacting unit.