Totenkopf Tigers - English Edition

History of the Tiger Company of the 3.SS-Panzer-Division Totenkopf. The Totenkopf company used the Tiger I exclusively, never being issued the Tiger II. Totenkopf Tigers participated in the retaking of Kharkov in early 1943, Operation Zitadelle in July and at the Mius in late July and August. The division withdrew behind the Dniepr at the end of September and fought at Ingulez at end of October and Kirovograd in January 1944. After operations in Romania Totenkopf was transferred to Poland, where it fought near Grodno and was part of the whirlwind battle east of Warsaw. Totenkopf company was then transferred with its division to Hungary, where it participated in the three offensives to relieve Budapest. It then withdrew through Hungary and Austria, losing its remaining tanks along the way in bitter defensive fighting. Its men then fought as infantry armed with panzerfausts. It surrendered with its division to the Americans on May 8, 1945. Its men were then handed over to the Russians, many of whom did not return to Germany until 10 years later. Of the more than 500 men who served in this unit, approximately half were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. The company was almost in continuous battle for two and a half years, all of it on the Eastern Front.