Waffen-SS Horsemen:
SS-Hauptscharführer SS-Kavallerie Regiment 16 ,,Florian Geryer”:
The 22.SS-Kavallerie Division was named for the Franconian knight Florian Geyer, who was killed in battle during the German Peasants' War leading the rebelling Tauber Valley farmers in 1525. The two SS-Totenkopf-Reiter-Standartes were renamed the SS-Kavallerie Regiments in April 1941 and were included in a brigade-size Komandostab as part of the was formed under the 16. SS-Grenadier Divison ,,Reichsführer-SS”. Sent to Russia it acted as the security unit of the home front in the anti-partisan operations in Armee Group Mitte. The brigade was reformed into a division from June to August 1942 and campaigned in the area of Vjasma-Briansk-Rzev until December 1943 when it was withdrawn for rest and refitting in Croatia, where they also fought against the partisans.
The 17. SS-Cavalry Regiment became the cadre for the formation of the new 22. SS-Kavallerie Division “Florian Geyer” fought on the Southern Russian and Balkan fronts, in Hungary and Poland. From November 1944 to February 1945 the division was garrisoned in Budapest, where after conquering the town they fought the Red Army in street battles until the division was defeated.
The “Hascha”, probably an original Totenkopf-Reiter now commands a platoon of horsemen. He has transitioned into the mid-war SS-produced Feldbluse modeled on the Heer M43 version. His SS-Schirmmütz für Unteroffizer, worn not as a field cap, has not been subjected to the normal “crushing” often seen in infantry units, and is still standing tall with an internal spring.
His Reithosen or breeches have the seat lined with leather, serving the dual purpose of controlling wear and providing a “sticky” seat for aggressive riding.
The Feldbluse design incorporated the full button front aspect of army uniforms and has a button-in neckband used with the collarless undershirt. When in the field the Hauptscharführer may wear the iconic SS camouflaged pull-over smock and Stahlhelm cover, with possible matching SS cut camouflage Feldmütz.
Florian Geyer Division Officer:
SS-Unterscharführer 22 SS Friewilligen Kavallerie Division ,, Maria Theresa”:
Formation and training In December 1943 cadre from SS-Kavallerie Regiment 17 of ,,Florian Geyer” became the core of what would become SS-Kavallerie Division ,,Maria Theresa”. Raised from Hungarian Volksdeutsche conscripts transferred to the Waffen-SS by special agreement with Hungary. Named for Empress Maria Theresa who ruled Austria, Hungary and Bohemia in the 18th century the divisions tactical symbol was the Cornflower.
Into Action The division was equipped with mostly Hungarian weapons and equipment. In August the OKH ordered all divisions forming in Hungary to send troops to the front, for ,,Maria Theresa” this was the SS-Friewilligen Kavallerie Regiment 52. Assigned to Kampfgruppe Wiedemann which consisted of SS Volunteer Cavalry Regiment 52 with attached Artillerie, Flak u. Aufklärung. Kampfgruppe Wiedemann was transported to Romania and attached to the III Panzerkorps, in the area around Debrecen. Elements of the division went into the line on 30 September, forming a defensive ring around the city of Aradalong with the Hungaian 9th Infantry Division.
On 6 October, the Soviet forces opened a major offensive against Debrecen, outflanked and encircled and then split Kampfgruppe Wiedemann into two parts. The group nearest the the Harmas River were able to abandon all their equipment and swim to German lines on the other side. On 30 October the remaining 48 survivors, after a 200-mile trek across enemy territory, linked up with German forces at the town of Dunaföldvar south of Budapest.
Operation Panzerfaust In mid-October 1944 German OKW discovered that Admiral Horthy, the Regent of Hungary, was negotiating a surrender to the Soviets.. Hitler sent SS-Obersturmbannfüher Otto Skorzeny to deal with the problem. Skorzeny commandeered all available elements of the ,,Maria Theresa” to take part in Operation Panzerfaust which began at 0600 on 15 October. In little over half an hour, a German column led by four Tiger II tanks and a number of ,,Maria Theresa” men, stormed Buda Castle and forced Horthy to abdicate. Pro-German Arrow Cross leader Ferenc Szalasir replaced Horthy, negotiations were broken off and Hungary remained in the war.
The remaining divisional battle-ready units were assigned to the IX. SS-Gebirgskorps and deployed in Budapest in early November 1944 and took up defensive positions. There it was encircled along with the rest of the Axis troops in the Hungarian capital and destroyed. 170 survivors escaped destruction and along with those who had not been sent to Budapest, were used to form the SS-Freiw.-Kavallerie-Div.37 ,,Lützow with the remnants of the Flak units being transferred to SS-Friew.-PzrGren.-Div. 32 ,,30 Januar”.
SS-Unterscharführer, formerly of SS Kavallerie Division 8 ,,Florian Geyer", was part of the original training cadre. He wears the rare Feldbluse Model 1942. He has wears the Eisnerns Kreuz II. Klasse ribbon, front line award style as well as the Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen u. Verwundertenabzeichen in Schwartz. The Feldmütz für Unterführer is piped in the gold-gelb Waffenfarben.
