Fritz Vogt and Fritz Darges in Front of Hegykastely Castle, January 1945

Image size: 1600 x 957 pixel. 260 KB
Date: Between Sunday, 7 January 1945, to Friday, 12 January 1945
Place: Hegykastely Castle, Bicske, Hungary
Photographer: Ernst Baumann

Officers from I.Abteilung/SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 "Wiking" and I.Bataillon/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 23 "Norge" posed together for the camera in front of the doorway of Hegykastely Castle, Hungary. Front row, from left to right: SS-Untersturmführer Werner Liebald (Chef Maschinengewehr-Kompanie/I.Bataillon/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 23 "Norge"); and SS-Sturmbannführer Fritz Vogt (Kommandeur I.Bataillon/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 23 "Norge"/11.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland). Back row, from left to right:  SS-Obersturmführer Ernst Kiefer (Chef 4.Kompanie/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 23 "Norge"); SS-Obersturmführer Helmut Bauer (Chef 3.Kompanie/SS-Panzer-regiment 5); SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve Willi Hein (Kommandeur I.Abteilung/SS-Panzer-Regiment 5); SS-Obersturmbannführer Fritz Darges (the "giant" standing in the middle, Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Regiment 5/5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"); unidentified Panzerkommandant from II.Abteilung/SS-Panzer-Regiment 5; SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl-Heinz Lichte (wearing leather jacket with cigarette in the lips, Chef 5.Kompanie/SS-Panzer-Regiment 5); and SS-Obersturmführer Hans Weerts (Chef 4.Kompanie/SS-Panzer-Regiment 5). This picture was taken between 7-12 January 1945 where the I./SS-Pz.Rgt 5 and I./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt 23 "Norge" was trapped together near the castle Hegykastely on the road between Many and Biscke in Hungary. I.Bataillon/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 23 "Norge" was the Spitzenbataillon in IV. SS-Panzer-Korps push against Budapest during operation Konrad I and became the unit who came closest to the city. They tried a night attack to enter Biscke with elements of I.Abteilung/SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 "Wiking" who failed in 7 January 1945, then they fortified themselves within the castle Heggy on three sides fighting off the Russian onslaught.

Source:

Doug Nash photo collection

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