The Hermann Göring Division (Division Hermann Göring in German; sometimes spelled Goering in English publications, or abbreviated to HG) was a Luftwaffe combat formation. It was named after Hermann Göring, first in his role as Minister of the Interior and later in his role as Reichsmarshall of the Luftwaffe. As Göring's private army the unit was lavishly equipped throughout its life, growing from a battalion-sized police detachment to a Panzer Corps under his tutelage.
The HG Division fought as an elite unit in Sicily and Italy between July 1943 to May 1944. Later it fought on the Russian Front, was evacuated by sea to Germany, and finally fell into Soviet hands near Dresden after failing to escape to the west in the final collapse.
Organizational history:
- 1933 Formed as Special Police Detachment Wecke, Polizeiabteilung z.b.V. Wecke
- 1933 Redesignated as Special State Police Group Wecke, Landespolizeigruppe Wecke z.b.V
- 1933 Redesignated as State Police Group General Göring, Landespolizeigruppe General Göring
- 1935 Redesignated as General Göring Regiment, Regiment General Göring
- 1935 Transferred from the Landespolizei to the Luftwaffe
- 1942 Upgraded to Herman Goering Brigade, Brigade Hermann Göring
- 1942 Upgraded to Herman Goering Division, Division Hermann Göring
- 1943 Reorganized as Herman Göring Panzer Division, Panzer-Division Hermann Göring
- 1944 Split to form the Hermann Göring Parachute Panzer Corps, Fallschirm-Panzerkorps Hermann Göring
- 1st Hermann Göring Parachute Panzer Division, Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1. Hermann Göring
- 2nd Hermann Göring Parachute Panzergrenadier Division, Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier-Division 2. Hermann Göring
- 1945 Surrendered to the Soviet Army nere Dresden.
Before the beginning of World War II elements of of the General Göring Regiment were split off as a seed for the original Fallschrimjäger units.
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