Hobby Master Archive

Hitler’s last gamble was to try an all out offensive that would catch the Allies unprepared. Three German armies would attack the weakest part of the Allied defensive line, then split the Allied forces capturing 30 companies of soldiers and drive north to Antwerp. Hitler named the operation “Wacht am Rhein [Watch on the Rhine].” He had hoped by doing so there would be a negotiated peace. It seemed like all was going well until the Germans came to a small town called Bastogne. Here American GI’s stopped their advance and for several days, against great odds, they held on until reinforcements could reach them. Once the Allies were relieved Peipers forces came under attack and with his fuel and ammunition running out and several attempts to resupply him failed, he was forced to abandon his vehicles and retreat. Some records say about 75 vehicles, some say as many as 130 were left behind. Kampfgruppe Peiper consisted of Peiper’s own 1st SS Panzer Regiment, the III Abteilung of the 2nd SS Panzergrenadier Regiment and the sSSPzAbt 501 (with King Tigers). This Konigstiger (King Tiger) #213, commanded by “Oberst Helmut Dollinger”, belonged to schwere SS Panzer Abteilung (101) 501, which was part of Kampfgruppe Peiper during the German offensive in the Ardennes in the Winter of 1944. Today # 213 tank is preserved near La Gleize in Belgium as a tourist attraction as part of the December 1944 Historical Museum La Gleize.

The commander of sSSPzAbt 501 was Sturmbannfuhrer Heinz von Westernhagen. He was a great tactician and commander who had an unrelenting desire to do the best for his men. He was the main reason sSSPzAbt 501 became such a formidable force, so when orders came relieving him of command he shot himself March 20 1945. There never was an official reason given for replacing him at such a critical point in the war. Some say it was because he started to question continuing to fight on and the needless slaughter of his men when everyone knew the war was lost.