1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler - Italy

Italy

The division travelled back to Innsbruck, Austria, where they were re-equipped with vehicles. They continued across the Alps and into Northern Italy. The division arrived on the Po River Plain on 8 August 1943.

The Leibstandarte was given the task of guarding several vital road and rail junctions in the area of Trento-Verona. After several weeks, the division was moved to the Parma-Reggio area. During this period, the Leibstandarte was involved in several skirmishes with partisans. With the Italian collapse of 8 September 1943, the division was ordered to begin disarming nearby Italian units. This went smoothly, with the exception of brief, bloody fights with Italian troops stationed in Parma, Cremona and Piacenza on 9 September. By 19 September, all Italian forces in the Po River Plain had been disarmed, but OKW was concerned by reports that elements of the Italian Fourth Army were regrouping in Piedmont, near the French border. Sturmbannführer Peiper's mechanised III/2nd SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment was sent to disarm these units. Upon arriving in the Province of Cuneo, Peiper was met by an Italian officer who warned that his forces would attack unless Peiper's unit immediately vacated the province. After Peiper refused, the Italians forces attacked. Peiper's battalion defeated the Italians, and later shelled and burnt down the village of Boves killing 34 civilians. The soldiers then proceeded to disarm the remaining Italian forces in the area.

Following the disintegration and capitulation of Italy, the activities of partisan groups increased all across the area. Further, soldiers from the Leibstandarte murdered 49 Jewish refugees near Lake Maggiore, who had fled there after the German takeover. The murders happened between 15 and 24 September. Some of the victims had their feet and hands tied and were drowned.

The Leibstandarte was sent to the Istria Peninsula and was engaged in several major anti-partisan operations. During its period in Italy, the Leibstandarte was reformed as a full panzer division, and redesignated 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. In early November, the deteriorating situation in the east meant that the division was ordered back to the Eastern Front, arriving in the Zhitomir area in mid November.