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The Infantry Regiment ''Großdeutschland'' ((ドイツ語:Infanterie-Regiment "Großdeutschland"); "Greater Germany" Infantry Regiment) was an élite German Army ceremonial and combat unit which saw action during World War II. Originally formed in 1921 it was known as the ''Wachregiment Berlin''. Renamed ''Infanterie-Regiment Großdeutschland'' in 1939 the regiment served in the campaigns in France and the Low Countries. It then served exclusively on the Eastern Front until the end of the war. It was destroyed near Pillau in May 1945. ''Großdeutschland'' is sometimes mistakenly perceived to be part of the Waffen-SS, whereas it was actually a unit of the regular German Army (''Heer''). In 1942 it was expanded into the Großdeutschland Division, the best-equipped division in the Wehrmacht, which received equipment before all other units, including some Waffen-SS units; however it remained a regiment within the division and was renamed to ''Grenadier-Regiment Großdeutschland''. It received its final name, ''Panzergrenadier-Regiment Großdeutschland'', in 1943. == Creation and early history - ''Wachregiment Berlin'' == After the Treaty of Versailles, Germany's ground forces (the ''Reichswehr''), was limited to just 100,000 men. The Weimar Republic was far from secure. Veterans were forming private groups with their own political agendas (see Freikorps). Communist and Fascist groups battled in the streets, and the threat of political overthrow was to be taken seriously. To offset the threat of revolution, the ''Wachregiment Berlin'' was founded in early 1921. Besides defending the fledgling republic, the ''Wachregiment'' was used for ceremonial and representative duties such as parades and guard duties in the capital. The ''Wachregiment'' was short-lived, and was disbanded in June 1921. However, the unit was soon reformed as ''Kommando der Wachtruppe'' (lit. Guard Troop Command), a unit with the same duties as the ''Wachregiment''. The ''Wachtruppe'' comprised seven companies, each drawn from one of the seven divisions permitted Germany by the treaty. Each company served for three months before returning to their parent division. In this way, the ''Wachtruppe'' represented the whole ''Reichswehr''. The ''Kommando'' was based at Moabit Barracks, and every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, performed a changing of the guard ceremony for the public. This ceremony was quite modest, but on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursdays the entire ''Wachtruppe'', accompanied by the regimental band, marched from the barracks through the Brandenburg Gate and to the War Memorial at the Neue Wache, similar to the changing of the Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace. The ''Wachtruppe'' was left in place by the NSDAP leadership after Adolf Hitler's appointment as Chancellor in 1933. In 1934, the unit was renamed ''Wachtruppe Berlin'' and in 1936 the addition of a headquarters and administration company raised the unit size to eight companies. In June 1937, the unit was again renamed, this time to ''Wach Regiment Berlin''. The recruitment system was reworked, with postings no longer on divisional lines, but instead individual soldiers were posted to the unit for 6-month tours of duty. A supply company was also added to the Regiment's order of battle. In World War I, Germany had been more of a political concept than a nation, and most divisions were still named for their region (e.g. Saxon, Prussian, Bavarian, Baden etc.). Under the NSDAP, the country had been finally united as a true ''Deutschland'', but this was only a part of the Party's plans for a Greater Germany, encompassing all Germanic peoples under one banner, and with its capital in Berlin, to be renamed ''Germania'' it was to become a ''Großdeutschland''. The ''Wach Regiment Berlin'' provided escorts and guards of honour for state visits, conferences and even the Olympic Games. Despite the fact that Hitler's personal security was in the hands of the SS ''Leibstandarte'', on the outbreak of World War II a small detachment was drawn from the ''Wach Regiment'' to become Hitler's official state bodyguard. This unit was called the ''Führer Begleit'' ("Führer Escort") battalion, and was to eventually be expanded to divisional size (see ''Führer-Begleit Division''). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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