1943
In 1943 the Brigade came under the command of the LIX Corps in the 3rd Panzer Army. On 4 February they were located at Podluschje. They took part in Operation Kugelblitz (22 February to 8 March) attached to the 201st Sicherungs Division. Operation Kugelblitz was an anti Belarusian partisans sweep in the area of Witebsk Gorodok Gurki and Senniza Lake. They also took part in the followup Operation Donnerkeil (31 March to 2 April) the second operation was ordered by the 3rd Panzer Army.
In May 1943 the Brigade formed a cadre for the 3 Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade and on the 7 July it was sent to Borrissov on another anti partisan sweep against the many small partisan groups in the area. They participated in Operation Hermann (7 July) with various other units under the command of Generalmajor of Polizei von Gottberg.
On 1 August the Brigade took part in the evacuation of the area Jeremicze Starzyna Rudnja Kupinsk. This was an attempt to evacuate and deport the population in the area, so they could not join or assist the local partisan units, the evacuees would also be put to work for the German war industry.
They were again moved into the front line in September to reinforce the 25th Panzergrenadier Division, which was fighting in the Smolensk Gomel sector. Smolensk was abandoned on the 24 September and the Brigade reported that during the fighting they had lost 215 killed in action, 1172 wounded and 77 missing. They had however proved to be an effective front line unit and were mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 15 October.
On 12 November the Brigade units were re designated the former SS Infantry Regiment 8 and SS Infantry Regiment 10 now became known as the SS Grenadier Regiment 39 and SS Grenadier Regiment 40. To counter the Soviet offensive on the 10 November the Brigade formed SS Kampfgruppe Trabandt which came under the command of the 36th Infantry Division. They fought at the Rogatschew bridgehead until they were transferred to the bridgehead at Stassewka on 2 December.
In December the Brigade took part in Operation Nikolaus which started on the 20 December and formed the 9th Army's southern pincer group attacking towards the 2nd Army alongside the 16th Panzer Division, 258th Infantry Division, 134th Infantry Divisions and Cavalry Regiment Mitte. The counterattack filled the gap between the 2nd and 9th Army's which had been created by the Soviet push towards Bobruisk in November that year. The attack was succeeded and the gap was closed on 22 December.
At the end of December 1943 the Brigade was ordered to move to East Prussia. After they reached the troop training grounds Stablack near Königsberg they were reformed.
Read more about this topic: 1 SS Infantry Brigade