11th Army (Wehrmacht) - October 1944 To April 1945

October 1944 To April 1945

The 11th SS Panzer Army (SS panzer-Armeeoberkommando 11. ), was not much more than a paper formation formed between November 1944 and February 1945 by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler while he was commander of Army Group Vistula.

The military historian Antony Beevor, wrote that, when the 11th SS Panzer Army was created, the available units could constitute a corps at best, "'But panzer army' observed Eismann 'has a better ring to it'". It also allowed Himmler to promote SS officers to senior staff and field commands within the formation. Obergruppenführer Felix Steiner, probably the best SS officer available, was named its commander. The formation was officially listed as the 11th Army but it was also known as SS Panzer-Armeeoberkommando 11. and is often referred to in English as the 11th SS Panzer Army.

After fighting east of the Oder River during February 1945, the 11th was assigned to OB West, reorganized, and given command of new units, for combat against the Western Allies in March 1945. After defending the Weser River and the Harz mountains, the 11th surrendered to them on April 21.

Army Detachment Steiner fought in the Battle of Berlin; because Steiner commanded that paper army, it can easily be confused with the Eleventh SS Panzer Army.