List of German brigades in World War II

This is a list of German brigades in World War II. The list aims to include all brigade-level military formations of the German Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS during World War II.

Brigades, in German army parlance prior to 1944, generally designated formations of two regiments from the same branch of arms. For instance, contained the Panzer Regiments 3 and 4. The usage of the term shifted in the army after 30 May 1944, when it was redefined to apply to singular strengthened regiments.

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Infantry brigades The number of infantry brigades increased notably after 30 May 1944, when the previously-accepted meaning of brigade, group of two regiments of the same branch, was changed to instead designate a singular strengthened regiment. In such a fashion, the Grenadier Regiments 193, 308 and 503 in Finland became Grenadier Brigades. Grenadier Brigade 761 was an emergency formation formed from Finland veterans in Danzig in July 1944, and the Grenadier Brigades 1131 through 1136 were rapidly raised in various military districts in late July 1944, to be used as autonomous military formations. +List of Wehrmacht infantry brigadesGerman nameTranslated nameNotesAfrika-Brigade 999Formed on 6 October 1942 on Heuberg Training Area as a penal unit. It consisted of convicted political prisoners and violent criminals pressed into military service. Initially consisted of Afrika Riflemen Regiments 691 and 962 as well as the Signals Company 999. Upgraded to divisional status on 2 February 1943 (999th Division).Brigade 1005Active in the Upper Rhine area between 7 January and 8 April 1945. Staffed at times by customs officers and Volkssturm units as well as by the staff of Grenadier Regiment 726 of 716th Infantry Division. Dissolved on 8 April 1945, along with Brigade Baur, and used in the redeployment of 89th Infantry Division. Known initially as Brigade Hübner (see below).Brigade BaurFormed in February 1945 in the Upper Rhine area with two grenadier regiments. Dissolved on 8 April 1945, along with Brigade 1005, and used in the redeployment of 89th Infantry Division.Brigade HübnerFormed in January 1945 from the staff of Reserve Grenadier Regiment 28 in German-occupied southwestern France; became Brigade 1005 (see above) almost immediately.Brigade LötzenFormed on 16 August 1939 from Landwehr formations in the Lötzen area in East Prussia for defensive purposes. Under command of 3rd Army during the Invasion of Poland, as part of Corps Brand. Participated in the Battle of Lomza by contributing the Landwehr Infantry Regiment 162 to the German attack on 10 September. Dissolved on 1 November 1939 and subsequently integrated into the 311th Infantry Division, along with the other elements of its ad-hoc formation.Brigade z.b.V. 100Formed in February 1945 in Lusatia from parts of Group Berger. Likely contained elements of Volksgrenadier Regiments 94 and 97 as well as Anti-Tank Company 100.Grenadier Brigade (motorized) 92After 11 January 1945: Panzergrenadier Brigade 92 (), formed on 5 June 1944 from Grenadier Regiment (mot.) 92, which in turn had been formed on 2 May 1943 from forces of Sonderverband 287 (Free Arabian Legion). Spent most of the war under Army Group F in German-occupied Yugoslavia.Grenadier Brigade 193Formed by decree of 30 May 1944 from Grenadier Regiment 193, which as Infantry Regiment 193 had previously served with 16th Infantry Division. Later used as part of 69th Infantry Division in German-occupied Norway.Grenadier Brigade 388Formed on 30 May 1944 from the Reinforced Grenadier Regiment 388 (15 October 1942 redesignation of Grenadier Regiment 388 of 214th Infantry Division). Part of 20th Mountain Army. Participated in the German defense against the Sovet Petsamo–Kirkenes offensive as part of the 6th Mountain Division.Grenadier Brigade 503Formed in June 1944 from Luftwaffe Field Regiment 503. Part of 20th Mountain Army.Grenadier Brigade (static) 761Sent to the Eastern Front in response to Operation Bagration; arrival on 7 July 1944 in Vilnius without heavy weapons or proper brigade-level equipment. Failed to keep Vilnius air port secure long enough to enable 16th Parachute Regiment to fully land in Vilnius. Part of Korps-Abteilung D. Dissolved on 10 September 1944 and remnant parts integrated into 56th Division as Grenadier Regiment 234.Grenadier Brigade (motorized) 1027Redesignation of Grenadier Regiment (mot.) 1027 on 30 May 1944. Dissolved on 1 July 1944 and integrated in Panzergrenadier Regiments 9 and 67 of 26th Panzer Division.Grenadier Brigade 1131Formed on 27 July 1944 as a valkyrie unit, eventually integrated into the 542nd Grenadier Division around November 1944.Grenadier Brigade 1132Formed on 28 July 1944 as a valkyrie unit, integrated on 22 September 1944 into Grenadier Regiment 130 as staff and 1st Battalion.Grenadier Brigade 1133Formed on 24 July 1944 as a valkyrie unit, integrated on 18 August 1944 into the 88th Infantry Division.Grenadier Brigade 1134Formed on 26 July 1944 as a valkyrie unit. Reduced on 1 September 1944 into Combat Battalion 1134 () as a result of casualties; grouped under 359th Infantry Division. Dissolved on 18 September 1944.Grenadier Brigade 1135Formed on 27 July 1944 as a valkyrie unit. Dissolved on 28 August 1944 and integrated into 291st Infantry Division.Grenadier Brigade 1136Initially designated Gebirgsjäger Regiment 36. Formed on 27 July 1944 as a valkyrie unit. Dissolved on 14 September 1944. Remnants initially intended for 544th Volksgrenadier Division, but then used to form Division Fusilier Battalion 545 instead.Grenadier Training BrigadeFormed on 4 June 1944 from Infantry Training Regiment () of Army Group C, intended first to become part of 98th Infantry Division as Grenadier Training Brigade 290 on 19 September and then to become part of 44th Infantry Division as Grenadier Regiment 131 on 17 October, but was instead integrated into 98th Infantry Division as Grenadier Training Regiment 117 (organizationally absorbing the previous 117th Regiment, which did not carry the "Lehr" designation) on 18 October 1944.Infantry Brigade 599 (Russian)Formed in German-occupied Denmark. Part of the RLA ("Vlasov Army"). Spent the end of the war as parts of Division z.b.V. 614 and Regiment 1604.Croatian Training BrigadeFormed on 20 April 1943 in Stockerau (Wehrkreis XVII) from the Croatian Training Regiment 369 (see also: 369th (Croatian) Infantry Division) with a total of 21 companies, including an officer training company, an infantry signals company, a German wounded soldiers recovery company, and two bicycle training companies. Also included an artillery training detachment and a mixed training detachment. Still in Stockerau in 1944, when it also included the Croatian-French-Arab Special Company Döllersheim.Training Brigade (motorized) 900Formed on 17 June 1941 by Döberitz Infantry School, staffed with a motorized infantry regiment (no. 900), as well as a Panzerjäger detachment, an artillery detachment, a pioneer battalion, a signals detachment and supply units, each designated with the ordinal number 900. Dissolved on 7 April 1942; staff reintegrated into Döberitz Infantry School.Machine Gun Ski Brigade FinlandFormed in July 1944 in Finland to serve as joint command for the Machine Gun Battalions 4, 13, and 14, all deployed in Finland.Ski Jäger Brigade 1Formed in September 1943 under Army Group Centre from six separate Jäger battalions under command of the army group. Consisted of two Ski Jäger Regiments (no. 1&2) and a heavy ski battalion (no. 1). Fought between February and May 1944 as part of 2nd Army, first under XXIII Corps and then under LVI Corps. Expanded on 2 June 1944 into 1st Ski Division.

Assault brigades +List of Wehrmacht assault brigadesGerman nameTranslated nameNotesAssault Brigade XIStaff formed on 2 March 1943 in Wehrkreis XI; later used on 12 May 1943 to form the Division Sardinia on Sardinia (used on 6 July 1943 to form 90th Panzergrenadier Division).Assault Brigade RhodesFormed in March 1943 from those elements of 22nd Infantry Division that had been previously transferred from Crete to Rhodes. Initially contained four companies that were initially from Infantry Regiments 16 and 65 (2./16, 3./16, 8./65, 11./65), as well as an anti-tank company. Subsequently formed Grenadier Regiment Rhodes () in June 1943 as part of Assault Division Rhodes (formed 31 May 1943); the regiment was eventually destroyed near Belgrade in October 1944 and its remnants absorbed into Panzergrenadier Division Brandenburg.

Gebirgsjäger brigades +List of Wehrmacht Gebirgsjäger brigadesGerman nameTranslated nameNotesMountain Brigade 139Redesignation (5 June 1944) of Mountain Regiment 139 (), which had been formed in August 1938 from Austrian formations. Placed under supervision of Division z.b.V. 140 in late 1944. Carried the designation "Generaloberst Dietl" in 1945. Saw service in the Lapland War in late 1944.

Fortress brigades +List of Wehrmacht fortress brigadesGerman nameTranslated nameNotesFortress Brigade 135Staff formed in April 1944 and placed in command of the three fortress battalions on occupied Corsica (no. 905, 906, 907) and the two fortress battalions on occupied Elba (no. 902, 908). Placed under command of Army Liguria in 1945. Commanded by Kurt Almers. Alternatively known as .Fortress Brigade 9634 July 1944 redesignation of Fortress Infantry Regiment 963 (formerly Afrika Riflemen Regiment 963), deployed to occupied Lemnos. Placed in charge of III through V fortress infantry battalions of the 999th.Fortress Brigade 9644 July 1944 redesignation of Fortress Infantry Regiment 964. Placed under XXII Corps in Army Group E. Deployed first to Lefkos island, then from Sept. 1944 in Albania, 1945 in Croatia.Fortress Brigade 9664 July 1944 redesignation of Fortress Infantry Regiment 966 (leadership unit for fortress infantry battalions VII through XI of 999th Division). Placed under XXII Corps and deployed to Cephalonia, later in Serbia. 1945 in Croatia.Fortress Brigade 9674 July 1944 redesignation of Fortress Infantry Regiment 967 (leadership unit for fortress infantry battalions X through XIII of 999th Division). Initially deployed to Kos island, then to Athens and eventually to Salonika. 1945 in Brod, Croatia.Fortress Brigade 9684 July 1944 redesignation of Fortress Infantry Regiment 968 (leadership unit for fortress infantry battalions XIV through XVII of 999th Division). Initially deployed to Leros island.Fortress Brigade 9694 July 1944 redesignation of Fortress Infantry Regiment 969 (subordinate unit of Replacement Brigade 999 (see replacement brigades)) Initially deployed at Larissa.Fortress Brigade 10174 July 1944 redesignation of Fortress Brigade Corfu (see below). Redeployed from Corfu in September 1944 to Albania, 1945 to Croatia.Fortress Brigade AlmersAlternative name for Fortress Brigade 135 (see above).1st Fortress Brigade CreteFormed on 15 January 1942 from staff personnel of 713th Infantry Division with elements of Infantry Regiment 746 and Landesschützen Battalions 832 through 834. Redesignated "German Railway Security Staff Croatia" () on 23 November 1942.2nd Fortress Brigade CreteFormed on 10 February 1942 in Dresden. Redesignated "Fortress Brigade Crete" (; without ordinal number) on 20 July 1942. Equipped with Panzer Detachment Crete (from 5th Detachment, Panzer Regiment 31; later became Panzer Detachment 212), as well as Fortress Infantry Regiment 746 and Fortress Battalions 621, 622, and 623. Strengthened on 9 September 1942 by elements of Fortress Division Crete (164th Infantry Division). Redesignated 133rd Fortress Division on 2 February 1944.Fortress Brigade Corfu13 June 1944 redesignation of Fortress Infantry Regiment 1017. Placed under command of XXII Corps. Redesignated Fortress Brigade 1017 on 4 July 1944.Fortress Brigade LofotenFormed in November 1944 to guard the Lofoten archipelago in occupied Norway. At times under LXXI Army Corps and Army Detachment Narvik, both under 20th Mountain Army.