Siege of Budapest
In late December 1944, the Axis forces, including IX Waffen Mountain Corps of the SS (Croatian), defending Budapest, were encircled in the Siege of Budapest. The IV SS Panzer Corps (3 SS "Totenkopf" and 5 SS "Wiking") was ordered south to join Hermann Balck's 6th Army (Army Group "Balck"), which was mustering for a relief effort code named Operation Konrad.