Führer Begleit Brigade The Führerbegleitbrigade ( FBB : Führer escort brigade ) was a German armoured brigade and later armoured division ( Panzer - Führerbegleitdivision ) , in World War II . It was formed in November 1944 and destroyed in April 1945 . The original Führerbegleitbattalion ( FBB ) , 1939 – 1940 . Before the 1 September 1939 attack on Poland , Adolf Hitler ' s personal bodyguard unit came from two distinct , independent units based in Berlin : the Chancellery Guards , assigned for the purpose by the army , and the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler ( " SS bodyguard regiment ' Adolf Hitler ' , " often abbreviated to LSSAH ) , which replaced the Chancellery Guards . When hostilities started , Hitler ordered the LSSAH to participate in the campaign against Poland , leaving him with no personal bodyguard unit ( except for a small formation from the Leibstandarte ) keep in Berlin . At the time , a brilliant infantry instructor , Oberst ( Colonel ) Erwin Rommel , came to Hitler ' s attention . Impressed by Rommel ' s book on infantry tactics and holding him in high regard , Hitler put Rommel in charge of a new battalion being organized to function as his personal escort to the front in the absence of the Leibstandarte and other appropriate frontline units . This led to the formation of the Führerbegleitbattalion ( FBB ) . By the time of the invasion of France and the Low Countries , Rommel was promoted to major general , and he left the FBB to take command of the army ' s 7th Panzer Division . The FBB started accompanying Hitler on his battlefield tours following the Battle of France . The Führerbegleitabteilung , Panzergrenadierdivision " Großdeutschland " . With the expansion of the elite Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland into a division on 3 March 1942 , the number of subunits under its control was expanded . Among these subunits was a new Führerbegleit - unit , as well as another unit with " Führer " in its name , the Führergrenadierabteilung . . Although the new Führerbegleit - unit had practically the same purpose as the original and still - existing Führerbegleitbattalion , and was approximately the same size , it was different from the FBB in that it was motorized . The newer unit was further distinguished by nomenclature : it was known as the Führerbegleit " abteilung " ( FBA : Führer escort detachment ) . This is because battalion - sized Wehrmacht ( and even Waffen - SS ) ground units were designated according to class , with " Abteilung " for motorized , mechanized , armoured , or self - propelled battalion - sized units controlled by a battalion headquarters , and " Battalion " for infantry units . As a result of its transfer to the Großdeutschland ( GD ) division , the detachment — by now incorporating a heavy battery from Flak - Regiment " Hermann Göring " , First Paratroop Panzer Division Hermann Göring — was moved to the eastern front , with headquarters in Hitler ' s Wolfschanze . Parts of the GD were used to build out the FBA until it eventually served as GD ' s replacement and reserve battalion . The FBA saw action along with the rest of Panzer - Grenadier - Division Großdeutschland in its campaigns on the eastern front . Although not permanently attached to the division and composed mainly of an " ad hoc " collections of several units , the FBA and its successors would retain the traditional Fritz - style helmet insignia of its parent division , and when sub - units of the Großdeutschland division were being expanded to bring GD to corps strength ( Panzerkorps Großdeutschland ) , the FBA was enhanced to brigade strength as well . While the FBA was being refitted for service on the eastern front , Hitler ordered it to head west , along with most of its vehicles and personnel , to prepare for the Ardennes counter - offensive , for which it would be expanded to a brigade . Führerbegleitbrigade . Radically upgraded for the Ardennes Offensive ( " Operation Wacht am Rhein " ) to provide General der Panzertruppe Hasso von Manteuffel ' s Fifth Panzer Army with additional firepower , the Führerbegleitbrigade ( FBB ) was formed from elements of the FBA , Panzerkorps Großdeutschland , Hitler ' s personal army guard detail , and the mobile artillery from Hitler ' s Wolfschanze headquarters . This unit was placed under the command of Oberst ( Colonel ) Otto Remer as a reward for his successfully foiling a critical part of the July Stauffenberg assassination plot aimed at Hitler and the Nazi leadership . The new FBB was essentially a restructured tank brigade , with units created from whatever excess personnel were available . Its combat strength included long - barrelled Panzer IV s and the turretless assault guns of the Sturmgeschütz - Abteilung 200 , two organic " Panzergrenadier " ( mechanized infantry ) battalions , the 928th Bicyclist Battalion , and a self - propelled artillery battalion with 105 - millimeter Wespe and 150 - millimeter Hummel artillery pieces . Committed to the front on 18 December 1944 as part of Fifth Panzer Army ' s XLVII . Panzerkorps , the FBB saw action against the US Army 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne . On 26 January 1945 the FBB was ordered to expand and form the Führerbegleitdivision . Führerbegleitdivision . When the Großdeutschland Division was expanded to Panzer Corps Großdeutschland , its subordinate units were expanded to bring GD to corps status . Included in the upgrade were the FBB and the Führergrenadierbrigade ( FGB ) , both of which had participated in the Ardennes counteroffensive and acquitted themselves well in action . As part of this drastic reorganization , the FBB was detached from army control , expanded by incorporating elements of the Führergrenadierbrigade and Panzergrenadier - Division Großdeutschland , and redesignated the Führer - Begleit - Division ( FBD ) ; at the same time , its sister formation , the Führergrenadierbrigade , was also upgraded to divisional status and renamed the Führer - Grenadier - Division ( FGD ) . Both " Führer " divisions were put in the OKH reserve until committed to the eastern front . Commanded by Otto Remer , now a major general , the FBD continued to defend the Reich in its final , desperate battles . The FBD and FGD served in local counterattacks and later assumed fire - brigade roles in preventing major Soviet breakthroughs . The FBD and FGD were sent to the eastern front to help defend the Vistula front against massing Red Army forces during the Upper Silesian Offensive . It was trapped and finally destroyed in the Spremberg pocket in April 1945 , with survivors surrendering to the Americans . Orders of Battle . Führerbegleitabteilung , Panzergrenadierdivision " Großdeutschland ( 1941 ) Führerbegleitbrigade , Operation Wacht - am - Rhein ( December 1944 ) Brigadestabskompanie ( headquarters company )