Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 191, nicknamed the "Büffel" or Buffalo Brigade due to its distinctive buffalo emblem, was one of the early and most renowned assault gun units of the German Wehrmacht, formed on 1 October 1940 in Jüterbog with three batteries of Sturmgeschütz III vehicles organized under the artillery arm rather than the Panzerwaffe to provide direct infantry support and later excel in anti-tank roles. Initially deployed to the Balkans in early 1941 as part of 5. Gebirgs-Division within XVIII. Gebirgs-Korps and 12. Armee, the Abteilung played a pivotal role in the breakthrough of the heavily fortified Metaxas Line in Greece, where under the command of Major Günther Hoffmann-Schönborn its guns maneuvered through challenging terrain to deliver devastating close fire support that helped collapse Greek defenses. Following the swift victory in the Balkans, it was committed to Operation Barbarossa in June 1941 with 111. Infanterie-Division under Heeresgruppe Süd, advancing across Ukraine, crossing the Dnieper River, and contributing significantly to the massive encirclement battle of Kiev through aggressive combined-arms operations that destroyed numerous Soviet tanks and positions. The unit continued fighting on the Eastern Front through the harsh winter of 1941-42 near Moscow, the Voronezh and Kursk sectors, the Caucasus and Kuban campaigns, and intense defensive actions on the Kertsch Peninsula and in the Crimea, including the final evacuation from Sevastopol in 1944, before being redeployed to Romania, Austria, and the Southeast Front where it battled to keep escape corridors open until the last days of the war in May 1945. Later redesignated as Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 191, it earned a formidable reputation for its mobility, firepower, and resilience in both offensive breakthroughs and desperate defensive stands, producing several highly decorated commanders and crewmen while embodying the versatile tactical evolution of Sturmgeschütz units from mobile artillery support to critical tank destroyers across multiple theaters.
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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER
Generalmajor Günther Hoffmann-Schönborn (1905-1970) was a German officer who rose to the rank of Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II, serving initially in artillery units before becoming a pioneering commander of assault gun formations. Born in Posen, he joined the Reichswehr in 1924 as a volunteer in the 3. (Preuß.) Artillerie-Regiment and was commissioned Leutnant in 1928, steadily advancing through the ranks while gaining expertise in mobile artillery support. By late 1940 he was promoted to Major and appointed Kommandeur of Sturm-Geschütz-Abteilung 191 “Büffel,” equipped with Sturmgeschütze III vehicles that provided direct fire support to infantry. His leadership earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 May 1941 as Major and commander of Sturm-Geschütz-Abteilung 191 attached to 5. Gebirgs-Division within XVIII. Gebirgs-Korps and 12. Armee, for his critical role in the Balkans Campaign: during the breakthrough of the Metaxas Line in Greece, despite intense enemy defensive fire and extremely difficult mountainous terrain, he skillfully maneuvered his Sturmgeschütze into effective firing positions to cover the advance of Gruppe Ens, delivering devastating close support that enabled the Gruppe to pierce the fortified Greek positions and contributed decisively to the rapid collapse of the enemy front. Later, on the Eastern Front with 111. Infanterie-Division under LI. Armeekorps and 6. Armee of Heeresgruppe Süd, his Abteilung distinguished itself during the advance to the Dnieper River, the river crossing, and the subsequent encirclement battles around Kiev in 1941, where aggressive leadership and coordinated fire support helped maintain momentum and inflict heavy losses on Soviet forces, leading to the award of the 49th Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 31 December 1941 while still a Major commanding Sturm-Geschütz-Abteilung 191. Hoffmann-Schönborn continued to command various units, including later the 18. Volksgrenadier-Division and 5. Panzer-Division, until the end of the war, embodying the tactical evolution of Sturmgeschütz operations from defensive fire support to offensive breakthroughs in some of the Wehrmacht’s most demanding campaigns.
Source :
https://www.balsi.de/Weltkrieg/Einheiten/Heer/Artillerie/Sturmartillerie/Abteilungen/191-StugAbt.htm
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Sturmgeschutzeinheiten/Sturmgeschutzabteilung191.htm
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