Operation Nordwind: A Visual History

The last major German offensive of World War II on the Western Front was Operation Nordwind. It began on 31 December 1944 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Alsace, and Lorraine in southwestern Germany and northeastern France, and ended on 25 January 1945. Nordwind battles, while often overlooked in favor of the Battle of the Bulge, were just as intense with troops facing similar bitter weather conditions and battle conditions. The offensive aimed to break through the lines of the U.S. Seventh Army and French 1st Army in the Upper Vosges mountains and the Alsatian Plain, and destroy them. Himmler, who was in charge, had promised the capture of Strasbourg by 30 January.

The campaign highlighted the challenges of inter-Allied cooperation between the Americans and the French. By 15 January, the U.S. VI Corps, which bore the brunt of the attacks, was fighting on three sides. At least 17 German divisions, including units in the Colmar Pocket, were engaged in the fighting by 15 January. Another smaller attack was made against the French positions south of Strasbourg but was ultimately stopped.

Brutal battles took place at Hatten, Rittershoffen, Gambsheim, and Herrlisheim. While the Germans could not employ the same amount of armor as they did in the Ardennes, the armor engagements were nonetheless ruthless. The American 12th Armored Division lost almost an entire tank battalion in the battles in and around Herrlisheim. Action engulfed the entire front, and areas like Strasbourg, Wingen, the Colmar Pocket, and Haguenau left a lasting impression on the troops that fought in these battles.

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