The IX Waffen Mountain Corps of the SS (Croatian) (German: IX. Waffen-Gebirgskorps der SS (Kroatisches)), later simply IX SS Mountain Corps, was a Waffen-SScorps during World War II. Originally set up to command Croatian and Albanian SS divisions, it also commanded a variety of other German and Hungarian units of the Waffen-SS. It saw action on the Eastern Front between July 1944 and January 1945 when it was virtually destroyed during the Siege of Budapest.[1]
By September 1944, the Red Army had advanced to the border of Hungary, which placed the corps training area close to the front lines. Kama was not ready for combat and was disbanded; its volunteers went to strengthen the Handschar and the 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division. In mid-September, the corps was strengthened by several combat divisions, including the Handschar and went into action against the Yugoslav Partisans.
As all subordinate units were now Germanic, the corps was redesignated as the IX SS Mountain Corps. The renamed corps was ordered to form a part of the 6th Army, defending the approaches to Budapest.
On 24 November 1944, the corps staff arrived in Budapest, the combat divisions already in action against the advancing Soviet forces. After a month's heavy fighting, the corps was encircled in the city. The corps was placed in command of all encircled German units, and Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch was placed in command. Having spent his career as a police commander, Pfeffer-Wildenbruch lacked even a basic military understanding, and as the 6th Army commander Hermann Balck said "At best, one could say that Budapest was being led by a politician".[citation needed] Pfeffer-Wildenbruch established his corps command centre on Castle Hill, in the centre of the Hungarian Government District, and ordered the encircled forces to attempt breakouts, which they were unable to accomplish. A rescue effort was being assembled by Balck's army group.
On 1 January 1945, the IV SS Panzer Corps launched Operation Konrad I, the first in a series of relief attempts. After initial gains, the assault stalled. Konrad II followed, which reached to within sight of the city before being halted by stubborn Soviet defences.
By 17 January, the remainder of the corps along with the Hungarian I Corps, commanded by General Iván Hindy, were evacuated across the Danube to Buda. The final relief effort, Konrad III, was halted on 28 January. By this stage, the Axis forces in Buda had been pushed into a one square kilometer pocket. On 11 February, the corps was ordered to attempt a breakout. Only 785 troops were able to reach the German lines, including 170 Waffen-SS men. On 12 February, the remainder of the corps was destroyed, with small groups of men, including Pfeffer-Wildenbruch and his staff, surrendering to the Soviets.
