As the Waffen-SS began to scrape the bottom of the manpower pool in 1941, it formed two motorized brigades of infantry, drawing men principally from the ranks of police reservists and concentration camp guard units (Tötenkopfverbände). On April 8, 1941, the 8th and 10th Death's Head Regiments (Tötenkopf-Standarte) were incorporated as infantry regiments of the same number in the SS Brigade (motorized), redesignated as the 1st SS Infantry Brigade (mot.) on May 15, 1941. The brigade later received the antitank and support companies common to infantry regiments. With the invasion of Russia, It fought in the rear areas, usually in the rear of Army Group Center but also the adjacent groups, such as its attachment to Group von Roques on the northern front in later 1941. It undoubtedly acted in the harshest manner of fighting in antipartisan operations before being used to form the SS "Horst Wessel" Division in early 1944.
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