In the middle of March 1942, Hitler finally gave permission for the Totenkopf Division to launch a breakout attempt, codenamed Operation Gangway. This was not an escape attempt; the other German troops in the pocket had to continue to hold their positions while the Waffen-SS battled to link up with a rescue column. It took three weeks for the army rescue column to get within striking distance of the Demyansk Pocket. On 14 April, Totenkopf assault teams started their breakout operations, only to get stuck in mud caused by heavy rain. With all their vehicles stuck fast, Eicke's infantry now attacked on foot and swarmed over Russian defences. In several days of hand-to-hand fighting, the Waffen-SS men linked up with the rescue force on 20 April, ending 72 days of siege. Hitler was quick to lavish medals and praise on Eicke and his men, but this was a bitter pill. While other Waffen-SS divisions started to be pulled out of the line in April - to be rebuilt as new panzergrenadier divisions equipped with armoured vehicles - the Totenkopf had to stay in the line holding the front around Demyansk.

No respite

Army Group North was desperately short of men and equipment, making it dependent on the Totenkopf to turn back Soviet pressure.

The Totenkopf Division was now assigned to defend the Demyansk salient that stretched 72km (45 miles) behind Soviet lines. Russian attacks grew in intensity during June and July in the hope of drawing German attention and resources from the offensive towards Stalingrad. A series of battles raged around the salient for no apparent gain to either side. The result was more losses, with the Totenkopf suffering nearly 800 casualties in one week alone. A huge Soviet offensive on 17 July almost broke through the SS lines and wiped out two Totenkopf companies. The slaughter of 532 of his men in one day was too much even for Eicke, and he refused to sanction a suicidal counterattack against a breakthrough by Soviet T-34 tanks. Heavy rain now came to the Germans' assistance, and the Soviet attack got bogged down before it could make a decisive penetration to cut the Totenkopf's supply corridor. By the end of July, the division could put only 2736 men in the field to fight.

Eicke was now desperately telephoning anyone in the Nazi leadership who would listen to try to get his men out of this death trap. At the end of August another wave of Soviet assaults forced the employment of the division's cooks, mechanics and other specialists to bolster the frontline. The fighting cost it another 1000 casualties.

In September, Hitler finally relented and agreed to pull the Totenkopf out of Russia to be rebuilt as a panzergrenadier division. There were only 6400 survivors (more than 4000 of these were non-combat specialists or walking wounded). After 18 months of combat on the Eastern Front, the Totenkopf Division existed in name only.

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