What are the foreign division fought in Hitler's army

History 05/01/20 Which foreign division fought in Hitler’s army

that on the side of Hitler’s war almost all of Europe, television screens, repeat regularly. And tell us so much incredible things that you wonder.

Although enough to look at any of the major directories first “Land army of Germany 1933-1945” by B. Mueller-Hillebrand, and measure how much was in the Wehrmacht foreign citizens.

the Involvement of foreigners in the German army is determined by two factors. On the one hand, the level of training of representatives of other countries, which is significantly inferior to the Germans. On the other hand, the racial policies of the Third Reich, according to which the majority of people belonged to an inferior race.

And only the lack of personnel in the second half of the Second World war led to the fact that the German armed forces have become relatively EN masse to form connections with representatives from other Nations.

All foreign troops Hitler can be divided into several groups.

Foreigners in the Wehrmacht

the Armed forces of the Third Reich, besides the army included the troops of the SS. From the position of the topic this is important because often confuse foreign units of the Wehrmacht and the SS.

Foreign divisions in the Wehrmacht was quite a bit. First there was the Croatian division, there were three, 369-I, 373-I 392-I infantry. Formed in 1942-1943 they acted in the Balkans against the Yugoslav partisans. On the Eastern front fought only one Croatian regiment, defeated at Stalingrad.

most of the units and formations of Soviet citizens. This is, first, the two Cossack cavalry division (1st and 2nd), generated from the don Cossacks. They were consolidated in the 15th cavalry corps and acted in the Balkans against the partisans. More serious problems, the German command did not trust them. In the autumn of 1944 thYes, the case was formally reassigned to the SS, although the list of SS divisions of the Cossacks was not.

Also in the Wehrmacht were two divisions: 600-and 650-infantry who were of the Russian Liberation army (ROA) Vlasov. And second, the division existed only on paper.

the Most interesting part was the 162 infantry division. She was recruited from Soviet prisoners of war and defectors, representatives of the Turkic peoples: Azeris, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Turkmen, Kyrgyz. Used by the Germans in the Balkans.

the Most widely known, the 250th infantry division of the Wehrmacht formed from the Spaniards. This is the only non-national Union, which was fighting efficiency was considered equal to the German connections.

In the Wehrmacht, there were a few small foreign legions (French, Walloon) the size of a regiment or battalion. They later formed the basis for the formation of brigades and divisions of the SS.

as part of the Luftwaffe there were several separate squadrons equipped Croatian, Estonian, Latvian pilots. One squadron was Russian, it flew former Soviet pilots who defected to the Germans.

Foreign volunteers in the SS

formed In the Waffen-SS, who in the beginning of its history was staffed solely by volunteers, attracted foreigners only those peoples which the Nazis considered racially close. Those attributed to representatives of Scandinavian countries: Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, and some Europeans: the Dutch, the Flemish, the Walloons, Swiss. Later they added Finns and Estonians.

All foreigners first gathered in the SS division “Viking”. In 1944 there were even Ukrainian battalion, at least not for long. The division is still elite, but the combat readiness of Ukrainian units was zero.

At the end of the war in the SS there is a new division of “racial relatives” of volunteers. The 11th SS division “Nordland” consisted of Dutchmen and Scandinavians, which were not included in the division “Viking”. Though not among the elite divisions, but fought well and finished their way in Berlin.

the 23rd SS division “Nederland” consisted of the Dutch, who fled from the Netherlands after the liberation by the allies, 27th SS division “Langemark” of the Flemish, 28th SS division “Wallonia” of the Walloons (but there were French, Spanish and Russian). Originally created as a team, they appeared at the very end of the war and a noticeable role is not played. 34th SS division “Nederland Landshtorm” formed from the Danes and the Dutch, did not become a full division.

Division “Waffen SS”

the Term “der Waffen SS” it is difficult to translate into Russian language. In fact this translates as “Waffen-SS” but it turns out in Russian oil oily. Since we are talking about the Waffen-SS, which was a special division “of the Waffen SS”.

These terms designated units, which were formed not from the Germans or “racial ones of the Nations,” and of those whom the Germans considered second-class citizens. When the war for Germany had already turned in retreat on all fronts, it was decided EN masse to form the division of the people “second class”, and all of these units and to include in the SS.

as a result the division was formed from Latvians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Frenchmen, Croats, Albanians. To those the Germans carried and the SS division manned its allies: Hungarians and Italians.

it is Worth noting that the Baltic peoples, traditionally considering themselves as true Europeans, the Germans are not attributed to “racial relatives”. Hardly they are deeply involved in the scientific study — the Latvians, Lithuanians etc. is just closer to the Slavs than to the Western European Nations. Here the role played rather historical memory since the days of the Teutonic order.

In total was formed fifteen divisions with the prefix “Waffen-“, but the special role they played. The combat capability of most was low. Their journey is described in detail in the book by P. Ullambana “the SS — instrument of terror.” So the 14th SS division “Galicia” little good even to fight with the partisans, and the French, not to mention Soviet. In the first clashes with the red Army Galicia ceased to exist: those who did not escape were killed. The 29th division of the SS RONA, equipped with Soviet (ex-Soviet) citizens, used as a punitive connection, “made famous” by many crimes. After the suppression of the Warsaw uprising, the commander of divisions of RON Bronislaw Kaminski was executed by Germans for the atrocities against the poles.

Only division, formed from the Baltic States, more or less proved themselves on the front during the battle of Narva. However, they were quickly defeated.

unlike the volunteer SS division, which fought successfully on the front, the division “Viking” was one of the best in the entire German army, all the “Waffen-division” did not justify the costs that it took to create them.

Cyril Shishkin

Source:
© Russian Seven

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