The formations of the SS (Waffen SS) had an interesting difference from the formations of the Wehrmacht, and probably from all other formations of the warring parties.

Almost all of these divisions had their own emblems (tactical, or identification marks), which were by no means worn by the ranks of these divisions as sleeve patches (rare exceptions did not change the overall picture at all), but were applied with white, black or yellow oil paint on the divisional military equipment and vehicles; buildings in which the ranks of the respective divisions were quartered; corresponding pointers in the locations of the parts; aircraft (if any), etc. These identification (tactical) signs, or emblems (“Erkennungszeichen”, German: Erkennungszeichen) of SS divisions are almost always inscribed in heraldic shields (having a “Varangian”, or “Norman”, or tarch form) / 1 / - in many cases differed from the lapel pins of the ranks of the respective divisions.

I present to your attention short description and emblems of all divisions of the Waffen SS.

1st SS Panzer Division "SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler".

The name of the division means "SS Regiment of Adolf Hitler's personal guard". The emblem (tactical, or identification mark) of the division was a shield-tarch with the image of a master key (and not a key, as is often incorrectly written and thought). The choice of such an unusual emblem is explained very simply. The surname of the division commander Josef ("Sepp") Dietrich was "speaking" (or, in heraldic language, "vowel"). Dietrich means "master key" in German. After Dietrich's Sepp was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the division's emblem began to be framed with 2 oak leaves or a semicircular oak wreath.

2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich.

The name of the division - "Reich" ("Das Reich") translated into Russian means "Empire", "Power". The emblem of the division was the “wolfsangel” (“wolf hook”) inscribed in the shield-tarch - an old German amulet that scared away wolves and werewolves (in German: “werewolves”, in Greek: “lycanthropes”, in Icelandic: “ ulfhedins", in Norwegian: "varulvov" or "vargs", in Slavic: "ghouls", "volkolaks", "volkudlaks" or "volkodlaks"), located horizontally.

"Wolfsangels" (slightly different in shape) served as identification marks for some other formations of the armed forces of the Third Reich - the 4th SS Police Division, as well as the motorized infantry (panzer-grenadier, tank-grenadier) divisions "Feldgerrngalle", 209th and 256 th infantry divisions and the 19th tank division of the German Wehrmacht. In addition, the “wolf hook” (without a central vertical line) originally served as the identification mark of the 11th SS Panzer Division “Nordland”, until it was replaced by a “sun wheel” (a swastika with arcuate ends) inscribed in a circle.

3rd SS Panzer Division "Dead Head" ("Totenkopf").

The division got its name from the emblem of the SS - the "dead (Adam's) head" (skull with bones) - a symbol of loyalty to the leader until death. The same emblem, inscribed in the shield-tarch, also served as the identification mark of the division.

4th SS Motorized Infantry Division "Police" ("Police"), also known as the "(4th) SS Police Division".

This division received its name because it was formed from the ranks of the German police. The emblem of the division was the "wolf hook" - "wolfsangel" in a vertical position, inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch.

5th SS Panzer Division "Viking".

The name of this division is explained by the fact that, along with the Germans, it was recruited from the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden), as well as Belgium, the Netherlands, Latvia and Estonia. In addition, Swiss, Russian, Ukrainian and Spanish volunteers served in the ranks of the Viking division. The emblem of the division was the “oblique cross” (“sun wheel”), that is, a swastika with curved crossbars, on a heraldic shield-tarch.

6th Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division of the SS "Nord" ("North").

The name of this division is explained by the fact that it was recruited mainly from natives of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia and Latvia). The emblem of the division was the ancient German rune "hagall" inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch (resembling the Russian letter "Zh"). The rune "hagall" ("hagalaz") was considered a symbol of unshakable faith.

7th SS Volunteer Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division "Prince Eugen (Eugen)".

This division, recruited mainly from ethnic Germans living in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Vojvodina, Banat and Romania, was named after the famous commander of the Holy Roman Empire German nation the second half of the 17th - early 18th centuries. Prince Eugene (in German: Eugen) of Savoy, who became famous for his victories over the Ottoman Turks and, in particular, won Belgrade for the Roman-German emperor (1717). Eugene of Savoy also became famous in the War of the Spanish Succession for his victories over the French and earned himself no less fame as a patron of the arts. The emblem of the division was the ancient Germanic rune “odal” (“otilia”, “etel”) inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch with curved lower ends.

A similar rune "odal", according to some sources, served as the identification mark of the 23rd Volunteer Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division of the SS "Kama" (Croatian No. 2).

The rune "odal" of a somewhat simplified form (without curved lower ends) was used as an identification mark of the 14th Panzer Division of the German Wehrmacht.

It should be noted that the version of the “odal” rune (with curved lower ends) used as an identification mark of the SS division “Prince Eugen (Eugen)” by some foreign and domestic runologists (for example, Anton Platov in his capital study “The Magical Arts of Ancient Europe”, "Sofia", Publishing House "Helios", M., 2002, pp. 289 and 376) tend to be considered as a separate, "irregular" rune "erda" ("earth rune").

According to their interpretation, the rune of the earth and the earth goddess, bearing the same name in the Germanic languages ​​\u200b\u200b- “erda”, symbolizes, on the one hand, the earth itself and its holiness, and on the other hand, native land, homeland, clan (which is why the "earth rune" became the emblem of the Main Directorate of the race and settlements of the SS). This circumstance makes the rune "erd" related to its simplified version (without curved lower ends) - the "classical" rune "odal". The main meaning of the rune "odal" is inheritance, heritage (both spiritual and material), clan, family, homeland, home, property, traditions, kinship (in spirit and blood). All this made the rune "odal" a rune-amulet protecting the family, property, and the well-being of the clan.

Nevertheless, apparently, in the Third Reich in general, and in the SS in particular, no distinctions were made between the runes "odal" and "Erda" (in relation to both variants of the runic sign described above, as well as in relation to the third option - with arrow-shaped lower ends, used as the emblem of the Dutch SS division "Landstorm Nederland" - the name "odal rune" was used).

8th SS Cavalry Division "Florian Geyer"

This division was named after the imperial knight Florian Geyer, who led during the Peasants' War in Germany (1524-1526) one of the detachments of German peasants ("Black detachment", in German: "Schwarzer Haufen"), who rebelled against the princes (large feudal lords who opposed the unification of Germany under the scepter of the emperor). Since Florian Geyer wore black armor and his "Black Squad" fought under a black banner, the SS considered him as their predecessor (especially since he opposed not only the princes, but also for the unification of the German state). Florian Geyer (immortalized in the drama of the same name by the classic of German literature Gerhart Hauptmann) died heroically in battle with the superior forces of the German princes in 1525 in the Taubertal valley. His image entered German folklore (especially song folklore), enjoying no less popularity than, say, Stepan Razin - in Russian song folklore. The emblem of the division was a straight naked sword inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, pointing up, crossing the shield from right to left diagonally, and a horse's head.

9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen"

This division was named after the dynasty of the Swabian dukes (since 1079) and the medieval Roman-German Kaiser emperors (1138-1254) - the Hohenstaufen (Staufen). Under them, the medieval German state (“Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation”), founded by Charlemagne (in 800 A.D.) and renewed by Otto (n) I the Great, reached the peak of its power, subordinating Italy to its influence, Sicily, the Holy Land and Poland. The Hohenstaufen tried, relying on a highly developed economic terms Northern Italy as a base, centralize their power over Germany and restore the Roman Empire - "at least" - the Western (within the borders of the empire of Charlemagne), ideally the entire Roman Empire, including the Eastern Roman (Byzantine), in which, however, did not succeed. The most famous representatives of the Hohenstaufen dynasty are the Crusader Kaisers Frederick I Barbarossa (who died during the Third Crusade) and his great-nephew Frederick II (Emperor of Rome, King of Germany, Sicily and Jerusalem), as well as Konradin, who was defeated in the fight against the Pope and Duke Charles of Anjou for Italy and beheaded by the French in 1268. The emblem of the division was a straight naked sword inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, pointing upwards, superimposed on the capital Latin letter "H" ("Hohenstaufen").

10th SS Panzer Division "Frundsberg"

This SS division was named after the German Renaissance commander Georg (Jörg) von Frundsberg, nicknamed the "Father of the Landsknechts" (1473-1528), under whose command the troops of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and King of Spain Charles I of Habsburg conquered Italy and in 1514 took Rome, forcing the pope to recognize the supremacy of the Empire. They say that the ferocious Georg Frundsberg always carried a golden noose with him, with which he intended to strangle the Pope if he fell into his hands alive. In the ranks of the SS division "Frundsberg" served in his youth a famous German writer, laureate Nobel Prize Gunther Grass. The emblem of this SS division was the capital Gothic letter “F” (“Frundsberg”) inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, superimposed on an oak leaf, located diagonally from right to left.

11th SS Infantry Division "Nordland" ("Northern Country")

The name of the division is explained by the fact that it was recruited mainly from volunteers born in northern European countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Latvia and Estonia). The emblem of this SS division was originally a "wolf hook" without a central vertical line, and later - a heraldic shield-tarch with the image of a "sun wheel" inscribed in a circle.

The "sun wheel", inscribed in a circle, also served as the emblem of the 4th Jaeger Division of the German Wehrmacht.

12th SS Panzer Division "Hitler Youth" ("Hitler Youth")

This division was recruited mainly from the ranks of the youth organization of the Third Reich "Hitler Youth" ("Hitler Youth"). The tactical sign of this "youth" SS division was the ancient German "solar" rune "sig" ("sovulo", "sovelu"), inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch - a symbol of victory and the emblem of the Nazi youth organizations "Jungfolk" and "Hitler Youth", from among whose members were recruited by the volunteers of the division, imposed on the master key ("alignment with Dietrich").

13th mountain (mountain) division of the Waffen SS "Khanjar"

Often referred to in military literature as "Handshar" or "Yatagan", which consisted of Croatian, Bosnian and Herzegovina Muslims (Bosnyaks). "Khanjar" is a traditional Muslim edged weapon with a curved blade (related to the Russian words "konchar" and "dagger", also meaning a bladed edged weapon). The emblem of the division was a curved sword-khanjar inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, directed diagonally upwards from left to right. According to the surviving data, the division also had another identification mark, which was an image of a hand with a khanjar superimposed on a double "SS" rune "sig" ("sovulo").

14th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Galician No. 1, since 1945 - Ukrainian No. 1); she is the SS division (Sichevyh Striltsov) "Galicia"

The emblem of the division was the ancient coat of arms of the city of Lvov, the capital of Galicia - a lion walking on its hind legs, surrounded by 3 three-pronged crowns, inscribed in the "Varangian" ("Norman") shield.

15th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Latvian No. 1)

The emblem of the division was originally a "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield with the image of the Roman numeral "I" above the stylized printed capital Latin letter "L" ("Latvia"). Subsequently, the division received another tactical sign - 3 stars against the background of the rising sun. 3 stars meant 3 Latvian provinces - Vidzeme, Kurzeme and Latgale (a similar image adorned the cockade of the pre-war army of the Republic of Latvia).

16th SS Infantry Division "Reichsführer SS"

This SS division was named after Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler. The emblem of the division was a bunch of 3 oak leaves inscribed in a heraldic shield-tarch with 2 acorns near the handle framed by a laurel wreath, inscribed in a shield-tarch.

17th SS Panzer Division "Götz von Berlichingen"

This SS division was named after the hero of the Peasants' War in Germany (1524-1526), ​​the imperial knight Georg (Götz, Götz) von Berlichingen (1480-1562), the fighter against the separatism of the German princes for the unity of Germany, the leader of the rebel peasants and the hero of the drama Johann Wolfgang von Goethe "Goetz von Berlichingen with an iron hand" (Knight Goetz, who lost his arm in one of the battles, ordered to make an iron prosthesis instead, which he owned no worse than others - a hand of flesh and blood). The emblem of the division was the iron hand of Goetz von Berlichingen clenched into a fist (crossing the shield-tarch from right to left and from bottom to top diagonally).

18th SS Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division "Horst Wessel"

This division was named after one of the "martyrs of the Nazi movement" - the commander of the Berlin attack aircraft Horst Wessel, who composed the song "Banners up"! (which became the anthem of the NSDAP and the "second anthem" of the Third Reich) and was killed by communist militants. The emblem of the division was a straight naked sword with the tip up, crossing the shield-tarch from right to left diagonally. According to the surviving data, the Horst Wessel division also had another emblem, which was the Latin letters SA stylized as runes (SA = Sturmabteilungen, that is, “assault squads”; “Martyr of the Movement” Horst Wessel, after whom the division got its name , was one of the leaders of the Berlin stormtroopers) inscribed in a circle.

19th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Latvian No. 2)

The emblem of the division at the time of formation was the “Varangian” (“Norman”) heraldic shield with the image of the Roman numeral “II” above the stylized printed capital Latin letter “L” (“Latvia”). Subsequently, the division received another tactical sign - an upright right-sided swastika on the "Varangian" shield. The swastika - the “fiery cross” (“ugunskrusts”) or the “cross (of the god of thunder) Perkon” (“perkonkrusts”) has been a traditional element of the Latvian folk ornament for centuries.

20th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Estonian No. 1)

The emblem of the division was the “Varangian” (“Norman”) heraldic shield with the image of a straight naked sword, point upwards, crossing the shield from right to left diagonally and superimposed on the capital Latin letter “E” (“E”, that is, “Estonia”). According to some reports, this emblem was sometimes depicted on the helmets of Estonian SS volunteers.

21st mountain (mountain) division of the Waffen SS "Skanderbeg" (Albanian No. 1)

This division, recruited mainly from Albanians, was named after the national hero of the Albanian people, Prince George Alexander Kastriot (nicknamed by the Turks "Iskander-beg" or, in short, "Skanderbeg"). While Skanderbeg (1403-1468) was alive, the Ottoman Turks, who repeatedly suffered defeats from him, could not subjugate Albania to their power. The emblem of the division was the ancient coat of arms of Albania, inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch - a double-headed eagle (the ancient Albanian rulers claimed kinship with the basileus-emperors of Byzantium). According to the surviving information, the division also had another tactical sign - a stylized image of the “Skanderbeg helmet” with goat horns superimposed on 2 horizontal stripes.

22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division "Maria Theresa" (and not "Maria Theresa", as they often write and think wrong!)

This division, recruited mainly from ethnic Germans living in Hungary, and from Hungarians, was named after the Empress of the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" and Austria, Queen of Bohemia (Czech Republic) and Hungary Maria Theresa von Habsburg (1717-1780), one of the most prominent rulers of the second half of the 18th century. The emblem of the division was the image of a cornflower flower inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch with 8 petals, a stem, 2 leaves and 1 bud - (subjects of the Austro-Hungarian Danube Monarchy, who wanted to join the German Empire, until 1918 wore cornflower in their buttonhole - the favorite flower of the German emperor Wilhelm II of Hohenzollern).

23rd Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Kama"

Croatian No. 2, consisting of Croatian, Bosnian and Herzegovina Muslims. "Kama" is the name of a cold weapon traditional for Balkan Muslims with a curved blade (something like a scimitar). The tactical sign of the division was a stylized image of the astronomical sign of the sun in a crown of rays on a heraldic shield-tarch. Information has also been preserved about 2 other tactical signs of the division, which were:

1) the rune "Tyr" with 2 arrow-shaped processes perpendicular to the trunk of the rune, in its lower part:

2) rune "odal" (similar to the tactical sign of the SS division "Prince Eugene")

23rd Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Netherlands" (Netherlands No. 1)

The name of this division is explained by the fact that its personnel were recruited mainly from the Dutch (Dutch) Waffen SS volunteers. The emblem of the division was the rune "odal" ("otilia") with the lower ends in the form of arrows, inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch.

24th Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division of the Waffen SS "Karst Jaegers" ("Karst Jaegers", "Karstjäger")

The name of this division is explained by the fact that it was recruited mainly from natives. mountainous area Karst, located on the border between Italy and Yugoslavia. The emblem of the division was a stylized image of a “karst flower” (“karstbloom”), inscribed in the heraldic shield of the “Varangian” (“Norman”) form.

25th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS "Hunyadi" (Hungarian No. 1)

This division, recruited mainly from Hungarians, was named after the medieval Transylvanian-Hungarian Hunyadi dynasty, the most prominent representatives of which were Janos Hunyadi (Johannes Guniades, Giovanni Vaivoda, 1385-1456) and his son King Matthias Corvinus (Matyas Hunyadi, 1443- 1490), who heroically fought for the freedom of Hungary against the Ottoman Turks. The emblem of the division was the “Varangian” (“Norman”) heraldic shield with the image of the “arrow-shaped cross” - the symbol of the Viennese National Socialist Arrow Crossed (“Nilashists”) party Ferenc Salashi - under 2 three-pronged crowns.

During the Second World War, the divisions of the SS troops were considered the elite formations of the armed forces of the Third Reich.

Almost all of these divisions had their own emblems (tactical, or identification marks), which were by no means worn by the ranks of these divisions as sleeve patches (rare exceptions did not change the overall picture at all), but were applied with white or black oil paint on divisional military equipment and vehicles, buildings in which the ranks of the respective divisions were quartered, the corresponding signs in the locations of the units, etc. These identification (tactical) signs (emblems) of the SS divisions - almost always inscribed in heraldic shields (having the "Varangian", or "Norman", form or the form of a tarch) - in many cases differed from the lapel signs of the ranks of the corresponding divisions.

1. 1st SS Panzer Division "SS Adolf Hitler's Leibstandarte".

The name of the division means "SS Regiment of Adolf Hitler's personal guard". The emblem (tactical, or identification mark) of the division was a shield-tarch with the image of a master key (and not a key, as is often incorrectly written and thought). The choice of such an unusual emblem is explained very simply. The surname of the division commander Josef ("Sepp") Dietrich was "speaking" (or, in heraldic language, "vowel"). In German, "Dietrich" means "master key". After "Sepp" Dietrich was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the emblem of the division began to be framed with 2 oak leaves or a semicircular oak wreath.

2. 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich".

The name of the division - "Reich" ("Das Reich") translated into Russian means "Empire", "Power". The emblem of the division was the "wolfsangel" ("wolf hook") inscribed in the shield-tarch - an old German amulet that scared away wolves and werewolves (in German: "werewolves", in Greek: "lycanthropes", in Icelandic: " ulfhedins", in Norwegian: "varulvov" or "vargs", in Slavic: "ghouls", "volkolaks", "volkudlaks" or "wolf laks"), located horizontally.

3. 3rd SS Panzer Division "Dead Head" ("Totenkopf").

The division got its name from the emblem of the SS - the "dead (Adam's) head" (skull with bones) - a symbol of loyalty to the leader until death. The same emblem, inscribed in the shield-tarch, also served as the identification mark of the division.

4. 4th SS Motorized Infantry Division "Police" ("Police"), also known as the "(4th) SS Police Division".

This division received its name because it was formed from the ranks of the German police. The emblem of the division was the "wolf hook" - "wolfsangel" in a vertical position, inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch.

5. 5th SS Panzer Division "Viking".

The name of this division is explained by the fact that, along with the Germans, it was recruited from the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden), as well as Belgium, the Netherlands, Latvia and Estonia. In addition, Swiss, Russian, Ukrainian and Spanish volunteers served in the ranks of the Viking division. The emblem of the division was the "oblique cross" ("sun wheel"), that is, a swastika with arcuately curved crossbars, on a heraldic shield-tarch.

6. 6th Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division of the SS "Nord" ("North").

The name of this division is explained by the fact that it was recruited mainly from natives of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia and Latvia). The emblem of the division was the ancient German rune "hagall" inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch (resembling the Russian letter "Zh"). The rune "hagall" ("hagalaz") was considered a symbol of unshakable faith.

7. 7th SS Volunteer Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division "Prince Eugen (Eugen)".

This division, recruited mainly from ethnic Germans living in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Vojvodina, Banat and Romania, was named after the famous commander of the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" of the second half of the 17th - early 18th centuries. Prince Eugene (in German: Eugen) of Savoy, who became famous for his victories over the Ottoman Turks and, in particular, won Belgrade for the Roman-German emperor (1717). Eugene of Savoy also became famous in the War of the Spanish Succession for his victories over the French and earned himself no less fame as a patron of the arts. The emblem of the division was the ancient Germanic rune "odal" ("otilia"), inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, meaning "heritage" and "blood relationship".

8. 8th SS Cavalry Division "Florian Geyer".

This division was named after the imperial knight Florian Geyer, who led during the Peasants' War in Germany (1524-1526) one of the detachments of German peasants ("Black detachment", in German: "Schwarzer Haufen"), who rebelled against the princes (large feudal lords who opposed the unification of Germany under the scepter of the emperor). Since Florian Geyer wore black armor and his "Black Squad" fought under a black banner, the SS considered him as their predecessor (especially since he opposed not only the princes, but also for the unification of the German state). Florian Geyer (immortalized in the drama of the same name by the classic of German literature Gerhart Hauptmann) died heroically in battle with the superior forces of the German princes in 1525 in the Taubertal valley. His image entered German folklore (especially song folklore), enjoying no less popularity than, say, Stepan Razin - in Russian song folklore. The emblem of the division was a naked sword inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, point upwards, crossing the shield diagonally from right to left, and a horse's head.

9. 9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen".

This division was named after the dynasty of the Swabian dukes (since 1079) and the medieval Roman-German Kaiser emperors (1138-1254) - the Hohenstaufen (Staufen). Under them, the medieval German state ("Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation"), founded by Charlemagne (in 800 A.D.) and renewed by Otto (n) I the Great, reached the peak of its power, subordinating Italy to its influence, Sicily, the Holy Land and Poland. The Hohenstaufen tried, relying on economically highly developed Northern Italy as a base, to centralize their power over Germany and restore the Roman Empire - "at least" - the Western (within the borders of the empire of Charlemagne), ideally - the entire Roman Empire, including the Eastern Roman (Byzantine), in which, however, they did not succeed. The most famous representatives of the Hohenstaufen dynasty are the Crusader Kaisers Frederick I Barbarossa (who died during the Third Crusade) and his great-nephew Frederick II (Emperor of Rome, King of Germany, Sicily and Jerusalem), as well as Konradin, who was defeated in the fight against the Pope and Duke Charles of Anjou for Italy and beheaded by the French in 1268. The emblem of the division was a vertically naked sword inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, point upwards, superimposed on the capital Latin letter "H" ("Hohenstaufen").

10. 10th SS Panzer Division "Frundsberg".

This SS division was named after the German Renaissance commander Georg (Jörg) von Frundsberg, nicknamed the "Father of the Landsknechts" (1473-1528), under whose command the troops of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and King of Spain Charles I of Habsburg conquered Italy and in 1514 took Rome, forcing the pope to recognize the supremacy of the Empire. They say that the ferocious Georg Frundsberg always carried a golden noose with him, with which he intended to strangle the Pope if he fell into his hands alive. In the ranks of the SS division "Frundsberg" served in his youth, the famous German writer, Nobel Prize winner Günther Grass. The emblem of this SS division was the capital Gothic letter "F" ("Frundsberg") inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, superimposed on an oak leaf, located diagonally from right to left.

11. 11th SS Motorized Infantry Division "Nordland" ("Northern Country").

The name of the division is explained by the fact that it was recruited mainly from volunteers born in northern European countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Latvia and Estonia). The emblem of this SS division was a heraldic shield-tarch with the image of a "sun wheel" inscribed in a circle.

12. 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitler Youth"

This division was recruited mainly from the ranks of the youth organization of the Third Reich "Hitler Youth" ("Hitler Youth"). The tactical sign of this "youth" SS division was the ancient German "solar" rune "sig" ("sovulo", "sovelu"), inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch - a symbol of victory and the emblem of the Nazi youth organizations "Jungfolk" and "Hitler Youth", from among whose members were recruited volunteers of the division, imposed on the master key ("alignment with Dietrich").

13. 13th mountain (mountain) division of the Waffen SS "Khanjar"

(often also referred to in military literature as "Handshar" or "Yatagan"), which consisted of Croatian, Bosnian and Herzegovina Muslims (Bosnyaks). "Khanjar" is a traditional Muslim edged weapon with a curved blade (related to the Russian words "konchar" and "dagger", also meaning edged weapons). The emblem of the division was a curved sword-khanjar inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, directed diagonally upwards from left to right. According to the surviving data, the division also had another identification mark, which was an image of a hand with a khanjar superimposed on a double "SS" rune "sig" ("sovulo").

14. 14th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Galician No. 1, since 1945 - Ukrainian No. 1); she is the SS division "Galicia".

The emblem of the division was the old coat of arms of the city of Lvov, the capital of Galicia - a lion walking on its hind legs, surrounded by 3 three-pronged crowns, inscribed in the "Varangian" ("Norman") shield.

15. 15th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Latvian No. 1).

The emblem of the division was originally a "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield with the image of the Roman numeral "I" above the stylized printed capital Latin letter "L" ("Latvia"). Subsequently, the division received another tactical sign - 3 stars against the background of the rising sun. 3 stars meant 3 Latvian provinces - Vidzeme, Kurzeme and Latgale (a similar image adorned the cockade of the military personnel of the pre-war army of the Republic of Latvia).

16. 16th SS Infantry Division "Reichsführer SS".

This SS division was named after Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler. The emblem of the division was a bunch of 3 oak leaves inscribed in a heraldic shield-tarch with 2 acorns near the handle framed by a laurel wreath, inscribed in a shield-tarch.

17. 17th SS Panzer Division "Götz von Berlichingen".

This SS division was named after the hero of the Peasants' War in Germany (1524-1526), ​​the imperial knight Georg (Götz, Götz) von Berlichingen (1480-1562), the fighter against the separatism of the German princes for the unity of Germany, the leader of the rebel peasants and the hero of the drama Johann Wolfgang von Goethe "Goetz von Berlichingen with an iron hand" (the knight Goetz, who lost his arm in one of the battles, ordered to make an iron prosthesis for himself, which he owned no worse than others - a hand of flesh and blood). The emblem of the division was the iron hand of Goetz von Berlichingen clenched into a fist (crossing the shield-tarch from right to left and from bottom to top diagonally).

18. 18th SS Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division "Horst Wessel".

This division was named after one of the "martyrs of the Nazi movement" - the commander of the Berlin attack aircraft Horst Wessel, who composed the song "Banners up"! (which became the anthem of the NSDAP and the "second anthem" of the Third Reich) and was killed by communist militants. The emblem of the division was a naked sword with the tip up, crossing the shield-tarch from right to left diagonally. According to the surviving data, the Horst Wessel division also had another emblem, which was the Latin letters SA stylized as runes (SA = Sturmabteilungen, i.e. "assault squads"; "martyr of the Movement" Horst Wessel, after whom the division got its name , was one of the leaders of the Berlin stormtroopers) inscribed in a circle.

19. 19th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Latvian No. 2).

The emblem of the division at the time of formation was the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield with the image of the Roman numeral "II" above the stylized printed capital Latin letter "L" ("Latvia"). Subsequently, the division received another tactical sign - an upright right-sided swastika on the "Varangian" shield. The swastika - the "fiery cross" ("ugunskrusts") or the "cross (of the god of thunder) Perkon" ("perkonkrusts") has been a traditional element of the Latvian folk ornament from time immemorial.

20. 20th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Estonian No. 1).

The emblem of the division was the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield with the image of a straight naked sword, point upwards, crossing the shield from right to left diagonally and superimposed on the capital Latin letter "E" ("E", that is, "Estonia"). According to some reports, this emblem was sometimes depicted on the helmets of Estonian SS volunteers.

21. 21st mountain (mountain) division of the Waffen SS "Skanderbeg" (Albanian No. 1).

This division, recruited mainly from Albanians, was named after the national hero of the Albanian people, Prince George Alexander Kastriot (nicknamed by the Turks "Iskander-beg" or, for short, "Skanderbeg"). While Skanderbeg (1403-1468) was alive, the Ottoman Turks, who repeatedly suffered defeats from him, could not subjugate Albania to their power. The emblem of the division was the ancient coat of arms of Albania, inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch - a double-headed eagle (the ancient Albanian rulers claimed kinship with the basileus-emperors of Byzantium). According to surviving information, the division also had another tactical sign - a stylized image of the "Skanderbeg helmet" with goat horns superimposed on 2 horizontal stripes.

22. 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division "Maria Theresa".

This division, recruited mainly from ethnic Germans living in Hungary, and from Hungarians, was named after the Empress of the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" and Austria, Queen of Bohemia (Czech Republic) and Hungary Maria Theresa von Habsburg (1717-1780), one of the most prominent rulers of the second half of the 18th century. The emblem of the division was the image of a cornflower flower inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch with 8 petals, a stem, 2 leaves and 1 bud - (subjects of the Austro-Hungarian Danube Monarchy, who wanted to join the German Empire, until 1918 wore cornflower in their buttonhole - the favorite flower of the German emperor Wilhelm II of Hohenzollern).

23. 23rd Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Kama" (Croatian No. 2)

consisting of Croatian, Bosnian and Herzegovinian Muslims. "Kama" is the name of a cold weapon traditional for the Balkan Muslims with a curved blade (something like a scimitar). The tactical sign of the division was a stylized image of the astronomical sign of the sun in a crown of rays on a heraldic shield-tarch. Information has also been preserved about another tactical sign of the division, which was a rune "Tyur" with 2 arrow-shaped processes perpendicular to the trunk of the rune in its lower part.

24. 23rd Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Netherlands"

(Dutch No. 1).

The name of this division is explained by the fact that its personnel were recruited mainly from the Dutch (Dutch) Waffen SS volunteers. The emblem of the division was the rune "odal" ("otilia") with the lower ends in the form of arrows, inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch.

25. 24th Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division of the Waffen SS "Karst Jaegers" ("Jägers Karst", "Karstjäger").

The name of this division is explained by the fact that it was recruited mainly from the natives of the mountainous Karst region, located on the border between Italy and Yugoslavia. The emblem of the division was a stylized image of a "karst flower" ("karstbloom"), inscribed in the heraldic shield of the "Varangian" ("Norman") form.

26. 25th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS "Hunyadi"

(Hungarian No. 1).

This division, recruited mainly from Hungarians, was named after the medieval Transylvanian-Hungarian Hunyadi dynasty, the most prominent representatives of which were Janos Hunyadi (Johannes Guniades, Giovanni Vaivoda, 1385-1456) and his son King Matthias Corvinus (Matyas Hunyadi, 1443- 1490), who heroically fought for the freedom of Hungary against the Ottoman Turks. The emblem of the division was the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield with the image of the "arrow-shaped cross" - the symbol of the Viennese National Socialist party "Arrow Crossed" ("Nigerlashists") Ferenc Salashi - under 2 three-pronged crowns.

27. 26th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS "Gömbös" (Hungarian No. 2).

This division, which consisted mainly of Hungarians, was named after the Hungarian Foreign Minister Count Gyula Gömbes (1886-1936), a staunch supporter of a close military-political alliance with Germany and an ardent anti-Semite. The emblem of the division was the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield depicting the same arrow-shaped cross, but under 3 three-pronged crowns.

28. 27th SS Volunteer Grenadier (Infantry) Division "Langemark" (Flemish No. 1).

This division, formed from the German-speaking Belgians (Flemings), was named after the place of the bloody battle that took place on the territory of Belgium during the Great (First World) War, in 1914. The emblem of the division was the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield with the image of the "triskelion" ("triphos" or "triquetra").

29. 28th SS Panzer Division. Information about the tactical sign of the division has not been preserved.

30. 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier (Infantry) Division "Wallonia".

This division owed its name to the fact that it was formed mainly from French-speaking Belgians (Walloons). The emblem of the division was a heraldic shield-tarch with the image of a straight sword and a curved saber crossed in the shape of the letter "X" with the handles up.

31. 29th Grenadier Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "RONA" (Russian No. 1).

This division - "Russian Liberation People's Army" consisted of Russian volunteers B.V. Kaminsky. The tactical sign of the division, applied to its equipment, judging by the surviving photographs, was a broadened cross with the abbreviation "RONA" under it.

32. 29th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS "Italy" (Italian No. 1).

This division owed its name to the fact that it consisted of Italian volunteers who remained loyal to Benito Mussolini after his release from prison by a detachment of German paratroopers led by SS-Sturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny. The tactical sign of the division was the vertically located lictor fascia (in Italian: "littorio"), inscribed in the heraldic shield of the "Varangian" ("Norman") form - a bunch of rods (rods) with an ax embedded in them (the official emblem of the National Fascist Party of Benito Mussolini) .

33. 30th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Russian No. 2, it is also Belarusian No. 1).

This division consisted mainly of former fighters of the "Belarusian Regional Defense" detachments. The tactical sign of the division was the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield with the image of a double ("patriarchal") cross of the Holy Princess Euphrosyne of Polotsk, located horizontally.

It should be noted that the double ("patriarchal") cross, located vertically, served as a tactical sign of the 79th Infantry, and located diagonally - the emblem of the 2nd Motorized Infantry Division of the German Wehrmacht.

34. 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division (also known as the 23rd Waffen SS Volunteer Mountain Division).

The emblem of the division was the head of a deer full face on the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield.

35. 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier (Infantry) Division "Bohemia and Moravia" (German: "Böhmen und Meren").

This division was formed from the natives of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, who came under the German control of the territories of the Czech Republic (after the declaration of independence by Slovakia). The emblem of the division was the Bohemian (Czech) crowned lion walking on its hind legs, and the orb crowned with a double cross on the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield.

36. 32nd SS Volunteer Grenadier (Infantry) Division "January 30".

This division was named in memory of the day Adolf Hitler came to power (January 30, 1933). The emblem of the division was the "Varangian" ("Norman") shield with the image of a vertically located "combat rune" - a symbol of the ancient German god of war Tyr (Tira, Tiu, Tsiu, Tuisto, Tuesco).

37. 33rd Cavalry Division of the Waffen SS "Hungaria", or "Hungary" (Hungarian No. 3).

This division, which consisted of Hungarian volunteers, received the appropriate name. Information about the tactical sign (emblem) of the division has not been preserved.

38. 33rd Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS "Charlemagne" (French No. 1).

This division was named after the Frankish king Charlemagne ("Charlemagne", from the Latin "Carolus Magnus", 742-814), who was crowned emperor of the Western Roman Empire in 800 in Rome (which included the territories of modern Northern Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and part of Spain), and is considered the founder of modern German and French statehood. The emblem of the division was a dissected "Varangian" ("Norman") shield with a half of the Roman-German imperial eagle and 3 heraldic lilies (French: fleurs de lys) of the French kingdom.

39. 34th SS Volunteer Grenadier (Infantry) Division "Landstorm Nederland" (Dutch No. 2).

"Landstorm Nederland" means "Netherlands militia". The emblem of the division was the "Dutch national" version of the "wolf hook" - "wolfsangel" inscribed in the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield (adopted in the Netherlands National Socialist movement of Anton-Adrian Mussert).

40. 36th SS Police Grenadier (Infantry) Division ("Police Division II")

consisted of mobilized military service German police officials. The emblem of the division was the "Varangian" ("Norman") shield with the image of the hagall rune and the Roman numeral "II".

41. 36th Grenadier Division of the Waffen SS "Dirlewanger".

The emblem of the division was inscribed in the "Varangian" ("Norman") shield 2 crossed in the shape of the letter "X" hand grenades - "mallets" with handles down.

Besides, in recent months of the war, the formation of the following new SS divisions was started (but not completed), mentioned in the orders of the imperial leader (Reichsführer) SS Heinrich Himmler:

42. 35th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the SS "Police" ("Police"), it is also the 35th Police Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the SS. Information about the tactical sign (emblem) of the division has not been preserved.

43. 36th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS. Information about the emblem of the division has not been preserved.

44. 37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division "Lützow".

The division was named in honor of the hero of the struggle against Napoleon, Major of the Prussian army Adolf von Lützow (1782-1834), who formed the first in the history of the Wars of Liberation (1813-1815) German patriots against Napoleonic tyranny, a volunteer corps ("Lützow's black huntsmen"). The tactical sign of the division was the image of a straight naked sword, point upwards, inscribed in a heraldic shield-tarch, superimposed on the capital Gothic letter "L", that is, "Lützow").

45. 38th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the SS "Nibelungen" ("Nibelungen").

The division was named after the heroes of the medieval Germanic heroic epic - the Nibelungen. So the spirits of darkness and fog, elusive to the enemy and possessing countless treasures, were originally called; then - the knights of the kingdom of the Burgundians who took possession of these treasures. As you know, SS Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler dreamed of creating an "SS order state" on the territory of Burgundy after the war. The emblem of the division was the image of the winged invisibility helmet of the Nibelungs inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch.

46. ​​39th mountain (mountain rifle) division of the SS "Andreas Gofer".

The division was named in honor of the national hero of Austria Andreas Hofer (1767-1810), the leader of the Tyrolean rebels against Napoleonic tyranny, betrayed by traitors to the French and shot in 1810 in the Italian fortress of Mantua. On the motive folk song about the execution of Andreas Hofer - "Under Mantua in chains" (German: "Zu Mantua in banden") German social democrats in the twentieth century composed their own song "We are the young guard of the proletariat" (German: "Vir zind di junge garde des proletariats"), and the Soviet Bolsheviks - "We are the young guard of workers and peasants." Information about the emblem of the division has not been preserved.

47. 40th SS Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division "Feldgerrngalle" (not to be confused with the German Wehrmacht division of the same name).

This division was named after the building of the "Generals' Gallery" (Feldgerrngalle), in front of which on November 9, 1923, the Reichswehr and the police of the Bavarian separatist leader Gustav Ritter von Kahr shot down a column of participants in the Hitler-Ludendorff coup against the government of the Weimar Republic. Information about the tactical sign of the division has not been preserved.

48. 41st Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Kalevala" (Finnish No. 1).

This SS division, named after the Finnish heroic folk epos, began to be formed from among the Finnish Waffen SS volunteers who did not obey the order given in 1943 by the Finnish Commander-in-Chief Marshal Baron Carl Gustav Emil von Mannerheim to return from the Eastern Front to their homeland and re-join the Finnish army . Information about the emblem of the division has not been preserved.

49. 42nd SS Infantry Division "Lower Saxony" ("Niedersachsen").

Information about the emblem of the division, the formation of which was not completed, has not been preserved.

50. 43rd Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Reichsmarschall".

This division, the formation of which was begun on the basis of parts of the German air force ("Luftwaffe"), left without aviation equipment, cadets of flight schools and ground personnel, was named after the Imperial Marshal (Reichsmarschall) of the Third Reich Hermann Goering. Reliable information about the emblem of the division has not been preserved.

51. 44th Waffen SS Motorized Infantry Division "Wallenstein".

This SS division, recruited from ethnic Germans living in the Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia and Slovakia, as well as from Czech and Moravian volunteers, was named after the German imperial commander during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), Duke of Friedland Albrecht Eusebius Wenzel von Wallenstein (1583-1634), a Czech by origin, the hero of the dramatic trilogy of the classic of German literature Friedrich von Schiller "Wallenstein" ("Wallenstein's Camp", "Piccolomini" and "The Death of Wallenstein"). Information about the emblem of the division has not been preserved.

52. 45th SS Infantry Division "Varyags" ("Vareger").

Initially, Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler intended to give the name "Varangians" ("Vareger") to the Nordic (Northern European) SS division, formed from Norwegians, Swedes, Danes and other Scandinavians who sent their volunteer contingents to help the Third Reich. However, according to a number of sources, Adolf Hitler "rejected" the name "Varangians" for his Nordic SS volunteers, seeking to avoid undesirable associations with the medieval "Varangian guard" (consisting of Norwegians, Danes, Swedes, Russians and Anglo-Saxons) in the service of the Byzantine emperors. The Fuhrer of the Third Reich had a negative attitude towards the Constantinople "Vasileus", considering them, like all Byzantines, "morally and spiritually decomposed, deceitful, treacherous, corrupt and treacherous decadents", and not wanting to be associated with the rulers of Byzantium.

It should be noted that Hitler was not alone in his antipathy towards the Byzantines. Most Western Europeans fully shared this antipathy towards the "Romans" (since the era of the Crusades), and it is no coincidence that in the Western European lexicon there is even a special concept of "Byzantinism" (meaning: "treachery", "cynicism", "meanness", " groveling before the strong and ruthlessness towards the weak", "treachery"... in general, "the Greeks are deceitful even to this day," as the well-known Russian chronicler wrote). As a result, the German-Scandinavian division formed as part of the Waffen SS (which later also included the Dutch, Walloons, Flemings, Finns, Latvians, Estonians, Ukrainians and Russians) was given the name "Viking". Along with this, on the basis of Russian white emigrants and former citizens of the USSR in the Balkans, the formation of another SS division called "Vareger" ("Varangians"); however, due to the circumstances, the matter was limited to the formation in the Balkans of the "Russian (security) corps (Russian security group)" and a separate Russian regiment of the SS "Varyag".

During the Second World War on the territory of Serbia in 1941-1944. in alliance with the Germans, the Serbian SS Volunteer Corps also operated, consisting of former military personnel of the Yugoslav royal army (mainly of Serbian origin), most of whom were members of the Serbian monarcho-fascist movement Z.B.O.R., headed by Dmitry Letic. The tactical sign of the corps was a tarch shield and an image of a grain ear superimposed on a naked sword with the point down, located diagonally.

The history of the Second World War has many pages that many historians in the West prefer not to read. It is worth mentioning only the national divisions of the Reich. The topic is very delicate, and in the light of recent events in the south-east of Ukraine, it becomes even more painful.

One has only to mention the history of the SS division "Galicia"! These "brave fighters" are now glorified in the Ukrainian state, but Gestapo veterans were sometimes amazed at their "exploits". And this already speaks volumes.

How it all began

From the very first days of the war, the leadership of the Ukrainian nationalists bombarded the German government with "demands" for the urgent creation of nationalist combat units that could "contribute to the victory over Bolshevism." But at first, all their efforts were in vain. At that time, their German owners paid absolutely no attention to this fuss. Their military successes were such that they laughed at the mere thought that they could accept the help of these political moseks.

In 1943 things changed somewhat. There was Stalingrad, under which the backbone of Paulus's army was broken, there were other battles that convincingly debunked the myth of invincibility Already in February of that year, the Germans began to think about how to use the "Ukrainian resource" more cleverly, plugging holes at the front with nationalists.

Creation of a "glorious division"

This initiative was warmly supported by the governor of the district "Galicia" O. Vechter. Most likely, he received his final permission directly from his former boss Himmler. Some historical documents have been preserved that indicate the fact that the creation of the SS division "Galicia" was first discussed by them on March 1, 1943.

Already on March 28, 1943, Wächter informs his boss that the leaders of the Nationalists jumped at the opportunity to "serve Germany" with joy. In mid-April of the same year, Wächter convened a party meeting, which was attended by the highest ranks of the SS.

They did not hesitate, and therefore almost immediately decided to create the SS division "Galicia". The participants of this meeting agreed ahead of time that they would avoid using the word "police" in the name of the newly created unit. Simply put, they agreed in advance on the formation of a police punitive body. It is not surprising that selected nationalists were equipped similarly to their "colleagues" from other SS punitive units, wearing gray uniforms. They differed from others only in a special shield on the sleeve.

The official order for the formation of the SS division "Galicia" was issued on 28 April. Soon the first recruits began to enter the division.

On the features of recruitment

It must be emphasized that the recruitment of new human material took place "magnanimously". This wording meant that racial prejudices did not prevent the Germans from recruiting troops from the "Slavic rabble." The entrance to this “elite unit” was categorically closed only to completely non-European types, whose appearance unambiguously spoke of a far from Aryan origin.

The work of propagandists

On the day of the issuance of the order to form the division, Wächter issues a secret directive. She says unequivocally that the bodies responsible for calling up the nationalists should in no case even hint at the very fact of their assistance to the Germans. The commissions were obliged to focus exclusively on the "fight against Bolshevism." Even the abbreviation SS they deciphered as "Sich Riflemen", which went off with a bang in a poorly educated, uncultured environment.

This is also hinted at by the anthem of the SS division "Galicia", which contains many words about the "greatness of the nation", but does not say anything about the service to the Reich.

Number of human resource

At the beginning of June, 81,999 people were registered. Officially, 52,875 of them were accepted, 29,124 were refused employment. But it should not be assumed that the call was immediately terminated, since replenishment was constantly required. headed by K. Schulze, who recruited until August 1944, and the “redecoration” of the battle-worn formation was carried out almost until the end of 1945.

Since the mobilization proceeded at an unprecedented pace, the Germans formed several units at once. This explains the fact that the SS division "Galicia", a photo of whose members is in the article, was an extremely heterogeneous formation. In addition to the 11,578 people who officially went through special preparatory courses, the Germans immediately completed five additional regiments and one battalion from the "surplus". These regiments and the battalion immediately went through the classic police drill, which all other punitive formations were subjected to.

Used recruiting methods

It soon turned out that the recruited “material” was clearly not enough due to constant losses in battles, and therefore not only official recruiting commissions for volunteers began to operate, but also special detachments that were engaged in the forcible mobilization of youth. This became obvious by mid-June 1944, when the Ukrainians themselves began to fully feel the full extent of their "loyalty to the Reich." The captured youths were immediately sent to serve in the SS "Hohenstaufen" and "Frundsberg", which that summer were just not far from Lvov.

Other German divisions that were passing through those parts also used the source of cheap Ukrainian “material”. They regularly took into service several dozen captured "patriots of Ukraine". In the villages near Lvov, the German administration completely disregarded its nationalist hangers-on, completely copying all the men without their knowledge. It was an excellent storehouse of human resources, which Germany at that time began to desperately miss. People began to be taken away not only from the streets, but also directly from public institutions.

Even in the churches, the “patriots of Ukraine” could no longer feel safe, since they went to pay their “duty to the Fuhrer” directly from the services. At that time, even the most selective nationalists could not fail to notice the plight of their masters on the fronts, and therefore they were somehow in no hurry to go into battle. It is believed that the SS division "Galicia" (a photo of its standards is in this material) let through at least 32 thousand warriors.

Command and places of registration

At first, SS Brigadeführer Schiemann was responsible for the functioning of the new police formation. But he stayed in this post only until mid-November 1943. Soon, SS Oberführer Fritz Freitag became the commander of the Galicians, who at the end of April was solemnly awarded the honorary title of brigadeführer (an analogue of our major general in the SS troops).

This disposition of the command towards him was due to the fact that this man had extensive experience in commanding police units and was well aware of the specifics of working with them. Combat German officers treated him with extreme contempt: Freitag had not been in a single battle, had no the slightest idea about tactics and army life.

In general, the Ukrainian SS division "Galicia" became a kind of "scarecrow" among the Nazis, since only unfit, mediocre, or simply cowardly officers were exiled from the Germans there. Of course, fighting qualities connections were appropriate.

At first, the main part of the personnel was located in the Heidelager, and from the beginning of 1944, the division was quartered in the city of Neugamer (Silesia, Germany). However, on July 18, 1943, when the first batch of recruits arrived from Lvov, they were first placed in the Gaidelager camp (near Debica), and then they were officially formed into police regiments.

First combat use

At the very beginning of 1944, an urgent directive came from Berlin on the need to form a “battle group” as soon as possible to fight the partisans of Poland and the USSR. A battalion was quickly formed, a battery of light guns was handed over to it, after which this company was scattered around the outskirts of Poland. So the 14th SS Grenadier Division "Galicia" began its truly inglorious path.

Just a day later, the formation of a similar group was completed, which was intended for a counter-guerrilla war in the vicinity of Lvov. Subsequently, the Nazi leadership noted that both of these units "acted quite successfully." But the Germans show amazing unanimity, not trying to describe in more detail these very “successes”.

However, it is quite clear that the division “bravely fought” with exceptionally superior forces, preferring to attack unarmed civilians first. Unless there was no choice at all, the "brave warriors" came into fire contact with the partisans, for the fight against which the SS division "Galicia" was actually formed.

The first "exploits" of the Galicians

The Soviet troops were lucky enough to seize the archive of this glorious formation, which still serves as irrefutable proof of the combat "achievements" of Ukrainian nationalists. A record has been preserved that the fourth regiment was the first to enter the battle with the partisans ... In total, about 12 people were wounded. As a result of the operation, the villages of Guta-Penyatskaya and Benyaki were wiped off the face of the earth. The gallant nationalists burned the houses. Together with their inhabitants, of course. In total, they killed at least 800 peaceful peasants, among whom were many women and children. However, the flag of the SS division "Galicia" was never really considered a military banner, since only "rejected" German officers and selected nationalists fought under its shadow, whom their owners did not even consider to be people.

In Ternopil, the Ukrainian henchmen of the Wehrmacht dispersed even more. When, as a result of a counterattack, the Germans managed to recapture part of the city, the animals simply drove the surviving people into one of the churches, after which they burned everyone. In their native Lvov, they destroyed about one and a half thousand people, in Zolochev they were engaged in mass executions of captured soldiers of the Red Army. They actually completely destroyed the small town of Olesko, but killed "only" 300 people.

Such "generosity" is explained by the fact that the rest of the inhabitants were driven away for forced labor in Germany. If it were not for the need of the Germans for slaves, even more blood would have been shed. The nationalists were very fond of killing those who could no longer resist them. Actually, the SS division "Galicia" was forever marked by this particular feature in history.

Brodsky disaster

But the turn has come for these "brave warriors" to meet in a real battle with regular military personnel, and not with unarmed civilians. The SS division "Galicia" near Brody had "full ammunition", being staffed from soldiers of the 29th, 30th and 31st regiments. In addition, many warriors from some other formations were assigned to it.

At that time, in its "glorious ranks" there were 346 officers, 1131 non-commissioned officers and 13822 soldiers. Thus, its total strength was 15,299 warriors. Only 1,000 men and 1,200 soldiers of the reserve battalion, who were lucky enough to be outside the encirclement, escaped from the Brodovsky Cauldron relatively unharmed.

Several hundred nationalists managed to seep out of the encirclement in small groups that avoided open confrontation with the Soviet troops. In total, out of 15 thousand, no more than 1/5 of the personnel survived. This fact once again confirmed the simple circumstance that police formations in open battle are worth absolutely nothing. All their "valor" lies only in the atrocities against the civilian population and captured, unarmed soldiers.

However, the complete defeat of the SS division "Galicia" was close. After the battle of Brody, it was just a matter of time.

Further battle path

In February 1944, the fourth regiment was transferred near Ternopil, where its members participated in the suppression of the partisan movement. Subsequently, they participated in episodic cases of resistance to the advancing Soviet troops.

The remainder of the division was transferred to France, where further military training took place. Already in the spring, almost all nationalists were sent to Neugamer. From time to time they continued to be used in the fight against the French resistance.

Thus, the history of the SS division "Galicia" in a truly military sense was absolutely inglorious: Ukrainians participated in real battles only from March to July. After it was completely defeated near Brody, its pitiful remnants are finally reorganized into a police unit, after which they are used exclusively in this field.

Slovakia and Yugoslavia

In early October 1944, the rested nationalists, whose ranks at that time were joined by many "volunteers" recruited directly from the streets, were sent to Slovakia. There, the “brave Aryans” were engaged in their usual and exceptionally pleasant business, suppressing the Ukrainians under the control of the “Dirlivanger Brigade”, known for its atrocities. Its members are still well remembered in Belarus, as they have a huge number of lives of brutally tortured people on their conscience.

Where, then, was the SS division "Galicia" sent? Brody showed perfectly that it was useless to use nationalists against regular units of the Soviet troops, and therefore they were sent to Carinthia, where they pursued the partisans of Yugoslavia. Here the Galicians spent all the last months of the war.

In 1945, her soldiers were transferred to the territory of Germany, trying to force them to "courageously repel the blow of the Soviet troops" at least once. Vain hopes. As soon as the banners of the British troops began to glimmer in the distance, the “courageous patriots of Ukraine” hurried into captivity with incredible speed. This was the last march of the SS division "Galicia" in that war.

In the town of Tamsweg, through which the captives passed, the British set up a filtration point, where at first they were relatively successful in catching the news. Commander Fritz Freitag fell into black melancholy from this news and committed suicide. His place was taken by the Polish colonel Pavel Shandruk. However, time has clearly shown Freitag wrong. Thousands of Galicians leaked through the liquid English post, who settled down perfectly on the territory of England.

"Purely English betrayal"

What happened to the "valiant fighters" of this division, who so bravely hurried to surrender to the English captivity? Alas, their fate turned out for the best. There is a lot of historical evidence that in 1945 in the UK there were about eight thousand military personnel who served in Galicia.

As of 1999, at least one and a half thousand lived in England, both direct participants in those events and their descendants. The UK government is extremely reluctant to delve into these issues. Of the eight thousand war criminals, the British convicted ... one person. This "lucky one" was Anton Sevenyuk.

What was the reason for such a loyal attitude? The fact is that when they were taken prisoner, the “brave patriots” unanimously called themselves ... Poles, who were brutally killed just a couple of years ago. They really didn’t really check them, and the British didn’t have a vested interest in this. After all, it was not their villages and cities that were burned by these animals.

In the mid-90s, a separate bureau, which, as it were, was engaged in "catching Nazi criminals", completely ceased to exist. Hitler's henchmen, who successfully surrendered to the British, finally ceased to be afraid of at least some threat of exposure and punishment. Almost all documents on this case are still classified.

In general, the inhabitants of Foggy Albion are well aware of the SS division "Galicia". The film about her, which was filmed in England, seems to condemn the atrocities of the nationalists, but at the same time emphasizes that many soldiers were either forcibly recruited or succumbed to the "romantic impulse of the revival of Ukraine." But none of these facts justify their heinous crimes.

Modern realities

Such an epic story still has its echoes today. So, the flag of the SS division "Galicia" can still be seen at some events held by informal associations that have forgotten how much grief these non-humans brought.

Emblems of SS divisions

Almost all German divisions had their own emblems or identification marks. As a rule, they were applied with white, black or yellow oil paint on divisional military equipment and vehicles; buildings in which the ranks of the respective divisions were quartered; corresponding pointers in the locations of the parts; aircraft (if any), etc. In SS divisions, such identification marks or emblems (“Erkennungszeichen”, German: Erkennungszeichen) almost always fit into heraldic shields that had a “Varangian” or “Norman” form, or the form of a tarch, and in many cases differed from the lapel pins of the ranks of the corresponding divisions. Although in practice such identification marks (judging by the surviving photographs) were often applied to equipment and divisional property without heraldic shields or simply fit into a circle.

1st Panzer Division "SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" . The name of the division can be translated as "SS Regiment of Adolf Hitler's personal guard". The emblem of the division was a shield-tarch with a picture of a master key (and not a key, as is often incorrectly written and thought). This choice of drawing is explained by the fact that the name of the division commander Josef (Sepp) Dietrich in German means master key (dietrich). After Joseph Dietrich was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the emblem of the division began to be framed by 2 oak leaves or a semicircular oak wreath. The division was founded on March 17, 1933 by Hitler shortly after he came to power. At the beginning of World War II, the 1st SS Division fought as a motorized infantry regiment. According to the testimonies, due to their special stamina, this unit suffered high losses, due to insufficient military training and blind fanaticism. Achievement of the set task, regardless of losses, was considered a special pride.

2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich" . The name of the division can be translated into Russian as "Empire", "Power". The emblem of the division was the "wolfsangel" (wolf hook) inscribed in the shield-tarch - an old German rune-amulet that scared away wolves and werewolves (in German: "werewolves", in Greek: "lycanthropes", in Icelandic: "Ulfhedins" , in Norwegian: "varulvov" or "vargs", in Slavonic: "volkolaks", "volkudlaks" or "volkodlaks"), located horizontally. The division was created on October 10, 1938 by the union of the "SS reserve troops" and part of the "Dead Head" SS formations.

3rd SS Panzer Division "Dead Head" ("Totenkopf"). The emblem of the division was the image of the dead (Adam's) head (skull with bones) inscribed in the shield-tarch - a symbol of loyalty to the leader until death. It was created on November 1, 1939, as a division of motorized infantry. It included parts of the SS "Dead Head", engaged in the protection of concentration camps, and the SS Danzig battalion.

4th moto infantry division SS "Police" ("Police"), a.k.a. "(4th) SS Police Division". This division received its name because it was formed from the ranks of the German police. The emblem of the division was the "wolf hook" - "wolfsangel" in a vertical position, inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch. Founded October 1, 1939 as a Police Division from employees of the German police. February 10, 1942 passed to the Waffen-SS, to which she belonged informally.

5th SS Panzer Division "Viking". It was founded in April 1941 from the SS Nordland and Westland regiments. The division was the first to include foreigners. It was fought by foreign volunteers from "racially acceptable peoples", mostly residents of the countries of Northern Europe (Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden), as well as Belgium, the Netherlands, Latvia and Estonia. However, foreigners made up only 10% of the personnel. By the end of the war, Swiss, Russian, Ukrainian and Spanish volunteers served in the ranks of the division. The emblem of the division was an oblique cross (sun wheel), that is, a swastika with curved crossbars, on a heraldic shield-tarch.

6th Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division of the SS "Nord" ("North"). It was founded in the autumn of 1942 in Finland as the SS mountain division "Nord" from the SS division "Nord". October 22, 1943 received the 6th number and became the 6th SS division. The name of this division is explained by the fact that it was recruited mainly from natives of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia and Latvia). The emblem of the division was the ancient German rune “hagall” (“hagalaz”) inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, which was considered a symbol of unshakable faith.

7th SS Volunteer Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division "Prince Eugen (Eugen)". Founded in October 1942. Showed particular cruelty to the civilian population. According to the results of a military investigation in 1944, it became known that as a result of the atrocities of the division, 22 settlements with a total population of about 1000 people. This division, recruited mainly from ethnic Germans living in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Vojvodina, Banat and Romania, was named after the famous commander of the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" of the second half of the 17th - early 18th centuries. Prince Eugene (in German: Eugen) of Savoy, who became famous for his victories over the Ottoman Turks and, in particular, won Belgrade for the Roman-German emperor (1717). Eugene of Savoy also became famous in the War of the Spanish Succession for his victories over the French and earned himself no less fame as a patron of the arts. The emblem of the division was a stylized and inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch the ancient Germanic rune "odal" ("otilia", "etel") with curved lower ends. The rune itself means “real estate / estate” or “heritage” and symbolizes the roots and past of a person - clan, family, homeland, home, property, traditions. However, it should be noted that some foreign and domestic runologists tend to consider such a variant of the outline of the “odal” rune (with curved lower ends) as a separate, “irregular” rune “erda” (“earth rune”). According to their interpretation, the rune of the earth and the earth goddess, bearing the same name in the Germanic languages ​​\u200b\u200b- “erda”, symbolizes, on the one hand, the earth itself and its holiness, and on the other hand, the native land, homeland, clan. Nevertheless, apparently, in the Third Reich in general, and in the SS - in particular, no distinctions were made between the runes "odal" and "Erda" (in relation to both variants of the runic sign described above, as well as in relation to the third variant - with arrow-shaped lower ends, used as the emblem of the Dutch SS division "Landstorm Nederland" - the name "odal rune" was used).

8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer. It was created on September 9, 1942 as an SS cavalry division. Participated in the suppression of the partisan population, acted against the Polish rebels from the Home Army in Volhynia. This division was named after the imperial knight Florian Geyer, who led during the Peasants' War in Germany (1524-1526) one of the detachments of German peasants ("Black detachment", in German: "Schwarzer Haufen"), who rebelled against the princes (large feudal lords who opposed the unification of Germany under the scepter of the emperor). Since Florian Geyer wore black armor and his "Black Squad" fought under a black banner, the SS considered him as their predecessor (especially since he opposed not only the princes, but also for the unification of the German state). Florian Geyer (immortalized in the drama of the same name by the classic of German literature Gerhart Hauptmann) died heroically in battle with the superior forces of the German princes in 1525 in the Taubertal valley. His image entered German folklore (especially song folklore), enjoying no less popularity than, say, Stepan Razin - in Russian song folklore. The emblem of the division was a straight naked sword inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, point upwards, crossing the shield from right to left diagonally and a horse's head.

9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen" ("Hohenstaufen"). Created from the Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler reserve on December 31, 1942 in France. Replenished by volunteers from all over the Reich. This division was named after the dynasty of the Swabian dukes (since 1079) and the medieval Roman-German Kaiser emperors (1138-1254) - the Hohenstaufen (Staufen). Under them, the medieval German state (“Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation”), founded by Charlemagne (in AD 800) and renewed by Otto (n) I the Great, reached the peak of its power, subordinating Italy, Sicily, the Holy Land and Poland. The Hohenstaufens tried, relying on economically highly developed Northern Italy as a base, to centralize their power over Germany and restore the Roman Empire - "at least" - the Western (within the borders of the empire of Charlemagne), ideally the entire Roman Empire, including the Eastern Roman (Byzantine), in which, however, they did not succeed. The most famous representatives of the Hohenstaufen dynasty are the Crusader Kaisers Frederick I Barbarossa (who died during the Third Crusade) and his great-nephew Frederick II (Emperor of Rome, King of Germany, Sicily and Jerusalem), as well as Konradin, who was defeated in the fight against the Pope and Duke Charles of Anjou for Italy and beheaded by the French in 1268. The emblem of the division was a straight naked sword inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, pointing upwards, superimposed on the capital Latin letter "H" ("Hohenstaufen").

10th SS Panzer Division "Frundsberg". It was created on February 1, 1943 in southern France as the 10th SS Panzergrenadier Division. On October 3, 1943, it was renamed and received the name Frundsberg in honor of the German Renaissance commander Georg (Jörg) von Frundsberg, nicknamed the "Father of the Landsknechts" (1473-1528), under whose command the troops of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and King of Spain Charles I of Habsburg conquered Italy and in 1514 took Rome, forcing the Pope to recognize the supremacy of the Empire. They say that the ferocious Georg Frundsberg always carried a golden noose with him, with which he intended to strangle the Pope if he fell into his hands alive. The emblem of the division was the capital Gothic letter “F” (“Frundsberg”) inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, superimposed on an oak leaf, located diagonally from right to left.

11th SS Infantry Division "Nordland" ("Northern Country"). It was established in July 1943. Fought on the Eastern Front, in May 1945 was almost completely destroyed in Berlin. The name of the division is explained by the fact that it was recruited mainly from volunteers born in northern European countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Latvia and Estonia). The emblem of this SS division was originally a "wolf hook" without a central vertical line, and later - a heraldic shield-tarch with the image of a "sun wheel" inscribed in a circle.

12th SS Panzer Division "Hitler Youth" ("Hitler Youth"). The order to form a division from conscripts born in 1926 was signed on February 10, 1943. This division was recruited mainly from the ranks of the eponymous youth organization of the Third Reich. The emblem of the division was the ancient German "solar" rune "sig" ("sovulo", "sovelu"), inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch - a symbol of victory and the emblem of the Nazi youth organizations "Jungfolk" and "Hitler Youth", from whose members the volunteers of the division were recruited, superimposed on the master key ("alignment with Dietrich").

13th mountain (mountain) division of the Waffen SS "Khanjar" (often also referred to in military literature as "Handshar" or "Yatagan"), consisting of Croatian, Bosnian and Herzegovina Muslims (Bosnyaks). The beginning of the formation - August 1943. The division has established itself as a competent anti-partisan detachment, the main area of ​​\u200b\u200boperation is Bosnia, Serbia. The emblem of the division was a curved khanjar sword inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch - a traditional Muslim edged weapon, directed diagonally upwards from left to right. According to the surviving data, the division also had another identification mark, which was an image of a hand with a khanjar superimposed on a double "SS" rune "sig" ("sovulo").

14th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS "Galicia" (Sichevyh Striltsov) she is also the Galician division No. 1, since 1945 - the Ukrainian division No. 1). The emblem of the division was the old coat of arms of the city of Lvov, the capital of Galicia - a lion walking on its hind legs, surrounded by three three-pronged crowns, inscribed in the "Varangian" ("Norman") shield. Along with the 13th SS division, the first SS division was recruited from "non-Nordic" Ukrainian volunteers - Galicians.

15th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Latvian No. 1). It was created in early 1943 and was originally called German. Lettische SS-Freiwilligen Division, renamed a division in June 1944, like the 19th Waffen-SS Grenadier Division, from the Latvian SS Legion. Almost all leading positions of the division were occupied by Latvians. The emblem of the division was originally a "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield with the image of the Roman numeral "I" above the stylized printed capital Latin letter "L" ("Latvia"). Subsequently, the division received another sign - three stars against the background of the rising sun. The stars meant three Latvian provinces - Vidzeme, Kurzeme and Latgale (a similar image adorned the cockade of the servicemen of the pre-war army of the Republic of Latvia).

16th SS Infantry Division "Reichsführer SS". It was created on October 3, 1943 in Ljubljana from the SS assault brigade "Reichsführer SS". The division is responsible for the massacre at Sant'Anna di Stazzema and at Marzabotto on August 12, 1944 and October 1, 1944 respectively. It was widely used from Italy and Corsica to Hungary. This division was named after SS Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler. in a heraldic shield-tarch a bunch of three oak leaves with two acorns at the handle framed by a laurel wreath.

17th SS Panzer Division "Götz von Berlichingen" It was created in the late autumn of 1943 in the south-west of France from the 49th and 51st Panzer Grenadier Brigades and other units, among others, the 10th Panzer Division. Used in the Balkans against Tito's partisans, in France, in Normandy against 3 American divisions, Saarpfalz, Bavaria. This division was named after the hero of the Peasant War in Germany (1524-1526), ​​the imperial knight Georg (Götz, Götz) von Berlichingen (1480-1562), the fighter against the separatism of the German princes for the unity of Germany, the leader of the rebel peasants and the hero of the drama Johann Wolfgang von Goethe "Goetz von Berlichingen with an iron hand" (Knight Goetz, who lost his arm in one of the battles, ordered to make an iron prosthesis instead, which he owned no worse than others - a hand of flesh and blood). The emblem of the division was the iron hand of Goetz von Berlichingen clenched into a fist (crossing the shield-tarch from right to left and from bottom to top diagonally).

18th SS Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division Horst Wessel. It was created from the 1st SS Infantry Brigade on January 25, 1944 in the Zagreb (Celje) region in western Croatia. The formation of the division was planned from the employees of the SA, however, due to their insufficient number, the division was staffed by Hungarian Germans. This division was named after one of the "martyrs of the Nazi movement" - the commander of the Berlin attack aircraft Horst Wessel, who composed the song "Banners up"! (which became the anthem of the NSDAP and the "second anthem" of the Third Reich) and was killed by communist militants. The emblem of the division was a straight naked sword with the tip up, crossing the shield-tarch from right to left diagonally. According to the surviving data, this division also had another emblem, which was the Latin letters SA stylized as runes (SA - Sturmabteilungen, i.e. "assault squads" - Horst Wessel was one of the leaders), inscribed in a circle.

19th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Latvian No. 2). Formed on the basis of the "Latvian Volunteer Brigade" in January 1944. Most of the soldiers and officers up to the regimental commanders were Latvians. The emblem of the division at the time of formation was the “Varangian” (“Norman”) heraldic shield with the image of the Roman numeral “II” above the stylized printed capital Latin letter “L” (“Latvia”). Subsequently, the division received another tactical sign - an upright right-sided swastika on the "Varangian" shield. The swastika - the “fiery cross” (“ugunskrusts”) or the “cross (of the god of thunder) Perkon” (“perkonkrusts”) has been a traditional element of the Latvian folk ornament for centuries.

20th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Estonian No. 1). The formation began in February 1944 and was carried out on a voluntary basis. Everyone wishing to serve in this unit had to meet the requirements of the SS troops for health and ideological considerations. The emblem of the division was the “Varangian” (“Norman”) heraldic shield with the image of a straight naked sword, point upwards, crossing the shield from right to left diagonally and superimposed on the capital Latin letter “E” (“Estonia”). According to some reports, this emblem was sometimes depicted on the helmets of Estonian SS volunteers.

21st mountain (mountain) division of the Waffen SS "Skanderbeg" (Albanian No. 1). It began to be created on May 1, 1944 in Northern Albania (the province of Kosovo) on the orders of Himmler. This division, recruited mainly from Albanians, was named after the national hero of the Albanian people, Prince George Alexander Kastriot (nicknamed "Iskander Beg" or "Skanderbeg" for short) by the Turks. While Skanderbeg (1403-1468) was alive, the Ottoman Turks, who repeatedly suffered defeats from him, could not subjugate Albania to their power. The emblem of the division was the ancient coat of arms of Albania, inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch - a double-headed eagle (the ancient Albanian rulers claimed kinship with the basileus-emperors of Byzantium). According to the surviving information, the division also had another sign - a stylized image of the “Skanderbeg helmet” with goat horns superimposed on 2 horizontal stripes.

22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division "Maria Theresa" (and not "Maria Teresa", as is often incorrectly spelled). It was formed on April 29, 1944 from Hungarian volunteers. It operated as part of the Army Group South Ukraine. She received her baptism of fire in October 1944 as part of the 6th Army. Participated in the defense of Budapest, where it was actually destroyed, the remnants of the division were used in the formation of the 37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division "Lützow". This division, recruited mainly from ethnic Germans living in Hungary, and from Hungarians, was named after the Empress of the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" and Austria, Queen of Bohemia (Czech Republic) and Hungary Maria Theresa von Habsburg (1717-1780), one of the most prominent rulers of the second half of the 18th century. The emblem of the division was the image of a cornflower flower inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch with eight petals, a stem, two leaves and one bud - (subjects of the Austro-Hungarian Danubian monarchy, who wanted to join the German Empire, until 1918 wore a cornflower in their buttonhole - the favorite flower of the German emperor Wilhelm II of Hohenzollern).

23rd Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Kama" (Croatian No. 2). The formation of the division began on June 10, 1944 in eastern Croatia from Croatian, Bosnian and Herzegovina Muslims, but was not completed due to the threat to the training camp of the division by the advancing Red Army. The personnel were included in the 13th SS mountain division "Handshar", which consisted of Croatian, Bosnian and Herzegovina Muslims. "Kama" is the name of a cold weapon traditional for Balkan Muslims with a curved blade (something like a scimitar). The tactical sign of the division was a stylized image of the astronomical sign of the sun in a crown of rays on a heraldic shield-tarch. Information has also been preserved about two other tactical signs of the division. The first was a Tyr rune with two arrow-shaped processes perpendicular to the rune's trunk in its lower part; the second - the rune "odal" (similar to the tactical sign of the SS division "Prince Eugene".

23rd Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Netherlands" (1st Dutch) . The division appeared in February 1945, after the renaming of the SS volunteer tank-grenadier brigade "Nederland". Nominally, the division consisted of volunteers, in fact - from Dutch collaborators who fled to Germany after the occupation of Holland by the Allies, as well as from German soldiers of the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS. (The division number "23" had previously been used for the never-formed 23rd SS Mountain Division "Kama" (Croatian No. 2)). Until the end of the war, the division, never numbering more than 5200 personnel, fought in Pomerania against the Red Army, before being almost completely destroyed in the encirclement at Halba. and surrendered. The emblem of the division was the rune "odal" ("otilia") with the lower ends in the form of arrows, inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch.

24th Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division of the Waffen SS "Karst Jaegers" ("Karst Jaegers", "Karstjäger"). It was organized on August 1, 1944 and consisted mainly of Italian volunteers. Used in northern Italy, primarily in Friuli and Julian Venice, against partisans. The name of this division is explained by the fact that it was recruited mainly from the natives of the mountainous Karst region, located on the border between Italy and Yugoslavia. The emblem of the division was a stylized image of a “karst flower” (“karstbloom”), inscribed in the heraldic shield of the “Varangian” (“Norman”) form.

25th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS "Hunyadi" (Hungarian No. 1). It was formed from the employees of the Hungarian army in February 1945. The Soviet winter offensive forced a retreat to the west, where she surrendered to American forces. This division was named after the medieval Transylvanian-Hungarian Hunyadi dynasty, the most prominent representatives of which were Janos Hunyadi (Johannes Guniades, Giovanni Vaivoda, 1385-1456) and his son King Matthias Corvinus (Matyas Hunyadi, 1443-1490), who heroically fought for freedom Hungary against the Ottoman Turks. The emblem of the division was the “Varangian” (“Norman”) heraldic shield with the image of the “arrow-shaped cross” - the symbol of the Viennese National Socialist Arrow Crossed (“Nilashists”) party of Ferenc Salashi - under two three-pronged crowns.

26th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS "Gömbös" (Hungarian No. 2). This division, which consisted mainly of Hungarians, was named after the Hungarian Foreign Minister Count Gyula Gömbes (1886-1936), a staunch supporter of a close military-political alliance with Germany and an ardent anti-Semite. The emblem of the division was the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield depicting the same arrow-shaped cross, but under three three-pronged crowns.

27th SS Volunteer Grenadier (Infantry) Division "Langemark" (Flemish No. 1). This division, formed from the German-speaking Belgians (Flemings), was named after the place of the bloody battle that took place on the territory of Belgium during the Great (First World) War, in 1914. The emblem of the division was the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield with the image of the "triskelion" ("triphos" or "triquetra").

28th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Wallonia. It was finally formed on October 18, 1944, after the 5th SS Volunteer Assault Brigade "Wallonia" was reorganized, consisting of the 69th and 70th SS Grenadier Regiments. This division owed its name to the fact that it was formed mainly from French-speaking Belgians (Walloons). The emblem of the division was a heraldic shield-tarch with the image of a straight sword and a curved saber crossed in the shape of the letter "X" with the handles up (in rare cases - with the handles down).

29th Grenadier Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "RONA" (Russian No. 1). The formation of the division was officially announced on August 1, 1944, but the Warsaw Uprising that began soon led to the fact that the promising potential of the "division" (4-5 thousand people) was used by the German command in its suppression, where it suffered heavy losses; at the same time, the composition of the proposed division showed its extremely low combat value with an almost completely absent discipline and morality. In September 1944, together with the Dirlewanger brigade, she was transferred to the suppression of the Slovak uprising, where she operated until October 1944. By this time, the idea of ​​forming a division was finally abandoned, and the remaining personnel (about 3 thousand) were transferred to the formation of the 600th Wehrmacht Infantry Division (aka the 1st division of the ROA) where they were described by the new command as “bandits, marauders and thieves” ; by the end of October 1944, after a review of the remaining personnel stationed in Katowice, plans to form a division finally disappear. The unit as a real combat division never existed, and did not take part in the hostilities. Despite this, in popular literature It is mentioned under this name, as it actually existed. At the beginning of 1945, the 29th SS Grenadier Division "Italia" was created under the same number (No. 29). The divisional sign applied to the equipment, judging by the surviving photographs, was a broadened cross with the abbreviation "RONA" under it.

29th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS "Italy" (Italian No. 1). It arose on February 10, 1945 as the second SS division under this number (the 29th SS Grenadier Division "RONA" (Russian No. 1), was previously disbanded) from the SS Waffen-Grenadier Brigade that already existed since November 1943 (Italian No. 1). In some publications, the additional name of the division appears as "Italy" or "SS Legion Italiana". This division owed its name to the fact that it consisted of Italian volunteers who remained loyal to Benito Mussolini after his release from prison by a detachment of German paratroopers led by SS-Sturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny. The tactical sign of the division was the vertically located lictor fascia (in Italian: "littorio"), inscribed in the heraldic shield of the "Varangian" ("Norman") form - a bunch of rods (rods) with an ax embedded in them (the official emblem of the National Fascist Party of Benito Mussolini) .

30th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS (Russian No. 2, it is also Belarusian No. 1). It began to form on March 9, 1945 on the basis of the 1st Belarusian SS brigade, created on January 15, 1945 and consisting of one regiment. It was planned that the formation of the division would be completed by June 30, 1945, but events at the front led to the division being disbanded between April 15 and 20, 1945. The basis of the personnel was Belarusians, who had previously served in police units and detachments of the Belarusian Regional Defense, and then in the 75th and 76th regiments of the 2nd Russian. The division was not fully formed and did not take part in hostilities. The tactical sign of the division was the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield with the image of a double ("patriarchal") cross of the Holy Princess Euphrosyne of Polotsk, located horizontally.

31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division (also known as the 23rd Waffen SS Volunteer Mountain Division). It was created on October 1, 1944 on the territory of Hungary from Volksdeutsche self-defense units and soldiers from the disbanded 23rd SS mountain division "Kama". Initially, the division took part in the fighting in the Mohacs-Pecs region. There they participated in the battles near Popovac, Bortsy, Fekete Kapu. Then the division retreated to the northeast to Pechvarad, then participated in the battles south of Szeksard. Having suffered significant losses, in December 1944, the division was forced to retreat again, this time to the Dombovar area. During these battles, the division again suffered significant losses and was withdrawn to Styria, to Marburg. At the end of January 1945, the somehow replenished division was sent to Army Group Center in Silesia. Upon arrival in the Liegnitz area, the Brisken SS police regiment was introduced into its composition and sent to the front. The division first took part in the offensive in the area of ​​Schonau and Goldberg, and then went on the defensive. After that, the division defended near Murau, then withdrew to Hirschberg, then to Könnigratz, and there surrendered to the Red Army. The emblem of the division was the full-face deer head on the "Varangian" ("Norman") heraldic shield.

31st SS Volunteer Grenadier (Infantry) Division "Bohemia and Moravia" (German: "Böhmen und Meren"). This division was formed from the natives of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, who came under the German control of the territories of the Czech Republic (after the declaration of independence by Slovakia). The emblem of the division was the Bohemian (Czech) crowned lion walking on its hind legs, and the orb crowned with a double cross on the “Varangian” (“Norman”) heraldic shield.

32nd SS Volunteer Grenadier (Infantry) Division "January 30". It was formed in January 1945 in the city of Kurmark from German Volksdeutsche conscripts (volunteers and mobilized), teachers of the "SS Junker Schools", instructors and cadets of SS tank and infantry schools. Initially, there were about 2000 people. The division suffered heavy losses on the Eastern Front on the Oder River, where it fought in February-March 1945. Some units defended the southern part of Berlin. The surviving remnants of the division surrendered to the Allies on May 5, 1945 in the city of Tanemünde. This division was named in memory of the day Adolf Hitler came to power (January 30, 1933). The emblem of the division was the "Varangian" ("Norman") shield with the image of a vertically located "combat rune" - a symbol of the ancient German god of war Tyr (Tira, Tiu, Tsiu, Tuisto, Tuesco).

33rd Cavalry Division of the Waffen SS "Hungaria", or "Hungary" (Hungarian No. 3). This division was supposedly formed in Hungary in 1944-1945 from Hungarian cavalry units and was destroyed in Budapest. Information about the emblem of the division has not been preserved.

33rd Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS "Charlemagne" (French No. 1). The formation of the brigade was started back in 1944, however, this division military formation it became only on February 10, 1945 in West Prussia, after the reorganization of the Waffen Grenadier Brigade of the SS Charlemagne (French No. 1) with giving it the status of a division. After suffering heavy losses in Pomerania on March 25, 1945, the unit was withdrawn east of Neustrelitz and was to remain there until the end of replenishment and rest. In May 1945, the division surrendered to the Soviet troops. This division was named after the Frankish king Charlemagne ("Charlemagne", from the Latin "Carolus Magnus", 742-814), who was crowned emperor of the Western Roman Empire in 800 in Rome (which included the territories of modern Northern Italy, France, Germany , Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and part of Spain), and is considered the founder of modern German and French statehood. The emblem of the division was a dissected "Varangian" ("Norman") shield with a half of the Roman-German imperial eagle and three heraldic lilies (French: fleurs de lys) of the French kingdom.

34th SS Volunteer Grenadier (Infantry) Division "Landstorm Nederland" ("Netherlands Militia"), (Dutch No. 2). Initially, it was an SS volunteer brigade in the Third Reich, consisting mainly of Danes and Dutch. She took part in the fighting on the western front of the European theater of World War II. In February 1945, the brigade received an order that it reorganized into an SS division, despite the fact that its strength had never been higher than that of a separate brigade. The emblem of the division was the “Dutch national” version of the “wolf hook” - “wolfsangel” inscribed in the “Varangian” (“Norman”) heraldic shield (adopted in the Dutch National Socialist movement of Anton-Adrian Mussert).

35th SS Police Grenadier (Infantry) Division ("Police Division II") The formation of the division began on March 16, 1945, when the 29th and 30th SS police regiments were assigned to the Waffen-SS and consisted of German police officers mobilized for military service. The real combat potential of the division remained unknown, since the division only managed to take part in the defense of Berlin (in the Battle of the Seelow Heights) and was destroyed in an attempt to break through the Soviet defense, known in Western historiography as the Battle of Halba. Some minor parts of the division managed to surrender to American or Soviet troops in the area of ​​​​the demarcation line of the two army groups near the Elbe.

36th Grenadier Division of the Waffen SS "Dirlewanger". The SS assault brigade "Dirlewanger" - a punitive SS unit under the command of Oskar Dirlewanger, was recruited from prisoners of German prisons, concentration camps and SS military prisons. The special status of the brigade was marked by the fact that on the buttonholes, instead of the SS runes, its members wore the symbol of the brigade - crossed grenades. At the end of the war, the 36th SS Waffen Grenadier Division "Dirlewanger" was created on the basis of the brigade. It can only be called a division conditionally, since formally it never became one (in 1944, on the basis of this brigade, it was supposed to form a separate (36th according to the standard “through” numbering) division, but the formation was never completed, since in 1945, almost all members of the brigade were destroyed). The emblem of the division was inscribed in the "Varangian" ("Norman") shield, two crossed in the shape of the letter "X" hand grenades "mallets" with handles down.

According to the orders of the imperial leader (Reichsführer) of the SS, Heinrich Himmler, in the last months of the war, the formation of several more SS divisions was started (but not completed):

35th SS Grenadier (Infantry) Division "Police" ("Police"), it is also the 35th SS Police Grenadier (Infantry) Division. Information about the emblem of the division has not been preserved.

36th Grenadier (Infantry) Division of the Waffen SS. Information about the emblem of the division has not been preserved.

37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division "Lützow". It was formed near Marchfeld on the Hungarian-Slovak border in February 1945. The personnel of the division was assembled from the remnants of the cavalry divisions - the 22nd "Maria Theresa" and the 8th "Florian Geyer", battered in the battles near the besieged Budapest, and, due to the recruitment of the Hungarian Volksdeutsche, was brought to the required number as quickly as possible. The division was named in honor of the hero of the struggle against Napoleon, Major of the Prussian army Adolf von Lützow (1782-1834), who formed the first in the history of the Wars of Liberation (1813-1815) German patriots against Napoleonic tyranny, a volunteer corps ("Lützow's Black Jaegers"). The tactical sign of the division was the image of a straight naked sword inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch, point upwards, superimposed on the capital Gothic letter "L", that is, "Luttsov").

38th SS Grenadier (Infantry) Division "Nibelungen" ("Nibelungen"). It was formed on March 27, 1945 and by Hitler's personal order was sent to the Western Front. She fought in Bavaria. She ended the war on May 8, 1945 in Reit im Winkl by surrendering to American troops. The division was named after the heroes of the medieval Germanic heroic epic - the Nibelungen. So the spirits of darkness and fog, elusive to the enemy and possessing countless treasures, were originally called; then - the knights of the kingdom of the Burgundians who took possession of these treasures. As you know, SS Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler dreamed of creating an "SS order state" in Burgundy after the war. The emblem of the division was the image of the winged invisibility helmet of the Nibelungs inscribed in the heraldic shield-tarch.

39th Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Division of the SS "Andreas Gofer". The division was named in honor of the national hero of Austria Andreas Hofer (1767-1810), the leader of the Tyrolean rebels against Napoleonic tyranny, betrayed by traitors to the French and shot in 1810 in the Italian fortress of Mantua. In the 20th century, the German Social Democrats composed their own song “We are the young guard of the proletariat”, and the Soviet Bolsheviks - “We are the young guard of workers and peasants” to the tune of the folk song about the execution of Andreas Hofer - “Under Mantua in Chains”. Information about the emblem of the division has not been preserved.

40th SS Volunteer Motorized Infantry Division "Feldgerrngalle" (not to be confused with the German Wehrmacht division of the same name). This division was named after the building of the "Gallery of the Generals" (Feldgerrngalle), in front of which on November 9, 1923, the Reichswehr and the police of the Bavarian separatist leader Gustav Ritter von Kahr shot a column of participants in the Hitler-Ludendorff coup against the government of the Weimar Republic. Information about the tactical sign of the division has not been preserved.

41st Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Kalevala" (Finnish No. 1). This division, named after the Finnish heroic folk epic, began to be formed from among the Finnish volunteers of the Waffen SS, who did not obey the order given in 1943 by the Finnish Commander-in-Chief Marshal Baron Carl Gustav Emil von Mannerheim to return from the Eastern Front to their homeland and re-join the Finnish army. Information about the emblem of the division has not been preserved.

42nd SS Infantry Division "Lower Saxony" ("Niedersachsen"). Information about the emblem of the division, the formation of which was not completed, has not been preserved.

43rd Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Reichsmarschall". This division, the formation of which was begun on the basis of parts of the German air force (Luftwaffe), left without aviation equipment, cadets of flight schools and ground personnel, was named after the Imperial Marshal (Reichsmarschall) of the Third Reich Hermann Goering. Reliable information about the emblem of the division has not been preserved.

44th Motorized Infantry Division of the Waffen SS "Wallenstein". This SS division, recruited from ethnic Germans living in the Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia and Slovakia, as well as from Czech and Moravian volunteers, was named after the German imperial commander during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), Duke of Friedland Albrecht Eusebius Wenzel von Wallenstein (1583-1634), a Czech by birth, the hero of the dramatic trilogy of the classic of German literature Friedrich von Schiller "Wallenstein" ("Wallenstein's Camp", "Piccolomini" and "The Death of Wallenstein"). Information about the emblem of the division has not been preserved.

45th SS Infantry Division "Varyags" ("Vareger"). Initially, Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler intended to give the name "Varyags" ("Vareger") to the Nordic (Northern European) SS division, formed from Norwegians, Swedes, Danes and other Scandinavians who sent their volunteer contingents to help the Third Reich. However, according to a number of sources, Adolf Hitler "rejected" the name "Varyags" for his Nordic SS volunteers, seeking to avoid undesirable associations with the medieval "Varangian guard" (consisting of Norwegians, Danes, Swedes, Russians and Anglo-Saxons) in the service of the Byzantine emperors. The Fuhrer had a negative attitude towards the Constantinople "basileus", considering them, like all the Byzantines, "morally and spiritually decomposed, deceitful, treacherous, corrupt and treacherous decadents", and not wanting to be associated with the rulers of Byzantium. As a result, the German-Scandinavian division formed as part of the Waffen SS (which later also included the Dutch, Walloons, Flemings, Finns, Latvians, Estonians, Ukrainians and Russians) was given the name "Viking". Along with this, on the basis of Russian white emigrants and former citizens of the USSR in the Balkans, the formation of another SS division called "Vareger" ("Varangians"); however, due to the circumstances, the matter was limited to the formation in the Balkans of the "Russian (security) corps (Russian security group)" and a separate Russian regiment of the SS "Varyag".

Serbian SS Volunteer Corps. The corps consisted of former military personnel of the Yugoslav royal army (mainly of Serbian origin), most of whom were members of the Serbian monarcho-fascist movement Z.B.O.R., headed by Dmitry Letic. The tactical sign of the corps was a tarch shield and an image of a grain ear superimposed on a naked sword with the point down, located diagonally.

Arab SS division near Moscow (Video)

The SS division “Handjar” was formed on March 1, 1943 by the personal order of the Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler. It was considered the Croatian SS volunteer division. SS mountain division "Khanjar". The division's servicemen wore the usual SS uniform with Syrian leggings, a light gray fez headdress with a green tassel (the front officer's fez was burgundy). An emblem in the form of a skull and crossbones was attached to the fez in front , above it is the SS eagle. The officers, transferred to the division from other parts of the SS, wore standard SS buttonholes. For the rank and file, in this case, the right buttonhole was either empty or with the image of a swastika and a scimitar in hand. On the left sleeve, the soldiers- Muslims wore a patch in the Croatian national colors.
The officers were recruited by Germans and Volkdeutsche from the Balkan countries, the rank and file were Muslims from Bosnia, Herzegovina and Croatia. Initially, the division was intended to fight Serbian partisans. 1943 - 13th Volunteer Bosno-Herzegovina Mountain Division of the SS (Croatian), from June 1944 - 13th Mountain Division of the SS troops "Handzhar" (Croatian No. 1).
In August 1943, the GU was relocated to France. The training of the rank and file was carried out by German officers, the religious views of the members of the division were not taken into account. Meanwhile, among the soldiers, there were both Muslims, Christians, and representatives of other faiths. This led to a rebellion within the division. was suppressed, the instigators were shot. In February 1944, the division was returned to the Balkans, where it was involved in suppressing pockets of partisans. units of the Bolsheviks entered the Balkans, and the German command decided to disband the division. From the Germans who were previously part of the division, a battle group was created that fought in Hungary and Austria. The remnants of the battle group were captured in May 1945 by British troops in the area Villaha.
Division commanders:
SS Standartenführer Herbert von Obwurzer (1.4.-9.8.1943);
SS Brigadeführer Karl Gustav Saubertzweig (9.8.1943-21.6.1944);
SS Brigadeführer Disederius Hampel (6.1944-9.1944 and 1.1945-8.5.1945)
As is known, of all the Waffen-SS divisions that participated in the war, only 12 were German. The rest were the worldwide SS International. At first, it included representatives of the "kindred" German peoples - Danes, Dutch, Norwegians, Flemings. Then they were joined by the Walloons, Finns, Swedes, Croats, French. That's why ethnic composition The formations of the Waffen-SS were distinguished by their extraordinary diversity. There were volunteer legions "Netherlands", "Flanders", "Norway"; volunteer corps "Denmark", British volunteer corps, Italian, French, Hungarian, Croatian, Balkan (Muslim), Walloon, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Russian Waffen-SS divisions, Finnish volunteer battalion. There were even such exotic formations as the Indian Volunteer Legion, the Caucasian and Central Asian Legions of the Waffen-SS, Poles, Czechs, Serbs, Bulgarians, Greeks, and so on.
The Tatar SS Division - SS-Waffentatarische Legion - (Consisted mainly of the Crimean Tatars. These were detachments of rear punishers and murderers. They were distinguished by particular cruelty and sadism against Russian prisoners of war and Slavic ethnic groups. They were used by the Germans to carry out punitive operations on the territory of Ukraine, Russia, Belarus.)
Georgian SS Division—SS-Waffengruppe Georgien
Azerbaijan SS Division - SS-Waffengruppe Aserbeidschan
Armenian SS Division - SS-Waffengruppe Armenien
Eastern Turkic SS unit - Ostturkischen Waffen-Verband der SS (consisting of 2500 soldiers of Tatars, Bashkirs, Karaites and Azerbaijanis)
Muslim SS division "New Turkestan" - Muselmanischen SS-Division Neu-Turkistan
Latvian Division No. 1 (15th SS Grenadier Division) 1943-1945 led by SS Gruppenführer Rudolf Bangerskis.
Latvian Division No. 2 (19th SS Grenadier Division) 1944-1945
Estonian Division No. 1 (20th SS Grenadier Division)
Belarusian division No. 1 (30th infantry division of the SS troops)
Russian SS Division No. 1 - 29 Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (29 Waffen-SS Grenadier Division)
Russian-SS RONA (Vlasov's Army)
Ukrainian Division No. 1 (14th Grenadier Division of the SS Division "Galicia")
Croatian Division No. 1 - Handschar (13th SS Mountain Division Handschar)
Croatian division No. 2. "Kama" - Kama (23rd mountain division of the SS troops)
Hungarian SS Division Maria Theresa (22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division)
Hungarian division No. 1 "Hunyadi" - Hunyadi (25th Infantry Division of the SS troops)
Hungarian Division No. 2 - Hungaria (26th Infantry Division of the SS troops Hungary) until January 29, 1945 was called "Gömbes".
Albanian Division No. 1 - Skanderbeg (21st SS Mountain Division Skanderbeg)
SS Viking - Wiking (5th SS Volunteer Division) consisted of Danes, Norwegians, Swedes and Finns
Flemish Division No. 1 "Langemarck" - Langemarck (27th SS Volunteer Infantry Division)
Belgian SS division "Wallonia" - Wallonien (28th Volunteer Infantry Division)
Italian Division No. 1 (29th SS Infantry Division)
French division No. 1 SS "Charlemagne" - Charlemagne (33rd Infantry Division of the SS troops)
Dutch division No. 1. SS "Landstorm Netherlands" - Landstorm Nederland (34th SS Volunteer Infantry Division)
Spanish Legion SS
Indian SS Division "Azad Hind"
I propose to discuss the role and participation of various peoples who fought in the Second World War on the side of Germany.
I'll start with the Muslim SS Divisions.
The head of the SS, Himmler, modestly called his idea of ​​putting Muslims under the banner of the SS brilliant. In a conversation with Goebbels, the Reichsführer once stated: "I have nothing against Islam, because it promises Muslims paradise if they die in battle - a religion very pragmatic and attractive to soldiers!"
The Nazi-Islamist alliance was reached at the beginning of 1941. Adolf Hitler's meeting with the Jerusalem Mufti Haj Amin el-Husseini served as the beginning. In the summer of 1941, the Mufti unsuccessfully attempted an anti-British coup in Iraq. Having fled through Tehran and Italy to Berlin, the mufti in the fall of that year received from Hitler the title of "Fuhrer of the Arab people." It was el-Husseini who was the link between the Nazis and the awakening Islamic world.
The Mufti met with Hitler on November 21, 1941. El Husseini carefully wrote down the words of the Fuhrer in his diary. On this day, Hitler gave full guarantees of support for Arab nationalism in the fight against the British. Hitler shares with the mufti a secret plan for 1942, which involved a double blow to the Middle East through Egypt and Transcaucasia. “We will invade the Caucasus, and I will make a declaration that the hour has come for the liberation of the Arabs. At that moment, you will become the person who will lead the Arab forces. The Mufti remains in Germany, receiving a monthly allowance of 75 thousand marks. He conducts radio propaganda on Arab countries, works in the Dresden "School of military mullahs". The school trains regimental ministers of Islam for the emerging Muslim SS divisions. It was these divisions that became the main result of el-Husseini's alliance with the Nazis.

"HANDSHAR"

The legion of Bosnians who profess Islam was created on the orders of Hitler on February 13, 1943, and numbered within the SS (13th Mountain Division of the SS Handshar). The soldiers of this division wore round fez hats; in the buttonholes, a hand was depicted holding a short scimitar sword, or handshar, over the swastika. The requirements of Islam were observed very strictly: there was no pork in the soldier's diet; V right time the fighters took a break for prayer, turning to Mecca. The Jerusalem mufti el-Husseini personally participated in the creation of this SS division, conducted propaganda work with Bosnian soldiers. At political classes, Muslim SS men studied the Holy Muslim texts.
When the three thousandth detachment of Muhammad Hadjifendich from Tuzla was added to the division, total number soldiers in "Handshara" reached 26 thousand people. The entire "combat" path of the division was associated with the genocide of Serbs and Jews, as well as with the fight against Tito's partisans.

In the fall of 1943, the division was sent for retraining to France. The German officers were irritated by the stupidity of the Muslim rank and file. Regular Aryans could hardly tolerate full-time imams (by the way, clergymen were allowed in the SS division only in two cases - among Muslims and among Ukrainians). The Germans did not hesitate to put their hand in teaching negligent soldiers. As a result, the Muslims rebelled, killing a group of German officers - this was the only case of a rebellion in the SS units during the war years. Himmler ordered to shoot 14 instigators of the unrest, and the division itself was transferred to the Balkans
.In 1944-1945, the Handshar division fought the partisans and slaughtered the peaceful Serbian population. Five German officers were awarded Knight's Crosses. One of the recipients was the last commander of the Handschar, SS Brigadeführer Desinderius Hampel, who fought with the remnants of the division in Austria until May 8, 1945.

"SCANDERBERG"
In April 1944, the 21st mountain division of the SS "Skanderbeg" was formed from Muslim Albanians, named after the national hero of Albania in the 15th century. Almost 11 thousand soldiers were recruited from the province of Kosovo, as well as from Albania itself. They were mostly Sunni Muslims. The Muslims of this division were only interested in settling scores with their old enemies, the Serbs, which resulted in numerous atrocities. Albanian SS massacred more than 40 thousand Serbs of Kosovo and Macedonia, including hundreds of Orthodox priests.
Bedri Pejani, the Muslim leader of the Albanian National Committee, openly called for the killing of Orthodox Serbs in the name of creating a Greater Albania, an Islamic state from Bosnia to Greece. It is not surprising that the plan to create such an Islamic "caliphate" was developed by Mufti el-Husseini.
The remnants of the SS division "Skanderbeg" broke into Austria, where they were captured in May 1945. The traditional Albanian black double-headed eagle on a red background - the emblem of the division - again became a symbol of Kosovo Albanian extremists 50 years later, when a united Europe decided to repeat Hitler's move exactly - a bet on Albanian and Bosnian Muslims in the fight against the Serbs.
“NOYE TURKESTAN”
The first detachment of the Turkestan Legion (450th separate battalion) was already involved in the spring of 1942 - first in the Chernihiv region against the partisans, and then in the Kalmyk steppes against the Red Army. At the end of 1943, the battalion was expanded to the level of a division. In January 1944, after the personal blessing of the Jerusalem mufti el-Husseini, the formation of the Muslim SS division "Noye Turkestan" took place. From the training base in the Polish Travniki, the division was transferred to the town of Yuratishki, near Minsk, for punitive actions. Then the New Turkestan division was transferred in July 1944 to Poland.
The legion of Muslims - immigrants from different regions of the USSR was included in the Oskar Dirlewanger Sonder detachment (36th SS division), known for its atrocities, thrown to suppress the Polish uprising in Warsaw in the summer of 1944. Dirlewanger was distinguished by his pathological sadism even among the SS, having been convicted of a series of murders and rapes of minors. In fact, two SS divisions flooded Warsaw with blood - the 36th, which consisted of Soviet Muslims and German criminals, as well as the 29th division of Bronislav Kaminsky, recruited from Belarusians and Russians. What these two divisions did in Warsaw defies description. Suffice it to say that the Wehrmacht officers stationed on this sector of the front flooded Berlin with indignant protests against the actions of Muslims and Russians, demanding that the thugs be withdrawn from Warsaw.
In the fall of 1944, the Muslim division was sent to suppress the Slovak uprising. It was renamed "Ostturkish Waffen-Verbande der SS". The new commander of the East Turkestan division was SS Standartenführer Harun-ap-Rashid Bey, who had little in common with his fabulous namesake. On the night before the Christmas holiday on December 24, 1944, 450 Muslim soldiers deserted, frightened by rumors about the connection of the Turkestan division with the army of Vlasov. 300 fugitives returned to the unit a few days later. In February 1945, a separate Tatar SS brigade was included in the East Turkestan division. The last combat operations of the division were the fight against the Slovenian partisans in the Adriatic and a breakthrough to Austria in April 1945.
The maximum number of this Muslim division reached 8500 people. The division consisted of four military groups - "Turkestan" (the peoples of Central Asia), "Idel-Ural" (the peoples of the Volga region), "Azerbaijan" and "Crimea". The soldiers of each group had their own sleeve patch, as well as a common emblem - three mosques with golden domes and crescents and the inscription "Biz Alla Billem" (or "Tanri biz meneni"). The division also had a special armband: white letters on the green stripe - "Ostturkishe Waffen-Verbande der SS".
In the winter of 1945, the Azerbaijan group was withdrawn from this division and included in the Caucasian SS legion, which included Armenians, Georgians, as well as Chechens and representatives of other peoples of the North Caucasus.
“FRIES INDIEN”
The most exotic combat unit of the SS was, apparently, the Indian Legion, "Fries Indien" ("Free India"). It became a pronounced anti-British invention of the Nazis, at the same time parodying De Gaulle's Free France. The Indian name should not be misleading, the soldiers of the division were Muslims - immigrants from present-day Pakistan, Bangladesh, as well as from the Muslim communities of western and northwestern India.
The first experience of the use of Indian Muslims by the Nazis in 1942. About a hundred immigrants from British India were trained as part of the Abwehr Brandenburg special forces. During Operation Bayadere, the 100 were parachuted into eastern Iran to infiltrate India through Afghanistan and Balochistan. The ultimate goal was to organize sabotage and rebellion in India. Oberleutnant Witzel, the Abwehr resident in Kabul, coordinated subversive activities from Afghanistan and reported to Berlin on the successes of his agents.
On August 26, 1942, the Indian Legion of the Wehrmacht was formed from among the captured British soldiers in North Africa (since the summer of 1944 - the “Indian Volunteer Legion of the SS Troops”). The absolute predominance of Muslims in this legion meant that Hindi was not the spoken language of the "Indian" compound. The soldiers also did not speak German, so the SS officers had to communicate with their subordinates in English. The division had its own awards, whose names once again emphasize the Turkic-Islamic, and not Hindu, basis of the Indian Legion. The highest distinction was the order "Azad Hind" ("Free India" in Turkic). Less significant was the medal with the eloquent name "Shahid-i-Bharat" ("Martyr for the Motherland").
In the spring of 1944, 2,500 soldiers of the Indian Legion were sent to the Bordeaux region in the fortress of the Atlantic Wall. Low discipline was expressed in the murder of non-commissioned officer Mohammed Ibrahim, one of the initiators of the pro-Nazi movement among immigrants from India, by his own soldiers. The first combat loss was Lieutenant Ali Khan, who was killed by French partisans during the retreat of the legion to Alsace in August 1944. The remnants of the legion tried to break into Switzerland in March 1945, but were taken prisoner by the French and Americans. Twice the prisoners were handed over to the British for reprisal. Former legionnaires were sent to prison cells in Delhi, shooting the most dangerous of them.
The close relations of the Nazis with Islamists and Arab nationalists became a springboard for the flight of hundreds of Nazis to the Middle East after the defeat of the Third Reich. Immediately after the end of the war, the previously created “Arab-German Emigration Center” transferred almost 1,500 Nazi officers to the Arab countries of the region (by the end of the 1950s, this figure had grown to 8,000). In order to disguise, thousands of Nazis converted to Islam and took Arabic names for themselves.
Former SS officer Tiefenbacher took up the training of the Cairo police. Saboteurs against Israel for the Egyptian army were prepared by the already mentioned Oscar Dirlewanger. Ruhr Gestapo chief Johann Demling reorganized Egypt's security service in 1953. The head of this special service was Colonel an-Nakher, the former chief of the Gestapo in Warsaw, Leopold Gleim. The Propaganda Department of the Egyptian Okhrana was headed by Hussa Nalisman, a former SS Obergruppenführer Moser. The secret state police of Egypt was headed by Hamid Suleiman, the former head of the Gestapo in Ulm, SS Gruppenführer Heinrich Selman. Colonel Sadam, SS Obersturmbannführer Bernhard Bender, became the head of the political department of the police.
The coordinator of all Egyptian propaganda against Israel was Johann von Leer, a former associate of Goebbels, editor of a Nazi magazine and author of The Jews Among Us (1935). For the sake of continuing the war with the Jews, Leers converted to Islam (1956). Leers' closest colleague was Salab Gafa, secretary of the Islamic Congress, former NSDAP member Hans Appler. Egyptian propagandists, with the help of a few German specialists who survived the collapse of Nazism, turned Cairo radio into an unusually powerful Nazi propaganda tool against Israel.

But not only Egypt became a branch of the SS in the 50s. The Gestapo Rapp headed the Syrian intelligence service. After the coup in Iraq, Jabr Omar, a former officer of the Abwehr Brandenburg special forces, became the Minister of Education.
Former German officers showed great interest in Saudi Arabia. Wahhabis were considered by them as one of the most promising directions in Islam. SS officers created military training camps in this country, where young Wahhabis are trained. It is quite possible that both Bin-Laden and a number of Chechen field commanders gained experience and trained according to SS methods.
.In 1951, when the SS dominance in Egypt reached its peak, the nephew of the Mufti of Jerusalem, el-Husseini, entered Cairo University. This student's name was Rahman Abdu-p-Rauf el-Kudua el-Husseini, but in the dean's office he registered as Yasser Arafat.