Introduction During World War II, the Waffen-SS recruited significant numbers of non-Germans, both as volunteers and conscripts. In total some 500,000 non-Germans and ethnic Germans from outside Germany, mostly from German-occupied Europe, were recruited between 1940 and 1945. The units were under the control of the SS Führungshauptamt (SS Command Main Office) beneath Reichsführer-SS Heinrich… Read More
Introduction Non-Germans in the German armed forces during World War II were volunteers, conscripts and those otherwise induced to join who served in Nazi Germany’s armed forces during World War II. In German war-time propaganda those who volunteered for service were referred to as Freiwillige (“volunteers”). At the same time, many non-Germans in the German… Read More
Introduction Remembrance Day of the Latvian Legionnaires (Latvian: Leģionāru piemiņas diena), often known simply as Legionnaire Day (Leģionāru diena) or 16 March (16. marts) in Latvia, is a day when soldiers of the Latvian Legion, part of the Waffen-SS, are commemorated. From 1998 until 2000, it was officially recognised as a “Remembrance Day for Latvian… Read More
Introduction The Swedish extradition of Baltic soldiers (Estonian: Balti sõdurite väljaandmine Rootsis) or simply the Extradition of the Balts (Swedish: Baltutlämningen, Latvian: Baltiešu izdošana, Estonian: Baltlaste väljasaatmiseks), is a controversial political event that took place in 1945-1946, when Sweden extradited some 150 Latvian and Estonian Waffen-SS volunteers and conscripts who had been drafted and recruited… Read More
Introduction The 36th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (German: 36. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS) – also known as the Dirlewanger Brigade, the SS-Sturmbrigade Dirlewanger (1944), or Black Hunters – was a unit of the Waffen-SS during World War II. The unit, named after its commander Oskar Dirlewanger, consisted of convicted criminals who were not expected… Read More
Introduction The Latvian Legion (Latvian: Latviešu leģions) was a formation of the German Waffen-SS during World War II. Created in 1943, it consisted primarily of ethnic Latvian personnel. The legion consisted of two divisions of the Waffen-SS: the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian), and the 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the… Read More
Introduction Remembrance Day of the Latvian Legionnaires (Latvian: Leģionāru piemiņas diena), often known simply as Legionnaire Day (Leģionāru diena) or 16 March (16. marts) in Latvia, is a day when soldiers of the Latvian Legion, part of the Waffen-SS, are commemorated. From 1998 until 2000, it was officially recognised as a “Remembrance Day for Latvian… Read More
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