15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian)


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15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian)
Image:15divss.gif
Insignia of 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian)
Active 1941 - 1945
Country Nazi Germany
Allegiance Adolf Hitler
Branch Waffen SS
Size Division

The 15th Waffen-Grenadierdivision der SS (lett. Nr. 1) was formed in the Waffen SS's drive for manpower in the wake of Operation Barbarossa, Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. After a successful recruitment drive in the Reichskommissariat Ostland (Baltic states) for the Nazi anti-partisan brigades, Heinrich Himmler formed Baltic legions by late August 1942, including the Lettische SS-Freiwilligen-Legion, the nucleus of the later 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS.

However the small scale of these Legions were inadequate for widespread Russia and soon merged into divisions with the Lettische SS-Freiwilligen-Legion renamed as the SS-Freiwilligen-Division, with the numerical designation of 15 soon added. To bolster the numbers, Himmler enforced complusorary military service in the Ostland in age groups 1915-24 in 1943 then 1904-14 and 1925-26 in 1944. These Latvian conscripts would form the renamed 15th Waffen-Grenadier-Division of the SS (note 'Voluntary' title dropped) in time for the Soviet attack of 1944. The 15th SS was swept up in the chaos of the collapse of the Eastern Front and lost much of its spirit after the Soviet re-occupation of their homelands. It was soon trapped and decimated in their hopeless defence of Pomerania.

The Division fought on the Pomeranian Wall defences. At Podgaje, 2 February 1945, men of that division performed a war crime on Polish prisoners, burning in a barn 32 soldiers from 4th company, 3rd regiment infantry 1st Division Polish First Army tied up with a barbed wire.[1][2][3]

However out of fear of Russian revenge it fought well in the last months of the war, with a surviving battalion in the last defence of Berlin in mid-1945. Other remnants under Waffen-Standartenführer Vilis Janums surrendered to the advancing Americans at Güterglück near the Elbe River.

Despite its short history the 15th SS was the most decorated foreign SS division with the award of 13 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Commanders

  • SS-Brigadeführer Peter Hansen (February 25, 1943 - May 1, 1943)
  • SS-Gruppenführer Carl Graf von Pückler-Burghauss (May 1, 1943 - February 17, 1944)
  • SS-Brigadeführer Nikolaus Heilmann (February 17, 1944 - July 21, 1944)
  • SS-Brigadeführer Herbert von Obwurzer (July 21, 1944 - January 26, 1945)
  • SS-Oberführer Dr. Eduard Deisenhofer (January 26, 1945)
  • SS-Oberführer Adolf Ax (January 26, 1945 - February 15, 1945)
  • SS-Brigadeführer Karl Burk (February 15, - May 2, 1945)


References

  1. ^ Majewski, Ryszard: Waffen SS. Mity i rzeczywistość. , Wrocław : Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza, 1983, s. 247, ISBN 83-0300-102-7
  2. ^ Polski czyn zbrojny w II wojnie światowej., Warszawa : Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej, 1988, s.531 (tom 3), ISBN 83-1107-038-5
  3. ^ Ważniejsze bitwy na Wale Pomorskim podczas II wojny światowej
  • Stein, G (1966) The Waffen SS: Hitler's Elite Guard at War 1939-1945. Cornel Uni. Press, London.

See also

v • d • e
SS runes — The divisions of the Waffen-SS — Flag of Germany 1933

1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler · 2nd SS Division Das Reich · 3rd SS Division Totenkopf · 4th SS Polizei Division · 5th SS Panzergrenadier Division Wiking · 6th SS Mountain Division Nord · 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen · 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer · 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen · 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg · 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland · 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend · 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian) · 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Galizien (1st Ukrainian) · 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian) · 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS · 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen · 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel · 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian) · 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) · 21st Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Skanderbeg (1st Albanian) · 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Division Maria Theresia · 23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Kama · 23rd SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland · 24th Waffen Mountain (Karstjäger) Division · 25th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Hunyadi (1st Hungarian) · 26th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Hungarian) · 27th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Langemarck (1st Flemish) · 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Wallonien · 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS RONA (1st Russian) · 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Italian) · 30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Russian) · 30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Belarussian) · 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division · 32nd SS Volunteer Grenadier Division 30 Januar · 33rd Waffen Cavalry Division of the SS (3rd Hungarian) · 33rd Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Charlemagne (1st French) · 34th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Landstorm Nederland · 35th SS and Police Grenadier Division · 36th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS · 37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Lützow · 38th SS Division Grenadier Nibelungen






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