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Wehrmacht foreign volunteers and conscripts

Among the approximately one million foreign volunteers and conscripts who served in the Wehrmacht during World War II were ethnic Belgians, Czechs, Dutch, Finns, Danes, French, Hungarians, Norwegians, Poles, Portuguese, Swedes, Swiss along with people from Great Britain, Ireland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the Balkans. At least 47,000 Spaniards served in the Blue Division.

Many Soviet citizens (Russians and other non-Russian ethnic minorities) joined the Wehrmacht forces as Hiwis (or Hilfswillige). The Ukrainian collaborationist forces were composed of an estimated number of 180,000 volunteers serving with units scattered all over Europe. Russian émigrés and defectors from the Soviet Union participated in the formation of the Russian Liberation Army. Thousands of White exiles also fought and served within German units of the Wehrmacht both on the Eastern Front and in Europe. Non-Russians from the Soviet Union formed the Ostlegionen (literally "Eastern Legions"). The East Legions comprized a total of 175,000 personnel. These units were all commanded by General Ernst August Köstring (1876−1953). A lower estimate for the total number of foreign volunteers that served in the entire German armed forces (including the Waffen SS) is 350,000.

These units were often under the command of German officers and some published their own propaganda newssheets.

Soviet Union

Azerbaijani, Georgian and Armenian volunteers

North Caucasian volunteers

  • Kaukasisch-Mohammedanische Legion (Azerbaijani, Circassian, Daghestani, Chechen, Ingush, and Lezghin volunteer units)
  • Kaukasischer-Waffen-Verband der SS or Freiwilligen Brigade Nordkaukasien (volunteers from the North Caucasus region)
  • Nordkaukasische Legion ("North Caucasian Legion" volunteers from the North Caucasus region)
  • Freiwilligen-Stamm-Regiment 1 (North Caucasian volunteers)
  • Sonderverband Bergmann (North Caucasian volunteers)
  • II. Sonderverband Bergmann Battalion (North Caucasian volunteers)
  • SS-Waffengruppe Nordkaukasus (North Caucasian volunteers; Chechens, Ingush & Dagestani)

Central Asian volunteers

  • 162. (Turkistan) Infanterie-Division (Turkestani volunteers)
  • Muselmanischen SS-Division Neu-Turkistan (Turkestani volunteers)
  • Turkistanische Legion (volunteers from Central Asia; Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Kyrgyzs & Turkmen)
  • Böhler-Brigade (Turkestani volunteers)
  • 1. Turkestanisches-Arbeits-Battalion (Turkestani volunteers)
  • 2. Turkestanisches-Arbeits-Battalion (Turkestani volunteers)
  • 3. Turkestanisches-Arbeits-Battalion (Turkestani volunteers)
  • Osttürkischer Waffen-Verband der SS or 1. Ostmuselmanisches SS-Regiment (Central Asia volunteers)
  • Turkestanisches-Arbeits-Ersatz-Battalion (Turkestani volunteers)
  • Waffen-Gruppe Turkistan (Central Asian volunteers)

Kalmykian volunteers

  • Kalmüken Verband Dr. Doll (Kalmykian volunteers)
  • Abwehrtrupp 103 (Kalmykian volunteers)
  • Kalmücken Legion or Kalmücken-Kavallerie-Korps (Kalmykian volunteers)

Tatar volunteers

  • Tatar Legion
  • SS-Waffengruppe Idel-Ural (Turkic volunteers from Volga/Ural area)
  • Waffen-Gebirgs-Brigade der SS (Tatar Nr. 1) (Tatar volunteers)
  • 30. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (Russische Nr. 2) (Armenian & Tatar volunteer units)
  • Wolgatatarische Legion (Volga Tatars and Volga-Finns)
  • Tataren-Gebirgsjäger-Regiment der SS (Crimean Tatar volunteers)
  • Waffen-Gruppe Krim (Crimean Tatar volunteers)
  • Schutzmannschaft Battalion (Crimean Tatar volunteers)

Cossack volunteers

Caucasian mixed volunteer units

Caucasian, Central Asian, Crimean and Ural mixed volunteer units

  • Waffen-Gruppe Turkistan
  • Waffen-Gruppe Idel-Ural
  • Waffen-Gruppe Azerbaijan
  • Waffen-Gruppe Krim

German leadership, local leadership, puppet governments, propaganda

German commanders of Central Asian, Caucasian and Cossack units

These German commanders also received honorary military or leading titles between their units at charge; for example Helmuth von Pannwitz received the title of "Ataman" from his Cossack units.

German representative of the Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories

Central Asian, Caucasian and Cossack political leaders

Puppet governments and organizations in the Soviet Union

Propaganda newspapers for Caucasian and Cossack units

Azerbaijan
  • Azerbajçan – Azerbaijani Legion
Kalmykia
  • Kalmyckij Boec ("Kalmyk Soldier") – Kalmyk Cavalry Corps
Kosaken (Cossack Nation)
  • Kosaken-Illustrierte ("Cossack Illustrated") – 1st Cossack Cavalry Division (trilingual)
  • La terra dei cosacchi ("The Land of the Cossacks") – Cossack units in upper Italy
Krimtürken (Crimean Tatars)
  • Kirim ("Crimea") – Weekly paper for the Crimean Tatar volunteers, Berlin 1944–1945
Tataren (Tatar nation)
  • Deutsch-tatarisches Nachrichtenblatt ("German-Tatar News Journal") – Volga Tatar Legion, monthly publication, Berlin 1944–1945 (bilingual)
Turkestaner (Central Asian nation)
  • Yeni Türkistan ("New Turkestan") – Turkistan Legion
  • Svoboda ("Freedom") – 162nd Turkoman Division
  • Türk Birligi ("Turkish Unity") – Osttürkischer Waffen-Verband der SS, weekly publication, Berlin 1944–1945

Middle East

Balkan

Other

See also

References

Bibliography

Further reading