Finnish Volunteers in the German army during World War of Jarto Nieme, Russ Folsom and Jason Pipes
Finns 1.Kp. / Finnish Frw.Bn.dW SS camp in Great Born, 1941
began the history of Finnish volunteers in the service of the Third Reich with a series of behind the scenes diplomatic negotiations between Germany and Finland at the post-March 1940 negotiated end their "Winter War" with the Soviet Union. Based on their proven fighting qualities, become expressed Reich Leader SS Himmler interest in a Finnish contingent part of its expanding Waffen-SS. While the Finns were open to such a suggestion, both parties were well aware that any open recruitment would certainly be interpreted as a belligerent provocation by the Soviets in the Finnish armed forces in Germany, soldiers and citizens. Subsequently, every effort has been undertaken in order to conceal the admission of active duty Finnish soldiers and other volunteers in the ranks of the Waffen-SS. There was also a clause in a secret protocol of the Finnish Government that no Finnish volunteers in the service would of Germany against to fight England and Greece (this is the timeframe of the contract is signed - the spring of 1941 when the German invasion of the Balkans made these two governments is the only active fighter against Germany), or any other nation, "with the exception of the Soviet Union." Obviously wanted the Finns, the differences that Western governments had (who was generous with critical impending military and logistical assistance during the Winter War), to respect with Germany, but at the same time was a great continental power to align their corner against the threat of further Soviet hostilities. In this sense, the Finns decided to open the pro-Axis Position during the first months of 1941 to follow, and before the onset of an actual German-Russian conflict reflects both self-interest and a wise strategic grasp of their current geopolitical situation. In February 1941, Himmler's Waffen-SS recruiting chief, Gottlob Berger, the "foreign office" of the German Embassy in Helsinki together to get the first supplement of 1000 Finnish volunteers in German service. These conscripts were publicly as "workers for German industry," announced the international complications avoided. Because of slight differences, as the Finnish objections to the oath on the Waffen-SS officer, Adolf Hitler - most of the initial contingent of 125 officers, 109 NCOs and 850 men of the Finnish soldiers were held, reaching and would not take 't German soil until 5 June 1941. Five games of the Finns were sent to Germany in May-June 1941st The first three games of the men were the experiance with former military training area, and they were in the incorporated direcetly 5.SS Wiking Division (mot) already on the eastern front for the first phases of the invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22nd, 1941. The remaining 2 games of the Finnish military recruits were those without previous training, and they were outside of Vienna Vienna, the basis of the new Finnish battalion sent. Fresh designs of volunteers from Finland joined the train in Vienna as a Waffen-SS against infantry. The first contingent of Finns were organized as the SS-Volunteer Battalion Nordost, but the unit was later renamed in September 1941, the Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS. The Finns prefer to itself as the "Jager Battalion (Light Infantry Battalion) in memory of the Finnish 27.Jagerbataillon that served with the Emperor troops on the Eastern Front during World War II.
After an initial training was in Vienna, the Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS moved in July to Stralsund, 1941. In August 1941, moved the Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS to the military training camp in Gross-Born, otherwise known as "For the troops camp at Gross Born." A well-known image of the "Drie Grenadier" welcomed all those in the military training areas in the United Born. On 6 October 1941, after many months of training, the ceremonial "nailing" instead of the BN-flag, and on 15 October 1941, the new battalion flag was officially the Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS presented at a ceremony at the Great born practice area. After the official ceremonies, left the BN gross birth 3 December 1941, and was transferred to the Eastern Front on five rail transportation, arriving at the 8th Vinnitsa December 1941. The battalion was then on the model of Mius River on 8 January 1942, where they formally to the Division Wiking 5.SS (mot was attached) is sent, which was already holding positions along the Mius River. The Finnish battalion was attached as III Battalion of the Regiment Nordland Division Wiking. The new battalion of the regiment Nordland III officially registered in the fight against the end of January 1942, when it took positions along the Mius River. Belongs to motorized-SS Infantry Regiment Wiking's north country, the Finns would be as reliable soldiers differ during the summer of 1942 the division was deep in the Cauca. They would, in fact, in the vanguard of the deepest South investment by the German army made during the election campaign, reaching the Grozny oil fields before the Soviets pushed back.
From 21 January 1942 by 26 April 1942, saw action along the Finnish Bn positions on the river against the 31 elements Mius Soviet Guards Division. While much of the defensive, positional battle, the Finnish Bn fought alongside the Slovak Mobile Division, which was positioned along the Mius River in the north of the Finnish Line Bn. On 23 January 1943, to fight the BN experienced its first known fatality when Onni Martikainen the 3rd Company of a Soviet sniper was killed. The Focus of struggles for the next several weeks, until I one day in April 1942, was on a reconnaissance raids, small group Assualt attacks and scouting of the enemy lines. Much of the artillery and sniper attacks took place even duels. In April 1942 the battalion was withdrawn from his previous positions along the River Mius and Alexandrowka. This new position was along the river Mius, although in a new city from the one last possession of the battalion. "West of the Mius the battalion sector was tow hills, numbered and compass than 115.2 114.9. Demidovka The town was about the middle of the Finnish lines, and it was an orchard, which had begun blossom coming around. The battalion command post was in a farmhouse in the middle of the village. On the roof of the house of an observation post with trench telescope was built, and this provided a good look deep into enemy territory. "It was in these positions, are still fighting against snipers and raiding parties that were all waiting until the eventual German summer offensive was the end of June brought 1942 to life. The aim of this campaign was the conquest of Stalingrad, and on 13 July, the southern wing of Army Group South was ordered to attack towards the region of the Caucasus, with the 1st Panzer Army on the tip of the attack. Assualt That was the 298th, 73rd and 125th Infantry Divisions planned to make the first attack in the Soviet lines, while the Division Wiking was Pull back from the lines, a break but expect the initial assualting units, after which it Thust in the lines and try to deep into the territory of the Soviet Union to dismantle . If the Wiking Division was to break his injury, the III / Nordland Regiment had removed all its equipment and motorized traffic and waiting at the other two battalions of the regiment drawn. The Finnish Bn was then sent for rest and relaxation at Mokryj Jelantshick. The Finnish Bn stayed there from 13 July to 10 August 1942, while the other elements of the Wiking Division participated in the storming of Rostov and in the breakthrough Assualt in the Caucasus region. On 9 August 1942 was awarded the Finnish Bn join orders to last the rest of the regiment Nordland now at Maikop south of the Caucasus. From here, took part in the Finnish Bn hard and bloody fighting in the South Caucasus region. Later, in October 1942 took part in the BN near Hill fighring 711th
The Finnish battalion was from the other volunteer division Wiking, unique as the Dutch and the Norwegian contingent in Westland and Northland, by the fact that there were officer's and NCO's ex-Finn Army veterans, and fully responsible. The Finns have always been a separate breed, and their first Introduction to German "parade ground" was a steely discipline of German Language disregard "command met." (Orders). The Finns held out for the Finnish language NCO's, and it was there and then that the Germans recognized that the quota could create up and kitted out as a Waffen SS unit, would be but ultimately commanded only by speaking Finnish officers.
In March 1943, after many competitive examinations at the southern eastern front, the members of the Finnish volunteer in the Waffen-SS, with a view of the end of their two-year contractual agreement with Germany against the Soviet Union fight would be in the care of their government in particular to choose not to remain as combat troops in the service of German armed forces. The Finnish volunteer in the Waffen-SS were pulled from the lines in May 1943, and Auerbach / Grafenwoehr, and then sent to Ruhpolding, Bavaria, for rest. On 28 May 1943 were invited to volunteer in the Waffen-SS Finnish and arrived in Tallinn on 1 June 1943. An official ceremony was held to the arrival of the equipment at Hanko and disbandenment greet on 2 June 1943, and other unofficial ceremony was held the next day on 3 June 1943, and annealing. The troops of the BN were then leave a month, after which they to Hanko back to the ultimate fate of the BN expect given. In the negotiations that the RFSS command staff and the Finnish high command was during this time made it very clear to the Germans was that implicitly due to the significant threat to the northern front by the massive buildup of Soviet forces, that any further shipment of Finnish soldiers to any other sector would be dangerous to the protection of Finnish sovereignty. The unit was officially on 11 Dissolved in July 1943, and the members of the BN in the ranks of the Finnish army has been transferred. The last official ceremony for the fallen members of the BN on 19 September 1943 in Helsinki. An official government sponsored memorial for the fallen soldiers of the Finnish unit is in Helsinki.
Already in June 1943, Himmler RFSS the Finnish education entirely of volunteers of the Waffen-SS, to resolve the battle, but allows each voluntarily remaining Finnish volunteers from Northland, continue to serve in the Waffen-SS combat units. Many accounts describe Finns serving in the W-SS more than the June 1943 resolution of the so-called officially sanctioned Finnish "Jager battalion," and it has been generally confirmed that the Finns served in the German armed forces until the end of hostilities in May 1945 with the 11 . Pz.Gren.Divison SS Nordland, and the SS-Regiment war correspondent Kurt Eggers (war correspondents) on the eastern front.
Also back in the spring of 1943, which the Finnish Frw.Bttln.d.-SS was then attached to the regiment Nordland, was replaced by the Wiking Division, around the nucleus of another West-European/Scandanavian Divisional unit, the 11.SS Division Nordland .
After the Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS was in March 1943, and dissolved in June and July of that year, the Estonian SS Volunteer Battalion Narva (Estonia) was used to replace the Finn as the third battalion in the SS Regiment Nordland Pz.Gren. The Estonians remained with the Division Wiking, when the regiment was detached Nordland in the core of a new become the same named divisional companies. The Estonians attached Wiking actually one of 3 battalions form up then on the SS training area Heidelager (training area) in Debica, Poland in the spring of 1943 as SS-1.Estnisches Frw.Grenadier Regt They lost the I (Narva) battalion, but later acquired sufficient staff to a 2-regimental strength (45 & 46.SS-Frw.Rgt.) (make-3.IF Frw.Brigade) Brigade formed before in a full SS-Grenadier-Division in January 1944.
In October 1943, the Viking is a full-Panzer-Division was reorganized. The Estonians were III/10.SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. Westland. would Until April 1944, the Narva battalion from the Viking be replaced and renamed 20.SS-Fusilier Btln. as part of the Estonian 20.SS Frw.-Grenadier Division. While with the office of the Estonian Battalion Wiking was ordered (German) SS-Sturmbannführer Georg Eberhardt, and it is field post number was 48 314th have been attached to the battalion strength reports vary, but it was said, so great than 1280 people for the SS-Pz.Gren. Westland Regiment. The honorary title Narva has also been reported, was unofficially continued as a part of it, the new SS-Fusilier Battalion. Expulsion.
The death rate for Finnish volunteers in the armed forces Geman is a reported 222 killed and 557 injured (see below for more information about this).
Complete Order of Battle and the list of commanders
Commander: ostube. Hans Collani
aide: ostube. Helmut Hirt
1.Kompanie:
6:15:41-10:13:42: Ostuf. Hoy
10:13:42-10:17:42: Ostuf. Pallot
10:17:42: Ostuf. Karl-Heinz Ertel
2.Company:
6:15:41 -: Ostuf. Pallot
? -:? Hstuf. Ladau
4:11:42-8:13:42: Ostuf. Hilker
8:14:42-10:08:42: Ostuf. Porsch
? -:? Ostuf. Pohjanlehto
? - 1:19:43: Ostuf. Porsch
1:19:43-3:12:43: Ostuf. Pohjanlehto
3:12:43-3:26:43: Hstuf. Tenomaa
3:26:43: Ostuf. Sartio
3.Kompanie:
6:15:41-11:23:41: Ostuf. Hartmann
? - 8:13:42: Hstuf. Schnabl
? - 8:16:42: Ustuf. Luttgens
? - 10:17:42: Ostuf. Muhlinghaus
? -:? Ostuf. Eugen Deck
4.Kompanie (MG):
6:15:41-7:04:42: Ostuf. Franz Pleiner
7:04:42 to 8:08:42: Hstuf. Bruckner
? -??:?
? -:? Hstuf. Ladau
A replacement company was founded in September 1941, with SS Lieutenant Schroeder company commander. It was established in Radom and later transferred to Grant.
The Finnish Bn disbanded its 4th Machine Gun Company on 12 May 1942. The features of the former MG 4th Company then MG was then trains for each of the 3 other companies in the BN. They were also mortar squads, each squad joined with two 80mm mortar. This new arrangement is to assist each of the 3 companies in the BN to better fire. This change was from 15 May finished 1942nd If the original fourth Heavy Weapons Company was dissolved, a new one was formed, this time consisting of Engineer, infantry anti-tank gun, and the signals trains.
The BN was officially made a part of the Wiking Division on May 23, 1942. When this happened, were the Komapanie 1, Company 2, Company 3 and 4 of the company renamed company 9th Bn 10th Company 11th Company Company and 12 of the new III / Nordland Regiment. As a Finnish Bn the III / Nordland / Wiking, the former III / North Country was divided and separated in the other two battalions of the regiment Nordland.
battalion strength at 1:09:42: 34 Commanders/786 officers and men
battalion strength at 4:29:43: 16 Commanders/353 officers and men
battalion strength 5:08:43 am: 18 Commanders/740 officers and men
battalion strength at 7:11:43: Commanders/234 NCOs/534 were 14 men
ideological and social background of the first draft of the Finns
Finns originally not consider the Nordic race to be. Therefore, the aim of the SS recruiment office was to recruit Swedish speaking Finns (preferably National Socialists), which they considered to be Nordic. The Finnish governement clear that recruitment for the SS could politically problematic. Therefore, the objective of the government received the volunteers from all backgrounds and political circles (including the Social Democrats). The end result was something between these conflicting goals.
12% of the subjects were Swedish speaking, (9.6% of total population) 20% of them were followers of the ICL (fascist-wing party) (6.6% of total pop.)
There are some indications that the upper and middle class and peasants in greater numbers than in the whole population were presented.
volunteers, the Germans wanted 17 to 30 years old. They got men, 15-36 years old. Average was 21.6 years, about 50% of the men were 18-20 years old.
military background of the first draft
The first draft was in Germany five games (departure May 6 to June 5), total 1197 officers and soldiers sent. The numbers 125 109 officers, NCOs 850 men regard to colonel Tack report on 20th May 1941 the figures are not final, reducing primarily the number of officials based.
Of the first three games men who had combat experience, were attached directly to the Division Wiking. These men are men in the field of literature called the Finnish battalion and the rest are called men.
| Overall design | Div. Men | Btn. Men | |
| Officers | 76 | 43 | 33 |
| officers | 337 | 196 | 141 |
| Men (training) | 264 | 152 | 112 |
| Men (Un-) formed | 520 | 38 | 482 |
| Totals | 1197 | 429 | 768 |
Over 60% of the Division men had combat experience in the front line, on the other hand, 8% do not have adequate military training at all when they went to fight. 22
About% of the men had the battalion in the front line in the winter have been war. These men and the other trained men had to go trough the entire training.
status of officers and NCOs
The Finnish officers have appropriate SS ranks, but they do not get first organizational positions as officers (ie no platoon or company commanders). First the officers were not recognized at all. Later, the situation was improving, but the Finnish battalion was fully led by new Finns. Many officers and NCOs were released and returned to Finland, before the most important resolution in July 1943.
The second draft
The second design consisted of 201 men who were recruited by the army. All the men had combat experience more than 6 months. They left Germany in September 1942. These men have an ironic nickname "the 200 brave".
damage & resolution and subsequent service in the Waffen-SS
In addition to the two drafts, there were about 10 men who served with the Wiking Division, including one man that probably not a Finn, and other people that was a double defector / spy.
| Served | 1407 | TOTAL = 1409 |
| fur | 256 250 (Including MIA) working. No Finn 4 died in hospitals in Finland A shot if caught stealing food TOTAL = 256 | |
| wounded | 686 TOTAL = 686 |
separations
| dates | Div. Men Off + Men & NCO | Btn. Men | Totals |
| 31/07/1941 | 0 | 16 + 3 | 19 |
| 02/13/1942 | 19 + 0 0 | 19 | |
| 05/17/1942 | 0 + 127 | 0 +4 | 131 |
| Various dates | 12 + 29 + 14 4 | 59 | |
| 04/07/1943 | 2 + 6 + 668 108 | 784 | |
| Autum 1943 | 1 + 2 + 34 33 | 70 | |
| date unknown | 3 + 5 2 + 65 | 75 | |
| Totals | 37 + 30 + 788 302 | 1157 |
The exact number of people who served in SS disbandmet after the main is not known, but probably the men whose resolution date unknow further service in the SS
Officer Training
There were Finns in three courses the SS officers school, Bad Tolz. Course 1, Spring 1942 to December, had 1942 7 participants, with 6 graduates. Course 2 January 1943 to July 1943 were 18 participants with 15 graduates. Course 3 June 1943 17 participants had completed but none actually were sent all participants to Finland after the general dissolution of the Finnish battalion. Participants at the second course were all soldiers and officers not. When Steiner realized that he encourage all Unterscharfuehrers, the lowest ranking NCO, before the Junker School.
The decorations
There are no official documents about the decoration, but Veikko Elo (ref 2 below) attempted to resolve the issue. His data consists of about 1000 cases.
| decoration | EK1 EK2 | kvk1 | KVK2 | total | |
| Officers | 9 | 33 | a | a | 44 |
| NCO's & men | 5 | 181 | - | 25 | 213 |
| Totals | 16 | 214 | a | 26 | 257 |
EK = Iron Cross Iron Cross KVK
= = = Military Cross Military Cross
Over 25% of men have some form of decoration. No one was the Knight's Cross and German Cross awarded during their term of service before separation. Two men received the Iron Crosse and beyond, their names were published in the journal "Journal of honor above the German army." They receieved diplomas, joined by Adolf Hitler as well. After the dissolution in July 1943, drove some men serving in the SS, it seems that at least one of them, Lieutenant Ulf-Ola Olin, received some form of higher decoration.
The Finns were not much different from other non-Germans in terms of military achievements and awards. See below, the German statistics on the foreign volunteers in the Viking Divsion. These statistics have been on 19 September was 1941 (Ref. 1).
| KIA | WIA | EK1 EK2 | Assault Badges | Funded by Bravery | |
| 415 Finns | 27 6.5 | 84% 20.2% | 44 - | 103 | 5 |
| 291 Norwegians | 19 6.5% 30 10.3% | 7 - | 104 | 2 | |
| 8 Sweden | 1 12.5% | 1 12.5% | - - | 5 | - |
| 141 Danes | 20 7.9% 45 17.9% | 21 1 48 | - | ||
| 821 Dutch | 78 9.5% 167 20.3% | 50 1 425 | 37 | ||
| 45 Fleming | 3 6.7% 10 22.2% | 8 - 30 | - | ||
| 1831 volunteers | 148 8.1% 337 18.4% | 130 2 715 44 |
sources
1) Mauno Jokipii: Panttipataljoona (Pledge Battalion), 1st Ed. 1968 858 pages, a rather detailed study of the Finnish SS unit
2) Veikko Elo: Pantin lunastajat (Saviour of the Pledge), 1993 325 pages, corrections and additions to the source 1)
3) Niilo Lappalainen: Panssarieverstin Kuolema (The Death of Colonel armor), 1995
4) David Littlejohn: Foreign Legions of the Third Reich, Vol 4, 1987
5) Peter Abbot & Nigel Thomas: Germany's Eastern Front Allied 1941-1945, 1989
6) Richard Landwehr: Victory runes, questions # 14, 34 and 43
7) Kari Kuusela & Olli Wikberg: Wikingin Suomalaiset, 1996
Finnish volunteer battalion Cuff title never issued officially
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