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,[1] Portuguese, Swedes,[2] Swiss along with people from Great Britain, Ireland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the Balkans.[3] At least 47,000 Spaniards served in the Blue Division.[4]
Some estimates state anywhere between 600,000 and 1,400,000 Soviet citizens (Russians and other non-Russian ethnic minorities) joined the Wehrmacht forces as Hiwis (or Hilfswillige).[5] The Ukrainian collaborationist forces were composed of an estimated number of 180,000 volunteers serving with units scattered all over Europe.[6] Russian émigrés and defectors from the Soviet Union formed the Russian Liberation Army or fought as Hilfswillige within German units of the Wehrmacht primarily on the Eastern Front.[7] Non-Russians from the Soviet Union formed the Ostlegionen (literally "Eastern Legions"). The East Legions comprized a total of 175,000 personnel.[8] These units were all commanded by General Ernst August Köstring (1876−1953).[9] 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.[10]
These units were often under the command of German officers and some published their own propaganda newssheets.
Unit name | Description |
---|---|
Armenian Legion | Mostly Soviet Armenians |
Azerbaijani Legion | Mostly Soviet Azeris |
Georgian Legion | Mostly Soviet Georgians |
Hiwi | Soviet civilians and prisoners of war |
XV SS Cossack Cavalry Corps | Until 1 February 1945 under command of the Wehrmacht, then the Corps was transferred to the Waffen-SS[11] |
Kalmykian Voluntary Cavalry Corps | Mostly Kalmyks |
Litauische Bau-Bataillonen | Mostly conscripted Lithuanians |
Fatherland Defense Force | Land unit composed of Lithuanians |
Luftwaffen-Legion Lettland | Air unit composed of Latvians. |
Nachtigall Battalion | Ukrainians of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists |
Ostlegionen | Consisting mostly of Caucasians |
Roland Battalion | A.k.a. Special Group Roland. Second Polish Republic citizens of Ukrainian ethnicity |
Russian Liberation Army | Mostly ethnic Russians |
162nd Turkoman Division | Formed in May 1943 and comprised 5 Azeri and 6 Turkestani artillery/infantry units.[12] |
Ukrainian Liberation Army | Ukrainians |
Ukrainian National Army | Ukrainians |
Further information: Azeri SS Volunteer Formations |
Main article: Ostlegionen |
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.