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==Short history==
==Short history==
The [[SS]] assigned a special train to carry 800 men and their families to [[Third Reich|Germany]] on 28 June, 1944. The man organising the evacuation was [[Radasłaŭ Astroŭski]]. Most of the recruits conscripted to [[Biełaruskaja Krajovaja Abarona]] stayed in [[Belarus]] and were later scrutinized by [[Stalin]]'s [[NKVD]]. But the 20,000 members of [[Francishak Kushal]]'s ''polizei'' earned special notoriety and knew that there would be no [[amnesty]] for them. They marched a thousand miles to their new home. These [[Military unit|units]] were absorbed into the [[30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Russian)]]. This [[infantry]] [[Division (military)|division]] was formed from the remnants of the [[29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Russian)]], which included people from Belarusia and [[Ukraine]]. The 30th Division was considered experienced in fighting [[Partisan (military)|partisan]]s, so it was immediately transferred to [[Alsace-Lorraine]] to fight members of the [[French Resistance]]. Astroŭski persuaded [[Heinrich Himmler]] to place the Belarusian forces under Belarusian command. Astroǔski had set up an [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]]s' school and issued uniforms with the "Waffen Sturm-brigade Belarus" designation. The symbol chosen was an ancient double cross of St. [[Euphrosyne of Polatsk]] with two bars equal in length and parallel to each other. Soon the fresh Belarusian [[cadet]]s were thrown into battle against the advancing [[U.S. Third Army]] of [[George S. Patton]]. Orders were issued for Belarusian forces to be absorbed by [[Andrey Vlasov]]'s [[Russian Liberation Army]], but these order were not carried out.<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/dudar2000/Bcc.htm Belarusian Nazi during the World War II and their work for the Cold War]</ref>
The [[SS]] assigned a special train to carry 800 men and their families to [[Third Reich|Germany]] on 28 June, 1944. The man organising the evacuation was [[Radasłaŭ Astroŭski]]. Most of the recruits conscripted to [[Biełaruskaja Krajovaja Abarona]] stayed in [[Belarus]] and were later scrutinized by [[Stalin]]'s [[NKVD]]. But the 20,000 members of [[Francishak Kushal]]'s ''polizei'' earned special notoriety and knew that there would be no [[amnesty]] for them. They marched a thousand miles to their new home. These [[Military unit|units]] were absorbed into the [[30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Russian)]]. This [[infantry]] [[Division (military)|division]] was formed from the remnants of the [[29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Russian)]], which included people from Belarusia and [[Ukraine]]. The 30th Division was considered experienced in fighting [[Partisan (military)|partisan]]s, so it was immediately transferred to [[Alsace-Lorraine]] to fight members of the [[French Resistance]]. Astroŭski persuaded [[Heinrich Himmler]] to place the Belarusian forces under Belarusian command. Astroǔski had set up an [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]]s' school and issued uniforms with the "Waffen Sturm-brigade Belarus" designation. The symbol chosen was an ancient double cross of St. [[Euphrosyne of Polatsk]] with two bars equal in length and parallel to each other. Soon the fresh Belarusian [[cadet]]s were thrown into battle against the advancing [[U.S. Third Army]] of [[George S. Patton]]. Orders were issued for Belarusian forces to be absorbed by [[Andrey Vlasov]]'s [[Russian Liberation Army]], but these order were not carried out.<ref>{{cite web|title=Belarusian Nazi during the World War II and their work for the Cold War|url=http://www.geocities.com/dudar2000/Bcc.htm|work=|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5kjJl8A52|archivedate=2009-10-22|deadurl=yes}}</ref>


==Ukrainians in the 30th Waffen SS Division==
==Ukrainians in the 30th Waffen SS Division==

Revision as of 05:15, 23 October 2009

30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Belarussian)'
ActiveJanuary, 1945 – April, 1945
CountryNazi Germany Nazi Germany
AllegianceAdolf Hitler
Branch Waffen SS
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
ColorsWhite, Red, and White    
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Francishak Kushal
Lev Hloba
A. Negrebetzk

30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Belarusian) (German: 30.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (weißruthenische Nr.1)) was a German Waffen SS Grenadier division recruited from Belarusian volunteers. It saw action on the Eastern Front during World War II.

Short history

The SS assigned a special train to carry 800 men and their families to Germany on 28 June, 1944. The man organising the evacuation was Radasłaŭ Astroŭski. Most of the recruits conscripted to Biełaruskaja Krajovaja Abarona stayed in Belarus and were later scrutinized by Stalin's NKVD. But the 20,000 members of Francishak Kushal's polizei earned special notoriety and knew that there would be no amnesty for them. They marched a thousand miles to their new home. These units were absorbed into the 30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Russian). This infantry division was formed from the remnants of the 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Russian), which included people from Belarusia and Ukraine. The 30th Division was considered experienced in fighting partisans, so it was immediately transferred to Alsace-Lorraine to fight members of the French Resistance. Astroŭski persuaded Heinrich Himmler to place the Belarusian forces under Belarusian command. Astroǔski had set up an officers' school and issued uniforms with the "Waffen Sturm-brigade Belarus" designation. The symbol chosen was an ancient double cross of St. Euphrosyne of Polatsk with two bars equal in length and parallel to each other. Soon the fresh Belarusian cadets were thrown into battle against the advancing U.S. Third Army of George S. Patton. Orders were issued for Belarusian forces to be absorbed by Andrey Vlasov's Russian Liberation Army, but these order were not carried out.[1]

Ukrainians in the 30th Waffen SS Division

The Ukrainians formed the 102nd and 108th Battalions under the command of Sturmbannführer Lev Hloba and Hauptsturmführer A. Negrebetzk respectively. The battalions were assigned anti-partisan duties in the Belfort Gap. This 15 mile wide gap between the Vosges Mountains to the north and the Jura Mountains to the south east was the strategic corridor connecting the Paris Basin to the Rhine Valley. It also contained the headwaters of the Seille (Saône)-Doubs River, which was the principal tributary of the Rhone. It formed the main escape route for the German Army from north eastern France in August 1944. The Ukrainians, numbered over 1,200 men, were extremely reluctant to fight against the Western Allies. Hloba and Negrebetzk decided to change sides and contacted the French Resistance (FFI). On 27 August, 1944, the Ukrainians joined the Allied side and were renamed the 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Battalions of the French Army (Les Bataillons Ukrainiens). The 1st Ukrainian Battalion (102) operated in the Confracourt Woods region where the local population hailed the Ukrainians as liberators. The Battalion working in close cooperation with local units of the FFI and a OOS Team Marcel-Proust, who had been parachuted into the region kept the region in Allied hands until the arrival of the lead elements of Lieutenant General Alexander Patch's Seventh United States Army on 11 September, 1944. Negrebetzk and the men of the 2nd Ukrainian Battalion (118) conducted operations further south near Camp Valdahon. At Chaux-lès-Passavant, the Battalion engaged a retreating German motorized division in a fire-fight. For bravery during this action Private Danlyo Klym, received the Légion d'honneur. The Ukrainians participated in two more battles: Les Grand Bois on 11 September, and Pont-de-Roide on the 13 September. During the second action, they were instrumental in capturing a critical railway junction. To prevent them from being forced to return to the then USSR, the men of both battalions were inducted on mass into the 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade. As well as Klym’s Légion d'honneur, a total of four Croix de guerre were awarded the Ukrainians. To distinguish themselves from German soldiers, most of the Ukrainians adopted a black Basque beret. In some accounts, the Ukrainians began wearing civilian clothing mixed with army webbing and equipment. Some may have even dyed their German uniforms blue.[2]

Formation

January 1945: Forming of the Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade der SS (weißruth. Nr. 1) with some 2000 men in Grafenwöhr.

  • 1 Regiment [Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment 75 (weißruth. Nr. 1)]
    • 1st Battalion
    • 2nd Battalion
    • 3rd Battalion
  • Artillery Battalion
  • Armoured Battalion
    • 1 Armoured Reconnaissance Company
    • 1 Anti-Tank Company
  • Reconnaissance Battalion
    • 1 Füsilier Company
    • 1 Mounted Reconnaissance Company
  • Reserve Battalion
  • Engineer Company
  • Signal Company

References

  1. ^ "Belarusian Nazi during the World War II and their work for the Cold War". Archived from the original on 2009-10-22. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Ronald B. Sorobey, UKRAINIANS' FIGHT FOR FRANCE

See also

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