Division was composed of latvian volunteers who fought less for germany than against the soviet union. It was the second latvian division formed in january 1944, after its sister unit, the 15th waffen grenadier division of the ss 1st latvian with which it formed the latvian legion. The 15th waffen grenadier division of the ss 1st latvian was an infantry division of the waffen ss during world war ii. After its arrival in gotenhaven and danzig, the remainder of the 15th division at the end of august 1944, was shipped to the west prussian training area between bietow and behrendt. It was formed in february 1943, and together with its sister unit, the 19th waffen grenadier division of the ss 2nd latvian formed the latvian legion. Hundreds march with nazi ss veterans in latvia jewish. After schuldt was killed in action on 15 march 1944, ssstandartenfuhrer friedrichwilhelm.
The waffen 15th ss division 1st latvia part of the latvian legion when combined with the waffen 19th division see more. The 15th division was administratively subordinated to the vi ss corps, but operationally it was in reserve or at. Insignia of 15th waffen grenadier division of the ss 1st latvian. The latvian legion and the rest of army group north hastily retreated west.
The initial core of the force was populated by latvian schutzmannschaft auxiliary police battalions, which were formed several years earlier and had been previously engaged in battles in eastern front and antipartisan duties. This date was chosen because from 16 march to 18 march in 1944, the two divisions of the latvian legion 15th and 19th fought, sidebyside, against the red army at velikaya. The latvian legion and 16 march latvijas okupacijas muzejs. Both the 15th and 19th latvian waffenss grenadier division fought in russia. I am looking for any info on the 15 th latvian ss division, my deceased father served with them, 194345 and i have many photos of him and some have commanding officers with him. Ww2 wwii german patch,latvian volunteer,original,wehrmacht. Despite this, he made some deals that had a lasting effect on the empire. This is not a forum for general discussion of the articles subject put new text under old text. The idea of a remembrance day for the latvian legionnaires was raised in exile by the daugavas vanagi veterans organisation in 1952. The archival records present precise numbers to show that in march and april 1944. The 15th waffen ss was swept up in the chaos of the collapse of the eastern front and lost much of its manpower fighting in districts surrounding leningrad ostrov, novosokolniki and novgorod oblast. The 15th ss, together with the 19th waffen grenadier division of the ss 2nd latvian formed the latvian legion. Hi all, up for sale today is a nice ww2 german latvian volunteer patch.
Latviesu legions was a formation of the german waffenss during world war ii. Here, the division s ranks were augmented with men born in 1925 and. Latvian ss legion song teufelslied latvian version of. Latvian legion the 15th divisions battles in germany.
The 15th division was the most decorated out of all himmlers ss divisions. It contained manpower from numerous latvian units that had previously supported the germans, including units involved in the holocaust such as the arajs kommando, a unit of the lettische. The 15th waffen grenadier division of the ss collar patch 1st latvian. The 15th waffen ss, together with the 19th waffen grenadier division of the ss 2nd latvian formed the latvian legion. The 15th division was administratively subordinated to the vi ss volunteer corps, but operationally it was in reserve or at the disposal of the xxxxiii army corps, 16th army.
The latvian legion 19431945 and its role in latvia s history, by major edmunds svencs, 7 pages. The 15th division was composed of latvian volunteers who fought less for germany than against the soviet union. Insignia of 19th waffen grenadier division of the ss 2nd latvian. The waffen ss division latvia part of the latvian legion when combined with the waffen division wounded german soldiers near minsk, belarus. The 15th division of the latvian legion in the fight on the velikaya river 1 march14 april 1944. Latvian legion the 15th division s battles in germany. Combat power is here understood as the count of men, weapons and equipment. The 15th division was administratively subordinated to the vi ss volunteer corps, but operationally it was in reserve or at the disposal of the xxxxiii army.
In november 1943, the 15th ss division served under the german 38th corps of the 16th army. According to data available to the inspectorate general of the latvian legion, on 1 july 1944, the following number of citizens of latvia were under arms and fighting bolshevism. 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 reoccupation of their homelands. Christian fanatic, roman emperor jovian augustus died 364 by jeanette lamb. However, it was equally distressing to discover that the men actively involved in the mass murders of latvia s jews joined the 15th and 19th divisions of the latvian ss in 1943. The collar patch is text book example and in excellent condition. I will include a brief history on the latvian involvement in the wehrmacht below in the blue type. On this day the roman emperor, jovian flavius augustus died. Left chest artwork having both the 15th and 19th ss latvian lettische division insignias screened on the front in silver. Latviesu legions was a formation of the waffenss during world war ii created in 1943 and consisting primarily of ethnic latvian conscripts.
Feldpost numbers of the 15th latvian ss volunteer division. Click here to start a new topic please sign and date your posts by typing four tildes new to wikipedia. This parade celebrates the nazis and latvian legion every year. Persistently harassed by partisans and hounded by the soviet army, one of 15th division s regiments was completely destroyed. Riga, latvia police arrested a man for displaying a poster of soldiers killing jews at the annual march by local veterans of two ss divisions that made up the latvian legion during world war ii. Streckenbach announced, that for reforming and training purposes it had been decided to transfer the 15th division to germany. As i am sure you can appreciate, discovering these facts has been exceptionally distressing.
This thesis provides research on the largest latvian military formation that served nazi germany from 1943 until the end of world war ii. Created in 1943, it consisted primarily of ethnic latvian personnel. At first black collar patches, then runic symbols ss and later three stars surrounded by a sun explosion. The 15th division of the latvian legion in the fight on the velikaya river 173. The 15th latvian 1st division and 19th latvian 2nd division along with the other latvian military units it had a. The 15th division of the latvian legion in the fight on. By late summer 1943, the latvian legion was reorganized as a latvian ss volunteer division, which included the latvian ss volunteer brigade. The 15th division was administratively subordinated to the vi ss volunteer corps, but operationally it was in. March 16, 1944 the battle both the 15th waffenss division and the 19th waffenss division fought together when the soviet assault began on march 16, 1944. This unit was a volunteer infantry division of the waffenss during world war ii.
Latvian ss legion song teufelslied latvian version. After the 14 june 1941 deportations of latvians by soviets, former officers and noncommissioned officers of the latvian army, as well as former policemen and aizsargi national guardarmy auxiliary sought refuge in the forests. The first commemoration of the legion veterans took place on march 16, 1990 in latvia. Latvian legion the 19th division s battles in vidzeme province, latvia. I know that he was a senior nco and i have his iron cross 2nd class and pay book.
The 15th division found itself in intensive combat in the northeastern sector of the eastern front in march and april 1944. Latvians, joining the legion were hoping of similar scenario as in the first world war win the strongest enemy russia and then with western allies drive out the germans. Latvian legion structure and formation of the legion. The legion consisted of two divisions of the waffenss.
The 15th waffen grenadier division of the ss 1st latvian latvian. The 15th waffen grenadier division of the ss collar patch. Instead of the ss collar insignia, members of the 15th division latvian numeration, 1st wore the latvian rising sun emblem, and those of the 19th division. After nazi ss veterans hold annual march in latvia square, one. A case study in maintaining fighting power valdis kuzmins the chapter is a case study of one german army waffen ss division in a period of intensive combat on the eastern front. Powered by ebay turbo lister the free listing tool. The date of march 16 was chosen because in 1944 both divisions of the latvian legion, the 15th 1st latvian and the 19th 2nd latvian fought alongside each other, for the first and only time, against the red army.
The rise of the latvian legion the formation of the 2nd latvian brigade the formation of the 15th latvian division and its combat engagements in the area of novosokolniki and on the ryada river the defense of the redya river and the retreat to the velikaya river the defense of the lelikaya river the defense of the bardovokudever positions. The 15th division was administratively subordinated to the vi ss corps, but operationally it was in reserve or at the disposal of the xxxxiii army corps, 16th army, army group north. The 19th division held out in the courland pocket until may 1945, the close of world war ii, when it was among the last of nazi germanys forces to surrender. Original german wwii ss identity dog tag disc 15th. Two divisions were formed 15th division and 19th division of waffen ss. Original german wwii waffen ss latvian volunteer sleeve. This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the 15th waffen grenadier division of the ss 1st latvian article. It was surrounded in the courland pocket at the end of the war where it surrendered to the red army. The 15th division was one of several dozen divisions of the wehrmacht that were manned by nongerman nationals. The 15th waffen grenadier division of the ss, latvian. List your items fast and easy and manage your active items. Division german 15th wore on the right collar the latvian army collar patch.
It was formed in february 1943, and together with its sister unit, the 19th waffen. The fate of the 19th division, he said, was an open question. Instead of the ss collar insignia, members of the 15th division latvian numeration, 1st wore the latvian rising sun emblem, and those of the 19th division latvian numeration, 2nd, the latvian fire cross emblem. It was formed in february 1943, and together with its sister unit, the 19th waffen grenadier division of the ss formed the latvian legion. In a special instruction it was promised to delineate the rights and duties of the inspector. The 15th waffen grenadier division of the ss 1st latvian was formed during the waffensss drive for manpower in the wake of operation barbarossa, nazi germanys invasion of the soviet union in june 1941. Remembrance day of the latvian legionnaires wikipedia. Documentary latvian legion script by historian uldis neiburgs tells about the beginning of latvian legion, about the battles it fought and about legion s contradictious evaluation nowadays. The latvian legion tshirt is a single sided print in the black. The 15th waffen grenadier division of the ss was an infantry division of the waffen ss during world war ii. Instead of the ss collar insignia, members of the 15th division latvian numeration, 1st wore the latvian rising sun emblem, but those of the.
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