Dutch Troops in the Waffen-SS




The SS-Freiwilligen-Legion "Nederland expanded in the summer of 1943 into four SS-Freiw.Pz.Gren.Btn. 5500 Dutch volunteers were at that time in the units. In autumn 1943 the SS- "Nederland" was together with SS- "Nordland" in Croatia where they were involved in Anti-Partisan war. In November these battalions got regimental names, and were moved up to the Leningrad front. In the summer of 1944 the SS- "Nederland" was engaged in heavy fighting in and around Narwa. The regiment SS- "De Ruyter" was almost destroyed. Between September 1944 and January 1945 the brigade retreated deeper into Estonia during heavy fighting and came to Lettland, where they fought hard in the Kurland-Pocket. In February 1945 the brigade together with SS-"Nordland" and other units were shipped from Libau to Stettin. Soon they were involved in heavy fighting in the area Vessel, Moira. Shortly after that the brigade was withdrawn and rebuilt and was finally named 23.SS-Freiw.Pz.Gren.Div. "Nederland". The new division "Nederland" went into action in areas as Stargard and Stettin. The division moved south and took part in heavy battles just before Berlin in F�rstenwald, where the division almost got wiped out. Few survivors of the 23.SS-Freiw.Pz.Gren.Div. "Nederland" reached Magdeburg where they went into American captivity. Since the division was formed it got a reputation of being skilled in fighting. SS-Brigadef�hrer J�rgen Wagner was by the Americans handed over to the Serbs, who accused him for war crimes. He was later hanged.