After the French campaign, the
SS-Verfügungstruppe was officially renamed the
Waffen-SS. It was reorganized and received its own high command in August 1940. SS-Standarte
Germania was given the responsibility of acting as the core for an entirely new division, the multi-national SS-Division Wiking, comprising troops from Scandinavia and the Low Countries as well from Germany. This process had already started in April 1940 with the formation of SS-Standarte
Nordland (using Danish, Norwegian and Swedish volunteers), and in June 1940 with the formation of SS-Standarte
Westland (using mainly Dutch and Flemish volunteers). These regiments were incorporated into the Wiking. In 1941, the Estonian SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Batallion
Narwa was also added to Westland. The SS-Standarte
Deutschland together with the Austrian
Der Führer were formed into the SS-Division Reich and the SS-Regiment
Leibstandarte SS was redesignated SS-Division Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler in 1941. By the following spring, the new structure created six Waffen-SS divisions: Leibstandarte SS, Reich, Totenkopf, Polizei, Wiking and Kampfgruppe (later Division) Nord. These were at first no larger than reinforced brigades, and would not be fully manned and equipped till late in 1941. Top image: volunteers of the German-Austrian SS-Standarte Der Führer in cooperation with the Dutch police force of Amsterdam on May 15 1940. Police authorities in German-occupied countries and regions collaborated closely with the German occupation authorities. Nazi ideology became central to police training and police practice. Nationaal Archief. Fair use. Middle and bottom clips showing a swearing-in ceremony of Dutch SS volunteers in May 1942. As the
Nederlandsche SS was supposed to be an elite corps, not everybody was allowed to become a member. There were selections based on race, attitude to life, personality and physical condition. Clips from the French documentary
Dans la tête des SS.
Interview Nederlandse Waffen-SS veteraan - English subs: https://www.bilibili.com/video/av12023157/
ReplyDeleteThere were several other Dutch turncoats who shifted their loyalties. The Landwacht consisted of about 10,800 men including reserve service. The corps was not highly regarded because it became a refuge for those unsuitable for the Waffen-SS. The Dutch collaborated on every level in Nazi-occupied Holland.
ReplyDelete