Finnisches Freiwilligen-Bataillon der Waffen-SS; homecoming

Men of the Finnish Waffen-SS have returned home
Major General Raappana and son SS-Rottenführer Raappana
The Finnisches Freiwilligen-Bataillon der Waffen-SS returned to Finland in June 1943 to be incorporated into the Finnish Army. The commander of the III (Finnish) Battalion of SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment Nordland of SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Wiking SS-Obersturmbannführer Hans Collani was transferred to command the SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2 of the Dutch SS-Freiwilligen-Legion-Niederlande. According to unconfirmed statements he shot himself when his command post was overrun by the Soviets in the Battle of Tannenberg Line on July 29 1944. Hans Collani was awarded the Knight's Cross posthumously and promoted SS-Standartenführer for bravery in leadership in the Narva battles. He was buried next to the Nordland Division's commander SS-Gruppenführer Fritz von Scholz in Tallinn CathedralAs a result of the tough defence of the European SS volunteer forces the Soviet war effort in the Baltic Sea region was hampered for seven and a half months. Top image: members of the Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS on the German freighter Warthe during their homecoming on June 1 1943. Photographer Esko Suomela. Credit: Julius Backman Jääskeläinen. Bottom image: Major General Erkki Johannes Raappana, wearing the most distinguished military award in Finland, the Mannerheim Cross, celebrates his 50th anniversary with his homecoming son SS-Rottenführer Ermo Juhani Raappana near Lake Novinkajärvi on June 2 1943. Erkki Raappana had served in the 27th Jäger Battalion of the Imperial German Army between 1916 to 1918. His son Ermo Raappana fought in the Winter War and enlisted with the Finnish Waffen-SS after graduation from the Reserve Officers School in 1941. Credit: Jussi Luostarinen. Both photos: The Finnish Wartime Photo Archive.

1 comment:

  1. Juha Hyttinen3/6/20

    Erkki Raappana oli ukkini metsästyskaveri Timovaarassa sodan jälkeen.

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