Nordic Volunteers: Finnish Battalion and Norwegian Legion

Finnisches Freiwilligen-Bataillon der Waffen-SS

SS-Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen (DNL)

The Finnish SS-Freiwilligen Bataillon Nordost was formed in June 1941. It was a motorized infantry battalion of the Waffen-SS. The Finnish Government recruited men for service with the Waffen-SS for a two-year term in early 1941. For most of its existence it was attached to SS-Regiment Nordland of the SS-Division Wiking. While many Finns were already serving with Wiking, the battalion differed in that it was staffed with Finnish officers and NCOs. The battalion was praised by many Waffen-SS commanders. The mathematician Rolf Nevanlinna was chairman of the Committee for the Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS. Top image: Credit: Julius Backman Jääskeläinen. Finnish Wartime Photograph Archive. PD. The Norwegian collaborationist formation SS-Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen was formed by the Waffen-SS in June 1941 in German-occupied Norway. The Legion was initiated by the Minister President of Norway Vidkun Quisling and Reichskommisar Joseph Terboven. The volunteers were deployed to Russia taking part in the fighting on the Leningrad front. The Norwegian Legion was disbanded in March 1943. Most survivors who wanted to continue fighting the Soviets were transferred to SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 23 Norge of the predominantly Nordic and Volksdeutsche 11.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland. Bottom image: Den Norske Legion. National Archives of Norway. PD.