15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian)

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15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian)
15divss.svg
Insignia of 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian)
Active 1943–45
Country  Germany
Allegiance Adolf Hitler
Branch Flag of the Schutzstaffel.svg Waffen-SS
Size Division
Part of VI SS Army Corps (Latvian)
Insignia
Identification
symbol		 Latvia.gif
Identification
symbol		 Latvian legionnaires Armshield

The 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian) was an Infantry Division of the Waffen SS during World War II. 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.

World War II

After forming of Latvian Police Battalions in Reichskommissariat Ostland, Heinrich Himmler formed Latvian legion (Lettische SS-Freiwilligen-Legion) in January 1943. In February 1943 Lettische SS-Freiwilligen-Division was formed which later received the numerical designation 15. The Legion was renamed the Lettische SS-Freiwilligen-Brigade, with the numerical designation added soon after.

The unlawful conscription of Latvians for military service by the Germans, was based on Alfred Rosenberg's compulsory labor decree of 19 December 1941. It was carried out by Department of Labor of the Latvian Self Administration, commencing in early 1943 with the compulsory recruitment of Latvian citizens born between 1919 and 1924.[1] The 15th Waffen SS, together with the 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian) formed the Latvian Legion.

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). In September 1944 the surviving elements of the division was sent by boat to Danzig. The division fought on the Pomeranian Wall defences and then retreated through Pomerania and Germany to Berlin.

In postwar Poland soldiers of the division had been accused in killing 32 Polish soldiers (bound with barbed wire and burned alive) of the 4th Company, 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Polish First Army's 1st Infantry Division on 2 February 1945, at Podgaje, Poland.[2][3][4]

Part of the division with a total of 824 men, under Waffen-Standartenführer Vilis Janums, surrendered 27 April 1945 to the advancing Americans at Güterglück near the Elbe River. Other elements of the Division, amounting to approximately 4,500 men, surrendered to the Americans south of Schwerin on 2 May 1945.[5]

Commanders

  • SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor Peter Hansen (25 February 1943 - 1 May 1943)
    15th SS Division parade through Riga before deployment to Eastern Front. December 1943
  • SS-Gruppenführer und Generalmajor Carl Graf von Pückler-Burghauss (1 May 1943 - 17 February 1944)
  • SS-Oberführer Nikolaus Heilmann (17 February 1944 - 21 July 1944)
  • SS-Oberführer Herbert von Obwurzer (21 July 1944 - 26 January 1945)
  • SS-Oberführer Adolf Ax (26 January 1945 - 15 February 1945)
  • SS-Oberführer, later Brigadeführer und Generalmajor Karl Burk (15 February - 2 May 1945) [6]

Order of battle

  • Waffen Grenadier Regiment of SS 32
  • Waffen Grenadier Regiment of SS 33
  • Waffen Grenadier Regiment of SS 34
  • Waffen Artillery Regiment of SS 15
  • Waffen Füsilier Battalion of SS 15
  • Waffen Flak Battalion of SS 15
  • Waffen Signals Battalion of SS 15
  • Waffen Pionier Battalion of SS 15
  • Waffen Panzerjäger Battalion of SS 15
  • SS Medical Battalion 15
  • SS Nachschub Troop 15
  • SS Feldpost Department 15
  • SS Veterinary Company 15
  • SS Wirtschafts Battalion 15
  • SS Bau Regiment 1 of 15. SS-Division
  • SS Bau Regiment 2 of 15. SS-Division
  • SS Feldersatz Battalion 15
  • SS Waffen Feldgendarmerie Troop 15
  • SS War Reporter Troop 15 [7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Majewski, Ryszard: Waffen SS. Mity i rzeczywistość. , Wrocław : Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza, 1983, s. 247, ISBN 83-03-00102-7
  3. ↑ Polski czyn zbrojny w II wojnie światowej., Warszawa : Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej, 1988, s.531 (tom 3), ISBN 83-11-07038-5
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Rickmenspoel,M. Waffen-SS Encyclopedia. Aberjona Press, 2004.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Stein, G (1966) The Waffen SS: Hitler's Elite Guard at War 1939-1945. Cornel Uni. Press, London.


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