Voldemārs Veiss
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Voldemārs Veiss
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Born | Riga, Courland Governorate, Russian Empire |
7 November 1899
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Riga, Generalbezirk Lettland, Reichskommissariat Ostland |
Buried | |
Allegiance | Latvia (1918–40) Nazi Germany (1941–44) |
Service/ |
Latvian Army (1918–40) Wehrmacht (1941–43) Waffen-SS (1943–44) |
Years of service | 1918–40, 1941–44 |
Rank | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
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Awards | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
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Voldemārs Veiss (7 November 1899 – 17 April 1944) was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Latvian Army and a prominent Nazi collaborator, Standartenführer (Colonel) in the German Waffen-SS.
Contents
Career
When Riga, the capital of Latvia, fell to the Wehrmacht on 1 July 1941, the Germans began forming self-defence and police forces. Lieutenant Colonel Voldemārs Veiss was appointed the commander of such a Self Defence organization[which?]. Veiss broadcast a radio call for volunteers to enlist and rid Latvia of "traitors", including Soviet functionaries, communists and Jews. Many enlisted, and the "cleansing" started.
On July 20 the Nazis disbanded this organization and ordered the formation of auxiliary police forces instead, with Lt. Col. Veiss being appointed Chief of the Auxiliary Police. At the end of 1941, he became First Deputy Director General of the Director General of the Interior when the Latvian Self-Administration was reorganized.
As early as autumn 1941 Latvian auxiliary police units, temporarily attached to the Wehrmacht, were first used in front line duties. This occasional employment continued until the 2nd Latvian Brigade was formed from six Latvian battalions, four of which had combat experience. At the end of April 1943 a three battalion formation fighting under name of Latvian Legion was withdrawn from the front line and renamed 1st Volunteer Regiment of the SS (Latvian), with a change of Wehrmacht ranks to those of Waffen-SS. Voldemārs Veiss was given command of this regiment, which was a part of the 2nd Latvian Brigade, and received a rank of Legion-Obersturmbannführer.
In September 1943, during the Siege of Leningrad, Veiss received an Iron Cross 1st Class and promoted to Legion-Standartenführer the next month. In January 1944, Veiss became the first Latvian to receive the Knight's Cross.
On 17 April 1944, Veiss died from wounds he had suffered seven days prior.
Awards
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 February 1944 as Waffen-Standartenführer and commander of lett. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment 48[1][Note 1]
Wehrmachtbericht reference
Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
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29 February 1944 | Bei den schweren Abwehrkämpfen im Nordabschnitt der Ostfront hat sich die 2. Lettische SS-Freiwilligen-Brigade unter Führung des Eichenlaubträgers SS-Oberführer Schuldt und ihres lettischen Infanterieführers, des Ritterkreuzträgers Standartenführer Weiß [sic], besonders ausgezeichnet.[3] | In heavy defensive combat in the northern sector of the Eastern Front, the 2nd Latvian SS-Volunteer-Brigade led by Oak Leaves bearer SS-Oberführer Schuldt and their Latvian infantry officer, the Knight's Cross bearer Standartenführer Weiß, have especially distinguished themselves. |
Notes
References
Citations
Bibliography
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- Lumans, Valdis O. - Latvia in World War II, ISBN 0-8232-2627-1, ISBN 978-0-8232-2627-6, Fordham University Press 2006
- Silgailis, Arthur - Latvian Legion, ISBN 0-912138-35-1
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- All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases
- Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from February 2016
- Pages with broken file links
- Articles containing German-language text
- 1899 births
- 1944 deaths
- People from Riga
- Latvian military personnel
- SS-Standartenführer
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- Military personnel referenced in the Wehrmachtbericht
- Recipients of the Order of Viesturs
- German military personnel killed in World War II
- Latvian collaborators with Nazi Germany
- Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts
- Latvian Legion