At this time, its strength stood at 9,342 men. It initially gained limited interest from the Dutch lower-middle class but never gained widespread support. It saw action on the Eastern Front during World War II. The Nederland Brigade carried out operations against partisans in Croatia, routinely hanging its prisoners. On 10 February, the brigade was redesignated 23rd SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland, with a strength of 1,000 men. The fighting was brutal and no quarter was given on either side; however the Brigade showed itself capable in combat. During the hellish fighting in the battle of Halbe, the "General Seyffardt" was annihilated. In Yugoslavia, Wagner faced a trial for war crimes; he was sentenced to death for his actions against the civilian population. Gren. The regiment was ordered to be reformed at Schlochau. On 23 July, Steiner ordered a withdrawal to the Tannenberg Line. The recruitment drive in The Netherlands was given an air of respectability by the support of Dutch General Staff officer Lieutenant-General Hendrik Seyffardt. The brigade was to consist of two Panzergrenadier regiments under the command of SS-Oberführer Jürgen Wagner. During the attacks, both formations saw very heavy fighting. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Brigade Nederland was formed in October 1943 when SS-Freiwilligen Legion Niederlande was upgraded to a brigade. During this period it was also engaged in several offensive operations aga… Da die ursprünglich für die Nordland-Division vorgesehenen Niederländer in die SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Brigade „Nederland“ überführt wurden, wurde die Division letztlich im November 1943 bei ihrem Einsatz in Kroatien mit sogenannten „Volksdeutschen“ ergänzt. (Estonian No 1), elements of 285 security div, 11 SS-Pz.Gren. Geburtstages This was followed up with a major assault, and the De Ruyter suffered heavily. In heavy fighting, the Kampfgruppe halted the enemy attack, destroying the spearhead. The remnants of the Kampfgruppe were absorbed into Kampfgruppe Vieweger of the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian). In June, the Legion had its first chance to go on the offensive, destroying a large Red Army force near Fuhovga Lake. On 10 February, the Soviets launched a major offensive aimed at the relief of Leningrad. Details Published: 25 December 2010 25 December 2010 Last Updated: 02 June 2013 02 June 2013 In early February, Mussert visited the front, raising the morale of the troops. Janvier 1945 : La 23. The launch of the offensive on 14 August was preceded by a Soviet counterstroke. In this illustrated study of the Dutch Waffen-SS Legion and Brigade, specialist Massimiliano Afiero explores the full history of this important formation from its establishment in 1941 until it was incorporated into the ‘Nederland' Division in 1944. At this time, its strength stood at 9,342 officers and men: that of a weak division. Upon its arrival, the Brigade received 1,500 Dutch recruits, drawn from the veterans of SS Division Wiking. Apart from a few skirmishes, the brigade was spared a large scale fight against its former allies. In May 1943, the brigade formed a cadre for the 3 Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade and on 7 July it was sent to Borrissov on another security sweep. On 11 July 1941, Mussert called upon all able bodied members of the NSB to sign up for the Legion. Upon its arrival at the front, Steiner's SS Corps was deployed to the area near Oranienbaum. It was officially re-designated as a division in February 1945 but never grew to larger than a brigade. Insignia of the 23rd SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division, Battles in Courland and withdrawal to Germany, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2014, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Military units and formations established in 1945, Panzergrenadier divisions of the Waffen-SS, 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian), List of Knight's Cross recipients 23rd SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland, List of German military units of World War II, 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland, SS Volunteer Grenadier Brigade Landstorm Nederland, Waffen Grenadier Brigade of SS (Italian No. The brigade arrived in German territory on 4 February. The brigade was to consist of two Panzer Grenadier regiments. The Legionnaires were stunned, but had little time to mourn their lost leader. In February 1945, the 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland was to be merged into In September 1943, the Brigade sent to the Independent State of Croatia (Yugoslavia) to join SS-Obergruppenführer Felix Steiner's III SS Panzer Corps currently forming in the area. It saw action on the Eastern Front during World War II.. In early January, the Red Army launched another offensive which would be known as the Second Battle of Ladoga. They also managed to cut off Army Group North in the Courland area, creating what was to be known as the Courland Pocket. The Volunteer Legion Netherlands (Dutch: Vrijwilligerslegioen Nederland) was a collaborationist military formation recruited in the German-occupied Netherlands during World War II. The drive was given an air of respectability by the support of Dutch General Staff Officer Lieutenant-General Hendrik A. Seyffardt. NSB Leader Anton Mussert saw the Legion as the forerunner to the new model Dutch Army. Nederland began the retreat into Courland on 23 September, executing a fighting withdrawal and arriving in the area near Gumi-Wolmar in mid October. SS-Rottenführer Derk Elsko Bruins of the Panzerjäger (anti-tank) Battalion destroyed 12 Soviet tanks in one engagement, earning himself the Knight's Cross. The SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 49 can trace its origins to the SS Kampfgruppe 1 which was formed in March 1944, from personnel stationed at the NCO'S in Lauenburg (Pomerania) and Radolfzell and the SS Panzergrenadier Training and Replacement Battalion 9 at Stralsund. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Brigade 'Landstorm Nederland' From November the 1st 1944 this … On 24 August, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler sent a letter to the Brigade, praising its fighting spirit. Armee se bat en Courlande. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier- Division "Nederland" hat Günther Steffen somit nichts mehr zu tun gehabt. In April 1943, the unit was sent to Germany to be reformed as the SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland. Trapped in the open, the General Seyffardt never stood a chance. Govorov was to attack in conjunction with the adjacent Volkhov Front under General Kiril A. Meretskov. The Nederland was involved in the 150 kilometres (93 mi) fighting withdrawal to the Narva River in Estonia, where a line of defence was to be established. The enrollment began in April 1940 with the creation of two regiments: the Waffen-SS Regiment Nordland (for Danish, Norwegian and Swedish volunteers), and the Waffen-SS Regiment Westland (for Dutch and Flemish volunteers). On 6 February, General Seyffardt, back in Amsterdam campaigning for new recruits for the Legion, was assassinated by the Dutch Resistance group CS-6. The second Courland offensive was launched by the Soviets on 27 October, the De Ruyter regiment saw heavy fighting, repelling two large infantry attacks. SS-Freiwilligen Grenadier-Division "Landstorm Nederland") was a division in the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II. This name was on it for more than a year and from November 1, 1944 the regiment became a brigade. Pz. Regt. During this period, the brigade was redesignated 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland. SS Freiwilligen Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland se bat avec le Heeresgruppe Nord, dans le secteur de Leningrad puis à Narva. Deze naam droeg het langer dan een jaar en vanaf 1 november 1944 werd het regiment een brigade. In September, Leon Degrelle's Kampfgruppe (Battle Group) from 5.SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade Wallonien was placed under the command of the Nederland, bolstering its strength. The Nederland took part in the abortive Operation Sonnenwende, and the battles near Altdamm in February 1945. In February 1945, the 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland was to be merged into the 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland, but after protests from the Dutch National Socialist movement, the Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging (NSB), it was formed into its own SS Panzer Grenadier Division, although its strength never reached more than a brigade. A detachment from the Volunteer Legion parades at, 23rd SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division Nederland, Learn how and when to remove this template message, National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands, 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian), 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland, SS Volunteer Grenadier Brigade Landstorm Nederland, Waffen Grenadier Brigade of SS (Italian No. Upon its arrival, the Brigade received 1,500 Dutch recruits, drawn from the SS Division Wiking. The unit, alongside the SS Division Nordland, soon retreated to avoid encirclement by General Leonid A. Govorov's Leningrad Front. Nordland, 4 SS-Brigade Nederland, 5 SS-Brigade Wallonien, 6 SS-Brigade Langemarck Coastal defense East (staff 2 AA-Div. 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On February 10, 1945, the brigade was transformed into 34th SS Freiwilligen Grenadier Division Landstorm Nederland. but was later renamed to 1. During the fighting in Courland, the brigade was subject to heavy partisan attacks, and after a number of these attacks, Wagner ordered the reprisal executions of an unknown number of civilians. Despite the harsh attitude of the German Waffen-SS instructors, the recruits were committed to their cause and were soon highly trained. The unit was destroyed in the Halbe pocket. In September, Leon Degrelle's battle group from SS Brigade Wallonien was placed under the command of Nederland. The Soviet offensive of 16 April had broken the German lines by 25 April, cutting the lines of communication between the two units. The other battle group was pushed south by the Soviet offensive, into the area around Halbe. The unit arrived in the area near Gumi-Wolmar in mid-October. The next two major offensives to crush the pocket were not in Nederland's sector, and so besides minor skirmishes, the brigade was left in relative peace for the remainder of 1944. The SS Volunteer Standarte Nordwest was formed to cater for volunteers from the Low Countries. Meanwhile, Kampfgruppe "General Seyffardt" was pushed south by the Soviet offensive, into the area around Halbe. Upon arrival at Sonneberg, the Legion was dissolved and began the task of reforming as the 'SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Brigade Nederland. During this period it was also engaged in several offensive operations against Red Army defensive positions, as well as anti-partisan activities. The Dutch were seen as especially well qualified for service in the SS; a large recruiting drive, backed by the NSB and other collaborating organizations, was begun. Between 20.000 and 25.000 Dutchmen volunteered to serve in the Heer and the Waffen SS. The withdrawing Dutchmen were discovered by Jabos (fighter bombers) of the Red Air Force, and were soon pinned down. The evacuation, through the port of Libau, began immediately. Soviet ground forces were brought in to trap the withdrawing Dutchmen, soon the regiment was under attack from the air and the ground. The unit was again redesignated, this time as SS Volunteer Legion Niederlande. 1), Waffen Grenadier Brigade of SS Charlemagne (French No 1), 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division, 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division, 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Division, 33rd Waffen Cavalry Division of the SS (3rd Hungarian), 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Galician), 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian), 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian), 26th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Hungarian), 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Italian), 30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Russian), 30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Belarussian), https://military.wikia.org/wiki/23rd_SS_Volunteer_Panzer_Grenadier_Division_Nederland?oldid=4658713, Pierik, Perry - From Leningrad to Berlin: Dutch Volunteers in the German, Tieke, Wilhelm - Tragedy of the Faithful: A History of III. Nederland's commander, Wagner, was forced to keep a company in reserve to deal with any attacks by the Estonians. In late June, it was transferred north in support of units at the Siege of Leningrad. In April 1943, the Legion was ordered back to Sonneberg in Thüringen to be reformed as a Panzergrenadier brigade. For the next few weeks it was engaged in operations to prevent the Soviets from establishing a bridgehead on the west bank of the Volkhov. "de Ruyter", was pushed back, attempting to halt the Soviets near the town of Parchim. The breakthrough by the Red Army cut the lines of communication between the two Kampfgruppen. was formed on 21 April 1941 from surplus SS personnel of the SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 8 and the SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 10. Originally the unit was known as the SS-Brigade (mot.) On 6 February, General Seyffardt, while campaigning for new recruits in Amsterdam, was assassinated by the Dutch resistance. The NSB leader, Anton Mussert encouraged his followers to join the new … Govorov launched the Narva Offensive on the German lines on 24 July, in the afternoon, the Nederland's Artillery battalion started withdrawing across the Narva bridge. On 26 January 1945, the brigade received orders to evacuate the pocket by sea and report to the Swinemünde (now Świnoujście)-Stettin area to participate in the defence of the Oder line. In February, the Red Army had established the strong Krivasoo bridgehead on the western bank of the Narva and threatened to cut off the entire corps. The launch of Operation Bagration on 22 June resulted in Govorov stepping up the pressure. The Dutch line cracked, only the arrival of Nordland's Panzer Battalion saved the situation. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Brigade Nederland, nun in der niederländischen Schreibweise, bildete. The new division was attached to Steiner's Eleventh SS Panzer Army, defending the Northern Oder region. The brigade arrived in German territory on 4 February. Wagner was extradited to Yugoslavia in 1947 to stand trial for war crimes. While many recruits were convinced of the independence of the Legion, Seyffardt was aware of its true nature. It saw action on the Eastern Front during World War II.. The unit was then to take part in an offensive Operation Nordlicht, which was ultimately called off to deal with the Soviet Sinyavino Offensive. On 26 January 1945, the brigade received orders to evacuate the pocket by sea and report to the Swinemünde-Stettin area to participate in the defence of the Oder line. 3) , wurde zur gleichen Zeit aus dem SS-Wachbataillon 3 Nordwest und Angehörigen weiterer niederländischer SS- und Polizeieinheiten, sowie Rekruten des „Jeugdstorm“, der Jugendorganisation der NSB, gebildet. Great efforts were made by the Germans to persuade the Dutchmen that the new unit was an 'All-Dutch' affair, and indeed many recruits were under the impression that the Legion was an independent Dutch formation fighting alongside their German Allies. On 10 February, the brigade was redesignated "23rd SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division Nederland", although its strength at the time was barely 1,000 men. The Soviet Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha Offensive cut through the weak infantry units formed out of the 9th and 10th Luftwaffe Field Divisions. Attempting to avoid Red Army forces, the regiment was ordered to take a different route to that originally planned. The NSB leader, Anton Mussert encouraged his followers to join the new formation. General Seyffardt was recruited to command the Legion, and all recruits were permitted to wear the Prinsenvlag (an unofficial Dutch national flag) on the sleeve of the uniform. They conducted anti-partisan operations in the rear of the advancing German army and were involved in the Holocaust.They also filled gaps in the front line when called upon in emergencies. Mit der Umstellung im Januar 1945 als 23. After the war, the unit personnel were tried in the Netherlands, with several death sentences handed down. Two of the division’s regiments were also named: SS-Frw. After the invasion of Poland in 1939, Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS, sought to expand the Waffen-SS with foreign volunteers for the "crusade against Bolshevism". Besides the Russians, bands of Estonian soldiers, unwilling to leave their country and furious at the Germans for abandoning them, had turned to brigandry. The Dutchmen got involved in heavy fighting but somehow they managed to hold the Soviets while the last of the SS men got across the river. SS Volunteer Grenadier Brigade Landstorm Nederland After the successful formation of the 4.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland, it was decided that a second Dutch SS formation should be raised.The recruits were drawn mostly from the Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging (the Dutch Nazi Party). It was formed in the aftermath of the German invasion of the Soviet Union and fought on the Eastern Front in the Waffen SS alongside similar formations from other parts of German-occupied Western Europe. In early March the main focus of the Red Army assaults were directed at the De Ruyter regiment, defending the town of Lilienbach on the northern flank. In November 1941, the legion was ordered to the front near Leningrad, under the overall command of Army Group North Rear Area. The most important was the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands (Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging in Nederland, NSB), led by Anton Mussert, which was founded in 1931 on the example of the Nazi Party in Germany. The division was authorized to wear a cuff title bearing its name, although even after its introduction, some personnel who had previously served with the “Freiwillige Legion Niederlande” continued to wear that cuff title. The Legion was moved back into the line alongside the SS-Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen, a Norwegian volunteer outfit. The unit was established on May 12, 1943 under the name “Landwacht Nederland”, but was renamed “Landstorm Nederland” on October 16, 1943. Hearing rumours of Americans nearby, the formation broke out to the west, surrendering to the US Army and being sent to a POW Camp near Kraak. The 23rd SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Division Nederland was a Germanic Waffen-SS division comprising volunteers of Dutch background. The Legion was engaged in defensive operations against incessant Soviet assaults until early June, and despite suffering heavy casualties, managed to hold their positions. The following battles were known as the First Battle of Ladoga. By July 1941, the number of recruits meant that the Nordwest could be dissolved and several separate units formed. Govorov again shifted his focus of attack back to the de Ruyter, commanded by SS-Obersturmbannführer Hans Collani, a veteran of the Wiking division. The two Regiments were granted honour titles, the 48th SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Regiment "General Seyffardt", in honour of their dead figurehead, and the 49th SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Regiment "de Ruyter"; it was named after the seventeenth-century Dutch Admiral Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter. The unit then moved north to Leningrad as part of Felix Steiner’s III SS (Germanic) Panzer Corps to face overwhelming numbers of Russians. The Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha Offensive cut through the weak infantry units formed out of the 9th and 10th Luftwaffe Field Divisions defending the line, and by doing so knocked two large, if unreliable, units out of Steiner's newly formed corps. At the end of 1942, it was merged with the 2nd SS Infantry Brigade. The formation was the size of a reinforced infantry battalion, with five motorized companies. (Germanisches) SS-Panzer-Korps. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland festgelegt wurde. There were several political parties in the Netherlands at the time of the German invasion in May 1940 that were broadly sympathetic to the authoritarian and anti-democratic ideals represented by Nazi Germany. Vanaf 10 februari 1945, toen de brigade inmiddels een divisie was, werd de naam aangepast naar 34. On 3 May, the Kampfgruppe was attacked by a large number of Soviet tanks. In fierce hand-to-hand combat, the Dutchmen repulsed the Soviet thrusts, forcing Govorov to look elsewhere for his breakthrough. In late June, it was transferred north to take part in the Siege of Leningrad. Despite the horrors of the front, most men of the brigade were still firmly holding to their NSB pro-Nazi ideology. The Nordland's Pioneer Battalion blew up the bridge. Company leader SS-Untersturmführer Helmut Scholz gathered a group of men and went into action, retaking De Ruyter's original positions, giving the regiment breathing space and preventing a rout. 48 „General Seyffardt“ The honor title was carried over from the 1st Company of the “Freiwillige Legion Niederlande” and refers to … SS Brigade Schuldt was a formation of the Waffen SS during World War II. Waffen-SS-Grenadier-Div. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland attempted to stem the tide of Govorov's Front, but were soon forced to fall back to avoid encirclement by Meretskov's Force. In September 1943, the Brigade was ordered to the Independent State of Croatia (Yugoslavia) to join SS-Obergruppenführer Felix Steiner III SS (Germanic) Panzer Corps currently forming in the area. The Legion arrived at the Volkhov River in mid-January 1942 and was engaged in rear-security activities. After the failure of this offensive, the Legion was moved south of Leningrad, near to Lake Ladoga, to defend against expected Soviet attacks. When Hitler authorized the withdrawal of German troops from Estonia, the Nederland found itself with another problem on its hands. The remnants of the unit were absorbed into Kampfgruppe Vieweger of the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian). in Demut ! The recruits went through basic training in Hamburg, before being sent on to Arys in East Prussia for further training. The Nederland was to defend the northern and central flanks of the Ivangorod bridgehead. With the exception of the "General Seyffardt"'s loss, the withdrawal had been a success, and Steiner's men began to dig-in on the Tannenbergstellung, in preparation for the next Soviet attack. Added to this core force were to be Reconnaissance, Pioneer, Panzerjäger and Artillery components. The SS-Freiwilligen-Panzer-Grenadier-Brigade 'Nederland' now counted 6.305 (originally … The 83rd regiment took up positions on the Betuwe behind the Maas and the Waal and the 84th regiment was stationed south of the Veluwe. Mooyman was the first non-German to receive the Knight's Cross. [citation needed] In 1940 Arthur Seyss-Inquart, the Reichskommissar for the Netherlands, had approved the creation of an NSB paramilitary police formation named Landwac… The Soviet forces cut off Army Group North in the Courland area, creating the Courland Pocket. 23. Opposing the Corps was General Leonid A. Govorov's Leningrad Front. They participated in Operation Hermann (7 July) with various other units under the command of Generalmajor of Polizei von Gottberg. During this battle, the Legion captured 3,500 prisoners, including General Andrey Vlasov, who was to become leader of the Russian Liberation Army. After the war, the survivors were tried in the Netherlands, with several death sentences being handed down. The recruits were drawn mostly from the Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging (the Dutch Nazi Party). During this period, the brigade was redesignated 4th SS Volunteer Panzer Grenadier Brigade Nederland. After a month's relative quiet in the trenches around the city, the Legion was pulled out of the line in preparation for Operation Nordlicht, an assault on Leningrad which was to be the decisive blow.