Osprey, Men-at-Arms #254 Wehrmacht Auxiliary Forces (1992) 00Ed OCR 8.12

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254 -==--- ~~ T

~HRMACHT

AUXILIARY FORCES

dl fllml \S (\RU!'I ( \B \I.IJRO JlR \J)O Sl\!O\ \ldOl \1(;

EDITOPc MARTIN WINDROW l;lllllII MIUTAIIY

MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES

254

WEHRMACHT AUXILIARY FORCES Text by NIGEL THOMAS and CARLOS CABALLERO JURADO Colour plates by SIMON McCOUAIG

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First published in Great Brit.lin ill 199'1 b) ()"prq I'ubhshing. Elms Court. Chapd Way. Botl~·, Oxford OX2 gU', l!nilcd Kingdom. Email: /flfoOosfm'YptJbll~h/flg.WM () 1992 Ospl'C) Publishing LId. Reprinted 1995. 1998. 2000 .\11 "Vm. re;c,O'N.\Jnrl from an> (a,r
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ISBN

I

85SJ~

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Publishns All enquiries should he addressed Simon McCouaig ~ Yeoman's Close Stoke Bishop Bristol BS9 I DII

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Authors' aclmow)cdgcmcnts This sun'e)' would not ha\c been possible withoul lhe kind and unselfish as... ist:lOcc or many Imol\ ledgcable l."Orrcspondenls, rriends 3nd agencies. The 3uthors would like to th3nk: Dr. Uaumgarlcn, Uundes:archi" Koblen~ Philip Buss; JoscrCharit3; Urian L. D3\'is; Dieter Deusler; D3\id Littlejohn; Ilans Werner Neulcn; Henr}' Riiutcl; Franz \V. Seidler and Henry I.. de Zcnp: I V. ~igel Thomas would like to thank his eler-supporti\,e r.'lmily-I-Ieather. Alexander and Dominick. Any carrecliol1s or ,lddilinllal illformatiull would lx· maS1 welcome. :l11d may be addrt'sscd to lhe authors I';a the Publishers' address.

WEHRMACHT AUXILIARY TROOPS

INTRODUCTION In 19jR Adolf I-liller dirccled cwo par:lmililary labour orpni7"lions .he Reichsaroolsdic:nsl. recruits undergoing pn--miliIU} Ir:lining; :md Org:ln~tion Todl. a unique mobilizmon of prh-alc conSlruclion firmS-IO support the armed forces (\\ chrmacht) in their duties. Ilard-prc:s.<;cd Irllnsport and supply uruts .....ere further aided b) the: :\I5KK, the Xazi mO£oring tJr!!::anizarion. anti, from 19-H, b~' the Tnnsponkurps Spttr. Fmall~. in ScplcmbtT 19-H. ",ilh militar~ defeat looming, all manpowCt" with an~' mitil";! ConH:ntion if [alien p15Oncr. The 101'01.1 slrtnglh of Ihesc organiations ,,:as about 1..,:00.000 in 1939. pc:aling in 19+1:1.1 about J,8oo,000-4000 of die sizt of the lIrmed forees. Allhough unilS were gcncnll}' _n'ior to (heir :lfmed forea equil"~lents, Iheir comribution 10 . . • ·:n~fforl was fn from ntgligible, Determined Ihat Ihesc Auxiliaries should nOI achie'e armed tiwa:s Slatu..., J litler dccrt'Cd in 19"1 Ihat their uniforms should . . Ix Army fidd-gn.'}'; Ihal Ihe)' should wear rank in...ignia on coIhr-pal<:hes, not shouldcr-slr.lps; and Ihal their organizalion il:kntifi~"3lion bJdge should be lIorn on the upper sl«\'e, nUl: on . . righl breasi. These orders were onl~ parliall~ obe}ed:

personnel, considering thcmselws incn.:asinglf lO be members of lhe o\'enll armed forces, illlroduccd unifonn and insignia modificuions which, especiall} in the case of Ihe 'lSKK and Tnnspontorps Speer, made them \'inually indistinguishable from their comrade; in lhe four armed sc:n"iCCli,

THE NSKK In 1928 the SA (StOl"mtroopc:rs k'e \1.-\1' 21.0, TJu SA 45), formctl ~lOlor Tnnsporl Detachments, lI'hich Iliere designated \tOlor SI\ on I April 1930, Then, on I May 1931, the K raflfahrtorps- KaliOfUI i'iSK K ('\luiooalsozi:llisrisches Socialisl MOlor Tnnspon Corps) ....;IS emblished b) Korpsfuh~ reT Adolf I Juhnlein ;IS a bnnch of the SA, from the 3,ooo-strong :'\lSAK (NaJ:iOlllJlsm:ialistischcs AmomobiU:orps) SCi up on I April 1930 (0 Inn.~porltop "ali officials. On 23 Aogusl 193", lIith lhe 5/\ in de.::line after the potentiall) rebellious IC:ldership had been purged in I liller's 'lighl of Ihe I.ong Kni\'es, Ihe I\'SKK bt=me an independent org:anI7..:lIion, absorbing the J\lowr-SA (now wilh l\.101Or Baualions f\lolOrsiaffe!n, all;lched 1051' Brigades) and also Ihe DDAC (German AUlOmobik Club) eslablished in 193J by a forcible amalgamalion of ei, ili3n mOlOring org3nilalions. 1911

'K.KQrIJ.<;fiihrcr nldn, willi Arml' ~r.j/s Hir/h (ccnirc) Fromm (ri1!I1/), Imel .-rmb~'NlofNSKK.

'mt'llf iJ, ilJ Septt:mbcr HiJhnlein If'cm-s his ~rcss uniform

lI'i,h

" IJnd SIt bro" Illillirt l'ewmn S S/CCI C nm and 'IJI()(HIOrdcr' I, IHl'llrdt'd to , ip:mlli ill Uit/t-r's ~fulroup in ieh Oil 9,vrwcnJbcr Uw.oefChtlriw) l

SSK/\ pcrsormd from Regiment 1" in"pecl ll/J ellgineilll919. .\'Qte Ille '"OITmJCnlQr.Jt;' (.

r('1!i.menwl slcc.c ritlc. :mcl r.J1I1. ;m.ielli:1 un file

,11,'

rigllt sirA- uffhe blad. sirk.. . (~jp. (Bri:ltIlJ;l' i"'J

a subordinate br,mch of the .\Ja~,i l'aTI). the NSKK's l-xmtrol 01"0111 motoring aClil itil-" in Gcrman~, the prumution of motor rr:l1lsporl. and Ihe imlOClrination of the puhlic in l\.ational Soo:ialism. II ran "i\-"cd dri,ing and ml-'Chanics COUrM'S al ils 2] "'Iowr Spon Schools (plus the l'\:arional School al DoheriI7...1~ls~und); and b) 11,138 187.000 mcmbcl"'i of Ihe mOlOril.ed Sf,.'t.1.ioll of the Ililler Youlh. the .\I01or-llj. had gnduared from lhese schools. II promoted and Oll!anilt'd tourism b} (:lIr in Ucrnun) and abnud, rom motorracing ncnts, and estabhshed hlghwa) p;llrol.~ 10 help the Police enforce lraffic regulalion~_ ,\Iembcr.;hip ":L~ ,olunrar}. and p;lrrlime for all but senior ranls In 193~ Ihc 3jO,ooo-Mrong '\15K K compriS(d foor di,-isions and II) brigades (induding the Ostmarl IIrlgadc in thcnindq:M:ndent Austria) tOlalling ahoU! ?O regiments, former!) ,\Imor-St\ bmalions, A dil i~ion (Motorgruppc) !';ullt;tincd ;thoul fivc, a brigade (\Iotorhrig:ldc) ahoul three regimellls. A regiment (.\Iolorstandarte) usuall) h:llj three 10 six hanalions, a battalion (\lulOr.;la1Tel) thn~ 10 ten companies, a l-umpan} (\\otorslllnn) thrtt 10 four pIaIOOn.S, a placoon (Trupp) lhree CO four ...ections, and a scction (SchH) eighl lO 16 men_ U)' 1939 mosl hrigado had becomc di,iloions, and ne" units "CfC raised from Ihe OCCUpIed Austrian, u.ech and Polish tcrntories. There were 500.000 mt"Il in 18 di,isiollS and onc brigade a [(Hal of 100 rq;imenn; plus four MOiorOO:aI Rtgimenu (\IolOrboOl:.Slandarten) 10 as:;;isl the Ri\l:r Police. 211 org;rniled in eighl Corp:. Dislricrs (:\Iolorobcrgruppcn). In Seplemher 1939 Ihe '\ISKK assumed new responsibilities lO sopport Ihe German \\ar-cffort. From l7 January 1939 l'\SKK-Weh~tJtfeln (Defence BJllalions) wert fonning, panIlcling the SA-\\'ehrmann"Chaften (SA Dtfence Teams); ~ b~ 11)43 100,000 ..\ rmy rCl'ruil~ for motor transport (Fahrtruppm) and armoured units had t:lkel1 the fi\C-month p~miliUIJ dril'ing and mcchanic~ COllrse~. F.ngineer 3.sS:lulr-boal ern> .lO't' trained by Ihe :\\otorhoalllallalions. :\~

1lli,,~i(ln was Ihe

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In summer 1\140 the NSKK Regiment Lut1\\atl\:, soon redesignatcd NSKK Trafl"I'0rtrL-giment Luft'lalk, I'as formcJ tn delht·r munitions to for" ard airfields in FrJnce. [n D~.'t."Cmbcr ICHO il e"panded 10 become NSK K TrJllsporthrigade Lufr\la1Te; and in jllnulll) UHl re-.u;hed di,isional strell\,:lh as '\SKK Grulll>C I.uflwatfe, n:d6i\,:nated 'SKK .\totOl"¥ruppe I.ufl\lafti: on I I "la) 19-P and ..... SKK Transpongruppe J.ufl"affe in jul) 19.H The dilisioo. uoder LI.Gen. Gr:rf Hill Harerl:.h~nbcrg, rccruiloo 4,000 Iklgians (3,000 I'lcml\h and 1,000 \\ alloons, from the ,\GR \ and Rex politiGiI panics); aboul 1,000 French and 4.000 DUleh recruits abo joined 'l;"SK I..: uml•. I~eh brigade. "ilh 6,100 men and 2.75S \ehick'S. (:unmined thr« 1,OLJ-strong rCll"imenb; e;u;h regimem (RL1:iment) had (\\0 to lhree lj85-man b-Jttalions. i\ hau;llion (Ahteilunl:) contained three companies (Komllanien) or ]l]-man \I'lin Columns (ilauptkolonncn) dividetl inlo three platoons (Zugc) or ten 28man 'columns' (Kolonm:n) resl:M:C1iH,ly, sometimes "ith Speci;tl Columns (Sondcrkolonnen) under thl" regimental.taff, 1st Urigade (fo.'1aj.Gco. VOSd). with Rcgiml"nlS I .1, fiJrmcd in France in summtr 1941, rmuining there, a", if.\, p(;l$olll1el \lere unfil for sco-ice 1lIIlhc: Eas!(m Front. In laIC 1943 the Brigatle Slaft· ..-as dcmorcd 10 Bripdt l.b. \. SUIUS and ils n'g:lmems del'ached. 1st: Rqimcnl, now 'fIuh Flemings, Dutch and \(iRA Walloons in the yd Bn., 2nd French in 1m: 41h 6th Spcrial Columns. ~.-ith mel Repmcnl.and in 194-J lClI'eatl-o wilh Jrd Repmcm ~ 4th and 6th Spcri;,i[ Columns fought at \rnhem mdb!o 1f+.t5 were In Gnman). 2nd Bripde (8rTz fLub kdler) fonned in \Ia~ 19"1 al f>icst. wrtb:ll Guman cadre and Flemi~h (..Ih Kegl.) eastern and Dutcb ~t Ren 1~nd;6th Regl_, \,ith French. DUleh, flc-miihad AUR\:and Rn \\alloons, .....as added in Aprilll}41. Itcncd.~P until December 19~1 and from \h~ I U ~8P b1hRegt_"aslostfil:ht;ng:ls;nfal1try Diesl in March 194.1 where the "'1:It.eqlK:ntl~ ~th Re~t ~en·cd in

\Sk·". IJCrso1lm:llillC 1111 (or inSpediQn in '919. ,\Q1e

.he (.'Qmbillt;d _\SKK (.-rJ1l1c and \ Clemn '!>' "ht"l ron Q1I 'hc righl ripper slecn:. :l1Ie/ .hc 1";/111. insil!Tli'l arr.l1llr(.omcn' ,,'orn U1I the sld'Y.':·'/J hy the licut<:1I:Illt· rol(md ,It Ihr righl. (IJri:m 1>'11 if,)

\\lgo~b\"ia, J-lungar~

and

.. Ihe Wt'sl; and 6th

Rq~!.

IIIc

East~rn Gnman~;

fought in

5th R,;gl r~maint"d disbanding in

Yugo~la,i:l,

Il}+-!.

'SKK Staffel Wehrmachtbclehlsh"her Nictlerlande SKK [lallalion Armtxl furt'<.'S Commander :;..lethcrlands) "as apged from Ocwbc:r 194.1 unlil 10 I\o\"t~mlx'r 19H on inlemal er:unl} duti~, "ilh Germ..n and Dutch pcrsonno::l Finall}". in luch H}4j. :'\SKK TranspemLompanienlFbL) I 5. NSKK ~ft""agenzuge(transpon pl;tloon!» 1-9, and 6cj 'JSI..:: I..:: I..::olon-.en (II .U, .q-.2j. lOt 1.1-4. ZOj--4. lll~5. JOI .110. .161-4) ~ allocated 10 th.....\ir FOf('(' The la~r.il wUlime 1\5KI\. formarion "J.S TmlL'.portP'Uppc Toot (Tr"J.mpon UI\"isIOn 'Toor") formed on H Jul~ _,.p b~ i\bj.Gen. \\ilhclm NOIgd from rhe I\SKK Tr.msponpuppc 'TOOl' (containing KSKI..:: TranSI)(lrtbrig'J..1c Toot and KK Tr"J.nspnnbrig:u!c Sp.:cr), and l.egion Spt:l:r. In Ocroher I144l the di"ision totalkd 70,000 men; bl' Seplember [(H3. ;0.000. I\agd also controll"d T"msport!lot!e Speer (Transpurt Fleet 'Speer'), In June J\l44 these units hecame ;'\ISKK Trans,..tkorps Speer. i\lbcrt Spt'i:r and Ihe ;'\ISK" 'lbrn S!"--er. '-\rchllccl..(Jeneral for the I{cno\alion of Ikrlin'. . . up the 'JSKK Baustab Speer ('\'SK .... C..clllstruelion Slaff r) in 1938 to tran)l~rt building mau~riab 10 Berlin, and. hn \ugust 1939. 10 bUild airfields in German', under the -.pcl'\iUp«t inlO battalions (Ahtcilungen). &\'en regiments (Nos. •...{t. ro) were assigned I() transport munitions from Sp""r's lilaorie.w !\ir Fore" units. three (7 Q) 10 l\rm) lInits. Ist-"rd,

gth alld 91h Regts. sencd (In the EaslCrn From tsr Lln., 3rd Reg!. w:l.lust at Stalin grad, jlh and 6th in Croati:l, 7th in Ital) . 10lh in Fillland and 4th in Nonh l\frica~the IInly N~ti Party formation to do so. Thl' hril-'lIde al.<;fl indudtxl KSK I..:: Transportableihllljl:ell 496-500. formed in 1941, and probabl) rcaliocatLxI bIer 10 jth, 6th and loth RcgLS; :'-iSKK I~l"ig-Jdc Spe<'r I..::r:lfl"agen:abschnin Sud (i\lnror Disirici Soulh). fomleU in \breh r9-4-4 ....-ilh four ball;tlion~ for 'JOlhem 11..1); alld OT~ R~imelll Spt.-eT. formt."1J in 1942 on conslruClion dUlies in lhe Ruhr dislricl . The 0r]:aniSOltion Todr emplo~'ed :'\SKK personnel from its eslablishment in June 11138, ....-hen 'WcslmarL' Mowr Di'ision disp;tlch.riders carried fllCMportbrig::lde TOOl, I:llmg 0' er all OT transport dUlies. From '94.2 the bri~de ~11 ..chcd a slaff('\lSK K I\. rnfrwagenkilung bc:i OT Em,,;r;lIgruppc ...) to each OT Corps (OTEinsat7gruppt.·) upcr.uing: in rl"fuhrer) for Easlern From fOrllard an':ts. The Siafts conlrol1l,.-J Transport Ilanalions (Transportsl..ffdn) ....-lIh 'lain Columns and IndepcrttlCll1 l\IJin C.olufllns (Tnnspnrthaupllolonnen). In spring 194.1 t':Jeh sulfbe.:ame:l. Scctur C.ommand (I\b<;chnillsli,hrung). one per OT Corps, "ilh halt;tlions (I\bleilungen), companies (....ompanien) and .\bin CIJIIJTllns, !\b~dnilfstTihrung 'We<;r', lhe largesr comm:lnd, :tdminis!ert'J France, Bcl!!:ium :lIld :'\'t,therL1l1d~; 'Wikillg:", Denmark 5

and .\'orwar; 'Sudosr'. Gr",,,,,,,,, Yugosl:wia, Albania. RUlllania, [!ulgaria, Hungar~ and Slo\·akia. 'Russbnd-:\'on.l' l"(wI'r",d th", Itlltic Slalt'5 and '1orrhern R\lssia, 'R ussbnd~.\litle' H~ elorussia and Central Russia, and 'Rus.,>land·Sud' (from june 19-H 'Sud') Ukraine and Soulhern Russia. 'jacob- '\lord', 'jacob-J\liuc' and 'jaeub-Sud' eunlrulh,:d .\'orthcrn, Cenlral and SOUlhern forward are".lS, bUI ",ere .lbsorbed inlO Ihe corresponding rear an.'" command in 19-13:1.'> lh German'> rcUC".lIOO weslw:lfds. 'Kaukasicn' adminislered Ih GUCllSU.'>. Four smaller commands Motor Tnnsporl Ballalions ('1SKK Krafl\\"agcn-Tra.nsporlableihmgen) "'erc formw in :-'or\l':l} ('Wiking"). Finland ('Finnland'), Soulhern Russia (,Russland-Sud') and Konhern hal) ('Sud'), bUI ",cre I:ller rcallOC'.llcd \lilbin '1SKK TranspongruppcTool In Seplember 19-14. \lith most forc-ign ICTrilOr~ reGl.plurc-d b~ the Alli~. the OT roorpni.<:OO in Gcrm:,"~ proper, and Ihe

Order orB.Hlk.. 'Skk (major units

brigade formed lour German sector commands: 'Ruhr' (bWT 'Ruhrgebi",t") in WI'Stern Oerll\an~; 'Reich' in Nonhern, Cenlral ami Southnn Gcrmall); 'Tanllenbo.'rg' in Danzig, Easl and West Prussia; and 'Brugmann" ,,"upied Poland. Olher commands wI're relained or reorg3ni/.ed. "on-German urjt;lnis",ll ion From :12 jul~ 19-4Z non-Gemlans "'ere org;mizw intu 001lalions (I\btcilungen) and companies (Komp;lnien) of Legion Speer and assignl:d to OT Corps '\\ l'St'. Recruiting \\:1-<; so successful. e:;pcciall~ among Rus:.ian emigres in FraOl.:e and So\iel prisoneT'S-Qf-"'ar. thaI in l(14J the I Dn. (Cumpanies 1-7) and II lin. (Companies I 7) lra.nsferrcd to KSKK Tnnspongruppe TOOl as 1'1'~nSponSlaffcin 6i and 6g. and hcnccfonh Lq:ion Speer cumpamcs were illll"fl'.lttd inlO SCClor C.ommand battalions. The fhe I.qrion Sp«r recruilln!! di"tnclS. c:ach wilh a

I)nl~). IQ-H

.\lolOrobergruppc A11>cnland MR K~rnlen (\15 go. Il/o); .~1B Salzburg (MS9I, 191); ~m Sleiermark (~lS 88. SQ, 188); .\1IJ Tirol-\'orarlherg (~IS 9~, 191). .\Iotorobcrp'uppc Mille .\tG Ikrlin ("15 l5, ~7-3~•.\Ibl); .\IG Fra.n~en (MS i8, 79, 83. 95, 18i); .\IG ,\bgdthurgI\nh~h (\1S 135); MG M:l.lk-Bra.ndenburg (.\IS lZ-4, ~6, Ill. Ill); l\IG Kicdcrrhein (MS 71 6); .\IG J"ordsec (MS b2-J,I(0). t-lorurobcrgruppc :-'ord ,\1111 bmhurg (,\IS Il-.1); l\11l1-Jansa (.~IS II. Ill): ,\10 Nicde~chscn(\IS 58-bl); .\IG o.1Sl.'C(:\lS 7 10. loS); J\IG Schlcs....-ig-iioistcin (:\IS 14-6, IIS)_ J\IOlurohl'rgruppc "ordosl :\IG Danzig-\\'~1:preusscn(.\IS 5, 6.105 6, IJO); \IG Oslland (:\IS 1 4.101 4. ~3J); !\IG Wanhcbnd(\ISI14 6.124 b.I-H) MotorohcrgruPI>C OSl .\10 I.eip"lig (\IS .15-9. Ij7 8. (41); :\IG i\iic:dcrschlcsien (l\IS 18 9, ~ I. I 18. 120); ,\lG Obo.'rschlcsicn ("IS Ii. "i, "9, I l l , 12J). !\lolorobl'rgruPlx' Siid MG B3ycrnw:11d-firstl~'Ha~rischcOslmarl'. then 'Oa) reulh' (l\IS 77. 80-1. 181); ,\IG Adolf I !l.ihnkin, fomll'r1~ 'I-Iuehbnd' (,\IS 84 7,181). :\Iolorobergruppc Siidosl ,\IG Oberdonau (:\IS99. 100. 199. 199); .\10 Nil'c:lcrdonau (,\IS 96 8,196 7,296, 31}6); l\lG Sudclen, former!) 'Egcrbl1d' (\IS ~00-15. Jljl; .\IG \\"ien (MS 93 4.1":13-4, .\\b3) . •\Ioturobcrgruppc Stidwcsl l\10 Rhcin_.\Ioscl (l'\lS 52. 15~); .\ m Schwaben (l\IS 87); .\ 10 Sud\\"csl (,\IS 5.1-4. 1554, .\lb4); .\IG Wc,"lmark (.\IS 51, 149-51. 153. 101-7)· MOlorobergruPpl: West .\IG I-k~,"l"n (MS 46 50,146-8); ,\lG ThuringCl1 (I\IS 40 S. (42); MG Westfakn-Nord (l'\lS 64 6); .\-IG WCSlfa1cn-Slid (MS 6i 9). NSK K Tralls]lortgruppc I.ufl Wi( 1Tc (1943) Brigade I-RIC!. I (I/Kp. 1-3; II/Kp.4-6; HI/Kp. 7-9;51' 4 6); Rgt. 2(1iKp. I J: II/Kp. ~-6); Rgl..~(l/Kp. 1-3; II/Kp. 4 6). Ilripdc 2 Rgl 4 'fJandern' (I/lIK I J; II/11K 4-6); Rg!. 5 ':\'cdcrland' (1/1IK 1-3; 1l{1 [K 4 6); Rgt. 6 (liHK 1-.1; II/11K 4 6). NSKK TrallSI'0rlgrul'pe Tudl Transportbrig:ldc Spcer Kw.Tr.Rgt. I (Kp_ 1-9); 2 (Kp. I-I 1);:1 (Kp. I 9); 4 (Kp. 1-9); 5 (Kp. I-II); 6 (liKp. 1-7; 1I/Kp.8 14); 7 (Kp. I-Ill); 8(liKp. 1-4; II:,Kp. 5-8; Ill.iKp. 9-12; IV/Kp. IJ 6; \l/Kp. 17-20; Kp. ~I); 9 (IiKp_ 1-4; lIiKp.5 8; III/Kp. 9 12; [V/Kp. IJ 6; V/Kp. 17-l0); 10(Kp. 1-14): K".Abt.Slid(50/Kp. I i; SI/Kp. 8-14; 5l/Kp. 15 :II; 5.1/K p.:.1.2 8); Tu\bt. 496-;00; 01' -Rg!. Spt:cr (Kp. 1-5). Tnnsporrbrigade'rodl: :\SKK Kw.L.lg hei OT·F:O ... (11N1-2/J) :\"SKK .'\bschniltsflihrung (ICl41!3-4) OT·t:G. WCSI \\-cst (·Spring 1943) Tr.St. I 10,21.29,34. Wcst (. 1941) Tr.SI. 7-9. 15, 19, 21. l2, 19, 60-73- TK Speer (1.11.19-H) 34.36•.n; TIlK J, 4, 6 8.14 5· Wiking (·Spring (943)-Abi. I-VI (Kp. 1-~6); Wiling (·Sumlller (942) Tr.SI. 44-5; T1IK Wiking TlIK )-20 TKSpttr(l.tl.I944). 9,10, Il'. ~o. Sudusl (·Spring 1943) -Abt. 40-2; Kp. I 13-TK Sudosl (·Sommer 19.P) Tr.SI. 24, 26; 1'I-IK Sudosl Speer (1.I1.19-H) Russland-i'\ord (·Summo::r (942) Tr.SI. 16, RussJand-, ord(·SprinS- 1943) Abc.. I (Kp. 1-5).11 Russland4,Z J;TIIK 2, Ii 8. (6---10), I1J (11-"), IV (IS--1J); TIIK 17-8 A.F. :'\Iun! T:l.lmrnbaJ: (earl)' 19+4).

,.

,

"POl OOll:lIion (in Kic' a r''glnlcnl), were retained. ForcigneTli rould also CtI1isi as dri, crs or mechanics on shon-lenn contraCUi as '\:SJ..:K Frei" iIlige (NSK K Volunteers). TmnspordlollC Speer ""ll forrn('() in 1931 b) Spccr [0 D'aru.porl stonc along the Spr«, 1lanl and Elbe rin;:rs 10 Berlin. In 1~1 the Fleet, with 10,000 personnel, mosll) :"lorwegians. iKluding 280 barges originally intended for Ihc in\'asiun ufGreal OntJ.In, "as anached to OT Corps 'Wiling'. Headquarters was moHod from Rerlin Ifl Groningen, lXetherlJnds, and Gros.~ka­ ,,:I3.n Sc)d, a shipping owner, hdd nominal command. Allied INmlbing of road l:ornmunications enhanced lhc importanl:e of slilpl,ing, and by July 19~~ the Fleet controlled uvcr 2,000 vessels (soo,ooo wnnage), S\:rl'illl!" a network of JI l:oastal and inland pons in Iklgiurn, Denmark, FinlJnd, Franl:c, Italy, '\Jetherlands, 'or", a\. Rumania allll S..., iet Union. In s..:plCmhcr HIJQ [he: 'SKI-.: VerkehrserJ;iehun~diensl

'SKK Kw.l.lg" he; OT-EG ... (19-411J) Russ1and~"lillC('Summcr 19..P ) Tr.St. 40-1. 46,·H; THK 11.16. RUSiland-Siid ('Summer 19P)-Tr.SI. ~R 9.

'SKK Kw.l.lg.bcim OT-Verbf. 'ord (·Summer 1~1) Tr.St. 5, l~. 2J; TIIK I. \lme ('Summer 19~1)-Tr.sl. I, 11-3, 18, J1: TIIK ;. Sud A ('Summer 19~':) Tr.St. 2.~. 6, 20. 28; Till( IJ. Sud II ('Summer 19~1) Tr.Sr. J. 17,25. '\:SKK Kw.Tr.f\bl.bci OT. Wiling('Summcr 19~2) Kp.

(Traffic Control Sen'icc) replJ,-cd tr.lllic police drafled intu the armed forces and Police 00[talion5 for thc Polish campaign. From December 19J9 four trafflC unil.s-Verkehn....,:and:me 'Wicn', Verkehrsstaffel 'Berlin' :and 'Gross-Hamburg', :and Verl,;ehrsl.ompanic: ·Lemberg'-hdpet.l ',:omb forests for guerrillas and c:arrkod dispa[ehcs in PulJnd. Latcr al least eighl lraffie oompanics-'Bcrlin', 'Dorlmund', 'Kallo",ilz" 'K:lOen', ':"liimberg', 'Ilosen', 'SlUlIg:In' and 'Wien·-..-ere assigned 10 I'ulice oolrAlions or local Police commanders in thc SOI'icl Union. j\I01orboal unils supported Rhine and Danube Police patrols, and '\JSKK personnel patrullcd highways, arrested \'agrunts and c~c:lpcd l'ris'm{·rs-"f-"~r. and issued drivinll: lil:CIH.:CS on hehalf ufthe Pulice. The NSKK was also aCli,c on the home front. Following the N:azi-Sovict Pact of August 19J9 LI.Gen. Lorcn7. resettled 200.000 Elhnic German.s frum Su\'ict-occupied Poland. Bailie

NSKK AbschnillsfUhrung:(19+lJJ-..J Russland-!\lille ('Sprin! Iq.U)- Abl. I-V (K p. 1~37) K",.Tr.RgI.8(q.I9-H). Russland-Sud ('Spring 19..3)-Abl. 1 V (Kp. 1-6. 11-1.\,21-J,3t 1,47) A.F.Sud(lo.6.19-H)· Sud ('Aulumn IlJ~3) Kp. I 10 Kw.Abl.Siid (1.3· 11j.H)· Ruhr (';;.19...\, then 'Ruhrgcbiet', 15. [1. 19H 'I-hnsa') -Ahl. I-V-TKSpcer(1.11 1<).. 4). Reich ('5.19H) Kp.I-33 TKSpccr(I.Il.19....)· Tanncnherg('carl) 19....) Kp. I-.\J-TK Speer (1.11.19401)· Ilrugmann (.1.7.19.... )-'1'1( Speer (1.1 1.1944). Siid (·IO.6.19....)-Abl. 30-3; Kp. I 37 TK S()CeI" (I 11.1944). Jacob-:"lord (. 12.19.p)-Abt. I (Kp. I ..); II (Kp. ; 8); III (Kp.q-u); 1\'(Kp. [3 14) A.F. Russland-i\ord (21.9.19..3). JaCOb-l\lillc ('12.19-1:) Tr.SI. I, 11-3, 18,31; TIIK; -!\.F'. Russlund-Miltc (11.9. 19~3). Kaukasicn ('Spring 19.U)~Abl. I-V A.F'. Sud (10.6.1944)· Jal:ob-Siid(12.H)4:)-Tr.s1.3. [7,25 A.F. Russland-Sild (Spring (943).

OT-EG. KusslandMillc RusslandSod Italicn Jll, V

11, IV, VI. VIJI I Brugmann VII

Jacob Kaubsien Jacub

10

Wiking ('Spring 19-1.1) Kp.I-IO A.F'. \Viking Wiking (n.8.19H)· Finnland ('Summer 19.12) Kp.I-4. F'innland ('Spring '943) Kp. I -I Kw.Tr.Rgl. Finnland lo(Todl) (Summer 1943). Siid ('Summer 19U) Kp. I-Io-A.F. Sud Italicn (AulIlmn 1943). Russland-Siid('Autumn 19.P) Kp. I '; A.F. Russland-Sud (Summcr 19-43). Lqion Speer, 19.f] (!lunched 5eclor Commands). Leg.Sp. "-esl (l-IQParis) Estonians. Latlians, Lithuanians, French. RUSSians. Ulrainiuns(A.F. WC:SI). Ug.Sp. Xor\lcgcn (1IQOslo)-Dancs, DUlch, Flemish, "orwegi:In~, S"'·,'
7

Slales, Jkss:al";lbi~ and Hul.:ovina in '\Varthcland' occupied Wesf )'oIand. By t942 \ISK" S1rength Iud fallen 10 220,000 as personnel joined the armed forces. Tn.nsport units ddh'crcd post, food, sal\"Olgc and 1";1\\' materials, and lhe '15KK Kat::lSlruphcndicnsl (Emcrgt"nq Scn·ta-) arried OUI hcn'l-rescue, ambubncc, e\"aCuatlon and debris-clear:mcl: duties afler Allied bombings. In Carniola (Southern Austria) and Lower St)'ria (occupied Slo\'enia) :-JSKK Wehrmannschaften (Home Gu:trd Companies) fought Slo\en(" gUCITillas alongside 5,\ St)rian Home Defence l.eague unib. By 19-15 :-.ISKK pcrsmlllci were being: drafted into Voll.:ssturOi baualiollS and I'\SKK KaOillfgruppen (baule groups).

Adolflluhnlein died on 18 June 19.P and w~s sucrcedcd ~s Korpsruhrcr b} Erwin Kr:lus. B} 6 June 1y.H Morordi\'i~ion n~mc:s and bound~ries "ere 10 be: altered 10 correspond to ""-SOAP Districts, except' \dolfHuhnlein', ret:!ined for rtlsons oftndition, and 'i\iederrhein', "hich co\en.'d Dus."Cldorf. Essen and Koln-A:achen disnicts. The w:trended btfort: this reorg:mizanon, "hich llCttSSitated n:allOC'::ltion of tnc JOO undcrstrcngth regimcnl.~ bct"ccn the dh isions. ,,~~ full}' implemented. NSK" leaders sl.:ilfull} apit.dized on the orpni7..;ttion's milit:tr} \alue to build a huge tr:mspon ne!worl.: hich performed a ,ital function in sustaining thc Gcml:ln ~r-clfort, a contrihution .... hich has been unden'alued in pclSt-\O:tr studies of Ihe 5<:(:0111.1" urld War.

TRANSPORTKORPS SPEER 11) carl) ll./oH Ihc commander of NSK K Tr~nsportgruppt: Toot, ]\laj.Gcn. Wilhelm \Iagt:l, was adi,-ely plulling "ilh Rciehsrnini~"ter Speer!O free his d,,'ision from ~SKK efllllrol-3 Mnlcg) his angry ~uperior, Korpsruhrer Kr,IUS, ..... as powerless 10 pre\l.'"n!. In June 1l./44 NSKK Trnnsponkorps Silecr .... as esta~ lished from 'SKK Transportgruppc Todl, TnnsportflOite Spttr and L.qt:ion Spttr. Sector (Absehniu) 'Brugmann" and Scclor Commands (Absehniusfiihrungen) 'Wil.:ing', 'West', 'Sudost', 'Tannt"nbcrg', 'Sud', 'Ruhrgcbiet', 'Reich' 3nd 'Russland·l'\ord' (absorbed in Scptl.'rnber 190H inlo 'Rrug~ rn3nn'), dh'ided inlo J\IOIor Transport Bactalions (Knfl....~gen Transpomblcilungen) and Companies (Kompanien) and Independent &nalions (Knflfahr TnnsporlSt"taffl.'ln), suppli<.-d Org:lOisation Toot unilS. Tnuspon Regiments 2 3nd], di\'idcd infO battalions 3nd eomp3nies.supplied the Air Force; RegimenfJi

lHemf,crsof/VSKK. Tr:IJIS/,orthrigllde Todt, lI"itll uli1't~ bruwn uniforms ;mel Army ':\11940 elm VIIS Im/deu, IIl1fOll(litlg supplh-s

frum II lorry ill Pr:m,·c, I!NJ. ""Ott' Ihe IIlumiJJilim ":lgle on the Idi eo/l:lr pilleh, (IJri11ll DII vi.~)

.VSKK.Knrl)!iliihrer KrJUS (rif(ht), w"':lring the ,"SIJA1' 1'lJrl," badge,lron Cross Hf CIIISS, Wound Bildgelwd 1914-18 BIJ l'lJ.rilltl Air ObsenTr's hlldge, ru/b' w Wrpor.,J

GefJf'/f Rictscher, holder of .he Kllight:.. Cross u·i.h OaJ.-tnll·'-s; Ikrlill, j ,\by '94J, UoscfCh:lriw) 8

5- 10, bIer also 11 12, Ihe Ami). There ~cre also Depol fbllalion~ (Ersalubleihmgen); 1\10 \'ehicle Rep,air RegimenlS "-r:aflfahr-InslandSCl7ungll-rcgimenter); an OnJoan«: Staff \RU~lungsslab) ~-lIh II companies dislribl.lled n.'giooall~; an [nginC't'r Bo. (.I'iomerablt~ilung), Sign:i1s Un ("aehrichlcnSlaffd). mOlorized \Iedical nn. (SanimsLraflfahrsl:lffcl), mOiorized Seeuril) nn (SicherungsablcilungtlllOl:»; nhicle p,arls, an .e'i«n' .s<:hoo! al KOnil7. !lC2r \\eimar, an 'lCO School at furslen~alde ne'.Ir Berlin, and OT-RI.'gImCnl Spl.-.:-r in the Ruhr. Transponflollc S('ttI" supplil.-d lhe Na.-) On JI July H.l.... Transpon Seclors (Traosponabschnine) 1- \ II I were formed, absorbing 'Ruhrgebiet' and 'Reich' Sector CDmmands, con-ring Grcater Gemlan) ami the IJahic Slalcs~ough SeclOr Command I (Riga, Lal\ia) ~as almost immcdi,..) lr:msferred 10 Berlin, ~hen Ihe Bailie fell 10 the Red Ami)". "Ille Cummands corresponded in name and apprm:im:lle eXlenl • the newl) formed OT Corps Districts, In AU!lust 19-14 the Corps II:IS reorganized into fuur Ji\isil1nal.~lat\l~ Inspections. InspeLtion 'Reich' (furmed 8 !\ugust) cOlcred I\.orth, CClltr.J1 and SO\llhern Germany and l3ohemia-i\ lor:tvia; :tnd was follo\led .. Scplcl1\lx:r by 'West'-Wcstern and Southern Germany; "Ost' I~astcrn Germany and occupied Poland; and 'Sud' tuslria, "'Iorthern Italy and :"Jorthern YogO'olalia. Sct:tor Com-.nd 'Wi~in{ rem~ined under direct 0'1' command. Each _pection supcTI.sed rcgimcntal-slalUS Trunsporl SI.~lQr.'>, SI.'C.,. or &-aOT Commands. whose commanding uffil:ers (i\bsch~ -.nfuhrer) ~·cre all:lChcd to Ihe 101."':11 0'1' Corps sufl~ On tl September 19.... Ihe Corps, under I.I.Gen. (Korp-

Gell, Heill!'- GI/(Jcri'1Il, ;mel />,mzer Arm,\ COrJIm:lIJc/er. /;./k.s/oN$KK·

the bllckground, tll"U !\'SKK ol1iccrs lI'ifll blllnk right IW/lcl coll"r parchcs.

Tr'I1l,sl'orfbrij!.'Hl/(o Toelt

ljuserChllritll)

Ilf.'TSlJIJlld, Russi", 'fJ'P: in

slwmmandam) "'Iage!, was formally lr.Jnsfcrred lQ armed forces conlTol and on • '\lo\·ember, as an ind~'pl.'IH.lcnl organi7.:lIion, droppt.'d "'I~"K from ilS litlt·. Tr.JnspnrtLorps SlXX"r (I-IQ Kreu7.bruch) compriscJ "',727 men, mcludiog 1;,000 Gennans. lO.OOO foreign \'olunlt'crS and 800 foreign auxiliaries (1IiIfs~-il­ lige), ~ilh more lhan J5,000 lrucb including 5.066 under Sn:lUr Command '\\'il.:ing', 5,95J ~-ith In~pcLtton 'Sud', 11,990 "ith InspcLllon 'Reich' and 811 in Inc \ledic:d Scnicr. In fcbruar} IIH5 lbe Corps W:LS again renrpniu-d. lhls lime into.'>1\ Suppl) Commands (.Imendanle): four from the (""isling InspectIons, plu.s Inlendam 'Wilcing', cOlering l\orway and IknmarL. and Imendam ENal:f und lushildung (Dcpol and Tr:aining Command). lSI Tr:tnspon Brig:Jde (I. fahr-brigade) was planm.-d, hUI onl} the 1st Bn., 1st Regl. and I1cpOll3n. \lerc aCluall) fonned. TranspurtLurps Spto'er unit.'> seT\ed on all froms and frequent!) sa\l action. In l\larch 1945 Tr.JnspoT! Regiment 5 (CuI. Schimherr), "ith 160 ttuds and 600 mcn, suffered hcav}" losses fighting as infantr) against Yugos!nl' p:lrtisans ncar Bihae, \Vestern flosoi:l. On 17 April 1\145 the Corps, nuw much reduced b.1 losses, under"c"l ilS final Tl"()rgani7..:l1ion. The remaining nine Transport Sectors, one s...~{or Command, liI'e Transport Regiments and smaller unil.~ \\Tre groupe" into thn-e brig-~d~"S '''ord' (I\.'or\lay. Denmar~, :-.sunhern Gemlan}), ',\lille' (t:emr.l.1 German) ~nd Uohcmia- \ lurnia) and 'Sud' (Austria, 1t~ly, "'IOTlhern Yugoslavia), plus:t Depol and Tr:aining Regimem. Thn.-.:- wl'ds laler '1a7.1 Germany surrendered. TranspoTlLorps Speer personnel were Irc:ttedunder the Gene\";! Com-enlion as prisoncrH)f-~"':Ir. thus a\-oiding the harsher ue:umenl accorded Iheir fonner ,"SKK colle:aplcs, ~ho ~cre branded as meffiDeTli of a l-nminal o,!".l.nialion. A Flemish mt'mlx:r or

."51\1\-TnmspQrtgruppc l.urtM·:lflc. w<:;lring the '5trdrclldicnst 'I!Q'7lcr :mcl

C'dIT"ing an 1HP-Iosubmachine gun,

UoscfCharita)

,

,VS'KK.:\[Hj.G'C'" Gnlr\'on l1'l yer-Ellrt'lIburg (left), O::Qmnmm/erofNSKKTr'l "sport brig:ldt' l.u/hmflC. with fclloll'

Ql1it't'rs tlml Dr. Hemlrik ":li,l$ (cemre), llellCl of tile Flemish I',vlf purt.\'; lJiest, Odgium, IOJune '94'. ,VQff.· tllf.· nJmbinf.-d cagle am/l'eter.m S bridge ,,'orn Oil ti'e h·ft 11m} b\' the olfief.·r tit f.'1r right. ljosf.·fCIl:lrifil)

Ordt:r IIfU.lIlk. rr.lllsjlurtJ..urps Speer Seplcmber 19....-Fcbru3r)· 19..5 Imp. R(I(h (Orr/In): Tr.Ab. 'Berlin' (Ikrlin-QarIQtlcnburg) Ers.Ab!. I, II, Rusnmgsslab, San.K ",.SI., Nachr.SI.: Tr.Ab. II (Ikrlin-Wannscc): Tr.Ab. Illb 'I bnsa' (Bremcn): T r.Ab. 1\' 'Krflhauscr' (\\ eimar) lIZ & I 13 Abl./K "'. Tr.Rgt. II: Tr.Ah. VI (.\Iunieh): Tr.Ab. VII (Prague) Kw,Tr.SI. 1Z5. I. Pi.!\b!. I/lsp. II'rll (Eun,.WrrJnl): Tr.Ah. lIb 'Rhein-Ruh,' (Essen-Werden) Tr.Rgl. 6 (Abl. J, II), OT-Rgt. Spt:er: Tr.Ab. V (I-Ieidclhcrg) III Ahl./K w.Tr.Rgt. I l. I/lsp. 011 (P/Jz,um): Ab. 'Tanncnbcrg:' (Raslcnburg) Tr.Rgl. 3 (Kp. 1-11),8 (Abl. I-V), I.Kfz.lnsl. Rg!. 'Os,'; Ab. 'Brugmann' (OtlmJchau). Insp. Si," (IImclII): Tr.Ab. VIII (Villaeh-Warmbad)-l.Kf:t.lnsI.Rgl. 'Ost': A.F, 'Siidllst' (l'inbfcld)-Tr.Rgl. 5 (Kp. l-IT): t\.F. 'Sud' (Stern) Tr,Rgl.l (Kp. 1~1T), 7 (Kp. I-I!!), Ers.l\bl. I. II. A.F. lVikillg (Oslll): Kw.Tr,Rgt, 10 (Kp. t-q). Fcbruary-16 t\prillf}"s 111/. R(lclt: Tr.Ab. II 'liedin' (Berlin-Wannsce)-Ruslungsstab, J. Fahrbrig.: Tr.Ab. lIb 'ilansa' (Bremen): Tr.Ah. IV 'Kyflh:hlscr' (Weimar): Tr,Ab, VI (.\1unieh): 1'r."b. VII 'Tlrugmann' (Pragu~) Kw.Tr.Rgt. t:.1, Kw.Tr.AhL 115, 1111. Wrsl: Tr.!\h. ilia 'Rhein.Ruhr· (Esscn-Wcrdcn)-Kw.Tr.Rgl. 6, Kw.Tr.St. 60, OT-Rg!. Sp<'cr: Tr.Ab. V (lleidelberg) Kw.Tr.Aln.lIJ.lq. Inl. Ou: Tr.Ah. ['Tanncnbcrg' Kw.Tr.Rgt. 3, 8 (Abt. 82, 84). 9 (Abc St, 83, 85. 91-5), I. Kf7..lnsI.Rgl., Siclu\bl. (mOl). 111/, 8M: Tr./\hl. Stid (Villal:h-Warmbad) Kw.Tu\b!. 50 l, Ers.Abl. SUd I, II, Kw.Tr.Rgl. 2, T Tr.Ab. Sudosl (Vinlafdd) Kw.Tr.Abl. 40-4.113, Kw.Tr.Rgl. 5: Tr.Ab. VIII. /11/. NorJ: Tr.Ab. Wiking Ers.Abl. WiJeing. Int. Ers.u.Aush.: l~rs.Abl. I. II, Fahrhrig. Ers.Abl. 17 April--8 M.I) 19..5 8r/gildr NfffJ: Tr.Ab. Wiling (Oslo): Tr.Ab." 'lkrlill' (Wrack, bei Kcllinghusen)

Kw.Tr.Rgt. 3. Kw.Abt. 'Ost': Tr.Ab. I I h 'Rhein-RuhT' (Esse II· Werden): Tr.Ah. Illb 'Ibnsa' (I bmburg-Wl:dd). Bngtldr AI,Ilt: Tr.Rgl.6,9:Tr.Ab. IV (Wrimar): Tr.!\h. V (Hcidelhcrg)-KwTr.Am. III, 114: Tr.Ab. VI (i\'lunich): Tr.Ab. V'I 'Orugmann' (Pr.lgue). 8ngiltU SiJ: Tr.Abl. Sud K....·.Tr.Rgl.:.1, 7. K"'.Tr.Abl. 113.:.1. Kp Sich. Abt.(ITI(K): Tr.Ab. Siidosl. Ers.Il.IfIlSl.RgI.: Ers.Am. I, II.

10

REICHSARBEITSDIENST From April 19':5 o,-er zoo worl Clmps ,,'core C1>lablished *'oughulit German~ b~' politiGll, ,hun,:h and )outh groups and count) aUlb(lf"itics. 50 that ci\ic impro, ernenl schemes could ~ completed b) YOUO!; \Olumeers prc\'cmcd b~' the Treal~ of "ft"Slillcs from Joing militaT)" sen-icc. and b)" mcn thrown out of _ l h) thCt.'ConomkcollapscoL\I:r.) 1930. On 5 June 1931 Chancdlor Bruning :lurhori7.cd the \"oluoDr) bbour Sen·icc (Fn:iwil1igcr i\rbeitsdicnsi-FAD) ....ilb Col. ol1Slanrin Ilierl as Slaatssdrelar. Ilierl absorhnl the \\orl. amps iow this national organi7,:lIion whicb, in August HB]. ioIJo\\ing I liller's SCi7UtC of power, !x'1,::UIlO: the '1:uioo:l.l Socialist Labour Stn icc ()./SAD) and, on I I )ul) 1934. {he Smc Lahour &n-icc (Rcil:hs:lrbeitsdicnst-Rf\D), divided iow RI\O/]\,\ (RJ\D/Miinncr) for men, and RAD/wJ (RAD lIer weibliehe Jugend) for women. Frum ·16 June 1935 all non-Jewish men aged 1!l-20 (25 at the bu:lol) had 10 (;omplete six mOl11hs' service in the R/\D/.M before wlr t\lO years' militH)· service (reinlrodut'Cd II ~by 1935). L-\D/\\ (:unlained conscripts and 'volunteers' (reporting for al leasl one rcar's:>en icc) under a cadre of profcs~ionallincofficers .and "OA \I ho had completed their mililar} sen ice. There "ere aho profcssionallegal officers, medical and administr:lIi, cadres, bandmasll:rs and. frum February 1944, spedali~l line, adminiRnlive and (from (klOber 19.P) war l,.'UlTCSl)l)ndent cadres withoul mililaT) Inining, appointl"d as RA D-Sondcrflihrer. The RAD,'M was organized in t9.18 in Di\·isional Dislricls (.\rbeil~gaUe:) I X,,\XII, each under a brigadier, ...ilh a staft: HQ Guard Compan} (Wachabrcilung, e.g. \\'17 171h Dhision Guard Cumpan)'), and about eight 1,200 l,lloo-man B:ma!ions -ter a litUienant-colond or major. Se\er.ll batlalions could ~ ptJUped il110 a rc:gimc:mal-slatuS Bereieh under a colonel. A balulion (ArbeilSgTUppe) conr;lincd aboU! six companies

(Abteilungen althuugh in Ihe anned forces an Abll,ilung was a ballalion). The cum~n), the normal laelical unil, commanded b) a caplain, occupied a \I ork camp and carried a number, sometimes also a name; e.g. l\bleilun~ 5/60 'Wallenslein' 51h Com~n). 60lh IUl1alion (61h Di,-i!l:ion) commemorating Ihe Thin) Years' War general A.lbrlochl Hln \\'allen.~lein. It had 214 men in a sixman stiff and foor 6l}-man platoons (ZUg.:) under a suba!u:m or ",-arrant oflin'T. each with lhrtt 1i-man S«lions (Trupps) und~ a sergc:rm or corporal. Rank and file ",ere 'armed' wilh s~dcs., and lranSponed b} biC)"ele. The RAD's mission was locduc:ue German you,h physkalll' and polilicall}, and [0 usc them to help fanners feed the nation bl' inl,."Teasing Ihe amount ofculti,·alable land. Com~nics reclaimed marshbnd-lhc draining oflhe huge Elmsbnd marsh, ncar Ihe Dutch border, was the biggcsI. though unfinished. proj<:<:t: de,·doped wa~tclJnd and waterways; and improled land already undcr o.:uhi\"alion. In wartime thc} \lcre to prolide support for I\rlll} engineers in building :lnd repairing ro.1ds, railways, bridgcs. airfields '1I1d furtin(;atiuns. The RAIJ sllppurlcd the bloodlcss illl'Jsiuns of l\ustr;;I (March 1~38). the Sudetenland (Ocwhcr 1(311) and Czechoslovakia (~1:tr(;h 19W). From June 1938 to Septcmber 1939300 cumpallie.~ supported ci"ilian l'Unnao.:lOTS under O~anisaliun Todt building th(' We:slwall ('Siegfried I.ine') alun!, Germany's W(.'l;lcrn burder, frum Emmerich on Ihe DUICh fronlier 10 Lorrach on lhe Sw iss border. .'\boO! 100 l,:Omllanies helped on Ihe 0,,1\1,,11 fonlficuiolls on the Polish border. As tension "ilh Poland increased in .-\ugusl 1939. tI; com~ni<:s help<."1.1 "ilh han'eslillg ill EaSt Prussia, and in DanlJg RAD llnib supponed the German .-\rm). The RAD reached ilS peak sncngfh of 360,000 men in 1.;00 companit:~ ",hen. on;:6 Augusl 1939, general mobilil.2[ion was anr'lOUnccd !mmedia[e1r 1,°5° com~nics were transferred 10 the Arm) 10 form Ihe: ne\l ConslruClion Troops (Baunuppen) braneh Fift)-fi\"<: R\.-g;menl:ll Sian;, (:\hschninsbaUSlabc), num~rcd in the I I T I series, each comrolled four l.ooo-man

French memocrsofrhe YSKK. probably 6th Regl, ofSSK-A.'Tr,msporrgruppc Luftwaffe, bcin~ II ",,-arded dw 1mn Cross. Notc ,he /irs, m(Kld .'1nnshicld .·om b.v the SCO on the riGht. UQsdChilr;ra)

"

Thc)' were no" e.~pccttd to reP'lir rv.aJs up 10 the front line, luad and unload ammunition, and prolide teillporar~ guards for prisoncrs-of-IUf and ke~ installations. In ocl;upied France the~ repaired and buill airfields and scn iced aircr:lrt during {he Banlc or Briuin, and conStrocted coa"I~1 forliliCluions and gunemplaeemcms for the 'la\}; and they imprOlcd lbe roatl m:lwork in occupied I'oland. Some unilS sen ed in Yugoda\"ia and Greece in April 1941. In ;,\lar 194t Dil isional Sian' 11\ III, t8 companies or 2 'I Bri~de, K3+4, KJ6J :lnd KJ76 Balt.l.lion~, "ilh 12,000 Nor"cgian Labour Sen'iee (K'rsonnd. bega.n upgrJding the Trondheim·Kirkenes section or 'lationalilighwar 50 in "lorthern 1\01"'03) to \\ inter <.':Ipabiltt}. In Jul) lhe~ voc~ 1r:lIlsfcrrcd In J"orthem Finland, building suppl~ roads ror the German ]rd fo.loumain Di\ ision. The) camt' under fire be/Vocen 26 April and

""j.

Kefllmt Kit.,>, J'1cmish liaison ol1iccr IJC/wccn 'he '~\fV 111I<1 NSKK-

Tr" lIslwr'/,.Tf"Uppt' Luftll'affi..., Ill,,,,.;lIg tllC

s(.'n·ice Ilrcs.'1 petliccl ''lIp IlIId IJIlltlk right 111111c1 colllir parch.

Uu."l.·fChllriw)

Construction Ibnalions (St.:rics I 335), each", ith fourt.:ompanil'S (ex-R." IJ Ahteillingell, exp~nded tf) 40t men each b} mobilizing oldcr untrained Army rc~enists) and an Army Transport Culumn. There were also IS Ileal') and 12 Light ]\-1otorized Road Construetiun lJatlalions. Ahout 60°0 of these units served in the Polish campaign of September October 1939, dearing roads for supplies for the :llhaneing furces. In December 1I)3lJ. the I'olish campaign won, the German ."rmy remined the Cunstrucfion unit~; but Ilitkr, against Goering's ad\'ice that the RAD be disbalukd fur the duration of the war, ordered llier! to rebuild his organization. Conscquemly goo companic.s were re-formcd, and the Ri\D rc\ened to ilS pre+ "':Ir status, providing pre~militar~ trJining and supporting ;\rmy enginl"CfS in the ficld. During 11)40 al:>o:,ut 900 RAD cOlllpanies supported operations in l'-or\\a) in April, and :\Clherlands, Iklgium and Fr:lllcc in ."Ia~'. ensuring supplit'S tu Ihe adnnl'ing mOlOrized di\·isions. ,1 SCrgClltlt uf,\SKK_

M 194~ ,,"CO collar IJmid,

Tr.ltIsportbrig;ult· Tod/

lmd bl:u'k shuuldl'r srr:lps edged "ith 'yCObrnid M·i/h t11lll/untinium pip. (Brillll VII.is)

C"JIT)

inK IJOM·Cf'S tit II

limcm/. I-It' ,,'C:If'S;l blllJll. rixht h,md (.'VUllr 1"'Ieh. 12

r, \\;,) Il}-p during S!;l\-iet auach from ,\lurmansL, before IOOr Rpatriation to Gennan) in )ul).

The [astern Front The Easlern I'rom pro"ided thc RAIJ's ~lesl ehallt'ngt'. During '!HI compJnics supporled Ami)" Group Ccntn:'s push on \ loscow. In I\ugu~t a Ji, isional Statr under Brig. Schllleidier. adlancing into Ukraine wilh lSI Piln;(cr I\rmy Wilh £i\'c rnotorI1cd baTtalions K40 (3/40, 5/42. 6/43 companies), K60 (3/60, 460, 5/60). Kljo ('",ljO, 8/13°, 1/133) K ..~.'i (8:'145.10/145,

Ordcr ofBattlc. Rci(:hsarhcitsdicnsi. J(J-J5 The Di,-isional Disuicr number and name. \I ilh ahern:ui, c namcs in bradets, is (ol1u" ed by the conslituent haltilliuns. IOslprcosscn 10-17,1l). II Dan7ig.Westpreussen-20. 20t\. 21-q. III Warthdand-West-30-1,I. IV l'ommcrn-Osl-40-7. '" I'ommem- \\ CSI 50 5. \ Il\IecUenhurg 60 4.61, nl Schlcs\lig-lIol5tcin-70 1.734. \"III Ur:mdcnburg-OSt (formerl) Ostm3ri:) 80 i. I'X Brandenburg-West (formcrl} Berlin-Brandcnburg)90- 6. X K'icdcrschll'Sicn 100-1. XI ~Ijltclschlcsicn 110-6, t Iy, XII Obcrsch\csiell - 120-7, XIIIl\1agdcborg-Anhah 1,10-fi. XI \'l-Iallc-J\lcrwbo,"¥ 140-5. XV Sachsen 150 7. X\'I Wcstfa!cn.Kord-,60-5_ XXII ~icdersachscn-;'Ilitle 170-i. X\"I II NicderSIl;hsen....()s1 180-8. XIX t\it:dersaebscn-Wcsi (Oldenburg) J()O-8. AX Wcslfakn-Sud zoo-q. X.XI'licderrhein 210-7. XX II Ilcssen-'lord - ZlO-7. XXIII Thoringcn-2Jo-8, XX] V .\lose1\:rnd (Mittclrhein) 240 9. XXV llessen·Sud Z50-8. XXVI \\'urlletnbcrg-260 7. xxnl Daden z70-9. ,\:X\CIII FranLen 280 8. "XIX Ba)rrUlh(RapischerOslmarL) Z90-8. :"""'\:...X Da)ern.llochtand -300 6. :\"XXIObcrrhein JI0-9. XXXII Saar-Pfal.! (Wcstm:Ili.) jlO-9. \:'\:X 11 I Alpenland-330 5. XXXI" Obcrdonao J..0-8. Xx..... V \\"ien·~iederdonau- 350 6. XXXVI Sudmark 360-8. XXXVII Sudcttnland-Wt"st J70-fi, XXXVIJI Bobmcn-Mahren (Sudctenland-Ost) 380 6. XXXIX Sud Ostpreu!>"iCn-:wo-J. x..X:XX Wanbdand....()st 400 5,,,08,500-1.

R II} conscript!>· of 1J:lfmJiou.!8.j (Fr.mcouia), "'cur;ul! the .\' f9.0 pc:d,e<1

fit·1l1 t':.,p. 'prf'Scnt sp"dt'S'

af a p;Ir....de iu Gt.·rmau.I, 1fJ.U. Thf'yarcsfillln:>Iriug

M'9JS collar p:lleha<. UQscfCh.. rit:.)

QbSOlelc

I z/ 145) and K 184 (5:' tS4, yi t86. 7/ 188) I:Tussed the Dnieper on assault-barges, helping to establish and secure a bridgehead undt-r fire. and remaining in Ckraine until July 1942. D) 1942 there \lere P7 RAD companies on The Easlern Front: 67 \I-ilh Arm} Group Centre. and 34 in LLrainc Jnd Caucasus with '\rmy Groups B Jnd .\ TeSpccli,·e1). In Junc 1942 Com~nies of 161.5 162,5163 and 10,165 defended a German fighter airfield n(':lr '1o,} (:rine,' from a So,-jet rcgil1lC'ntal allad.; :1Ilt! RAD ~rsonncl biC}eled 2,000 miles through ULraine supponing 4th Pam:er Arm}"s ad\-Anl't: into the (.aOl-:lSUS. from .10 Jul)' 10 6 Seplemlxr t9-,p, Di"isional Stair I-LXX\, (llrig. '-00 Bothmcr) with Ihttalions "-83 (]/80. );:'82• .1:'82, 7.. 85). "-84 (.....84. 4/86,5/86,10/86) and Kll~ (6/120, 1/1Z2, 4:'122, 4,!1Z.1) and Companies "/314, 3/.115 and 5/3J2. scn'ing "ith yth Army, successfully helped defend R7hcv from Soviet infantry and armoured auaeLs. In rear an:as Jlarti~an groups \\<'re frequently eng"Agl-d. In August t942 RAD onilS in Russia "erc drafh.-d dil"l't:tl) into Ihe Ann~ and Air Force. ·\Iso during 1942.56 RAD rom~mc:s sen cd with lhc Air Foret' in the Wcst: 1.26 \lorLed in munitiuns factories: and 20,000 personnel helped cle-Ar \lIied bomb damage in lhe Il.uhr. In Dtx't:mber some comJnnies lransft,.n:d 10 Grtx"t:t:. Olhers to FrAnce to build (he AllaOlil.:"'-:l1I fonifiC'Alions along Ihc Cltolnnel and I\llanlie coosts; Jnd from OclOhcr t943 the RAD huill roods in Albania. From 1943 ahnll1 .po Companies \lcrc each given six ",cds' tr:tining on anti-ain.:r:tft guns befure posting to an l\ir ]inrce antiaircraft battalion a~ an AA. hatter)' II ilh doal designation. e.l(. At\ BallCr} 5:'117 (RI\D Compan) 6':10). In HHof two Air Defence Insp(:etorates \lere forml-d, controlling 10 Di\isiom.l SlanS, each allach...-d to an Air FOI"l't: Command. 10 O"erscc Ihe batlerK:s. IJ

L I, I. II, L X Ill, LXI \', I. X\"I ~nd ~nd L I\ ~nd L \ under Anli· AircrJfl G>rps II ~nd I n"Spa:li\l~I~; \\-hilc Inspeclorale 'Wcs( h~d L I II and L X\ III under Air DislTiers Weslern Fr:mcc and Iklgium-:"JoTlhern France respe\:li,ely, In :\lay 19H a RAD A.\ bmalion joined 55-Flak-Regiment 'Ohersalzberg' RI\D aoti-aircraii baueries "ere etl1plo)ed ag:1inSI 1\lIied lanks, C"~using !\lIicd protests {hat lhe RAD was abusing ilS nonoomb:ltanl SlatUS under Ihe Ilague Con,'cmion; bUI RAD personnel cominut:d 10 la~ mindiclds, man and defend forlifications ~nd Glrr) out civil defence duties in Oerman cilies. On I Jul) 19+4 fi.e Labour Scnicc Inspector:lIes, under m~~-generals or brig".ldicrs, wen: ert",I100 (0 adminisler the Dh'isional DislI;e1.s in Germ~n)', now numbered I-XXXX. These Inspector:lles we~: 'XordOSI' (11Q Konigsbe!J:); z'r\ordWCSI' (I-IQOldenburg-); .1 'Mille' (1IQHalle); -4 'Sudll'est' (HQ -'Iunich); :; 'Slidosl' (IIQ \'ienna). In Seplembcr IQ4-4 AA Batteries lizQ5 (Rt\D Z/371) and ?itJ7 (RAD -4/310) disfinguished themselves as gunners ~nd infantry at Arnhem against the British 1St Airborne Di,'ision, for whil;h -4/310 (Capt. Roland l\ta>er) was awarded, blll prohabl) neler recci,'ed, the s[eel-eride Arnheim, From August to Oclober 19+4 RAD personnel helped build def"''Tlsil'e C:lTlhllorks along the Ihn::lIencd German borders before being \\-ithdra\\'n for drafling into rhe armed force.. In 1945 Ihe Labour Sen-ice period ns reduced 10 si,\:..clght wttks. nOli devoted c\:elusi,el}' 10 inf:lnlr)' basic training. In Scplembcr 194-4 Hierl h:ld succes.~full}' resisted pressure 10 intcgr~,e the RAJ) into Ihe I lome Guard (DeUlschcr Volkssturm) 'as lhis \\ould prejodice ils non-military status; hut he alX'Cpted joint lactical (Jpcr~tions. lie did, howcI·cr, sanction the formalioo, on 29 fI'!arch 19-1-5, six w...-ek-s beforl' the end of the War, offour Ri\ J) Infalilry Di,'isiolls, each wilh Arm)' personnel and i.5OD RAD members 111 one :lTlillery and three infanlry Inspectorate 'Reich'

h~d

L X\"I I under Air Fli:t:t 'Reich'

R,II) 2mf Lt. f-fdn7. Korn,

Knight's (:rQS$ hulder, ""r.lring the R,IDser,"ice funic M-ilh.\I '!Hz collar patches. UoscfCharila)

RAD troops singing Iflllrchingsvnp'illil

lJl1rmh' in ]crse,~', C/l1l1mcl 1.~/lIlIds, 194'; nv/(' the ]cn;cy poJicCl1Jim ill dllmu'tcristi(; fJriti.'ih 11t,Jiee llclmC'l; (mel the("Qntr.IS( in uni(VTTTI details oct" et:n the oflieer in the right (oreground "nd the t1"QQps. (Brian Oil!'is)

I "Jed,,1 a ward a'J'('nJOIII' for HAJJ Comp"ny 6!J8f1

(SIJdcten/:md). The

11m

officers (right) arc "I..'aring ""915 collar ptlfehf3', the olficer (f:lr right) the bnnm 3JJr"illl..'t/cs of" barta/ion al/jllmnt "nd ,\I'94.z 1..'Qllar piltdws. (Dri:m Dal'is) lmrnmf

regiments. 1St 'Schbgclcr' Dilision cngaget.l &)I"iet troops at Waren with 3rd Pam'.er i\rm~; 2nd 'Friedrich Lutlwig Jahn' and ,1rd 'TheoJor Korner' Dilisions servcd wesl oflkrlin with 12th Army. The 4th Di\"isioo and Ri\D Mountain Brigades 'Steit:rmark' and 'Eons' wen: !lJrrned but did nO! sec actiun. Foreign enlistment The RAD "as primarily intended to lrain German }omh and foreign enlisUllent was originally forbidden, bm rules ere bter relaxed. E~4Xor"cgian L.abour Sen-ice members ere en«lunged '0 ~in RAO, and b~ H).p ,So Danes had enlisted. ," jOG-Strong Dutch batt"lliion 'Gruppc ~iederlande ,,-as raIsed, and sen-ed in Russi:ln rc:I.r ams from '\b) to Oc1ohcr '94.1. In aUlumn '94j )oung ..:.slOni:los, and pn:sum:lbl~ Olhcr nationalities, could \oluntcer for RAD scnice in G('rman~' to qualif)' for German unh'crsity entrance, but no national units "ere formed. In :-':olcmber 1932 si\ months' mluntJry labour senice in lhe FAD .....as uffered 10 ~oung unemp[u)"ed Gcrm:ln II omen, and lhis elHllinued in lhe RAD/ .....j On 4 Septcmber t939 this period was made compulsory fur Ilumcn aged 18-25, and in Octuber 1941 o:~to:nded by a furl her si~ monlhs' community service under RAD/wj supen·isiun in oflil,."CS, hospitals, faclurieS, farms or public u,iliucs. In 1940 Ihe RAlJjwj, Wilh 100,000 lIomen, was organized into 25 Regimental Districts (llczirke), numhcred I XXV, (';Ieh ,,-ilh fil'e or six banlliion-slaws Groups of Camps (Lagcrgruppen). (';Ich cunlrolling aboul '5 comp:ln~-slatus Camps (l..ager). Then: wert 2,005 camps. each II ilh thrl,.'t' 10 si\: 12-"om:ln Dormitories (Kamendschaften). From '94J {he Ro\Di""'j sen cd in RAD uniform in lhe Air Warning Scnice (Flugmddl..'dieos,), from spring 1944 in A \ haneries. and from Jllnuar~ '945 in SC:Irchlighl halleries;lS Anli-.AirerAft Au...ili:lries (R \D-Flakwllffenhelfcrinnen). l.abour services modelled on the RAD and dO:l clop-cd by RAD liaison officers "ere established in mOSt Slal~'S under German occupation. [n Denmark lherc was Ihe I.and ArbejdsTjcno.:slen; in !'\orway lhe ArbcidstjenSlen; in lhe Netherlands Ihe I\"ederlandse Arbeids DienSI (in 19-1-2-3 lhreo.: \lAD eOlll-

panics, designated 'Ous,lutl)!;', suppor,ed Gcrman i\ir Force opel"Jtions in Russia); in Belgium lhe Flemish Vrijwilligc Arbeidsdieml \"I)or "Iaanderen and the WaHoon Serl'ice \ulunlaire dll lralail pour la Wallvnie, in I'oland lhe Sonderdienst, in Serbia Ihe embryonic CunSlruelion Service. EnlistmenlS, whether voluntary or cumpulsory, were low, prubably nowhere exceeding 20,000, as nalil'e \)Qpulations condemned lhe org:Jnizat ions as coUaboratiunisl. Thc labour sen ices of Germany's allies, which euuld claim 10 be plltriouc, were more su~ful. The riehl-French Chantic.,. de 1:1 Jeuncsse Fnnf;llisc uff"Cred a su~,ilUte for mili'at)' sen ice; 10 Rumania a _\1unea Tinerdului Romoin company "-as auaehed 10 e"lleh Ann} DiIlSion, and die CcO:J.,ian Drio" na Casna Radna Sluib:lllssisted Arm~' engineers. The RAD ";IS forlUnatc that ilS rommandcr, Koosl;ln,in Ilicrl (b. 24 Febru:tl) ,875, d. 1j SeplCmber 1955) possessed ou,slanding forcsight,lJOlilie:t1 and org:lIIiz:uiunal skills, enabling him to prcscn'e its indcpendent StalUs by subll} adapting its role frum an agricultural d,Telf)pmeol agency to an auxiriar~' branch oflhe armed forces. performing I ilal dUlies as infanlr~, CUlIstrue· liun and combal engineers. and anI i-aircraft arliHer}.

ORGANISATION TOOT On 28 ~b) '9J8 Ilider Ol'"tlen..'d Frio: Todt, sinC'C june 1933 Ihe InSp¢Ctor-Gcneral oftwall ('\\'esfern Rampan'). Completion date "3S to be I October [938, in ,ime '0 repel a Frend, allad in reslJOnsc 10 Ilider's planned in\"asion of CJ.cchosln\"akia. I'rom 22 june J9.1il Todl mubilized 1,000 pri\'ale e(Jnstruclion firms, and organiZl;d them m 22 brigade-stalus 15

,I H. ..tl) field ulficer in st"T\'irc dn»> clislribUlCS mooals 10 R 1/) seos and "riI'lIlI:S. we:.ri"G .\1194-1 r:mk insi}!ni:. ;/1Id coll:lr p;/lc:hes.lllo.", of the mcn hit VI: n'lIJOI'elf ffwir 'spatlc' I/II;t budf(cl>' fur .'il'ClIrit) r ...:15011.... (fJrhlll O:ld...)

Oberbaulcllungcn. III ~ speech I\fl 18 Jul~ Ilider ehrisuned rhem 'Organisation Todl'. The French alt:ad neler malenali:.'cd; and Il~ b,e r\'olcmllcr J40.OOO OT personnel. 90.000 .\ml~ engineer!> and JOO R.\D compJnies 'lett cngJgetll\fl lhl;' \\e..lwall. ...-i,h ,),000 r.I.ihu~ \\~g:gons, CJ6.000 lorrie>. Jnd ",100 PO~t...J &,(\'ice huses lroln~p\lrling y.or~ers lind malerials (the prujl'Cl used SI <) <) oflhe cement industry's annual production). cn..vrdinalcd frum 01' Ilcadquarlers (OT-Zentrak) in Wieshadcn. Work continucd untillhc Frcneh Sllrrl:n{kr in June 1\.1..0. On 9 IA'Cember I,)J8 Tudl lIas appointed CommissionerGl;'nenl ofConstruCfion Indu~lries; and on .. Scp,,:mllcr 19J9 he d«bred fhat the OT y.ould funcfion in y.;anime as a forlrl'Ss eonslruclion Of1foIniz::l.rion. emplo) ing bUilding firms orpnil.cd on mililJ~ hnc:.. II ilh .\~\cr l)orsrh as qxr:uiooal oomm~ll{kr. Some ,,0.000 01' personnel '>CTled In Pobnd In Road CuIl5truetion Compames (SlntSSCnbautrupps) and Bridge C.onSlruefion C..nmp:lOlcs (Urud.enb:llItrupps). repairing and upgr:lding cOlnmuniC:llions {bmagl-J in lhe fighting. Thc 0'1' Jlw cleared Sill'S and huih admini,ttative and li,ing quartcrs for lhe Germ.HI occupation forces. u~ing Jewish l1alla!iuns (JudcnbatailJone, n'CruiteJ b) I'nJishJc\li,h Councils. On 7 ,\lan;h 19-40 Toot ~aincd more power h)" being appoimed Rei{'h,minisler for I\rmamelll and \ lonitions. For Ihe sen:n-IIecl \\'e>.lern C3mllJlgll (to !\h~-25 June 19..0) lJ Wesl'll"lllJ Obcrh1uleilunge:n ",ere rcfonnt-J as mobile- From units (FromobcrooulcllUngen) and a<;stgllt.'d 10 Field ~rm~ Enginl"Cr Slalfs_ The: IJ,500 Fronl Worlers (Fronurbeill-r) 1lI the eight units under '\rm) Group "- boilt 32" bridges and rcpJircd 2.000 miles of roJd, ill -":orthern FrJnce. hiring 1,600 Freneh labourers (al J Reich~mJr~s a day). The 8.650 personnel in the fi\{· unil~ under Arm) Group C in Eastern Fl";lnl'C b\lih 157 hridge" often undcr lire from guns in the j\lagino! Linc, and replaced road.. signs destroyed b)" rctreating Frenl'h troops. Thc 0'1' \las mainl)" aetilc in lhe occupied tnritoril'S. respollsible fflr all conslruelion I)rojects behind the front linc. and. from August 11)43, also in combat :wnl'S. l\lembcrs lIerc designated Amlcd Forces .\u'l:iliarics unlil Ko\emllcr t9·P '" hen lhey were ~nled full armed fOll"O:S staiUS. 16

Toot dies On 8 FebruJr) 19..2 Todl dit'd myslcriously in a fl~ing accident; and Ihe archifect and confidJnt of Ililler. \Iben Sperr. the '\rchu{'CI-Genel";l1 for the Kenmafion of Berhn', aSl;ume\1 TOOt's dUlic.~. lie made the OT directly responsillle In Ililler. thus a\Oiding ~ lale-mer by the stale IrJ.dc union, the DeUl'iChc !\rheitsfrOIll. On 1<) August HH.\ Army ConslrllClion Troops (Bautruppcn) Ilere transf{'rred to the Engineers ~s Conslrm;tiun Enginl....rs (BJupioniere) to a"oid lransfer to rhe 0'1'; hut Spe",r insisled thaI Field Arm) and Arm) Group SlalTs included all 01' !,:ngineer-Gcner.ll (Gl;'ner:llingenieur), USUJlI) the loc:Il 0'1' C..nrps Commander, 10 co-ordinate all eunstruction projects. OT org"J.ni7.:uion n:m:uned ,e~ Ile\ibtc; but in 19U Ihe brg-c.1 unil 'us Ihe oorps-~talu.\ Eins:i1:lgfuppe (EG), undt., a lieulenam- or major-general controlling brig2dc-stalus Oberbauleitungcn. 5-15.000 Sirong. each under a colonel or lieUlenanl--eolond. somelimcs grouped illto dil'ision-starus Einsatl.c (ES), undt'r a brigadier or colonel. An Ohcrbauleitung (OUL) c()ml'ri~d regimental-slalUS Bauleilungen (BL). ],000 Slrong, each under a licutcnant....:ohmd or maior, Ilith baHalion~tarus l1allstellen (huilding SileS) ur Lager (C31llI'Sj lIilh about 1,000 men under a sub:iltcm, sometime;, grouped into Absehninsh1ulcitungl'll (\IlL) under ;a captain. A llausfclle \las dilided imocompany-si7.e Trupps. 150 Sirong. under a suoohem or laler a );Cnwr i\CO. \lilh plalooIl5 (Kamer:l.dschJflen) alld seclions (Rotten) under junior ,co,. Tile organii';Ilion oomprised German \ulumcerand conscript pcrwnnel (OT- cigenes Personal) plus einlian \\orkcn. (Zi,ilarbcitcr) emlllo)ccs of pril";lle comp;lnic:. on 0'1' oon.. Irac!S. As men were drafted intu the armC\J forces the 0'1' 9ccc]Jted older ft'Cruils; in March 19..1 these were mainly' 35-S5year-olds. from mid-19..3 43-s8-year-ulds. from !\]Jril t9-14 -15ycar--olds and abole. To make good the deficienq Ethnic Germans (mainl) from Rumania, \ugusla\ia ami Ilungar), mililar} detention camp inm:lles, and ci,-ilian pelt) and poliliC31 criminals ""en: comc.:riplcd; from mid-19B. "'omen \olumcers were acu:pled for sign:lls and S«rE"tuial poslS; and from April 19..... men ..-ilh pan-Je..-ish anCCSII\.

Foreigners ,uinal Ihe OT as I"OIUlllttrS, often 10 avoid depurfation to German~", sen-ice in Arm} penal units, or, n;pt."<:iall} for Jews. imprisonmenl and dath in a ronccnrration camp. Employres of firms under OT coniraci )oined, and from Ig.p forced labourers (Z,,-angsarbeiler), and from 19U some .\lticd prisoners-of-" ar "eTC rransferred to OT command. i\len of the 'Germanic nalions' Dutch, Danes, l-1cmish, Walloons. finns, '4or"egiansand Ethnic Germall.~ rttt:hed GlTfTUn pa~­ ;lnd conditions. OT-Lcgionairn (OT-Ltgtonare) Bulprians. Cro.:tlS. Estonians, French. Hunpri:lIls, Italians, l.an"iallS, I .ilhuanians. Rumanians. 510'-a]"s and Spaniards; Polish Lql:ionari~ (Polnische OT-Legionare); and Eastern Ltgiunaries (OTCAlIegionare)-lJp:lorus..siall.s. Dun, Kuban and Tere]" Cossac]"s. Russians ;lnd Ukr.linians-reeei'-ed prugrcssi\"cl~ inferior trc:Jlmenl. Russl;\Ils comprised the largCSI foreign group. In Scptemher J~l Ifitler decreed lhal menial las]"s. e.g, l'arr~ in~ eemellloogs amI breaking stones. should he t'arried out b) fureigners, and indeed by 19044 most Germans in theOT \\crc in supcrl'isory positions. OT stn.;llgth rcachcd its ma:dmum in !\o\"cmhcr 1944, with J ,]60,000 mcrnlH;r~ ~4,500 German and Il,800 fureig:n persunnel, 4,000 German women. jJj.ooo GermallS and 680,700 foreigners in contracted firms, 165,000 pri$(>1lcrs-of-war, ;lnd 140.000 petty criminals (indUllinl(" Je"s). In late 1941 EinsarLgruppe ',,"CSI' "'as formt'll to supcn-ise Ihrl"C dili~ions, "ilh nine OBIs. in Frallt'e, Belgium and the '4elherlands. From "o,'emher 1940 Einsall. "'e~l]"usle buill 56 submuine pens in Bordeaux. Brt:»l. La 1·;I[]ICC. 51. 'a7.:Jire and I.orienl; and in \larch u)-.p ,oined Einsat7 Kanal]"usle, originall) fonned to SUllport the im"asion of Gre:u UrilOlin. in the run~truC1ion of Ihe Alb.nlikwall ('Atlanlic Rampart'). Cfn isaged a~ 15,000 fonific:uion units ultimatdr ~In:lching from the F".lnco-Spanish frontier 10 the :"Jonoegian '\relie urelc. employing in France 112.000 Gennan and lp.ooo French workers, including 17.000 Korth African "".Ills. Einsatz Luftw"ffc built airfields. bOl ils \ -I rockel sites "ere rcpcalcdl~ dl"'lilrO~ed b~

Allied bomhing, R)· 1I1a~ 19-H 'West" no" wilh tf! OULs. W;lS also fortif~ing lhc \lcditerrancan coast. cl;lracling bau~ile for aluminium produClion ncar Toulon. and repairing bombed rail" ay Inc]". Ii relrealed in disorder inlO WCSIcm German}· following Ihe :-.Iurmandr im'asion, and in OclOher iL'l 6,000 0'1' and 1]0,000 foreign" or]"ers were assigned 10 J-:insatzgruppe V, rdortifring the Wl'Slw,,1I against the eXp«lcd Allial offensi'"e. 0'1' units aethe in Dcnmark and "orwa~' silK'\: June 19~o "ere rI:OfT.lnilcd in summer 1941 as Einsatl.gruppc ·Wi]"ing·. wilh three dilisiortS in :"Jorwa~' (12 OBLs with .p AIll..s) and one in Denmar!t; (Ille BLs). Sirengih in April tg.w '••25 i4.roo wilh 4.':;00 OT IlCfSQnnel, 6.1)00 German :,lnd j2.ooo foreiltn "or!t;ers.

II sent..., from Rill)

Com/".ny 7/~' (£"S(

POJllenJllia) m/ks to KlIssiml ellUlln'n. .volt' the Air Force b:ldlf<: fJflllle lefr .,iilt' fJftht' hdmef, (Briwi I)" "~is)

RAJJ froOps from lJ.-uwliQII "'IoU (Upper Si/esia) wlItehing:1II

upproaching $tWiCl lant. rhi.~ bMWlion disringuisheJ ilsclfin rhe ch·(i.·nC(" orR7.IIt'l'. JulY-X/Hen/be.. "J.p. (Hri[1JI DII\·;S)

17

~8,000 Soviet 1'0\\ sand z,800 criminals. Eins.1tz 'Finnland' (foor BLs) joined in Jul) "J4+ 'Wiling' buill coastal artillery emplacements on Ihe \lon,egiall and Julland eOOSlS and on Bornholm I,land, SllOm:lrine pen, al Trnndheim and Bergen. and mainlained "il:ll nidel and aluminium faclOr) production. To suppl,' 20lh 1\luunlain !\rm, in the ArL"tic il upgr.lded High"a} 50 10 all-"l:alher slandard. built supplr roads in Finland. Jnd in 'Io\(:mher UJ44 dcwnalcd bridge!> and sno\\-

tunnels [0 co'er the Gerrn;llI ro;tro;at snUlh\\ard<; hefore Ihe Red '\rm,. Ein!>:ltlgruppe ·SlIdnsl·. fom.e,1 in carl) I'J.p, cuwrcd German-occllpied Scrhia, Greece :lnd from laIc IIH.l ;\lbania; Bulg-Jrian-<.lC(;upieu .\Iaeed'mia; and Axis p:lfIners Bulg:lria. Crallia, Ilungar, ami Rum:llliJ. It I'oorled mines for minerals ,-il:ll for Ihe I'oar-dtOrI o:opp.:r from Albania a.nd Serbia, where 6.000 Ilunt:arian-Jc" ish forced labuureD "orL.cd under Ilun-

Order of Battle. Or~~H1islltionTodt OCCUpiL-d Icrrilurics-20 .\Ia} 1943 (11:11'-4 ,\larch 19-H- OT.Front-F'cbruary 1945) E:G /I'm (11Q PllmJ DIU. Audinghcn. Ba)onnc. Iklglcn, BoruC"JU_\, Ilre.l. Urug-gc. Burgund, ChcrtxlUrg. Iiolland. \h.rseilk, \Iilte, 'Ul'T\Undit·. !\.ordIllCSI, Paula, Kouen. Sud. \\ 2. WJ. EC IIlbn~ (IIQ OslO) 1'..5. I'olarber.:ich (OBL Kirh·llCS. Alta). l\onlllOr'H:gen (OBI. \Ian il I. \Ian ik II, Fauske, \lnrdbndoohn), "llllelnor\\L'gi.'n (OBL ;\t()-i-Rana, Dromheim, ;\ndalsncs. Ikrgen, KriMi:.mlNnd, Ttiru.berg), J)3ocmuL., Finnbnd. EG Rllula"J·.\orJ I/lQ RI~a) l.inicnchefDg X, XII. Xlb; £.5. BJhoL Ilohcu!o.\le. "'ulla. Freie Fahr1: Ilochtuu-E.S. Ooldl; Ei:.enb3hnei~•.l I; Ebu~rupp<' Gil'Sler. EG RIIU/ulltl- 1I1ffi'I)lQ If/lls!) Linienchcf Di: \"I. \'II. \ Ila. L\; Eiscntuhni.'inS:ilI I, II, Mille; E.s. Industrichau, "'aufmJn. I'amher, "Ieuner. Rummier, \\'eissruthenicn. Wt'lid:ind, Zmlh, Ilochtuu-f. S, Wagn.:r; Sondcrl"ins:uz Wolga. EG Rnsslantl-SnJ I)lQ Aln-J £.5. I 111,1\:1,1\ hj f..S.LinienchefOg I\'. \'. £.5. \'I X\ I, X\ II (ind. OBl.llcrbcrl). ;\'\'\'\1\', '\'\'\X\' (ind. OBL TamJn & Sondl'reinsan Zmolnig). llalclberg, Krell-o:r, 'Iawr.uil; Ilochbaueins:lIz Ileidcnrnch. EG Kllllk/UIIS ()lQ .'i/llnopolJ E.S. Bilger, Gr.lf, Ilerberi. :'la\\ r:nil. QUCSt. EG 8rll[.IIIII,/II (IlQ CraroIl'J-E.S. Adler (OBI. I. II), KnL.au (OBL "lerL.ur I \ I); 0111. Blucher. BocL.cmUhl, IIa'ell, I I, \ Iemd, ,t'Cbr, ScharnhoDl, Siowalei. Sud-Ilolz, \\ arlhurg, Zi('lhen; O.T.-Pront Brig. Nord (Kgt. 18,80-.1. 8S----qo, 101), 161, 166 S, '\, Il). EC Slidl/
roc

5). fJrlllll'hflmd fI ({ IQ IJrrfill-Dahlrlll)

Ilri~,

fI (Datl1ig) (Rg!. '01, 106 8.

flO

E.S. RiiJ I I (OBL Seh"erin, Stell in ), I I I (OUL Berlin I I V), XX, XX I (OBI. a.T,-Front Brig. 7: (Rgt., 16,122 7). /;"G'Rh ..ill-Rllhr· III (IIQ EJsrll-lIridhlll/>t'Il) E.S. RuI n (GilL Aachen, Bonn. Duren, Dusseldorf, E~~en, Kiiln1\ 1iihlheil11, .\\unqcr, [{ecklin~hau~en,Siegbllrg, Diana. Edn, r. tiihnl'); O.T.~J!r{l111 IIrig. 2 (Cologne), oj., 61; Rgt. 1 5, 9,20 1,100,103 ,'i,llI,Ruhr. EG' !\j1/hfillm' /I (/fQ Jl'ewl/lr )-E.S. Rul I Va (OBI. Chemni,~, Dresden, Leipzig), IX (OBI.. Kassd), X fa (Olll. I lannl),cr), Xlh (OIlL Ll'lma), liG 'Ohnrhrw' I' ({ IQ 1I(J/lrlb(Y,~) E.S. Ru I ra (OBI.. Balingen. Biberach. Freudcnsladl, Kiebitz, Retlliingt:n, Stuttgart), \'b (OBI. Bruch<;;"I, Freihurg, ,\lannhcim, Oflenbllrg, Schlctlstadl, Strassburg. Tann), Xlla (OBI. Eberbueh, FrlInkfurl.am.,\lnin, Ilciddherg, l .ud" igshafen, WiC'>baden), XI lb (OI)L I-lomburg-Sa.ar, Kublcnz, Mosel, r....cusladt, SJarhrucken, Sl. Inl(bcrt. SI. Wcndd, SpC)·l·r, Trier l, l I); a.T.-Front Orig." 5 (Giessen), 3 (lkndurO; Rgl. 2 t-4, .1 1,120,140• 160. IiG Orul;, hltuull 'I f flQ IIl11lUh) E.S. Ru I n I (OBL Bibcral:h. Diana z, K~ufcrring, Munchen-Oberba~ern, 1\ lum:hl'nSl:uh. KingcllJuhe, Sell'''lhcn, \\ alnuss I. WeingUI I, I I). XI I I (DilL lJ-a}retJth, Franken, i\lainfranken), XVII (OBL Lin1. Oherdonau·1 ,inz, \\ ien). EG Iknlu-hflln,11 I I (IIQ /'t'lJ[.ur) E_S. Rul I rb 'SudClCnbnd' (OBL ReichcnberJ'>. VIII~ (OBL Brcsbu), \'I l Ih (OBI. Bad CharlOllcn-brunn. K:lHO\\ ilZ), 'ProtCklOral' (OBL Brunn, Pilscn. Pra,l. lie' Afprn' I I I I (IIQ I l/furh) I~.S. Rul ,\YIII (OIlL Gr.I"L, Innsbrud, KJarmfun, Salzburg), Alpcn' orland (OBL Tessln. Elsch), \dri:llischcs KustenlJnd (OBI. loonzo), Sud (OBL Guch, P~le, CiSlIr). Ee 'flanu,' '01 (flQ Rrrmrn) F..S. Rul X (OBL Emsland.l-lam~ 11olbnd-$ud, IloUand-:"Iord, Ostfricsbnd, OslI i:lnno\Cr, 5chle:." ig-iioistein-Ost, Schleswig-Hoolein-.WCSl, Lnlcrw-oer) I'u~en):

18

!uian Ami) ~uuds; chrome ore (Al~nia, '\httdonia); iron ore (-\Ihania); bau~ite (Croalia, Ilung:lr»; manganese (Rumania), and :l)bc:.IOS (Scrbi:l). Oflhe 3,000 German and 57.000 foreign ,",orlcN, 24,000 buill roods and l1Iil....:l\S and upj.::nded lhe l1Iil hnl 10 Salonlka, a pon supplring Rommel's Afrikalorps in 'orlh I\frit.:a; lhe} .. ere faced IIllh haslile mounlainous Icrrain and under COIlSl:Iln1 anael from l'ugos.la\ Roptil.1 ChClnils and Communisl parTisans. On 19 Jul}' 1944 Eins:uzgruppc 'Karpalen' .. as formed ....ith Di\isloll!o 'Rumanien', 'Ung:un' and 'Slo":llei', building roods and forlificalions in Rumania, HungJr~, Stu\Jlia and Sumhern L:ll1line. From ScplemlKr 1944 'SudOl>I' "'as rclre;uing norlhllards before paniSOln and So\iet forces, Jnd on 14 December absorbed 'Karl'JI{"n' allll EaSlern \u)lria. The 20.000 oT pcrwnnel assigned 10 ~upport Ihl' in. asiun of lhe Smiel L:niun ill June 19.P ....ere designated E.insatz 'Jacob', Jnd (Ii. ide'! into four groups. 'rhe eighl Jh isions of 0'1'-1, each (C\":Cpl I,.'a) (,'Jrr~ ing Ihe Fidd-Arm~ number lQ \I hi..:h rhey \I-ere allu<:;\led (1/2, 4, Ii, 9, I I, IIi, 17, 18) SUPI}Orrcd fro11l-line lroops, \lhik err-a (2/4, Ii, \I, II, 16, 17, IS) worled in rear areas. The Iligh\\'3Y .\I:m:lgers (Linienchcts) 1-5. Inter ])glV VII, Vila, \ I I [ ,X, X I I, X I la, personally responsible II) Speer, conlroJJed strJlq:.-ic mads as OT-L. EleHn di"i,ional-stalus (jrul']lm of OT-U (L;'I X, XII), bter redesignated 0'1' Ilol:hhau (multi';Iorey <'~II1SlrUCli ...ns), buih 48~man wooden l.!cfensivc oorr.lcl~ bloch for Ihe armed forces. The l.!i\i.~illns \\cr{" splir inlO oollalion-SlalU.~ Einhcitcn, numbered in Ihe SlX/uence 1-150. each II ilh eighl lhulrupPs (cumpanies) in Ihe sequencc I----\lOO. Lnit~ erc,ned ~.,:niL'C:Ible lime- and sanl.!-~urf~L-aI roods pa"S;lhle in spring floods or ,,"inlcr snow; conn:ned all railw:t) tl1ld lu rhc narro.. cr European g:luge; built ;81 bridges; and ron)lruCled h:trbour f:uilities. :tnl.! dams in ma~h} di.'lricK Thc~ nn oil-extl1lClion f:acilities in [.slOni:a; and in llraimman;ljl:cd ooll«li\c farms, super> ised Ihe harn'st, ran munitiuns, RAJ) rH:rsonllc:/ from XX.X J)i,';sion (IJllmri:l), in on: lI'hi'e linen filtig!le uniforms, pllrt/dc.' for rille inslnxtioll; l,'pI'c.·r H:.1,'"ri". a"rumll '943. The im;pt:l:tillJ! "nicer 'n'al'S the ;E(/cllI"t'i~·'cafrb:ldgl' tlfJrllwlJy ITserH'l1 for

;llIstrillll

J)ivi.~·irJII.~·

XXIII-XXVI, ljoscfCll;lrilU)

RAJ) lroops in Ihcoffl4'hite lincn (ati!!lIc IIni(ornIIUJd. UlI/,Isu;lII."

the tropiclIl p;rh-hclmet, On/)IIrt/d(.'b.' an:lircmfr

h:mlrl1r. ljOSc.,rCh:lrita)

"

HAIJ IrQoIJS in IJ'I 1·:Iri.. ,md Auwri:1 rc:;:II/'lrI,.. rminL-d II-ilh.d.i.....md in mid·'tN5 rajS4.-d '" Q .HQlln",in Brilr.ldes. VO/e the skiIrouw;rs f!'.I1hen-d at the :ItlJdl'$. (IJri:m O'lds)

11ll'mIJa,.. "f;/II OT. SdlUt~J.omll"'fldoUllit ill.~pectirJIl, It)-I I. 'nIC.I· un' ",cilr;ng

p:!nl(/e lilr kif

,UH)-IO lI'ork /Ullie..., am!

mnk ilrmb'IIld... Oil Ihe 10\1 er Id; .det'l'e ;1l!I;lCII(/ of flit· ollieillJ cun:';lle. ,/lid :Irt.' cllrr.1 inl{ 1\ IP-10 !mll-

nlm:I,;ne GilliS. (IJri.'lIlIJ:II,js)

t:lr and l~nl f~clOries, esl~bli~hed an c1l'Clric power grid. ~nd e\'acu:uCt.! wounded personnel using L"lmm~ndl""red buses_ ·\11 ~cli\ ili~ litre under inte-rmiuent alt:lck b} $0\ iel p;irtiSin.~, On IS Febru~~' Ig.p the jo,oooGerman ~nd 7jo.ooofOl"eign lI(lI"lcrs ",ere reorp.nized inlO fOt/r EinS"I \") bccumin~ nil isions rof EinS:l1zgn:ppe 'Kaubsu~', forml,d 2] Sl'ptembcr 11)43 \I) support Arm) Group 1\ in lhe C.-auea~us. The retreal \\es1"ards After the l:dlofStalingrad in januar) IfJ-H Ein~l1z 'I blelbcrg' "as cajlluTl'd lherc German fun:es re1reared "e~1ward~. OT unils de~lrO)L..:1 insullations. m~n) of IIhich lhc) had built Juring rhe German invasion. and 0...1;:In a ~rieli uf incnoctile Jefl·n~il(·line~. 'Russland-"'l"urd' reached Ehf I'ruSl.ia, becoming 'Tannenhcl1:' on ]0 Oclohcr 19+-1, 'RUSl.bnd-,\lille' slarted the Osl\lall rt.asflTll Rampart') line in june IlH.I and 'I'anlher I & II' in Februar) 19+-1, bt'fure disbanding on 1 jul) 19+4, 'Russland-Sud'. rL-d...'Signalcd 'Brugnunn' un 1,6 \b~ 1CH4. buih the .\ enus·. ·.\lerlur. 'UX' and ·KT:l.lau' lines in occupied I'oland from jut) 19+-1, \lhile ·K:lul.::asu~· ;Om...-d 'Karp.lIen·the same month. Formed in Il:lJ~ on I june 1l:\ering Ihe Bramer :lnd 'lapk':>.R<:gg;o di C:lIJhria raillinb ~uppl}mg the Sicilian Front. If buill hJrboUfS for Sardinia aml fo:!oo ferries, :lnd roasul defences from Ihe French border In Pisa, In june ll}-H il bcp.n fonif)ing the eeml"allrallan GOlhic I,ine. onl) toaba.ndoo. d in 20

\USU"I hcforc Ihe :\Ihed :ld\:lnct:. In jul) OBI. 'Alpcn' in 'Jonhcrn h.ll) lIa~ det:lched 10 fuml t-:ins.nzgruplJl.· 'Alpen \ III'. 'h-alien·. II ilh 6,]00 German :lnd .1.1.3.;00 furei~ "orLe~ bepn Ihe ·\lpuK: 'Ulue Line' fortificuiuns. :lnd rebuih bombed Ri\er Po hridges and T:l.il"'-J)s and I"O:Id:. danu~ed h~ p;iTli-',:lns. On r-t Dc~mbl:r 1CH4. reduced to norrhern Ilal~, il 1I:L'i:lbsorbcd inlU ',\Ipcn \'IIr. The 0'1' hL-g-an operations in German~ from IIJ4 I. rebuilding huspilals and c1C'Jring 110mb d~m:lgc; and un ~o \la~ IIN.I Einsalzgruproc 'RuhrgehiL'l' \lOIS fomled \lirh 50,000 worlers from ·\\nl'. .10.000 Gennan eililian.. and ~o,ooo RAD L'Unocripts. III repair Ihe i\lohne :Ind Eder dams in Ihe Ruht damaged b) 611 S'lliadron Ri\F. On I Jul~ '9H the OT in German), i!lo,OOO strong. corltrnllilll:\' all military and ci, ;Iiall con~lrlletilln, "as reOT\pnizl,J as ",ij,thr urps 'Tanncnbcrg [' (Easr and W"'SI Prussia); '][' (Warrhcl:llld, NE Germany); 'Rhein-Ruhr III' (Ruhr diS1rict, former!) 'Ruhrgchiet'); 'Kyfthauser IV' (Cenrral Ucrmanv); 'Obcrrhcin \' (SW Germany); 'VI' (S. G'
in I'H I, tu gu~rd building sites J.l,.':IinSI thefl and guerilla ~llacl, rcinfurced in No\'eml~..r 194-2 b} Gemlan I>otice Regiment L8 (from December PuliL"t: Regiment "To.h'). S,,", companies(Kompallien, e.g. Kp. ill Zj in 'Russland.Sud') "en' Tl"Urpni7....d on 9 ;\UgUM 19-B into ballalions numbered "ithm the OT Gxps: II + ''''Clot'; Z I + '\\ iling'; J I + 'E.insatol: Finnland'; .41+ '1t~lien'; 51-"'--'Russbnd-'Jord'; (H-"'- 'Russlandi\lilte'; 71 +-'RuS'>land-Sud'; SI + 'Sudusl'; 1)1 ~ 'Ruhrgehid; and lOt + 'Reich'. Each b;trt-alion (Ableilung) had up 10 10 companies, e.g. 81 I 10; each compan~ (BereilM:haft) dil ided into plJ.lOons (%uge) and ~tions (KamcrJ.d:.chan...n). Tmal slrength was ~boul 10-LO,ooo. \lany fon::igners, csp<."Cialll DUlch, Flemish and \\'~l1o'lns, serH'd; onl}' Cleehs, I'oles and Russians were barred. By IIJ-H Ihe SK guarded POWs, criminals and concentrJ.linn L"J.ml' inmatL'S sening in 01' deta<.:hlllL'nts, but by i\larch 19H all companies had disbanded. After the war many firms l'ontractnllO the 0'1' employing forced labour were expropriated, aod 0'1' persunnel rl'Cl'i\Cd trealment ranging from instant pardol1to imprisunmem. and, for m:lI1y Su\'iet "orkers, execution. Organisatiun Todt '''IS a unique reorg'J.ni7.ation of pri,·ate firms imll a pan-European paramilitary LXIllStruction corps, which by 19-B had almost become the fifth brJ.neh of the armL'tl fon:es, and" hose Ilrojectscan still be "isiled on the Channcllslands and French Atlantic L'UaSI.

1111 Orpmis:lfioll TOOr

DEUTSCHER VOLKSSTURM On l j Jul~' I{J.H, h,l\-ing jusl Cl>CJ..ped ~s.'iassinafion in rhe

.'ii."(.YJIUI H"I/tcmlllt. his :Irlnb:md (1l..siglllllillg him :IS:I 1);lu:IH'I/I coln,,,alldcr. disrrihUU$ lJu:d:lls 10 his junior olfk-en>, All "I..':/r th., U '940 kl'"l iet' tunic "-ilh .\1'94': insilmi", and rhe

,\119.18 ofllccr:~ sidec:.p II

ith flflic:cr:'ii "Im"initml

pipillg~ .....xn:pl tht' "flIccr

SI..'COlld II..·ft, ,rho M-C
M-irhum :./ulllio;um pipin}:. Uo.~'c(O!"rit:l)

~o Jul~

bomb Illot 3Dd ..-ilh Allied forces mas.sing on Gcrm;ln~ 's "l$lcrn and C'''~lcrn borders. Ilitler ISSUt'd ~ 'IA"Cf('\' for TOlal War'. lie announl.....-d on 25 Seplember Ihat all Germ:ins aged 16-60 who were not )0.'\\5, glPsies. criminal", or members of French, Polish or 510\'o;nc minorities, and" ho werc nOI alrcauy in the armed forces or RAD, \\ould join Ihe new 'I'cople's J',lililia'. the Deutscher \'ulhsrurm. The .si...-million-Slrong force ,,"uld ha,·... about 10,lllo battalions-limited "tatr l>crsonnc1 and rcarc<,;hdun f;lcililics, and Lid of" capons stand:lrdil.ation, made the banalion fhe brgcst tactical unil di,idcd intu lour l.nics (Aul"gchmc): 1St Lev}' I.Z million men lt1 1,850 battalions (400 in frontier di~lricts); all ph~sical1y fit lo-6o-yeu-olds without essential ""aT "urk c.\cmplion, assigned to from-line hallaliuns, quartered in barracks, liahle fur sen il.'l: outside their hume districl, and including all anlilable '\ISD.<\P polilical officials, Allgemeine-SS, SA. 'SKK and NSFK (:'\la1.i Air Corps). 2nd Lc\'~' L.S million O1l'n in 4,860 baualions (1,050 in frumier di",riClS); all phrsical1~ fil ao-60-~car-
rear-eche1on suppon, ;lnd on ZJ \larch t9-15 "ere issued lire-Arms i\ot all planncd oollollions were fonned, bUI at bst 700 did sec L'tlmbat, thc \ ast majorily oflhes.:: recruiled from the frontier di:.1riCIS in the Easl- Danzig-WL'St Prussi:!, \lark Brandenburg, Lower and Upper Silesia, fasl Prussia, POlilcrania. Warthebnd; rhe Soulh·E:!st+Lo"cr Danube, Stpia, 5uuctelllalld, all fao.:ing So\"io.:t forces; but alS() in rhe West Essen and Westm:lrk, f:lcing the "C)lern Allies. Rcichs1ciler J\lartin Tlormanll, i\SOAI' I lead OllieI.' Chief ;lnd llitlcr's deputy, commanded the Militia OIl the Fuhrer's behalf, I Jc "as assistcd by two Chiefs of Statr (Stabsfuhn:r): Oberlx·fehblciter llclmut Friedrichs, re~p()nsihlc fot organi/ation and JKllitical affairs; and S5 LI.Gen. aunlub Berger, 5S \lain OOicc C.hio.:f, ro.:presenting Ihc 55 and Replacemenl Aml) conllllandcr. Ilcinrich Ilimm1er. .'\ l>laff o( i\rm~ officers, under Col. IlaiiS K isseI, was responsible for equillmelll, weapons and IT:lining. Each ofGcnnan)·s.p dislricl<; (Gaue) fonn...'tl a \"ollSSlunn I11slrict (\'otkssturmabschnin) under a ;'\ISD,-\I' Gauleiler a-"sisled h~' a GauSlabsfiihrer, usuall) an S,\ Gencnl or senior NSD:\P official. :\. district conlained on a,CT:l~c 21 Ulltnljes (Krei~), each und...-r a ~SD'\P Kreislt:itcr J..l>Sil>'ted b~ a KreiSSlabsruhrcr, and required 10 rai'iC about t ~ ballalions. Ik:rgcr and Friedrichs achic\·w':I good "orling relalion.<;hip, but Bomunn :lnd Ilimml« frequentl) clashed for control of the Volksslunn, :I simuion cxacerbated b~ a coofused o.:hain of command, laving NSDAP officials alld Sf\ offi...-crs resenlful of lhe SS' upper hand.

The ,'olL.sslunn's nll~ion \las to surround and (:ontain large !>C:Ibornc and airborne landings; 10 eliminate: agenlS and sm:1.I1 sahol;lge: sroups; to guard hndgcs. sirecl'i and L.e) buildings; 10 rdnfon:c depkted ArnJ~ units; to plug gaps in the front after enem~ brC".ll.:throughs, and to man qui....t SC\:IOr..; and to crush fe:trcd upri.~inp; b~ Ihecsllm31ed 10 million prisoners-of-\\arand foreign wurker.. in Geml)n~. t\ 1i4l}-man lSI l.c\) IbltJli"n had a z7-man Siall; C.omp.lnies (t\oml>3nkn) I j. eaeh wilh three or four PI.!loons (Zuge) l;untilining thr........ or fnur IO-In.ln Sections (Grup!)l:n); Imd a 41h IT1fa01r~ I [nwitztr CO!llpall~. Other Le\~ batrali"ns had 576 men. Ea<.:h <.:ompan) was SlI[lpo~ed to ha\'c three ti\e-man Tank ClolSe Combal Squads (l'.lllzcrn"hbeUmpfungstruPI)s). caeh with 10 Pan~.crfaust anti-tanL. projectors. often manned by llitler Youth \"nluntl."\.'rs. Each ooltalion recei\cd a consecUli\e number \\ithin iL~ dimicl, c.g. Ibtaillon z;: 97 - 9;lh Banalion (1IQKunigsher:,::) in DislrX.1 Z5 (F..ast I'rus..~ia). Cnofficiall~, Tirol-"oTllrlbcrg hoI11:llions also rc:cciH'd IT:lOditional Rifle Awocialion Ihlt:llion tilles. ego 'Srandschiit7cnbalai11on Brcgenz'; and in WcstphaliaSouth eIue b:lIl;1lioru;. one per coont~·. welT grooped unofficull~ intn '1'ITiL.orp:> Sauerland' Regiments. SI>ccialisl unils Speciaiisl units were dl'Signau:d Comhal (Kampf-. in East I'rll<;.~ia F.in~lz-) Balfali"ns: r.ll1Crgenl;~ Ilattaliom (Iktaillone z.h.V.) recruited from m.lll-(rul1ricr districts for Ea~lcrn Front dUI). and I'ionca (Illu) or Reser\"c (Ersatz) Il:lHalions. The \"olkssrurm was prohihilcd from serving olilsidc I he Reich, hut a1 1ca~1 four batlalions \I ere f(,rml'd from Genmns E"ing ahroad 400 and 401 in Denmark. 60S and 610 in llohemia-,\lorJ\"ia.;\ lIIedkal !ooI.'"nice was formed in 'I"".. . mOCr 19H, \lilh a lIledi......I1 offiCl'r and medical orderl~ per battalion; and in Januar~ 1945:1 TanL. \\aming Senice in frontler dislriets. '\Iaehtiagdstaftel I \I":IS an Easl Prussian nighl-fi~hler squadron lIilh '\ISFK pcrsunncl C'quippcd with light aircraft. During 1945 rolLssturm uniL~ helPfil form 'rm) 'Gneisenau' formalions \\ilhin the Repbl"mt·nt \rm~. In Januu) 26

'Baden' I):,ltalions joined UPI)l:r Rhine I nfantr~ Rql:101CntS T 15. bter group..-d into the 8o;:lh and 9051h Di\-isions and l0051h Bn!l:'.Ide of lhe t9th .\rm~ niekn:lrnl-d Ihe 1l)lh \ olhslurm \rm~. The j03r<1. j09lh. jJ4th. jJ5th and jl81h and '!hr\lalde' Dh isi(lnS l. ami "ere C\pccted to Ill;l~ter Ihe rille ami l'an~erIJust. the IIrenadc-launchcr. h:trId grenadc and I'an/,erschrcd anti-tanL. \\CajXln. and in cfTlCrgenl;~ thl' pistol, SUh·I11Oldlinc lIun MId land minc, In fae1 lherc Ilcre se'lredy enough "capuns for the 1st :111(1 zlld Lc,il'S, and m,llly rnilit,am<,;n IIcrc SCll] intu bank unarmed. The .lrd LelY was no)l is~ued IIcaJlOns, and [he 4th I....·,·~ \lerc cxpcct(..,j 10 usc hUllring-rilles or C".IpturcJ firearm.s. Trool's \lerc Ilfl....n onl} iSSUI'd a rrcneh-srade forsdf-ddcnce. The Gaulcilers on the Ea~lCrn [lorder hl.l.":ln 10 Cl>1-ablish a series ofdefensile lines during Ihe pause in the fighling after Jul)' 11}44. Thousands oflOClI men and lIomen, Hidl... Youlh, RAJ) L"OnSt.'riprt.... prisoocT!H)f-\\ Jr and fOf'Cign forced labourers buill lanL.-lrJ!"", arliller~' :lnd anri-13nL. positions, pro/ected b~ c:lTIh-

III OT mplaillofSigrl.:lls c;lrill~ rhe .\11940 ,;crl·in: umit,. \119.18 ;Irm) -'''.1 I.. ufliel..r's sid('(".Jp II i,h all/minium pipin~. lind \I "J• .J ill5;1:mil. with 1..111011 .' dlull sllUl/Mer Simi' pil,i",.. I k Il:l." th.... '91.-18 Iroll CTf'~' ribbo" witlt II ...ill·cr l'wtk ;nl!;t'lllim!" ~L'corllJ I; lI"llnf itl (Itt' ' ."'t'(·lmd l\'orM War. UfJ",ef'Chllrilil) II

2)

_ . _ . ~ C

•

","orls and linke-d br trenches. Eight lines ~k,rted the F.;blPrlL';sian frOniier: 'Memcl', 'Instcr~·\nger.lpP'. 'lIohcnSlcin'. 'Ondshu,,"er W:lld·. '1Ieil!'>hcrg". 'Deime', 'Frisching' :lnd

Ordcr (If Battlc,Dcutscher 'ulkssturm

GiR'Tl a", \ ulksslUrm Dislrin n:lmcs (.'JSDi\P OislriCI n:ames "·cre tdenticiil) with, in br.lekelS. English Ir:mslatiuns "here Ihe~ e'tisl, andf)ll" lue.uiuns ifoUlside the Gemlan pre-"':lr frontier of 19J7. AsterisLs indic:lle the \ ulm.'r:lbk caslern :lnd "<-'l>lern frolllicr di)lri<-1:s. "'I

Baden.

2~lhyreulh,

.1 •~

Ikrlin.

Danzi~-\hs{llrel.lssen (Danzig-WeSI-Prussia, "I.W. Poland). "'5 -DiJssel.lorf. "'6 Es.,,<:n. 7 FranLen (Fr.mconia), 8 lIalle--.\lerscburg. 9 I bmburg. 10 I lessen-'Jassau. "'II Karnlen (Grinthi:l, S. I\USlrl:l). "'IZ Kuln-Aachen (Colugm'-Aachcn). 1.1 f(urlH;sscn. q l\1:ag.kburg-Anh:llt. 15- ,\1ainfranken (River ,\Iain-Francunia). "'16 ,\lurL Brandenburg. '7 j\ledknburg. t,8 J\losdland{\loscl Dislril;l). 19-1\lunl;hen-OlK-rb:lrem (\Iunieh-Uppcr 11;.. aria). "'20-, icderdonau (Lower Innubc.l'\.E. :\USlria). "'21 ~ Ni<-'(Ierschlesien O~u\\"er Silcsia), n Ol>l:rdonau (Up~r Danube. i\.\\'. \USlria). '" 2J Obct"S\:hlcsirn (UpPi.'r Siksia). Z~ Osl-Ilanno\'er (11:11l110U'r-East). "'25 -(),;lpreussen (Easl-I'russia). 26 P"m1l1ern (Pomt:rania), zi Sachsen (Sa,~on~). 28 Sal~bul"j!" (Ccmrall\(I~lria). 29- Schks,,'ig-I-Iolstein. 30-Schw;lben (S,,~bi;(). "'31 SteiemurL (SI~ ria. S.E, Auslria). "'.1! Sudclenl:and (Czoch Dorder 31"C:l). JJ- Sud-lbnnoH,r-Bnun\oCh"'eig (South' bnon'rBrun)" ld.). 3"-Thuringen (Thuringia). 35 Tlrol.\·orarll>erg(Trrol.\'o!";lrlberg. \\', Austria). ·J6 \Vanheland (W, Poland). *3i Wes..:r-Ems. .38 WeSlfalcn-.'\'ord (N. Westphalia). 39-Westfalen-Sud (S, Weslllhalla). •..0 Wt'.~lmarL, ~I- Wien (\'ienna, E. i\u~tria). "2 Wunteml>erg-llohem~ol1ern.

'.l\bsuren'; Iher(' "tre thfl'l' in Wanhebnd-''\' (,,:aSt). 'B· «(;emre), 'C' ('\cst). and in lJppC"r Silcsia 'Berthold' :l.nd ·Il-t·, Osher lino:s f:l<-oed the C3cch border. II}" r>eo.-mb..'r 1944 Ihese lines were manned by armcian Frmll allad..ed [:l.st Prussia and ueeupicd Uoldap, Glllnbinnen and Nemm..:n,dorf before lhe Gt:rman ~th Army, with eight Volhsturm oo.nalion.s in Ih\· l70lh Infant~ I)i, ision. foreed lhem out. On 12 Janua~' 19H, I 56 SO\icl di,'isions in fi\e arm~ groups (1st Balnc, znd-Jrd B~durussian, 1St Ukninian Froms) bunched a general offensi'·e il1lo Germ:ln~ against Germ:l.n Arm, Groups ;\ and J\lille (50 dili~ions). Sm:l.shing through the maLc)hift defence lin~'"S in W:l.rthcland imo Danl'ig-\\'ht I'russia, East I'russia ami Silesia (where I !iller had appoiltled the n:s(X.'Cli\e Gauleitcrs as 'Jational Dl·fel1ce Commissioners (Rcichsn·rteidigungslommis~are) in the "11 in hope thai they mighl stiffen rcsisl,mee) the Red ;\rm} had breached the conerele 'Pollleranian Ramparl' (POIltmernwall) and reached the J{i'er Oder b} I Februar~ . A bcl:al...d gener.!1 .....acuation was order...d, and Ihrtt million ci,'ilians joined eomo~s of waggons, esconed b~ \'oILsstunn. he:tding "eslwards :ilong congested snO"-5Wepl roods har.lSSCd by Polish gut.'frill:is. Aboul iSo.ooo died from t'xpoo.ure, "cre Lilk-J b~ O\ertaLin~ So"lel f)II" Polish fol'CC$. dro"ned on r'aeualion ships in Ib... Baltic sunl b~ So,'iel air or submarinr :ilfaeLs. orl:aughl in Ibe OrC!>den air !";lid of 13{1 ~ Fe-bruar~ 19-15. Some "Or~lUnn soldiers, a"';lre of Ibe So"iel "rller lira Ehrenhurg's l·ncvuragClllent 10 Reu i\rm~ lruops III bUlcher all Germans, still sl()od their ground 10 buy time for thc eSl;ap" ofthc refugees; others, afraid of beil1g shol as gu...rrillas if capturcd, joined the mass relreat. H) Z4 Februar~ Gcrman furees had haltt:d the StwiclS along Iht: Odcr-i\'d~ line and "crt: ~tiJJ holding OUI in :iboUI I"ent, pod:elS Forlm.SI.~ behind So\iel lin~. including I(ustrin, Konigsbc:ll!', Posen (poznan) :ind Url'Slau (Wroda... ). On 15 J:lnU:lr~, Emergene) nallalion~ "ere ordered frum lllner Germ:lln di.~ricls fur lhe fmnl. I bmbul1!. I lessen-'Jassau. l\l:i.gdeburg~ i\ohall. ,\teck....nburg. Pomerania. Sehles"ig.llolstein :ind SOUlh Ilano,er-Brunswlck ballalions dug in ll('ar Steltin (Sl.ezet:in): Rl~reulh. Franconia, I bJle--'lcrschurg, f(urhesscn. Sa.~on} and Thuringia batl'.llion;; ncar rrankfurt-all-d.'r-Odcr. [11 Fehruary ,(r.rt:ar-old I [itl..:r Youlhs, many oflheln veterans of tht: anti-lank ~,[u:1d~, "erc "ilhdr:lwn tn hctdn milil:1r\ training, further "caLemnl! Ihe \ olls,turm balla!Jon). The fin:ll So, iel offt:nsi"e hc:tran on 16 !\pril 1945. The Oder Line was brc:;r,ehed: ,and b~ Ihe 251h Berlin "'.IS defended by .1'.000 troops including !4.OOO \olL.~turm (18.000 of whom "ere 'Oau~"il:l: I..c:\'y' troops of Ibt., ~nd L.c"). on si" hoUr!> ~landb~). Bresb.u. "iIh ~5,000 defenders including !5,000 Voll.:sslUrm in J8 ballalions. finall~ surrendered on 6 _\1a~ UaHalion 21!~1 and 1"0 lIitler Youlh 3rd Lc\'~' ballalions distinguisht.'t11hcOlsch cs in the fighling. On 8 February 19..5 the WeSlern Allics. in lhree army groups. began lheir aU\'11Ilee into wesl...rn G.'rmal1y, defended by German Army Groups B, G lind [I. On the 12th the local Volhsturm wa~ lllobilized and senl to man lhe Wt.'Stwall, bUl Ihl:)' sho...ed nont: of the dcspcrale delerminalion of their cnmrades in Ihe East. M:in~ ignored tbt: c:lll-up; OIh\'J"S sur",ndt:red:l.1 Ihe: firsl opponunil) or Ihre" a"~~' their armb:lnds and hid in Ute- \\oods, f)II" relul'llt.:d home. Tht: \\('Slw:l.1I ...:lS

NSKK:

2

I: HaUpUilurmfiihn;!r. Gennan)', ,\Ia)' 1940 2: Standanenruhrer, Ukraine, June 1942 J: OberslUrmmann. Serbia, June 19+1

A

2

B

J: NSKK-Truppffihrcr. Lib)'a. 19-11 2: :o\SKK-Obcrscharffihrcr, Ita I)', ",inler 19..3 J: H:mptsehifTsfUhr...r. TransportflollC Speer, Nonu)'. 19·4)

J

TranspoTtkorps Spc'~r: 1: Obt:-rfcldkapilin. halJ. winler 19+1 2: Unl~rfahnneisler. Od~r Fronl. Murch 1945 J: Hauplkroflfahrer. Gennany. winl..-r 19+4

3

M' c

Rcicharbd bJ icnst: I: Obcrarbeilsffihrcr Konopka, German)', 19.... 2: Obcr\'ormann, On, KIM; Ukraine, 19-11 3: Unrcruuppfuhr\'r, I\tlantic Wnll, 19..3

3

.

s~

I: Volunleer, R..o\D Co.8/199; Ukraine, 19.f2 2: HaupnruppfUhrC'r, RAD CoA/16; Prussia, 19.... 3: Fronlarbt'iter, Organisation Toeft; France, 1940

• E

[Lilli

1.1...-1:.

Or!anisation TOOl: I: ObcrlruppfUhrcr, Einsalzgruppe 'Wiking'; 'orwa)', 1942 2: SK-.\lcisler, Schurzkommando 'Wnt'; France, 19-42 J: Eins:llzgTuppenlcilcr Brugmann; Ukraine, 19+1

,

,

I: OT.HlluplfrontfUhrer. Belgrade, 19+1 2: VolksslUnnmann, SaarbrOckcn, ja-ollar)' 19~5 3: VolksslUnn Hatllillonsfiihrc:r. Oder Fnml, 19~,;

3

<:;1"1....

_ f'I:'(ou ... y~

G

Volksstunn: I: Medical orderly. Ruhr. April 19"5

H

2: Zugfiihn:r. POUlan. January 19.f5 J: Hj-Hauplscharruhrer, Berlin, April 1945

quidl~ breached and on 7 \IJ~ lhe Weslern Allies mel Soviel forCt:S in L'l'mnl Gennan~. lfitler dC'L'ehed himself Into belie,-ing lhlll a huge ch'ilian arm), kJ h~ milit:lril~ inc.~pcriell\%d ~azi officials, could M:ne off Gernun~-'s defC'llt. The \oIll.s1unn's Ullimale f,ulun:, howCI'er, ~hould nOI blind u~ 10 Ihe bnlcr) of nun) ofil~ membC'rs 'oIhu, Ihough Unfil, unlrained and undcrcquippctl, foughl nOllO pre~rlc lhc \:azi stale bUllO s;l'e fellow Germans from a Red Ami) eager 10 exact \en!l"C'Jntt for lhe brUlal German occupation of the SOl iet L' nion.

THE PLATES A,: VSKK-II:JIIplsrurmfiill":r,3rd Co., 17th Homr Regt., Howr IJ;,'ision 'Leipzig'; GLTlmm., , .1I.:l.' It}//I The .\1 Ill.'" oli\e btO" n SCrl ice and field uniform indudcd an S \ Lcpi 'oIith di\lsional- 'Adolflluhnlein', 'Oberdonau', ''\Iiederdon;lu', 'Wien' Jud 'I\!penland' (later a corps) ami 'Sud",esl' Corps Staff ",ore a white metal Edc1\1eiss un the len side of all headgear. 'I'he tunic had a dar~ bru"n dosed collar (open with black tie and hrown shirt for "alking-out) wit.h silver collar and collar ]latch pipinl« fur general and field officers, \lith ran~ un hlad <:olbr-llall;hcs; crimson for II .gen. and abO\I' and gcneralslall"and lechniaall>laff; red (Ialcr cr;m<,(ln) for corps staff field-marshal 10 <''01. "on' sil,eroo~-Ieafinsisniaun boolh palches 3 in wn:alh, .1 and sil,cr pip.J..z and pip,z, 1 I.o"er nnls" ore p;p~ and black STripes edged \I hite on Ihe left IUleh-4 and l-ostril~, J and.z-o 51ripcs; 1 and 2-0 Stripes. I and 1-0 snipes, z-o ~tTiPL-S; recruit no pilch. Righi hand p;1tches camed "hile metal tnsigniol '\15' (.\IOIor School S(;,J.fI), 'T (Tlochnical Staft); none (General Staft); name. e.g. 'OST (Corps Staft); abbn:\-ialed n3me, e.g, '11bg' Hamburg (Di\isional and Brigade Staft); '\\' & numhl:r, e.g. '\180' (R<''gimental Suft);" n:.\1' & number. e.g. '1lJ.i.\IRo' (Il:malion Staft); 't-10/\\' & number. e,g. '4,"\180' (C..ompan)· Staff and personnel): 'J.'/abbrc,iation, e,g, 'L/Ile' (Di\'isionnl/Urigadc Training Company). 1\ledil:al utlicers "ore their hadge behind thl: paTches, bter on the left hJ\\cr ,Ieele. Onl~ a single right shouldcr ~tl"'Jp was \\orn: ficld-mar~hal ~ihcr-"hite-sil\"Cr plaited l"(lrlll> and .J siher metal ual~lea\"es; other general officen; \\lIhoUI the ka\cs; Obcrruhrer, z I\"uld Z 'Iher cords; all on a blad underlay piped red (pillinl« laler omil1ed). Field offiecrs .. sd"er plaited cord~. ~ubalterns nat siher l"(lrds; all on a hlad underb~ "ilh di,isional-
I He",ish sergf:'.mt ofOT.. Schwdmnm:mdo troops ,n~:Ir;tlJl the (/isfi"cri,'C' hl"d. ,hQul(Jer stT'.lPS pitK'd IIhi(e. thc .\11940 sen icc tIInic :md 'Stre; f(:II(/i<~nst.~Qrt:et, pl:UOOII romnmndcrs I:"'y:lrcl, :mel:l" SS rlllles

ti,...pin presllln"b1.' i"c1icatill!! 55 memlmhip, bllt 110 ·OT' ~irmb;",d. ljosefCha";t-.l)

From ScplemOcr 1939 man~ NS KK officers un dllt~ "ilh the armed I<,rccs adopted a peaked C:1p "ith dark brown cap hand, silver emhroidercd eagle and hbd din strap (subalterns) or silver pipinl{ and cap cords (field uffiu:rs); but subalterns soon adupted field officers' siher L"Ol1ar, collar patch and cap Ilipings anti cap cords, All office~ adopted ~ih-cr piping on Ihe sideop opper flap, and all r.101.s "Ole a siher embroidcred (;Igle on the righl uppo..-r ske\-e, I'ersonnel with si~ months' Dril'cr Instructor Ennch ('\15K K \ erlehrscr.tiehunpdienSl) scn icr wure a bl;teL 2.nd "hue shield on {he right UPPC'T ske\"<.' 2.nd a dUl~ ~orgel_ Pl"tSOnnel seconded to the 0'1' "ore grey ,'.lltH0 01' umb;tnds on Ihe lowcr kft slCl:le. This offieer "l'Olrs a siher l:Qnlpanr eummander's lanrud. "",SDAP nlo::mben;hip badge and 5 \ Defence Badge, lhe 1\11..,31 .\1010( SA dri,er'~ qualiliC-Jtiuli bad!Ce (a "hile melal ('Jgle and wheel on J black diamond, as the tir~t patlern ~SKI-.: drher's badge). and lhe \ etenn (Alter Kampfer) sih'er braid chevron a"'ar
"

51:"':

A.:: ,VSKK-St:mdl.rtenrllhrer. ,md IJrigmle, .\'5KK,\lotorgt"lIP1JC LlJfi",-afl"c:; Kiev, L·I.;mi"e,julle IlJ.IZ

Offi<:ers uf Ihis di,-ision "'-ore :'111935 grc)-hluc -\ir Force uniforms. The cap had a sih-er :.J5KK cagle alxne an Arm) n.-d'" hile-bbcl cod.ade in siher embroiden.od (lQk-le:lIICS un a dark bro",n cap band. Tbe righl oollar patch "':IS bbnk; and shoulder strap underb).\ "'-rre hlxk for Gcmun personnel. A} ll).p the N5KK arm eagle had replaced the OOI\~PK:UOUS "5D,\P arm 1»nd on Ihe I..fl upper sla-'-r. Earl}- unils wore hlack cuff 1»nds ",ilh alummium edging and sih~ ",ol'eo lilies un Ihl" l...f1lo"'-rr slC:Clr: '''SKK Transporl-RegilTl<'nl Luftwaffe', aUlumn Dl,«mher '940; 'NSKK Brigade I.ufl\\aftc'. December 19..0 ?Januarr 19-12. The .\IItH; Air FoT<.'C greatcoal carricd Ihe same insignia. ,VSKK _Ob('rsllJrmm,mll, (jfll Relfl., .\1511."1\· Tr:/IlIJ1JOrfgnljJjJ(' LII(rw,/ffe; lidgrade, Serbi:J, JUIi/;' 1944

II);

Uemlan NCOs and men of the hrigade, bter dilision, wore Ihc blac~ sideeap or Ihe sleel helmet paimed gre~-bllle with a silvcr KSK K "r I'ir Force cagle on thc left ~ide; and Ih.. J\119-10 blollSl' wilh a blank righl hand collar patch, laler carrying a siher metal KSKK ea\l"k. Furcign I ollintet:r~ initiall) wore the uniform dyed bbd:, bOl in 19..P adllpled Ihe grc~-blue blouse "ilh normal insignia. On the lefl tipper slce\e thc~ Ilore nalional shields instead of the l'aglc, and coloun-d shoulder stl":lP underlJ~s: AURA }ello\\ circolar s",astib on a ~reJ-blue or ol":lnl.le shield or dis.;: (oran~e,

from Jul} ")4.! }e1lu", Slrdp llnd...rla}); R....\ red HOSIo...d ragged stJICS on blJcl edged red ()e110....); Fkmi~h bbcl lion on yelluw ... ilh ~'elluw 'FLAl\DERN' on bbcl, from Jul} '9-1.! bl"cl ... olrl' houl un orange or Jello... (green); DUlch~rdlo ... ....olrs hool on bbcl edged ~ellow (red); french bbd.: doubll'he-Jdcd J\C on bluc-... hilc-red ith a ... hile 'N5KK' on bl:Kl ab<"-e, ur hluc_... hile_rrd ",ilh a -hile 'FRA '4Ct:' on bbcL abon~ (light hluc ~trap underb~). Thi~ Flem~h Sl"nlr) "an a sil'er ~Iripe for onr fnr's acri.-... scnicc, Ihe Irun Cro..s 2nd Oass ribbon. Ihe \1'\\ (Fll"mi~h :.Jalional Union) long Sl....,·ice badge. and the :.econd pallcm dri"er's 1»dgr in siher-gre} sill. 81: ,'''SKK_Truppfiihn'r, 4rh R',!{l" NSKKTmll..'i/)Qrlbri.l:tu/<'- S!X'(:r; Lib.'·:l, D''l-'('mfx'r 1941

I{egimemal personnel "ore Ihe Air Force Ian Iropical uniform "ith N5KK insignia, and a whitc metal 'Sp' on lhe righl collar palch. Thl' !\rm) tropical helmel "lrries Ihe red-whitc-black !\rrny shicld on Ih,' righl and an :-JSKK cagle 1)n Ihe Icfl sidc, This NCO CHries a 9n1l11 I'oll 1.l,lger pblul, and wears the .. hite 'So on hlad slecle badge of a SehirrmeiSll'r (Iechnical quaTlermastcr-sergealll) a Fahrmeisler (11I010r IranSp,oTl scrgeani) "orc an 'F'. Ilc ridl'S a i50CC 13]\ I\\ R I ~ mOlorcrdr. In Europe '4SKK mOlOrc~c1isls "'ore a gre~ blouse and trousers ....ilh Slandard insignia. and a large sih·er-embroidered eagle on the len hreasl pod.et amI on the blacl !calher or fibre crash-helmel, Ih: SS1\K-Obersc'harrllhrer, i/h Regt., SSKI( Tml/!>porlbrigadc- Speer; S. Jtaly, \I inter '94J

In I'HZ 'SKK Transpotlgruppr TOOl adopled ",Ink insigniJ Wattcn-55 rank, 'COS adding Jluminiom braid collar edging; and in Ol:lObcr ''H3 an olin brown si.~-bUllon wnie '" ilh (for officers) open cuff~, and a dark bro"·n l'OlIar; olile bro\\ n brrechcs or Irousers; ,he) rClained Ihe olhe bro"n pl'aked GIl' with msignia as for Plale Al. TT:ln.~pon­ brigade Todl pen.onnd "ore a sih'cr metal N5KK cagle on the righl collar palch, Trans!"orlbrig:ade Speer an 'Sr' and. for Rl'glmcnls 1-6 and 10, Air Force uniforms as for N5h:h:,\Iotorgruppc Luflwafte. This Si.....·lion leader ",cars a \\'alfen-5S reversible camuuflage smock o\er his field lllllie and a camoutlage cOI ..r oler his ill I9-40 Sled hclmel;alsoa bch Ililh _11,11939 NSKK bud Ie, ,\119".1 Arm~ trousers and 1\11\1..0 canvas anklets. llc carries 31\ 1\-'11'..0 submachine gun and an '\\19..3 stid grenade, calwos ammunition pouches and lOX 50 Zeiss binoculars. ~hoolder ~1T2p:. ofth..· equi\4,knt

IJJ: J-JllIJlluchiJl,:'fiihrer, Tr,mSJ10rtJlot/C Sp''1:r; .vlln'il.,

Sor.....,.,\", '9.) According 10 FebruaT}' '9-13 regulations officers wore a dark blue ]lC"Jled C".Jp ",ilh a blac~ mohair band, GeneT:l1 offil"(.'"TS had gold pipmgs.. anchor bonoos, ClIp cords. eagle and .. rcalh; olher uffieers Ihe same in siller, wilh a rcd-.. hile-blacL cockade_ The blue sidl~p had a ~ih·cr~mbroidered l":lglc:, cocLade, and sih-rr flap piping (gold for ~eneral officcn). The tunK: had 3 black collar 'InQthl.'f' Fkmilfh OTSChu'7..iomma"do 1f('rgC
"'1/(."

tht, "c-hide sign 011 the cur- 'II'J-J (II ehnnm::htJ-Jccr-" Irm.\ ',)/0'1" rOrpll/is/tion 1"'o
R.lIlJ.. TitlL-s of

\m:iliar~

Transport l nits

Legion Speer

13·8.1934 8.;.19-4; (Einsuzdit-nst)'

Transpordlolle Speer 1.1l).n-8.;.1945 (EillS;llldicnSl)'

T",dllsponkorps Spcr-r 119·19-H-8.S·194S (EillS;llzJit-nst)' I

(Brilish Army comparative ranks)

Jlolr~r~ Fiilrn,. (G~""iI/ O.ffi~"s)

1\"SK K-KorlJSfiihrer KSK K -Korp~fuhrer 1\"SKKOlxrgruppcnfuhrcr I'\$KKGruppcnflihrer NSKK.nrigadcfuhrer NSKK-Obcrfuhrcr

Fidd-l\larsh,.l Gcnenl Korpskommandanl

Generdllapilan

G1'osshpilan Gcncralbpiliin

Gruppcnkommandanl BrilPdckommandanl

J\laj.Gcncnl Brigadier

FiihTU (Fitld (5 Suhdi/fTII 0Jficm)

\lSKKSlandarrcnfUhrcr \lSKKOher~lalfdftihrcr

\15K K-Slalfelfuhrer \l"SKKllauplslunnflihrcr'

Chefbpiliin

Kommooorc

Obcrslkapiliin

CHIone)

Siabskapilan Kapilan

Stabslapitiin Kapiliin

Olx'rfcldkapjliin OheTSlabskapiliin

Ll.Coloncl "lajor

Haupo:ugfuhrer

IlauplSChiffsfuhrer

Slabsbpil:m

ObcTlugfiihre1' Zugfiih,.c1'

ObcrschiffsfUhrc,. Schiff.,(lihrcr

Obcrfddkornell Fddlurnctl KomclI U

LicUlcnam lnd I.iculcoam

Slabsfahnneisler }

\\'arnnl Offiet"r II

Obcrfahrmei:'ler

HauplboulSmann Oberbootsmann

llaupl(ahnnciSlcr Obcrfahnneisu:r

Scrgt;:l.nl

Fahrmcisler L:nlerfahrmciSler

Boo£.smann UmerbOOlsmann

Fahnneislcr UnlcrfahrmeiSlcr

l.ant'C-Scrgeant C.orporal

I buplkra(lfahre1'

A1aI/Meha/un (I'm'ultJ) H:luplmatrosc IlaUPkraflfah1'Cr}

OberkrJfrfahrcr

Obcrmalrosc'

~SKK­

Obcl"l>lurmfuhrcr \l"SK K-Slurmruhrer

SKKHaupuruppfiihrcr \l"SKKObcnruppfUhrer \lSKK-Truppfuhrer "SKKObcn.c.:harfuhrcr \l"SK K-Scharfuhrcr

'\ISK K-Rotlcnfiihrcr '\ISI'KOherS1Urllll11:1011 ' \lSKK_ Sturmmann< } \l"SK K-t\nwarler'

Slabsf,.hrmeislcr llaupl(ahnnci~ler

Lancc-Corpor.ll

K rd(tfahrcr

vollmatrosc. } { .\lalrusc'O

)Io;olCS: 'EinS:lI7.diensl· - Line personnel. 1\lcdial, denl;!l and pharmaceUlical officcl1i prefu ranks wilh ·SanitalS-'. 1. From 1934~ designaled NSKK-SlUmlhauplfuhrer. j. From 1934---l} designated '\SKK-SlUmlmann. 4 From 1934 9 designated :"!SKK-I\lann. ; 'R~'CTuil' soldier undergoing ~sic Il':Iining. 6 From I.z Scplembcr U)-H-Febru<1r) 19H foreign 10luntttrS in Transport\..orps Spttr used Lcg-ion Speer tilles, from Februa.r)-:\Ia~ Ig45 Corps lillo. 1 ·F.illS;ll7.dicnsl' Line personnel. AdminiSlrari\"e I'ersonnel (Capl.-Pri\
Obcrkrdtif"h1'cr KrJftfahrcr

8. Laler redesignaled Vollmal1'osc. g. Lalcr redesignaled 1\1aIT05C. 10. I.alcr redesignated I.cichtmatrose. I I. 'Einsal7.dicnsl' Line personnel. Legal Offit.",TS (Drig.Capt.); T«hniatl, .1\1edical. Pa~ maSleT and AdminiSlTalil'c otrtCcrs (Brig.-1nd 1.1.): Spccialisl OOla.-fS (\laj.-.znd 1.1.) and _\1cdical and I'armaslcr offic<:r candiilincs, used differenl rank-lilies. I.z. Te<:hnicall~ an NCO. a Komen ....-as ... trained offlet"r c-... ndidate (C\1'ro) Oberfahnrich) a.... ailing promolion 10 lnd l.ieUl.

JS

/1 corporal of;! French OT.

SdJllczkoIllJnando unil, wCllrinjf II

IIQtl-.~I,md"rd

rll1lk cJ~cl'rOlI prob:lbly obmilled from G''rI1WII ,"lort:S, pHr,/(k.~ with

blue-uniformc,l memher:> or,he Frcneh eoll"IJOr,"ionislllli!icc, lI'caring th,' diM;llClil'c ~~mnnlll' brcIISl-bmIKt:. (j05dChllriw)

and a siher-embroidned ea~l~ (!!old for general olfieers) on the left upper slene, wilh r-Jnk insignia on a Mack cloth collar patch pip~d in siher cord (gold lor general offiens): generals gold plaited braid with 1-
C/: Oberfddkupi/:i'n, Transpor/-Regilllelll 2, Tnmspor/korp,,· Siwcrj C"nlfe.., c, Nf.' Ilaly, J)cccml,er '944 Officers' field and sen icc uniform consisted of the NSKKTranspongruppe Todt _\\ 11l4.l unifnrm with .\ISKK ranI.. in~ignia, replaced in September 19H by new Corps insignia. Usually the black peaked field cap, I\ith siher-grq maehincwoven Army eagle and tricolour cockade and siher cro" n piping (gold for generals) was "om, but this officer prefers lhe walkingout dress peakcd cap ,,-ith dark brown band, aluminium crown and band piping, silver hUllnns and l'Ords, and a ~ilv~r metal or emhroidered C"agle, wreath and I:ockade. General ollieers wore gold insignia, and 2nd and .,rd Transport Regiment officers had l6

!\ir Force pallcrn eagles and, occasionally, I _uftwallc blue uoiforms. The tunic had branch-colour collar p~tches with aluminium piping and embroidered st) lized 'Sp' (gold fur general~) on a dark brown collar. ,\rmy shoulder straps, onl) hlO-lhirds Arm) "idlh, had hranch-colour underlay: gencrals, gold-aluminiumgold plaited braids and 2-0 aluminium pips and branch badgl"s; field and sub~hl'rn officers, aluminium pLlit~d or flat braids, and 2-0 gold metal pips and branch badgcs. Tlraneh insignia (and l'olour~) wcre: l.inc personnel Transport Regts, ..... rahie numerals 2, J, 5-10 Transport Sectors, Homan numerals 1-\'1 I I (allllumerals omitted in the field); Brigade :md Corps Stall' nn insigni:l (black branch colour); Technical Scniec 'I' (pink); .rvt~dical Service snah and stafr (dark blue); Leg-OIl Sen icc sword (maroon); Pa)ma~tcrs winged stall' (light bluc); Administrati\c officials'\" and dark green chevrons w(}\en into the aluminium braid (dark green); Spel:ialisl Officers very thin shoukkr I:ords with gold rank lnots (lilac grc)). :\bo\e lhe right breast pock~t an ahlminium--cmbroidcred (gold for generals) ..... nn) or ,\ir Forcc cagle "as "om on a darl brown cloth backing; and on the breeches generals and stall· officers (col.-eapl.) had dark brown piping flanked by two {cm I\ide dark brown stripcs. Th~ oli\c brown greatcoat bad a plain dark bro" n collar \\ ith darl brOI\ 0 lapcllinings for general~, and shoulder straps. This offi<.:er has the j\lllJJli Wound Ihdgl' in black (t-2 "otmds) and the Iron Cross 1st Class.

Umcrf?,llrmcister, Transport-Sector I TIIIIIICllbcrg, Tr:msportkorp... SJl,'cr; l'r:.mklilrt-II1I-dcrGder, ,\bn:h /945 NCOs and men wore tbe black field cap "ith sih-er-gn'y (,J:

maehine-\IOI'en insignia, or a steel helmet painted oli\e-brO\ln, sometimes \\ith a blaek-\Ihite-red shield on lhe right side and a silver-gre) Air Force cagle or black shield with a sil\er ."'rm} ~agle on the left. The tunic had black collar patches for all branches, "ith a siher~gre) machine-woven st)lized '51"; for NCOs it had aluminium collar braid. I\'COS had olil·e hrown shoulder straps piped hlad: with aluminium-braid edging ~nd 3-
CJ: J-1"uplkrafifi/hrcr, Tr:llIsporlkQrps Speer; Gerlllllny, Dcccmber liN4 KCGs and men had a one- or two-piece 'mnlOring uniform' consisting of"lhe l1eld cap and an ulive brown denim blouse and trousers, with olive brO\1 n metal or horn buttons and a sil\~r-grey

",o\cn c:.Jgle on :m oli\"\: bro"'n doth tri~ng1c ~I)()\e the: righl brc~sl pocLet. i'\COs ",ore field tunic shOl.lldcr slraps, pri"~les ~Iumimum met~l 'Sp' lilies on pb.in CMHUns ~nd slC'C\e cheHom for lancc...:urpor.tls. In hot climates (hal~, Southern Fnnex, llall.:all.-~) all ranb t'Uuld 1\c:.Jr ~ lighl oliH: brown shortslC'C\l:d summer shin, tic and Imu.scrs. For a lime officers' ~nd f\COS' slccw ranL insignl~ similar to lhal "urn on \mlf and \\'~ni:n-SS ctffioullage smocls were worn From '9+.1 Lt'ginn S\>ecr per.-.onncl "ore French, Belgian or DUleh Arm) uniforms d)cd bl:ick, from Januar) 1943 '\fSKK o]i\·c brown uniforms. all \lilh ''is'''-K shouhJer Slr:T.pS and collar patl.:hes. \lith an aluminium f\SKK eagle on 1hc right colbr patl.:h. On the left upper sleel"e Frcnch. Walloons, Flemish and Dlltch \I orc j\;SKK-Tran~p(}rtKrIlPpe I.ufiwaftc Mlional shield.'> (SC4,: I'la1c Aj). Foreign voluntcers in TrJn<;JlOrlkorps Spt:<:r 1\<;1\' prcscrihed nc'" shields: French rcd·whll('-blue shield below a blue 'FR ·\r\CE' on ",-hile; \\ alloon\ b1ad.-~ello\l -red shield belo'" a bbcL '\\.'\LI.O:\I[' lin IIhlle; Flemish-~ bbcl hon 00 a )elloll' shield beloll a )<:11011 'n.A:\:\'OERE'i· on blacl; Dutch rcd-whiu:-blue (hori7onul) shield belo" a bluc ''lJEDERL \ "If)' on II hlIC; stalell:!i."i persons, c ,g. While Russian emigm in Fr:mcc a plain IIhite shield. Insignia for other nall(.nalilics uoconllrmel1. VI: OIJcmrocifs/lillrer hllflO/1k
It/\!) \\IY35 officef'.' lind "Jrranl-.tinClil e senoia: C:lp• .'»111holi,.ing Ihc [ndi'ional farmer's "orL cap. had a sill<:relllbroiden:d spade and l."(lrll..,shc:nes badge anti .'>iller nap and pe::ll piping (gold for ~encral offil."l:rs). I ITter:m 0'1' $CCI}nd licutcmml from Lipper D:mube, 1llStri:f, "·c:fring thc ,\1'940 ""ork tunic, illSigni:', and tht' tro/1il..,,1 pc:,I.r;d field COIl'; phQtof{nlphcclll1l 5 Febru:lr.l' '944, he should hy Ihcll h:l"(' 1Il10plt'(lllle M194J insi[wi",

''''fj4Z

ljoscfCJl;IritH)

,llbert 5i'"", in his idiosrllcr:ui,' OTutliform with)t 194J
J7

aentonl officer.. wore MI936 blacL ooll~r palChcs edged in gold braid wilh:l gold l"Ol"n-CU; field-officers Ihe!l3RlC in sih-cr, suoohnns a siher s-sided braid, frum ScplI~mlx:r H)41 a j-sided br:tid, on branch-eolour p:atchcs. Gener.tl ufficers wore 1\11936 pallem golJ.~luminium thTCided black-gold plaill-d shoulderp~, bbcL underlar ~nd a sihcr ~agle and \\ realhed sp:ade (field-marshal), then 3-0 sih'er pips; field offilxrs, 1-<1 gold pips on 1luminium or lighl-gre) blacL threaded plailed shoulderpieco: subahcms, 1-0 gold pips on aluminium or lighl gre~' blad lbmlded fbI soouldcr-pieas, :.III on br:tnch colour underl:!~'; "Os, :.Iluminium or light grey 1I:!1 OUler cords. bTU\\n inner cords, bbcL piping. Line officers h:!d hbd. kgal officers lighl blue, administl':lIi>t: officers darl,; green, medic:al officers and :"IeOs darl hluc hr:tnch~olour; spt~cialis, officers. half-\\idlh cordl> piped hlacl, darL green, lemon )elluw (wu correspondents). OandmastefS had red and s;!\er pbilcd cords. laler line officcr Slraps" Certain adminislrdli\"c, Iqpl, medical and hand personnel also wore sihcr hranch-badges on brown shields 011 lhe lower Icli steel'e" On Ihe lo\\cr [eli slcc\'c some unils also worc dislinctil'C

Bydurllssi:1II IIIOII/Jcr... of tht, 01' 1J11I5ft·r fur i"speclion, t4e;lring the

18

1\1/9-10 lI"or!' Ilmif: and ,\, '94) lidd mlJ· UU5cfChllrita)

Subaltcrn ol1icers oftht· 01' tlll;tl/l pri.sollcr by {j"i'l'd Sflltt'5 trlXJpS in Nonmmdy in June '9-1-1. ,Yotc tlmt thcl' ure till 11 carin}! Ob50it·IC.\I H}~

;nsignill, Iwd 1m I'C rClIlol'cd lhdr j;WIIj;lil;ll

IIn"blltld5 10 111"Qi(/ being IllX'USt>tJ u(Nllzi Pllrrv IIlL'mbt:rsllip. (BrilllllJlll is)

.

If}-I-I: Col. Ilc;/Ir;ch

Re-m/;ngcr, Army Kn;ghts

Cross holder.

tllfJ,:;njt to 1m

"'SDAP Berc;chsldtcr, IJmb;Jbly rh(' chit·r-or~",11' of" l'olk....HlIrm D;!,,'r;ct, It'lw ;!>. weilring ,11(' 'Vulks!!..' urnJ ' ilrm blind. UuscfCllilritll)

cutl:'bands: sllvcr 'SlJ_bswache R \F' on dark brO'o\n Ilierl's hodyplant sih'er ·:\.~I-L\LT on green edg.:d red-awarded October UBi 10 XIII Dislriel officc:ro; and Banal'on '35; siher '[msland' on hlaeL. units assigned to lhe Emsland prujCCl. 1.lIer redcsignaled XXXI Dislriet. There lien: also blaeL. oonJs wilh a gold (geneTOlls). silver (officers, \\'Os), or gn:). thre:ad ("\ICOS. privatL"S) n:mr.ll stripe hroken b~ a Seaor letter for WCSlwall units 193S--{j: ':'\I' 'NorJ'; '\\"-'\\"est'; '0' 'RiHr Our'; '5' 'River Saar'; 'R' 'Ri,·er Rhine'. RAD companies Inlflsferred to Army 'l3~u' unilS in 1939 40 II ore a while ur siher-gre\' 'Deutsche Wehrmachl' on hlJck. All TOInks 'o\ore lhe s\l:J.lilib annband, indicating a l'\azi organization, amI a 'spadc' unit badge, sometimes umined in Ihe field. On Ihe lefl upper ann \lar correspondems worc a lemon )ello'o\ annlnnd with 'RAD'Kricgsberichler' in blael..: on lhe IOllcr left arm personnel under anned force; command wore, umil ]0 Seplember 1941, a golden lellow annband wilh 'I)eulsche/Wehrmachr' in blad; and Ilierl's Sian· "ore a dark hrown armband cdged sil'er \I ilh Ilierl's shoulder slrap badge in silvcr. On ceremonial occasions a black ric and hrown shirt "ere \lorn with lhe lunic collar open. I,ilh a siln'r brucadc (gold for generals) belt aod dagger: for field scn·icc, a bro"n belT and pistol and sidL-cap_ Lt.CoI. KonopL.a I~pifies Ihe can:cr RAD officer and 1'\00. respected h) his anned forces «juII...lcnts as their equal. lie 'H':l.TS Ihe Knighl') Cross. Gcrman Cross in Gold, "\Iati I'a~· badge. Iron Cross lSI Class, gold \\ound &dge (8 ..-ounds), Close Combal Clasp for 15 da~s' hand-Io-hand combal unsupported b~ annour, (he Anhah Labour Scr,-ice commemoTOlti,e sllaslika badge. alld four badges each indicaling lhe singlehanded dcslruction of a tank "ilh a grenade or I)all~erfaust (inSlituted 9 i\breh 1942). D.J: Obcrl'ornmnn, RAIJ CQlJJjJHny ':;/18-1, JJ:lttl/lirm K ,84: L"kmint:,)llIgIiS/ /9-1/ The MI935 ::"ICo..' and pri,...te,' field uniform L'OnSiSled of a four-poc"h:1 bro" n lunic ...ith dark brown collar, bro" n lrousers,

blad boors and hro"n sidecap, which in 1939 replaced Ihe pealed sen-iet cap pipL-d darl.: brOil n. "COs wore blacL. c101:h col.lar patches with a 5-!iided aluminium braid with a gre~' cemre slTipe. and from 1940 aluminium collat·brAid: ';Cniur Iance-cpl. a rhin while and gre) 5sided braid and a bl;lck e<.1~ed "hile ,erlk... 1slripe; lancc--cpl., no stripe; privat... plain black parch. NCOs 'o\ore brown shoulder STI"JpS piped blad "ilh black-cdgcd sil'·cr rank bTOlid, frum 1940 plain aluminium braid: Sgt., braiiJ Clldrcling the strap, aluminium pip: Cpl., braid un outer edgcs. Conscripl privales had no shoulder slraps, \'olulllecr pri,·alcs SlrAps pired black and silvcr. 1\11 TOInks wore lhe 'spade' unil badge on a blad e10rh shield abo"e the swasliL.a ann band: generals a gold spade, ollkers and \\"Os sih-cr. I'\COs and pri'lIles 'o\blle, somC1im~ on a dark brown shield. On Iheo;e were "Of"n rcd (for generals, bbck) insignia: gcneral MalT, no badge-; divisional slaff, numerals I XXXX; banalion sian-. numeTOlls in the sequcncc 10-501; lo"er TOInks adding a small compan~ numCTOll I 12 belo": rraining schools hJ
R:lmp:lrl, IT,wN: '9-1)

For f:uigllt' durles 'iCOs and pri\";lles "'ore an off-" hite or brown linen jackel .and 1T<>tben. in ,ar~ing ~1~1cs \lilh rhe sidl'-.... p and 'o\o,en Clp badge gcneTOlls had gold, officers and \\
E,: Ilrbc;tsm:llI11 mit ciJljiihr;gl'r 1'cr"llichllmj[. RAO Compilll.'· 8/'99; L'krniJle, December '9+1 In cumbal zones Ihe ,\1194os1eel helmel was .. om .. irh Army or

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Air For.::e (kl.-Oll~ on lhe Icfl ~iJe. ur KAl) b~Jgc.."S on l'ilhcr sidl'. The ~ll935 grcalcl~11 had ~ J:lrl.: bmw" collar "ilh bTu"n lapel li"in~ (dar~ brO"1l for fid.1 officers, blad for gcncr:ll~). From Seplcmlxr Ig.J2 lallcc-<:j'1. T',m~~ "orc: ~ siller pips ~bo\c ~n ~luminium "leu C".mdid'lle oor; ~ pips and blJe~ and sihw ,olunlccr cords; ~-I pips. ",ilh cnrds for \olunll"Crs; t"Onscripl pri\'alc, no slr.lp. Thi~ IUlunlc..'Cr pri,alc ",cars a strap edged blad. ",ilh lolunlccr corel,. ~nd C;lrrics Sland~rd inf~ntr~ equipmem, including the 9R~, glls l.-"llpe pouch IhrL-adcd through Ihe gasmas," shoulder bell, \1 I'JOY ammunilion pouches, ba~om:1 and emrenching 1001. f:.z: 11'lUptrrU/Jpfiihn:r, H IIJ C"ollllJ;l1I) 4/.6; J.-.:UI Prll!>Sia, Seplemocr 19-14

In Seplember 19-11 "COs ~nd prilall:» adopled a ,-sided aluminium bnid '" ilh a blac~ snipe on a bl:&el. cl()(h collar p,neh. rClaincd \119-40 r.ln~ msignia. Ih~ r:ln," (inlrooucro I M.I~ HJ-H) wC'.IrJOg a serge-oint') insignia ...-ilhout Ihe pip. A bro"," pc::!l.:aJ field c:lp "';\.'> imroduce..od in 19J1J. and In 1l}-$3 a bw"n n:nion of the ,-\rm} \119-4.1 pe:lled field cap, gcneT'.Ils "' ....Iring gold, offken and ,,"Os aluminium clV",n piping. In Jul~ '9-tJ dislinclhe enamcl rolouroo badges "cre adopted for 16 Tr:lditional Districts (hen: I Dislrict), ",om 011 the left sidl' oflhe c:lp. 1111s sergeant, probabl~ a plalOOll c.."Ommander, "'cars '\rm~ "'ebbing and c..';lrrie!. an \11'-40 sub-machine gun and P_oR pistol.

""COs

f:J: Front"rIK'iler, OI1Cr/~lIIlcilU"K luding/rcl!, Eills:lr-~ KafJalkiisrc, OT-EinslltzgTlIP/X' 'n t.",'; C;,p Gris;..v<:,~, Xonhcn' Fnwt'c. St·pu·mf,...r '9-10

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UM Ilml., QlIIl}! n'('rllifS (j,r (he VQ1~SS/llrm It L'"rj"g cidfi,m clothes I/ml the pro"j!>'iUlwlllrmlmlul, OctubL'r tlJ4.j. ,VOle the P,lmwrli,w;t :mt;-(illlk It"C:lpOlI. Um,crCllllrit,,)

'A fCrlllllc 'QIUII/CC'r illlhc 1'(J/~s..; tun" is Ki"crI instrucrioll ill thL' Pall;'A:rfiIUSr b.' l.-'OTfJQr,J/. '9015.

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from June 19]8 OT personnel on lhe \\<.""1"'311 "ore ei\ilian c1Olhes, bUI in Seplcmbcr H)3I} ~nd pri\"lltcs were issulod a brolln uniform an "rm~ \1193-4 (lr Air Force \"935 slyle sidcc:rp "ilh a maehine·wulcn Arm)' cagle and COI.·bde, a fi\ebUflOn, Illo-poc,"et IHlrl !OIlie. brc..,,-'Chl'S, pum-e;, and boolS. R~

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j,.l.ob !!offcn (Ie(l) (rom CO/aplc. and II i111dm Sill, lit the par.lde I' hell thc.,c IIC.'rt· ;JII':Irdctl their K"ight:.. CroSSt'S, i Fd,ru,.ry 1f).J.'i. ljosc( Chi/ri'll)

ItH0 pri'OltCS ... crt' wn.rin?: a light S"n:~ armband wilh a blad primed 'Org.Todt' on Ihe left upper ~Ic.-e\e, scrgeanl~ adding a blad. e".lgle helo.... Officers wore Ihe Arm~ _\IJ edged hlal·l nanling Ihe 'Org.Todt', anf.! mediClI and pharmaceutial officers "TWC a got..! sna~e and staff or' ,\' on the shou1dft"-~lralJS. 'OT-Schutzlommando' wure a hluc [itle on Ihe left culf wilh a ~iher-gre)' IIOlen DAF badgc (swastika in cogllheel) bel\\cen '0' and 'T', and J-! siln'rcheHons point-dowo on hind bolding on the righl upper arm for 'leOs, Onieers wore nurm:l1 ~houlder ~trap raok insignia and sil,"er-gre} CulflitlecJging.

err

F,: OT'-Oberl ruppliihrer, 'I bschlliltsb;1lI1eiwlIJf 8oc1ii, Ohcrb"u/eit IItlg Xurdlandb:lhn, O"-'Einsar~1!ru",J('

'Wii.:illg: Bodo. cl'flfrdf Xor"uy,jllne /942 l\lareh 1~2 rcgul;tlions n:tained the' f\llq~Q uniforms, introducing a dislinClhc nlfkcr'~ l)C:Ikef.!lidd ClI' with \11en in: alongside 3rd ,\IOUlllain Dhision. The service tunic nOli had ahullinium cord colbr piping and branch-colour piped shuulder straps with longitmlioal silver braif.! stripes (l fur tield, ! for subaltern otliccrs) and 1-0 guld or siher pips_ Gold pips and Ilbcl,; piping Construction (Raulle+ sen), Supply (\'erllflcgung) and Equipment (.\u..rUSlUng); lemon )cllo...' plpm~ SIgnals (i\achrichlen"cscn); dark bluc\Iedical Sen ice (SanilatS\\cscn) "ith snale anf.! slaff (Doctors) or '1\' (Pharmacists); crimson Ibnf.! (\tusilzug); IIhite with blad str:llJS OT-SchulZkommanf.!o. Sih-er pips ;lnd f.!arl green pipmg-.'\dminislrallon (Yer"allUng); brown ... ar correspondents (Propaganf.!aslaftCl), Ililh lefl cuft' title 'K rie~bcriehler', On the left upper ,lene the Sllastika armband lIas "orn bdoll a narrow light gr.'}' armband lIith 'Org.Todt', printed or machine-wo\l'n in black "ith :I. cemr:!1 broken red 'lripc for com pan) (Bautrupp) commander, illU~ll"atcd here; n::d t.-d~in!!­ bamllion (Einhcil) commander or m<.-dical offi<."Cr: ceOll"al bro~en sil\"l:r ~Iripc-dilision (t:insalZ) cummanf.!cr or medical uOicer; IIhile l'tlging corps (Gruppe) commanf.!er or mcdical ollicer. '\n \rm~' broll-n helt or blacl bell lIith aluminium 0'1' buclde was "orn. Some uflicers had :.iher-braid Sp
f,".1; 8K 6;\ft'iS/l'r, CompmlY 1 IJ. SdJUlZk0l1Jl1l'/flclfJ6 We~'/, Or,pmisll/iQIJ To/It; Fmllcc.j"llImr,1 IY.p

i\COs and privalcs ...·(lrl· the \ 119~O scn i<."C tunic or wQrk tuoic ... ilh branch-colour piped :.houlder strops (""ilh a siller braid bar for WOS); on Ihe righl upper arm j-o chcHons pn:\ iousl~

....... -.._~_ :;:;:;;:;::;:;:;;:;:;::;:;;:;::;;;;;::::;~

rCSlricted to O1'·SchuI7.1:ommandu: and on lhe lefl uppeT arm armbands as (or officers. Spccialil) badges ,,-ere siher-grey on blad:, and on lhe left cuR' hand~men wore a sihcr-grey ly~. llwdically qualified personnel a snale and slatl: signallers a lillhming-flash, all on bro"n discs. Forci~n voluntt'Crs wore national shields on Ihe kfl upper arm, hUI on I} Franl;C (rril;olnur in }dlow cogwheel) and Flanden (bbd lion on a )cllo.... shield edged "ith 'FLAl\DERN' in )cllow aoo\"C) ha\e been confirmed. OT-Schunlwmmando personnel adopled diSlincliH' black shoulder SIr-.lPS piped ....-hile. and \lore the Sucifendicnsl (patrol scn icc) dUI) gOf1(el \lhen on SUCCI p:urol. FJ: OT-Einsalzgruppt.'7I/ciler f/ /'tvfcssor OotlOr \falter /lrugnJ."InJl. 01"'EinsarLf{rll/'~ 'RlIsslaJld-Siid'; $11' Uimine. Mllr-cl1 J9-#o1 t 1\la} 194] regulation.s inlrodua.~ IlC" collJ.r patch ranI,; insignia and hraids on lhe lighl grey armband with hlack embroidered or printed 'ORG.TODT' (nole eapitallellcrs) for otlicers. General nllicers had gold cord collar piping and lighl brown 1»Ir.lllelog....11l1-shaped collar palchcs piped in gold cord with a gold wire '01" monogram. 1\ general had a gold aglc and Iaurel~ laf border, and gold laurel armband l,.~ging on red backing and gold lan~s flanling Ihe ritle. Other general officers had gold burel ~tch edging, gold or siher ornamen[;l! border, and gokI lau~1 armband edging on red bacling. Field officers had siher cord collar piping, and hrol'.n palches piped siller, \I-ilh .z ornamenul siller bars and .z-o gold pips, and siher burel-Iaf armband edging. Suhahern offieers had sihcr lXlllar piping and]I ,\Ii1ilary Fortification Badges {Wl'hrbauab7eichen), and sihcr urnamental arrnh;1I1d edging. l.ower ranks had branch-colour collar piping, brOil n diamond-shapcd collar patches with :I red 'OT' monogrJm :Ind ]-1 silver pips for senior -",Co.., and 3-t rt'd braid chnrons. poinl down, on lhe right upper arm ror junior r\Co., and pbin armbands.

e."';~-::l

,\lan) genCT':lb and field officers adopled a SCl'-K:c IOnic with sihe-r bultons, open cuffs and darl,; bro\ln collar, and a brolln [JCaled cap wilh dark brown hand, siller cord CTO"n and hand piping, silver mel:11 Army eagle and cockade in a silver oakwreath, and silver curds all silver ilcms in gold for general offil;l'rs, who also 1I"0rc lighl grey brcechc~ piping :lIld double stripes. Speer lIore a field ofJ1c..r's uniform omilting collar lr.Jll;hcs, and a sllWJltcrn officer's armband. Brugmann, commander of 'Russland-Siid', "caTS a brown gn':llcoal with lighl grc} general olliecr's lapcllinings, and Ihe \\ ar :\oleril Cross "ilh Sl'.ords in gold. Arter his death in aClion on .16 Mar II}H hu. Corps "as renamed OT-Eill.'\:;II7.gruppc 'Brugmann'. G,: OT-llauprftvntfiihrcr. OT-I·n."t Rl,.1JI. 6..z 'I lake/berg', OT.£;II!>,'Ilzgruppc 'Siic/tJ.
Army:\I'lj.Gl,.'II. Ilcllmll/h Rt')"m:"'n su~n';scs Army ami loll.ssrurm pcnmnnd ;n fhe diggin!! ofslittrcllches.}anuarY I 9-15· U(Jscfo,arita)

French. Ilung:irian. Iialian, I.an·ian, Lithuanian. Nelherlands. \:orwegian. Rumanian. Russi:.m. SIO\"J.k. Spanish. l;knini:.m and \\ alloon ,olunleer'S werc manufactured bUI' probabl) ne,er Issued. Characlcrized h) the countr)'s name in Gl'TtTlan (nther than the nali"e language). Ihe) hale often b«n assumed 10 be for foreign "olumeers in Ihe :\nn~' or Waffen-SS. :\nn)'o-Sl}le Don. Kuoon aml Tere!. Cossad; ~hidds"ere also prescribed. On 8 :"lOlemhcr l().I4 nun-Gennanie 0'1' personnel were urdercd 10 remon: Ihe s"astiL:a arm hand. whilsl OT-

Einsa..a rbc:iler (comT1letoo \lorkers) wore a red 'QT' un the light grey armband and no l"::lP insignia. adding 'OT' collar patches afler thrl::\: months' sen ice. OT-HiJr...arhcucr (casual labourers) Pole>. 0.cchs. and German criminals "'on: 'Arbeilet fur OT' (OT-\\ orl.er) wilh (.;, iliao clotheli. From lJe«:mhcr 1944 female signals a\L'(iliarics "ere prescribed a dark blue oonletln:ss blouse. skin. and field or sidecap, "ith a sill'cr eagle left uppcr ann ood~c and a lighming-f1ash cuff badge.

Ranl, Titles of \u'\:iliar) Llhollr ~lnd \lilitia Lnils (ltJan,..,,,... Tudl

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The _\I19.P ill!>i!lnia '1';1S forbidden affer Jul~ 19+4 (Ihe three Truppfuhrer r:mh. no'l d.·mOl.-d 10 'iCO ~tJtus. had 10 remme their officer's L-:lp rllping). but lhe chaOlic ~uppl) Silllaliun pre\"Cmcd complianL1.: '\llh Ihis order. G~: 1'ulksstllrrlllmHIIl, U'estmllrk \'o/hswrrn; $t. \I'('ndd (.'l""rbriiL-kt'n), J:mwrry /(145 Ordcr ]111/4-1 (ll Oclllher 19~) ~Ild the order of 1 DccernlJ.cr 1~4 required rulhSlUrm fH.'rsunncl to pro,ide th..,ir o"n unifurm. Accordingl~ thc~ ,'orc olJ \rm). I'\.a,) or \ir Forcr unif...... m~. e'l:n of Firsl \\orld War lintage; or a p;1rJmilllar) uniform esp«iall~ 'l'SDAP officiJls, 'l'SKK. :'\5"'1>:.5,\. QT. lIiller youth ...... "oli<:.:. sorneumes d~ed \nn, field gre~; or uniforms donat«l through public appeals; or chilian dOlhes. \lust wore a llli'lUro: uf uniform items. All insignia ,laS 10 be remo' cd and onl~ the uffieial '\ olh~turm' ami band "urn on the upper Icfl slt:o:'e. and rank ,;ollar pal"hes inlroduced 11 Octuho:r 19H "herl' appropriate. This pri'Jle Ile;lrs the firSI pattern armband, ~\Ipp(},cdl} supcr~edcd on I nel,;emhcr 194-1. and, .IS a member of the Tank \\arlling Sen ice reeruiled in frumier diSlriet~ lU "am Tank C1ose-C..omoot Stluads of approaehitlg cnem) armour, Ihe stamped sH:d gorget. lie (-:lrries his 0,", n sporting rille. \lthough thc armband DcsIO"ed annt.'lI forces status under Ihe lQ21J (]enen Comention.the bel of uniform allo"ed per1ionncl;n the Wesl 10 aloid c:al)tu..o: b~ posing as ci,ilian.~. "hiht rendering those in the East liable to sumlllar~ nn....IIion as gU''TTillas h~ trigger-happy So, iet troops.

6): IJ,u"iJ/onsfiilm.." r frll.~1 Tibllrzy, l'ou.. ...M llrm; Odcr

From. ."'ilreb '945 Senior Volksslurrn positions, dOlln to and including ~lJlonel, "ere usuall~ held b) 'l'SDI' P officials ur S,\ offin'rs "caring Iheir own uniforms "ith the ·'·oll.sstuTm' artnband. Otber oflicers ,",or.., plain blacl elUlh collar patcho on bl:Hh eullars, !iOllle unofficially adding alumlOium-<:ord piping, \\ ith alummium pips: 4 for field offiet-rs, j for sub-Jltcrns (the banalion medic:al officer adding an aluminium male and sutfin front). Sumelimes insignia "eTC fixL-d direct I} 10 the collar \rm~ uniform ito:ms were nO( surprisingl} lhe mosll)OlllJlar. and TiburL) \\caTS th.· ~I 19]5 olticer's lUnic with colin. shuoldcr and breast insignia remUlL-J according 10 regulaTions, althuugh mall) soldiers relai,led lhese 10 emphasiLe their militar) Matus. The usual headge:lr I,as the "11943 cap with Army cagle and cockade, but Tiburzy pr..Jers The dislinctile brOIl n field cap wiTh "hile fur C':J.r-tlaps ,",orn h~ Eastern Ministry (RI\JnO) officials. lie "(".ITS the armbJ.ntl on the lo"cr slrt"e; and his Knight·s Cross the first a"-:lrdcd to rhe \ ollSslurm -for the singlehanded destruction on 28 Februar~ 1945 of fin: So,iet lanls of the Oder From .....ilh PamerfausLS. despile serious \\I>unds. Ilitierjunge ~o\\al. 16 rt:lTS old. gain\-d his a"';Ird for dL~lroring mne 50\ iet lanls. HI: $llJIifiits
orderl} I'(.'";lrs th~ Arm~ uniform I'ilh \11943 field cap and \II9.fO greatcoat, o,er a bro\ln OT tunic. As a corporal equi\-alent (the 11'0 medICal ranks werr intmdoced 9 'io\Cmber II}#) 1M: );houkl \\ear his nnl oollu paleh on boIh <:oIbrs. bUilhe Icfl p"'I<:h ""as somelimcs omined. A serge:lnt ",ore two pips, a pri\~le no collar p.1t<:hes. lie "cars Ihe "hile arlifieial \1001 armband \I ilb a machine\lo,'cn red l.TOS~ introdu«.! 6 .\larch 1937 for armed fon:es medi(....1pcrwnnet and a }ello" armoond sl:lm~d "ilh the 10Gl1 NSD"'> se:ll and 'Deutscher YollsslllrmfWehrllIacht' in black ... hire, rlOd and orangl: armbands were also worn. lie carril'~ lhl: 1\11\141 tropi<.:al brlOad bag manufa<.:run:d for rhe :\l"ribkorps, for his medical supplies. 'Freikorps SaulOrland' pcrMlllncl \\ore their unit had!,c in doth on the right uplX,r Hm :lnd as a transfer on rhe Icfl side ofthe Sled helmct;:l "hile slee'c lirk \\ irh blad: knering "'"a~ :lpp;lrenll~ also aullwrizcd. 'Tirol\ QT:lrlhc~' ooltalions wore ligbr green unit numcr.lls on the rig-hi collar paleh. "'nn~ shoulder SlTaps, :lnd a red T} rolcan e::Jglc :lnd unll di~lriC'l on:l darl green diamon'! on the left up~r arm. Ib: 7.lIgfiihrrr, 19/h Bn., -I/h (Almbar C.ommancl, 1I11rrhcl:md lolkssrurm: l'07JL'In,janullry 'IN.. \\anhebnd DiSlriC'l \'las cslahli.<;hed on 26 Ckrobcr H)J9 from 1)(;eupi(..,;1 \\csrern Poland, \\llh Germans, rcsenled Elhnie Germans, and a h05lile: Polish majoril~ Ir felt fhe full force: of the Januar~ 1945 So"iel olfl:l1siH:. 19 \'ollSSlurm h~tt;\liom fornled Regiment~1 'combar comm~nJs' (Kampfkummandeurc) I i . 'I'hi~ ~crgc~nt of the 19th (I>()~l:n, nnw Poznan) Ihrralion of 4th (S<.:hicr~I~, now Sicrat7) COlllh'll COn1maml, ha~ ulloflicially IJJill1ed his oatt:llion numher on his blad \II(JH ,"-ir-Raid Prolcction Sen-icc (Re:ich.~luflschut£bund) helmet, an.! is \\earinj: Ihe distinctiH' bTU\\n i\SO,\P official's grcatt.'Q:lt. ~Ian~ \ I)ll~turm personnel captUred h~ lhe Red "'rOl) ... caring bro"n 'iSD\P, R \1) or 0'1' unifornl); were: shor 'for tr~ing to disguiseIhemschcs as Smiet Iroops' This 'Jeo wears an "'ir FOnT beh and trouscr;, ,\11"'40 l"3nlOlS lCJ!:gings. :lnd 1\11931 C:ll1\:tJ; bread llal:JiIiOlUfiihn:r 1\ ilhcnl Sin, 1/ rOrmt'r I'ulice dClJwlit iU/ls oflicer (S"rengmci,,,rcr). orthe Colognc "OIJ.S."tllrtll. "T'lring his Ilrm.1 tullie upen lit tht'{'OfJHr to c/ispl,,-," Iris Knigh/ 's Cross,

:I lI":lrdctl7 FclJru:rry 11)4,;; hc' Ims ki//ed eXIIC:tfy 'I mOil/I> IMer.He II'c;.rs till' 191-1-t8Iron f.'rns.'> 1939--15 cilt:fe hllr, Inm ~ IS' CII's.,>, /:'<>I
wi'"

.-1l1nit orllitler I ollth 3rd

Lt,,) par;,dt'" ith:m Irm) officer, Tht'J IITt'" caring rht, Hj ,,-imt'r IIllilorm ilnd lire {"I.rr,' ing t1l1lehille ~Ull.S,

stick-gn'I!:I(k... IlIId P:I f1zerfillllif,~·. (luserCllilriW)

-"

-_. JI membcrofulf: Suxon,' Hitler l'outh (nOlc slccl-e trillflgk) scr\'ing in tIJe lIolksswnn, In:;,";ng Air Force A IIxili:lry (Lufi"llflenhdr"r) grC'IIt(:OIIt and II ir Force pel/kt;'!:! field Clip, the first pll/ff.'rIl1.rmblllld,lIml t:arryillj! an JlIP.o. (jOlK·rO,llnta)

hag. lie carries a 981. rille and a l'an7.erfausl 60 anti·lank "capon. llis armband i~ yel 31101her variant, fuund ill grC} or "hileCOllon with hlad letlering and cagle.

I ~J.' HJ-H
1I" rj/l 945 Ilitlcr Youth personncllormed Ihe JrU Lcv)" and ofI,m \olumcc-

red fOl'" the lSI and 2nd Le\-~' Tanl. Oose-Comlxoll Squ:lds; b) April 1945 c"cn Io-lcar-
Youlh) wercscn'ing in lhese uniK "'IOSI relained their II] or DJ uniforms wilh full insignia, often e"cn omitling Ihc 'VnlksSlUrm' armband. Hitler's hlSI public appeanlllec, on 20 April 1945 (hi~ 56th hirlhday) in the grounds of lhe Reich Chanceller~', was (0 UCC()[:l.tc 20 IIJ membtrs, the youngest onlr 11. years old, with the Iron Cross. This Hider Youth "XCO, lechnicall) a VulksslUnn prilale, "elTS rhe I-IJ "·inter uniform wilh MI9JJ blad: ski-ap with IIJ diamond ctp badge, and MI938 dark blue blouse and troU.~TS,

l'olJ.:ssturm troops tIIJ.:en pr;sollcrs-of-.nlr, dressed IIIIUSIIIIIIJ ullifQrmly ill Arm.'IlT"Clllcoarsalld "1(4) field caps, K-ith first mOOclllrlllb.'111ds. Their rdllXw alli'ude suggests thlll ,he,' h:ld !mlTCtldered to the 11 estem Alfies, Um>cfCharita)

luded JnIO ... hile sods_ The shoulder Sll"llpS, piped red fur the Gener:al IIJ br:anch, h:lI'-e 1....0 ... hite met:l) nn!. pips and the regimental (limn) number 155. cmcnng Ikrlin's Kn:m:bcrg :lnd ,\Iitle districts The MI933 slee\c triangle denOlcs the corps (Obergchic:l) districl '!\ord', ~nd the dl\isiona) (Gebiet) dislrict Hedin; the ~2 IIJ di\-isions in German) t:urropunded. ...-ilh somc name \ari
N",,,",su. Ie>

I'bnch~.

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lie lintS thc'\'ollcsslUrm' armoond (l.crhis·llj"amlmnd;a green-blad lanyard as IIJ-l Iaupt.scharfuhrc:r (compan~ scrgcam-major); and a badge for Ihe singlc-handc:d dl"l>truelion of an Cflem) t;ml.. Ill.' is armed with the ,\1/933 l';l.mpln~ Lnife. and the 8.8cm RPI.05~ Pan:r.er.ochred. anti-tanl protector, firing hoIlo... -chaf}l:e armour-piercing projectiles and opt"Tatl-d br a Ihree-man tcam ofh:adcr. gunner and 1000der

en mul~ur

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A, I.. lehUe de ,'II~.H ,.,., oc mule", h"'er Ie <:<.. ,1"" ..,;~n'< du eomn,,"d"ll de 1. e"'''I",gnic. Les insi~n,'" ,I'"SI> \I' e, d,· I. S,~. AJ Lo oflic;',." l'''rt~nll'"nLf'''t''c ~,i<-hko de l"\,m« de I·A". On "'" un .i~le ",;1 ",,,,pl...( par Ie h..,s.a,d '''yon' de I'l\SD.~P en '9,1'. A,I Cn'. ",m;n,ll. Ilan,.,,,1e I","'e la d,.",i"" gr;,_blcu adol',ee en "iH "n,i ~o,' k LCl'i no;, 1""'1' 'lOr Ie '''~e ~ noller ll\""", 1'''''' Ie hl>,,,n nol;''''all'lul00 q"e l'''~k "" Ie h• ." ,k la ""nohe ,;,ud,,·

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offic"" .. d" Old" ,,[ >Ou>-oIfKKT n .., elKl "'" r~1 t.1 ~I.nl"" \IIQj5 n kCl"ll""d·......,. \IIde""",b>.[. I... 1"...., del " ••'.. a,~ "'" dlllSInC!",' b ~[I."I"" .... .., ~"I" au pn"OIlnU\nlr ........ On ""rod",. k 1>...,,,,,,,, .....,., ...,......... ...,;, P"""C'" >.Ir r ... ,f.".,.,.. d.. ~ ...I (J" pour !nor "'IIn

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1', \I1l~..... ln,f"",, ... " ,nootfu...... r..&l" 'h>nCI' MI'I D"·n.,hlll'"', 1'.1 H... ~' .... nn, 1.._ nund.n, Ion ·R......und~..ud', 'r4t ""n b~ OOun.·" \1.n,<1 m" ...1Iv-:11 00""'....11,,,... ''',,1 dI, I.....".
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\lllNJ In lI"un, mOl '>Il~ .. cilk..Pbpd. n>loc> "Hoi '~f< l,,,,lv,m ""II.., ,..,,[dl,n. Doc..., e,"!.. ~,· ~ulll., ".~' rhe """" Form I• .~,.,,,h,,,d unIt d" S"hbb> 1',,,,.c,.\\ .. "I n,i, '"'''... ei~men Sl""'~,·"ehr 1I"".rr",,1. G.1 00".."111,,,", \\'~H' ,lie 1);'Lonl."un 0.,,"'.... ,Icri""" IK\ \ 1l()1 lrujl."·"

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110 I.. br......rd 1l1."c .,>[ introoun .·h", Ie 1"'.... "n,,1 "'''he....1 en '~3i, Crt ,,,oo.lrune, ",.. t< un ...e , p.in """leu, oo:r< (.1"'4'" po.,u' 1','I,ic>.lOTps, POlO' e""'Cm, 1.. ,11'(1\"''''''' ,.".:"ji,..h II, C.c '.:\'J"nl • 1'<'01 n....-oIlic.dlm"'n[ 'on nu,n.", o.k' b.11 .. 1~)n ,ur "on C''''l'''' ,n"-bun,""nklll 11.1 U ..... >-OlfKio.'T
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Iuf""',,~on und .~dk,. Ik""lr",,,[c \ ,.,.,1 ,m hnlcn ~rnl<1 h., ein ~"""",m.nll,,,'cllu,,~ ,,,,..ijl." G, \ "Ih"unnn"",,,'r mullrrn

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II, (l., "o,1k -"'mh.nd "",dc 'Qj7 fur ~''''''''I""",n.1 cin~duhrt I)...." Son" ..c' ,r'~1 ... ""n T""",,,.Il,,,,lIooll,,,1 \1 "'-1', 1I<'~c''''"1 fu. J.. M,i~.~O

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