34th SS Volunteer Division
"Landstorm Nederland"
Unit insignia
Active1943–1945
Country Germany
Allegiance NSB
Branch Waffen-SS
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
Engagements
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Martin Kohlroser

The 34th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division "Landstorm Nederland" (German: 34. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division "Landstorm Nederland") was a World War II infantry division in the Waffen-SS, the military wing of the German Nazi Party. It was formed by converting the SS Volunteer Brigade Landstorm Nederland into a division. It was composed of volunteers of Dutch background and saw action on the Western Front, but its strength never reached more than a brigade.

Upon the Operation Market Garden landings in September 1944 the unit would come under the command of Hans Rauter in the newly formed Kampfgruppen Rauter along with the Wachbataillon Nordwest and a regiment of the Ordnungspolizei. Rauter was said to be proud of his Dutch 'Germanic SS'.[1]

The unit fought various actions of the Eastern and Western fronts. It took part in fighting in the Netherlands, then Pomerania, and then on the Seelow heights. In the latter action, Panzerjagdbrigade "Dora", equipped with Jagdtigers was attached to the formation, and both were destroyed attempting counterattacks.

Organization

The division consisted of the following.[2]

  • Division HQ
  • SS-Feldersatz-Battalion 60
  • Grenadier-Regiment 1
  • SS Volunteer Grenadier Regiment 83 (3rd Dutch)
  • SS Volunteer Grenadier Regiment 84 (4th Dutch)
  • SS Artillery Regiment 60
  • SS Panzerjäger Battalion 60
  • SS Pionier Company 60
  • SS Signals Company 60
  • SS Veterinary Company 60
  • SS Field post Department 60
  • SS Medical Company 60

List of commanders

The following were the commanding officers of the division.[2]

  • SS-Oberführer Viktor Knapp (11 May 1943 – 1 April 1944)
  • SS-Obersturmbannführer Deurheit (1 April 1944 – 5 November 1944)
  • SS-Standartenführer Martin Kohlroser (5 November 1944 – 8 May 1945)

See also

References

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Beevor 2018, p. 48.
  2. 1 2 Baxter 2023, pp. 153–154.

Bibliography

  • Baxter, Ian (2023). Waffen-SS Dutch & Belgian Volunteers. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-39908-762-9.
  • Beevor, Antony (2018). Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges, 1944. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-670-91867-6.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.