Waffen-Ss Dutch, Belgian And Danish Volunteers

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This book explores the involvement of Dutch, Belgian, and Danish volunteers in the Waffen-SS during World War II. It covers their formation, battles, and ultimate fate on the Eastern Front.

An in-depth look at the contributions and combat history of Dutch, Belgian, and Danish Waffen-SS units.

After Germany invaded the Soviet Union, many volunteers from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark joined the Waffen-SS. The largest of these was the SS Volunteer Legion Netherlands, which first saw action in Yugoslavia and Northern Russia before being renamed the 23rd SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland.

Alongside the Nederland division fought the SS Volunteer Legion Flanders, primarily made up of Dutch-speaking recruits from occupied Belgium. This unit was eventually disbanded and later reformed as the SS Assault Brigade Langemarck (SS-Sturmbrigade Langemarck).

The SS Volunteer Legion Walloon consisted of French-speaking volunteers from German-occupied Belgium. They were deployed to Russia and later became part of the SS Assault Brigade Wallonia (SS-Sturmbrigade Wallonien).

Additionally, around 6,000 Danes served in Free Corps Denmark, which was sent to the Eastern Front in May 1942. Within a year, this unit was absorbed into Division Nordland, known as Regiment 24 Danemark.

Using an exceptional collection of rare and often unpublished photographs, this Images of War volume details the combat history of each unit. It highlights the 1944 battle of Narva, famously called the battle of the European SS, and follows these forces as they retreated across devastated landscapes.

The book also recounts how these Dutch, Belgian, and Danish formations became trapped in the Kurland Pocket, with some evacuated by sea while others were killed or captured in front of Berlin in April 1945.

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