34th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Landstorm Nederland

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34th SS Volunteer Division
"Landstorm Nederland"
File:34th SS Division Logo.svg
Unit insignia
Active1943–1945
CountryFile:Flag of Germany (1935–1945).svg Germany
AllegianceFile:Flag of National Socialist Movement.svg NSB
BranchFile:Flag Schutzstaffel.svg 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 combat wing of the German Nazi Party. It was formed by the conversion of the SS Volunteer Brigade Landstorm Nederland into a division, which itself had grown from the SS Volunteer Regiment Landstorm Nederland and Landwacht Nederland. It was composed of volunteers of Dutch background under the command of German officers, although by the end of the war was only half Dutch, and its strength never reached that of a division, numbering roughly 6,000 personnel at the end of the war.[1] It should not be confused with the larger 4th SS Panzer Grenadier Brigade Netherlands.

Operational history

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The division's forerunner regiment, SS Grenadier Regiment Landstorm Nederland, first saw action during Operation Market Garden. In September 1944, the unit came under the command of Hans Rauter in the newly formed Kampfgruppen Rauter along with the Wachbataillon Nordwest and a regiment of the Ordnungspolizei.[2] 1st and 2nd battalions were deployed in defensive positions early on, but 3rd battalion was still in training. It was deployed to Arnhem, and quickly attached to the 9th SS Panzer Division when they arrived at Arnhem on 20 September 1944.[3]

On 1 November 1944, the regiment was raised to the status of brigade, and then again in Feburary 1945 to division. Under the command of SS-Oberführer Martin Kohlroser the division fought in the Netherlands during the final months of the war in 1945, attempting to stop the advance of 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division, which had turned away from the allied advance into Germany to finally liberate the remainder of the Netherlands.[4] The 34th SS Division surrendered at the same time as other German forces in the Netherlands, on 4th May 1945.[1]

49th (West Riding) Division personnel, under the command of Brigadier Edward Neufville Crosse, CBE, MC*, disarmed and interned the remainder of the division, after some conflict between Dutch Resistance and the division. 212 officers and 5,744 other ranks were interned, while 1,070 horses and 578 carts constituted the division's transport equipment.[1]

Organization

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The division consisted of the following.[5]

  • 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

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The following were the commanding officers of the division.[5]

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

See also

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References

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ a b Baxter 2023, pp. 153–154.

Bibliography

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  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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