Finnish SS-Obersturmführer Helmer Kalas published a book in 1955, where he told about his transition to the Waffen-SS rows after the truce in 1944.
A new article-book has been referred in Finnish newspapers:
“In historical research much is written about the Finnish SS-Battalion during “the Continuation War 1941-1943” - the so called Pledge Battalion. But much less notice has been given to the fact that the Germans managed to re-compile a Finnish SS-Company after the truce between Finland and Soviet Union in September 1944, that is after the Finnish-German official military collaboration had ceased.
Ph.D.. Åke Söderlund believes that the re-birth of the SS-unit has been a target of oblivion or even protection by Finnish examiners. He writes about the matter in a new article-book ”Incidents of war, internment and transmission to post-war conditions” published by Kansallisarkisto (National Archives).
About 60 men and 8 officers is estimated been serving in the Finnish SS-Battalion, but numbers have varied due to several transfers.
Numbered as the 8th, the Company ceased functioning in May 1945 at the latest.
The core of the Finnish SS-Coy was cadres from men who had served in SS-Wiking division during 1941-43. Fall 1944, they defected or remained in SS-Troops, when the ex-friends had became enemies.
Prisoners in the ranks
Officers and NCOs were consisted mostly from men embraced pro-nazi or accommodative ideas, which the Finland’s Foreign Ministry had once recruited to the Waffen-SS.
- The faith to the final victory of the Germans was for long unfaltering at least for outward appliance among them, Söderlund writes.
A great deal of the ranks consisted of Finnish POWs and internated merchant seamen, whose aim often solely was to be save from the inhuman conditions, which did not meet the requirements of humanitarian law. Recruiters were often Finnish SS-Officers.
In October 1944 about hundred prisoners of war refused to recruitment were forced to march north towards Norway. Day march was ordered thirty kilometres. Bread-day dose was reduced, so that eventually it was only 250 grams. Beverage was surrogate
tee. In the evening they got thin soup.
- The Finnish SS-men explained the prisoners of war the march in front of them and described the details of their share of their future bleak, Söderlund writes.
During the trip, the prisoners joined the SS-ranks, and even in Norway the recruitment resumed. The final transition in larger numbers to the SS occurred in February 1945, when five officers and 31 men from the prisoner camp joined the SS troops.”
In Stutthof punishment was hunger doses and deprivations of life
Approximately ninety Finnish merchant navy sailors interned by Germans were transferred to the Stutthof concentration camp to work in sub camps in October 1944. After seamen's refusal, the behaviour of German turn for the worse. Hunger doses, deprivations of life and ignore of the worth of human life became common practice.
Approximately ten percent of the Finnish Stutthof camp inmates might have joined the SS troops.
Åke Söderlund suggest that for many recruits the SS-Company was the last straw for life in the situation where they couldn't take anymore the treatment they’ve got either physically or mentally.”
Sources: Newspapers ”Lapin Kansa” 2.3.2010, ”Aamulehti” 4.3.2010
I haven't read the book, so here is only my edition of the news.
I hope that someone who has the book about Lauri Törni’s action with ”Kampfgruppe Steiner” in April, May 1945 would translate parts of it for me, and all of us!
![:[]](./images/smilies/icon_study.gif "Study"){kind=icon}
With best
Juha-Pekka
