Feldgrau.net

Hi Everyone,
I was looking at a map of Greater Germany with the current borders also marked. This map was printed on the end papers of David Cessarini's biography of Adolf Eichmann. It showed a portion of Switzerland being inside the borders of Greater Germany. I assume this represents Liechtenstein. Did the Germans actually occuppy this area?
Thanks in advance,
John K

No...they didnt. I assume the map may have included a representation not just of "Grossdeutschland" but of additional areas with German speaking populations.

Early in 1939 the Liechtensteiners voted for continued independence and the continuation of their link with Switzerland. this was after some citizens had demanded union with Germany. The vote was 95% for the status quo.

- Hans

How many citizens of Liechtenstein volunteered to the Wehrmacht? I've read somewhere, that there were some SS-men from this country. Can't find this book now, but I'll keep looking. Can any fellow member enlight me with this question?

Pozdrawiam

I don't have figures for Liechtenstein. However I suggest that they were probably counted amongst the 800 Swiss volunteers who became members of the Wehrmacht.

- Hans

So if they volunteered to SS, then they might have been assigned to
"News" (Kriegsberichter) unit SS-Standarte 'Kurt Eggers'?

According to Chris Bishop the vast majority of Swiss volunteers found themselves in Waffen SS, most being assigned to the 5th SS Panzer Div. Viking, although a number were assigned to the SS Standarte Kurt Eggers.

- Hans

I have the same book. I'll keep looking and post if I find anything. Thanks for help :]

Hello Gents

The number of Swiss participants in the war effort of Germany is something above 2'000. This includes the Foreign Swiss. There is exhaustive study (+750 pages) on the subject: Vincenz Oertle "Sollte ich aus Russland nicht zurückkehren, Schweizer Freiwillige an deutscher Seite 1939-1945, eine Quellensuche", Zürich 1997. The author was able to trace 1'980 persons including 8 women. Among these 870 (44%) came from Switzerland itself. 548 (40%) were Foreign Swiss living in Germany and Austria, including 249 persons with double citizenships (it was not possible to check if the persons aquired the additional nationality after volunteering). 181 persons (13%) were Foreign Swiss kiving in an unknown country, but it is assumed they most probably were living someplace in the German Reich. 30 persons (2%) were Foreign Swiss living in France. 13 (1%) came from other European countries. About 40 persons came from Lichtenstein. They were included in the "Listen der Schweizer Freiwilligen" made by the Referat Schweiz, Abteilung DI/3h, SS-Hauptamt. The number of 800 volunteers is thus not quite correct. The source for the number 800 is the Referatsleiter Schweiz im SS-Hauptamt rapporting to Obergruppenführer Gottlob Berger: " I can report the following Swiss volunteers to Obergruppenführer as per September 1st 1944: Altogether volunteers for the Waffen SS 755, among these fallen or missing 86, discharged 52, today with the troops 617, with the Wehrmacht (Heer and Luftwaffe) 34, SS-Führer 33, among these fallen 5, SS-Standartenjunker awaiting promotion to SS-Ustuf. 3, 13 now attending Führerbewerber- oder Junkerlehrgänge".

Vincenz Oertle was able to study 578 cases of Swiss (from Switzerland) belonging to military and paramilitary and nationalsocialist organisations They were

Waffen SS 503 (87%)
Organisation Todt (OT) 20 (3%)
Heer 15 (3%)
Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) 13 2(%)
Hitlerjugend (HJ) 11 (2%)
Luftwaffe 10 (2%)
Sturmabteilung (SA) 6 (1%)

Deutsches Rotes Kreuz 1
Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrerkorps (NSKK) 1
Volkssturm 1
Kriegsmarine 0

Mitarbeiter des Sicherheitsdienstes (SD) 5
Mitarbeiter der Geheimen Staatspolizei (Gestapo) 5

608 members of the Waffen SS (including Foreign Swiss) were tracable to the following units. It can be singled out that more than half of the volunteers from Switzerland were in 6.SS-Geb-Div Nord (not Wiking). In this unit, by far the most (62) were in 2./SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 6. According to the Chef of 9./SS-Geb.-Art. Rgt. 6 the reason for their use as recce soldiers was due to the fact they had all received an exceptional good education, and thus compared to Volksdeutsche were more spirited. A lot of Swiss first were first trained in SS-Geb.Jäg. A.u.E. Bataillon 6, Hallein.

I. SS-Pz.Korps Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler: 1
1. SS-Pz.Div Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler: 22
1. SS-Infanterie-Brigade(mot.): 1
II SS-Pz.Korps: 2
2. SS-Pz.Div. Das Reich: 93
2. SS-Infanterie-Brigade (mot.):14
III.Germanisches SS-Pz.Korps: 6
3. SS-Pz-Div Totenkopf: 20
4. SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division: 6
V. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgskorps: 3
5. SS-Pz.Div Wiking: 17
6. SS-Geb.Div Nord: 290
7. SS-Freiwilligen-Geb.Div Prinz Eugen: 11
8. SS-Kavallerie-Div. Florian Geyer: 8
9. SS-Pz.Div. Hohenstaufen: 10
10. SS-Pz.Div Frundsberg: 8
11. SS-Freiwilligen-Pz.Gren.-Div Nordland: 18
12. SS-Pz.Div. Hitlerjugend: 3
13. Waffen-Geb.-Div SS Handschar: 5
16. SS-Pz.Gren.Div Reichsführer SS: 3
17. SS-Pz.Gren.Div Götz von Berlichingen: 2
18. SS-Freiwilligen-Pz.Gren.-Div Horst Wessel: 6
21. Waffen-Geb.Div. SS Skanderberg: 1
22. SS-Freiwilligen-Kav.-Div Maria Theresia: 1
23. SS-Frewilligen-Pz.Gren.-Div Nederland: 5
24. Waffen-Geb.-(Karstjäger) Div SS: 4
28. SS-Freiwilligen-Gren.-Div Wallonien: 4
31. SS-Frewiwilligen-Gren.Div: 2
32. SS-Frewilligen-Gren.Div 30. Januar: 3
33. Waffen-Grenadier-Div Charlemagne: 14
37. SS-Freiwilligen-Kav.-Div Lützow: 1
38. SS-Grenadier Div Nibelungen: 2
Sondertruppe Reichsführer SS: 22

HTH

Cheers
Hans

Great post Hans, thanks
One question: why there's no mention about SS Standarte Kurt Eggers in SS list?

Hello

Because only one Swiss is listed as belonging to Kampf Propaganda-Kommando der SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers and I was running out of time;

Other units with only one Swiss not mentioned above:

- SS-Standort-Kommandatur Paris
- 4./33-Flak-Abteilung Obersalzberg
- 1./SS-Freikorps Danmark
- 9./SS-Polizei-Regiment "Todt" 28
- SS-Ziehund-Ausbilungs-Aussenkommando der Lehr- und Versuchs-Abteilung für das Diensthundewesen.
- Wachkompanie Zentrales Arbeitslager (ZAL) Szebnie/Polen
- SS-Frontarbeiter-Einsatz Bataillon
- SS-Straf- und Bewährungs-Kompanie Dublowitz bei Prag
- Kommando Stab Milizia Armata

Actually the guy in the latter unit was Oberführer Corrodi, probably the highest ranking Swiss enlisted.

Cheers
Hans