sande Minister Dr Gaebbels. thanving. highly decorated officers of Ist Cossack Division, 1V. Cossack Cavalry Corps tor the donalions of their soldiers to the. "Winter Relief Fund.” Note Waffen-SS sleeve eagles being worn ‘THE WAFFEN-SS IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE by the officers second and third fron the right; the XV. Cossack Cavalry” Corps | was supplied and ‘equipped by the Wafen-SS.. The photo (Courtesy of Erik Rundkvist) WHOLE NUMBER 45(SITIACIEL lalOTaLALIAYSICTE] [eIRIOIM (FUELCIRIUINIEIN! NEW TITLES Der Untermensch: S5-Bliderbuch EnglistyGersan’ text edition, 52 eges, tabloid format. ¥6.00 ‘This 1s. an extremely rare propaganda “photo work. that Sctually deemed too “radical” by the SS “itaelf and eventually withdrawn from circulation. It hat been mentioned in virtually every fanti-s$" of anti-rNazi™ trect that has been published and this offers the first opportunity. for” tthe average person to really see the Contents. It definitely” vas not fnti-Slavic. ag sone writers have Glleged; it ‘was extrenely enti Comminiat “and ie certainly one of the mst powerful propagania works that” T have ever seen. The "aub= humans" referred to are the dregs fof soctety that were promtes t9 high positions of pover. by the Bolsheviks at the expense of the better elements. of the populace This work is definitely not. for the overly sensitive and I offer AU” principally for its historical Value and” to counter sone of the ies’ thet have been spresd about ie Landstorm Nederland (34.55 Division). The definitive history of the " only non-Gernan” "west Front™ European volunteer division with 410 pages, extensive photos, inaps, charts, “etc. Dutch” text 152.95. For @ limited tine 1 am offering “this "fine title vhich T gunrantee vill ‘te. an. extremly Tare snd sought after book in the very near future, Tour purchase of It'will help me, help other decent dealers, sore important ly contribute "to the welfare of the Dutch $5 veterans themselves! $5 Letthert Exact, high-quality reprints of this" extraordinary ‘monthly $$ pertodteal that was designed both {to inspire ana tnforn. Tesue W12b/ol. 7 Scartoon Edition" - All political cartoons with English 'transla- Hons. "34 pp., card cover. 6.00 ‘June 1964 Tesve Includes a special tribute to the 5. “Ss-Sturmbrigede | "Nallonien" vith rare photos. German’ text Only. 48 pp-, card cover. $6.00 Murenberg ard Other Mar Crines Trials. $5.00 Six MIII10n Lost and Fourd. $4.00 Katya. 66.98 Forged War Crimes. $7.00 Charlemagne’s Legionnaires: The French Yolunteers of the Raffen= 5, 1943-45. 429.95 final retail Stil available at $29.00" pre~ publication price for s limited Hime only" The Lelbstandarte Yolume IL English text edition. $38.00 European Volunteers: 5. 5 Panzer Division | IKING. English text edition. 433.00 Hitler's Gladiator. Biography of $5-Overstgruppentuehrer Sepp Die~ trten. 427-00 An Der Spitze, English text £41.00 The Crines of Yalta. $6.95 The Military History of Croatia $10.98 Holocaust of the Creatians. $20.00 Stuka Pilot. 414.95 Command Extraordinary. _$S-Ober- ‘stursbannfuehrer Otto Skorzeny. nee NEW AUDIO Casserres Oakleaf Collection: Songs of the Iron Guard. $9.95 Luftwaffe Vol. 2. $9.95 Leon Degretie speaks ~ EPIC: The Story of the Waffen-ss_ on tape with, running English transiation. Too Announcing the availability of original N.S. Geraany marches’ on & Comprehensive collection of audio cagsettes. The folloving are now fn stock? German Arny Marches, Yo. I through ¥ German Navy Marches, Yo. T ard Yor. IT Panzer Marches Yol. Luftwaffe Marches ¥ol. I Kavallerie warchee Vol. I Stormtrooper Marches Vol. I and ol. IT These are £3.95 each or the works (12) for #98.00. OLDER TITLES, Nallonien: 28th $5 Division. 46.00 Frontfighters: Norvegion SS Yolun- teer Legion. $15.00 Fighting for Freedom: The Ukrainian Yolunteer Division of the Maffen-SS. 424.95 Kallen Yotunt 580 46095 nee of the Waffen The Leibstandarte, Yolume I. English text, $33.00 Foreign Legions of the Third Reten, Vol. IY. 426.95 Hitler Born at Versailles. $24.95 Campetgn in Russia. $17.95 Epic: The Story of the Naffen-ss. $5.00 5$-Obersturmbannfuehrer Otto Nei- Ginger. $17.00, Deathshead: The _SS-Totenkopf Division. 1n France. English text 412-00" CRunning Mitler at My Side. £19.95 The Auschwitz Myth. 619.95 The Hoax of the Twentieth Century oe Unttorms, Organization and History of the Malfen-ss, Vols. I-V. Fi9.95 each while they last The Harvest of Sorrow. 419.95 Rudolf Hess: Prisoner of Peace. 17:95 Meeting of the Generals. $30.00 (Running low!) The Myth of the Twentieth Century, $19.98 Uprising! One Nation’s Nightmare Hungary 1906. 816.95 55 War Songs and Marches. hudto coasette. £9.99 SIEGRUNEN. BACK ISSUES Munbers 1-27 photocopies only) ~ #2:50 each STEGRINEN Bulletin Wunbers 1-8 - 81,50 each STEGRUNEN Newsietter Wunbers 1-4 ~ #150 each STEGRUNEN Anthology ~ $2.50 STEGRINEN Personality Profiles ~ 1.20 format sesue) - $9.95 STEGRINEN jumber 29 (almost gone? 286.95 SIEGRUNEY Wusbers 30-45 - 85,00 each (Limited supplies!) Hungarian Yolunteers of the Maffen-S5. $5.99 Please add 10% for postage and harling” for all orders {ros this vs ALL ORDERS TO: Richard Landwehr P.O. Box 6718) Brookings OR 97415#IEGRUNEN VOLUME 8 NUMBER 4 (WHOLE Numaer 46] JANUAR Y-JUNE 1988 Eorror Richard Landwehr ASSOCIATE EDITOR Gustav Juergens STAFF ARTIST AND CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ramiro Bujeiro CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Carlos Caballero Steve Kane Ray Merriam Antonio Munoz #IEGRUNEN (ISSN 0733-0367) is published by The Merriam Press, Bennington UT in conjunction with the Editor. Copyright © 1988 by Richard Landwehr Jr. ‘SUBSCRIPTION RATE for four issues: $24.00 in the US, $26.50 overseas. Single copy: $8.00 (overseas add $1.00 for surface mail postage). CONTRIBUTIONS: Manuscripts, photographs, draw- ings are submitted at the contributor’s own risk. Material should be mailed to #IEGRUNEN, P.O. Box 6718, Brookings OR 97415, and cannot be returned unless accompanied by sufficient return postage. Any material accepted for publication is subject to revision as is necessary to meet the editorial requirements of #IEGRUNEN. Rill manuscripts must be typed double-spaced. All photographs and artwork should be credited and accompanied by captions. Fill manuscripts are considered contributions to AEGRUNEN. RQUERTISING: (subject to Editor's approval) in AEGRUNEN is available at the following rates: Full page, $80.00; half page, $40.00; quarter page, $20.00; eighth page, $10.00. Short clessifieds, $5.00. A 20% discount will be allowed for multiple insertions. Ail correpsondence, subscriptions, _ renewals, contributions, advertising insertion orders, etc, must be mailed tot AIEGRUNEN, P.O. BOX 6718, BROOKINGS OR 97415. ey — NOW AVAILABLE! HUNGARIAN VOLUNTEERS OF THE WAFFEN-44 Numerous photos, maps, etc. Ramiro Bujeiro cover. $595 plus $100 postage & handling. RICHARD LANDWEHR, P.O. Box 6718 Brookings OR 97415 FARMER'S BOOKS Specializing in German Military History of World War I & I Send $1.00 for catalogue. Farmer's Books Audio Cassette On THE WAFFEN-4¥ AND | THEMALMEDY TRIAL a5 presented by Ray Merriam at the 2nd international Revisionist. Conference. Includes “The European Volunteer Movement. in World War I | by Richard Landwehr. Price: $8.95 plus $2.00 postage & handling. RICHARD LANDWEHR: P.O. Box 6718 Brookings OR 97415 ————HERE WE GO AGAIN! A British —slick-paper history magazine Investigator yhich —_ponpously announced that” it would be Presenting a unique picture of the Nonknows"= ide of Worid. Mer IT lapsed rather quickly into the same old hate-morgering thet has been going on throughout the general media for the last half-century This publication has launched some particularly irresponsible and virulent defanatory attacks against the Waffen-SS and former Brigfhr. Wilhelm Mohrke “In particular. They ‘are upset that Mohrke wes. never Drought. to trial by the Allies as a Svar’ criminal” due to the fact that he was indisposed for nore than decade in’ assorted Soviet prisons ‘and labor camps: The people in charge of this publication have offered their services to the thugs of the OSI In fan all-out. effort to “get” Mohnke, Claiming he was responsible for. some alleged shootings of POW's. These shootings, if they took place, were 8 spontaneous reaction to hideous British and) Anglo-Canadian “war ines” that have yet to have been newered for (see "The Lynching of Fritz Kmechleln" In Siegrunen 29, fard Wohnke’s ties to these actions fare uneubstantisted. It would be hice if the British first tock care of their own vor guilt’ and atrocities (declaration of war on Germary, initistion of civilian terror” bombing, direction of Sreststance" terrorists and murderers, fire bombing of Dresden, support "for Tite's killers, enthusiastic. role in Operation KEELHAUL and the subsequent deaths of millions of enti-conmunists, etc.), before they vent back to their perfidious and. hypocritical attacks on thelr defeated adversary nthe neantine please boycott this publication and reconmend to dealers that they do not carry It! nilitery titled me THE UNKNOWN NINETY-SEVEN One of the most distressing factors about doing research for Stegrunen is the continual discovery of "new" atrocities thet had been comitted against menbers of the Waffen-SS and then assigned to the great black 4 EDLTORIAL hole" of history. mile always upsetting, these incidents do help Blve ne 8'pretty good reason to Keep Publishing as otherwise the foul deeds would only be known to @ snal! circle. of comrades and relatives of the victims. So here 1s another installment. in a never ending series: Tn April 1945, 97 wounded menbers of the Yaffen-SS who had been quartered in the village of Kuffern, Austria, vere expel led from these “billets ' by the villagers themselves, who were afraid of possible | reprisals from the ‘advancing Soviet forces. Their fears vere justified, if their sctione Were not. Immediately upon arrival in Kuffern, the Reds fell upon the badly wounded Maffen-SS troopers ard murdered them all in cold blood. A Commissar then istued an edict forbidding the burial of the corpses in. the local church cenetery. Soon afterwards farmer donated part of his fleld for the burial. The bodies were never identified as to nenes or Units; they remain undisturbed to this ‘day, largely forgotten, except ro doubt to. the villagers themselves) Tt vas just another “war crime” thet nobody cared about, ard certainly nobody ever_had to’ ansver fort Well I care. This issue is respectfully devoted to the memory of those urknown 97 with the hope hat they will not be permanently forgotten! SHOW/SECRET TRIAL, The theatrical lynching of John Denjarjuk. by. the U's. Justice Department and its Ieraeli cohorts recently cane to tts inevitable conclusion. He was, as expected, sentenced to die for “exterminated” running @ "gas chamber" at the Treblinka Camp during World War TI He "was also supposed to have tortured and killed people in other vays on his own sadistic initiative. The verdict and behavior of the spectators at this procedure drew some mild condemation in the Averican media, but extent of tt For a wide variety of reasons, Mr. Denseniuk wes totally innocent that vas the of the absurd charges brought against him but vas pretty mich helpless to defend himself. “For Instance, the "Nuremberg Tribunals" had long ago rejected the idea of “gos chambers” at Treblinka, although they had endorsed other novel Cand unfeasible) methods of execution. And, one must say, that At Is simply beyond all reason that @ young, uneducated Ukrainian Red Arayprivate/POW, would have susdenly" been placed in charge of such a stupendous underteking 98 alleged. whatever else they did, the Germans did not operate in ‘that tanner; @ massive “extermination” effort like this would have been supervised fron a firly high echelon to say the least. Unfortunately, the prosecutors of Mr. DenJenjuk had to prove nothing. They used the “trial,” ‘appropriately held in 9 theatre building simply as an extravaganza for nore "Nazi atrocity" stories. Tt was "an extremely cynical procedure, Worse yet, DenJaniuk's alibi as weak Che had apparent ly belonged to fan S$ unit of some type, but could hardly own up to it), and the defense was fairly inept. For all that mattered the defense could have been “brilliant and there would have been no change in the result. The defense effort vas tolereted by the so-called "Judges," but Just barely Tt was routinely disparaged and ridiculed. Defense witnesses were treated with contempt; one vas even driven to the point of attempting suicide. Mr. Demansuk's alleged ID card (30 easily procured personally by the "American" pro-Soviet capitalist, — Armnd Hamer), was Senounced ‘as a total fraud by’ every expert that was congulted. The same Card was even used vith the photo of fan entirely different person affixed to it during Denjanjuk's original deportation hearing! This, however, was looked upon as a minor nuisance, ALL that was necessary vas a person of the “right” national ity who hed been somewhere vithin 1,000 miles of the alleged “crimes” ‘at the same time as they vere supposed to have been committed. Never mind that DemJanjuk didnot fit any of the descriptions of the fictionalized Villain. The fact that he was not identified by most of the eye vitnesses consulted by the “Justice” Depertment vas also withheld.It would still be possible to ‘examine In detail the Trebl inka Camp to determine 1f people were actually “gassed” there in large nunbere, the Germans totelly lecked the meene of conveniently disposing of the huge nunber of bodies that would have to have been dealt with. So whet is needed urgently is some farchaelogical spade work on the site, since absolutely no hard facts exist to confirm the atrocity stories. But don’t look for that to hhappen any time soont Interestingly, the U.S. Justice Departnent. poured more _ than 3 naillion dollars into the Demjanjuk prosecution effort while Geliberately concealing vit evidence from the defense. The OST has learned through a variety of lunsavory methods, how to. Keep material secret and away from the prying eyes of the public. By Classifying vast quantities of “docurents” as "in use by attorneys” they have been able to stop their release vin the Freedom of Information Act. The OSI, through its legel maneuverings, hoa also been able (up to recently at least), penalize defendents for having Utilized the Fifth Amendrent and other constitutional rights; it seens thet this had been “eittomat fe” grounds for losing one’s citizenship! Don’t even ask me how they managed to do this, but the OST does “not operate within the lave of the land as\we know them to be. The OSI director in 8 hysterical speech to_an_ ethnic Pressure group, screamed thst there would be "no Justice for Nazis." Yet ofthe hundreds of people picked on by the OSI to date, only @ couple could have ever been classified as “politically oriented." Most OST victins have been. East Europeans, Yo were scarcely "Nazis" at oll by Sry stretch of the imagination. T suspect that they have been singled out. for persecition not chie to eny imaginary crimes that. they committer, hut due to the fact that some people of their nationalities took Jethal action against Conmini st collaborators, during the Interim period that! existed during the Retreat of the Red Aray. and the German occupat ion of Eastern Furope that existed early in World War IT The modern day hrethren of these collmtorators nay have the clout to take” “Judicial” revenge against national groups that they don't care for. Guilt or innocence is rot in question; oll that matters is the fulfillment of @ crazed, hate-filled vengeance. $0 1t will continue for some tine to come, until the citizenry” actually regains control of its own government and Judiciary systen. Punning almost paratlel to the DenJanjuk farce was. the virtually secret retrial of the publisher Ernst Zundel in Canada for having distributed the booklet, Did Six MiITion Really Die?, a publication critical of sone of "the basic atrocity stories. The charge against Zundel wan that he was Knowingly Gisseminating "false news." It ts 8 Little more complicated than that, but not. mich. The obscure, century-old law being used against him had never before been utilized until some members of an. ethnic pressure group decided to give It @ try. Ernst, as the only prominent, visible spokesman against German defanation in Canada had been quite f@ thorn in thelr eide and the only way they gay to shut him up was to take advantage of the welrd and peculiar legal system that exists up there. After one long and convoluted trial, in which Zundel was eonvictes but” had” this overturned on appeal, the prosecution decided to launch enother trial on the sae prenise — 2 process banned in most civilized countries a2 “double Jeopardy. * In. this dublous proceeding the fix" wag” in in advance when the Judge ruled that the atrocity tales ined! to be accepted 93 absolute fact. From that point on the defense could only concentrate on making the best possible case for posterity that they could. And what 8 Job they didt A" parade of survivors, historians, engineers, and eyewitnesses all testified against’ the basic “holocaust” propaganda vith extrene effectiveness. An engineering firm that made a survey and chemical chanber” ar analysis of the "ge 3 St the Auschwitz, Birkenau and Majéanek camps, testified with stunning clarity that no. “mass gessings" could have taken place at those factiities. It was a bombshell that should have made headlines eround the world, but only a numb silence prevailed. ‘The trial culminated with the testimony of historian David Trving, the greatest living authority on the Third Reich era. Tt his conclusion that the booklet in question vas accurate. in. all critical areas, end that in his opinion, after enormous original research and study spanning decades, the notorious "six million" Figure could be reduced to 100,000 or less! This should have been another headline, considering its source, but once again. the mass nedia vos still. No publicity must be alloved! 1 cannot even begin to detail the devastating testimony thet cane out of this trial, but I believe thot because of vhal happened here the course of history ¥il eventually be changed forever. Tn the neantine, Ernst Zundel has been sentenced to’ nine months in prison ‘and deprived of his civil rights and freedom of speech. This 1s @ travesty of such cynical depravity WANTED: Waffen-SS sleevebards, avarde, cocuments, etc. Up {0 #3,000 for Complete SS “soldier's estates. Paying Up to. #200 for $5 Soldbuchs. Free, no obligation appraisals. Will travel to View'on etther” aide of the Atlantic AU teanasetions strictly confidential Welte to: Robert Springer, Genco O11 Corp., 725 E. Market St... Wiimington DE 19801) 46! BOOK SALE: Hundreds of books nd other publications "on mary aspects of ilitary history being offered at below Wholesale prices. st. are one-of- Kind; first cone, "first served) Send Taree M0. business-aize envelope vith “cents postage on it for list; other les. Titerature algo included. hurry=~ you'll never” see prices like these gaint Ray Merriam, The Merriam Press, 218 Beech St-, Bennington ¥T 08201. OK JOCHEN PEIPER'S TRAIL IN THE ARDEWES 19. the working “title of a Super warwscript, researched and written over a ten-year period by a Belgian vho\ has done very extensive research “ane conducted ruimerous Inter ‘Views with Gerpan and Auerican partici pants "as" well as edviliens. It te Primarily concerned “with the incident ft “the "Baugnez crossroads during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1986 (he s0-cal led. "Malnedy Massacre”). The futhor’s main objective was to find out the “truth--aed It cones closer than anything. yet published at telling the Tull" story about this ehapter of World Yer If. Plans for publishing” the manuscript in German, French, Dutch and English "Cin Europe, by. various pub- ishers) are well underway. If all goes well, the. book should be avaliable. in early 1909. T vill be distributing the English language edition in the U-5- SUIT no price information yet. Tf you have not already sent in your name nd nosrest to. be included on the mailing Tist" for a brochure to be sent as soon ‘the book 13 aval lable, 30.30. toer- its Is definitely the most important work ever” published on Pelper 9 acti Witles during the Ardennes Campaign. The “Merriam Press, 218 Beech St., Bennington VT 08201. (If you would ike one. of the other” language editions, Wite and 1/11" send inferastion on here and how. to order thea from the European publishers. HELP WANTED: U.S. military history pub- Nisher specializing in ‘World ar TT history, seeks financial assistance to Improve’ end. expand operation. Loan, donations,” possible Investments cur” rently being sought. Interested parties contact: “Ray Merriam, The Merriam Preaa, 218° Beech St,” Bennington VT 05201" 5thot it defies belief: be deported from the People’s Republic of Canada, once he is let out of the Gulag, No “civil liberties" group has cone to his defense. I have known Ernst for quite @ few years row and I can attest to. his. high. integrity, Courage and nobility of character He personally encouraged me when I was “struggling along in the early Says of Siegrunen, and his Kindness fend concern was always. deeply appreciated. You are not likely to find a finer, more honorable individual, anywhere. His defense effort against’ the absurd charges laid against him vas extrenely expensive. I yould encourage any one ‘that believes in basic hunan rights and freedons to write a letter of support directly to Ernst and enclose a donation. The address: He may even Ernst Zundel 206 Carlton Street Toronto ON MSA 21 CANADA If you would like to read the mst banned publication of modern Limes, the same publication that grove’ “then” to” imprison Ernst Zundel in Canada, I vill provide copies of Six MI Tion Lost and Found (the current title), for $4.00 plus $1.00 postage. A percentage of all sales will be sent directly to Ernst Zundel*s defense fund. UPDATE Tt Is @ pleasure to report thet Prof. Viedimir Sokolov, ho wes mentioned in Stegrunen ‘No. 45, 13 now safely out of the hands of “Los Federales." The OST had sought his deportation to death at the hands of fone of our "Allies" due to the fact thet they found some of his wartime writings offensive. Fortunately the professor did not attend his deportation hearing but. instead Amplenented other plans, which, at least for now, place’ him. well outside the Jurisdiction. of “our “secret, police.” The lensona of the striais" "of Pederenko, Linnas, Denjaniuk, and others are finally sinking tn. There is no vay to fight @ rigged, criminal frane-up on equal terms. Once "these people, with all best intentions, let themselves be caught up. in the web thrown out by the goons in charge, they are a8 good “as dead. The good neva La that the OST 1s now being thwarted, if not actuelly defeated, in advance by Prepared. citizenry. After all, the leftists have been giving “sarctusry” in this country to illegal," Third World aliens for years, "it is. about tine that the ‘Sane ‘treatment be accorded to sone of our honorable, legal citizens who have been unjustly" hounded by the hate-nongers. It will not be easy. but at “least a very good start hae been made in that direction! NEXT TSsuE A complete review of the new, hassive pictorisl history of Legion “wallonie™ and the 26th $8 Uivision, A truly incredibie book! STOP THE PRESS: As_of this writing (ovenber 1988) Charlemagne’s Legionnaires will be Sseued in Decenber 1908. At. that time the price will go to $29.95. Wy therks to everyone who ordered thi inadvence - It vas a big help! SS-Sturmann Helmut Gros tphoto!, vas born on 13 July 1926. A student, he served as 9 signals san vith IT. and Il. Detachments, ss Artillery Reginent 22, 22nd SS ‘Cavalry Division "Waria Theresia." He vas declared missing-in-action Budapest on 16 Decenber 1944. ‘SS-Oberfuehrer Erein Tachoppe (also spelled Tzschoppe), born 5 Septer 1902, vas a senior menber of the SS ir.” 11,965), who served in. the SS-T¥. During the war he commanded IL. Battalion, 6 SS-Infantry Regiomnt UAFFEN-Z? PRSGELLANY 8 of tat SS Infantry Brigede (awtorized), before taking command of the entire regiment. In 1944 he was assigned to the staff of the Nat fen-SS Commander-in-Chief for the Netherlands. He died on 21 August 1972. Among his decorations was the Tron. Cross, Ist Class, vhich was avarded to him in the field. He also bore the SS" Sword of Honor and Deathshead Ring of Honor, SS-Hstut. Hanns Jauss (born 28 June 1890; SS Nr. 134,499), was a World Mor 'T vet who volunteered for duty vith the werfen-ss. After suffering multiple woundings as a frontline officer, Jauss was assigned to the staff ‘of 111.” SS-Panzer Corps Germanic), ending the var with the Utle of "Staff Commandant.” He dled on 18 Februsry 1970 at the age of 9. Ss-Wstut. Dr 28 June 1907 Rudolf Beck, born on in Halle (SS. Nr. $3,809), commanded the SS Signals School" st Leitneritz. His last promtion (to Hstuf.) came on 9 Novenber’ 1943, SS-Hstuf. Gustav Kanth (born 30 Decesber 1914; SS Nr. 340,756), commanded 2 ‘battalion in’ the S-Kampfgruppe Division “Bohemi Moravia," which was in action at fon the Thaya River until the end of the war. At the beginning of April 1945, Ss-Panzer “Grenedier Training and Replacement Battalion 12. from Wienburg, was fighting as @ battle~ group sround. Leese-Stozenau to the Mier Bridgehead. The commander vas Stubaf. Heinz Peinemann (born 4 Septeaber 1915; $5" Nr 120, 126) Commander of Sth Company was Ostut Wilke. Oscha. Langer’ “fron” 6th Company was wounded’ at Leese and ater declared MIA. St. Oberfunker Guenter Gruhn was KIA at Dorfnar®.PARACHUTE BATTALION THE HISTORY OF THE $4-FaLLSCHIRMJ@EGER-BaTalLLON 500,600 by Antonio J. Munoz, R.T.R. FIRE IN THE East The 200 battalion exhausted. first to. ‘Storch’ Drvar. oF so survivors of Rybka's arrived at Ljubljana The wounded had been the arrive via’ Fleseler aircraft, straight from The battalion had. almost ceased to exist, however. The Field Reserve Company’ vas able to make good some of the losses, and sone men. who had only very slight wounds eventually returned to outy. The rest of May vas spent reorganizing. ‘The debriefing period lasted for many days, a3 a lot had happened in ‘those two days at Drvar. Because of Rybka’s serious wounds, @ ne commanding officer had been appointed for the battalion. SS-Haupt sturmfuenrer Shegfried Milius hed. been unofficially. in charge of the battalion since the fend of May and right into June. He vas officially posted on 26 June 1944, This occurred In a simple but moving ceremony held at the Zagreb airfield. Scanning the thinned ranks of his battalion, Milius’s thoughts Centered on what an honor It wuld be to lead these nen. He had no idee that he wae to be thelr CO for the rest_of the var. Had he known, he probably vould “have considered himself oll the luckier. These were excellent troops, he thought to himself. A pity ‘30. many had been lost at Drvar. How sany would he lose, he wondered. Just” three days after thelr return to barracks, and long before ‘any reorganization’ could begin, the battalion vas given orders to mve out. The battalion was to be turned over to Naval Supreme Command Baltic Coast. The headquarters of this command vas located at Gotenhafen Gdingen). The battalion was ‘scheduled to Jump over the Finaien Aaland Islands. Tt sens that Finland hed sued for peace with the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union hed deminded in return staggering war PART Il reparations, vast territories vnich had been Finland's for years, and hhunerous other "penalties" for their “unprovoked aggression." Anong one of "these many demands was the withdraval of German units stationed in Finland. The Germans vere to leave within @ given tine period. If this tine Limit was not met, the Soviet Union would consider this an fact of breach of “contract” and would continue its attacks. The Finns hed to get the Germans out. If it could not be accomplished by Peaceful means, or the Germans Tefused, they were told that they would have to use force. OF course, ‘the tine Limit imposed was too short a time to withdraw the German 20th Mountain Army. The Soviets had done this on purpose, for they wanted the Finns to atteck their forner ally. Tt was the way the Soviets. did business, but Finland, now economically shattered by years of warfare, had no choice. They had to avoid complete Soviet domination at fany means.” No one could really blene them. Hitler's | rage could not be controlled. He didn't see the futility of opposing the Finnish request-vlUinatun He did not remember that it had been the Finns who had sided with him during the last three years. He did not see that they were doing what they thought was best for thelr country, and thet’ they really did not have mich of a choice. Hitler planned. The German Armed Forces would gain control of vitel Finnish positions. This would be done in order to prevent the Soviets from taking ‘these positions once the Finnish Army Taid down their arma. In northern Finland the Germans ‘attacked several key bases, but were met vith failure. Now the Finns Could Justify any aggression against the Germans. Hitler's rage had vorked against him. The Soviets were Bloating vith delight. ‘The operation scheduled to take plece on the Aaland Islands was Cancelled. A few cays later, on 5 July "1944, the S$ Parachute Battalion 400 was entrained and forvarded to the eastern. front. Their assignment vould be the IIT. (Germanische) — $$-Fanzerkorps. (3rd Gernanic $$ Tank Corps} which formed pert of Aray Group North neer Narva. Their posting there vas very brief indeed, for by 9 July, transport aircraft were waiting for then to take them to Kaunas, Lithuania. This prompt removal from one front to another was caused. by the anazing Success “that the Soviet sumer offensive vas having Group Center. The Soviets had leunched thelr ‘summer offensive on 22 June socking the starting date of the ' German invasion three years before. The Red Army was making a shambles of Army Group Center. A most striking illustration of the aize of the German catastrophe vas the number of German generals which in one vay or another became casualties. Out of 47 generals, only 36 reached the relative safety of still haphazard German front Thirty-one bad been killed, captured, or had taken their lives! Over half a million men had been lost and dozens of divisions had been shattered. It was certainly @ ark tise for the German Arny. ‘The battalion vas transferred in part by air from Nesenberg to Kaunas, Their transport included: the planes and pilots which had transported then to Drvar. With mich Joy, the Ttallan pilots and their GR: 42nS” “Palcos’ greeted the ss paratroopers. The Ttalians stayed away from esking for a particular comrade, for they Knew many had Fallen at Drvar. Tnstesd, cigarettes 7 ‘against Army great 1944,were traded and small talk given Both groups shared the ride in true conracify assocta(ion. The spirit of f New Europe wos very much alive and flying over “the Baltic country of Lithuant ‘The Soviet Juggernaut vas moving westvard toward. the Polish and East. Prussian borders, almost unopposed. By 4 July Minsk was captured. The main Soviet armored spearhead nov turned northwest and headed for the Beltic coast. The spearhead of the Soviet drive nov pointed directly at the heart of Vilna (Vilnius), @ Lithuanian city Just’ 180 miles’ east of Konigsberg (the capital of East Prussia). The Baltic coast was Just a hop-skipping Jump away from Vilnius. In order to keep thelr offengive rolling, the Soviets had to take this city, with its important communication and road network. The fiercest fighting for that city occurred between 7-14 July 1944. Avare of the great danger threatening Atay Group North (i.e. the threat of being cut off), every German unit fought with amazing Geterainstion. Several crack panzer Givisions were brought into the area in. order to blunt the Soviet drive. Althoun still in reserve under Ar Group South Ukraine, the "Gros: eutschland" Panzer "Division began to move north in parts. The Ist Battalion ("Panther tanks) of the "Grossdeutschland” Panzer Regiment was the first combat unit of the division to arrive. Meanwhile, the German defenders at Vilnius hid been. flanked and Surrounded. General von Manteuf el, the commanding officer of 3rd Panzer Arey, ordered an immediate counterattack in order to break the ring around Vilnius, and free the trapped German forces. Colonel Ludendorff, Menteuffel's quarter- master, produced 300 or 90 vehicles which would follow the German Spearhead in order to bring out the wounded. A battlegroup was now Formed for the counterattack. The T Battalion, "GD" Panzer Regiment, and the men Of the 5S-Fallechirasaceer— Batailion 500 were grouped together into a Kempfgruppe and readied for action. On 10 July, this kampferuppe moved off 1ts assembly positions and become inmediately | embroiled in heavy fighting. The Wehrmacht companies had been brought up by tall and were more refreshed than the SS" paras who had only recently arrived by air (9 July). On that very first doy in action, the $5 paratroopers won praise’ in the Secret OkW War Diary The text. of the report. is as follovs: On July 10th strong Soviet armored forces flanked the German defenses at Vilnius. The Vilnius “Highway itself was cut off end eneny ermred units PHOTOGRAPH NOT AVAILABLE 55-Sturmbannfuchrer Siegtried Mi1ive (here as an SS-Hauptsturntuehrer). Hote the Tight collar patch Tt is the. death's head enblen of the 2rd 55 Panzer Division *Totenkapt began to advance _tovards Kaunas. The stiff resistance put up by the $5 Paratroop Battalion 500 and I. Battalion, "GD" Panzer Regiment, sttecking the highvay from its flanks, stopped the Soviet advance of Kaunas, placing the — eneny armored units In @ tight vice. This alloved battlegroup Schmist to attack in the direc= tion of Vilnius, by Sirvintos, end then by Giedraicial. By this move the batt legroup wae able to once again cover the flank of IX. Army Corps, bringing it some relief. The tenk-nounted sS_para- troopers, together with the Panther tanks of the "Grossdeutschland” Division, made" an unbeatable conbination which managed to pierce the “Soviet armored ring around Vilnius. The trapped German forces were now able to withdray, taking ‘ith then most of the wounded. The 300-odd vehicles carrying the Injured decane "Like the "wagon train” of the Wild Nest. This German vwagon train” was the object of numerous attacks by the Red (Indian) tank units in the Vilnius area, The SS paratroopers, riding the Panther "tanks like U.S. Cavalrymen, again and again chased away the "Red hordes” which attempted to get at the wounded. At fone point the Vilnius airport was ‘also | relieved. The paratroopers managed to. put this inportant airport out of action before they were forced to withdr The battall having accomplished “Its mission, — now Fetreated past Keunas (northwest of Vilnius), “following the German withdrawal between the last week in July and the first week of August 1944. A recently published work on the SS paratroopers (s5-Fallachirm- Jacger der Waffen-SS im Bild included “@ photo taken by a former Mehrnacht sergeant. It was taken on 29. July 1944" near the bend of the Menel River at Kaunas. His comments fare included’ here” to describe the ferocity of the fighting in those days On July 29, 1984, T took this photo at the bend of the River Menel at Kaunas, of tvo $5 soldiers who passed by ry tek after a hard. fighting withdrawal. I should think they belonged toa. paratroop unit fend had resisted until thelr unit Viped out. At that tine, “enywoy, we had great respect “for. these men, which, es fer as I am concerned, hea not changed. The faces of these two ss paratroopers, when seen in the Photograph, ‘attest all too vell to the “hard "fighting which they and ‘their unit hed gone through. For these two men, and the rest of the SS parachute battalion, it had been ‘nother typical engagenent ! Tn August 1944, sources state that the SS Parachute Battalion 500 was used considerably by the 3rd Panzer Army, as a type of “fire brigade." Tt’ was a great honor to be given this title since the battalion Yas greatly reduced in strength. It 338 battalion in nane only. On 14 August, after fierce fighting, the SS" paratroopers re-took Reseinen (Reseinial), Just 4 miles northwest of Kaunas. ‘Tovarde the end of August ‘the battalion was given a few days rest in the Lonza region of Poland Gouth of East. Prussia). It then moved’ out once again, attaching fteelf to the "Grossdeutechiand”™ Panzer Division (under ¥XXIK. Panzer Korps). This Geroan corps vas the rorthern-nost unit of Atay. Group Center. It was trying desperately to keep a line open to Aray Group North. The SS” parachute bat tal ion fought alongside. the "GD" Division at DobiiJe (Dobolo), Just vest of Miteu, Latvia. uring ‘the middle of October the thin line connecting both Army Groups North and Center was broken: The line there snapped Like a tight rubber band, sending’ the rennants of the German divisions In. two north and south). The last action of the sS_ parachute battalion in the Baltic states was at Garliava, in Lithuania (Just nine niles east’ of ‘the port city of Nene). In this action, the Ss paratroopers vere able to keep an escape route open for Gernan units. The 7th’ Panzer, “Grossdeut™ schland” Panzer, and’ S8th Infantry Divisions were trapped at Menel once directions