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Non-German cooperation with Nazis during World War II existed in all the countries occupied by Germany during World War 2.
Reasons for cooperation
There were various reasons for cooperation with the Nazi authorities: fear for one's life; believing that the Nazis would win the war and thus it would be better to be on the winning side; attempting to avoid conflict with the powerful Nazi occupational forces (such as in Denmark); seeking short-term goals, such as a better-paid job with higher privileges; ability to legally take revenge against former personal enemies; and pure Nazism and antisemitism. Hatred of Stalinism, and disgust of over twenty years of the Soviet system, contributed greatly to this collaboration, especially in Russia and Ukraine. The Nazis failed to capitalize on this sentiment, and slowly much of this anti-Soviet sentiment reversed itself and cooperation with the Nazis in the east began to diminish. The "anti-Bolshevik" forces changed sides again, and thought it would be better to be on the other winning side, or in short, their earlier "opportunism," reversed itself.
Requirements for cooperation
The Nazis did not consider everyone equally fit for cooperation. Even people from closely related nations were often valued differently. For example, the Latvians were considered to be better than Lithuanians due to the supposed Lithuanian intermixing with Slavs at the past. Slavs were considered to be even worse.
The Jews were considered to be worst of all and thus unfit for cooperation, although some were used in concentration camps as Kapos to report on other prisoners and enforce order. Others governed ghettos and helped organize deportations to extermination camps (judische Polizei).
Partial list of colaborationist organizations
Albania
In April 1943 Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler has created 21st Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Skanderbeg (1st Albanian) manned by Albanian volunteers and Kosovar Albanians. Since August 1944 division participated in operations against Yugoslav partisans and killed local Serbs. The discipline in the division was bad and in the beginning of 1945 it has been disbanded by German Command. The division's soldiers carried emblem with black Albanian eagle. ( Williamson, G. "The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror").Belarus
Belorussian collaborators participated in various massacres of villages inside Belarus. Many of these collaborators retreated with German forces in the wake of the Red Army advance, and in January 1945 formed the 30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Belorussian) in Germany.Belgium
373rd infantry battalion of Wehrmacht, manned by Belgians, took part in anti-guerrilla actions on an occupied territory of the USSR since August 1941 till February 1942. In May 1943 the battalion has been transformed into 5th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Wallonien. In January 1944 Belgian brigade participated in battle near Cherkassy, in July 1944 near Narva. In the autumn the brigade has been transformed into 28th Panzer-Grenadier division Waffen SS, it battled against Soviet army near Szczecin in January 1945.Bosnia
The 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS (also known as the 1st Croatian or Handschar division), manned by Bosniaks and Croats, but commanded by German officers, has been created in February 1943. The division participated in anti-guerrilla operations in Yugoslavia and killed Serbian civilians. The division's soldiers carried emblem with swastika and a hand with short curve sword called Khandshar( Williamson, G. "The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror).Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia, headed by Ante Pavelić, was the ally of Nazi Germany. The Croatian nationalists, Ustashe, killed local Serbs (see also Jasenovac concentration camp).The 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian), created in February 1943, and the 23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Kama, created in January 1944, were manned by Croats and Bosniaks as well as a local Germans. Both divisions operated against partisans and were responsible for a number of atrocities against civilians. (Williamson, G. "The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror).
Czechoslovakia
Denmark
The occupied Danish government cooperated reluctantly with the Nazi regime by various means first and foremost by calming the civilian population after the surrender and discouraging resistance against the occupation. This was seen as the most realistic course to preserve peace and maintain a functioning economy in Denmark (trade with the Allies had been cut off), by avoiding any open conflict with the occupying forces, as Denmark was obviously no match for the German military. Later the government actively helped recruit volunteers for the Nordic SS 5th SS Panzergrenadier Division Wiking and passed information regarding Danish communists to the Germans. Although the government itself cooperated with the Nazi regime, the Danish public and most individual politicians were hostile towards their captors. (see Occupation of Denmark).Estonia
In 1942, the all-volunteer (the Waffen-SS did not begin conscription until late 1943) Estnische SS-Legion (ultimately to be called the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian)) was created. Initially, the Estnische SS-Legion consisted of three battalions. The division's soldiers carried stripes with the Estonian national colors and images of three lions (Williamson, G. "The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror"). The division has been sent into battle in middle 1944 near Narva and finished its way in May, 1945 in Czechoslovakia.France
In modern France, the term collaborators is not limited to those who cooperated directly with the Nazis, but also applies to people who cooperated with the government of Vichy France.The French volunteers to the SS formed the 33rd Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Charlemagne (1st French), which in 1945 was among the final defenders of Berlin.
Hungary
Italy
Latvia
Having occupied Latvia in summer 1941, German command has created the local voluntary troops (Schutzmannschaft or Schuma), to struggle against the Soviet partisans and serve as guards in concentration camps for Jews and Soviet prisoners of war. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/Nazis/article/0,,591774,00.html The group of the Latvian auxiliary police known as Arajs Commando murdered about 26,000 Jews, mainly in November and December of 1941.On October 16, 1941, 16th Latvian battalion under the command of Karlis Mangulis has been sent to the Eastern front. At the end of December 1941, 17th Latvian Vidzeme battalion has been sent to Belarus. On January 13, 1942, 18th Kurzeme battalion has started service in Ukraine. On March 30, Liepaja battalion has been attached to 21st to group of German armies "North", sieged Leningrad. In May 1942, two more Latvian battalions have been sent to Ukraine, one to Belarus and one to Leningrad region *.
In February 1943, The Latvian Volunteer SS Division (Lettische SS-Freiwilligen-Division) was created, manned by 32,000 volunteers. The division was headed by Latvian Minister of Defence Rudolf Bangerskis. In October 1943, the Division was split up into two parts, which would ultimately come to be called the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian) and the 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian). To this day, many Latvians glorify the soldiers who served in the Lettische SS-Freiwilligen-Division. **
Lithuania
Prior to the Nazi invasion, some people in Lithuania believed Germany would grant the country independence. Nazi Germany used this situation to its advantage and indeed in the first days permitted a Lithuanian government to be established. However, when the territory was fully occupied, that government was disbanded and banned, and some of its supporters ended their days in concentration camps. An unit of Lithuanian insurgents headed by Algirdas Klimaitis and instigated by Germans started Jewish pogroms in Kaunas on June 26, 1941. Arūnas Bubnys. Lithuanian Security Police and the Holocaust (1941–1944)26 local police battalions were formed, 10 of them were involved in the Holocaust. In total Germans involved 2,000-3,000 Lithuanians in the Holocaust, most of them against their will. Tomas Baranauskas. Skaudžios birželio dienos (Painful June), Omni, 22 June 2006, accessed on 22 June 2006 In 1941 Lithuanian Security Police (Lietuvos saugumo policija), subordinate to to Nazi Germany's Security Police and Nazi Germany's Criminal Police, was created. . Notorious Lithuanian Sonderkommando Squad in Vilnius killed tens of thousands Jews and others in Paneriai and other places .
The Lithuanian Territorial Defense Force was formed from volunteers in 1944. Its whole leadership was Lithuanian, while arms were provided by Germans. Purpose of Lithuanian Territorial Defense Force was to fight Soviets and Polish partisans in territory of Lithuania. After brief engagements against Soviet and Polish partisans, due to the disagreements with Nazi administration, the force was disbanded the same year, its leaders arrested, and some of its members executed by the Nazis.
Netherlands
Thousands of Dutch volunteers were soldiers of the 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland (created in February 1943). The division participated in fights against Soviet army near Narva in the beginning 1944 and near Riga in September 1944. In the beginning 1945 division has been evacuated from Courland, participated in heavy fights near Danzig and Stettin and has been crushed in the Berlin battle in April-May 1945 by Soviet army.Waffen-SS Brigade Niederlande, manned by Dutch volunteers, battled against Soviet army near Narva. In December 1944 it has been transformed into the 23rd SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland, participated in fights in Courland and Pomerania. (Williamson, G. "The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror")
Norway
In Norway, the Vidkun Quisling government was encouraging Norwegians to serve as volunteers in the German army, collaborating in the deportation of Jews, and was responsible for the executions of Norwegian patriots. Under the German occupation by 1945 some 45,000 Norwegian collaborators had joined the Norwegian fascist party. After the war, Quisling's name has become an international eponym for traitor.Poland
The 1939 Nazi edict ordered all the Polish policemen to work for the German occupational authorities under pain of death. The "Blue Police" (, ) patrolled the streets and searched for Jews, and were used in the suppression of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. From 1942 they were employed in anti-partisan activities in Poland and the Ukraine. * However, many of them were in fact a double agents for the Resistance.Romania
Romania became a puppet state of the Nazi Germany and thus it is sometimes considered that those who cooperated with the Romanian government during World War 2 were Nazi collaborators.A report released in 2004 by a panel commissioned by the Romanian government assessed that a total of between 280,000 and 380,000 Jews were murdered or perished in Romania as a direct result of the policies or actions of the World War II Romanian regime led by Ion Antonescu. Among the most horrific atrocities, the Romanian army killed about 200,000 Jews on an occupied territory of the USSR (Odessa region, often called Transnistria) at the end of 1941 and during 1942.
Russia
Cooperation with Nazis existed in various places in Russia. There existed several divisions manned by Russian collaborators, including the notorious 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Russian) and the 30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Russian) *).Pro-German Russian forces also included the anti-communist Russian Liberation Army (POA, Русская Освободительная Армия). In March 1945, however, POA turned against against the SS and fought on the side of Czech insurgents during the Prague Uprising.
Serbia
Soviet Union (other)
Ukraine
In Ukraine (more commonly in Western Ukraine) there was some cooperation with the German authorities. 4,000 Jews and many Polish intellectuals were killed in Lviv on June 30-July 3, 1941 by Ukrainian battalion Nachtigal. Several Ukrainian Schuma-battalions participated in anti-partisan operations and killings of Jews in Ukraine and Belarus. By April 28, 1943 German Command created the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Galizien (1st Ukrainian) (commonly called 'SS Galicia') manned by 14,000 volunteers. (Williamson, G. "The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror").In occupied Poland, many of the concentration camps were manned mostly or in great part by the Ukrainian guards, including the Auschwitz-Birkenau where at one point the Ukrainians mutined. In these camps the German SS always provided the camp commanders and officer cadre, as well as a general command.
See also
References
- Chuev S. "Damned soldiers" ISBN 5-699-05970-9, M, 2005
- Williamson, Gordon "The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror", Brown Packaging Limited, 1994
- Gerlach, Christian . "Kalkulierte Morde", Hamburger Edition, Hamburg, 1999
"Non-German cooperation with Nazis during World War II"