Waffen-SS "Nordland" - My fathers service

[GKAson]

My late father served in Waffen SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Nordland" from July 43 to the 3rd May 45 at the end. I have recently found a few papers in his possessions one of which is a list of his service dates and locations that he had to prepare for questioning.

I would like to research his history and I would be pleased to have any information that members might have. The first entry is for training at Instandsetzungs-Abteilung Werkstatt-Komp in Schwabach bei Nürnberg. He was there from 1/8/43 to 15/9/43. He then was moved to Croatia up to 2/12/43 and then on to Russia. He was at the Narva bridgehead and got shipped out of Riga back to Germany. They finally surrendered to the American Army at Grabow near Mecklenburg. Strangely it was a black soldier unit but I cannot find any trace of that.

I have lots of things that he told me in my head but I would like to piece things together a bit better and get it written down.

Incidentally, his brother was in "Prinz Eugen" and spent most his service in Croatia.

Thanks for any help

[Jebir]

A good place to start is at Deutsche Dienststelle - http://www.dd-wast.de - where they keep records of german soldiers or volunteers. They charge a bit to conduct a search, but it is money well spent in the cases I know of

I also have a bit of experience with Bundesarchiv in Berlin, who also charges a bit but where I have found good information about a volunteer I was searching for.

So that should get you started
Not a lot of info on the unit itself - I don't know of any "black units" under Nordland, but perhaps someone else knows about this

[history1]

[...] I don't know of any "black units" under Nordland, but perhaps someone else knows about this

GKAson only stated that the person surrendered to american colored troops, not that Nordland had colored units.

[history1]

[...] They finally surrendered to the American Army at Grabow near Mecklenburg. [...]

Mecklenburg isn´t a city or village, it´s a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

And yes WAST is a good starter for you.

You might also read, if you didn´t allready:
http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=42 (with a reference list about the unit)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11th_SS_Vo ... n_Nordland
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... 1SSPGD.htm

[GKAson]

Okay, thanks very much for the starter, I will have a look at the link.

Yes, the US Army unit that they surrendered to was a Black African American (Which is the correct terminology these days) It was staffed by white officers.

Thanks for the help so far

[Regiment Norge]

Hi!

You may also find some information concerning your fathers POW time in Allied captivity. Write to Suchdienst Munchen at this link:

https://www.drk-suchdienst.de/de

[GKAson]

Okay, thanks for that.

I know where he was from surrender as he was at a holding camp at Luneberg Heath. He was then moved to a POW camp in Belgium which had appalling conditions. He was then moved to Tadcaster Barracks in Yorkshire where he was brought back to full health. He was finally moved to Suffolk to work on a farm with others from his home town who had been grouped at the same POW camp.

[Griffin brigade]

Looks like your Father saw most of the heavy fighting that Nordland was involved in , have you any info on his exact units and was he a Volksdeutsche ?

cheers

Paul

[Griffin brigade]

Forgot to add if you haven't already go this book you need to get it " Tragedy of the Faithful " by Wilhelm Tieke.

[GKAson]

Hi Paul, PM sent

[Regiment Norge]

I do not think Instandzetzungs-Abteilung 11 is mentioned in any work concerning the 11. SS-PGD. NORDLAND, this was a repair- and supply formation and they maybe worked closely with the SS-Pz.Abt. 11 Hermann von Salza.

As the war came to an end the member of IA. 11 may have been unsed as ordinary frontline soldiers, as happened to Pz.Abt. 11. When the unit lost their tanks they were transferred to both NORGE and DANMARK regiments as infantry. That happened in november-december 1944 in Courland.