Can someone help me with some research. I have heard verbally but I cannot find any documentation of Lithuanian units that were sent to Italy.
The information I have heard is that some of these units "defected" or "switched sides" to join Ander's Polish Army.
Some of these units may have been labour and/or police battalions.
Any information would be most welcomed.
Lithuanian Units in Italy
Re: Lithuanian Units in Italy
I have found some information on 120 Lithuanians sent as a labour unit to support the Hermann Goering Division. However, the verbal information I have is that the Lithuanians were in the mountains.
Re: Lithuanian Units in Italy
And this
On 15 September, the German command belatedly realized that the Giogo Pass attack constituted the main thrust by the US 5th Army. The 3rd battalion, 12th Fallshirmjaeger Regiment was hastily brought forward, together with the scant reserves available to the whole Army Corps. These included 400 Lithuanian conscripts, most of whom surrendered to the GIs at the first opportunity.
On 15 September, the German command belatedly realized that the Giogo Pass attack constituted the main thrust by the US 5th Army. The 3rd battalion, 12th Fallshirmjaeger Regiment was hastily brought forward, together with the scant reserves available to the whole Army Corps. These included 400 Lithuanian conscripts, most of whom surrendered to the GIs at the first opportunity.
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Sid Guttridge
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Re: Lithuanian Units in Italy
This is a peculiarity.
The Lithuanians were largely recruited by the SS for security purposes but were not consolidated into Waffen-SS field divisions like the Estonians and Latvians.
Also, conscription was not, as far as I am aware, introduced in Lithuania, unlike in Estonia and Latvia.
So what were "Lithuanian conscripts" doing in Italy outside the SS?
Almost the entire Bohemia-Moravia Protectorate Army was sent to Italy as construction troops in 1944 and suffered attempted defections. Similarly a Slovak construction brigade had like problems. Perhaps there is some confusion with them?
Or perhaps there was some German mobilization of Lithuanian manpower for similar construction units that has gone largely unnoticed so far?
It seems unlikely that ethnic Lithuanians would defect to the Poles, but perhaps the Germans also mobilized some ethnic Poles from the Wilno/Vilnius area?
Anyone know more?
An intrigued Sid.
The Lithuanians were largely recruited by the SS for security purposes but were not consolidated into Waffen-SS field divisions like the Estonians and Latvians.
Also, conscription was not, as far as I am aware, introduced in Lithuania, unlike in Estonia and Latvia.
So what were "Lithuanian conscripts" doing in Italy outside the SS?
Almost the entire Bohemia-Moravia Protectorate Army was sent to Italy as construction troops in 1944 and suffered attempted defections. Similarly a Slovak construction brigade had like problems. Perhaps there is some confusion with them?
Or perhaps there was some German mobilization of Lithuanian manpower for similar construction units that has gone largely unnoticed so far?
It seems unlikely that ethnic Lithuanians would defect to the Poles, but perhaps the Germans also mobilized some ethnic Poles from the Wilno/Vilnius area?
Anyone know more?
An intrigued Sid.
Re: Lithuanian Units in Italy
The information I have been given verbally is that the men were either members of the auxiliary police battalions or conscripetd or both, and sent to Italy in 1944. Given that the Soviets were advancing at this time, it seems strange to send manpower all the way to Italy, however it did happen.
The men who switched sides were not ethnic Polish and were Lithuanian. They were treated as displaced people (DPs) and were sent to England, and then to otehr countries.
The men who switched sides were not ethnic Polish and were Lithuanian. They were treated as displaced people (DPs) and were sent to England, and then to otehr countries.
Re: Lithuanian Units in Italy
Found some more information on Antanas Gecas - who was a member of the notorious Schutzmannschaft - 2nd Battalion - it seems he was an opportunist managing to switch sides between the Nazis, Soviets and the British.
Gečas went on to win an Iron Cross from the Germans for his actions in fighting
Soviet partisans. In summer 1944 his battalion, depleted by losses and desertions, was
dissolved. With a number of his men, he was transferred to the Italian front to serve in a
Luftwaffe labor unit assigned to assist the Hermann Göring Division. In October 1944 he
and some 120 men under his command crossed the frontlines, surrendered to American
forces, and were sent to a POW camp. In mid-November he wrote a letter to a commander
of Polish forces in Italy; in it Gečas claimed that he stemmed from a family of Polish
nobility long-settled in Lithuania, saying “I feel and have always felt Polish, and wish to
give my best efforts to Poland . . . and wish to serve the Polish Army.”20 His wish was
granted and he served in the Polish Army until the end of the war, winning both Polish and
British decorations.
Gečas went on to win an Iron Cross from the Germans for his actions in fighting
Soviet partisans. In summer 1944 his battalion, depleted by losses and desertions, was
dissolved. With a number of his men, he was transferred to the Italian front to serve in a
Luftwaffe labor unit assigned to assist the Hermann Göring Division. In October 1944 he
and some 120 men under his command crossed the frontlines, surrendered to American
forces, and were sent to a POW camp. In mid-November he wrote a letter to a commander
of Polish forces in Italy; in it Gečas claimed that he stemmed from a family of Polish
nobility long-settled in Lithuania, saying “I feel and have always felt Polish, and wish to
give my best efforts to Poland . . . and wish to serve the Polish Army.”20 His wish was
granted and he served in the Polish Army until the end of the war, winning both Polish and
British decorations.