Freikorps Sardinien?

[Marcus]

Has anyone heard about a "Freikorp Sardinien" as mentioned on the Italian Wikipedia? I've never heard of it before.
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freikorp_Sardinien

Nel gennaio 1945 gli ultimi resti del Battaglione Angioy, considerati particolarmente fedeli alla causa del Terzo Reich, e altri Sardi della "29. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS" - "Italien" - furono incorporati nella divisione Wallonie di Leon Degrelle insieme agli Spagnoli della “einheit Ezquerra”.
I Sardi, il cui numero non superava i venti uomini, portavano le mostrine SS della divisione Wallonie, elmetto tedesco con scudetto raffigurante i quattro mori con svastica al centro e stesso scudetto sul braccio sinistro.
Si creò così il “Freikorp Sardinien”, formalmente incorporato all’unità spagnola e sottoposta al comando supremo di Miguel Ezquerra, diretto superiore dell’ SS-Obersturmführer Alfiero (o Alfredo) Liori, ideatore su ordine di Heinrich Himmler, del piccolo battaglione di volontari SS Sardi, in mezzo a mille peripezie che lo vedranno anche attraversare le linee nemiche per liberare alcuni prigionieri Isolani della Bgt. Sassari e Folgore da arruolare nell’unità.
Il "Freikorp Sardinien" si estinse interamente e letteralmente nelle fiamme degli ultimi giorni della Battaglia di Berlino. Di essa raccontava un reduce Sardo della SS italiana che ricordava i giorni della sua formazione a cui egli per motivi logistici non potette prendere parte.

Bibliografia
* Jago de Costera, Los europeos de Leon Degrelle, ed. Audere
* AA.VV. Vita e Morte nel Battaglione Angioy, ed. Il Merlo
* Francisco Alonso, Mi recuerdo de Berlin, ed. Kosmos

In January 1945 the last remnants of the Battalion Angioy, regarded as particularly loyal to the cause of the Third Reich and other Sardi's "29. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS" - "Italien" - were incorporated in Division Wallonie Leon Degrelle with the Spanish of "Einheit Ezquerra".
The Sardinians, whose number did not exceed twenty men wore the insignia of the SS division Wallonie, German helmet with a shield depicting the four died with swastika in the center and the same badge on his left arm.
This created the "Freikorp Sardinien, Spanish formally incorporated into the unit and submitted to the supreme command of Miguel Ezquerra, supervisor of 'SS-Obersturmführer Alfiero (or Alfredo) Liori, creator on the orders of Heinrich Himmler, the small battalion of volunteers SS Sardinian, amid many vicissitudes that will also cross enemy lines to free prisoners of BGT Islanders. Sassari e Folgore by recruiting drive.
The "Freikorp Sardinien" wholly and literally died in the flames of the last days of the Battle of Berlin. It told a veteran of the SS Sardinian Italian who remembered the days of his training for logistical reasons he was not able to take part.

/Marcus

[Larry D.]

Me neither, Marcus. It will be interesting to see if someone can come up with any solid evidence to substantiate its existence. If it existed at all, it certainly never got past the planning stages. Fascist Italy never would have permitted it as long as Mussolini was in power and the Germans evacuated Sardinia just a month after he was toppled. So they would have had the month of August 1943 to put it together and no more than that. It sounds like some kind of whacky contrivance of local militia that the Germans thought would help them defend the island.

L.

[Vanagas]

Has anyone heard about a "Freikorp Sardinien" as mentioned on the Italian Wikipedia? I've never heard of it before.
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freikorp_Sardinien

/Marcus

Probably because it's werry short- lived unit. I understand a little bit in polish, so polish wikipedia says that "Freikorp Sardinia" was organised in begining of 1945 and only battle they participated was defence of Berlin.

[Larry D.]

Berlin? Hmmm........ There are a number of threads here on AHF where members have painstakingly identified every German, Germanic and non-Germanic unit that participated in the April 1945 defense of Berlin and I do not recall seeing this unit mentioned. But I could be wrong.

L.

[SergioDV]

Following your links and googling around I found an interesting article (in italian) on a "Battaglione Volontari di Sardegna G. M. Angioy" who fought for the Repubblica Sociale Italiana, but no reference on a Sardinian Waffen-SS unit (!?)... at least for now!

http://www.vicosanlucifero.it/excal/ex18spec.html

The article contains also some photos but be careful: it came from a sardinian right-wing cultural association so maybe some information are flawed by propaganda.

[angelo abis]

I read on your site a discussion about supposed freikorp sardinien thet while he partecipated in the battle of Berlin. This is big historical lie. As published in this regard on Wilkipedia is totally invented. Both on the facts that men and historical sources. I am the author ha treated first, on a historical basis, the constitution on the regular battalion :"VOLONTARI DI SARDEGNA- G.M. ANGIOY" on n. 18 and n. 24 of the periodical : "EXCALIBUR",( See website : www.vicosanlucifero.it). The argument was then taken to my specialization thesis : " Studies Sardinian", in the university of Cagliari, to find then a definitive arrangment in my book entitied : "THE LAST HONOR- THE SARDINIAN IN SALO'". I am free to say that all the sardish who found themselves hig Italy during the period 1943-45 fought in the battalions of the RSI. If you really want to be picky, we can admit that a good number of sarsish( including the director of "AVANGUARDIA" , italian SS newspaper) were part of the SS italian , while many of theirs were aggregated at the german army and aviation.
ANGELO ABIS
E-MAIL : [email protected]

[Larry D.]

Thank you, Angelo A., for bringing some clarity and truth to this subject.

If there is one thing that the internet (world wide web) has done really, really well in its 10-15 years of existence, it's the replication, propagation and embellishment of World War II myths, fables and urban legends. Some of them have been kicking around on this and other WW II sites for years and all efforts by the well-intentioned to prove them wrong have come to nought. No doubt the fictitious fantasy about a battle-hardened, all-volunteer Sardinian Waffen-SS division, fighting hand-to-hand in Berlin to the last man against impossible odds, will continue to persist for generations to come.

Thanks again.

[Sid Guttridge]

Sad but true! So many nationalities now seem retrospectively to have rushed to Berlin in April 1945 and fought with supreme valour that it is a wonder the city isn't still holding out!