Spanish volunteers 1941-1945

[ckleisch]

another

[ckleisch]

another

[ckleisch]

last one for now

[DUKE]

Thx

[ninoo]

Hi Duke,

These are some photos about Blue Division:

[ninoo]

One picture again:


Bless the people who like to help others.

http://oktorino.tripod.com
http://stosstruppen39-45.tripod.com

[DUKE]

thx ninoo i specially like the hitler-muñoz meeting

[drexl]

hello and glad to be here im a new member,

Can anyone please tell me about the uniform difference between the spanish heer and the spanish legion waffen ss volunteers......I know that when the spanish volunteers were with the wermacht they had regular uniforms,but dit they're collar tabs change when they went to the waffen?,did they keep theyre Espana arm shields?I would appreciate any help....I can not find any good detailed pictures of spanish free volunteer units or spanish grouppe esquerra or spanish legion waffen ss 101/102 division.

Thanks
drexl

[Gertjan]

Hello Drexi,

Welcome to the forum.

According to Osprey's MAA103 "Germany's Spanish volunteers 1941-1945", the Spaniards wore regulation W-SS clothing, so SS-collartabs and ranks. Under the eagle on the left sleeve they wore the "Espana-" shield.

Good luck with your research!

Gertjan

[Salazar]

http://usuarios.lycos.es/jnroldan/Legionazul.html

[panzertruppe2001]

The Blue Division was a German Army division formed with Spaniards and commanded by a Spaniard General (Muñoz Grandes and later Infantes). This unit fought in Russia (North sector) since 1941 to 1943. In the German Army it was designated 250 Infanterie Division.
In 1943 the unit returned to Spain following orders of Franco Government. But some soldiers continued fighting with the Germans in a unit known Blue Legion.This unit was disbanded in 1944. Then with the rest of the soldiers the SS created the 101 and 102 companies. The 101 and 102 companies fought in Berlin and I am not very sure in the Charlemagne Division

Excuse any mistake.

Panzertruppe2001

[Javichu]

Both 250 ID (División Azul) and Spanish "Blue Legion" were regular Army units,so they wore standard army clothing with the "España" Red-Yellow-Red armshield on the right sleeve, with the Army Shape.
Spanish volunteers in SS were NEVER officially recognized by the Spanish Government, moreover all the Spaniards that volunteered or stayed in the German Army after the retreat of the Blue Legion could lost their nationality,so many used aliases.
So Spanish Volunteers in Waffen SS never belonged to a "Spanish" unit and allthought they were grouped (More for moral and language issues that for anything else ,I believe) they had no special badges ,at least officially, In another forum (Whose URL sadly I´ve lost ) one of the members posted several interviews and at least one picture of a Spanish Waffen SS (AFAIK the only one known) In these interviews they described their uniform at Berlin fight: "Peas" M44 uniform with SS rank badges and UNOFFICIAL "España" armshields under the left sleeve eagle (Many with Falangist symbols added: Yoke and Arrow) and blue shirts ...
HTH

[Junker52]

I was wondering whether or not the Blue Division were put under Heer or SS control? I found a website but it just mentions the recruitment and their combat records.
Would it have been standard uniforms ? Also did they bring any equipment with them from Spain? Weapons etc?

Cheers

[antoniop]

The Blue division, was a standard Wehrmacht infantry division, with german uniforms and weapons. It's only distinction was a shield with the spanish colours

its number was 250th and had 3 infantry regiments and the usual assets of artillery, recce, AT, etc....

All the soldiers, NCO, officers and General Office commander were Spanish.

It was formed in Spain with volunteers (in theory) who wanted to fight against Comunism and "to return the visit that the Soviets made to Spain during the Civil War".

But according to my grandfather not all were volunteers, some were forced volunteers, but the Spanish Blue Division never was an SS unit. It is true that after its return to Spain some of its members continued fighting in the Blue Legion (battalion or regimental seize) and at the end of the war some fought with the SS in Berlin.

http://www.fundaciondivisionazul.org/index2.html
usuarios.lycos.es/jnroldan/
http://ostfront.topcities.com/page3.html

These are some links I have found.

Best regards.

Antonio

[Junker52]

The Blue division, was a standard Wehrmacht infantry division, with german uniforms and weapons. It's only distinction was a shield with the spanish colours

its number was 250th and had 3 infantry regiments and the usual assets of artillery, recce, AT, etc....

All the soldiers, NCO, officers and General Office commander were Spanish.

It was formed in Spain with volunteers (in theory) who wanted to fight against Comunism and "to return the visit that the Soviets made to Spain during the Civil War".

But according to my grandfather not all were volunteers, some were forced volunteers, but the Spanish Blue Division never was an SS unit. It is true that after its return to Spain some of its members continued fighting in the Blue Legion (battalion or regimental seize) and at the end of the war some fought with the SS in Berlin.

http://www.fundaciondivisionazul.org/index2.html
usuarios.lycos.es/jnroldan/
http://ostfront.topcities.com/page3.html

These are some links I have found.

Best regards.

Antonio

Hi Antonio,
Thankyou for the reply. So the Blue Division only ever fought on the Eastern Front? I can see how Franco would get away with it, though wasn't he put under pressure to call the Blue Division back?
Did your grand father serve in the ETO?
Also can you reccomend any good books on the Blue Division?

Thanks again

Dan