Portuguese in the Waffen-SS & Wehrmacht

[Ricardo Silva]

Hi Fields,

I'm doing a research on that theme for over a year now, and i can tell you that they were far less than 500. More, the green legion never existed, it was probably some primitive propaganda. The reality is that these men, over a 100, were all volunteers on the blue division. Within a year i'll have my research finished and hopefully answering all the doubts about this men.

[Ironmachine]

I have seen sometimes the term "Green Legion" used in reference to a supposed Portuguese battalion that would have existed within the Blue Division, but without any documental proof to validate that statement. The number of Portuguese citizens in the Blue Division was fairly small and certainly not of battalion-strength, and I don't know of any Spanish document that talks about a Portuguese battalion, so I don't think this is true. On the other hand, for what it's worth, I have never seen any proof of the existence of a "Green Legion" as an independent unit within the German forces. It seems to be just an "urban legend"...
Regards.

[Panzermahn]

There were a couple of Portuguese military observers at the Eastern Front from 1941-1943. I recalled there were also Swedish and Turkish military observers approximately the same period.

[Semenov]

There were a couple of Portuguese military observers at the Eastern Front from 1941-1943.

Hi,
what is you source?

[Phil Don]

Hi Semenov

No need of source because it's in history books and well known in Portugal. When the chief of the portuguese state, Salazar, choose to stay neutral during the WWII, he decide for the formation to modern warfare of his army, to allow observers on the eastern front with the Wehrmacht. Only low ranking officers were allow to this mission (in case of capture for not implicate the country). The two name of Antonio de SPINOLA and Bothelho Moniz are known because of their role after the war. The first became President of Portugal in 1974 (he was captain in 1941) and the second ministry of war. I suppose they wear the german uniform because Portugal never declare war to URSS and the portuguese uniform can't be wear (in case of capture for not being considered as partisan).

Regards

Phil D.

[Thorberg]

Hello,
Recently, I have seen some pictures on the Internet about Portuguese volunteers in the East Front. I would be interested to know a bit more on this subject. Does anybody knows any reference to this ?
Thanks,
T

[Arto O]

Hi Thorberg,
Please, if you could send the photos or at least the link. I am sure everybody would be interested to see them, and this way give you information.
Cheers
Arto

[Thorberg]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply. I was double-checking the photos (please find below the link) and actually it refers to the funeral of a portuguese observer that died at the eastern front. The funeral is conducted by the Wehrmacht.
Apparently, some portuguese soldiers joined the spanish Blue Division and fought together in Russia. I know there are some sparse references to the participation of portuguese observers and soldiers, but again, it would be interesting to have some input from german sources.
Thanks,
T


http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthre ... 8&page=397

[Ricardo Silva]

I'm conducting a thorough research on this theme and up until now i can tell you that the Green Legion is a myth, and that the number of Portuguese volunteers on the Blue Division is somewhere between 100/150. I already managed to document 101, and they were all attached to different units within the Blue Division (I.R. 262, 263, 269,...). Also, at least 10 were KIA and scores were WIA. Another year or so and i'll have it finished and ready to publish.

[jpb83]

Hi guys,i would like to know if there are any records of Portuguese military in the Waffen-SS divisions.thank you!

[Rivet]

I've read that some Portuguese soldiers served in the División Azul (Blue Division). I am not sure how many though.

[Ironmachine]

Not many Portuguese served in the Blue Division (about 100-200, most probably). But in any case the Blue Division was not a Waffen-SS division. However, there is the possibility that some (few) portuguese from the Blue Legion joined the Waffen-SS after the unit was disbanded.
There are some old threads about Portuguese in the Waffen-SS (and also in the Blue Division) in the forum, but you are not going to find much reliable information in them.
Regards.

[Fields]

[Split from "Portuguese in waffen-ss divisions?"]

On the book from Jacques Delarue, the Waffen SS, there is a reference to 500 portuguese voluntiers from the "Green Legion" (Named Viriatos). Although I can't find any references in any other places about the existance of this so called "Legion". Maybe the Portuguese Army Archives can give you some information about this (you can try it, I did it several times, and never had an answer).
Portuguese "Marechal" Costa Gomes fought in the Russian front on the second world war also, as a voluntier officer for this suposed Legion.
I studied deeply the Spanish Blue Legion and there are some references about some Portuguese voluntiers on this legion, that fought on Army Group North (on Leningrad siege). Although they were not part of the Waffen SS, I am sure that some of them later went to this organization, after the removal of the Blue Legion from the frontline.

[Ironmachine]

Usually, this so-called "Green Legion" is said to have been part of the "Blue Division", and as such not a Waffen-SS unit (and I have never found any serious proof of the existance of such unit, anyway).

[Dili]

Portuguese "Marechal" Costa Gomes fought in the Russian front on the second world war also, as a voluntier officer for this suposed Legion.

Do you have a source for this information?