SS-Frw.Rgt. "Varjag"

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K.Kocjancic
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SS-Frw.Rgt. "Varjag"

#1

Post by K.Kocjancic » 15 Aug 2003, 07:55

VOLUNTEER Regiment SS "Varjag"

In March, 1942 in Belgrad shaping a volunteer batallion began. As the basis to this the command of the commander -in-chief on Balkan about a gang of the Russian volunteers for aerial delivery operation in region of Novorossisk has served. Formed under the direction of the capital M.A. Semenov the batallion was a front infantry part by number 600 men. In operating attitude it obeyed to a command of army group Wehrmacht and those divisions, in a structure which one entered (included), while the procurement of a batallion implemented through Headquarters SS. Itself M.A. Semenovthe grade Hauptsturmfuhrer SS was assigned.

Contrary to initial premeditation, the batallion and was not shipped on Eastern front and since August, 1942 was utillized in scrambling with the Yugoslavian guerrillas. Semenov in 1943 has handed a command by a batallion to the German officer and has departed in Germanium, where participat in shaping Russian volunteer special purpose units.

At the end of 1944 in Slovenia the deployment of a batallion in shelves "Varjag" began. The personal structure was completed from the emigrants and P.O.W.s,, which one typed in camps in territory Germanium and occupied by it of countries. One was shaped of batallions a shelf in Silesia. The aggregate number reached 2,5 thousand the soldier and officers. The regiment commander assigned the colonel M.A.Semenov, and his(its) helper — the major M.G. Grinev. Organisate shelves Semenov has come in a structure of group of the general - major A.V.Turkula, being nominally part of armed Forces KONR.

After capitulation Germanium the personal structure a shelf was transferred to the south of Italy in a prisoner-of-war camp near Taranto, whence part soldiers (from P.O.W.s) was issued to the Soviet leg, and remaining, together with the servicemen solvenian and Serbian shapings, — to the guerrillas Tito. Only small group which has joined per last days of war to Russian body, has shunned common destiny.
http://bka-roa.chat.ru/ss_variag_eng.htm

Any other info on this unit? Specially about their stay in Slovenia? TO&E, commanding officers (Btl.'s, Kmp.'s,...), weapons, any vehicles,...? If anyone is interested, I can post some info about battles of this Btl. here in Slovenia.

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Dan E. Moe
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#2

Post by Dan E. Moe » 15 Aug 2003, 13:47

Was there Serbs in this unit, and did they wear any kind of volunteer insigna?

dan


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K.Kocjancic
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#3

Post by K.Kocjancic » 15 Aug 2003, 13:58

frontkjemper wrote:Was there Serbs in this unit, and did they wear any kind of volunteer insigna?

dan
As far as I know, the Btl. was formed from Russians living in Serbia and Russian POW.

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#4

Post by Dan E. Moe » 15 Aug 2003, 14:06

how about insigna?

dan

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#5

Post by K.Kocjancic » 15 Aug 2003, 14:13

frontkjemper wrote:how about insigna?

dan
I think regular SS insignia were worn.

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#6

Post by Dan E. Moe » 15 Aug 2003, 14:28

No badges claiming their nationality? well, ok.

dan

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#7

Post by Xserx » 20 Aug 2003, 09:24

Hi, Kocjo! I do not have information on arms regiment and about stay it in Slovenia (I know only, that staff this regiment was in Lubljana). But lower I bring the list of command structure "Varjag":
The commander regiment - colonel M.A. Semenov (oberst Wermacht, but not standartenfurther SS! Has accepted German citizenship to use the greater independence)
The chief of a staff and assistant of the commander - major M.G. Grinev
The aide-de-camp of a staff - lieutenant L. Kubik
The assistant of the aide-de-camp - under the lieutenant Sushkov
The officer of communication with Serbian volunteers and Cossacs - A.I. Delianich
The commander security campanie - under the lieutenant M.D. Korovnikov
(1-3 platoons - under the lieutenants Saenko, Volkov, Petrenco)
The chief of investigation - under the lieutenant Chelpambaev
The doctor - lieutenant of a medical service Korhov
(Dentist - lieutenant of a medical service Rusetski)
The chief of rear - lieutenant A. Skvortsov
The chief of an economic part - lieutenant Kapusta
(Assistant - under the lieutenant Virt)
The chief on the weapon - under the lieutenant Nelubov
The interpreter of a staff - N. Fedotova
The typist of a staff - L. Rusetskaia
The commander of 1-st bataillon - major A. Orlov
(Aide-de-camp - under the lieutenant Y. Grigor'ev)
The commander by 1-st campanie - lieutenant Kashin
(1-3 platoons - under the lieutenants A. Sumarev, Grunitchev, Budnikov)
The commander by 2-òâ campanie - lieutenant Shetinin
(1-3 platoons - under the lieutenants Dulanaki, Kulish, Vinogradov)
The commander by 3-rd campanie - lieutenant Kochengin
(1-3 platoons - under the lieutenants Savich, Peresvet-Krylov, Chuhnov)
The commander of 2 bataillon - major Osterman
(Aide-de-camp - lieutenant Rytikov)
The commanders 4-5 campanie - there are no data
(1-3 platoons in these campanie - under the lieutenants Maluta, Borchenko, N. Skvortsov, Yanushevsky, Samsonov, Kulishov)
The commander by by 6-th campanie - under the lieutenant Yakubovsky
(1-3 platoons - under the lieutenants Dorman, Bocharov, Chernov)
The commander by 7-th campanie - is not present the data
(1-3 platoons - under the lieutenants Bolotov, Kramer, Sementsov)
The commander by by 8-th campanie - under the lieutenant Hmara-Borshevsky
(1-3 platoons - under the lieutenants Gavrilov, Chaplinsky, Yanovsky)
The commander by by 9-th campanie - captain Lubimov
(1-3 platoons - under the lieutenants Shentelay, Yurchenko, Velichko)
The commander of the mine artillery companie - major A.D. Shilenok
(Assistant of the commander - under the lieutenant Kobzev)
The commander of 1-st battery - under the lieutenant Hmelnitsky
The commander 2 batteries - under the lieutenant Popov
The commander of 3 batteries - under the lieutenant Il’in
The commander of a separate platoon antitank guns - under the lieutenant Plesko
The commander separate minesweeper platoon - lieutenant Volkov.
Source: Officer’s structure of army the general-leutenant Vlassov A.A. by Aleksandrov K.M. Sankt-Petersburg, 2001.

There is an information, that except for itself Semenov, 4 Russian officers have accepted German citizenship, but their names I do not know. I have brief Semenov's biography - if it is necessary to you, write to me. But it nothing adds about the period, interesting for you. I am interested by the Russian volunteers, therefore I would be grateful for materials about actions it regiment in Slovenia.


Xserx/

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#8

Post by K.Kocjancic » 20 Aug 2003, 19:28

Xserx,
thanks a lot for the info!

One question:
The ranks of this soldiers are W-SS or Red Army ranks or ...?

I'll post the info of this unit's stay in Slovenia, just let me find it.

BTW. It's called Ljubljana.

Regards,
Kocjo

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Askold
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#9

Post by Askold » 21 Aug 2003, 04:51

I believe the unit was only formaly under waffen SS umbrela, like the cossacks. I've seen photo of Semenov - he's dressed in regular werhmacht uniform. Tha'ts why they would have Wehrmacht ranks and not SS.

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#10

Post by K.Kocjancic » 21 Aug 2003, 06:45

Askold wrote:I believe the unit was only formaly under waffen SS umbrela, like the cossacks. I've seen photo of Semenov - he's dressed in regular werhmacht uniform. Tha'ts why they would have Wehrmacht ranks and not SS.
Where they then even members of W-SS or not?

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#11

Post by MAXIS » 21 Aug 2003, 16:15

I'm not 100% sure (and I would to have confirms about), but a source
states that Warjag was under SD jurisdiction, like SS-Druzhina Verband.

Any confirm?
Anybody could to specify colour of the Spiegel also (cherry? black? or....)?

Best
Max

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#12

Post by K.Kocjancic » 21 Aug 2003, 21:54

How many members of this unit held a rank in W-SS? Just M.A. Semenovthe?

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#13

Post by K.Kocjancic » 22 Aug 2003, 10:53

In 11/44 SS-Jg.Btl. was transfered from Kamnik to Ljubljana. From this Btl. and other Soviet POW then was formed 1. SS-Sonder-Rgt. "Väreger" (Varjagov) in 2/45.

Part of this Rgt. was involved in Operation from late 1/45 to early 2/45 against Partisans in the area between Selška Sora and Poljanska Sora (these are two rivers).

In 2/45 Rgt. was sent to posts along Krka river.

In beginning of 3/45 the Rgt. was sent into action against Partisans in the area of Žuženberk.

Rgt. also participated in "Frühlingsanfang" and "Winterende" actions from 20.3. - 6.4.1945 as part of KG Dippelhofer (also in-it 2. domobranski bataljon (2. Btl. of Home Guard), W- u. SS-UFS Laibach, Home Guard units from Dolomiti, some Cetniki, Art.Div. from 1. Serb.-Frw.Korps.). This KG was stationed in area Idrija - Škofja Loka and was acting as part of Kessel (one side of the Kessel).

Rgt. also participated in last large German operation in Slovenia from 9.4. - 15.4. along the road Kočevje-Stari Log-Dvor-Soteska.

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#14

Post by K.Kocjancic » 22 Aug 2003, 10:56

BTW. What was the offical honour-name of this unit:
- Varjag,
- Varjagov,
- Väreger or
- Wareger?

Does anyone has any document of this unit to see what was the real name?

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#15

Post by Xserx » 22 Aug 2003, 14:23

Kocjo wrote:
One question:
The ranks of this soldiers are W-SS or Red Army ranks or ...?
I think, this Soviet and Russian ranks (for Russian cadet). In the Aleksandrov's book was next ranks: porutchik = leutenant; podporutchik = under the leutenant or jr.leutenant. Porutchik was a old Russian military rank (not Soviet).
BTW. It's called Ljubljana.
Sorry Kocjo!

Xserx/

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