American volunteers

[Marcus]

This has been discussed several times here in the forum, so you might want to do a search as well.


There were some US citizens who were members of the Waffen-SS, but no unit made up of American volunteers were ever raised (despite some claims about an "American Free Corps" or "George Washington Brigade"). According to figures from the SS five US citizens served in the Waffen-SS in May 1940, but after that date no numbers are available.

Second Lieutenant Martin James Monti (born 1910 in St Louis of an Italian-Swiss father and German mother) went awol Oct 1944, travelled from Karachi to Naples (through Cairo and Tripoli) where to stole a F-4 or F-5 photographic reconnaissance aircraft (photo recon version of the P-38) and flew to Milan. There he surrendered, or rather defected, to the Germans and worked as a propaganda broadcaster (as Martin Wiethaupt) before entering the Waffen-SS as a SS-Untersturmführer in SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers. At the end of the war he went south to Italy where surrendered to US forces (still wearing his SS uniform) claiming that he had been given the uniform by partisans. He was charged with desertion and sentenced to 15 years hard labour. This sentence was soon commuted and Monti rejoined the US Air Corps, but in 1948 he was discharged and picked up by the FBI. He was now charged with treason and sentenced to 25 years the following year. He was paroled in 1960.

Peter Delaney (aka Pierre de la Ney du Vair), a Lousiana born SS-Haupsturmführer in SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers who is believed to have served in Légion des Volontaires Français (LVF). He met Monti and probably arranged for him to enter the Waffen-SS. Delaney was killed in 1945.

/Marcus

[Peter]

Charles MacDonald (certainly SS and reportedly SS-Ustuf) born 7 May 1922 Buffalo/NY and KIA 14 Mar 44 near Johvi/Estonia.

Charles Braschwitz (SS/Polizei Wachtmeister) born 17 Aug 1911 New Jersey and KIA 7 May 45 at Laibach, Slovenia.

Raymond George Rommelspacher (SS-Grenadier) born 30 May 1926 in Chicago, KIA 6 Oct 44 in Normandy/France.

Edwin/Erwin Peter (SS-Oberscharfuhrer) born 12 Mar 1918 in New York, KIA 2 Jul 1941 in Latvia.

Andreas Hauser (SS-Sturmann) born 30 Aug 1893 Los Angeles and KIA 18 Jan 1945, Welikij in Ukraine.

Lucas Diel (SS-Rottenfuhrer) born 28 Dec 1912 New York and died 9 Dec 1944 in Hungary.

Andy Beneschan (SS-Uscha) born 1 Sep 1918 New York and KIA 16 April 1945 in Bosnia.


cheers
Pete

[chrisccoyle]

It would not surprise me, as America had the biggest NSDAP outside Europe!

Does anyone know if the SS, waffen or politzei, had any US members? I've read of all sorts of other nationalities being members, but I can't recall ever having run across mention of US volunteers.

[Amerikansk Wiking]

Just wondering if there is any decent estimated number of Americans/German Americans who returned to Germany during the 30s and joined/were recruited by Wehrmacht. This is a fascinating story for me because I know a few German vets down at the local German-American cultural center who had exactly this happen to them: Parents felt patriotic, return to the Fatherland, recruitment,Wehrmacht. They also had some horror stories ranging from Russian Prison Camps to the ones confined to the "Swimming Coffins"(U-Boats)...Anyway any info on Amis/German Americans fighting for Germany would be great.
G. Hinrichs

[Jacky Kingsley]

Hi

My father was captured in May 1940 near Dunkirk and on arrival at Stalag XXA found an American guard. He told the POWs he had been on holiday visiting relatives when he was called up and was unable to return home. I tried to trace the man but failed. My father thought him worse than the Germans and a few other POWs I traced considered he should have been tried for war crimes. Not bad for a man who was only in the camp about a year.

Jacky

[K.Kocjancic]

Charles Braschwitz (SS/Polizei Wachtmeister) born 17 Aug 1911 New Jersey and KIA 7 May 45 at Laibach, Slovenia.

Do you perhaps know in which unit was this man in?

Regards,
Kocjo

[Dan E. Moe]

Did any of theese men receive medals?


dan

[Dan E. Moe]

medals?

dan

[Peter]

Sorry guys I've given you everything I've got on the American born SS men, I havent had time to do any more research on them.
cheers
Pete

[K.Kocjancic]

Sorry guys I've given you everything I've got on the American born SS men, I havent had time to do any more research on them.
cheers
Pete

Iltis, what's the source of "your" American born SS men?

[Peter]

Research at Deutsche Dienstselle WASt in 1980
cheers
Pete

[K.Kocjancic]

Thanks!

[Daniel L]

Thanks for the information Pete? Are you sure about the location and date for Rommelspacher? I also believe that there might have been more Americans fighting in the Baltics.

Best regards/ Daniel

[Peter]

Hi
these dates match his grave in France at Andilly
cheers
Pete

[Peter]

Cant find my photo of it at the moment but its Block 27, Row 5, Grave 339.

Place of birth as on German records, believe he was shown as KIA at Brouvlievres or something similar, my hand written notes are difficult to read now.

cheers
Pete