36th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS

36th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS
Insignia of the 36th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS
Active	1940 - 1945
Country	Nazi Germany
Allegiance	Adolf Hitler
Branch	Waffen SS
Type	Infantry
Role	Anti-partisan operations
Size	Brigade Division
Nickname	SS-Sturmbrigade Dirlewanger Dirlewanger Brigade
Engagements	Anti-partisan operations in Belarus Warsaw Uprising Slovak National Uprising Battle of Halbe
Commanders
Notable commanders	SS-Oberführer der Reserves Oskar Dirlewanger

The 36th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, better known as the SS-Sturmbrigade "Dirlewanger" (often referred to as the Dirlewanger Brigade), was an infamous military unit of the Waffen-SS during World War II. Originally formed for anti-partisan duties against the Polish resistance, it eventually saw action against the Soviet Red Army near the end of the war. During its operations it engaged in mass murder of civilians, pillaging and rape.

Oskar Dirlewanger

Oskar Dirlewanger as an SS-Oberführer, 1944

Main article: Oskar Dirlewanger

The history of the Dirlewanger Brigade is inextricably linked to the life of its commander, Oskar Dirlewanger. After winning the Iron Cross first and second class while serving in the Imperial German Army during World War I, Dirlewanger joined the Freikorps and took part in the vicious street fighting against communist revolutionaries. When the revolution had failed, he returned to university and obtained a PhD in political science. Joining the NSDAP in 1923, he was soon expelled and forced to reapply to join that organisation once more.

After completing his PhD, Dirlewanger went on to hold a teaching job. In 1934, he was convicted of sexually assaulting a female minor. He lost his position and was forbidden from returning to teaching. After serving a two-year jail sentence, Dirlewanger was released. Soon after, he was again accused of sexual assault and thrown into a concentration camp. Desperate, Dirlewanger contacted Gottlob Berger, an old Freikorps comrade now working closely with Heinrich Himmler, the Reichsführer-SS. Berger secured his comrade's release and an appointment for him with the Legión Cóndor, a German volunteer unit fighting in the Spanish Civil War on the side of Franco's Falange Española. Dirlewanger fought bravely during this campaign, being wounded three times.

Returning to Germany in 1939, Dirlewanger was granted admission to the Allgemeine SS and given the rank of SS-Untersturmführer. Berger organized the creation of an elite Communist-hunting military unit which would include some men convicted of poaching.

Composition

On 14 June 1940, the Wilddiebkommando Oranienburg (Oranienburg Poacher's Command) was formed. On 24 June 1940, Himmler admitted Dirlewanger into the Waffen-SS to be commander of this newly formed unit. By 1 July 1940, it numbered 84 men.

Initially a unit of convicted poachers, it became over time composed of increasing numbers of common criminals. In contrast to those who served in the German penal battalions for minor offences, the volunteers sent to the "Dirlewanger" were convicted of major crimes which would be considered criminal in civilian courts. While the theory was that service in the "Dirlewanger" would rehabilitate the criminals, it in fact provided them with the opportunity to continue committing criminal acts with no repercussions. Some Nazi officials romanticized the unit, viewing the men as "pure primitive German men" who were "resisting the law".^[1]

As the news spread of the new formation, hundreds of concentration camp prisoners applied for service with the unit. By September 1940, the formation numbered over 300 men. With the influx of criminals, the emphasis on poachers was now lost, and those convicted of other more severe crimes—including assault, burglary and rape—joined the unit. Accordingly, the unit name was changed to Sonderkommando "Dr. Dirlewanger" (Special Command "Dr. Dirlewanger"). As the unit strength continued to grow, it was placed under the command of the SS-Totenkopfverbände (the formation responsible for the administration of the concentration camps) and it was redesignated SS-Sonderbatallion "Dirlewanger" (it became a Waffen-SS unit again in late 1944).

In January 1942, to re-build its strength, the unit was authorised to recruit Russian and Ukrainian volunteers.^{[citation needed]} In its final phase, Dirlewanger's men came to include, besides common criminals, increasing numbers of political prisoners, homosexuals, Gypsies (likely recruited from Dachau and Sachsenhausen concentration camps) and patients from psychiatric hospitals, as well as others considered unfit to serve in normal military units.^{[citation needed]}

Members of the SS-Sonderregiment Dirlewanger in the window of a townhouse at 9 Focha Street, Warsaw. In the glass reflection one can see details of the townhouse on the opposite side of the street at 8 Focha Street. (August 1944)

Operational history

Poland

On 1 August 1940, the "Dirlewanger" was assigned to anti-partisan duties in the General Government region in Poland, and was answerable only to Heinrich Himmler himself. During the battalion's service in Poland, it was involved in numerous cases of corruption, rape, indiscriminate killings and looting. Desertion was also common. The General Government's Höherer SS- und Polizeiführer Friedrich Wilhelm Krüger was disgusted with the behaviour of the "Dirlewanger", his complaints resulted in its transfer to Belarus in February 1942.

Belarus

In Belarus, the unit came under the command of Central Russia's Höherer SS- und Polizeiführer, Erich von dem Bach. The "Dirlewanger" resumed anti-partisan activities in this area, working in cooperation with the Kaminski Brigade for the first time. Dirlewanger's preferred method of operation was to gather civilians in a barn and set it on fire and shoot with machine guns anyone who tried to escape; the victims of his unit numbered about 30,000.^[1]

On 17 August 1942, the expansion of the "Dirlewanger" to regimental size was authorized. Recruits were to come from more criminals, Eastern volunteers (Osttruppen) and military delinquents. In September 1942, the unit mass murdered the remaining 8,350 Jews in Baranovichi ghetto and proceeded to kill a further 389 people labeled "bandits" and 1,274 "bandit suspects".^[2]

The second battalion finally arrived in February 1943 and the regiment's strength reached 700 men, 300 of whom were anti-Communists from Soviet territory. The unit was now redesignated SS-Sonderregiment "Dirlewanger". In May 1943, the ability to volunteer for service in the regiment was extended to all criminals and 500 men convicted of the most severe crimes were absorbed into the regiment. May and June saw the unit taking part in Operation Cottbus, an anti-partisan operation. In August 1943, the creation of a third battalion was authorised. With its expansion, the "Dirlewanger" was allowed to display rank insignia and a unique collar patch (at first crossed rifles, later crossed stick grenades). During this period, the regiment saw heavy fighting, Dirlewanger himself led many assaults, winning several awards for bravery.

In November 1943, the regiment was committed to front-line action with Army Group Centre in an attempt to halt the Red Army advance. The regiment, untrained and ill-equipped for such combat, performed poorly and suffered heavy casualties. By the end of the year the "Dirlewanger" could muster only 259 men. Large numbers of amnestied criminals were sent to rebuild the regiment and by late February 1944, the regiment was back up to full strength. It was however decided that Eastern volunteers would no longer be admitted to the unit, as the Russians had proved to be particularly unreliable in combat. Anti-partisan operations continued until June 1944, when the Soviets launched Operation Bagration, which was aimed at the destruction of Army Group Centre. The "Dirlewanger" was caught up in the retreat and began falling back to Poland. The regiment distinguished itself in several rear guard actions and reached Poland, decimated, but in good order.

Return to Poland

Memorial to the Wola massacre in which the 36th Waffen Division patricipated.

When the Armia Krajowa initiated the Warsaw Uprising on 1 August 1944, the "Dirlewanger" was sent into action as part of the Kampfgruppe of SS-Gruppenführer Heinz Reinfarth, again alongside Bronislav Kaminski's forces. While some of the regiment's more severe actions were criticized by von dem Bach and the sector commander, Generalmajor Günter Rohr, Dirlewanger was recommended by Reinefarth for the Knight's Cross and promotion to SS-Oberführer der Reserve. The "Dirlewanger" fought against the insurgents in Warsaw, suffering extremely high losses. The regiment arrived in the city numbering 881 officers and men; during the course of the two-month urban warfare it received reinforcements of some 2,500 soldiers and lost 2,733. Thus, total casualties numbered 315% of the unit's initial strength. During the fighting in Wola and Ochota district in Warsaw the unit engaged in an orgy of violence, rape, and murder, as well as simple thievery, with its men often under influence of alcohol; all together, 10,000 civilians were murdered.^[3]

By 3 October 1944, the Poles had surrendered and the depleted regiment spent the next month guarding the Vistula line. During this time, the regiment was upgraded to brigade status, and redesignated SS-Sonderbrigade "Dirlewanger" (SS Special Brigade Dirlewanger). In early October, it was decided to upgrade the "Dirlewanger" again, this time to a Waffen-SS combat brigade. Accordingly, it was redesignated 2.SS-Sturmbrigade "Dirlewanger" and soon reached its complement of 4,000 men.

Slovakia and Hungary

When the Slovak National Uprising began in late August 1944, the newly formed brigade was committed to action. The conduct of the brigade played a large part in putting down the rebellion, and by 30 October the crisis was averted. With the outcome of the war no longer in doubt, large numbers of communist and socialist political prisoners began applying for the "Dirlewanger" in the hope of defecting to the Soviets.^[4] SS-Brigadeführer Fritz Schmedes, disgraced former commander of the 4th SS Polizei Division, was assigned to the "Dirlewanger" by Himmler as punishment for refusing to carry out orders. With his extensive combat experience, Schmedes became the unofficial advisor to Dirlewanger on front line combat.

In December, the brigade was sent to the front in Hungary. While several newly formed battalions made up of communist and socialist volunteers fell apart, several other battalions fought well. During a month's fighting, the brigade suffered heavy casualties and was pulled back to Slovakia to refit and reorganize.

Germany

In February 1945, orders were given to expand the brigade to a division; however, before this could begin it was sent north to the Oder-Neisse line in an attempt to halt the Soviet advance. On 14 February 1945, the brigade was redesignated 36.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS. With its expansion to a division of 4,000 men, the "Dirlewanger" had regular Heer units attached to the formation: a Grenadier regiment, a Pionier brigade and a Panzerjäger battalion. Individual Sturmpionier demolition engineers had already been attached to the force during the fighting in Warsaw.

When the final Soviet offensive began on 16 April 1945, the division was pushed back to the northeast. The next day, Oskar Dirlewanger was seriously wounded in combat for the twelfth time. He was sent to the rear and Schmedes immediately assumed command. Dirlewanger would not return to the division. Desertion became more and more common. When Schmedes attempted to reorganize his division on April 25, he found it had virtually ceased to exist. The situation was highly fluid, with men of the 73rd Waffen Grenadier Regiment of the SS lynching their commanding officer Ewald Ehlers (the former commandant of Dachau concentration camp, he had been convicted of corruption). On 1 May 1945, the Soviets wiped out all that was left of the 36. Waffen-Grenadier-Division in the Helbe Pocket. The small remnant of the division that managed to escape attempted to reach the US Army lines on the Elbe river. Schmedes and his staff managed to reach the Americans and surrendered on 3 May. Only about 700 men of the division survived the war.

Captivity and Murder

At the end of the war, Dirlewanger was captured by the western Allies. On 1 June 1945, Polish soldiers, former forced laborers serving in the French occupation forces in Germany, took him to Altshausen jail. Over the next few days Dirlewanger was beaten and tortured. He died from injuries inflicted by the Polish guards around 5 June.^[5] Dirlewanger was buried on 19 June, but the French Military suppressed the news at the time. Over the next 15 years, many bogus sightings of Dirlewanger were made around the world. His body was exhumed in November 1960, to prove that he was dead.^[6]

On 17 April 2009, Polish authorities claimed to have identified three surviving members of "Dirlewanger" living in Germany and announced their intent to prosecute the men.^[7]

In popular culture

• The Dirlewanger Brigade is featured in the last chapter of the 2009 video game Velvet Assassin.
• The final scenes of the 1985 Soviet psychological horror film Come and See are loosely based on the unit's notorious activities in Belarus.

Commanders

• SS-Oberführer der Reserve Dr. Oskar Dirlewanger (14 June 1940 - 17 April 1945)
• SS-Brigadeführer Fritz Schmedes (17 April 1945 - 1 May 1945)

Orders of battle

SS-Sturmbrigade "Dirlewanger" (August 1944)

• Brigade Stab
• SS-Regiment 1
• SS Regiment 2
• Artillerie-Abteilung
• Füsilier-Kompanie
• Pioneer-Kompanie
• Nachrichtren-Kompanie

36.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (March 1945)

• Division Stab
• 72.Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment der SS
• 73.Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment der SS
• Panzer-Abteilung Stansdorf I
• Artillerie Abteilung 36
• Füsilier Kompanie 36
• 1244. Volks-Grenadier-Regiment
• 687.(Heer) Pioneer-Brigade
• 681.(Heer) Schwere-Panzerjäger-Abteilung

See also

• 999th Light Afrika Division

Sources

• MacLean, French L. - The Cruel Hunters: SS-Sonder-Kommando Dirlewanger
• (German) Michaelis, Rolf - Das SS-Sonderkommando Dirlewanger: Ein Beispiel deutscher Besatzungspolitik in Weißrussland

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin, Timothy Snyder, page 242, Basic Books 2010
2. ^ Bloodlands... page 242-243
3. ^ The Waffen-SS: 24. to 38. Divisions, & Volunteer Legions, Gordon Williamson, Stephen Andrew, page 16, Osprey Publishing 2004
4. ^ (German) Klausch, Hans-Peter - Antifaschisten in SS-Uniform: Schicksal und Widerstand der deutschen politischen KZ-Haftlinge, Zuchthaus- und Wehrmachtstrafgefangenen in der SS-Sonderformation Dirlewanger
5. ^ Walter Stanoski Winter, Walter Winter, Struan Robertson: Winter Time: Memoirs of a German Sinto who Survived Auschwitz. 2004. Page 139. ISBN 978-1-902806-38-9.
6. ^ MacLean, French L. - The Cruel Hunters: SS-Sonder-Kommando Dirlewanger
7. ^ Notorious SS unit 'traced', The Daily Telegraph, 17 Apr 2009

External links

• 36.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS on Feldgrau.com
• A witness account of a German Sturmpionier soldier from the Warsaw Uprising

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