Ukrainische Gruppe Nachtigall

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Battalion Ukrainische Gruppe Nachtigall was the first foreign legion of the Wehrmacht. (The SS had already been recruiting foreigners for some time; see the Wiking Division.) The Nachtigall was formed from a cadre of right-wing Ukrainian nationalists the Germans had released from Polish prisons, with many groups of anti-communist Ukrainians. The creation of the unit was overseen by Hauptmann Prof. Oberländer, who performed the political role of commissioner. (Oberländer was later to become minister for Immigration in the Federal Republic of Germany.) Ex-Brandenburger Oberleutnant Dr. Hanz-Albrecht Herzner was placed in military command of the Battalion. The unusual composition of the unit meant that Herzner's authority was almost impossible to enforce.

[edit] Overview

Only a few weeks after the opening of the Barbarossa offensive, on 30 July 1941, the Ukrainian allies began to dictate terms. They ordered Herzner to arrange an attack on Lemburg, on the outskirts of Lvov. The Ukrainians wished to infiltrate the city before the main German forces, and attempt to rescue all their Ukrainian nationalist compatriots held in the city's NKVD prison complex. The men knew that the moment the NKVD feared a German attack, they would execute the prisoners en masse. Herzner replied to the unit that he could not agree to the operation without the consent of Oberländer, and as they were behind enemy lines, this was going to be almost impossible to obtain. When the Ukrainians didn't drop the subject, Herzner began to fear that they would attack with or without his support, so he gave the go-ahead.

A mere hour later, the Ukrainians fixed bayonets and attacked the Soviet defences outside Lemburg. They fought fiercely, taking no prisoners. Soon the Soviet defences crumbled and the battalion reached the NKVD prison, only to find that the NKVD had already executed all the prisoners, and the courtyard was filled with hundreds of corpses. Enraged, the men cleared the jail and began to assault the city of Lvov, killing every Russian they met.

A Brandenburger unit which was operating in the city had already secured the Post Office, Railway Station and several strategic factories and bridges, so soon the entire city was under German control. At this time, Stepan Bandera, the Ukrainian nationalist leader appeared at the City Hall and summoned a meeting of the city council, along with all the city's clandestine anti-communist organisations. Several members of the Battalion were also summoned. Shortly after this meeting, Ukraine Radio relayed a proclamation. The time had come for the creation of the Free State of Ukraine, and all true Ukrainians were to rise up and throw off the communist yoke.

However, a lack of authorisation from the German government meant that this uprising never happened, nor did the creation of a Ukrainian state occur. If Hitler had allowed the formation of a Ukrainian State, it could have greatly affected the course of the War in the East. As it was, the Germans disbanded the Battalion and used the men as the basis to form several other Ukrainian volunteer units.