Voldemars Veiss

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Voldemars Veiss

Voldemars Veiss, (November 7, 1899 - April 16, 1944), was a Latvian officer and a patriot. He was a Lieutenant Colonel in Latvian Army and a Standartenführer in German Waffen-SS.

When Riga, the capital of Latvia fell to Germans on July 1, 1941 Latvians, by their own initiative, began forming self defence and police forces, mainly consisting of former members of Latvian Army, police and Home Guard (Aizsargi) in addition to high school and university students. Lieutenant Colonel Voldemars Veiss became the commander of this Self Defence organization.

On July 20 Germans disbanded this organization and ordered the formation of auxiliary police forces instead, with Lt. Col. Veiss being appointed Chief of the Auxiliary Police. At the end of 1941, he became First Deputy Director General of the Director General of the Interior when the Latvian Self-Administration was reorganized.

As early as in autumn 1941 Latvian auxiliary police units, temporarily attached to Wehrmacht, were first used in front line duties. This kind of employment continued from time to time until 2nd Latvian Brigade was formed from six Latvian battalions, four of which had combat experience. At the end of April 1943 a three battalion formation fighting under name of Latvian Legion was withdrawn from the front line and renamed 1st Volunteer Regiment of the SS (Latvian), with change of Wehrmacht ranks to those of Waffen-SS. Voldemars Veiss was given command of this regiment, which was a part of the 2nd Latvian Brigade, and received a rank of Legion-Obersturmbannführer.

In September '43 Veiss earned an Iron Cross 1st Class for his actions during the battle of Spaskaya Polist and in October he was promoted to Legion-Standartenführer and appointed Infantry Leader of the brigade. In January 1944 Veiss led a battle group (Kampfgruppe) bearing his name and for his heroic defence of Nekokhovo and personal valour he became the first Latvian to receive the Knight's Cross.

When the 2nd Latvian Brigade became the 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian) he continued as the Infantry Leader of this unit. On 16.4.1944 Standartenführer Voldemars Veiss died after having been wounded by a grenade seven days earlier.

In March 1945 the 42nd Waffen Grenadier Regiment of the SS (1st Latvian) was named for his honour.