Waffen-SS divisions

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All divisions in the Waffen-SS were ordered in a single series, regardless of type. Those tagged with nationalities were at least nominally recruited from those nationalities. Many of the higher-numbered units were small battlegroups (Kampfgruppen), i.e. divisions in name only.

As a general rule, an "SS Division" is made up of Germans, or other Germanic peoples, while a "Division of the SS" is made up of non-Germanic volunteers.

[edit] Battlegroups of the Waffen-SS

Number Division Origin Last commader Operational Symbol Maximum menpower
1st "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" Germany SS-Brigadeführer Otto Kumm 1933-1945 20,844 (1942)[1]
2nd "Das Reich" Germany SS-Standartenführer Rudolf Lehmann 1939-1945 20,184 (1944)[2]
3rd "Totenkopf" Germany SS-Brigadeführer Hellmuth Becker 1939-1945 21,186 (1942)[3]
4th "Polizei" Germany SS-Standartenführer Fritz Göhler 1940-1945 19,377 (1941)[4]
5th "Wiking" Germany SS-Oberführer Karl Ulrich 1940-1945 17,347 (1941)[5]
6th "Nord" Germany SS-Standartenführer Franz Schriber 1941-1945 21,247 (1942)[6]
7th "Prinz Eugen" Germany SS-Brigadeführer August Schmidthuber 1942-1945 21,120 (1943)[7]
8th "Florian Geyer" Germany SS-Brigadeführer Joachim Rumohr 1942-1945 13,000 (1944)[8]
9th "Hohenstaufen" Germany SS-Standartenführer Walter Harzer 1943-1945 19,611 (1943)[9]
10th "Frundsberg" Germany SS-Obersturmbannführer Franz Roestel 1943-1945 19,313 (1943)[10]
11th "Nordland" Norway SS-Brigadeführer Dr. Gustav Krunkenberg 1943-1945 11,749 (1943)[11]
12th "Hitlerjugend" Germany SS-Brigadeführer Hugo Kraas 1943-1945 21,482 (1943)[12]
13th "Handschar" Croatia SS-Brigadeführer Desiderius Hampel 1943-1945 21,065 (1943)[13]
14th "Galizien" Ukraine SS-Brigadeführer Pavlo Schandruk 1944-1945 22,000 (1944)[14]



SS-Oberführer Karl BURK 43

SS-Brigadeführer Otto BAUM - 43

SS-Oberführer Georg BOCHMANN 43

  • 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel

SS-Standartenführer Heinrich PETERSEN 44

SS-Gruppenführer Bruno STRECKENBACH 44

Alfons REBANE 44



Also Panzer Division Kempf, a temporary unit of mixed Heer and Waffen-SS components.

[edit] Notes and references