Waffen-SS divisions 33-38

Order of Battle Waffen-SS divisions 33 (3rd Hungarian) – 38 (Nibelungen).

Some of Dirlewanger's men.
Some of Dirlewanger’s butchers in Warsaw.

Several of this last nominal ‘divisions’ of the Waffen-SS fielded no more than a few hundred ill-equipped men scrambled together from Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans) and bewildered foreigners, perhaps stiffened by members of a Waffen-SS training school. Additional, the most criminal ‘troop’ unit of all can be found on this page.

Order of Battle Waffen-SS divisions 33 – 38


33 Waffen-Kavallerie-Division der SS (3rd Hungarian)

Raised (as division)
Raised in Hungary 1944-45.

The End
Destroyed at Budapest in February 1945.

Infantry strength
Not known, far below division strength.

Tank strength
none.

Notes
Hurried assembled as largely Hungarian cavalry force.
After destroyed at Budapest the division number was taken over by Charlemange (see next).


33 Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS Charlemagne (1st French)

French soldiers with Panzer IV
French soldiers with Panzer IV in November 1943 north of the Pripet Marshes on the Russian front.
Raised (as division)
French Volunteer Legion passed from Army to Waffen-SS in August 1943. On 10 February 1945 redesignated as division by taking over number of destroyed 3rd Hungarian (see before).

The End
Elements evacuated from fortress Kolberg to Wollin in March 1945. Combat group was defending the government district of Berlin, where it was annihilated.

Infantry strength
1 motorized infantry regiment (with 3 battalions), 1945 a second infantry regiment (original the French 638th regiment).


Tank strength
Self-propelled anti-tank guns were with the AT-company.

Notes
Raised from French volunteers and from other Western Europe nations. Included French Foreign Legionnaires. Didn’t reach division strength anymore. High fighting reputation.


34 SS-Grenadier-Division Landstorm Nederland (Dutch)

Raised (as division)
Formed spring 1943 in Holland, transferred to Waffen-SS in September 1944.

The End
Surrendered in May 1945 to British.

Infantry strength
2 infantry regiments (never reached division strength).

Tank strength
none.


Notes
Original raised as security unit from Dutch volunteers with German police officers.
Combat at Arnhem, later anti-partisan operations in Holland.


35 SS-Polizei-Grenadier-Division (Police division)

Raised (as division)
Created in February 1945.

The End
Surrendered to Red Army in Halbe pocket, May 1945.

Infantry strength
3 police infantry regiments.

Tank strength
none.

Notes
Raised from personnel of the Dresden Police School and from SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig for action at Neisse front.


36 Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS

Some of Dirlewanger's men.
Some of Dirlewanger’s men.

Raised (as division)
Formed 1940 as a small battalion (penal unit). In 1942-44 steadily increased first to brigade and finally to divisional status.

The End
The unit was massacred by the Red Army southeast of Berlin on 29 April 1945. Its long-time commander Dirlewanger (wounded in February 1945) died mysteriously in detention, June 1945.

Infantry strength
Total of 4,000 ‘butchers’ in summer 1944.

Tank strength
none.

Notes
Commander Dirlewanger was jailed for sex crimes before the war. Personnel was from German prisons, concentration camps, SS military prisons and other human cesspits.
Scandalous atrocity reputation, but Dirlewanger, who was personally implicated in horrific crimes, was always protected by Himmler.


37 SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division Lützow

Raised (as division)
Formed at Pressburg in February and March 1945.

The End
Surrendered to US Army in Austria.

Infantry strength
2 Cavalry regiments

Tank strength
none.

Notes
Formed from survivors of 8th SS-Cavalry-Division and 22nd SS-Cavalry-Division and other stragglers including Hungarians of Hoved Division after fall of Budapest. High fighting reputation in the last weeks of the war.


38. SS-Grenadier-Division Nibelungen

Wounded Hitler Youth boy
Wounded Hitler Youth boy. Despite everything, such fanaticized youths had sometimes amazing combat performances in the last weeks of the war.
Raised (as division)
Formed on 28 March 1945 near Freiburg. During formation forced retreating to Bavaria.

The End
Surrendered near Reit im Winkel (Austria) on 4 and 5 May 1945.

Infantry strength
1 motorized infantry regiment (3 battalions – only 2,700 combat ready troops early April 1945).

Tank strength
2 tank companies (mixed equipment, with different available tanks and assault guns).
Total: approx. 28 tanks.

Notes
Personnel of SS-Junker and Infantry School Bad Tölz, Himmler’s bodyguard battalion, 8,000 17-year-old conscripts or 16-year-old volunteers and the German personnel of the disbanded 30th (Russian) Waffen-SS division.


References and literature

Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 (Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv und Arbeitskreis Wehrforschung)
Die gepanzerten und motorisierten deutschen Grossverbände 1935-1945 (Rolf Stoves)
The Waffen-SS (Martin Windrow)
Waffen-SS Encyclopedia (Marc J. Rikmenspoel)
Hitler’s Elite – The SS 1939-45 (Chris McNab)
Waffen SS in Action (Norman Harms)
Into the Abyss – The last years of the Waffen-SS (Ian Baxter)
Waffen SS in Russia (Bruce Quarrie)
Waffen-SS – From Glory to Defeat 1943-1945 (Robert Michulec, Ronald Volstad)
The Waffen-SS (4): 24. to 38. Divisions, & Volunteer Legions (Stephen Andrew)


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