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19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian)
Encyclopedia
The 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian) was an Infantry Division
of the Waffen SS during World War II
. It was the second Latvian
division formed in January 1944, after its sister unit, the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian)
. It was surrounded in the Courland Pocket
at the end of the war when it surrendered to the Red Army
.
with the addition of a newly raised third regiment, Waffen Grenadier Regiment 46 (Latvian No. 6). Simultaneously, the designations of the two other grenadier regiments were changed from 39 and 40 to 42 and 43 respectively.
The Honour titles Voldemars Veiss
and Hinrich Schuldt
were received for the regiments' valour in combat during battles in Courland
.
Hinrich Schuldt became the first commander of the division. After Schuldt was killed in action on 15 March 1944, SS-Standartenführer
Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock
temporarily took command, being replaced on April 13 by SS-Oberführer Bruno Streckenbach
, who led the division until the end of war.
For combat history of the division and more information of Latvian units during the World War II
, see Latvian Legion.
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the Waffen SS during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was the second Latvian
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
division formed in January 1944, after its sister unit, the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian)
15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian)
The 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS was formed in the Waffen SS's drive for manpower in the wake of Operation Barbarossa; Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941...
. It was surrounded in the Courland Pocket
Courland Pocket
The Courland Pocket referred to the Red Army's blockade or encirclement of Axis forces on the Courland peninsula during the closing months of World War II...
at the end of the war when it surrendered to the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
.
Formation
The 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian) was formed in January 1944, from 2 SS Infantry Brigade2 SS Infantry Brigade
The 2 SS Infantry Brigade was formed on the 15 May 1941, under the command of Karl Fischer von Treuenfeld with the 4th and 5th SS Infantry Regiments and began its operational service in September in the rear area of Army Group North, under which command it would spend its entire existence...
with the addition of a newly raised third regiment, Waffen Grenadier Regiment 46 (Latvian No. 6). Simultaneously, the designations of the two other grenadier regiments were changed from 39 and 40 to 42 and 43 respectively.
The Honour titles Voldemars Veiss
Voldemars Veiss
Voldemārs Veiss, was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Latvian Army and a prominent Nazi collaborator, Standartenführer in the German Waffen-SS....
and Hinrich Schuldt
Hinrich Schuldt
SS-Brigadeführer Hinrich Schuldt was a German Waffen-SS officer and a posthumous recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
were received for the regiments' valour in combat during battles in Courland
Courland Pocket
The Courland Pocket referred to the Red Army's blockade or encirclement of Axis forces on the Courland peninsula during the closing months of World War II...
.
Commander
The commander of the 2nd SS Infantry Brigade, SS-OberführerOberführer
Oberführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party dating back to 1921. Translated as “Senior Leader”, an Oberführer was typically a Nazi Party member in charge of a group of paramilitary units in a particular geographical region...
Hinrich Schuldt became the first commander of the division. After Schuldt was killed in action on 15 March 1944, SS-Standartenführer
Standartenführer
Standartenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in the so-called Nazi combat-organisations: SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK...
Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock
Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock
SS-Oberführer Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock was a German Waffen-SS officer who during his career commanded three SS-divisions, the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen, the 4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division and the Latvian 19.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS...
temporarily took command, being replaced on April 13 by SS-Oberführer Bruno Streckenbach
Bruno Streckenbach
Bruno Heinrich Streckenbach held the rank of SS-Brigadeführer , when he was the head of Amt I : Administration and Personnel of the Reichssicherheitshauptamt , but eventually achieved the rank of SS-Gruppenführer both in Allgemeine-SS and Waffen-SS...
, who led the division until the end of war.
For combat history of the division and more information of Latvian units during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, see Latvian Legion.
Order of battle
- Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS 42, (Voldemars Veiss)
- Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS 43, (Hinrich Schuldt)
- Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS 44
- Waffen Artillerie Regiment 19
- SS Füsilier Battalion 19
- SS PanzerjägerPanzerjägerPanzerjäger was a branch of service of the Wehrmacht during the Second World War which were the anti-tank arm-of-service who operated anti-tank artillery, and made exclusive use of the tank destroyers which were also named Panzerjäger...
Battalion 19 - SS Flak Batallion 19
- SS Pionier Batallion 19
- SS Nachschub Troop 19
- SS Medical Battalion 19
- SS Field Post Department 19
- SS Signals Battalion 19
See also
- List of Knight's Cross recipients 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian)
- 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian)15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian)The 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS was formed in the Waffen SS's drive for manpower in the wake of Operation Barbarossa; Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941...
- Waffen-SSWaffen-SSThe Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
- WehrmachtWehrmachtThe Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
- List of German military units of World War II