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29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Italian)
Encyclopedia
The 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Italian) or Legione SS Italiana was created on 10 February 1945 as the second SS-Division numbered 29. The first on the 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Russian), was disbanded. The new unit created in November 1943, was based on the Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade der SS (italienische Nr. 1). The division is also called "Italia".
on 8 September 1943 signed a truce with the Allies
. In response, the German Army (Wehrmacht Heer) and the Waffen-SS
disarmed Italian troops unless they were fighting for the German cause. The new Italian Social Republic
was founded on 23 September 1943 under dictator Benito Mussolini
and this allowed Italians to be recruited for Waffen-SS. On 2 October 1943, Heinrich Himmler
and Gottlob Berger
devised the Programm zur Aufstellung der italienischen Milizeinheiten durch die Waffen-SS which was approved by Adolf Hitler
and Benito Mussolini
.
(SS Runes) on red rather than black, and the left sleeve had a Reichsadler
, not with a swastika, but with fasces
.
On 23 November 1943, 13 Miliz-Battalions pledged their loyalty before being moved to SS-Ausbildungsstab Italien under SS-Brigadeführers Peter Hansen who led them in a "bloody war among brothers" against partisans. The unit was commanded by SS-Obergruppenführer Karl Wolff
and called Italienische SS-Freiwilligen-Legion, but soon renamed 1. Sturmbrigade Italienische Freiwilligen-Legion.
Soon the unit was called Legionari in Italy, also in official reports.
s fought against Allied bridgeheads of Anzio
and Nettuno
with surprisingly good results, for which Heinrich Himmler allowed them to wear SS-Runes on black rather than red. On 7 September 1944 renamed to Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade der SS (italienische Nr. 1) under Generalkommando Lombardia of Heeresgruppe C. New recruits allowed the unit grow in December 1944 to 15,000 men. In Spring 1945 the Division under command by SS-Oberführer Ernst Tzschoppe as Kampfgruppe
Binz fought against French units and Resistenza in Piemont.
On 30 April 1945 the last elements of the Division surrendered to US troops in Gorgonzola
Lombardy
.
Several former Italian SS men (like Pio Filippani Ronconi
) were involved with the deviated branches of Italian Secret Services and Stay-behind
formations used to spread insecurity and terror among the general populace in the 60s and 70s (Strategia della tensione), to dissuade Italians from bringing left political parties to power.
Background
The Kingdom of ItalyKingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
on 8 September 1943 signed a truce with the Allies
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
. In response, the German Army (Wehrmacht Heer) and the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The 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...
disarmed Italian troops unless they were fighting for the German cause. The new Italian Social Republic
Italian Social Republic
The Italian Social Republic was a puppet state of Nazi Germany led by the "Duce of the Nation" and "Minister of Foreign Affairs" Benito Mussolini and his Republican Fascist Party. The RSI exercised nominal sovereignty in northern Italy but was largely dependent on the Wehrmacht to maintain control...
was founded on 23 September 1943 under dictator Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
and this allowed Italians to be recruited for Waffen-SS. On 2 October 1943, Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
and Gottlob Berger
Gottlob Berger
Gottlob Berger was a German Nazi who held the rank of Obergruppenführer during World War II and was later convicted of war crimes.In 1939, he was Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler's main recruiting officer...
devised the Programm zur Aufstellung der italienischen Milizeinheiten durch die Waffen-SS which was approved by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
.
Training
In October 15,000 volunteers started training at Truppenübungsplatz Münsingen, but 9,000 of them were unsuitable and released for training in Police units or for work. The soldiers wore Sig runeSig Rune
Sig is the name given by Guido von List for the Sigel or s rune of the Armanen Futharkh, and is also used by Karl Maria Wiligut for his runes.-Nazism:...
(SS Runes) on red rather than black, and the left sleeve had a Reichsadler
Reichsadler
The Reichsadler was the heraldic eagle, derived from the Roman eagle standard, used by the Holy Roman Emperors and in modern coats of arms of Germany, including those of the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany...
, not with a swastika, but with fasces
Fasces
Fasces are a bundle of wooden sticks with an axe blade emerging from the center, which is an image that traditionally symbolizes summary power and jurisdiction, and/or "strength through unity"...
.
On 23 November 1943, 13 Miliz-Battalions pledged their loyalty before being moved to SS-Ausbildungsstab Italien under SS-Brigadeführers Peter Hansen who led them in a "bloody war among brothers" against partisans. The unit was commanded by SS-Obergruppenführer Karl Wolff
Karl Wolff
Karl Friedrich Otto Wolff was a high-ranking member of the Nazi Schutzstaffel , ultimately holding the rank of SS-Obergruppenführer and General of the Waffen-SS. He became Chief of Personal Staff to the Reichsführer and SS Liaison Officer to Hitler until his replacement in 1943...
and called Italienische SS-Freiwilligen-Legion, but soon renamed 1. Sturmbrigade Italienische Freiwilligen-Legion.
Soon the unit was called Legionari in Italy, also in official reports.
Combat
In April 1944 three battalionBattalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s fought against Allied bridgeheads of Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
and Nettuno
Nettuno
Nettuno is a town and comune of the province of Rome in the Lazio region of central Italy, 60 kilometers south of Rome. It is named in honour of the Roman god Neptune...
with surprisingly good results, for which Heinrich Himmler allowed them to wear SS-Runes on black rather than red. On 7 September 1944 renamed to Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade der SS (italienische Nr. 1) under Generalkommando Lombardia of Heeresgruppe C. New recruits allowed the unit grow in December 1944 to 15,000 men. In Spring 1945 the Division under command by SS-Oberführer Ernst Tzschoppe as Kampfgruppe
Kampfgruppe
In military history and military slang, the German term Kampfgruppe can refer to a combat formation of any kind, but most usually to that employed by the German Wehrmacht and its allies during World War II and, to a lesser extent, in World War I...
Binz fought against French units and Resistenza in Piemont.
On 30 April 1945 the last elements of the Division surrendered to US troops in Gorgonzola
Gorgonzola
Gorgonzola is a comune in the province of Milan, part of Lombardy, northern Italy. Once a rural community, and famous for the cheese which bears its name, today it forms part of the Milanese conurbation and has three stops on the Milan Metro.- History :...
Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
.
Post-war
As with other former members of Nazi combat formations veterans of the Italian SS division found employ in the CIA-orchestrated organizations of illegal and clandestine political warfare in an "anti-communist" role.Several former Italian SS men (like Pio Filippani Ronconi
Pio Filippani Ronconi
Pio Alessandro Carlo Fulvio Filippani Ronconi was an Italian orientalist. He was born in Barcelona, Spain....
) were involved with the deviated branches of Italian Secret Services and Stay-behind
Stay-behind
In a stay-behind operation, a country places secret operatives or organisations in its own territory, for use in the event that the territory is overrun by an enemy. If this occurs, the operatives would then form the basis of a resistance movement, or would act as spies from behind enemy lines...
formations used to spread insecurity and terror among the general populace in the 60s and 70s (Strategia della tensione), to dissuade Italians from bringing left political parties to power.
Units
- Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment of the SS 81
- I. Waffen-Grenadier Battalion
- II. Waffen-Grenadier Battalion
- III. Waffen-Grenadier Battalion
- Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment of the SS 82
- I. Waffen-Grenadier Battalion
- II. Waffen-Grenadier Battalion
- III. Waffen-Grenadier Battalion
- Waffen-Artillery-Regiment of the SS 29
- I. Artillery Battalion
- II. Artillery Battalion
- Füsilier-Battalion 29 Debica
- 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 29
- SS-Pionier-Company 29
- SS-Signal-Company 29
- SS-Reserve Battalion 29
- Officers Battalion
Commanders
- 13 November 1943 – March 1944: SS-Brigadeführer Peter Hansen
- March 1944 – September 1944: SS-Obergruppenführer Karl WolffKarl WolffKarl Friedrich Otto Wolff was a high-ranking member of the Nazi Schutzstaffel , ultimately holding the rank of SS-Obergruppenführer and General of the Waffen-SS. He became Chief of Personal Staff to the Reichsführer and SS Liaison Officer to Hitler until his replacement in 1943...
- September 1944 – September 1944: SS-Brigadeführer Pietro Mannelli
- September 1944 – Oktober 1944: SS-Brigadeführer Christian HansenChristian HansenChristian Marius Hansen was a Danish gymnast who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics and in the 1912 Summer Olympics.He was part of the Danish team, which finished fourth in the gymnastics team event in 1908....
- Oktober 1944 – November 1944: SS-Standartenführer Gustav LombardGustav LombardGustav Lombard was an SS Brigadeführer who served in World War II. During World War II, Lombard commanded the 8. SS-Division Florian Geyer, 23. SS-Mountain Division Kama and the 31. SS-Volunteer Grenadier Division...
- 9 November 1944 – January 1945: SS-Standartenführer Constantin Heldmann
- Januar 1945 – April 1945: SS-Oberführer Erwin Tzschoppe
See also
- 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...
- GrenadierGrenadier (soldier)A grenadier was originally a specialized soldier, first established as a distinct role in the mid-to-late 17th century, for the throwing of grenades and sometimes assault operations. At this time grenadiers were chosen from the strongest and largest soldiers...
- Division (military)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...
- 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
- Pio Filippani RonconiPio Filippani RonconiPio Alessandro Carlo Fulvio Filippani Ronconi was an Italian orientalist. He was born in Barcelona, Spain....