Norwegian Legion
Encyclopedia
During World War II
, the Norwegian Legion was formed by the Waffen-SS
on 29 June 1941 in German-occupied Norway
. Volunteers were assured that it would be a Norwegian unit with Norwegian officers, uniforms and language and that its area of operations would be Finland
. Instead, the Norwegians were deployed to Russia though, taking part in the fighting on the Leningrad
front. This was done by the Germans to avoid reinforcing any Norwegian territorial claims to the Kola peninsula
and the Finnish Petsamo
region, which were desired by the Quisling regime
. Initially, Quisling hoped to deploy over 30 000 Norwegian legionaries to Finnish Lapland, but this was rejected by both the Germans and the Finns.
Coming under the control of the 2 SS Infantry Brigade
, the Norwegians occupied positions at Krasnoye Selo
near Pushkin in February 1942. For the next two months the Legion took part in the siege warfare around Leningrad
. In May 1942, the Legion was withdrawn for a rest, returning to the front line in June 1942. It again became involved in major combat in February 1943, as the Red Army
mounted an offensive across Lake Ladoga
. The Legion left the front in the spring of 1943, having suffered over a 180 casualties in a year. During that period it had been reinforced by the 1 SS and Police Company under the command of the head of the Norwegian Allgemeine-SS, Jonas Lie
.
The Legion was disbanded in March 1943. Relations between the Norwegians and the Germans had not been good — a problem common to most of the Legions fighting on the Eastern Front. Legionnaires returned to Norway with little good to say about the Germans, which caused the SS some difficulty when it tried to recruit Norwegians later in the war. Most survivors of the Legion who wanted to continue fighting were transferred to the 23 SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment Norge, one of the regiments of the newly formed 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland
.
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...
, the Norwegian Legion was formed by 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...
on 29 June 1941 in German-occupied Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Volunteers were assured that it would be a Norwegian unit with Norwegian officers, uniforms and language and that its area of operations would be Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Instead, the Norwegians were deployed to Russia though, taking part in the fighting on the Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
front. This was done by the Germans to avoid reinforcing any Norwegian territorial claims to the Kola peninsula
Kola Peninsula
The Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the far northwest of Russia. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely to the north of the Arctic Circle and is washed by the Barents Sea in the north and the White Sea in the east and southeast...
and the Finnish Petsamo
Pechengsky District
Pechengsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the five in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It is located to the northwest of the Kola Peninsula on the coast of the Barents Sea and borders with Finland in the south and southwest and with Norway in the west, northwest, and north...
region, which were desired by the Quisling regime
Quisling regime
The Quisling regime, or the Quisling government are common names used to refer to the collaborationist government led by Vidkun Quisling in occupied Norway during the Second World War. The official name of the regime from 1 February 1942 until its dissolution in May 1945 was Nasjonale regjering...
. Initially, Quisling hoped to deploy over 30 000 Norwegian legionaries to Finnish Lapland, but this was rejected by both the Germans and the Finns.
Coming under the control of the 2 SS Infantry Brigade
2 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...
, the Norwegians occupied positions at Krasnoye Selo
Krasnoye Selo
Krasnoye Selo is a municipal town in Krasnoselsky District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia. It is located south-southeast of the city center. Population:...
near Pushkin in February 1942. For the next two months the Legion took part in the siege warfare around Leningrad
Siege of Leningrad
The Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade was a prolonged military operation resulting from the failure of the German Army Group North to capture Leningrad, now known as Saint Petersburg, in the Eastern Front theatre of World War II. It started on 8 September 1941, when the last...
. In May 1942, the Legion was withdrawn for a rest, returning to the front line in June 1942. It again became involved in major combat in February 1943, as 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...
mounted an offensive across Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
. The Legion left the front in the spring of 1943, having suffered over a 180 casualties in a year. During that period it had been reinforced by the 1 SS and Police Company under the command of the head of the Norwegian Allgemeine-SS, Jonas Lie
Jonas Lie (government minister)
Jonas Lie was a Norwegian councillor of state in the Nasjonal Samling government of Vidkun Quisling in 1940, then acting councillor of state 1940–1941, and Minister of Police between 1941 and 1945 in the new Quisling government...
.
The Legion was disbanded in March 1943. Relations between the Norwegians and the Germans had not been good — a problem common to most of the Legions fighting on the Eastern Front. Legionnaires returned to Norway with little good to say about the Germans, which caused the SS some difficulty when it tried to recruit Norwegians later in the war. Most survivors of the Legion who wanted to continue fighting were transferred to the 23 SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment Norge, one of the regiments of the newly formed 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland
11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland
The 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland, also known as Kampfverband Waräger, Germanische-Freiwilligen-Division, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 11 or 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland, was a Waffen SS, Panzergrenadier division recruited from foreign volunteers...
.
Commanders
- Legion-SturmbannfuhrerSturmbannführerSturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
Finn KjelstrupFinn KjelstrupFinn Hannibal Kjelstrup was a Norwegian military officer and civil servant for Nasjonal Samling.He graduated from the Norwegian Military Academy in the same class as Vidkun Quisling. He had a military and civil career, and was an assistant secretary in the Ministry of Defence in 1940...
(June 1941-1 December 1941) - Legion-Sturmbannfuhrer Jorgen Bakke (December 1941-15 December 1941)
- SS-ObersturmbannfuhrerObersturmbannführerObersturmbannführer was a paramilitary Nazi Party rank used by both the SA and the SS. It was created in May 1933 to fill the need for an additional field grade officer rank above Sturmbannführer as the SA expanded. It became an SS rank at the same time...
Arthur QvistArthur QvistArthur Qvist was a Norwegian horse rider who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics and in the 1936 Summer Olympics....
(December 1941-March 1943)