Hitler's troops. The Wehrmacht is the army of Nazi Germany
For some reason, it is believed that in June 1941, no less than 5 million Wehrmacht soldiers crossed the border with the USSR. This common myth is easily refuted.
The strength of the Wehrmacht in June 1941 reached:
7,234 thousand people (Müller–Hillebrandt) including:
1. Active Army – 3.8 million people.
2. Army Reserve – 1.2 million people.
3 . Air Force – 1.68 million people
4. SS troops – 0.15 million people
Explanation:
The reserve army, numbering 1.2 million people, did not participate in the aggression against the USSR. It was intended for military districts in Germany itself.
Civilian Hiwis—counted in total number stated above. At the beginning of the Second World War they did not actively participate in battles.
WHERE WERE THE WEHRMACHT TROOPS LOCATED?
The Wehrmacht in June 1941 had about 700,000 soldiers in France, Belgium and Holland in case of an Allied landing.
In the remaining occupation zones—Norway, Austria, Czechoslovakia, the Balkans, Crete, Poland—no less than almost 1,000,000 soldiers were taken from the Wehrmacht.
Riots and uprisings broke out regularly and to maintain order it was necessary to have a large number of Wehrmacht troops in the occupied territories
General Rommel's African Corps had about 100,000 people. The total number of Wermath troops in the Middle East region reached 300,000 people.
HOW MANY VERMATH SOLDIERS CROSSED THE BORDER WITH THE USSR?
Müller-Hillebrandt, in his book “German Land Army 1933-1945” gives the following figures for forces in the East:
1. In army groups (i.e. “North”, “Center” “South” - author’s note) - 120.16 divisions - 76 infantry, 13.16 motorized, 17 tank, 9 security, 1 cavalry, 4 light , 1st Mountain Rifle Division - the “tail” of 0.16 divisions arose due to the presence of formations that were not consolidated into divisions.
2. The OKH has 14 divisions behind the front of the army groups. (12 infantry, 1 mountain rifle and 1 police)
3. The Civil Code reserve includes 14 divisions. (11 infantry, 1 motorized and 2 tank)
4. In Finland - 3 divisions (2 mountain rifle, 1 motorized, another 1 infantry arrived at the end of June, but we will not count it)
And in total - 152.16 divisions, out of 208 divisions formed by the Wehrmacht. These include 99 infantry, 15.16 motorized, 19 tank, 4 light, 4 mountain rifle, 9 security, 1 police and 1 cavalry divisions, including SS divisions.
Really active army
According to Müller-Hillebrandt, of the 3.8 million active army, 3.3 million people were concentrated for operations in the East.
If we look at Halder’s “War Diary”, we will find that he defines the total number of the active army as 2.5 million people.
In fact, the figures are 3.3 million people. and 2.5 million people do not strongly contradict each other, since in addition to the divisions themselves in the Wehrmacht (as in any other army), there were a sufficient number of units listed in the active army but essentially non-combat (builders, military doctors, etc., etc. ).
3.3 million Müller-Hillebrandt includes both combat and non-combat units, and 2.5 million people. Galdera - only combat units. So we will not be much mistaken if we assume the number of Wehrmacht and SS combat units on the eastern front at the level of 2.5 million people.
Halder determined the number of combat units that could participate in hostilities against the USSR in June at 2.5 million people.
LEVELED FORMATION
Before the attack on the USSR, the German army had a clearly defined echelon formation.
The first, shock echelon - army groups "North", "Center" "South" - included 120 divisions, incl. 3.5 motorized SS divisions.
The second echelon - the operational reserve, so to speak - was located directly behind the fronts of the army groups and consisted of 14 divisions.
The third echelon is the reserve of the main command, which also includes 14 divisions.
That is, the attack came in three streams.
ALLIES OF THE WEHRMACHT
Most of them entered the war later than Germany and their participation at the very beginning was limited to only a few divisions.
Later, in 42-43, the number of the allied contingent of Dastigal was 800,000 people.
Most of the Allied troops were on the Eastern Front in 1943
RESULTS
In June 1941, 2.5 million soldiers crossed the border with the USSR. They were opposed by 1.8 million soldiers of the Red Army.
Directive No. 1 only supplemented the order to bring the troops to full combat readiness... but the generals sabotaged it.
On June 20 they sent most of flight squadrons are on vacation, and on June 21, most of the combat units are on a “weekend” with festivities, etc.
In aviation, tanks and other weapons, the Red Army was many times superior to the Wehrmacht.
The myth of the overwhelming superiority of the Wehrmacht can be considered destroyed.
The top of Nazi Germany set as its goal the creation of the most strong army in the world. In 1935, Germany introduced universal conscription for men between 18 and 45 years of age. The service life was first determined at 1 year, then at 2 years.
The Treaty of Versailles was trampled upon, and at the same time all obstacles to the growth of the Wehrmacht were removed, whose soldiers were brought up in the spirit of undisguised anti-communism, contempt for other peoples, and worship of force.
Back in 1934, along with the powers of the President, the powers of the Commander-in-Chief of the German Empire were transferred to Hitler, which were directly exercised by the Minister of War (Minister of the Reichswehr, and since 1935 - Minister of the Wehrmacht). Hitler introduced an oath of allegiance to every soldier and officer of the Wehrmacht in personal loyalty to him and readiness to sacrifice himself for the sake of its unconditional observance. In 1934, this oath was introduced for all government employees. The military-political department of the ministry had command and coordination functions in relation to the headquarters of various troops: ground, air, sea.
In order to further concentrate military power in his hands, Hitler abolished the military in 1938. War Ministry as an intermediate authority between him and the army, turning it from a military-political department into his personal headquarters of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces (OKW), the central body of which became the headquarters of the operational leadership.
The commanders-in-chief of the ground, air and naval forces with their general staffs were directly subordinate to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. A special role in the system of military bodies was played by the General Staff of the Ground Forces (OKH), which was numerically superior to the OKW, which was explained by the enormous importance of the ground forces in the Second World War. After the first major defeat Hitler's troops near Moscow in November 1941 Hitler took command ground forces with their general staff. Since 1939, the newly created Council of Ministers for the Defense of the Empire began to appoint "commissioned officers" to all military districts. national defense", which were supposed to coordinate the work of all military and civilian institutions in order to successfully solve the problems of "defense".
Hitler also created a powerful intelligence apparatus secret service the Reich, whose main object of activity immediately after the Nazis came to power was the Soviet Union. Intelligence centers working against the USSR were organized at the German embassy in Moscow, at the University of Koenigsberg, large monopolies, etc. In 1941, a special headquarters for the management of intelligence and sabotage work in the USSR was formed. He was in charge of 60 schools, which trained agents for intelligence and sabotage activities. The overall management of military intelligence, counterintelligence and sabotage activities was in the hands of the Intelligence Directorate (Abwehr). The Department of Foreign Armies of the East, created under the General Staff of the Ground Forces, also carried out reconnaissance and subversive activities against the USSR.
Hitler's army from the moment of its creation became important element apparatus for suppressing opponents of fascism. Back in 1936, on the basis of Hitler’s special order “On the Use of Weapons by the Army,” it was allowed to use it to suppress “internal unrest.” The SS troops carried out a policy of terror, establishing a fascist “new order” through mass murders and executions in the occupied territories in close cooperation with the active army.
In March 1938, the independent state of Austria was annexed to Germany. The next victim of fascist aggression was Czechoslovakia. As a result of the Munich Agreement, concluded in September 1938 by England, France and Nazi Germany, Czechoslovakia lost a significant part of its territory, annexed to the Reich. This was the defeat of an independent state without military action, which was followed in 1939 by the military occupation of the country. In September 1939, Poland was captured by the Nazis. In July 1940 German troops occupied Paris, then new victories of the aggressor followed.
By the time of the attack on the USSR, Germany controlled vast territories of Central and Eastern, and most of Western and Northern Europe. In her hands was the coast of the Baltic Sea, a significant part of France. The powerful military-economic base of the occupied states was put to use Hitler's Germany, the purpose of which was proclaimed to be “the protection of civilization from the threat of Bolshevism,” but in fact the destruction of the USSR.
Against the Soviet state fascist Germany together with its allies and satellites, it fielded an army of 5 million (German, Italian, Romanian and other troops), which was armed with 3,500 tanks, 4,900 aircraft, etc.
During the Second World War, in which 61 states participated, more than 50 million people were killed, 11 million were destroyed in fascist concentration camps, and 95 million became disabled. The main burden of the war was borne on its shoulders by the Soviet Union, which for 4 years waged the Great Patriotic War, which cost (according to unspecified data) 30 million lives of its citizens. Soviet Union played a decisive role in the defeat of the fascist military machine, and with it one of the most reactionary and aggressive states aspiring to world domination in human history.
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According to military experts, by 1941 the German army was the strongest in the world. Seasoned in battle, having tasted victory, the German units approached Soviet border with a feeling of superiority. The Wehrmacht soldiers considered themselves invincible.
Systematic approach
The German historian Werner Picht believed that it was the Treaty of Versailles, according to which Germany did not have the right to have an army of more than 100 thousand people, that forced the Berlin generals to look for new principles for the formation of the armed forces. And they were found. And although Hitler, having come to power in 1933, abandoned the “norms of Versailles,” the ideology of military mobility of the new army had already won the minds of German military leaders. Later, the transfer of German soldiers to Spain to protect the Franco regime made it possible to test 88-mm anti-aircraft guns, Me-109 fighters and Stuka-87 dive bombers in real conditions. There, the young Nazi aviation created its own school of air combat. The Balkan campaign of 1941 showed how important it is to coordinate a large amount of equipment. As a result, the German staff officers faced the Russian company successful experience use of mobile connections reinforced by aviation. All this allowed them to create a new military organization and, most importantly, system type, optimally tuned for combat missions.
Special training
In 1935, the concept of special training for Wehrmacht soldiers arose in order to make a soldier into a kind of “motorized weapon.” For this purpose, the most capable young men were selected from among the youth. They were trained in training camps. To understand what the German military personnel of 1941 were like, you should read Walter Kempowski’s multi-volume book “Echo sounder”. The books provide numerous evidence explaining the defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad, including soldiers’ correspondence. For example, there is a story about a certain corporal Hans, who at a distance of 40-50 meters could hit a small window with a grenade. “He was an unsurpassed master of urban combat,” writes Hannes, a participant in the Battle of Stalingrad, “it was not difficult for him to destroy a machine gun nest, even if they fired from the other side of the street. If he had been alive, we would have easily taken this damn house, because of which half of our platoon was killed. But in August 1941, a captured Russian lieutenant killed him with a shot in the back. This was ridiculous, because there were so many who surrendered that we didn’t even have time to search them. Dying, Hans shouted that it wasn’t fair.” According to official data, in 1941 the Wehrmacht lost 162,799 soldiers killed, 32,484 missing and 579,795 wounded, most of whom died in hospitals or became disabled. Hitler called these losses monstrous not so much because of the numbers, but because of the lost quality of the German army. In Berlin they were forced to admit that the war would be different - a war for everyone available means. Russian soldiers offered active resistance in the summer and autumn of 1941. As a rule, these were attacks by desperate and doomed Red Army soldiers, single shots from burning houses, and self-explosions. In total, 3,138 thousand Soviet soldiers died in the first year of the war, most often in captivity or in “cauldrons.” But it was they who bled the Wehrmacht elite, which the Germans had so carefully prepared for six years.
Massive military experience
Any commander will tell you how important it is to have fighters under fire. The German army that attacked the USSR had this invaluable experience of military victories. In September 1939, the Wehrmacht soldiers, having easily defeated 39 Polish divisions of Edward Rydz-Śmigła, tasted victory for the first time. Then there was the Maginot Line, the seizure of Yugoslavia and Greece - all this only strengthened the self-awareness of its invincibility. No other country in the world at that time had so many fighters motivated to succeed under fire. Retired infantry general Kurt von Tippelskirch believed that this factor was the most important in the first victories over the Red Army. Describing the concept of lightning wars, he emphasized that, in contrast to the anxious hours of waiting for a war with Poland, self-confident German conquerors entered the territory of Soviet Russia. By the way, multi-day defense Brest Fortress This is largely explained by the fact that the 42nd Rifle Division of the Red Army, which had combat experience in the Finnish War, was stationed on its territory.
Precision destruction concept
The Germans also emphasized the prompt destruction of pockets of resistance, no matter how well they were defended. According to the German generals, in this case the enemy develops a feeling of doom and futility of resistance. As a rule, precise, almost sniper-like artillery attacks were used. This was achieved through the successful use of visual optical observation posts, with the help of which the shelling was adjusted at a distance of 7-10 km from our positions. Only at the end of 1941 did the Red Army find an antidote to the all-seeing fascist artillery when it began to build defensive structures on the reverse slopes of the hills, out of the reach of German optics.
High-quality communication
The most significant advantage of the Wehrmacht over the Red Army was high-quality communications. Guderian believed that a tank without reliable radio communications would not show even a tenth of what it was capable of. In the Third Reich, from the beginning of 1935, the development of reliable ultrashort-wave transceivers intensified. Thanks to the appearance in the German communications service of fundamentally new devices designed by Dr. Grube, the Wehrmacht generals were able to quickly manage a huge theater of military operations. For example, high frequency telephone equipment served German tank headquarters without any interference at distances of up to one and a half thousand kilometers. That is why on June 27, 1941, in the Dubno area, Kleist’s group of only 700 tanks was able to defeat the mechanized corps of the Red Army, which included 4,000 combat vehicles. Later, in 1944, analyzing this battle, Soviet generals bitterly admitted that if our tanks had had radio communications then, Soviet Army would have turned the tide of the war at its very beginning.
And still nothing helped them, not even elephants! Thanks to the selfless courage and great love for the Motherland of our fathers and grandfathers, the most perfect military machine in the world was defeated and, I hope, will never be reborn!
In modern Russia, at every opportunity on TV screens: in the news, historical programs or some kind of show, they like to reproach their neighbors for the fact that during the Second World War, SS units, police units or organizations supporting anti-Bolshevik, were formed on their territory. anti-Soviet sentiments.
First of all, it goes to the Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, with their SS divisions, formed one, respectively, in each of these countries - Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia. And also the SS division “Galicia” formed on the territory of Ukraine is especially mentioned in these programs or broadcasts. At the same time, cynically keeping silent about their own SS units formed from Russians. If it were the will of the current fighters against the “Bandera” and “forest brothers”, they would no doubt try to erase the Vlasov ROA from their own history.
To finally appear in all their glory, the one and only fighters for saving the world during the Second World War.
However, history does not tolerate the subjunctive mood. And the truth, no matter how bitter and unpleasant it is, and no matter how much one wants to hide it, the current generation of Russians cannot avoid, gloss over or embellish.
And, in addition to the already notorious ROA - the Russian Liberation Army, under the leadership of the former Soviet general A.A. Vlasov, who, by the way, made a significant contribution to the victory Soviet troops near Moscow in 1941 and commanded the 2nd Shock Army before being captured by the Germans, there are also other little-known SS divisions and units formed from Russians. Little known primarily to the Russian fighters themselves and their collaborators. Yes, yes.
Unlike the Latvians or Estonians and Ukrainians, who were only one division at most, there were not even several Russian SS units.
Here they are:
- SS Volunteer Regiment "Varyag".
- 1st Russian national SS brigade "Druzhina".
- 15th SS Cossack Cavalry Corps.
- 29th SS Grenadier Division "RONA" (1st Russian).
- 30th SS Grenadier Division (2nd Russian).
- 36th SS Grenadier Division "Dirlewanger".
CORPS OF SS TROOPS OF THE MAIN OPERATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF THE SS FHA-SS
- 15th Cossack Russian Corps of SS troops FHA-SS - 3 divisions, 16 regiments.
- SS FHA-SS (TROOP-SS)
- 29th Russian FHA-SS - 6 regiments.
- 30th Russian FHA-SS, 1st formation 1944, - 5 regiments.
BRIGADES OF THE MAIN DIRECTORATE OF IMPERIAL SECURITY SS RSHA-SS
- 1st Russian National SS Brigade "Druzhina" - 3 regiments, 12 battalions.
- 1st Guards Brigade ROA "Sonderkommando Љ113" SD - 1 battalion, 2 companies.
- SS Brigade of the Center for Anti-Bolshevik Struggle (CPBB) - 3 battalions.
- The reconnaissance and sabotage unit of the Main Team "Russia - Center" of the Sonderstaff "Zeppelin" RSHA-SS - 4 special forces detachments.
As you can see, there are Russian SS divisions and regiments and corps and brigades, and even reconnaissance and sabotage formations. So why do modern Russian “Herodotus”, when they brand Estonians, Latvians or Ukrainians with shame on the next May 9th, do not remember the Russian SS units?
It's very simple. Such an example does not fit with the image of the Russian soldier-liberator (as if only Russians served in the Red Army and there were no Ukrainians, no Belarusians, no Georgians, no Armenians, no Latvians or Estonians), the only one not tainted by connections with the German fascism.
And, you can argue and prove for as long as you like whether they participated or did not participate in punitive operations against civilians, whether they reached the size of a full-blooded division or not, whether they fought at all or were just on paper, but the fact remains - Russian divisions There were SS and they fought on the side of the Third Reich.
But, in addition to the Russian SS units themselves, who fought on Hitler’s side with weapons in their hands, there were other military units and units consisting of Russians in the Wehrmacht’s service. Which, according to the already established “good” tradition, the new Russian historians and patriots themselves “forget” to talk about. Meanwhile, as they say, there is something to see. For example:
MAIN COLLABORATION FORMATIONS. ARMED FORCES OF THE "UNION STATE"
- Armed forces of the Congress of the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia (KONR) (1 army, 4 corps, 8 divisions, 8 brigades).
- Russian Liberation Army Congress of the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia (3 divisions, 2 brigades).
"ARMY" OF THE WEHRMACHT
- Russian Liberation Army of the Wehrmacht - 12 security corps, 13 divisions, 30 brigades.
- Russian Liberation People's Army - 5 regiments, 18 battalions.
- Russian National People's Army - 3 regiments, 12 battalions.
- Russian National Army - 2 regiments, 12 battalions.
AVIATION BODY
- Air Force KONR (Aviation Corps KONR) - 87 aircraft, 1 air group, 1 regiment.
SECURITY CORPS OF THE ARMY REAR AREAS OF THE VERMACHT
- 582nd Security (Russian) Corps of the Wehrmacht - 11 battalions.
- 583rd Security (Estonian-Russian) Corps of the Wehrmacht - 10 battalions.
- 584th Security (Russian) Corps of the Wehrmacht - 6 battalions.
- 590th Security Cossack (Russian) Corps of the Wehrmacht - 1 regiment, 4 battalions.
- 580th Security Cossack (Russian) Corps of the Wehrmacht - 1 regiment, 9 battalions.
- 532nd Security (Russian) Corps of the Wehrmacht - 13 battalions.
- 559th Security (Russian) Corps of the Wehrmacht - 7 battalions.
EASTERN LEGIONS OF THE WEHRMACHT
- Russian Legion "White Cross" of the Wehrmacht - 4 battalions.
ABWERH DIVISIONS
- “Special Division “Russia”” by General Smyslovsky - 1 regiment, 12 battalions.
ABWERH BRIGADES
- Brigade "Graukopf" - "RNNA" of General Ivanov - 1 regiment, 5 battalions.
WEHRMACHT DIVISIONS OF SPECIAL PURPOSE
- 442nd Special Purpose - 2 ROA regiments.
- 136th Special Purpose - 2 ROA regiments.
- 210th Special Purpose Stationary Infantry (Coastal Defense) - 1 regiment, 2 separate ROA battalions.
"NATIVE" SECURITY CORPS AND SELF-DEFENSE
- Russian security corps of the Wehrmacht in Serbia - 1 brigade, 5 regiments.
- Russian "People's Guard" of the General Commissariat "Moscow" (Rear Area of Army Group "Center") - 13 battalions, 1 cavalry division.
(RUSSIAN-CROATIAN)
- 15th Special Purpose Mountain Rifle Corps of the 2nd Tank Army:
- Russians - 1 security corps, 5 regiments, Croatian - 2 divisions, 6 regiments.
- 69th Special Purpose Corps of the 2nd Tank Army: Russians - 1 division, 8 regiments, Croatian - 1 division, 3 regiments.
Thus, the majority, both in the foreign SS units and divisions, were Russians, and in the Wehrmacht units itself, the majority of the collaborators were the same Russians. But how many Russians, at least approximately, fought on the side of Hitler and the Third Reich? Is it even possible to calculate their total number? In principle - yes.
According to various estimates by different researchers, the total number of Russians who fought on the side of the Third Reich ranges from zero (actually the calculations of today’s ardent Russian patriots, who manage to classify all Russian SS units and divisions as Ukrainians, Belarusians and Latvians with Georgians) and up to two million. But, most likely, the truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle, between these two figures.
Moreover, the Germans themselves, as of 1943, put the total number of Russians who fought on the side of the Third Reich at 800 thousand people.
So, for example, Vlasov’s army itself was not very large. His two divisions, which had already been formed, represented no more than 40 thousand fighters. Plus there was another poorly armed and not yet fully formed third division. This is approximately 10-12 thousand more soldiers.
Adjoining Vlasov was the Cossack corps of General Helmut von Panivitz, which became part of the ROA. These are 45 thousand Cossacks who fought in Yugoslavia. It included the Russian corps, formed from emigrants, who fought in Serbia: about six thousand people. In total there are about 120 thousand people. This is what was actually called ROA.
Thus, the ROA alone produced approximately 120 thousand Russians who fought on Hitler’s side.
By adding to these 120 thousand all the other known Russian SS divisions, security regiments and units, formations and detachments, we will just reach the figure of 1 million Russians!!! soldier on the side of the Third Reich. In general, if we take into account that soldiers died in battles and reinforcements were constantly sent to military units, then to these 800 thousand - a million, we can safely add another 200-300 thousand Russians.
A very remarkable thing about the actual number of Russians who fought on Hitler’s side is the fact that when in 1943, Hitler demanded that all Russians be removed from the Eastern Front and transferred to the Western Front, the generals grabbed their heads: this was impossible, because every fifth on the Eastern Front was Russian then.
So it turns out that those who today so vigorously vilify their neighbors for collaborating with the fascist regime were themselves the most massive and loyal supporters of the Third Reich and Hitler during the Second World War. Perhaps this is precisely what explains the incomprehensible craving in modern Russia for neo-Nazi symbols and ideology.
So maybe it’s enough to reproach others for the speck in their eye, when they themselves have a log sticking out of each eye?
Although this is not even in the realm of science fiction. Because then you will have to recognize the past as it really was, and this is neither partial nor heroic and not as idealistic as it has been portrayed for more than 70 years. And as one Soviet comrade from the top said: “Who needs your truth if it interferes with living.”
This is how the current and subsequent generations of Russians will most likely live, basing their knowledge of history primarily on myths, silence, and in some places outright lies.
Details
The ISRAELI newspaper "Vesti" published sensational material about 150 thousand Jewish soldiers and officers who fought in Hitler's army.
The term "Mischlinge" in the Reich was used to describe people born from mixed marriages of Aryans with non-Aryans. The racial laws of 1935 distinguished between "Mischlinge" of the first degree (one of the parents is Jewish) and the second degree (grandparents are Jewish). Despite the legal "taint" of people with Jewish genes and despite the blatant propaganda, tens of thousands of "Mischling" lived quietly under the Nazis. They were routinely drafted into the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine, becoming not only soldiers, but also part of the generals at the level of commanders of regiments, divisions and armies.
Hundreds of "Mischlinge" were awarded Iron Crosses for their bravery. Twenty soldiers and officers Jewish origin were awarded the highest military award of the Third Reich - the Knight's Cross. However, many Wehrmacht veterans complained that their superiors were reluctant to introduce them to orders and delayed promotion in rank, keeping in mind their Jewish ancestors.
For a long time, the Nazi press published a photograph of a blue-eyed blond man in a helmet. Under the photo it said: “The ideal German soldier.” This Aryan ideal was Wehrmacht fighter Werner Goldberg (with a Jewish dad).
Wehrmacht Major Robert Borchardt received the Knight's Cross for the tank breakthrough of the Soviet front in August 1941. He was then sent to Rommel's Afrika Korps. Near El Alamein he was captured by the British. In 1944 he was allowed to come to England to reunite with his Jewish father. In 1946, Borchardt returned to Germany, telling his Jewish dad: “Someone has to rebuild our country.” In 1983, shortly before his death, he told German schoolchildren: “Many Jews and half-Jews who fought for Germany in World War II believed that they should honestly defend their Fatherland by serving in the army.”
Colonel Walter Hollander, whose mother was Jewish, received Hitler's personal letter, in which the Fuhrer certified the Aryanity of this halakhic Jew (Halakha is traditional Jewish legislation, according to which a Jew is considered to be born of a Jewish mother - K.K.). The same certificates of “German blood” were signed by Hitler for dozens of high-ranking officers of Jewish origin.
During the war, Hollander was awarded the Iron Cross of both degrees and a rare insignia - the Golden German Cross. In 1943, he received the Knight's Cross when his anti-tank brigade destroyed 21 Soviet tanks on the Kursk Bulge in one battle.
When he was given leave, he went to the Reich via Warsaw. It was there that he was shocked by the sight of the Jewish ghetto being destroyed. Hollander returned to the front broken. Personnel officers wrote in his personal file: “too independent and poorly controlled,” and canceled his promotion to the rank of general.
Who were the Wehrmacht's "Mischlinge": victims of anti-Semitic persecution or accomplices of the executioners?
Life often put them in absurd situations. One soldier with the Iron Cross on his chest came from the front to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp to visit his Jewish father there. The SS officer was shocked by this guest: “If it weren’t for the award on your uniform, you would quickly end up with me where your father is.”
And here is the story of a 76-year-old resident of Germany, one hundred percent Jewish. In 1940, he managed to escape from occupied France using forged documents. Under a new German name, he was drafted into the Waffen-SS - selected combat units. “If I served in the German army, and my mother died in Auschwitz, then who am I - a victim or one of the persecutors? - he often asks himself. - The Germans, feeling guilty for what they did, do not want to hear about us. The Jewish community also turns away from people like me. After all, our stories contradict everything that is commonly believed to be the Holocaust.”
In 1940, all officers with two Jewish grandparents were ordered to leave military service. Those who were tainted with Jewishness only by one of their grandfathers could remain in the army in ordinary positions.
But the reality was different: these orders were not carried out. Therefore, they were repeated once a year to no avail. There were frequent cases when german soldiers, driven by the laws of “front-line brotherhood,” hid “their Jews” without handing them over to the party and punitive authorities.
There are 1,200 known examples of “mischlinge” service in the Wehrmacht - soldiers and officers with immediate Jewish ancestors. A thousand of these front-line soldiers had 2,300 Jewish relatives killed - nephews, aunts, uncles, grandfathers, grandmothers, mothers and fathers.
In January 1944, the Wehrmacht personnel department prepared a secret list of 77 high-ranking officers and generals “mixed with the Jewish race or married to Jews.” All 77 had Hitler's personal certificates of "German blood". Among those listed are 23 colonels, 5 major generals, 8 lieutenant generals and two full generals.
This list could be supplemented by one of the sinister figures of the Nazi regime - Reinhard Heydrich, the Fuhrer's favorite and head of the RSHA, who controlled the Gestapo, criminal police, intelligence and counterintelligence. All his life (fortunately short) he struggled with rumors about his Jewish origin.
Heydrich was born in 1904 in Leipzig into the family of the director of the conservatory. Family history says that his grandmother married a Jew shortly after the birth of the father of the future RSHA chief. As a child, older boys beat Reinhard, calling him a Jew.
It was Heydrich who held the Wannsee Conference in January 1942 to discuss the "Final Solution" Jewish question". His report stated that the grandchildren of a Jew are treated as Germans and are not subject to reprisals. They say that one day, returning home drunk to smithereens at night, he turned on the light, saw his image in the mirror and shot him twice with a pistol with the words: "Vile Jew!"
A classic example of a “hidden Jew” in the elite of the Third Reich can be considered Air Field Marshal Erhard Milch. His father was a Jewish pharmacist.
Due to his Jewish origin, he was not accepted into the Kaiser's military schools, but the outbreak of the First world war gave him access to aviation. Milch ended up in the division of the famous Richthoffen, met young Goering and distinguished himself at headquarters, although he himself did not fly airplanes. In 1929, he became general director of Lufthansa, the national air carrier. The wind was already blowing towards the Nazis, and Milch provided free planes for the leaders of the NSDAP.
This service is not forgotten. Having come to power, the Nazis claim that Milch's mother did not have sex with her Jewish husband, and Erhard's true father is Baron von Bier. Goering laughed for a long time about this: “Yes, we made Milch a bastard, but an aristocratic bastard.” Another aphorism by Goering about Milch: “In my headquarters, I myself will decide who is Jewish and who is not!”
After the war, Milch served nine years in prison. Then, until the age of 80, he worked as a consultant for the Fiat and Thyssen concerns.
The vast majority of Wehrmacht veterans say that when they joined the army, they did not consider themselves Jews. These soldiers tried to refute Nazi race talk with their courage. Hitler's soldiers, with triple zeal at the front, proved that Jewish ancestors did not prevent them from being good German patriots and staunch warriors.
