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List of Waffen-SS divisions

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All Waffen-SS divisions were ordered in a single series of numbers as formed, regardless of type.[1] Those with ethnic groups listed were at least nominally recruited from those groups. Many of the higher-numbered units were divisions in name only, being in reality only small battlegroups (Kampfgruppen).

As a general rule, an "SS Division" was made up of mostly Germans, or other Germanic people, while a "Division of the SS" was made up of mostly non-Germanic volunteers and conscripts.

Waffen-SS divisions by number

[edit]
NumberName
(in German)		Ethnic compositionNamed afterYears activeInsigniaMaximum manpower
1st 1. SS-Panzer-Division „Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler“ (LSSAH)GermansLife Regiment Adolf Hitler1933–194522,000 (1944)[2]
2nd 2. SS-Panzer-Division „Das Reich“GermansGreater Germanic Reich1939–194519,021 (1941)[1]
3rd 3. SS-Panzer-Division „Totenkopf“GermansTotenkopf1939–194518,754 (1941)[1]
4th 4. SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-DivisionGermansOrdnungspolizei1939–194517,347 (1941)[1]
5th 5. SS-Panzer-Division „Wiking“Germans, Norwegians, Danes, Swedes, Icelanders, Finns, Estonians, Dutch, Flemish, Walloons, and Swiss[3]Vikings1940–194519,377 (1941)[1]
6th 6. SS-Gebirgs-Division „Nord“Germans, Norwegians, SwissNorth1941–194515,000 (1943)[1]
7th 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division „Prinz Eugen“Germans, ethnic Germans from Banat, Croatia, Hungary, and Romania; Serbs[4]Prince Eugene of Savoy1941–194518,000 (1943)[citation needed]
8th 8. SS-Kavallerie-Division „Florian Geyer“GermansFlorian Geyer1941–194515,000 (1944)[citation needed]
9th 9. SS-Panzer-Division „Hohenstaufen“GermansHohenstaufen dynasty1943–194519,611 (1943)
10th 10. SS-Panzer-Division „Frundsberg“GermansGeorg von Frundsberg1943–194519,313 (1943)
11th 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division „Nordland“Germans; ethnic Germans from Romania; Swedes; Danes; NorwegiansNorthland1943–194511,749 (1943)
12th 12. SS-Panzer-Division „Hitlerjugend“GermansHitler Youth1943–194521,482 (1943)
13th 13. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS „Handschar“ (kroatische Nr. 1)Bosniaks; Croats; Albanians; ethnic Germans from CroatiaKhanjar dagger1943–194521,000 (1943)[5]
14th 14. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (galizische Nr. 1), later (ukrainische Nr. 1)UkrainiansGalicia1943–194522,000 (1945)
15th 15. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (lettische Nr. 1)Latvians1943–194518,000 (1943)
16th 16. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division „Reichsführer SS“GermansReichsführer-SS
(Heinrich Himmler)		1943–194517,500 (1943)
17th 17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division „Götz von Berlichingen“GermansGötz von Berlichingen1943–194518,354 (1944)
18th 18. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division „Horst Wessel“Ethnic Germans from HungaryHorst Wessel1944–194511,000 (1944)
19th 19. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (lettische Nr. 2)Latvians1944–194511,000 (1944)
20th 20. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (estnische Nr. 1)Estonians1944–194515,000 (1944)
21st 21. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS „Skanderbeg“ (albanische Nr. 1)AlbaniansSkanderbeg1944–19456,500 (1944)
22nd 22. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-DivisionEthnic Germans from Hungary1944–19458,000 (1944)
23rd 23. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS „Kama“ (kroatische Nr. 2)Croats and BosniaksKama dagger19442,199 (1944)
23rd 23. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division „Nederland“ (niederländische Nr. 1)DutchNetherlands1941–19456,000 (1944)
24th 24. Waffen-Gebirgs-(Karstjäger-)Division der SSGermans; ethnic German volunteers from Italy and SloveniaKarst topography1942–19454,000 (1944)
25th 25. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS „Hunyadi“ (ungarische Nr. 1)HungariansJohn Hunyadi1944–194515,000 (1944)
26th 26. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (ungarische Nr. 2)HungariansHungary1944–194510,000 (1944)
27th 27. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division „Langemarck“ (flämische Nr. 1)FlemishBattle of Langemarck (1917)1943–19458,000 (1944)
28th 28. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division „Wallonien“ (wallonische Nr. 1)Walloons1943–19455,000 (1944)
29th Russische Volksbefreiungsarmee /29. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS „RONA“ (russische Nr. 1)RussiansRussian People's Liberation Army (RONA)1941–194413,000 (1943)
29th 29. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS „Italia“ (italienische Nr. 1)Italians1944–194511,000 (1944)
30th 30. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (russische Nr. 2), later (weißruthenische Nr. 1)BelarusiansWhite Ruthenia1944–194511,000 (1944)
31st 31. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-DivisionEthnic Germans mostly from Hungary and Yugoslavia1944–194511,000 (1944)
32nd 32. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division „30. Januar“GermansDate of Hitler becoming Chancellor[a]194512,000 (1945)[6]
33rd 33. Waffen-Kavallerie-Division der SS (ungarische Nr. 3)Hungarians1944–1945
33rd 33. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS „Charlemagne“ (französische Nr. 1)FrenchCharlemagne1944–19457,340 (1945)[7]
34th 34. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division „Landstorm Nederland“ (niederländische Nr. 2)DutchNetherlands Landsturm1943–1945
35th 35. SS- und Polizei-Grenadier-DivisionGermansOrdnungspolizei1945
36th 36. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SSGermans19455,000 (1945)
37th 37. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-DivisionGermans;
ethnic Germans from Hungary		1945
38th 38. SS-Grenadier-Division „Nibelungen“GermansNibelung19457,000

Also

[edit]
NumberName
(in German)		Ethnic compositionNamed afterYears activeInsigniaMaximum manpower
— Panzer-Division Kempf[b]GermansGeneral der Panzertruppe
Werner Kempf		1939164–180 tanks
— SS-Kampfgruppe „Böhmen-Mähren“[8]GermansProtectorate of Bohemia and Moravia1944–19453 regimental sized units and an artillery regiment (on paper)[8]
1st Cossack 1. Kosaken-Kavallerie-DivisionCossacks1943–194517,500[9]
2nd Cossack 2. Kosaken-Kavallerie-DivisionCossacks1944–1945
— Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS (rumänisches Nr. 1)Romanians1944–194512,000
— Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS (bulgarisches Nr. 1)Bulgarians1944–1945
— Serbisches Freiwilligen-KorpsSerbians1944–19459,886[10]

Planned and authorized but never formed

[edit]
NumberName
(in German)		Named afterNotes
3rd Cossack 3. Kosaken-Plastun-Division[11]Cossack plastunPlanned to be formed from the Plastun Brigade of the XV SS Cossack Cavalry Corps, which consisted of two plastun regiments.[12]
39th 39. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS „Andreas Hofer“[13]Andreas Hofer
40th 40. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division „Feldherrnhalle“[13]Feldherrnhalle
41st 41. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS „Kalevala“ (finnische Nr. 1)[13]KalevalaPlanned to be formed from the Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS after its dissolution.
However, only a small amount of Finns (company-sized) defected after the Moscow Armistice. More recruits were expected for the eventuality that the Soviet Union fully occupied Finland, but this never came to pass.[14][15]
42nd 42. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS „Niedersachsen“[13]Lower Saxony
43rd 43. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS „Reichsmarschall“[13]Reichsmarschall
(Hermann Göring)
44th 44. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division „Wallenstein“[13]Albrecht von WallensteinPlanned to be formed from Kampfgruppe Wallenstein, a unit formed from the SS-Truppenübungsplatz Böhmen training area in Bohemia.[16]
Kampfgruppe Wallenstein was used to suppress the Prague uprising.[16]
45th 45. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS „Waräger“[13]VarangiansNamed after Vikings who settled in present-day Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Shared its name with the 1st SS Special Regiment Waräger, which was primarily composed of Russians.[17]
  1. ↑ Also date of formation.
  2. ↑ A temporary unit of mixed Heer and SS-Verfügungstruppe components.

See also

[edit]

Notes and references

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 George H. Stein (1984). "Operation Barbarossa". The Waffen SS: Hitler's Elite Guard at War, 1939–1945. Cornell University Press. pp. 119–120. ISBN 0801492750.
  2. ↑ Kane, Steve (1997). The 1st SS Panzer Division in the Battle of the Bulge. Merriam Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-57638-068-0.
  3. ↑ admin (2020-08-04). "5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking" (History, Battles, Org, Service)". Feldgrau. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  4. ↑ "Hitler's Waffen-SS and the Last Battle in Berlin". The 7th SS was built around a core of Serbian volunteers.
  5. ↑ Lepre, George (1997). Himmler's Bosnian Division: The Waffen-SS Handschar Division 1943–1945. Atglen, Philadelphia: Schiffer Publishing. pp. 138–139. ISBN 978-0-7643-0134-6.
  6. ↑ Williamson, Gordon (2012-03-20). The Waffen-SS (4): 24. to 38. Divisions, & Volunteer Legions. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 23. ISBN 978-1-78096-578-9.
  7. ↑ Littlejohn, David (1987). Foreign Legions of the Third Reich Vol. 1 Norway, Denmark, France. Bender Publishing. pp. 170, 172. ISBN 978-0-912138-17-6.
  8. 1 2 Muñoz, Antonio J. (2005). Hitler's Green Army: Western Europe and Scandinavia. Europa Books. pp. 48–49. ISBN 978-1-891227-47-9.
  9. ↑ Newland, Samuel J. (2002-09-29). Cossacks in the German Army 1941-1945. Routledge. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-7146-8199-3.
  10. ↑ Tomasevich, Jozo (2002). War and Revolution in Yugoslavia, 1941-1945: Occupation and Collaboration. Stanford University Press. ISBN 978-0-8047-7924-1.
  11. ↑ Newland, Samuel J. (2002-09-29). Cossacks in the German Army 1941-1945. Routledge. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-7146-8199-3.
  12. ↑ Newland, Samuel J. (2002-09-29). Cossacks in the German Army 1941-1945. Routledge. p. 199. ISBN 978-0-7146-8199-3.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Theile, Karl H. (1997). Beyond 'Monsters' and 'Clowns'-The Combat SS: De-Mythologizing Five Decades of German Elite Formations. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 192. ISBN 978-0-7618-0529-8.
  14. ↑ Vaarallisilla teillä : viimeiset suomalaiset SS-miehet - Lappalainen, Niilo, 1927-2001 ; Werner Söderström osakeyhtiö 1998 ISBN 9510226653
  15. ↑ Bruce Quarrie, Hitler's Samurai: The Waffen-SS in Action, 2ª ed., Patrick Stephens Limited, 1984, pp. 33-34, ISBN 0-85059-723-4.
  16. 1 2 Muñoz, Antonio J. (2026-03-03). The Bitter End: The Final Battles on the Eastern Front in World War II. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-8117-7795-7.
  17. ↑ Kocjančič, Klemen (2017-01-02). "Between Vlasov and Himmler: Russian SS-Sonder-Regiment 1 'Waräger' in Slovenia, 1944–45". The Journal of Slavic Military Studies. 30 (1): 50–60. doi:10.1080/13518046.2017.1271659. ISSN 1351-8046.
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