FOREIGN VOLUNTEERS IN THE GERMAN ARMED FORCES 1939-45

"At ten below in the ice and the snow, defending the west from the beast - The lighting bolts on the collar of his coat meant there could be no retreat"

The German Armed Forces started accepting volunteers from conquered territories as early as 1940 in the struggle against Bolshevism. Volunteers from Scandinavia and other western European countries were the first to come forward. Later the Wehrmacht accepted volunteers from France and eastern Europe. Most of these units were transferred to the Waffen SS later on in the war. Brave men from all over Europe volunteered to combat Stalin's reign of terror and the spread of Communism. In the following pages you can find out more about the courageous men from all over Europe that fought in German uniforms during the Second World War.

All foreign volunteers wore standard Army or Waffen SS uniforms. Arm shields were worn as a means of distinguishing a volunteers ethnic background. These shields were either embroidered on cloth or printed on white linen material. In some cases foreign volunteers were identified by traditional headress.