Russians in the Waffen-SS

From summer 1941, some 100,000 Russians served in the German Wehrmacht, mostly as so called Schutzmannschaften under the command of the German Police (Höhere SS— und Polizeiführer) in the eastern occupied areas.

The most famous unit was the Brigade Kaminski, established by Bronislav Kaminski in the summer of 1941. In 1944 it became the Waffen—Sturmbrigade der SS “Rona” later the 29. Waffen—Grenadier—Division der SS “Rona” (russische Nr.1).

A second division was later established from vari...