List of Waffen-SS divisions

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" is made up of mostly Germans, or other Germanic people, while a "Division of the SS" is made up of mostly non-Germanic volunteers.

Waffen-SS divisions by number

Number Division Name
(in German)		 Ethnic composition Named after Years Active Insignia Maximum Manpower
1st Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Germans and 300 Italians after 8/9/1943 Life Regiment Adolf Hitler 1933–1945 22,000 (1944)[2]
2nd Das Reich Germans Greater Germanic Reich 1939–1945 19,021 (1941)[1]
3rd Totenkopf Germans Totenkopf 1939–1945 18,754 (1941)[1]
4th Polizei Germans Ordnungspolizei 1939–1945 17,347 (1941)[1]
5th Wiking Germans, Norwegians, Danes, Swedes, Icelanders, Finns, Estonians, Dutch, Flemish, Walloons, and Swiss[3] Vikings 1940–1945 19,377 (1941)[1]
6th Nord Germans North cardinal direction
(Operation Arctic Fox)		 1941–1945 15,000 (1943)[1]
7th Prinz Eugen Germans, ethnic Germans from Banat, Croatia, Hungary, and Romania, small numbers of ethnic Croats and Albanians after 1943 Prince Eugene of Savoy 1941–1945 18,000 (1943)[citation needed]
8th Florian Geyer Germans Florian Geyer 1941–1945 15,000 (1944)[citation needed]
9th Hohenstaufen Germans Hohenstaufen dynasty 1943–1945 19,611 (1943)
10th Frundsberg Germans Georg von Frundsberg 1943–1945 19,313 (1943)
11th Nordland Germans, Romanian Germans, Swedes, Danes, and Norwegians Northland 1943–1945 11,749 (1943)
12th Hitlerjugend Germans and 50 italians after 8/9/1943 Hitler Youth 1943–1945 21,482 (1943)
13th Handschar
(Kroatische Nr. 1)		 Bosniaks; Croats; Albanians; ethnic Germans from Croatia Khanjar dagger 1943–1945 21,000 (1943)[4]
14th Galizische Nr. 1 Ukrainians Galicia 1943–1945 22,000 (1945)
15th Lettische Nr. 1 Latvians 1943–1945 18,000 (1943)
16th Reichsführer-SS Germans Reichsführer-SS
(Heinrich Himmler)		 1943–1945 17,500 (1943)
17th Götz von Berlichingen Germans and 500 italians after 8/9/43 Götz von Berlichingen 1943–1945 18,354 (1944)
18th Horst Wessel Ethnic Germans from Hungary Horst Wessel 1944–1945 11,000 (1944)
19th Lettische Nr. 2 Latvians 1944–1945 11,000 (1944)
20th Estnische Nr. 1 Estonians 1944–1945 15,000 (1944)
21st Skanderbeg
(Albanische Nr. 1)		 Albanians Skanderbeg 1944–1945 11,398 (1944)
22nd Maria Theresia Ethnic Germans from Hungary Maria Theresa 1944–1945 8,000 (1944)
23rd Kama
(Kroatische Nr. 2)		 Croats and Bosniaks Kama dagger 1944 2,199 (1944)
23rd Nederland
(Niederländische Nr. 1)		 Dutch Netherlands 1941–1945 6,000 (1944)
24th Karstjäger Germans; ethnic German volunteers from Italy and Slovenia Karst topography 1942–1945 4,000 (1944)
25th Hunyadi
(Ungarische Nr. 1)		 Hungarians John Hunyadi 1944–1945 15,000 (1944)
26th Hungaria
(Ungarische Nr. 2)		 Hungarians Hungary 1944–1945 10,000 (1944)
27th Langemarck
(Flämische Nr. 1)		 Flemish Battle of Langemarck (1917) 1943–1945 8,000 (1944)
28th Wallonien Walloons 1943–1945 5,000 (1944)
29th Italienische Nr. 1 Italians 1944–1945 11,000 (1944)
30th Russische Nr. 2 aka Weißruthenische Nr. 1 Belarusians White Ruthenia 1944–1945 11,000 (1944)
31st Batschka Ethnic Germans mostly from Hungary and Yugoslavia Bačka region 1944–1945 11,000 (1944)
32nd 30. Januar Germans Date of Hitler becoming Chancellor (also date of formation) 1945 12,000 (1945)[5]
33rd Ungarische Nr. 3 Hungarians 1944–1945
33rd Charlemagne
(Französische Nr. 1)		 French Charlemagne 1944–1945 11,000 (1944)
34th Landstorm Nederland
(Niederländische Nr. 2)		 Dutch Netherlands Landsturm 1943–1945
35th Polizei-Grenadier Germans Ordnungspolizei 1945
36th Dirlewanger Germans SS-Oberführer
Oskar Dirlewanger		 1940–1945 5,000 (1945)
37th Lützow Germans;
ethnic Germans from Hungary		 Adolf von Lützow 1945
38th Nibelungen Germans Nibelung 1945 7,000

Also

Number Division Name
(in German)		 Ethnic composition Named after Years Active Insignia Maximum Manpower
— Kempf[a] Germans General der Panzertruppe
Werner Kempf		 1939 164–180 tanks
— Böhmen-Mähren[b] Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia 1944–1945
1st Kosaken Nr. 1 Cossacks 1943–1945 17,500[citation needed]
— RONA
(Russische Nr. 1)		 Russians Russian National Liberation Army (RONA) 1944 13,000 (1943)
— Rumänische Nr. 1 Romanians 1944–1945 12,000
  1. ^ A temporary unit of mixed Heer and SS-Verfügungstruppe components.
  2. ^ A separate unit formed from training units in Bohemia and Moravia.

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c d e f 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. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.