23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Kama
| '23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Kama (Croat No. 2) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1944 |
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Allegiance | Adolf Hitler |
| Branch |  , Waffen SS |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Mountain troops |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |
Edelweiss |
23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Kama (Croat No. 2) was a Bosnian Moslem division in the Waffen-SS during World War II.
The Division was activated in January 1944 and on 28 May Hitler gave his formal approval for the creation of a second Bosnian Waffen-SS Division following the modest success of the Handschar against Communist insurgents in Bosnia. The unit was initially to be created and trained within Bosnia but Himmler, following the advice of SS Gruppenführer Karl-Gustav Sauberzweig agreed to station the men in neighbouring southern Hungary instead. Sauberzweig believed Ustaše interfence and Communist subversion would undermine the morale of the recruits. Orders were given to the Handschar Division seconding personnel to the new Division and Hellmuth Raithel, commander of Regiment 28 of Handschar, was appointed the commanding officer.
On 24 September Himmler ordered the 2,000 man Division to Bosnia where it was to be reinforced with further draftees from Handschar. However this move was delayed when the Russian army attacked southern Hungary and the men were thrown into the battle post haste. On 17 October the Bosniaks began to revolt and desert when they were not returned to their native Bosnia. The Division was formally disbanded on 31 October 1944.
Reliable men were allowed to stay on and in November they rejoined remnants of the Handschar.
The numerical designation given to the 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland . No mention of the division in the war diary of the OKW suggests that Kama never saw action or was ever fully established.
Order of battle
- Waffen Gebirgsjäger Regiment der SS 55 (kroatische nr 3)
- Waffen Gebirgsjäger Regiment der SS 56 (kroatische nr 4)
- Waffen Gebirgs Artillery Regiment der SS 23
- SS Reconnaissance Battalion 23
- SS Flak Battalion 23
- SS Panzerjäger Battalion 23
- SS Nachschub Battalion 23
- SS Pionier Battalion 23
- SS Signals Battalion 23
- SS Field Hospital 23
- SS Medical Battalion 23
- SS Sanitäts Battalion 23
- SS Verwaltungs Battalion 23 [1]
See also
- Alpine Infantry
- Waffen-SS
- Division (military)
- Wehrmacht
- List of German military units of World War II
References
- ^ Wendal, Marcus. "23. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS Kama (kroatische Nr. 2)". Axis History. http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=1925. Retrieved on 2009-15-03.
Stein, G (1966) 'The Waffen SS: Hitler's Elite Guard at War 1939-1945.' Cornell Uni. Press, London. Lepre, George 1997), 'Himmler's Bosnian Division: The Waffen-SS Handschar Divsion 1943-1945. Schiffer Military History, Algen, P.A.
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