"Russian volunteers with the German Army" Topic

"The continuous drain of German military personnel brought about by the bitter fighting on the Eastern Front, together with increasing partisan activity in the German rear, brought about a gradual process which began with the employment of the vast numbers of Red Army prisoners of war held by the Germans.

These selected Red Army men were given German uniforms stripped of insignia, and were often entered on the strength returns of the German unit. These ‘frans' or Hiwis (short for Hilfswillige or volunteer helper) meant that German units could use all German personnel in the fighting units and rely on Hiwis to carry out all the supply, construction and other noncombatant tasks…"
Main page
link

Did anyone wargame with them…?

Armand

I have them in some of my units.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

We have used Ost Battalion 441 (technically Ukrainian, not Russian) for some of our Juno Beach/Normandy games

Hiwis were part of the official manpower table of German divisions from 1942 onwards I think. They weren't selected either, they volunteered, because it was more attractive than being starved to death in a POW camp I guess.

All the best

Andreas

Thanks!

Armand

Dead Men Walking

Starve in POW camp or get shot when your side takes you prisoner.

Tough choice.

It is not true. Only those who voluntarily (by prior intent) went over to the side of the enemy were subject to punishment. And even then, no one shot them – they were sent to penal units for a period of three months. Even those who took up arms were not shot (of course, unless the soldiers did this on their own initiative at the time of capture – which happened quite often and they were not usually punished for this. Well, "dog" – "dog's death"), if they were not convicted of real crimes. And this happened quite often, as the Nazis sought to use collaborationists to fight the insurgents. Recall, for example, that a large number of punitive units from former Soviet citizens took part in the suppression of the Warsaw Uprising. These people distinguished themselves with bestial cruelty. One of the leaders of the collaborators, Kaminsky, was shot by the Nazis for … excessive cruelty in the treatment of captured Polish rebels!
But there were also those (and there were many of them) who, at the first opportunity, went over to the side of the Red Army. That is why Hitler ordered the transfer of these units to France. These units were often unreliable.

Three month for fighting in German uniform against Stalin…?

Sorry… I don't buy it …

Even people who was in prisioner camps or Russian Civilians who were taken as slaves by the germans suffered a lot from the NKVD…

Armand

No, apparently I didn't make myself clear. Three months penal company – if a person collaborated with the Nazis, but did not take direct part in hostilities or killings: he served in non-combat units of the Wehrmacht or the occupation administration (driver, cook, translator, senior on command in a prisoner of war camp, village headman, etc.) .)
If he fought with weapons in his hands against the Soviet army, a partisan, or took a direct part in the murders of civilians, then execution or sending to the Gulag for a period of 15 to 25 years, depending on the severity of the guilt.

I have already told, for example, about the history of the Russian SS brigade, which went over to the side of the partisans: TMP link

And continuing the theme of former Soviet citizens in the service of the Nazis. A short article about the formations of former Soviet prisoners of war who "fought against Bolshevism" in Normandy in 1944. Shooting at the same time in the Allied soldiers. (Automatic translation)

link

What was the casualty rate in a penal company?

For some reason I ain't see'n Russkies fighting along side the Nazis gett'n a real flowery welcome & metals if the get back to the "Motherland". Just say'n !

Thanks

Armand

Since the penal units were entrusted with the most difficult combat missions, the losses of both a permanent composition (officers and sergeants are not penal soldiers) and a variable composition (penal soldiers) were indeed high. Thus, the average monthly losses of the variable composition of penal units in 1944 amounted to 10,506 people, the permanent one – 3,685 people.

Archival reporting and statistical documents give the number of variable composition annually:

1942 – 24,993 people;

1943 – 177 694 people;

1944 – 143,457 people;

1945 – 81,766 people;

Thus, during the entire war, 427,910 people were sent to penal battalions and companies.

If we take for analysis the year 1944, when all the fronts were conducting intensive offensive operations, the number of penal units and the number of their variable composition were characterized by the following indicators:

- the total number of penal battalions in all fronts of the Red Army ranged from 15 (in January) to 8 (in May), and their average monthly number this year was 11, while the average monthly number of penal soldiers in one battalion was about 226 people;

- the total number of penal companies in all armies ranged from 199 (in April) to 301 (in September), and the average monthly number of companies was 243, while the average monthly number of penal companies in one company was 102 people;

- the total loss of personnel (killed, dead, wounded and sick) of all penal units for the year amounted to 14 191 people, or 52% of their average monthly number (27 326 people). This is 3 – 6 times more than the total average monthly loss of personnel in conventional forces in the same offensive operations in 1944.

Let me remind you that officers who committed a misdemeanor or crime were sent to the penal battalions. In penal companies – servicemen of the rank and file.
The term for which those convicted by the military tribunal were sent to the penalty section was from 1 to 3 months. The punishment was considered completed ahead of schedule in the event of any injury during hostilities. After serving the sentence, the servicemen was restored to his rights, his military rank and awards were returned to him, and he was sent to his former military unit for the previous position for further service in the usual manner. It was believed that a person completely atoned for his guilt.
I know the story of a senior sergeant who was convicted three times and served his sentence in the penalty unit. Twice – for drunkenness while serving on the front line, and once – for punching a regiment commander in the face in a dispute over a woman.

Another fact about losses in penalties units, I think it will be interesting. According to A. Moroz data published on April 11, 2007 in the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper, from August 1942 to October 1945, 3348 penalty soldiers passed through the 1st, 60th, 128th separate penal companies. Of these, 796 died, 1939 were injured, 117 were released after the expiration of the established sentence, and 457 were released ahead of schedule for military merits, and about 1% of the penalty soldiers fell behind on marches, deserted, were captured by the enemy and disappeared without a trace.
In total, 62 officers (permanent staff) served in the company at different times, of which 16 were killed, 17 were injured.

Good intel Cuprum …

Nice work at dealing with some legends Cuprum.

All the best

Andreas

…117 were released …

And then… they return home or to their original units?….

Armand

Returning home before the end of the war is not realistic, unless there is a write-off for medical reasons or a highly qualified specialist needed in the defense industry.

Soldiers and officers who had served their sentences returned to their former duty station. Penalty companies (for ordinary soldiers) were created with each division and the soldiers of this particular division fell into this company (with the exception of those who were sent to the penal unit from the rear districts and garrisons).
In the same way, penal battalions (from convicted officers) were created at the headquarters of a particular army or front (as an army unit). And only officers from units subordinate to this particular army or front were sent to this battalion.
The command was interested in retaining experienced commanders and soldiers after serving their sentences.

In my opinion, the most terrible and difficult was the service with the permanent composition of penal units (officers and sergeants). These people are constantly engaged in battles on the most difficult sections of the front, without any guilt and without the hope of freeing themselves at the end of their sentence. However, their service life was counted as 1 to 6 (early promotion in military rank, pension provision, improved supply and food), a triple salary was paid + doubled combat payments.

By the way, there were also aviation (fighter, bomber and assault penalty squadrons), tank (companies) and naval (landing companies) penalty units.
I personally find it very difficult to imagine the NKVD obstacle detachments that forcibly drive pilots into battle in aircraft cockpits)))