34th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Landstorm Nederland

The 34th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division "Landstorm Nederland" (German: 34. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division "Landstorm Nederland") was a World War II infantry division in the Waffen-SS, the combat wing of the German Nazi Party. It was formed by converting the SS Volunteer Brigade Landstorm Nederland into a division. It was composed of volunteers of Dutch background under the command of German officers; its strength never reached more than that of a brigade.^{[citation needed]}

Operational history

Upon the Operation Market Garden landings in September 1944, the unit came under the command of Hans Rauter in the newly formed Kampfgruppen Rauter along with the Wachbataillon Nordwest and a regiment of the Ordnungspolizei. Rauter was said to be proud of his Dutch 'Germanic SS'.^[1]

The unit fought various actions on the Eastern and Western fronts. It took part in fighting in the Netherlands, then Pomerania, and then in the Battle of the Seelow Heights where it was destroyed.^{[citation needed]}

Organization

The division consisted of the following.^[2]

Division HQ
SS-Feldersatz-Battalion 60
Grenadier-Regiment 1
SS Volunteer Grenadier Regiment 83 (3rd Dutch)
SS Volunteer Grenadier Regiment 84 (4th Dutch)
SS Artillery Regiment 60
SS Panzerjäger Battalion 60
SS Pionier Company 60
SS Signals Company 60
SS Veterinary Company 60
SS Field post Department 60
SS Medical Company 60

List of commanders

The following were the commanding officers of the division.^[2]

SS-Oberführer Viktor Knapp (11 May 1943 – 1 April 1944)
SS-Obersturmbannführer Deurheit (1 April 1944 – 5 November 1944)
SS-Standartenführer Martin Kohlroser (5 November 1944 – 8 May 1945)

References

Footnotes

^ Beevor 2018, p. 48.
^ a b Baxter 2023, pp. 153–154.

Bibliography

Baxter, Ian (2023). Waffen-SS Dutch & Belgian Volunteers. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-39908-762-9.
Beevor, Antony (2018). Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges, 1944. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-670-91867-6.