Help on Brandenburg/SS Jägerverbände

[Edgar Alcidi]

..

Paul, take a look at the link posted by Gary, you will find a lot of stuff:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=68686
Edgar

[Alex Stefanut]

I have looked for a good book on the history of SS-Jagdverband but cannot find any (apart from Larry's research) can anyone recommend an English language book?

I would be very interested in any other documents/passes on the subject, as ever thanks, Paul

Some useful info (but not plenty) can be found in the following book:

"Forgotten Legions: Obscure Combat Formations of the Waffen-Ss" by Antonio Munoz.

Not much, but at least is a start.

Cheers,

Al

[leibregiment]

Al, thanks

[Gary T]

Larry,

That's very interesting...a pity I'm not collecting anymore.

If you'd like scans of the ones I had for your records then let me know...I'll burn them onto a CD and post them to you.

Cheers,
Gary.

Gary wrote:


SS-Jagdverband Südost was still spread over quite a large area in 1945. I have a significant amount of material on the formation, including some postwar interrogation reports carried out by U.S. CIC personnel. The Counterintelligence War Room in London had collected a large number of documents, reports and interrogations on it by 1946, but I was only able to recover about a quarter of this material.

As for thr WPs, I cannot prove that they were among the loot removed from VII 15 or so years ago, but I'm not convinced otherwise. Hopefully, the truth will be found some day.

--Larry

[Larry deZeng]

Hi Gary,

A most generous and kind offer, Gary, but my research days are over. The Abwehr and SS-Jagdverband was the last incomplete archives project I worked on before I had to shift my time and energy to other research projects 10 years ago that stood a better chance of being completed before old age caught up with me. So I ended up with a couple of banker's boxes out in the garage that are full of photocopied interrogation reports and other documents. IIRC, the SS-Jagdverband came into existence in summer 1944 as the result of the RSHA taking over the Abwehr as directed by Hitler. So the personnel for the SS-Jagdverband almost all came from the former Abwehr Amt II, Amt VI/RSHA (Schellenberg's people) and the Brandenburg regiments. They were barely in existence for 9 months before the war ended. They were an interesting bunch. Not only during the war, but after the war many of them worked for the U.S. CIC and for the BND (Bundes Nachrichten Dienst), the latter largely taking its orders from the CIA.

Thanks again,

--Larry

[Larry deZeng]

Paul -

There are at least 26 books in English and German that deal to one degree or another with the Abwehr and SS-Jagdverband. Here is one of them:

ESHEL, David. Elite Fighting Forces. New York: Arco, 1984. 208p. [Some coverage of Abwehr II units and the SS-Jagdverbände].

You shouldn't have any trouble identifying the rest of them with an hour or two of search time on Google, the on-line catalogs of the British Library and the U.S. Library of Congress, and the military-related web sites such as Axis History Forum.

--Larry

[leibregiment]

Gary, just a thought but perhaps you could post them on here, I for one have an interest in this area and perhaps it would spur someone to undertake to write an article or history.
Larry, like wise have you anything you could post to bring this all together?

Paul

[Larry deZeng]

Paul wrote:

Larry, like wise have you anything you could post to bring this all together?

Well, what do you already know about them? It would be a lot easier if you got the David Eshel book that I noted above and then come back here and ask specific questions. What makes it difficult is the fact that the Jagdverbände did not use a traditional military structure. They were divided into territorial groups and then each of those into small operational Kommandos (detachments) of unspecified size, but usually 5 or 6 men up to 12 to 18. They moved constantly and their size fluctuated according to their mission. The Kommandos were not numbered but rather named after their commander of the moment, these changing frequently. That makes it hard to get a handle on them. The Abwehr II Kommandos, on the other hand, were numbered and that makes tracking them through the documentation somewhat easier.

However, I should point out that these were Top Secret (geheime Kommandosache! Nur durch Offiziere!) special operations units and most of the documents concerning them were destroyed at war's end. That's why the Allies devoted enormous intelligence resources to tracking down these people and interrogating them after the war. They were target #1 together with the German rocket and atomic scientists.

--Larry

[leibregiment]

Larry, the only book I can find is "ELITE FIGHTING UNITS"
DAVID ESHEL is this the book you mentioned?

[Larry deZeng]

Larry, the only book I can find is "ELITE FIGHTING UNITS"
DAVID ESHEL is this the book you mentioned?

There were several editions of it because it carries two separate ISBNs:
ISBN: 0668062061
ISBN: 0668062746

The difference in the word at the end of the title may have to do with the different editions or perhaps one is a U.K. publication and the other a U.S. publication. It is also possible that the list I took it from had the last word wrong. Anyway, that's the book.

--Larry

[leibregiment]

thanks, just ordered it from ABE,

[Larry deZeng]

Paul -

Here is some start-up information for you:

SS-Jagdverbände -

12.02.44: Hitler orders the Abwehr absorbed into Amt VI/RSHA with an effective date of 1 June 1944. But in practice Abwehr I (intelligence) and Abwehr II (sabotage), although nominally under Amt Mil/RSHA, remained under OKW control until 1 December 1944. (Kahn, pp.267-71).


SS-Jagdverband Mitte
Formed 10 Nov 44 by renaming SS-Jäger-Btl. 502; its TO&E called for 3 rifle and 1 heavy weapons companies (presumably all German), plus 4 companies of foreign nationals. In Jan 45 it was located in Hohensalza (Inowrocław)/203 km NW of Warsaw and then at Sachsenhausen from mid-January to the end of the war.


SS-Jagdverband Nordwest
Formed 10 Nov 44 by renaming SS-Jäger-Btl. Nordwest (formed 1 Oct 44) and consisted of personnel from the Streifkorps (raiding corps) of the Division Brandenburg; organized with Jagdeinsatz Skandinavien, Jagdeinsatz Niederlande, Jagdeinsatz Dänemark and Jagdeinsatz Belgien; each Jagdeinsatz had 2 to 6 Jagdkommandos of 6 to 16 men; its Stab was in Neustrelitz in 1945.


SS-Jagdverband Ost
Formed 10 Nov 44 by renaming SS-Jäger-Btl. Ost (formed 1 Oct 44) and consisted of personnel from Streifkorps (raiding corps) of the Division Brandenburg, specifically Streifkorps Einsatzgruppe Baltikum; consisted of 3 rifle and 1 heavy weapons companies (presumably all German), plus 4 companies of foreign nationals organized as Jagdeinsatz Ostland, Jagdeinsatz Russland and Jagdeinsatz Polen; each Jagdeinsatz had 2 to 6 Jagdkommandos of 6 to 16 men; its Stab was at Sachsenhausen/Ordbahn in 1945.


SS-Jagdverband Südost
Formed Jan 45 from the Verband Wildschütz of the Division Brandenburg; Stab in Agram (Zagreb) with Einsatzgruppen Bulgarien, Rumänien, Serbien and Ungarn; a short time later these were renamed Jagdeinsatz Bulgarien, Jagdeinsatz Rumänien, Jagdeinsatz Serbien – Kroatien and Jagdeinsatz Ungarn; to these were added Jagdeinsatz Albanien, Jagdeinsatz Slowakei and Jagdeinsatz Donau; each Jagdeinsatz had 2 to 6 Jagdkommandos of 6 to 16 men.
OB: 1.-4. Kp. (German), 1.-4. Kp. (foreign nationals) and Kampfschule (combat school).
Personalities: SS-Stubaf Benesch, Kdr.; SS-H/Stuf Steiner, Ia; SS-O/Stuf Hilbig, Nafü. SS-H/Stuf Müller, Kdr. Jagdeinsatz Rumänien; SS-O/Stuf Schlau, Kdr. Jagdeinsatz Kroatien; SS-O/Stuf Werg, Kdr. Jagdeinsatz Bulgarien; SS-H/Stuf Kirchner, Kdr. Jagdeinsatz Ungarn; SS-H/Stuf Primer, Kdr. Jagdeinsatz Donau; etc.
Mission: The primary mission of SS-Jagdverband Südost was to build up pro-Nazi partisan movements in Southeast Europe. In addition, a company of agents was given the tactical military assignment of parachuting behind enemy lines to secure advanced positions in case of offensives, and of operating as stay-behind saboteurs in the event of military reverses. [Extracted from p.2 of CI-IIR No. 42 (see above).]


SS-Jagdverband Südwest
Formed Jan 45 in Eltville/8 km SW of Wiesbaden from the Legionär-Btl. of the Lehr-Rgt. Brandenburg and the Streifkorps (raiding corps) of the Division Brandenburg with Jagdeinsatz Nordfrankreich, Jagdeinsatz Südfrankreich and Jagdeinsatz Italien; each Jagdeinsatz had 2 to 6 Jagdkommandos of 6 to 16 men.
OB: 1.-4. Kp. (German), 1.-4. Kp. (foreign nationals) and Kampfschule (combat school).



Examples of a few of the many interrogation reports on the SS-Jagdverbände
HQ USFET/Military Intelligence Service Center (Frankfurt/M.):
CI-IIR No. 9, Hauptsturmführer Hans Gerlach, 11 Aug 45, SS-Jagdverband Südwest.
CI-IIR No. 42, SS-Hauptsturmführer Wolfram Kirchner, SS-Jagdverband Südost.
CI-FIR No. 83, Oberst Georg Buntrock, 12 Feb 46, Mil F/RSHA.
CI-FIR No. 85, Maj. Adalbert von Taysen, 2 Feb 46, Mil B/RSHA.
HQ Intelligence Center/M.I.S. in Austria:
First DIR, Hptm. Ernst Berndt, 6 Nov 45, SS-Jagdverband Nord.

There are also hundreds and hundreds of others on the Abwehr that include coverage of the SS-Jagdverbände. All of these reports are enormously detailed, running 10 to 36 pages each, and give the names of all personnel assigned and provide information on operations and other activities. Example:

Jagdkommando “Weissenberger I”This Jagdkommando was attached to AOK 1 early in December 1944 under the command of SS-Untersturmführer Weissenberger. Its first and most successful mission was in December 1944 when a Stosstrupp of 25 men penetrated 8 to 10 km behind the Allied lines and performed mining operations on the supply routes in the area of the Bitche Forest. After this, immediate front line missions were carried out, but these never penetrated more than 3 km behind the lines. Approximately 12 missions were carried out east of the Saar front. [Extracted from p.9 of CI-IIR No. 9 (see above).]


--Larry

[leibregiment]

Larry, many many thanks......paul

[leibregiment]

Larry/ Guys, is this book relevant to the SS-Jagdverband "The SS Hunter Battalions" by Perry Biddiscombe

[Larry deZeng]

Yup, it sure is, but one would never know it from the book's title. But whether or not it tells the history straight-forward and factually is unknown to me. The title and the synopsis makes me think it may be a sensationalization of it done to maximize book sales. Furthermore, he seems to focus on only one aspect of the mission assigned to the SS-Jagdverbände - the creation of stay-behind resistance movements. They did a lot of other things, too, such as sabotage, assassinations, etc. But this 2006 book was unknown to me, so many thanks for pointing it out!


BIDDISCOMBE, Perry. The SS Hunter Battalions

Book Description: NPI Media Group, 2006. Paperback. Book Condition: Brand New. *** NEW COPY *** TITLE SHIPPED FROM UK *** Pages: 448, Conventional wisdom suggests that the Allies and the Soviets were the only side in the Second World War to support resistance movements. This book shows that Hitler had his own version of the SOE and the OSS, and that the Nazis too encouraged underground resistance against their enemies, especially as Europe was liberated in 1944-5. Conventional wisdom suggests that the Allies and the Soviets were the only side in the Second World War to support resistance movements. However, based on recently-released archival sources, "The SS Hunter Battalions" shows that Hitler had his own version of the SOE and the OSS, and that the Nazis too encouraged underground resistance against their enemies, especially as Europe was liberated in 1944-5. The Nazis tried to exploit the misguided activism of ex-collaborators, ethnic nationalists and rabid anti-communists, but their efforts were clumsy and they were hamstrung by the sordid reputation that they had gained as wartime occupiers. In addition, the German commandos and spy-masters in charge of the project hindered their own efforts through infighting, ill-discipline and a misconceived appreciation of their ability to motivate violent dissent. Nonetheless, the Germans supported as many as 700,000 anti-Soviet partisans during the last year of the war, and even in liberated France and Italy they bolstered small anti-Allied cells and bands. As Perry Biddiscombe demonstrates, such efforts were not mere transitory occurrences, but touched upon the origin of the Cold War and the roots of postwar 'Eurofascism'.

--Larry