Just Wondering...

[Matthew S.]

I have always been curious why German-Americans who went back to fight for the Fatherland were not organized into volunteer legions like those from European nations. Does anyone know if there was a real reason for this?

[Fred S]

maybe because they were proud to be german and wanted to fight as so, for the fatherland, as german, not as a legion? As volkdeutschen?

[C. Betz]

German-Americans Fighting for the Nazis

A very small contingent of German-American "repatriates" were organized into an SS unit called the George Washington Legion. Other repatriates served as behind the lines sabatours during the Battle of the Bulge. Their knowledge of English (fluency or lack there of) and American culture was a factor of considerable merit. Hence, the query: "Who is Betty Grable or Rita Hayworth." and "Who won the World Series?" by American troops to ascertain spys and legitimate soldiers during that campaign.

I believe their motivation was of loyalty to Germany.

Charles Betz

[ErichS]

Interesting question. I read somewhere that two US citizens were in the Waffen SS.

[Matthew S.]

I was always curious why - since Himmler seems to have had a thing for showing how the war was a crusade of all nations against communism and thus tiny propaganda units like the British Free Korps - they didn't try the same idea with the former Americans, who certainly outnumbered the BFK. Wanting to fight as proud Germans seems to make sense.

[Napalm]

A very small contingent of German-American "repatriates" were organized into an SS unit called the George Washington Legion. Other repatriates served as behind the lines sabatours during the Battle of the Bulge. Their knowledge of English (fluency or lack there of) and American culture was a factor of considerable merit. Hence, the query: "Who is Betty Grable or Rita Hayworth." and "Who won the World Series?" by American troops to ascertain spys and legitimate soldiers during that campaign.

I believe their motivation was of loyalty to Germany.

Charles Betz

WARNING GRAPIC CONTENT.

Video number 6 is Americans being shot as spies.

http://geniv.forumcommunity.net/?t=4...&st=0#lastpost

[Vinland]

I thought the 'Geo. Washington' Gruppe was a myth, that alot of the Bund, Shelley's Silvershirts etc., were imprisoned during the war as sympathizers. Some of the 'volksdeutsche' returned 'home' to Germany that's for sure, and some naturalized Americans joined the SS, but I don't think there was any Geo. Washington Freikorps/Div. etc.

Some info here, too:

http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=310

"US volunteers in the Waffen-SS

There were some US citizens who were members of the Waffen-SS, but no unit made up of American volunteers were ever raised (despite some claims about an "American Free Corps" or "George Washington Brigade"). According to figures from the SS five US citizens served in the Waffen-SS in May 1940, but after that date no numbers are available.

Second Lieutenant Martin James Monti (born 1910 in St Louis of an Italian-Swiss father and German mother) went awol Oct 1944, travelled from Karachi to Naples (through Cairo and Tripoli) where to stole a F-4 or F-5 photographic reconnaissance aircraft (photo recon version of the P-38) and flew to Milan. There he surrendered, or rather defected, to the Germans and worked as a propaganda broadcaster (as Martin Wiethaupt) before entering the Waffen-SS as a SS-Untersturmf******252;hrer in SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers. At the end of the war he went south to Italy where surrendered to US forces (still wearing his SS uniform) claiming that he had been given the uniform by partisans. He was charged with desertion and sentenced to 15 years hard labour. This sentence was soon commuted and Monti rejoined the US Air Corps, but in 1948 he was discharged and picked up by the FBI. He was now charged with treason and sentenced to 25 years the following year. He was paroled in 1960.

Peter Delaney (aka Pierre de la Ney du Vair), a Louisiana born SS-Haupsturmf******252;hrer in SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers who is believed to have served in L******233;gion des Volontaires Fran******231;ais (LVF). He met Monti and probably arranged for him to enter the Waffen-SS. Delaney was killed in 1945.

At least eight American volunteers are known to have been killed during their service.

No real attempt by the US authorities to investigate the matter and trace the volunteers was made after the war, as opposed to for example the efforts by the British."

[Fred S]

I've heard/read about the Legion Washington a bit as well: it seems that it was a few soldiers involved in propadanda, nothing more.

As well a few US/german citizens served Skorzeny during the battle of the Bulge, unfortunately the way Skorzeny's commandos were made didn't leave traces in archives.

So far we can see and read, some US citizens which were born german or from german parents came back to Germany to serve "fatherland" and that's a fact, but not as formed legion.