What branch?

[415]

I'm wondering what branch of service did SS-Wirtsch.Italien fall under? Would that be SS-administration and if so what color would the Waffenfarbe be, sky blue? I had a family member who's unit in 1944 was in SS-Wirtsch.Italien and I'm curious. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Chris

[415]

any idea?

[Bobwirtz]

Wirtschafts would be a blue-gray color, light-blue being transportation. Not sure about the Italien contingent of the SS; not sure if they wore the various waffenfarben as other organized Waffen-SS divisions.

Bob

[415]

Thanks for your help Bob.

[wewelsburg]

Italians only wore the red/white variety straps,only white piping.

[Dennis S]

I do not believe the subject (SS-Wirtsch.Italien) you are speaking about has anything to do directly with the Italiane SS Legione or later 29th Waffengrenadier Division der SS , but would more likely be part of
HöSSPF "Italien".

[415]

I believe Dennis is right. My family member who was in that unit was originally from Germany, Munster am Lech to be exact. I believe the units full name was Höchster SS u.Pol.Führer u.Wirtschafter Italien. Now I’m wondering if they maybe sometimes place soldiers in units like this while they were recovering from a injury. My family member who was in this unit was originally in a Pioneer unit, he then suffered a shrapnel wound to the thigh in 1942. I don’t have any FPN’s of him from later part of 42 into 43. I have a document that has him listed in a couple units in 1944, but cant make out which unit’s they are because part of the page is missing. But the last one listed in 1944 was the Höchster SS u.Pol.Führer u.Wirtschafter Italien. To make it even more interesting I just received a letter from the German Red Cross and they had him listed in a Pioneer unit, I‘m assuming when he was captured as a POW. So I’m wondering if maybe they put him in the Höchster SS u.Pol.Führer u.Wirtschafter Italien until he was able to return back to the front lines.

Here's a link to the document I was referring to with the missing part of the page:
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=360554

Thanks,

Chris

[Dennis S]

Chris, Very interesting history about your family member. Was he an Italian speaker?

[415]

Not that I know of. On one of the documents it says he joined the SA in 1933, then the Allg. SS in 1937 then on Sept. 1 1939 he joined the Waffen SS. There’s no mention of him speaking Italian, nor has any of the family mentioned that he spoke Italian.