Dear collectors.
I would like you to take the time to read these storys from different veterans who fought in Divisjon Nordland/ Regiment Norge. This will give you a better understanding about the tunic`s history.
Enjoy.
The last days in Berlin before the capitulation, and then some more by E. Andersen 28.11.1999.<O
</O
I was a part of 23.pz.gren. Regiment "Norge" 3 batalion, stab A,B,T,1B. <O</OI drove a lorry, infantry, ammunition and all stuff in between along with petrol in 20 liters cans. <O</OThe 26 or the 27 of April 1945 I drove over the bridge of the river Spree by Stadtmitte. When I came over the bridge, I saw a Red Cross food station. Our field kitchen was lost. I took our essgechirrr and start walking towards the food station. My companion stayed in the lorry. His name was Rod and was a so called Volksdeutsche , meaning he was of German heritage from Siebensburgem in Romania. <O</O
While I am inside the Red Cross food station, there was some bombing. The roof and windows broke, and debrief also fell in the soup kettles, but I got the soup and left. When I approached the lorry I saw it was blown up and Rod inside it. The bombers are gone but the shelling from artillery continues. I first came in contact with soldiers from the Kriegsmarine. They were flown in to help keeping Berlin in German hands. From the suburban and to the inner core of Berlin, and in road crosses it waswritten with big letters "Berlin bleibt Deutsch"! <O</OIt did not take long before we were in contact with the Russians. They had much panzers and heavier weapons than us. There were also quite a few street fighting with infantry weapons. During one of those fights I lost the only man I personally knew. His name was Muller and was a Volksdeutsche from Sibenburgem.. We had been together in Kroatia. He was shot in the stomage. The Russians used explosive bullets. His whole stomach was ripped open, but he was still alive. He made sign to me to end his misery, I nodded, but lucky for me someone else was quicker to do it.<O</O
I was now in a larger group of SS soldiers. There I by the way met a Dane and a Swede volunteer. They belonged to regiment "Norge" or regiment "Danmark". Muller belong to regiment "Norge".<O</O
As mentioned, the Russians had much panzers, and lucky for us we had quite a few Panzerfausts. They were effective. I was equipped with a stormkarabine stg.44. It was a good close combat weapon. I had not fired Panzerfaust, but I had some on the lorry when it was blown up. The Russians kept bombing and pushed forwards with panzers so there where gaps in our lines. What was in particular the worst the last 24 hours was the amount of wounded. In most cases they were just left where they were. There was Russians everywhere and we operated more and more in smaller units.<O</O
On the morning 2 of May berlin capitulated. I was then by Fredrikstrasse banhof. We were 15-20 persons squeezed together. It was an Untersturmfuhrer who had the highest rank. We agreed to try getting out though the subway, but in the end, it was to awful down there. Both soldiers and civils kept coming down to the subway. The Russians where over us and by every entrance. By the stairs down they shot at us, so there where many dead and wounded after a while. It was become a death trap. By Stettiner banhof we stormed up and out. We had to run over many dead and wounded in the stairs and up the street where many had tried to escape before us. I spotted a bomb crater a few meters away and dived down in it. Ten of us made it there. After getting some air in our lungs and regaining the situation, we knew this was the end for us. It was tanks and Russians all over the place. <O></O>
We put a piece of cloth on the barrel of a sturmgehwer and held it as high as possible, and right away the Russians where there. The Russians said something and took our watches. He who took mine did not even loose the strap, and just tore it off. The Russians told us that all who were captured in Berlin would be released home after 14 days in captivity. We did not believe this, and we had no choice. We were soon divided so I do not know what happened to the others, and I do not know witch nations they came from. <O</OThe prison march from Berlin to Frankfurt am Oder took 14 days with only 24houers stop in Furstenwalde. It was not longer than 100 kilometers so how it actual was carried out I do not know. What I saw was the dikes on both side of the road was full of dead people. We were not fed or given anything to drink and we slept out on the open in the fields during the night. We had to drink the corpse-infested water by the roadside. Many got sick. If you could not walk you got shot on the spot, and that was that. When I arrived Frankfurt I had Jaundice and Dysentery. After 14 days we got further transport but now on cow wagons on a train. We were around 40-50 people in one wagon. It was just a small whole in the corner for toilet. The doors were locked and only open one time each 24 hours when fed one portion of soup. We could stand for days by side rails. I do not want to describe the conditions further.<O</O
POW in Russia (Soviet).<O</O
We came out in Posnan in Polen. We were some weeks in a camp. We slept outside without any cover. I dug myself down under a wall, and that helped a bit. One day I met another Norwegian, K. Bakke from Oslo. We were ordered to undress and walk past Russians in white capes. One of them a female nipped us in the bum. Then I got a note with my name on it. We got numbers from 1 to 6. Those from number 1 to 3 got in one group, and the others in another group. The ones in group numbered from 1 to 3 was in best shape and was going to Russia. I got a number 3. Knut Bakke got a 4 or 5 and our way separated there. I was sent east and he was sent west. Then it went near two years before I met another Norwegian.<O</O
I came to Rovno in Ukraine and worked on building places and sawmills. After a few months, there came a message that all citizens from small nations should be released and sent home. That was all but the Germans. When I arrived the railway station the train had already arrived, and the prisoners was entering the train. Then two white dressed females arrived. We were ordered to undress torso and hold left arm straight up. There I have my blood type tattooed. All SS soldiers had that, and all SS foreign volunteers had it too, but there were some that for some reason had not got it. I had to go back to the camp and those already entered the train was released without checked. If I had been earlier, my stay in Soviet would have been decreased by two years. Life consists of a coincidences.<O</O
By Christmas I was in really bad shape and one morning I was absent from morning call. There was two more that had not the health to tender. The soviet commandant would show himself for his men. By the barrack there was a shed without roof, door or windows. It was below zero, wind and snowing. We were placed in each our corner. I do not know how long I was there. The two other guys slowly drop to the ground. Somehow, I manage to stand up. The two others die there. I was in seven camps. I was interrogated by the NKVD (KGB) many times, often during the night. They were smart and skilled. I came home 14.10.1947.
I would like you to take the time to read these storys from different veterans who fought in Divisjon Nordland/ Regiment Norge. This will give you a better understanding about the tunic`s history.
Enjoy.
The last days in Berlin before the capitulation, and then some more by E. Andersen 28.11.1999.<O
</OI was a part of 23.pz.gren. Regiment "Norge" 3 batalion, stab A,B,T,1B. <O
</OI drove a lorry, infantry, ammunition and all stuff in between along with petrol in 20 liters cans. <O</OThe 26 or the 27 of April 1945 I drove over the bridge of the river Spree by Stadtmitte. When I came over the bridge, I saw a Red Cross food station. Our field kitchen was lost. I took our essgechirrr and start walking towards the food station. My companion stayed in the lorry. His name was Rod and was a so called Volksdeutsche , meaning he was of German heritage from Siebensburgem in Romania. <O</OWhile I am inside the Red Cross food station, there was some bombing. The roof and windows broke, and debrief also fell in the soup kettles, but I got the soup and left. When I approached the lorry I saw it was blown up and Rod inside it. The bombers are gone but the shelling from artillery continues. I first came in contact with soldiers from the Kriegsmarine. They were flown in to help keeping Berlin in German hands. From the suburban and to the inner core of Berlin, and in road crosses it waswritten with big letters "Berlin bleibt Deutsch"! <O
</OIt did not take long before we were in contact with the Russians. They had much panzers and heavier weapons than us. There were also quite a few street fighting with infantry weapons. During one of those fights I lost the only man I personally knew. His name was Muller and was a Volksdeutsche from Sibenburgem.. We had been together in Kroatia. He was shot in the stomage. The Russians used explosive bullets. His whole stomach was ripped open, but he was still alive. He made sign to me to end his misery, I nodded, but lucky for me someone else was quicker to do it.<O</OI was now in a larger group of SS soldiers. There I by the way met a Dane and a Swede volunteer. They belonged to regiment "Norge" or regiment "Danmark". Muller belong to regiment "Norge".<O
</OAs mentioned, the Russians had much panzers, and lucky for us we had quite a few Panzerfausts. They were effective. I was equipped with a stormkarabine stg.44. It was a good close combat weapon. I had not fired Panzerfaust, but I had some on the lorry when it was blown up. The Russians kept bombing and pushed forwards with panzers so there where gaps in our lines. What was in particular the worst the last 24 hours was the amount of wounded. In most cases they were just left where they were. There was Russians everywhere and we operated more and more in smaller units.<O
</OOn the morning 2 of May berlin capitulated. I was then by Fredrikstrasse banhof. We were 15-20 persons squeezed together. It was an Untersturmfuhrer who had the highest rank. We agreed to try getting out though the subway, but in the end, it was to awful down there. Both soldiers and civils kept coming down to the subway. The Russians where over us and by every entrance. By the stairs down they shot at us, so there where many dead and wounded after a while. It was become a death trap. By Stettiner banhof we stormed up and out. We had to run over many dead and wounded in the stairs and up the street where many had tried to escape before us. I spotted a bomb crater a few meters away and dived down in it. Ten of us made it there. After getting some air in our lungs and regaining the situation, we knew this was the end for us. It was tanks and Russians all over the place. <O
></O>We put a piece of cloth on the barrel of a sturmgehwer and held it as high as possible, and right away the Russians where there. The Russians said something and took our watches. He who took mine did not even loose the strap, and just tore it off. The Russians told us that all who were captured in Berlin would be released home after 14 days in captivity. We did not believe this, and we had no choice. We were soon divided so I do not know what happened to the others, and I do not know witch nations they came from. <O
</OThe prison march from Berlin to Frankfurt am Oder took 14 days with only 24houers stop in Furstenwalde. It was not longer than 100 kilometers so how it actual was carried out I do not know. What I saw was the dikes on both side of the road was full of dead people. We were not fed or given anything to drink and we slept out on the open in the fields during the night. We had to drink the corpse-infested water by the roadside. Many got sick. If you could not walk you got shot on the spot, and that was that. When I arrived Frankfurt I had Jaundice and Dysentery. After 14 days we got further transport but now on cow wagons on a train. We were around 40-50 people in one wagon. It was just a small whole in the corner for toilet. The doors were locked and only open one time each 24 hours when fed one portion of soup. We could stand for days by side rails. I do not want to describe the conditions further.<O</OPOW in Russia (Soviet).<O
</OWe came out in Posnan in Polen. We were some weeks in a camp. We slept outside without any cover. I dug myself down under a wall, and that helped a bit. One day I met another Norwegian, K. Bakke from Oslo. We were ordered to undress and walk past Russians in white capes. One of them a female nipped us in the bum. Then I got a note with my name on it. We got numbers from 1 to 6. Those from number 1 to 3 got in one group, and the others in another group. The ones in group numbered from 1 to 3 was in best shape and was going to Russia. I got a number 3. Knut Bakke got a 4 or 5 and our way separated there. I was sent east and he was sent west. Then it went near two years before I met another Norwegian.<O
</OI came to Rovno in Ukraine and worked on building places and sawmills. After a few months, there came a message that all citizens from small nations should be released and sent home. That was all but the Germans. When I arrived the railway station the train had already arrived, and the prisoners was entering the train. Then two white dressed females arrived. We were ordered to undress torso and hold left arm straight up. There I have my blood type tattooed. All SS soldiers had that, and all SS foreign volunteers had it too, but there were some that for some reason had not got it. I had to go back to the camp and those already entered the train was released without checked. If I had been earlier, my stay in Soviet would have been decreased by two years. Life consists of a coincidences.<O
</OBy Christmas I was in really bad shape and one morning I was absent from morning call. There was two more that had not the health to tender. The soviet commandant would show himself for his men. By the barrack there was a shed without roof, door or windows. It was below zero, wind and snowing. We were placed in each our corner. I do not know how long I was there. The two other guys slowly drop to the ground. Somehow, I manage to stand up. The two others die there. I was in seven camps. I was interrogated by the NKVD (KGB) many times, often during the night. They were smart and skilled. I came home 14.10.1947.
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