Dirlewanger Oskar (Oskar DIRLEWANGER)

(September 26, 1895 - June 5, 1945)
History Division "was averted," begins June 15, 1940, when the team was also formed Poacher Oranienburg (Wilddiebkommando Oranienburg). Number of crew on July 1, 1940 amounted to 84 people selected from the most capable volunteers. And on September 1, 1940 the number of teams was 300 people, replenished mainly by prisoners of concentration camps, trading life behind the barbed wire for military service.
Dr. Oscar was averted, was born September 26, 1895, Mr.. Wц?rzburg. He had a reputation as an educated, extraordinarily brave man, but who had a number of serious shortcomings that make it impossible to live in normal society. The first world was averted, he graduated in the officer rank of Chevalier of the Order of the Iron Cross of both classes, and after the war he continued service in different parts of the Volunteer Corps, but as a soldier. When in Europe at peace, was averted, graduated from a university education received a doctorate of philosophy. He joined the NSDAP in 1923, but subsequently deleted. The second time he joined the Nazi party a year later, and got the party badge numbered 1,098,716.
New Dirlewanger restless personality has attracted attention in 1934 when he was charged with attempted rape, after which he was forever disqualified from teaching. Dirlewanger spent two years in prison, and soon released, again went to the conclusion on similar charges. Later, while already in a concentration camp, he contacted his old friend on the Volunteer Corps Gotlobom Berger (Gottlob Berger), who at that time worked closely with Himmler in the SS. Berger decided to do everything possible to stifled, despite two charges of violence and growing reputation as an alcoholic. Berger made the appointment Dilevangera the Legion Condor in Spain. During the service was averted, was wounded three times and returned to Germany in 1939. After his return from Spain on the initiative of the Berger Commission was convened by the officers of the reserve allgemayne-MOP to address the future of stifled. According to Berger, was averted, could keep himself in the hands of only the military, Berger also suggested the use of military service for the rehabilitation of criminals, from poachers. He believed that these people can make good soldiers, primarily because they already had skills in handling weapons and experience of operating in a wooded area. As a result, they planned to prepare a unit to combat the guerrillas.

History Division "was averted," begins June 15, 1940, when the team was also formed Poacher Oranienburg (Wilddiebkommando Oranienburg). Number of crew on July 1, 1940 amounted to 84 people selected from the most capable volunteers. And on September 1, 1940 the number of teams was 300 people, replenished mainly by prisoners of concentration camps, trading life behind the barbed wire for military service.

. Soon the team was reorganized in zonderbatalon Dirlewanger SS (SS-Sonder Bataillon Dirlewanger)
. The battalion redeployed to Poland to fight the guerrillas, is directly subordinated to Reichsfuhrer SS Heinrich Himmler. Sometimes battalion executes orders police commander and the SS in Poland, Friedrich-Wilhelm Krueger (Friedrich-Wilhelm Krueger), . but between Dirlewanger Kruger frequent disputes about the orders authorized last, . and the battalion was decided to remove from Poland,
. In February 1942 the battalion arrives in Belarus.

January 29, 1942, Mr.. Battalion received permission for the recruitment of foreign volunteers in the Occupied Territories. 29/08/1942 Hitler approved the expansion units up to two battalions. Replenishing consisted mainly of Russian and Ukrainian, and German soldiers who had committed some offense. Using the latest source for the replenishment of the battalion was approved Oct. 15, 1942, Mr.. Service in the battalion of troops attracted all the armed forces of the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and Waffen-SS, offenders who in civilian life would be classified as a crime. Servicemen TN. "SB-soldaten", who made a purely military offenses (sleeping on duty, failure to comply with the order, etc.) to serve in the battalion were not involved. Service battalion stifled seen as a corrective measure, and after sufficient rehabilitation of servicemen returning to the previous duty station.

In 1942, Mr.. Battalion takes part in several anti-partisan operations: an operation in July, "Adler" under the direct command of Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski (Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski), . Commander of the SS and police in central Russia, in October of Operation Regatta "and together with 36 Guards Regiment (36.Sicherungs-Regiment) in Operation" Karlsbad "in November, in conjunction with 1 motorized infantry brigade of the SS (1.SS-Infanterie -Brigade (mot.) in operation "Frida",
. By January 1942. size battalion reaches 320 people, before the battalion there are 2 anti-tank guns, 11 trucks, 22 guns and 5 mortar.
Dirlewanger never received II battalion to February 1943. By this time the size of the first battalion had already reached 700 people, 300 of whom were Soviet citizens. Around the same time, the battalion received the right to wear the insignia and the wearing of tabs with their symbols, two rifles, crossed above the hand grenade. This was the first step towards entry into the Waffen-SS.
Germany never had a sufficient number of poachers, but the service was decided to involve and poachers. In spring 1943 the opportunity for voluntary entry into the battalion was given to all convicted. By May 1943 was formed II battalion, numbering 500 persons. After connecting the two battalions in the division was renamed zonderpolk SS was averted, "(SS-Sonder Regiment Dirlewanger).
The regiment has been actively involved in anti-partisan operations, during which was averted, was wounded several times. Often, he personally led his troops into battle, placing the planning of operations at its Ia officer Obersturmbannfц?hrer Kurt Weiss. May 24, 1942 Dirlewanger pristezhku receives the Iron Cross 2 class, and 16 September 1942 and to the cross 1 class. In August 1943, Mr.. Regiment takes part in battles near the lake PelicцЁ, the loss in the period from February to the end of August 1943 amounted to about 300 people. December 5, 1943 was averted, submitted to one of the highest awards of the Reich - German Cross in gold, as recognition of his contributions over the previous months. In August 1943 decision to expand the regiment to 3 battalions. But before the reorganization of the regiment gets on the front line, where he participated in the battles of Army Group Center "and" North ", starting from November 14. The unit is designed for anti-partisan actions and has no experience of action at the front is serious losses: 30 December 1943. in the ranks left 259 people. Hundreds of prisoners of concentration camps and prisoners of war were supposed to fill up the regiment: on 19 February 1944. the regiment is listed 1200 people. Soviet citizens more in the service were not involved, and in the future to be used only to inmates of concentration camps and military offenders. In the last refill with ordinary prisoners appeared and political.


Anti-guerrilla operations in Belarus to reduce the number of the regiment to 971 people at 30 June 1944. In June 1944, begins "Operation Bagration" - Soviet offensive against Army Group Center ". Much of the Army Group Center was destroyed and its remnants retreated in disorder in Poland. Polk stifled participated in several rearguard battle and retreated to Poland without loss. On August 5, 1944 the regiment took part in suppressing the uprising in Warsaw, in the police brigade subordinate Gruppenfuehrer SS Reynfartu Heinz (Heinz Reinfarth). August 15, 1944, Mr.. Oscar Dirlewanger gets SS-Oberfц?hrer reserve. Reynfart was very impressed with the courage stifled and recommended it to be awarded the Knight's Cross (the award was received September 30, 1944). Also Dirlewanger awarded for injury in gold, tk. in Warsaw, he gets the eleventh injury during his career. After the suppression of the revolt in the ranks is 648 ..

. The regiment was raised and then reorganized in the 2 zonderbrigadu SS Dirlewanger (2.SS-Sonderbrigade Direlewanger), . in early October, renamed in the 2 nd assault brigade SS Dirlewanger (2.SS-Sturmbrigade Dirlewanger) numbering about 4000 people, . 200 of whom were poachers, . 600 prisoners from the police and the Waffen-SS, . 2000 - convicted of the Luftwaffe and Wehrmacht and 1200 - common criminals and political prisoners,
. One portion of volunteers were communists and socialists, the prisoners of concentration camps, hoping then to desert and join the Red Army.

Between 16 and 30 October, the brigade participated in suppressing the uprising in Slovakia. In late 1944 the brigade comes Brigadefiihrer CC and Knight of the German Cross in gold Schmedes Fritz (Fritz Schmedes), who had commanded the 4 police pantsergrenaderskoy Division SS (4.SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division) and 12 December 1944. was removed from command of Himmler for refusing to carry out senseless orders. Himmler wanted to teach Schmedes punishment as a lesson the rest of the commanders. In Schmedes brigade was assigned the role of tactical officer. The brigade consisted of two regiments: 72 Grenadier Regiment under the command of SS Obersturmbannfц?hrer Erich Buchmann (Erich Buchmann) and 73 Grenadier Regiment under the command of SS shturmbannfyurera Ewald Ehlers (Ewald Ehlers), . included at two battalions each, . (originally in each regiment consisted of three battalions, . but the loss and desertion quickly reduce the number of people), . and two artillery batteries supporting,
. From 14 to 29 December 1944. Brigade fought in Hungary. Two battalions made up of former army officers under the command of Captain Otto Hafner (Otto Hafner), proved to be good, another battalion, which formed a significant part of the Communists collapsed, many soldiers have deserted. After a two-week stay at the forefront of a team assigned to Slovakia to re-adjust. Soon from the civilian population, where the brigade was deployed, began receiving complaints about people stifled due to the increasing incidence of looting and violence. Some soldiers had to keep locked up under armed guard because of their unreliability.

In early February, 1945. team returned to the front of a threatening situation in the Oder River in Silesia. Brigade planned to expand to the size of the division, but before this team takes part in the battles of Guben. Order of the reorganization of brigades in the division entered February 14, 1945. A day later, was averted, personally led a counterattack and was wounded twelfth. He never returned to the division commanders had Schmedes and remained in office until the end of the war.
XXXVI. Waffen Grenadier Division der SS "Dirlewanger"
Status Division assigned: 14/02/1945
The strength of: ca. 6000 people
Ingredients: German, Russian, Ukrainian
. Commanders: SS Oberfц?hrer Oscar Dirlewanger
. SS Brigadefiihrer Fritz Schmedes
. Organization:
. 72 SS Grenadier Regiment
. 73 SS Grenadier Regiment
. Tank battalion
. 687 Sapper Brigade (Wehrmacht)
. 1244 Grenadiers
. of the 681 anti-tank battalion
. To increase the size of the brigade to the division of new units has been established
. Instead, the brigade was attached to some army units: 1244 Grenadier Regiment (1244.Grenadier-Regiment), . 681 anti-tank battalion (681.Panzerjaeger-Abteilung), . tank battalion with 28 self-propelled guns (Panzer Abteilung Stahnsdorf) and 687 engineer brigade (687.Pioneer-Brigade),
. Also in the team included some former students of the College of Brunswick HS, . served in 1 Parachute Panzer Division "Hermann Goering" (1.Fallschirm-Panzer-Division Hermann Goering). Part of volunteers were recruited in kontsetratsionnyh camps, . even from evacuated Auschwitz, . which still continued training to serve in the division Dirlewanger,
.
Front in Silesia was broken March 16, 1945, Mr.. after the Soviet offensive and the division began to retreat to the north-east at the same time. Desertion had become increasingly scale-Schmedes and its headquarters attempted to reorganize the division on 25 April, but found that the division was almost completely broken down: for example, 73 Regiment Ehlers had only 36 people.
The last collection of command division held on 29 April, but the situation has only worsened. Schmedes took some elements of the Elbe and 3 May 1945. surrendered to the Americans. Those who stayed out of the military and civilian personnel were taken prisoner by Soviet troops, were shot. Schmedes and Buchman never brought to justice, they lived openly after his release from POW camp. Weiss surrendered to the British documents ordinary Wehrmacht. He escaped from a POW camp March 5, 1946, Mr.. and disappeared forever.
Oscar was averted, was treated at a hospital in g. Althaus, Bavaria. June 1, 1945 Polish soldiers from the French occupation corps brought stifled in city jail. Dirlewanger died from injuries on the night of 4 / 5 June. The circumstances of his death a long time were not sufficiently known, and every now and then there were rumors that he had been seen in various parts of the world. In 1960, Mr.. his tomb was discovered and the remains were identified, which put an end to rumors of meetings with him.