Some members of the Ostlegionen units were conscripted or coerced into serving; others volunteered. Many were former Soviet personnel, recruited from prisoner of war camps. Osttruppen were frequently stationed away from front lines and used for coastal defence or rear-area activities, such as security operations, thus freeing up regular German forces for front-line service. They belonged to two distinct types of units:
Ost-Bataillone were composed of various nationalities, raised mostly amongst prisoners of war (POW) captured in Eastern Europe, who had been formed into battalion-sized units, which were integrated individually into German combat formations, and;
Ostlegionen were larger foreign legion-type units raised amongst members of a specific ethnic minority or minorities, and comprising multiple battalions.
Uniform of Ukrainian soldier part of Ostlegionen during WW2
Members of Osteinheiten usually faced execution or harsh terms of imprisonment, if they were captured by Soviet forces or repatriated to the USSR by the western Allies.
Ost-Bataillone
Russian soldiers performing a traditional dance, 1944.
Ost-Bataillone wore German uniforms and equipment and were integrated into larger German formations. They began as the private initiatives of individual military commanders. Most were utilized on the Eastern Front and in the Balkans.
In 1944, a number of Ost-Bataillone were stationed in northern France, in anticipation of an Allied invasion of Western Europe. Units that fought in Normandy against Allied Operation Overlord were part of the German 243rd and 709th Static Infantry Divisions, positioned in the vicinity of the Utah, Juno and Sword invasion beaches.[2]Ost-Bataillone were also present in southern France, during the Allied landings codenamed Operation Dragoon (August 1944).
The unit became the 134th Volunteer Security Battalion in 1942. On 18 November 1942, it was renamed the 134th Eastern Battalion and was still located in central Russia.
It became the 406th Eastern Battalion on 1 November 1942. It was moved to southern France on 28 September 1943. It was renamed the 406th Russian Battalion on 6 July 1944. In northern Italy as of September 1944.
It became the 439th Eastern Battalion on 8 November 1942. It was sent to Northern France in October 1943. On 19 April 1944, it was made the IV (Eastern) Bn./726th Grenadier Regiment. In eastern France as of August 1944.
It became the 551st Eastern Battalion on 30 November 1942. Renamed the 651st Eastern Supply Battalion on 1 February 1944. In 1945, it became the 651st Ukrainian Supply Battalion while in western Germany.
It became the 601st Berezina Eastern Battalion on 23 October 1942. It became the 601st Eastern Engineer Bridging Battalion in May 1943 while in southern France. Renamed the 601st Russian Engineer Bridging Battalion on 13 July 1944.
On 30 September 1942, it became the 603rd Düna Eastern Battalion. As of December 1943, it was in Denmark. It became the I Bn./(Eastern) 714th Grenadier Regiment on 30 April 1944. From 22 June 1944, the regiment was called Russian instead of Eastern. In April 1945, it became the I Bn./(Russian) 1604th Grenadier Regiment, still in Denmark.
Transferred to the 600th Infantry Division in western Germany in February 1945
On 5 October 1942, it was numbered as the 605th Wolga Eastern Battalion. In November 1943, it was in northern France. On 14 December 1943, it became the 605th Eastern Engineer Bridging Battalion. On 13 July 1944, it became the 605th Russian Engineer Bridging Battalion, still in northern France.
615
616
617
618
People's Militia Battalion Trutschevsk
21 June 1942
Central Russia
Transferred to the 600th Russian Infantry Division in western Germany in November 1944
Aka. People's Defence Battalion Trutschevsk. On 18 November 1942, it was numbered as the 618th Eastern Battalion. It was in Belarus in October 1943, but was moved to northern France in November that same year. The unit was reformed as a motorized battalion on 19 April 1944.
Aka. People's Defence Battalion Dmitrovsk. On 18 November 1942, it was numbered as the 619th Eastern Battalion. In June 1943, it became a training battalion.
Aka. People's Defence Battalion Kromy. On 18 November 1942, it was numbered as the 620th Eastern Battalion. In August 1943, it was in Belarus and moved to Northern Italy in November. In February 1944, it became the II Bn./274th Grenadier Regiment. In March 1945, it became the 620th Russian Battalion.
Transferred to the 600th Russian Infantry Division in western Germany on 13 December 1944
Renumbered as the 628th Eastern Battalion on 19 November 1942. In November 1943, it was in Belgium. From 19 April 1944, it was the I (Eastern) Bn./745th Grenadier Regiment. During September and November of 1944, it was in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Numbered as the 629th Eastern Battalion on 19 November 1942. It was in Belarus in October 1943. Moved to Northern France on 25 November 1943. It became the IV (Eastern) Bn./899th Grenadier Regiment on 19 April 1944.
Attached to the 729th Fortress Grenadier Regiment of the 709th Infantry Division in Normandy, France at the time of Operation Overlord. Isolated on the Cotentin Peninsula the division surrendered in June, 1944.
Numbered as the 653th Eastern Battalion on 23 October 1942. As of December 1943, it was in Denmark. It became the II Bn./(Eastern) 714th Grenadier Regiment on 30 April 1944. From 22 June 1944, the regiment was called Russian instead of Eastern. In April 1945, it became the II Bn./(Russian) 1604th Grenadier Regiment, still in Denmark.
It became the (Russian) 662nd Eastern Battalion on 23 October 1942. Moved to Denmark in December 1943. On April 30, 1944, it became the III (Russian) Bn./712th Grenadier Regiment. It re-became the (Russian) 662nd Eastern Battalion in September 1944. In April 1945, it became the (Russian) 1605th Grenadier Regiment that was stationed in Denmark.
Transferred to the 600th Infantry Division in West Germany in February 1945
It became the (Russian) 663rd Eastern Battalion on 23 October 1942. Moved to Southern France in December 1943. It became the I Bn./759th Grenadier Regiment on 19 April 1944. In September 1944, the battalion was almost destroyed.
Georgian unit attached to the 739th Fortress Grenadier Regiment of the 709th Infantry Division in Normandy, France, at the time of Operation Overlord. The battalion held Turqueville behind Utah Beach, and surrendered to the US 8th Infantry Division on 7 June 1944.
Established in 1944, it consisted of Turkic, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Tatar, Cossack, Armenian and other Soviet volunteers, spread over five regiments. Involved in anti-partisan operations against the French Resistance. Known for the Dortan massacre in July 1944. [7][8][9]
Lieb, Peter (2007). Konventioneller Krieg oder NS-Weltanschauungskrieg. Kriegführung und Partisanenbekämpfung in Frankreich 1943/44 [Conventional or NS-ideological war. Warfare and anti-partisan fighting in France 1943/44] (in German). R. Oldenbourg Verlag. ISBN978-3486579925.
Thomas, Nigel (2000). The German Army 1939–45 (5): Western Front 1943–45: Western Front, 1944–45 v. 5 (Men-at-Arms). Osprey Publishing. ISBN978-1855327979.
