How Waffen SS Soldiers became Guards at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials starting in 1946.

[Grim Reaper 6]

During some research I was doing on the Nuremberg trials I came upon some interesting information that many people are not aware of. I found that captured Waffen SS soldiers were actually given the responsibility of guard duty and security in the city of Nuremberg at the historic war crimes trials. To me this is very amazing because the Schutzstaffel ( SS ) were the most infamous arm of the Nazi Government and the Military during WWII. They were know for brutality, inhuman acts, racial and religious persecution, and the worst crimes ever carried out during any conflict. This attempted intentional extermination of entire ethnic minority groups ( especially the Jewish race ) across Europe, with further intentions of carrying this out across the entire world if possible. Outside of the German Governments Leadership and the Military High Command, and some specific individuals who were notorious war criminals themselves, no other group within the German government and its military were hunted with the intention of bring them to trial for their crimes.

The Schutzstaffel was banned as an Organization by the Allied War Crimes Tribunal and all members of this Organization were not allowed to hold any public office, or any government or local positions concerning law enforcement or state security. However, the same War Crimes tribunal did over look the involvement of those who were foreign conscripts and did not voluntarily become members of this organization. Two specific groups of National foreign conscripts were given this protected status, and they were Latvian, Croatian, and Estonian Waffen SS conscripts. This was strongly opposed but the Soviet Union, because these Waffen SS units were specifically used to fight in Rear Guard operations on the Eastern Front, during the retreat of the German military and along with civilians who were trying to reach Germanys borders. To the Soviets viewed these men as war criminals, because this the Soviets felt that should be treated no differently then any other Schutzstaffel or Waffen SS Units.

1.) Latvian Legion soldiers at Nuremberg Tribunal
Lettia.lv: Latvian Legion soldiers at Nuremberg Tribunal

2.) 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian)
20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) - Wikipedia

3.) 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian)
13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian) - Wikipedia

More to follow

[Grim Reaper 6]

Continued from the OP:

However, the Soviet views on this subject were over ruled by a vote at the Allied War Crimes Tribunal in Nuremberg effectively quitting all dissention raised by the Soviet Union on this subject. So do to the decision of the War Crimes Tribunal all captured Latvian, Croatian and Estonian Waffen SS conscripts were given identity papers from the Allied Powers and they were released from POW holding camps within Germany and at other locations around Europe. But this created a problem for these men because their countries of origin where under Soviet occupation and they would be arrested as war criminals if they returned. So at this time there was no idea if or when this occupation may end, but another problem also became a major issue was the fact that their Allied Identity papers did not allow them to immigrate to Western Countries that would except them.

So these men were in limbo, they could not return home and they had no place where they were currently able restart some semblance of life after the war. So they setup make shift camps across Germany and also across other allied Nations under non-Soviet control. So do to this situation some of these men contacted the Allied Headquarters looking for work. Then one of the Senior Allied Commanders who was responsible for helping DPs or displaced persons brought this situation to attention of his chain of command. I dont know exactly who made this decision but it was decided that since so many allied soldiers had been released and sent back to their countries of origin do the end of the conflict in Europe and then a few months later in Japan that personnel that would be need for Security Purposes not only in Nuremberg, but also at other allied installations that were located and under the control of the Western Allied powers.

That is when it was decided that Latvian, Croatian and Estonian former Waffen SS Soldiers would be formed into companies and placed in guard and security positions at the War Crime Tribunal at Nuremberg. Eventually these men were commended for their loyalty and dedication while working as guards and in security positions. In the 1950s when they were no longer needed by the Allied Powers and since they could not return home they were given immigration status, and were officially excepted by any Allied country they wished to immigrate too. Many immigrated to English speaking countries such as the United States, Briton, and Australia while some others decided to stay in Germany. But, while it appears that there was a happy ending for these solders, investigations into there activities as Waffen SS Conscripts went on well after their duty to the Allied powers ended.

In conclusion it was determined that some of the Estonian Waffen SS soldiers had actually committed war crimes at the Klooga Concentration camp located in

Continued from the OP:

Estonia. Ruth Bettina Birn wrote in 2001 that the execution of 2,000 prisoners of German camps in Estonia, including the Klooga concentration camp, was conducted by Estonian soldiers of the division and presumably an Estonian Schutzmannschaft Battalion under German command. In 2006 the Estonian International Commission for Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity reviewed the evidence from both the Soviet and German trials and found that the 287th Police Battalion had participated. Most of the members of this battalion were subsequently transferred to the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division.

The Estonian International Commission also stated in its report that the training and replacement units located proximate to Klooga were not a part of the division but subordinated to the Commander-in-Chief of the Waffen-SS in Ostland SS-Obergruppenführer Walter Krüger. According to the indictment of the aborted 1974 West German trial of Krüger's subordinate Sturmbannführer Georg Ahlemann, who was the commander of the training unit, approximately 70 recruits had been ordered to guard the perimeters of the Klooga camp. In 2002, the Estonian government forced the removal of a monument to Estonian soldiers erected in the Estonian city of Pärnu. The inscription To Estonian men who fought in 1940-1945 against Bolshevism and for the restoration of Estonian independence was the cause of the controversy. The monument was rededicated in Lihula in 2004 but was soon removed because the Estonian government opposed the opening.

On 15 October 2005 the monument was finally moved to the grounds of the Museum of Fight for Estonia's Freedom in Lagedi near the Estonian capital, Tallinn. On 28 July 2007, a gathering of some 300 veterans of the 20th Waffen-Grenadier-Division and of other units of the Wehrmacht, including a few Waffen SS veterans from Austria and Norway, took place in Sinimäe, where the battle between the German and Soviet armies had been particularly fierce. A gathering takes place every year that has seen veterans attending from Estonia, Norway, Denmark, Austria and Germany.

 

Sources and Notes for the above information:

1.) Latvian Legion soldiers at Nuremberg Tribunal
Lettia.lv: Latvian Legion soldiers at Nuremberg Tribunal

2.) 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian)
20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) - Wikipedia

3.) Latvian Legions
Latvian Legion - Wikipedia

4.) The Volunteer SS Legion in Latvia. By Inesis Feldmanis and Kārlis Kangeris
The Volunteer SS Legion in Latvia. By Inesis Feldmanis and Kārlis Kangeris (mfa.gov.lv)

5.) Latvia: Former Members Of Waffen SS Face New Scrutiny
Latvia: Former Members Of Waffen SS Face New Scrutiny (rferl.org)

6.) Estonians in the U. S. Armed Forces after World War II: an overview

http://publications.tlu.ee/index.php/eymh/article/download/453/337

Unit Patch and collar insignia used by Guards at the Nuremberg Trials with Swastika 

Patch worn by US Military Guards worn at the Nuremberg without Swastika

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Edited April 24, 2021 by Manwon Lender

[Eldorado]

How many of these Waffen SS threads are you planning on?

 

 

[Grim Reaper 6]

20 minutes ago, Eldorado said:

How many of these Waffen SS threads are you planning on?

 

 

I dont know, my TBI must be acting up again, sorry.

[Eldorado]

2 hours ago, Manwon Lender said:

I dont know, my TBI must be acting up again, sorry.

There's no need to apologise, I was simply curious because they sound so similar.

Wishing you well.

Edited April 24, 2021 by Eldorado

[Grim Reaper 6]

15 minutes ago, Eldorado said:

There's no need to apologise, I was simply curious because they sound so similar.

Wishing you well.

Thanks for understanding.

[Nobu]

Good thread. Your answer is simple but ugly.

Im not sure I’m going to be the one that answers this for you. I really don’t want to. Soldiers go to war. Soldiers kill, maim, torture, try to live.

 

Every soldier .... every army.... since time dawned for man.

 

Im guessing there just wasn’t a tweeter back the n.

[Nosy.Matters]

detailed, see nothing wrong with such, just an opinion.

content

 

not junk.

[Grim Reaper 6]

5 hours ago, Nosy.Matters said:

detailed, see nothing wrong with such, just an opinion.

content

 

not junk.

Thank you very much, I always try to post topics that do go into detail. I find that most people enjoy that, but the MODs  dont like the fact that much space. One of these day I will have ask what the problem I am causing is.

Take Care my friend

[Nosy.Matters]

| like but what is word? bias , i enjoy history.   Yep they're expert, i side on caution as someone's topic is completely gone now, i might have been too colorful in voicing, hope i wasn't the problem. 

Yeah i for one like your dissertations.

 

 --excuse informal , on a yahoo toy comm unit.

Edited April 26, 2021 by Nosy.Matters
remark added, typo etc.