The European Elite of the Waffen SS: Wiking | World War II
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 มี.ค. 2024
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Delve into the history of one of the most renowned and controversial divisions of the Waffen-SS during World War II - Wiking. In this gripping documentary, we explore the formation, operations, and legacy of the European elite soldiers who fought under its banner.
Led by seasoned commanders and comprised of volunteers from various European nations, Wiking gained a reputation for its fierce combat prowess on the Eastern Front. From the frozen plains of Russia to the urban battlegrounds of Warsaw, these soldiers demonstrated unmatched determination and skill in the face of adversity.
But amidst tales of battlefield heroism, Wiking's story is also entwined with complex moral dilemmas and the atrocities of war. As part of the SS, they were embroiled in the darkest chapters of human history, prompting heated debates that continue to this day.
Join us as we unravel the myths and realities surrounding Wiking, examining its role within the broader context of World War II and its lasting impact on European history. Through archival footage, expert analysis, and firsthand accounts, we aim to shed light on this enigmatic division and the soldiers who served under its banner.
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My Father lived in Esztergom Hungary was a four year old boy at the time . The nearby road leads to Budapest. He remembers the arrival of Wiking and how the SS tanks and apcs shook the foundations of every house as they rolled in. . A smiling SS trooper picked him up sat him on his knee and cut off a large chunk of bread and smoked ham to feed him . They stayed in the town for a while and in their back garden set up a heavy MG. Firing on Soviet column's on the other side of the Danube. They stayed for for a few days and rolled off towards Budapest. Still remembers to this day . Really good channel here best one on TH-cam.
i have no idea if my grandfather´s brother ( a Swede), who was a SS Wiking where there. but i wonder if he was in that area you speak of.
@@PulkaSkurken How interesting. My Godfather and uncle were conscripted into the SS nearby. They fought inside Budapest and retreat to Vienna. It was very much put this uniform on and you are coming with us. Harsh measures were in place in those times. But Wiking did pull up that side of Budapest near Esztergom to advance on Budapest. They very nearly got there. Thanks for the reply.
Thank you all wikings who fought for Finland.
I knew of a few American veterans who had friends from the 5th Wiking, many of them moved to the USA after the war, they were a very skilled bunch of fighters
Skilled what?
hard as nails. fought in some of the war's toughest conditions and performed extremely well
@chrisstucker1813 yes those guys were tough, to go thru that, as i get older i look at the war more objectively, the victors do write the history books. Were atrocities committed yes, on both sides, but most were soldiers doing there job 🫡
@@The_war_thunder_noob_02 skilled at fëeling yøu up yøur drêss...
@@The_war_thunder_noob_02
Read it again
Absolutely love your work, the fine line in history where we should explore. Your perfectly centred, not too radical with your presentations as like others on TH-cam, love it
Did the American vets mention that they regret fighting the Germans in WW2?
a hard division that fought every where, brave soldiers, thanks for this doco
I used to talk (early 90's) with two finnish SS men who were volunteers and fought in the east front during '41-'44. They we're hard boiled fighters.
Wow the stories those men must have had.
Obviously the Russians were harder 😊
Were they in the wiking division or maybe nord?
@@loneranger5349 when they were a rapin’ you mean as obviously to anyone with a brain the results of the winter war proved different looking at losses.
@loneranger5349 if by the Russians being Harder you mean, had 20 times the man power, yeah sure lol. 1,000,000,000,000 ants will probably take down an elephant
Leon Degrelle and his Sturmbrigade Wallonien would be worth a separate video. He was awarded the close-combat clasp in gold, which means he lived through at least 50 days of close combat. Only around 650 soldiers had been awarded the "Nahkampf-Spange in Gold".
Yeah, AFAIK any soldier wearing this had earned the immediate respect of any soldier or officer they met. The Knight's Cross was given out in ever greater numbers towards the end of the war, as a morale boost. While still being prestigious, there could be a big difference between a regular KC awarded early in the war and one awarded between ~1944(?) and the end. There were those truly earned Knight's Crosses and then those awarded for propaganda value and on an "honorary" basis to higher ranking party members and the like. Conversely, the conditions for the "consecutive days spent in close-combat", increased between the clasp in bronze, silver ans gold. However, there wasn't ever any doubt involved about anyone sporting the iconic close-combat clasp in gold.
He won the bronze,silver and gold close combat clasp and Hitler when presenting him with an award(I forget which) stated “if I had a son I wish he would have been you”.
@@Terracecasualx5 spot on. 👍🏻
@@Terracecasualx5
Wasn’t that Skorzeny he meant?
@@bollox8992 no brother it was Leon Degrelle and I’m sure it was when he presented him with the Knights Cross. Though Hitler did admire Skorzeny as he was one of his’Black Palladins’ and he was his ‘SF go to guy for difficult missions’. But they were both die hard National Socialists until their deaths.
The most Based channel on YT, appreciate all of your work
youtube.com/@FORGOTTENHISTORYCHANNEL?si=bu3rjQkZDol2tgPy
Here's another one. Exquisite contents.
Check out Robert Sepehr. The most dangerous anthropologist.
@@drivenmad7676the most Jewish as well. You should check out his fathers books about Judaism.
These videos are amazingly well done, so much research and scripting and editing. Thank you so much for your dedication. Will always follow your channel brother.
Look at europe and usa today 😢
I do agree that the SS Wiking division was the elite foreign division of the SS but not of the entirety of German forces. The 250th infantry division of the 16th army also known as the Blue division gets that distinction in my opinion. They were a division made up of Spanish volunteers. They showed their tenacity with their first orders. They were to march over 550 miles from Poland to join Army Group Center for its march towards Moscow. Shortly before they arrived they were reassigned to Army Group North and its siege of Leningrad. In its most famous battle at Krasny Bor just under 5000 of them took the brunt of the attack from 33000 Soviet infantry of the 55th Army. Even with the Soviets attacking with 30 tanks and over 1000 field guns they could not dislodge the Spaniards. The Blue division dealt the red army 5 times more casualties and stopped the Soviets cold allowing the siege of Leningrad to go on another year. They were never beaten in battle and Hitler created a special award just for them. He was reported to hold them in very high regard saying "Those Spanish have never yielded an inch." Also remarking that he was sure any German troops would be happy to know they had the blue division on their line. They were battle hardened from the Spanish Civil War before joining the Germans and hated communism. Franco because of allied pressure ordered the last of them to return to Spain before the Soviets launched Bagration which more than likely saved the Spanish some very heavy casualties. They were a fierce division of warriors being led by Spanish generals. They were the true elite of German foreign divisions. Wiking, Charlemagne and the Latvian Legion all deserve recognition but can any of them say a military award was created in their honor and awardedbby Hitler?
Great post Robert . I had heard of Spanish nationals fighting for Germany but knew very little of them . Thank you for that post
There you go again glorifying those murdering fascist legions. You have no regard for those killed for NOTHING BUT GREED.
Great info
@@aegontargaryen9322 Indeed, I absolutely agree
tough those spanish, never knew that, thanks.
Felix Steiner was one of very few ss-generals who was not trialed of war crimes .
Wrong side won idiot, as if people who commit crimes like dresden could moralize to anyone
"Where is Steiner," "Where is Steiner??" AH, April '45
Every German General: "Steiner ain't comin'!!"
@@Jakal-pw8yq"DaS wAr eIn bEfEhL!"
They were fighting for nothing but the inflicting of pain and suffering. Both Stalin and Hitler were blood-seeking wolves.
Waffen SS.
And the snow fell …
Saga?
@@Schwxrzritter
Skrewdriver first, then Saga
A great video and effort to find so much information. Thanks
You have a new sub.. ive watched a few of your videos.. great quality content.. you and the history underground are 2 of the best on here
I always recommend reading “twilight of the gods” by thorolf hillblad about a Swedish ss soldier serving in ss nordland a great book which shows the toughness of ss volunteers in general
Awesome book, it cuts through all the negative propaganda that was generated after the end of the war. It gives you the truth, which is hard to come by these days.
@@yuppy1967 reminds me of some of my opas war stories from the eastern front, such a brutal struggle
Yah. Excellent story!
Thankyou ! Gotta come back to this later with more time lol.
Beautiful video. Congratulations ❤❤❤ great history and very well and honest narrative.
Great video, love the narration
Well done very interesting and informative
Brilliant footage and a respectful voice over.
Wiking had some of the toughest german soldiers, e.g. Hans Dorr.
We need these on streaming services, amazing documentary’s
Tubi has some good ones on Soviet and German, ww1 and ww2
You mean "documentaries" (plural).
Why it’s on TH-cam your watching it
Fascinating stuff, great insights
What the 5th Wiking Division and the 28th Wallonien division endure and did achive in the Horrendous Korsun- Cherkassy pocket,is stuff of Legend..
One of the most brutal,vicious and cruel battle in WW2. Even by Eastern Front "standards".
The speaker in the smaller documents like „Encirclement Kiew 1941“ suits the best and gives goosebumps together with the background music !
amazing and beyond!!! Tnx for this higly top doc.!!! THANK YOU!!
Really fascinating stuff
The last Knights of Europa.
Great channel, well researched really interesting showing another side literally to the world greatest conflict.
Informative video about Waffen Viking SS divisions members & Ethnic groups...video showed theirs furious and deciplined fought...
crazy footage, never seen it before i dont know where u got it from
There where a Finnish officer in the Salla /Lapland battlefield that took command over a German Waffen SS unit called 6:th Gebirgs -Division Nord. They where a disaster in the early days and could not hold up with their Finnish comrades. Many of my relatives fought in that battle,but in the Finnish side...The Germans when picked mainly from concentration camps in Germany,so they had no experience of war. All ny relatives said that yhey had only good things to say about the Germans. They where real gentlemen.....the Soviets on the other hand...they where and is still hated
My grandfather could be in those video clips.Died in Kaukasus 1943...Finland contripution against ryssä.
Wow really good video. But with the maps where better. Good job.
The documentary Europa the last battle is also good!
I love your content! Thank you!
Just out of curiosity where do you get all of this incredible footage? I can never seem to find anything good that isn’t under the Creative Commons lol. Keep up the great work! Have a great day!
Goosebumps
These guys volunteered to end communism. The german forces was some of the most diverse soldiers ever to that point to fight together. And operatio barborasa was a 6 nation invasion not just germany
Facts! "History is a set of lies agreed upon." NB
But under German command
@@drivenmad7676lol whatever basement general
For my opinion the Waffen SS was the first European army.
You call them nations? The Germans didn't think so.
Outstanding documentary here, great effort. Myself a Veteran subscribed Immediately.
God, I love this channel
Thanks for the video, very interesting, I have some war time documents telling me that my late grandfather was part of this very 5th Freiwillingen SS panzergrenadier Div.1941-43, all the Best from Finland
What a great ❤documentary 😢it’s sad that so many life’s from all sides lost so much but their memories shall never be forgotten for their valor
Great video!
By the way, where do you find all the footage for these videos? Is it all from Deutsche Wochenschau?
Thank you! But we can’t tell our secrets😆
Danes and Norwegians each joined the Waffen-SS at an average rate of just four a day. There was certainly nobody killed in a crush at recruitment offices! Only 180-200 Swedes joined the Germans (an average of just 3 men a month!), which was insufficient to even keep a single company up to strength in combat. As a result, there was no Swedish unit at all. Six Icelanders are known to have served with the Wehrmacht in WWII. Compare that to the 258 Icelanders who were repatriated via Sweden and Finland on a single ship to British-occupied Iceland in September 1940. Low Scandinavian recruitment was a massive disappointment for the Germans. As a result, the Wiking Division, which the Scandinavians were meant to fill, had to be manned largely by Germans.
Lot of Flemish and Dutch to...
@@GuntherSDoumson2178 No, not "a lot".
Belgium fielded 22 divisions in 1940. Belgian Flemings and Walloons provided less than two for Germany.
In 1940 the Dutch, who ha a weak army, fielded 166 battalions. The Waffen-SS raised eight battalions of Dutchmen in two brigades, which were eventually exaggeratedly styled "divisions".
So what, pound for pound, the best ones are the ones that joined the Germans. You can keep the allied Scandinavians, there are no songs sung in their honor or their prowess on the battlefield.
@@yuppy1967 Songs? Songs? Are you serious? The measure of the Wiking Division is now to be how far they got up the music charts? 🤣 Even we sceptics think the Scandinavians deserve better than the ABBA defence!!!
@@markaxworthy2508 I find statements like this ridiculous, where are you getting your facts from? And most of the German divisions were under strength, especially towards the end of the war.
The Viking Division, contrary to what has been told, existed for the bigger part of ethnic germans! The volunteer numbers from other European countries, didn’t meet the expectations of the ss …
Nonetheless, respect to all the European volunteers who bravely fought against the new world order on german side!!!!
Ooooooh Motheeeer !!!!
Load of nonsense. They fought for a supposed ”master race” that lost the first war they ever fought.
New world order no way mate anyone who wasn't airen would of been decimated by now probably including you hypocrite 🇬🇧
I love the videos and rich history I would love to see one about the 10th SS if that’s something you would be interested in covering.
Awesome work blew my mind. It's 2024 and your vid showed me how incredible this really was and that even with Hollywood movies and stuff i realize i honestly hardly can believe or understand that this really happened
Wir sind stolz auf unsere Soldaten der Wickingeinheit!
My late father belonged to Div. Wiking. He passed in 1994.
In which regiment was he? Did he ever mention Hans Dorr?
Note NOT in Viking - there were British and a sprinkling of Canadian, South African, Australian and New Zealanders in the SS.
One Brit now passed was a strong man and stayed on in Berlin after its conquest. He got a job in a circus doing strong man acts. Eventually the Russians found out and he spent 10 years in a Russian Gulag camp. He was released in 1955 and returned to UK.
Later the same year he was employed teaching Norfolk school children PT - a remarkable come back
Interesting! Do you have his name?
@@historyatwar Eric Pleasants although his born name was not Eric
I don’t suppose you can do a video on the LSSAH division at some point?
Hey can you make one video about the Prinz Eugen Division? I heard they were the most brutal ones
I told you that last video wasn't gonna last long.
Can you upload it again soon??
The maps were looking different, anyway good job
German/Irish - American born. US Military - 1971 to 1973. Western European, American History/Military History & Ancient History. Thanks.
Who?
Outstanding account of the 5th Wiking SS division.
The Austrian painter had to have Stalingrad instead of oil, from there it was all retreat.
Cut the Volga cut supplies . Ya know Roosevelt was the son of the worlds biggest heroin dealer
@@ColinFreeman-kh9us maybe so but splitting the army in two was a huge mistake that led to disaster
@@jayjayson9613 true it didn’t help
Amazing footage for ww2 painters.
I’m almost positive you don’t have the hoses out the window to use the heat. I mean, having your window open in the winter period makes no sense. We have a heater that doesn’t use hoses and it works great
I have studied WW2 for over 50 years. I didn't know there were men from Iceland in the SS.
At least one served in Waffen SS, Björn Sveinsson, the son of the first Icelandic president and maybe 5 others, quite obscure in Iceland and lost in time. Iceland got it´s independence 1944 and when Björn came home after the war it was silenced by the government I guess. Decades passed before it was talked about again, very touchy subject for the president at that time.
@@EggertEggertsson-cz7lndo you know how the general public in Iceland felt about the few men who had served when they returned?
My guess is nobody really cared. Iceland was never occupied so they didnt have the same issues as they had in Norway and Denmark for example...!?!
As I understand it, the president asked the media in Iceland not to report anything about his son so the general public didn´t quite know anything about it. Furthermore he told his son never to talk about it. It was mainly reported in left/communist media but few cared out of respect for the president or something... or just didn´t car as you say.
Iceland was in fact occupied by the British and later Americans but it was a "glorious" occupation for Iceland, lot of work and prosperity. Pre war some Icelanders liked Hitler and his Ludacris Arian philosophy about the Nordic master race so I guess no one wanted to talk about it later on. Everyone realized soon It was so much blessing to get Allied forces instead of the Nazis. @@uranusismightybig5111
I did replied yesterday but it was deleted, I guess I´ve mention something not allowed or whatever. Anyways, general public didn't care for the most part, partly because of respect for the president and partly it was simply not comfortable to talk about Icelander working for the Germans, let alone WSS.... small community and all. In fact Iceland was occupied by the British and later Americans but our occupation was "glorious", lots of work and prosperity came mostly by the Yankees e @@uranusismightybig5111
I'll bet that if you've only studied the "approved" narrative, then there is much you don't know.....
Yesss
🔥🔥
The German Military had the most diverse Military in the war... They had Arab divisions, French, Indian, Waloon, Russians, Ukrainians, Turks,
Another banging documentary about the Waffen SS
❤❤❤
Long panzer 3 ? try long barrelled gun on the panzer 3, that would be the 50mm. Leona
Can we have a video about the 10th army(wermacht) fighting in italy? My grandpa fought in that army
They...... Lost
@@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg We lost. You lost
Germany lost so many men and women of good stock to this senseless war.
there is no w sound in germam so it is pronounced 'v'
When i grew up and learned that the USA allied with Communist Jays in Russia everything that i didn’t understand about my Country’s failed culture, foreign policy, Economic policy, and its hattred of US European stock , all of a sudden it all made perfect sense….Communist allies….NVTS
The division contained small contingents of foreign volunteers from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, the Netherlands and Belgium. These contingents were elevated in wartime propaganda and postwar mythology, including from the former German officers of the division, to give the Wiking Division the reputation of a pan-European force. In truth, the division was at all times equipped with a vast majority of German personnel.
👏👏👏👏👍
you need to do the 2nd SS Panzer. there is a book MEN OF STEEL 2nd SS Panzer
🎉🎉❤❤
Us Brits were on the wrong side 🤷♂️
"if all the dead allied soldiers could see their countries now, they would have thrown down their weapons and fought with the Germans"
😂@@bennyboy2466
@@HM-kk8dq he’s absolutely right
@@HM-kk8dqI don't think you understand how it was in America.
If you drank out of the wrong fountain..... you wouldn't have to worry about being thirsty anymore.
No matter how elite your division is you can't beat numbers and quantity
300 spartans
not with that attitude
Numbers AND Quantity?........ same thing!
You miss plenty Check out swedish k4 under the finland war
Ja nun,alles vorbei,heute haben wir andere Probleme in D.
I wonder how many men actually survived all the campaigns
Less than 1k
In the Belgian Walloonien Division, of the 300 men that first joined up, only three survived the whole war. So, not many. Not many at all.
They are modern SAS
Not a very good comparison
Diversity is our strength. Lol
love this channel, i think its shadow banned by the yt regime. saved.
In some aspects Wiking can be considered father of NATO.
ahhh no
Where did they bury their victims during or after all that combat?
Mostly Dutch men were in the Wiking division!
The Wiking SS division ( pronounced 'vee-king) was comprised of 90% Germans, according to Roman Töppel, so not really a European army at all in the broader sense. That is not to say that quite a few northern Europeans didn't serve in the Wehrmacht or Waffen SS.
Just to tell you what happend doing battle on the eastern-front - my wifes father had a working mate that had fought in the waffen ss at the Stalingrad front and had the one Lung shot through and came to Pitomnik airfield to be flown out of the kessel to be sent to a Field lazaret far away , he survived the ordeal and came Back to denmark sometime in early 1944 , many years later and with a unhealty use of alcohol he told my father in law that he fought the russians Every night waking up screamming and strugling so the fear was with him the rest of his life - damm ruskis
12:03... Can someone say "trenchfoot?"
It's pronounced Vee-Keeng... Not (Why-king)
bruh this is up to par. the Ai has arrived
What Ai?
suomen SS pataljoona 1.41
There were also many Bosniac muslims in Wehrmacht and SS.
🎉😮😊
Warriors in every sense of the word. Betrayed by incompetence in Berlin.
Badly put together with inconsequential maps and images. Poor show.
Please can you do one on bolshevism elite units
There werern't any
While this stuff is interesting,war and warfare shouldn’t be glorified,all these men’s lives were wasted for nothing,
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💪🏻💪🏻👍🏻