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A few things you might be interested to know spidge:
Direlwanger was convicted of sex with a minor as part of a local party feud, (he probably had done it though, the court charge was later overturned as was the Nazi party sentence and he was re-instated)......?
The Dirlewanger unit though based on recruits from the SS punishment camps and Concentration camps always had a large volunteer component, and at least a third was of Russian or Ukrainian origin, explaining in part why they behaved so badly toward the white russian population!
If you count the SS 'Ost' Regiment, (composed of soviet muslims, who had volunteered to join the SS) which was placed under Direlwangers command during the summer of 1944, the units was almost 95% volunteer!
Not a purely criminal unit, it never the less committed what we'd describe as terrible war crimes, (Dirlewanger also made money from his so called 'anti-partisan' operation, trading 'slaves' and stolen property).
SS Office'sr from the admin side of the SS often joined the unit to earn medals.......who had no criminal charges against them........when they finsihed their tour they went back to Germany with a 'reputation'......
Only during late 1944 was a large influx of communists from the concentration camps, (not prisons as the justice department did not allow civilian prisoners to join the Army of SS, (Civilian convicts were only allowed in the 999 units and occasionally the 500 units) accepted in to the expanding unit, (also they accepted Army convicts as the reserve army was now under the head of the SS's command).
Though 'criminals' in the eyes of the german goverment, many of these men were opponents of the regime, who when they could, deserted the Brigade, (this was a problem in the 'Ost' Regiment too).
Direlwanger probably died during french Army imprisonment after the war, from ill treatment......quite ironic eh!
The 'Division' surrendered in the Halbe pocket, though some were executed the 'soldiers', (most were cadets, home guard and Army recruits, not prisoners or convicts, men who had been ordered to join the unit, not volunteered or had served prison sentances.....certainly not poachers) and were not treated any differently than other german soldiers, to the Red Army soldier, they were all scum........A senior Regimental commander and some NCO's were executed though...allegedly beheaded...... 8)
A terrible unit all round, but its ranks rarely had many more than a couple of hundred convicts, they're were never enough SS convicts or KZ volunteers to fill its ranks........
se
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