As a result of the establishment of the III. Germanische SS Panzer Korps in March 1943 the 11. Freiwilligen Panzer Grenadier Division "Nordland " was founded at the Grafenwöhr training camp in Upper Franconia in May 1943.

The cadre of the key elements of the division was provided from the surviving troops from the already existing Germanic units in the Waffen SS: Freiwilligen Legion Norwegen, Freikorps Danmark and the SS Infanterie Regiment Nordland.

A large amount of the volunteers, transfered to the division in 1943, were etnic Germans from south-east Europe, especially from Romania. Nordland became one of the divisions in the Waffen SS, which had the most nationalities serving in it. Almost every European country was represented in the division incl. Sweden, Switzerland and Great Britain.

During the last 2 years of the war, the Division "Nordland " was involved in some the most furious battles in the northern part of the Eastern Front:

-The battle of Narwa
-The enclosement and evacuation of the Kurland Pocket
-The retreat through Pomerania into Berlin where the Division met it`s fate and was destroyed.
Officers from the Nordland Division
Units of the
11.Freiwilligen Panzergrenadier Division "Nordland "

SS-Panzer Grenadier Regiment 23 "Norge"

SS-Panzer Grenadier Regiment 24 "Danmark"

SS-Panzer-Abteilung 11 "Hermann von Salza"

SS-Panzerjäger- /Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 11

SS-Artillerie-Regiment 11

SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 11

SS-Flak-Abteilung 11

SS-Pionier-Bataillon 11

SS-Nachrichten-Abteilung 11

SS-Feldersatz-Bataillon 11

Kommandeur der SS-Divisions-Nachschubtruppen 11

SS-Instandsetzungs-Abteilung 11

SS-Sanitäts-Abteilung 11

SS-Wirtschafts-Bataillon 11
Driving licence issued by the Kommandeur der SS-Divisions-Nachschubtruppen 11

 

Michael Lirerenz, an etnic German from Romania, served as a SS Rottenführer in the Nordland Division. He was killed in March 1944 at Reval in Estonia. Michael Lirerenz rests today at the military cementry in Tallinn-Maarjamäe in Estonia.

 

Soldiers from the SS Instandsetzungs-Abteilung 11 at Narwa 1944

 

SS Panzer Pionier Bataillon 11
The following Soldbuch and photos come from Johann Schmidt, an etnic German from Romania, who volunteered to the Waffen SS in July 1943. Johann Schmidt served in the
3. Kompanie
SS Panzer Pionier Bataillon 11
3. Kompanie -SS Panzer Pionier Bataillon 11

Prag 1943
Soldbuch from Johann Schmidt.
Soldiers from the
3. Zug - 3. Kompanie
SS Panzer Pionier Bataillon 11
at the the frontline at the "Kinderheimhöhe" at Narwa in August 1944

 

Peter Nicolaisen

A volunteer from Nordschleswig.

Served as SS Unterscharführer in the
4. Kompanie
SS Aufklärungs-Abteilung 11
11. Freiwilligen Panzer Grenadier Division "Nordland "
 
Peter Nicolaisen was killed in Latvia in 1943

 

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