The Belarusian SS Legion: Myths and Reality

Jury Hrybouski
The problem with the participation of Belarusian soldiers in Waffen-SS during World War II in the Soviet historiography, is that it was was concealed. In the post-Soviet period there appeared a lot of research concentrated on this question, but there are still many "blank spots". The Belarusians did not have a national legion and became soldiers of different foreign (Russian, Latvian) SS troops. The most well-known fact in the history of the Belarussian soldiers in foreign formations of SS was their participation in the 30th Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (2nd Russian). Most of them were former member of police Schutzmannschaften. Belarusan division of SS was called up only at the beginning of 1945 with the help of Belarusian Central Council (BCR). This division was never battle-worthy and was never at the battle-front. During World War II in Waffen-SS there were several thousand Belarusian soldiers, most of whom were not volunteers. The Belarusians joined Waffen-SS not because they shared the ideology of this organization, but as a consequence of complicated military and political processes… Read more»