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The World Around

Quo Vadis, Germania?

Anniversary of WWII – September 1, 2017

Chis M. Zawitkowski, PoloniaInstitute.net, Chairman of the Board of Directors, National Security Policy

 

 

Analysts of European politics say Germany is too small for the world. German leaders say they are too big for Europe.
Hitler tried to teach the world that Germany is the Herrenvolk – master race. Historians claim the German contribution to the world in culture and science is incomparably greater than the vast majority of nations.
Where are we now, 78 years after the outbreak of World War II?

WWII Experience

On September 1, 1939 unprovoked, Germany attacked Poland. Two weeks later, the Soviet armies joined Hitler and annexed the Eastern Polish territories. World War II had begun.
The tragedy of WWII is hard to comprehend among today’s young generations. The genocide industry mounted by Nazi Germany, as well as its level of efficiency, can be only compared to that established by Stalin’s communist Union of Socialist Soviet Republics (USSR). For decades, long after it ended, the war cost was not only the millions of lives, but all the wounded and disabled, the lost properties, the devastation of landmarks and culture, to this day cry for justice. Some losses are difficult to evaluate. How many future engineers, poets, musicians were killed in Poland, a country in the vortex of the war, that lost almost one third of its population as a result of WWII?
Almost the entire Jewish population of Poland was wiped out by the Germans. Only about 500,000 of them survived, hidden by the brave Polish Catholics in forest hideouts and dugouts. People hiding the famous Ann Frank in Holland survived the war. In Poland, the death penalty was delivered on entire families and apartment buildings for hiding even one Jew…
96 days after the US, British, Canadian and Polish troops landed in Normandy, US troops entered German soil. On September 11, 1944 a seven man patrol of the Second Platoon 85th Squadron of 5th Armored Division of the 1st US Army crossed the Our River Our from Luxemburg to Germany. General Courtney “Mustang” Hodges immediately reported this fact to his superior commander, General Dwight Eisenhower.
When the tactical unit led by Col. Lovelady captured the city, Roetgen, a certain Herr Schleicher was appointed by the US Army as the mayor of the city. Later, after the unconditional capitulation signed on May 8, 1945, the victorious Allies disbanded the German state, categorically. Four occupation zones and joint administration of Berlin took place.
US enforced a new, democratic, and de-Nazified system. New history books were published and an education system was established to inform their population of what they “DID” to the other nations. The new armed forces were built without general staff.
Now, Germany is a member state of NATO. Germany is a member state of the European Union. Germany is a member state of the United Nations Organization. Germany is playing a very active diplomatic and political role in many parts of the world.
US troops will stay in Germany until 2045 AD.
In 1945 our troops were shocked with what they saw when liberating concentration camps. We put into effect a new constitution and regulations upon this defeated nation: a new system of power, so history wouldn’t repeat itself.
We asked ourselves, how was it possible that the nation of Goethe and Bach was able to create Adolf Hitler and his millions of supporters?
We asked, how was it possible, that they found followers in other countries? Why did hundreds of thousands conscript and volunteer to fight as comrades-in-arms with the infamous Waffen-SS divisions?

Waffen–SS Divisions (1933 – 1945)¹

notypenameformedethnicity
1PDLeibstandarte Adolf Hitler1933Armored regiment SS (German)
2PDDas Reich (initially Deutschland)1939SS Verfügungsgruppe (Special purpose group)-German
3PDTotenkopf (Skull)1939Concentration camp guards, Political Awareness Group
4PgDPolizei-Panzer-Grenadier1939Armored Military Police – German
5PD*Viking1940Nordland Regiment (Danes, Norwegians)
Westland Regiment (Flemish, Dutch, Finish)
6GbD**Nord1941Kampfgruppe „Nord”
7FGbD**Prinz Eugen1942Balkan volksdeutsche ²
8KDFlorian Geyer1941SS Totenkopf Reitenstandarte (Skull head riding style)
9PDHohenstaufen1942German conscripts
10PDFrundsberg1943German conscripts
11FPgD*Nordland1943Norwegian Legion, Danish Legion, SS Viking
12PDHitlerjugend194317-years-old Hitler’s youth
13WGbD*Handschar1943Bosnian Muslims and Croats
14WGD*Galizien (Ukrainian I)1943Western Ukraine
15WGD*Lettland (Lettische I)1943Latvian Legion
16PgDReichsführer SS1943SS security Battalion
17PgDGötz von Berlichingen1943Wehrmacht (French)
18PgD**Horst Vessel1944Hungarian Volksdeutsche
19WGD*Latvia (Lettische II)1944Latvian Legion
20WGD*Estland (Estnische I)1943Estonian Legion
21WGbD*+Skanderbeg1944Albanian Muslims
22FDK**Maria Theresia1944Hungarian Volskdeutsche and veterans of SS‑Tottenkopf
23WGbD*+Kama (Kroatische II) – disbanded1943Croats and Bosnian Muslims
23FPgD*Niederland1944Dutch
24WGbD+Karstjäger1943Karstwehr Battalion (Italy)
25WGD*+Hunyadi (Ungarische I)1944Hungarian
26WGD*+Gőmbős (Ungarische II)1944Hungarian
27FGD*+Langemarck (Vlanderen I)1944Flamish (Belgium)
28FGD*+Wallonien1944Vallonian (Belgium)
29FGD*Russische I (Kaminski)1944Soviet POW’s
29WGD*+Italien – disbanded1945Former Italian Army
30WGD*Weisruthenian (Russische II)1944Soviet POWs (Bellorussian)
31FPgD**+Böhmen-Rähmen1944Chechs and Moravians
32FPgD*30 Januar1945Latvian (Curland)
33WKD*+Hungaria (Hungary III) – disbanded1944Hungarian
33WGD*Charlemagne (Franzözische I)1944Légion Volontaire Française (French)
34FGD*+Landstorm Nederlands1944Dutch
35GD+Polizei II1944Police (Dutch)
36WGDPolizei-Panzer-Grenadier1944Military Police (German)
37FKDLützow1944Dirlewanger’s Brigade (German)
38GD+Nibelungen1944
39GbD+Andreas Hofer1945SS Cadets
40FPgD+Feldherrnhalle1945
41WGD+Kalevala (Finnische I)1945Finish
42D+Niedersachsen1945German
43D+Reichmarschall1945German
44D+Wallenstein1945German
45D+Warager1945German

Other SS units

Smaller units were formed as brigades, regiments, and battalions. Some of them included international volunteers and conscripts from nations like Cossacks (Ukrainians), Armenians, Bulgarians, and East Indians.

St. George Legion (1940) – English voluntiers
SS-Fallschirmjager – Parachut brigade (criminal unit)
SS-Panzer Abteilung “Herman von Salza”
SS-Begleit Battalion Reichsfuhrer – support battalion
SS-Wachtbattalion “Adolf Hitler” – Hitler’s personal guards

Symbols

* Units other than German
** East European Volksdeutsche
+ Units never reached full division’s strength

Abreviations

SS        Schutzstaffeln (Protective Squadrons)
PD       Panzer Division (Armored Division)
PgD     Panzergrenadier Division (Armored Guards Division)
GbD     Gebrigs Division (Mountain Division)
KD       Kavallerie Division (Cavalry Division)
F          Freiwillinge (Volunteers)
WGD   Waffen Grenadier Division (Battle Guards Division)
WGbD Waffen Gebrigs Division (Battle Mountain Division)

National “Contributions” to Waffen-SS

According to Wikipedia.org almost 500,000³ SS-men volunteered in the German SS effort. There were both volunteers and conscripts from Albania (7,000), Belgium (40,000), Bulgaria (600), Croatia (20,000), Denmark (6,000), Estonia (20,000), Finland (3,000), France (20,000), Hungary (20,000), India (2,000), Italy (15,000), Latvia (80,000), Netherlands (55,000), Norway (6,000), Romania (50,000), and many individuals from Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States (many Americans of German extraction volunteered in various German/Nazi war units), and Yugoslavia.  The Russian general Andrei Vlasov formed an army from Soviet POWs that sustained Nazi Germany in WWII.

It is very difficult to separate Austria (Österreich) from Germany (Reich) as far as the SS is concerned. Austrians were considered by Nazi Germany as part of the Herrenvolk. One should remember that many concentration camps were located on Austrian soil, such as Mauthausen-Gusen Konzetrationslager. It is hard to find any remnants of this infamous and shameful place. Has Austria done anything to commemorate the fallen heroes?

Mauthausen-Gusen network of concentration camps in Austria

United States, United Europe and United Russia – The Unhappy Triangle

President Donald Trump’s policy towards Europe is based on three pillars, our always most trusted allies – United Kingdom, Poland, and Israel. He defined his plans very well during his July trip to Poland and Germany. His phenomenal speech in Warsaw, Poland, and his participation in the Three-Seas Initiative outlined to us what we can expect in the foreseeable future. He intends to accomplish four goals.

  • We want to disband the Berlin-Moscow axis
  • We want to tie Russia in Central Europe in case of any issue in the Far East
  • We want to end the German domination of Europe
  • We want to secure peace in Europe for a very long period

Is Europe United?

One doesn’t need binoculars to see significant, brutal divisions in Europe. As Chancellor Angela Merkel (4) pointed out, there are two speeds of European integration. The core of Europe is led by Germany, and the other is Central European countries with Poland and Hungary as “provocateurs”. The new French politics’ enfant terrible, Macron, Merkel’s contester, Martin Schultz, and Dutch Frans Timmermans use the same phraseology. Aided by shook-up Spain and ambivalent Italy, these frics de contrôle want to have everything under control. Ordnung is the key and Merkel is the Ordnungmeister. When Donald Tusk was the prime minister of Poland, his ministers considered the Polish state as theoretical only.
Now, Mrs. Szydlo (Prime Minister) and her foreign affairs minister, Dr. Waszczykowski, promote the Three-Seas Initiative (5), and the Minister of National Defense, Antoni Macierewicz, the most pro-USA politician in Poland fights for our significant military presence there. The “new” EU members see German domination as unacceptable and violating their sovereignty. More, they consider the immigration policy as insane. One Latvian politician told me they feel like they exchanged Russian Soviets for EU Soviets.
Donald Trump’s presence at the TSI summit was received by them as encouragement and a promise of support for energy security, while establishing the US as the key political player in Central Europe.

Establishment of Central European TSI

The Intermarium idea was first brought up a long time ago. When the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was ruled by the Jagiellonian dynasty, the delegates from Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia asked for their support.
Now, the situation is slightly different, but they still look for Polish leadership. They want to act together, but they want to build the relationships with each other and as a group. Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović is probably the most outspoken, most energetic personality of the team. She wants to establish a relationship built on confidence, trust, and mutual interest. They want to protect sustainable economic growth and energy security. These would be the first steps, with next steps to follow.
From our American point of view, it is a very good situation. We are delivering LNG to the Polish port of Swinoujście. In a situation when Poland is building a hub for energy resources, liquefied gas, and crude oil, we can have a very strong position in the region, and we can offset the dominant situation of the Russian Federation (RF). Our military presence and support should calm the Kremlin regime in case of any Far East controversy.

The TSI initiative was deeply criticized by German and Western EU countries. The French President went with his wife to the Balkan states to undermine the TSI leaders, especially voicing his very negative opinion about Poland and Hungary. He threatened that the two countries must follow the lead of Brussels’ bureaucrats instead of trying to divide Europe. His comments came on the final leg of a three-day visit to Central and Eastern Europe that has included meetings with Austrian, Czech, Slovak, and Romanian leaders, but not with Polish or Hungarian officials. Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło hit back, calling the French leader’s criticism as “arrogant,” advising him to “mind the business of his own country.” She also accused France of trying to “take apart one of the pillars of the EU” — the free movement of workers among the bloc’s 28 nations.
“The future of Europe will not be decided by the president of France, or by any other individual leader, but jointly, by all the member states,” she said.
Later on Friday, Poland’s deputy foreign minister, Dr Waszczykowski urgently summoned a French diplomat (chargé d’affairs) to express his “indignation” over Macron’s criticism of the Polish government. He forgot that a state of emergency was established in France many months ago…
One should think, if the TSI initiative was going to be successful, it would mean the end of German domination on the European continent, and the end of the Berlin-Moscow axis.

Chancellor Merkel Shows Iron Fist to Poland

Today, August 29, 2017 Angela Merkel met with journalists and addressed a number of issues. She tried to defend her immigration policy of open door with no restrictions, despite brutal evidence against it. Rape, violence, mobbing, drug trafficking, and incredible criminal acts rise in countries like Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and England, countries that follow this irresponsible, uncontrolled migration of people who hate European civilization. Requests of governments to hide information about those crimes, censorship imposed by the regimes in those countries, all backfired with the rise of Nazi ideology in those countries. It is no surprise that the popularity of those like Marin Le Pen and AfD is growing rapidly. Mediocre Macron won’t make any change, and no wonder his popularity is falling.
After the atrocities in Rimini, those travelling to Italy (tourist Mecca of the World) in organized groups may ask for armed guards’ assistance. France does not end a more than year-old state of emergency, one that has been prolonged again and again, with no end on the horizon, while the French government has no idea how to proceed.
Merkel showed her bad attitude towards Poland without hesitation. She said she can no longer tolerate the independent policies of the Polish government. One would wonder where she is getting her knowledge about the situation in her neighbor state. Is it her Polish heritage, does she speak or read Polish? Maybe she takes information from the Axel-Springer information mogul company, controlling the overwhelming majority of media in Poland? Does she understand the situation of the unreformed, unverified, and badly corrupted judicial system in Poland? Maybe it is a convenient situation for Germany, as it was in times of Frederic the Great in the 18th century? Maybe she is upset with tremendously growing popular support for the incumbent Law & Justice (PiS) party in Poland? One may ask whether the previous puppet government of Donald Tusk, whom some people in Poland call a “German politician of Polish descent”, was more lenient towards, and more obedient to German needs. Finally, one may ask if her attempts to remilitarize Germany failed with Donald Trump’s administration. Why did President Trump’s ever-memorable address to Poles on July 6, 2017 in Warsaw upset her so badly? It is the opinion of this author that Trump was perhaps addressing also us, Americans, and the whole Western World? Has Chancellor Merkel lost her sense of security and the sense of her political affiliation, Christian Democratic, that she is cooking an unbearable situation for her German compatriots?
There are no alternatives in Germany. Former AA – Martin Shultz – a declared socialist, is always happy with what is going on in his country. He is very well known for derogatory comments about other countries, like Italy, Poland, or Hungary. An alternative for Germany (AfD) is a step back to a pre-WWII situation. We, Americans, know what it means.
Now, Frans Timmermans pushes hard for a confrontation with the Polish government. He claims he is a good friend of Poland, but he wants to eliminate any area for sovereignty of Poland. Poland was never a colonial power. He should better remember that his Dutch ancestors populated Gdansk and benefited from Polish grain trade after German Teutonic Knights wiped out the entire population of this Polish city. There is no constitutional tribunal in Holland, he should remember. Mr. Timmermans does not hold any elected position. Reform of the judicial system in Poland is necessary, since some “judges” are communist era criminals. Some judges are very active politically (which is unconstitutional). Why does he defend those communist apparatchiks? Hard to know!

Russian Federation

Putin’s Russia is showing its muscles and military might. The Kremlin regime does not allow any state strengthening in the neighborhood. They support any left or right band to cause political upheaval. Frans Timmerman’s or Martin Schultz’ criticism comes very timely and welcomed.
Russian Zapad-2017 war games are designed to undermine, intimidate, and commingle in Central European affairs. For the first time, besides military personnel, civilian administration also participates in the events.

What do we Learn from WWII History Lesson?

In August 1939, the United States was aware of the Russo-German axis (6) and their plans for Poland’s butchery. Despite having a binding intelligence cooperation agreement, we didn’t inform our ally about their grave situation. The British and the French allies of Poland took the same position.
In contrast, Polish intelligence ace, Colonel Jan Kowalewski, met with US Ambassador Joseph Kennedy and informed him that in two to four weeks the Japanese are planning an attack on Midway or Hawaii… Earlier, his agents were able to learn about the date of the German Barbarossa Plan to attack the Soviets. (7)
The US European policy of President Donald Trump, based on three most trusted allies, builds up all necessary support for the United States, since it is based on true history. History likes to repeat itself, The Russo-German axis is mounting again.
We cannot wait until events overwhelm us. We need to plan in advance and always be prepared for any possible turn of events.

 

References


  1. Norman Davies – Europe. A History, Oxford University Press, 1996, Appendix III, Table 100
  2. Volksdeutsche – of German origin, German settlers, in another country – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volksdeutsche
  3. Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffen-SS_foreign_volunteers_and_conscripts
  4. Angela Merkel, née Kasner, vel. Kaźmierczyk. German politician of Polish and German descent. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Merkel
  5. Three seas are Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea nad Black Sea. Black Sea in Slavic languages is called “Czarne”, or “Crno”, or “Černé”. For this reason the initiative is often called “ABC Initiative”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermarium
  6. Johnnie Herwarth von Bittenfeld and S. Frederick Starr: Against Two Evils: Memoirs of a Diplomat-Soldier during the Third Reich. London: Collins, 1981 and New York: Rawson, Wade, 1981 ISBN 978-0-89256-154-4 ISBN 0892561548; his autobiography
  7. Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Kowalewski

 

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