Published in
„Siegrunen“ Magazine – Volume 6, Number 1, Whole Number 31,
July-September
1983
I enlisted in the Waffen-SS as a
volunteer in August 1942, and I was then 19 years old. I undertook my infantry
training in Mitau/Estonia and I became the #1 gunner on a light machine gun. In
February 1943, 3o of us were sent to Hilverum/Holland to be trained as Panzerjäger
(anti-tank troops). I was then made the #1 gunner on a 7.5 cm anti-tank cannon.
Afterwards I spent some time in
Grafenwoehr and Graz as an assistant trainer and also went into a NCO training
course. Then the SS Panzergrenadier Rgt. 23 „Norge” (Norwegian) was established
and it was deployed for combat duty in Croatia. In November 1943 we left
Croatia for Leningrad. That was a wholly frightful time filled with filth, cold
and shelling. But nonetheless, that life had its good and bad sides both when
not viewed from too dark a perspective. At the end of January 1944 my
enlistment contract expired. I spent 14 days at home, then once again
voluntarily signed up, this time for the duration of the war.
Next I went on a journey to
Finland. After a short stopover in Oulu, I arrived in Karelia. After so long a
time, it is not so simple to remember all of the names and places. In the
spring we were stationed on the island of Pundum. From there we sent out
scouting parties in all directions, and had for the most part, only limited
losses. We found a number of remnants leftover from the „Winter War” between
Finland and Russia, including a lost field kitchen that Russian soldiers had
abandoned in the woods after the 4 or 6 horses that had pulled it had frozen to
death. During this time our unit (SS-Skijäger Btl. „Norge” — attached to the 6th SS Mtn. Div. „Nord”)
had Norwegian company commanders and troop leaders.
I volunteered for a mission to
sabotage the railroad lines between Leningrad and Murmansk, although for some
reason or another nothing came of this. During this time I attempted to gain
admittance to a (officer’s) training course at Bad Toelz, but the [military]
situation was so difficult that it was hard to get free for this. The Finns
capitulated on 4 September 1944, and we had to promptly retreat from Finland.
It was the German procedure not to leave anything behind, not even the rubbish!
Ostuf. Gust Jonassen, CO SS-Ski
Btl. „Norge.”
Legion „Norwegen” armshield and „Frontfighter’s”
Badge.
Norwegian Volunteer Medals
(never implemented).
I don’t know how far the bearest
road was, but we marched for many days until we reached it. We went from lake
to lake, which we crossed in our boats which we had to carry with us. It took
8-10 men to carry the boat, and 4 men to carry the motor.
Understandably, I remember one
episode better than the others. After 2 or 3 days our substitute troop leader
lost his map.
Norwegian Waffen-SS recruiting
posters.
It was dark, but I remembered
seeing something white along the way, so 1 volunteered to go back and find the
map. As we began our search, we had just had a 7 hour march behind us, carrying
machine guns, radio equipment and personal packs on our backs. After we found
the map, we had another half-hour march still to make, then we heard Russian
soldiers nearby. They were also not on the right course. After that we had the
Russians close behind us until we reached Rovaniemi.
We often had to build temporary
plank bridges ahead of us to accommodate the vehicles. Since there was only one
car per company, and they had to be transported in sections, we all had to go
by foot. Despite the difficulties, troop morale was good because we knew we
were marching towards Norway. At last we reached the well-known bridge over the
Kemijoki.
Legion „Norwegen“ collar patch.
The stay in Rovaniemi was also
unforgettable. The whole town was enveloped in flames and we were being shot at
by the Finns. In this situation things got somewhat confused. My squad had to
go back over the bridge to secure a bridgehead. After an hour we received
orders to evacuate our positions and then the bridge would be destroyed. But
once back over the bridge we received counter-orders: return back to your
positions and hold them until the bridge is destroyed. Then we could cross over
the river on our own (using another, minor bridge).
Norwegian volunteers of the
Waffen-SS with a Norwegian girl in National costume on 10 January 1942.
As with our first crossing over
the bridge, my number 2 gunner and I first stopped at a field kitchen and
filled two small bowls with pudding and sauce. Then we went back over the
bridge. This was no simple matter since the bridge was covered with mines,
shells and bombs all linked to a network of electrical wires strewn all over,
so we had to wait until we had crossed over until we could eat our pudding. At
0300 hours the bridge was blown into the air only about 50 meters away from us.
After spending a few days in a
school [house], the march continued. The first night we had scattered losses,
although later on we lost hardly any men. We covered the first stretch of 60 km
from Rovaniemi in hard rain. I had only felt boots so naturally was very
uncomfortable. I got a pair of leather boots as soon after that as I could.
I must mention an episode in
northern Finland. We spent 2 or 3 days on the Arctic Sea road and near to us
was a field bakery. We had not been getting very much in the way of meals and
the odour coming from the bakery was irresistible. I then gave myself the
mission of liberating some bread. I lay in wait behind the storage tent and
when the bakery boys came by carrying the bread on a long plank I sprang up and
managed to hook my leg in at the right moment. That turned out to be quite a
good bread feast!
We were still involved in
maintaining the rearward security and continued to do so until we reached the
Swedish frontier where the borders of three countries came together. From here
we went to Narvik (Norway) in trucks provided by the Todt Organization
[military construction service]. The march continued to Mosjoen. In the
mountain passes we went through snowdrifts that were taller than us. From
Mosjoen we went by ship to Drondheim and then to Mysen (south of Oslo) by rail.
I then tried to go to Toelz for officer’s training but the end of the war
intervened.
As thanks for my 2 ½ years of front
service against the Bolsheviks, I was rewarded with 3 ½ years at forced labour.
The Norwegian Volunteer, Kaare S.
From Hyperinflation to Full Employment: Nazi Germany’s Economic Miracle Explained
ReplyDeletehttps://nationalvanguard.org/2019/09/germany-an-economy-for-the-people-instead-of-for-the-parasites/#comment-27682
Great article.
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